In the gentle breeze, warming the scholarly atmosphere filled with the fragrance of books and ink, fourteen-year-old Yuexi was writing over the desk. Beside her sat a young man in a green robe, engrossed in a book. Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting their shadows on the ground, one tall and one short, silently facing each other.
Yuexi paused her writing after only a few strokes, glancing at the young scholar who seemed lost in thought beside her, she sighed quietly.
“What’s the matter?” His eyes, keen as ever, seemed to comprehend her every move, as he gently asked.
Putting down her pen, Yuexi tilted her head, disgruntled. “Today, I heard Father call my second sister by her pet name. All my sisters have pet names, except me.” A sudden idea sprang to her, and she looked at him expectantly. “Scholar, would you give me a pet name?”
He finally set aside his book, pondered for a moment, then smiled. “Sure, let’s call you Wanwan.”
She felt his attitude was too perfunctory, so she pouted, saying, “If you don’t want to, forget it. There’s no need to casually give me a name to appease me.”
Still smiling gently, the young scholar picked up the pen she had just put down and wrote the characters “婉婉” on the paper. The strokes flowed gracefully, like a gentle breeze through willow trees. He then said to her, “Wan carries the meaning of gentleness and compliance. In the Book of Songs, there’s a line: ‘There is a fair lady, with a gentle and compliant appearance.’ So, this can be considered a name representing gentle and compliant beauty. Why aren’t you pleased?”
She listened joyfully, her eyes forming crescents as she smiled. Carefully folding the paper, she tucked it into her bosom. She thought the young scholar was the most learned person she had ever met, so the name he gave her must be the best. Thus, she couldn’t wait to announce it to the world. However, the young scholar said that a girl’s pet name should not be casually publicized, nor should it be given by outsiders. Thus, it became a small secret between them, only used when they were alone together.
Later, after the young scholar left, no one called her Wanwan anymore. Now, even the young scholar couldn’t call her that. Meeting again, he stood amidst the mountains and rivers, still wearing the familiar gentle smile. He said to her, “Lady Xiao, it’s been a long time.”
Yuexi suddenly felt a strange sourness in her heart. She didn’t know where this emotion came from, but she knew it shouldn’t be there. So, she suppressed the fleeting moment of vulnerability, bowed to him, and then turned away, refusing to look at him again.
Meanwhile, Luo Yuan, still with a smile, spoke up loudly, “I’ve long heard of Marquis Xuan Yuan’s name. Unexpectedly, today, we have the chance to travel together.”
Xiao Du shot him a sideways glance, deliberately speaking in a tone neither too loud nor too soft, “Just a lowly fifth-ranked official, worthy of traveling with me?”
His words were sharp, but Luo Yuan didn’t get angry. He maintained his dignified smile and replied, “May I ask, do fish and birds in this lake, and the grass and trees in these mountains, have ranks? Since we’re just here to enjoy the scenery, why let ourselves be burdened by worldly titles?”
“If you insist on following, then follow,” Xiao Du stood up, dusted off his clothes, and left for the cabin without another word. Looking back, he found Xiao Zhi still gazing in their direction with Yuexi. Suddenly infuriated, he snapped, “It’s windy here, let’s go back to the cabin.”
Perplexed, Xiao Zhi glanced at him and said, “It’s such nice weather, where’s the wind?”
Xiao Du glared at her fiercely, gritting his teeth. “Cold wind!”
Seeing him truly getting angry, Xiao Zhi hurriedly ducked her head and ran into the cabin, and Yuexi, not daring to stay longer, followed suit, lifting her skirts as she entered.
Once inside, Xiao Zhi bombarded her with questions, asking who the man was and why he knew her sister-in-law. Yuexi glanced at Xiao Du, who pretended to be uninterested as he leaned against the wall, then said, “When I was in the women’s quarters, the Xia family specifically set up a private school for the children of the clan, where both boys and girls could attend. However, girls only studied for one year. At that time, they hired Master Liu Wendao, a prominent scholar from the capital, as the teacher. Mr. Luo, who was his disciple, had just passed the imperial examination and was waiting to take the metropolitan examination. Master Liu brought him along to teach us. Mr. Luo was an excellent teacher and a kind and friendly person, so we all called him Young Scholar. After I stopped attending the school, I never saw him again.”
Xiao Zhi suddenly realized and said, “No wonder he seemed so extraordinary and talented in speech. He turned out to be a disciple of Master Liu, the old scholar.”
Xiao Du let out a disdainful snort. “You’ve only met him once. How do you know he’s talented?”
Xiao Zhi was still annoyed at being inexplicably pulled into the cabin earlier. About to retort, she rolled her eyes and then Yuexi quickly cleared her throat, advising, “Let’s not talk anymore. Be careful not to wake up Yunniang.”
Sure enough, the two fell silent and glanced at Yunniang, who was sleeping soundly not far away. After boarding the boat, Yunniang felt uncomfortable and had been resting in the cabin, leaving only the little maid to take care of her. Now that several people were crowded into the cabin, Xiao Zhi couldn’t see the scenery on the lake and felt restless, while Yuexi leaned against the cabin wall, lost in thought.
However, Xiao Du lifted the cabin curtain and looked at the small boat that had been following not too far behind. He muttered to himself, “What a coincidence… Is it that coincidental?”
After a while, the boat finally docked. Xiao Zhi eagerly rushed out of the cabin, pulling Yuexi towards the estate, while Xiao Du deliberately slowed his pace. As expected, he heard footsteps behind him. He suddenly turned around and said, “Luo Yuan, still lingering around. What exactly do you want?”
Luo Yuan remained indifferent, saying, “As a newcomer to this place, I couldn’t find a place to stay for the night. I wonder if Marquis would be so kind as to accommodate me at the estate for one night.”
Xiao Du sneered, “How did you know we were going to the estate?”
Although caught off guard, Luo Yuan showed no embarrassment on his face. He continued with a smile, “May I ask if Marquis could make an exception?”
“It’s all women, not convenient!” Xiao Du replied coldly and walked away without looking back. But Luo Yuan shouted from behind, “If Marquis is unwilling, I won’t force it. However, there’s something I want to ask, and then I’ll leave immediately.”
Xiao Du ignored him and kept walking. Luo Yuan caught up and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, “Does Marquis believe that, with just Xia Zheng alone, he dared to delay the military funds of the Xiao family during the Pingdu Pass battle?”
Xiao Du abruptly stopped, turned around, and stared at him. After a while, he sneered, “Do you know that just by saying that, not only will you, a fifth-ranked minor official, fail, but you may also have trouble keeping your head?”
But Luo Yuan met his gaze without fear and said, “Of course I know. But if I don’t go all out, how can Marquis understand my sincerity?”
Xiao Du squinted, staring at him intently. After a moment, he laughed, “So you’re just someone unwilling to be beneath others, trying to climb up. Unfortunately, you’ve miscalculated. I’m just a leisurely Marquis. Even if you try to curry favor with me, you won’t gain anything.”
But Luo Yuan looked at him calmly and said, “If I say that my actions are not for personal gain, but to help Marquis, would Marquis believe it?”
Xiao Du glanced at him disdainfully and turned away. “Unfortunately, I’m living comfortably now and don’t need your help.” He paused for a moment and added, “However, there are plenty of vacant farmhouses in the estate. If you don’t mind, you can come along.”
A faint smile appeared on Luo Yuan’s lips. He straightened his back and followed behind Xiao Du at a steady pace. The midday sun was shining brightly, casting the shadows of the group on the yellow mud road, and soon disappearing into the golden wheat fields.