Aunt Song groaned and regained consciousness. Song Ke quickly brought a cup of tea to her lips. After taking a sip, tears streamed down her face as she held Song Ke’s hand and said, “My son, you’ve been diligent and sensible since childhood. While other children were playing, you alone sat at your desk, holding a brush, dedicated to your studies.
In winter you carried a hand warmer, in summer your clothes were soaked with sweat. When your teacher praised your progress, you weren’t satisfied and sought out more books to read. You even secretly listened and learned when your father discussed matters with his colleagues. Even on New Year’s Eve, you were still writing essays.
After your father’s early passing, you managed both your studies and the family business. How many nights did you fall asleep while studying, brush still in hand… How can you bear to let these decades of hard work just…”? She could speak no more and broke into sobs.
Song Ke, holding back tears, gritted his teeth and said, “We haven’t reached the final step yet.”
“How have we not? Brother has been going out early and returning late these past few days, seeking help from so many people, but who’s willing to offer aid in our time of need? Most have ulterior motives, not even daring to accept money to help smooth things over. Brother has faced so many rejections – even if you don’t say it, I can see it,” Song Tanchai wiped her tears with a handkerchief and cried, “Now that His Majesty has issued the decree, who would dare speak up for Brother?”
Song Ke’s expression changed. These days he had experienced the cold reality of human relationships – those official friends who had eagerly sought his friendship after his examination success had now vanished. When he humbly sought their help, they only offered perfunctory comfort with noncommittal words. Truly, “human sentiment is as thin as paper.”
Seeing Song Ke lower his head in silence, Aunt Song stroked his hand again and said, “From childhood until now, I’ve never opposed anything you’ve said, but this matter… my son, please listen to your mother. Miss Xian is beautiful and good-natured, devoted to you completely. Such a girl must not be missed.”
At this moment, Junxi brought medicine for Aunt Song to take with water, while Song Tanchai wiped her lips with a handkerchief. Aunt Song continued speaking without pause, “I had originally thought that when you became an official, with our family business, though we’re not extremely wealthy, we have some savings. I could have suggested several young ladies, and you could marry whichever one you liked, regardless of background. As long as she was beautiful, good-natured, devoted to you, and could bear children, I would have been satisfied. Who knew this situation would arise? My son, I know you don’t like Miss Xian, but she is truly a good girl, especially willing to help you at this time – where else could you find someone with such character and integrity?”
After Aunt Song’s heartfelt words, tears welled in Song Ke’s eyes. Fearing that his mother’s anger would harm her health, he consoled her, “Mother, let’s not discuss this today. Please rest well first, and I’ll think it over carefully.”
Aunt Song was exhausted by now and closed her eyes. Song Ke watched over her for a while before leaving the room.
At this time, the doorman reported that Lin Jinting had come to see him, so Song Ke invited him to the study. Lin Jinting was startled to see him looking worried and haggard, with stubble on his chin, and said, “You seemed to be in good spirits a few days ago, what happened today?”
Song Ke shook his head and said, “Mother and sister just had a crying spell. Thinking about how I’m causing them such worry at their age, I’m truly being unfilial.” He sighed deeply and slumped into a chair.
Lin Jinting ordered his servant to bring in a food box, took out several dishes, and brought out a small jar of wine. Patting the wine vessel, he said, “I knew you were unhappy, so I specially brought wine and food to drink until we’re drunk. Have a meal and you’ll feel better. There’s no one else here – if you want to cry, then cry. Keeping everything bottled up inside could make you seriously ill.” He ordered the servant to pour the wine, filling a cup to the brim and presenting it to Song Ke.
Song Ke drained it in one gulp. As the wine entered his troubled heart, his thoughts became even more turbulent. Since Lin Jinting was a close friend, he told him about Zheng Jingxian’s matter. Lin Jinting immediately slapped his thigh and said, “Ah, brother, this blessing has fallen from heaven – if you don’t accept it, you’re a fool! Even though the Illustrious Duke isn’t a good person, he still has his influence. If he’s willing to help, your problem is half-solved. And that Zheng girl isn’t some ugly creature – she’s taken a fancy to you, so why aren’t you quickly sending someone to propose? What are you waiting for? Even if she were ugly, if I were you, I’d endure it. At worst, you could take some beautiful concubines later – it would still be up to you.”
Song Ke glared at Lin Jinting and said, “No ivory comes from a dog’s mouth.”
Lin Jinting started, smacked his lips, and slapped his face, “Yes, yes, I have a dog’s mouth, and you have a good mouth, but what choice do you have now? Someone’s willing to help, and all you have to do is marry their daughter – what’s wrong with that? Just think of it as enduring hardship for a greater cause. Didn’t Liu Bei marry the ‘tigress’ Sun Shangxiang for his kingdom?”
