Song Ke felt somewhat dazed all morning, as if the great scholar's words were merely wind passing by his ears. When his mind wandered and he caught sight of the stationery set Xianglan had made, it felt like a sharp knife stabbing his heart, followed by a surge of irritation. He thought to himself, "Chen Xianglan, you little minx, why did you have to present me with such a dilemma right before the autumn examinations, leaving me without a moment's peace! You're just a maid by birth, so why are you unwilling to be a concubine? Our affection for each other runs deep, and I've shown you kindness—how can you bear to leave me? What if I simply refuse to let you go and keep you by my side? What could you possibly do about it?" But then his resolve faltered, and he mused, "Ah, but she's beautiful and graceful, not to mention clever and quick-witted, and she's skilled at painting. With such talent and learning, how could she be content to be someone's concubine? Even if I keep her, what good would it do if she's unwilling? If we end up resenting each other every day, wouldn't it be better to part ways and never see each other again..."
Lin Jinting, sitting beside him, watched as Song Ke alternated between glaring furiously, clenching his teeth and fists, and then slumping listlessly with a troubled expression. He nudged Song Ke with his foot and whispered, "Yi Fei, what's wrong with you today? You're usually so lively in class, your eyes boring holes into the great scholar, but today you look like a frost-bitten eggplant..." He then grinned mischievously and added, "Could it be you're lovesick?"
Song Ke shot him a glare. Just then, the cloud-board sounded, signaling the end of the lecture, so he hastily gathered his books and said, "I'm not feeling well today, my head aches a bit. I'm going back to lie down."
Lin Jinting quickly replied, "Then hurry and have Doctor Luo examine your pulse." Then, with a chuckle, he added, "If it's lovesickness, that's easy to cure too. Tell me which family's young lady it is, and I'll find a matchmaker to propose on your behalf."
Song Ke retorted irritably, "This illness of mine, Doctor Luo can't cure; and this lovesickness, your matchmaker can't fix either." With that, he left.
Lin Jinting had only been speaking offhand and didn't really believe Song Ke had fallen for anyone. He muttered to himself, "I don't think he's sick—he must have taken the wrong medicine today."
Song Ke ordered his servant to bring his horse, then mounted and rode home. But somehow, as if bewitched, he found himself riding to the back street of the Song residence, arriving beneath the attic where Xianglan lived. He looked up and saw the small window propped open with a stone lion, a bamboo curtain swaying gently in the breeze. He wondered what the person behind that window was doing—painting, grooming, or perhaps some needlework...
His servant, Shimu, observed his master's expression and thought, "This is Miss Xianglan's home. Could it be the Eldest Master is missing her? No wonder he's been so distracted lately." He whispered, "Eldest Master, should I go knock and ask Sister Xianglan to come out? She's been home for a few days now—we could take her back with us."
Song Ke shook his head. Though he longed to see Xianglan, his mind was in turmoil. What would he even say to her if they met? He sighed and said, "Let's go back."
Unbeknownst to him, Xianglan was hiding behind the bamboo curtain in her small attic, secretly watching him. She saw Song Ke, still as elegant as jade, gazing intently at the window. Her heart ached, but when she saw him leave, she sighed softly and slowly retreated inside.
Song Ke turned his horse around and headed back. On the way, he passed a tall, fair-skinned scholar but paid him no mind. As he approached the back gate of the Song residence, he glanced back and was startled to see that scholar knocking on the Chen Family's door!
Song Ke immediately reined in his horse.Xue Shi came to answer the door, a smile on her face, appearing quite familiar with the scholar. The two chatted for a while, and then the scholar took out a package and handed it to Xue Shi. At first, she refused to accept it, but after some back-and-forth, she finally took it. After exchanging a few more pleasant farewells, she closed the door.
The scholar, however, was unwilling to leave. With his hands tucked in his sleeves, he stood downstairs, gazing upward in a daze. After staring for quite some time, he finally turned to leave, only to meet Song Ke’s gaze. Startled, he froze.
This scholar was, of course, Xia Yun. Over the past couple of days, he had obtained a jar of fine tea leaves and eagerly brought it to Chen Wanquan, hoping to catch a glimpse of Xianglan. To his disappointment, Xue Shi hadn’t even let him inside. Feeling disheartened, he turned and noticed a young gentleman on horseback—handsome, with striking features and an elegant demeanor. He rode a chestnut-red horse, accompanied by a servant holding the reins, clearly a scion of a wealthy and noble family.
Seeing the young gentleman scrutinizing him with a gloomy expression, Xia Yun felt puzzled. But then, the gentleman abruptly turned his horse and rode away.
Song Ke returned to the mansion, dismounted, and entered, his heart heavy with frustration, now compounded by a surge of irritation. He could tell at a glance what the scholar was scheming. Fuming, he struggled to catch his breath. He wanted to ask Xianglan who that scholar was, how long she had known him, and whether she had taken a liking to him, which might explain why she was trying to find a way to leave him.
As he strode briskly inside, he noticed a carriage parked in the courtyard and asked, “Who has come?”
The gatekeeper had intended to report the visitor earlier but hesitated when he saw Song Ke return with a furious expression. Now that he was asked, he hurriedly replied, “It’s the family of Duke Xian who have come as guests. Madam said that as soon as you returned, you should go to the front to pay your respects to the elders.”
Song Ke nodded, went back to his room to change into guest-appropriate attire, and wiped his face with a towel in preparation to meet the visitors. For now, we shall set this aside.
Inside the room, Song Yima and Wei Shi, the wife of Duke Xian, were chatting happily. Song Yima said with a smile, “We ought to have visited your residence first, yet here you are, coming to see us instead.”
