Aunt Song groaned as she came to, and Song Ke quickly brought a cup of tea to her lips. After taking a sip, tears streamed down her face as she grasped Song Ke’s hand and said, “My dear son, you’ve been diligent and sensible since childhood. While other children were out playing, you, just a little one, sat at your desk with a brush in hand, wholly absorbed in reading and writing. In winter, you’d clutch a hand warmer; in summer, your clothes would be soaked with sweat. Even when your teacher praised your progress, you weren’t satisfied—you sought out more books to study. You’d even eavesdrop on your father’s discussions with his colleagues to learn more, and on New Year’s Eve, you’d still be writing essays. After your father passed away early, you balanced your studies with managing the family’s business and properties. Countless nights, you’d fall asleep exhausted over your books, still clutching your brush… How can you bear to let over a decade of such hardship go to waste…” She couldn’t finish, sobbing uncontrollably.
Tears welling in his eyes, Song Ke clenched his teeth and said, “It hasn’t come to that final step yet.”
“How hasn’t it? These past days, you’ve been out early and back late, pleading with so many households. But who’s willing to lend a helping hand in our time of need? Most have ulterior motives—they won’t even accept the silver for mediation. I can see how many rejections you’ve faced, even if you don’t say it.” Song Tanchai dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and wept, “And now that the Emperor has issued a decree, who would dare stand up for you?”
Song Ke’s expression darkened. In recent days, he had tasted the fickleness of human relationships. Those official friends who had sought his friendship after he passed the imperial exams had now vanished without a trace. When he humbled himself to ask for help, they offered only empty consolations with hollow words—truly, “human feelings are as thin as paper.”
Seeing Song Ke hang his head in silence, Aunt Song stroked his hand again and said, “From childhood till now, I’ve never opposed any decision you’ve made. But in this matter… my son, please listen to your mother. Miss Xian has both beauty and virtue, and she’s utterly devoted to you. A girl like this must not be missed.”
Just then, Junxi brought a pill and had Aunt Song take it with water, while Song Tanchai wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief. Aunt Song continued earnestly, “I had always thought that once you became an official, with the family’s modest savings—though we’re not among the wealthiest—we could arrange matches with a few young ladies. You could choose whomever you fancied, regardless of background, as long as she was pretty, kind-hearted, and devoted to you, bearing children—that would have been enough for me. But who could have foreseen this misfortune? My son, I know you don’t care for Miss Xian, but she is a good girl after all. Especially now, when she can pull you through this crisis—where else would you find such character and integrity?”
Moved by his mother’s heartfelt plea, Song Ke’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. Fearing that Aunt Song’s distress might harm her health, he comforted her, “Mother, let’s not speak of this today. Rest well for now, and I’ll think it over carefully.”
Exhausted, Aunt Song closed her eyes on her own. Song Ke stayed by her side a while longer before finally leaving the room.
At that moment, the gatekeeper announced that Lin Jinting had come to see him. Song Ke invited him to the study. Lin Jinting, noticing Song Ke’s troubled expression, haggard appearance, and the stubble on his chin, was taken aback and said, “You seemed in good spirits just a few days ago. What’s happened today?”Song Ke shook his head and said, "Just now, my mother and sister were crying. Thinking that at my age I'm still causing them sleepless nights and loss of appetite—I'm truly an unfilial and undutiful son." He let out a long sigh and slumped into a chair.
Lin Jinting had a servant bring in a food box. He took out several dishes and a small jar of wine, patting the jar as he said, "I knew you were upset, so I specially brought wine and food to drink with you until we're drunk. One good meal will make you feel better. There's no one else here—if you want to cry, just let it out. Keeping everything bottled up like this will only make you seriously ill." He then ordered the servant to pour the wine, filling a cup to the brim and handing it to Song Ke.
Song Ke downed it in one gulp. The wine only deepened his melancholy, stirring up countless tangled thoughts in his heart. Since Lin Jinting was a close friend, he confided in him about Zheng Jingxian. Lin Jinting immediately slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Ah, brother! This is a stroke of luck falling from the sky! If you don't agree, you're a fool! Even if Duke Xian is a scoundrel, he still has influence. If he's willing to help you, you're halfway to success. That Miss Zheng isn't some ugly hag—she's taken a fancy to you! Why aren't you sending a matchmaker to propose immediately? What are you waiting for?—Even if she were an ogress, if I were you, I'd endure it. You can always take a few beautiful concubines later—it's entirely up to you!"
Song Ke shot him a glare. "A dog's mouth can't spit out ivory."
Lin Jinting was taken aback for a moment, then smacked his lips and patted his own cheek. "Yes, yes, I have a dog's mouth, and you have a noble one. But what other options do you have right now? Someone is willing to help you, and all they ask is for you to marry their daughter—what's so bad about that? Just think of it as enduring humiliation for a greater cause. Didn't Liu Bei marry the ogress Sun Shangxiang for the sake of his kingdom?"
After a long silence, Song Ke let out a deep sigh. "It's just... I already have a woman I love. Though she isn't of high birth, she has a thoughtful and understanding nature. She's literate, well-read, and paints beautifully. She always seems to know what I'm going to say before I say it—she's my true confidante. Being with her brings me indescribable joy..."