After a long while, Song Ke let out a deep sigh and said, “It’s just that I already have someone in my heart. Though her background isn’t high enough, she has an understanding of nature. She can write and read, and she’s skilled at painting. Whatever I want to say, she seems to know beforehand. She’s my soulmate – being with her brings indescribable joy…”
Lin Jinting chuckled, put down his cup on the table, crossed his legs, and said mockingly, “My brother, are you reciting the tale of Zhang Sheng and Cui Yingying to me? Soulmate? Let me ask you – despite her thousand merits, can she help you with this matter? If you can’t be an official and spend your life in frustration, only able to return home as a landlord, even if you’re with your beauty, will your heart truly be content?” Lin Jinting picked up some food with his chopsticks and swallowed before continuing, “Besides, didn’t you say her background isn’t high enough? If you really can’t let her go, just make her your concubine later. That way you’ll have both the person and the fortune.”
Song Ke said, “She wouldn’t be willing to be someone’s concubine, and making her one would be an insult to her.”
Lin Jinting frowned impatiently and said, “This won’t do, that won’t do – what should be done then? Where in the world can you find something perfect? How can a grown man be so indecisive – which is more important, your career or a woman? What have you been studying so hard for all these years? My elder brother once said that women have long hair but short wisdom, easily drowning in emotion, are fond of romance, and have endless ‘you love me, I want you’ kind of talk. All day long it’s just ‘one life, one world, one pair’ sort of nonsense – it’s just entertainment, how can it be taken seriously? Song Xiuhong, do you want to stay with a woman, talking about love all day, keeping warm in bed, or do you have greater ambitions to stand in the imperial court, achieve great things, revive your family’s fortunes, and distinguish yourself?! Do you still remember what you told me that snowy night in the river pavilion? You said that in this life if you couldn’t achieve your ambitions, you would die with regret. Even if you couldn’t serve as an official and benefit the people, you would still dedicate your learning to serve the court!”
Song Ke was stunned, his emotions surging. His hands trembling, he drained his cup of wine, his eyes reddening as tears slowly formed.
Lin Jinting sighed, reached out to pat Song Ke’s shoulder, and said softly, “I know you’re someone who values relationships, and the woman you’ve chosen must be exceptional, but… alas, who would have thought that despite your early success, your path would be so difficult? You’ve always been thorough in everything you do, afraid of any imperfection, but in this world, there must be gains and losses – it depends on how you decide. Let me advise you: as a man of standing, if you’re only confined by young love, what can you achieve in the future?”
Song Ke drank several more cups of wine. Lin Jinting’s words seemed both near his ears and far away. He seemed to return to his previous life, when he and his cousin grew up together, harboring mutual affection, but his parents made him marry the powerful Shen family’s daughter for his career prospects, and he had to agree. His cousin was heartbroken then, crying all afternoon, willing to be his concubine, but her father slapped her face – that grieved expression was deeply etched in his heart. He moved his lips, wanting to say sorry, but couldn’t speak the words. In his haze, that face became Madam Shen’s, then changed to Xianglan’s, and finally seemed to become wisps of smoke from the bronze lion incense burner on the table, swirling around him before floating out the window with the gentle breeze.
Let us skip the idle talk.
A few days later, Zheng Baichuan found a newly appointed Censorate official named Yan Liwen and explained the details of Song Ke’s situation to him. This Yan Liwen was an impetuous fellow who prided himself on his integrity. Having heard of Wu Liang’s various misdeeds, he rolled up his sleeves and wrote a lengthy article, severely criticizing him as a “treacherous bully who harmed the local community, corrupted justice by twisting black and white, comparable to the traitorous Zhao Gao who called a deer a horse” and “slandered court officials with malicious intent deserving execution.” He argued that while Song Ke might be “guilty of loose supervision, he was framed by villains and deserved an understanding.” He also criticized Wu Youwei for allowing his subordinates to “present slander to the Emperor, deceiving the imperial ear” and warned that “if this continues, it will surely damage the foundation of the state.”
When this document reached the Grand Secretariat, Zheng Baichuan, who was friendly with Grand Secretary Li Yong and had served in the Censorate for many years, set things in motion. The political winds in court suddenly changed, and people gradually began speaking up for Song Ke.
Although the Emperor was displeased that someone had so quickly cleared Song Ke’s name, the evidence was compelling. He had to admit “We were deceived by petty men” and gave Song Ke some imperial items as compensation. Wu Youwei was demoted, Wu Liang was punished with twenty heavy strokes, and Li Jia received twenty strokes as well. However, the Emperor was ultimately annoyed that Yan Liwen had made him lose face, so he removed him from the Censorate and sent him to a remote area as a minor official. Poor Yan Liwen had been congratulating himself for righteously defending another’s reputation, not expecting to stumble. Zheng Baichuan had merely used Yan Liwen as a tool and didn’t care about his fate. Thus, this long-running commotion finally came to an end.