Chapter 1: The Young Man with a Flourishing Appearance Has a Girl Who Willingly Offers Her Heart
In the early morning, Gaoling City was filled with rain and snow. The delicate snowflakes and long rain threads blended together, falling gently into Xi Hu Lake, creating a faint ripple that disappeared instantly. The willow trees by the lake were entwined with the gentle breeze, their branches swaying in the cold wind. The entire Xi Hu Lake was shrouded in a thin mist due to the fine rain and light snow, presenting a picturesque scene of "smoke and rain in Jiangnan".
The lake's surface began to ripple, and the mist was pierced by a large hole. A dilapidated awning boat sped across the water, with a pale-faced young man at the helm. He wore coarse linen brown clothes, with neat square patches sewn over the torn areas. The loose-fitting garment hung loosely on his tall and thin frame, as the cold wind whistled through the large sleeves, stimulating his frail body. The boy didn't seem to mind, his face flushed and panting heavily, as he rowed vigorously towards the western end of the lake.
The boat landed on the shore, and the young man jumped ashore with a steady leap. He adjusted his clothes and took a deep breath, then walked steadily towards the academy under the three tall willow trees in front of him.
The gate of the courtyard is wide open, symbolizing one of the broad teachings of the world. On the not-too-high gate hangs a golden plaque with four large characters: "Xiliu Academy".
Xī Liǔ Shū Yuàn although not big, only about three or four mu of land, but in Guangling its reputation is not small, has produced many pillars of the imperial court, and scholars who come to admire the scenery and appreciate the lake all linger in front of Xī Liǔ Shū Yuàn's gate, catching a glimpse of the academy's style and incidentally absorbing some literary atmosphere.
The young man entered the main hall of the academy with familiarity, respectfully bowing to the portrait of Confucius and beginning to tidy up the bookshelves. As he looked at the scattered collection of poems and texts that had been disturbed by the noble readers who came before him, the young man couldn't help but sigh, carefully categorizing and putting away the books.
As the young man finished arranging the books, Mr. Li Hongzhi, the headmaster of the academy, walked into the main hall with his hands behind his back, paid respects to Confucius' portrait, sat down at the teaching desk, stroked his beard and couldn't help but think of when this young man first entered the academy as a miscellaneous servant. The young man's name was Xia Jin.
At first glance, the old man didn't seem to be afraid of strangers, with a hint of spirit and stubbornness in his eyes. He could recognize a few characters, and despite his frail body, he had a natural strength. The elderly masters at the entrance sent over a cart full of books, which was causing trouble. Xiaojin, the young man, carried a dozen or so books in one hand, as light as a swallow, and within the time it took to burn an incense stick, they were all stacked up in the main hall of the courtyard.
These years, Xia Jin has also accumulated a lot of knowledge with the students, and he is knowledgeable and reasonable in his words and deeds. He is more like a student in the academy than those arrogant and self-important nobles. Unfortunately, he was born into a poor family. Li Hongzhi had spent half his life studying, but still couldn't understand whether the kings, princes, and generals in books were real or fake. Thinking of this, Xia Jin's future would be at most to become a reading servant in a wealthy family.
Li Hongzhi thought for a moment, then called out to Xia Jin: "Xia Jin, go to the accounting room and settle the accounts from last winter. This spring, I'll give you five taels of silver, and you can use it to buy some new clothes." After finishing speaking, he closed his eyes, stroked his beard, and began to meditate. Xia Jin smiled foolishly: "Ah, thank you, Master!" He bowed respectfully and left the main hall, heading towards the accounting room.
Although it was raining and snowing heavily today, the vendors still set up their stalls early. Xia Jin came out of Wen Xuan Zhai with a smile on his face, walking down the street under a broken umbrella, feeling the silver in his pocket, and couldn't help but feel great. On this rainy and snowy day, this broken umbrella seemed to have lost its bleakness, instead it had a few more elegant touches.