Wei Shi laughed and replied, “We’re all connected by some distant ties of kinship—what does it matter who visits whom first? We’ve returned to our ancestral home to take a look and don’t know many people in Jinling. Last time at the Lin family’s, we hit it off right away, especially since the young ladies got along so well. It’s only natural that we should visit more often.”
Song Yima smiled and said, “Of course.”
Wei Shi continued, “Eleven or twelve years ago, when we were in the capital, our families often visited each other. At that time, Master Song was a frequent guest of my husband’s and even brought the young master to our home to play. For the birthdays of the children in our household—both boys and girls—we often received calligraphy works from Master Song. He truly had a masterful hand.”
Song Yima sighed wistfully, “Indeed, so many years have passed in the blink of an eye. The children have grown up, and we’ve all aged. My husband…” Her eyes welled up with tears, but remembering that she had distinguished guests present, she restrained her emotions and forced a smile. “Look at me, why am I saying such things?” She repeatedly instructed the maids to bring fresh fruits, tea, and snacks.
Wei Shi quickly said, “There’s no need for such formality. I came here just to chat and reminisce… Speaking of children, the young master in your household is about sixteen or seventeen now, isn’t he?”Song Yima's face lit up with joy at the mention of her son. She smiled and said, "Indeed, he'll be seventeen after the New Year. He's the very image of his father from the same mold. After his father passed, he endured many hardships, supporting us widow and orphan as we established our own household. Yet he remains diligent in his studies—already a xiucai, and he'll take the provincial examination for juren this autumn. I'm not boasting, but our eldest is quite scholarly, always ranking first in academy exams. Had family matters not delayed him these past two years, he might have already followed in his father's footsteps and become a jinshi."
Wei Shi responded with a smile, though inwardly she scoffed: "Seventeen and already dreaming of becoming a jinshi? She acts as if it's as easy as buying vegetables. In this dynasty, those who pass the jinshi exam before twenty can be counted on one hand. Her son may have some talent, but such arrogance!" Aloud, she said, "Elder sister is truly blessed to have such a son. Your later years will be well supported."
This remark struck right at Song Yima's heart, making her laugh uncontrollably. Noticing Zheng Jingxian sitting in the chair to the right, holding a handkerchief—though not exquisitely beautiful, still a fine lady with an air of nobility—she praised effusively, "Don't just talk about me, younger sister, you're blessed too. Look at Xian'er, such fine features and unmatched elegance—I've never seen any young lady who can compare. Is she betrothed yet?"
Wei Shi sighed. "Not yet, it's quite worrying."
Just then, Song Ke entered, cupping his hands in salute. "Your humble junior pays his respects to the madam."
This was Wei Shi's first time seeing Song Ke. Struck by his handsome appearance, radiant as the morning sun, dressed in a mulberry-dyed straight gown tied with a lotus-patterned belt, his demeanor all the more extraordinary, she exclaimed in delight, "This child, with such exceptional quality, puts all the boys in our family to shame!"" The more she looked, the more pleased she became, instantly growing fond of Song Ke. She warmly insisted, "No need to call me 'madam'—it's too formal. By seniority, you should call me aunt, and I'll call you nephew. That's only proper."
Song Ke acknowledged with a clasped fist. Song Yima then introduced Zheng Jingxian, and Song Ke bowed, addressing her as "younger sister," to which Zheng Jingxian rose and returned the courtesy.
After the introductions, Wei Shi inquired in detail about what books Song Ke studied, his daily activities, which academy he attended, and who his teacher was. Song Ke had intended to briefly entertain the guests before retreating to ponder Xianglan's matter further, but he hadn't expected Wei Shi to detain him with endless questions. Not wanting to offend an honored guest, he had no choice but to respond politely.
Song Yima, who already saw her son as flawless and seldom had opportunities to boast while secluded in the inner quarters, grew especially excited now that someone appreciated his worth. Echoing Wei Shi's praises, she extolled Song Ke from head to toe until even he grew restless, his ears turning red as he repeatedly shot glances at Song Tanchai.
But Song Tanchai seemed not to notice, instead winking at him and covering her mouth with a handkerchief to stifle giggles.
Hearing that Song Ke, despite his youth, also managed shops and farmlands, Wei Shi's gaze softened even more.After finishing their conversation, Song Ke took his leave. Walking through the courtyard, he noticed the osmanthus trees had bloomed, reminding him of Xianglan’s cheerful words: "When autumn comes and the osmanthus in the yard blossoms, I’ll pick some to make osmanthus wine. The ones sold in the market are too sweet and overpowering—I’ll make mine light and fragrant. Then we can knead the wine into pastries. How delicious that would be!" He stared at the osmanthus tree for a long while before sighing heavily and turning back. At the moon gate, a handkerchief suddenly fluttered down by his feet. Looking up, he saw Zheng Jingxian and her maid standing behind him, though he hadn’t noticed their approach.
Zheng Jingxian usually dressed with an air of spirited elegance, favoring soft hues like jadeite green or Clover Green. Her hair was simply coiled, adorned only with a plain gold choker and no other jewelry. Today, however, she wore a peach-colored gown with wide embroidered trims and peony patterns, her hair intricately styled and pinned with a delicate gold phoenix hairpin dripping with pearls. A touch of rouge softened her usual vigor, presenting her as a dignified young lady from an esteemed family.
Knowing it was improper to meet unrelated men privately, Song Ke was momentarily stunned. But before he could react, Zheng Jingxian’s maid, Yue’er, stepped forward to retrieve the handkerchief. Unfazed, Zheng Jingxian smiled gracefully and said, "Brother Yi Fei, you may not remember me, but you visited our residence when we were children."
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