Lin Jinting chuckled mockingly, set his cup down on the table, crossed his legs, and sneered, "My dear brother, are you performing the romance of Zhang Sheng and Cui Yingying for me? A confidante? Let me ask you this: even if she has a thousand virtues, can she help you with your current predicament? If you fail to secure an official post and spend your life in frustration, reduced to being a mere landlord, do you think you'll still be happy, even with a beauty by your side?" He picked up a bite of food with his chopsticks, swallowed it, and added, "Besides, since she isn't of high birth, if you really can't let her go, you can always take her as a concubine later. That way, you get both the woman and the advantage."
Song Ke replied, "She would never consent to being a concubine. And to make her one would be an insult to her."Lin Jinting impatiently furrowed his brows and said, "This won't do, that won't do either—what exactly should be done? How can there be such a perfect scenario in this world! How did you, a grown man, become so indecisive? Which is more important—your future or a woman? What have you been studying so hard for all these years? My elder brother once said that women are short-sighted, easily lost in emotions, fond of romantic notions like 'you love me, I love you,' and obsessed with the idea of 'one man, one woman for a lifetime.' They're merely a pastime—how can you take them seriously? Song Xiuhong, do you want to cling to a woman, spending your days in lovey-dovey talk, cozying up with a wife, or do you harbor grand ambitions to stand in the imperial court, achieve great deeds, revitalize your family, and rise above others?! Do you still remember that snowy night when we sat in the riverside pavilion and you told me something? You said that if you failed to achieve your aspirations in this lifetime, you would die with regrets. Even if you couldn't serve as an official to benefit the people, you would still dedicate your learning and exhaust yourself for the court!"
Song Ke was stunned, his heart surging uncontrollably. With trembling hands, he downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, his eyes reddening as tears slowly welled up.
Lin Jinting sighed, reached out, and patted Song Ke's shoulder, saying softly, "I know you're a man who values loyalty and affection. The woman you've set your heart on must be remarkable, but... ah, it's just that I never expected your promising youth to be met with such a troubled future. You've always been meticulous in everything you do, afraid of leaving anything imperfect. However, in this world, one must make choices and sacrifices—it all depends on how you decide. Let me just advise you: as a true man, if you confine yourself to trivial romantic sentiments, what great accomplishments can you achieve in the future?"
Song Ke downed several cups of wine in succession, feeling as though Lin Jinting's words were both close to his ears and distant. It was as if he had returned to his past life, when he and his cousin grew up together, secretly harboring affection for each other. However, his parents, for the sake of his future, made him marry a daughter of the powerful Shen family, and he had no choice but to agree. At the time, his cousin was heartbroken and cried the entire afternoon, willing to become his concubine, but her father slapped her across the face. That aggrieved expression was forever etched in his heart. He moved his lips, wanting to say "I'm sorry," but ultimately, the words never came out. Hazily, that face transformed into Lady Shen's, then into Xianglan's, and finally, it seemed to become the wisp of blue smoke curling from the golden bronze lion's mouth on the table, swirling around him before drifting slowly out the window with the breeze.
Enough of digressions.
A few days later, Zheng Baichuan found a newly appointed Imperial Censor named Yan Liwen and recounted the entire story of Song Ke's situation. Yan Liwen was a hotheaded young man who prided himself on his integrity. Upon hearing about Wu Liang's numerous misdeeds, he rolled up his sleeves and penned a lengthy memorial, vehemently denouncing Wu Liang as a "cunning and oppressive local tyrant who harms the community, engages in corruption and perverts justice, comparable to the likes of Zhao Gao who called a deer a horse," and accusing him of "slandering an imperial official, with a heart so vile he deserves execution." As for Song Ke, he argued that while he might be guilty of lax oversight, he was framed by villains and thus deserving of leniency. He further condemned Wu Youwei for allowing his subordinates to "feed lies to the Emperor and cloud His Majesty's judgment," warning that "if this continues, it will ultimately harm the foundation of the state," and so on.
When this memorial reached the Grand Secretariat, Zheng Baichuan, who had long served in the Censorate and was on good terms with Grand Secretary Li Yong, leveraged his connections to sway opinions. Almost instantly, the atmosphere in the court shifted, and voices began to emerge, one after another, calling for justice for Song Ke.Although the Emperor was displeased with how quickly Song Ke's reputation had been restored, the concrete evidence left him no choice but to lament, "I have been deceived by vile schemers." He bestowed upon Song Ke some imperial possessions as consolation, demoted Wu Youwei from his official post, sentenced Wu Liang to twenty strokes of the rod, and ordered Li Jia to receive twenty strokes as well. However, the Emperor remained resentful that Yan Liwen had undermined his dignity. He removed Yan from the Censorate and assigned him to a remote, impoverished region as a minor official. Poor Yan Liwen, who had been pleased with himself for speaking out righteously and salvaging another's reputation, never expected to suffer such a setback. Zheng Baichuan, who had merely used Yan Liwen as a pawn from the beginning, cared little for his fate. Thus, the commotion that had stirred for so long finally settled.
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