The sound of sugar gourd vendors came from afar, Xia Jin's eyes lit up, and he quickly walked forward: "Zhu Bo, give me a string, I want the sour ones." "Xia Xiao Ge, you're going to see Xiao Kui so early today?" Xia Jin smiled slyly: "Today, Da Xiansheng gave me a holiday, so I'm off work." "Here you go, Xia Xiao Ge, hurry up and go see Xiao Kui, don't keep her waiting!"
Xia Jin's face suddenly turned hot: "Zhu Bo, don't speak nonsense! Don't speak nonsense! Xia Qiu and I are just sworn siblings, but you're talking nonsense again!" "Hahaha, silly boy, when I was young, I was also a romantic hero. I've been in and out of brothels seven times in ten days. Do you think I don't understand? Hurry up and go, don't keep the girl waiting."
Xia Jin nodded with a flushed face and quickly walked towards the Shu Yue Lou. Among the three thousand beauties, there was a shallow lake where the wind and moon were lightly drunk. In the countless Jiangnan scenic spots, only the Shu Yue Lou could be considered elegant, and the women in it were comparable to the ladies of the aristocratic families, well-read in poetry and books, knowledgeable and reasonable, mostly being clear and elegant people.
The Dong family's Jiang Wentao is also a well-known literary figure in the Jiangnan region, with the reputation of being a "leisurely person of wind and moon". Xiao Kui is a hairdresser at Fengyuelou. Five years ago, Xia Jin bought two buns on his way home from work and saw a small figure huddled in a corner, staring at the buns in his hand and swallowing saliva. Xia Jin gave one to the little girl, who then pulled on his clothes and refused to leave, so he took her home, asked her name but she didn't have one, so he named her Kui, following his surname Xia, and raised her for some days.
Xia Jin was still young, and after his parents passed away, he had to rely on the meager salary from the Deyin Academy to raise two growing children. After a sleepless night, he asked his distant uncle, who worked as an accountant at the Fuyuelou, to help him find a job for Xiaohui. He managed to get her into the Fuyuelou as a hairdresser's apprentice. At least in the Fuyuelou, she wouldn't have to go hungry one day and full the next, nor would she have to stay up all night worrying about the wind and rain or the collapse of their house. Years passed, and Xiaohui grew into a beautiful young woman.
Xu Yue Lou is a garden located beside the West Lake, where Jiang Wentao, also a painter of his time, built it and painted here. He said that this building has exhausted all the beauty in heaven and on earth, and even the fairyland can't be better than this. The secluded path hides the secret tower, and the Taihu stone forest stands upright in the garden, which is truly a scenic spot at every step.
When Xia Jin first entered the garden, he got lost with Xiao Kui and was laughed at by the sisters in the garden for a long time. For five years, Xia Jin came every day to find Xiao Kui's maid's room, and it can't be said that he was familiar with the road. The little maid had just woken up and was dressing up in the courtyard, while the other maids saw Xia Jin and couldn't help but laugh loudly, pointing and saying: "Look at this Mr. Xia, a scholar who doesn't know shame, has been visiting Miss Xiao's boudoir for five years, how can he say that Xiao Kui is innocent? How can she marry someone, shameful!" Xia Jin blushed and bowed repeatedly, calling out to each of the sisters, his mouth dry from speaking, the maids burst into laughter and no longer teased him, scattering like birds and beasts.
A gentle voice came from inside the room: "Is that Brother Summer coming? It's so easy to call out 'sister' without getting a sore throat! Come in quickly and have a drink of water." Xia Jin smiled wryly and stepped into the room. Inside, there was a screen standing in front of the door, with four small beds behind it. At the far end of the room, there was a small table, where Xiao Kui was leaning against, smiling at Xia Jin with a gentle look in her eyes. She reached out to touch the snow on Xia Jin's body and said softly: "This rain and snow are so heavy, I don't know if that broken umbrella is gone. We have some spare money at home, buying a new one won't cost much."
Xia Jin smiled: "This old umbrella has been used for many years, and it was tattered when I picked it up in the past. It's strange that these few years have not broken new holes, and after patching and mending, it can still be used for a few more years. Right, today Master Da issued the spring decree, you should put it away and use it as part of your dowry next year."
Xiao Kui thought to herself: "Brother Jin is indeed a good accountant, after marrying him in the future, these dowries will still be his, right? Now what he says sounds reasonable, but I'm thinking that's what girls' families think, and my heart is still bursting with joy." She pretended to be coquettish, turned her body around and ignored this wooden head. Xia Jin looked at her and thought: "What's going on? You're not talking to me now?" He grabbed his hair and asked in a low voice: "Xiao Kui?" Xiao Kui remained silent for a moment, thinking carefully, then plucked up the courage, disregarding her dignity as a girl, turned around, looked at Xia Jin with her bright eyes, her face flushing red, and asked: "Brother Jin... all these years... you've taken good care of me... is it...?"
Xia Jin hastily replied, "Little Kai, what's wrong? What happened? Were you bullied by someone? Although I, Xia Jin, am just a poor scholar, I walk in the world with only one principle, and if I encounter some petty person, I will argue with him!" Little Kai scolded, "You're such a stubborn fool! How annoying! Let me finish speaking!" Xia Jin reluctantly murmured in agreement. Little Kai took a few deep breaths, lowered her head without looking at Xia Jin, and whispered in a tiny voice, "When... when am I going to marry you?"
Xia Jin didn't quite catch what Xiao Kui muttered, and couldn't help but ask again: "What?" Xiao Kui heard this and got angry, her small fists flying towards Xia Jin like raindrops. Xia Jin didn't dodge, avoiding the tiny punches, and took out a paper-wrapped sugar gourd from his pocket and handed it to Xiao Kui. Xiao Kui took the sugar gourd, hummed in discontent, turned around again, and remained silent for a long time. Xiao Kui plucked up her courage, turned her head back, and stared at Xia Jin, asking another question: "You blockhead! When will you marry me?" Xia Jin was taken aback, muttered a few sentences: "The matchmaker's words, the parents' orders... if we lack two things, it won't be in accordance with etiquette... not in accordance with etiquette..."
Xiao Kui's anger suddenly flared up, and her two thin eyebrows stood upright. "You're such a pedantic scholar! People really say that you're so stubbornly traditional that it's suffocating! We two are orphans, where did we get the orders of our parents from? Besides, heaven is our father and earth is our mother, as long as we pay respects to them, it's enough. In this courtyard, which one of my sisters can't be our matchmaker?" Xia Jin was stunned, muttering: "This... isn't according to ancient rituals..." Xiao Kui heard this and couldn't help but think more, tears falling down like a string of pearls. "You pedantic scholars... aren't you also looking down on me because of my worldly status?"
Xia Jin's face turned pale with anxiety, and he hastily waved his hand: "No, no, Xiao Kui, I know how you treat me. Let me ask my uncle, we'll get married next month!" Xiao Kui snorted, her tears still swirling in her eyes: "Xia Jin! I, Xiao Kui, will not marry anyone but you this lifetime! You listen clearly! If you despise me, I'd rather die!" Xia Jin repeatedly comforted her, and only then did Xiao Kui stop crying. It was only then that she remembered a troublesome matter: "Brother Jin, your uncle... wants to marry me off to Wang Shoubei's son, Wang Changqing, that scoundrel. The other day, when he was pouring wine, he made light of me repeatedly, and I had to use all my skills to escape..."
Xia Jin was furious upon hearing this, what is the meaning of this? His own uncle sending his own wife to someone else! This is the most ridiculous thing in the world! It goes against reason! Xia Jin, with a belly full of anger, stormed out of the room to look for his uncle.
