After parking the cart in the low shed beside the small building and helping carry some things inside, as Ning Yi stepped into the main hall, he couldn't help but think of a phrase: entering someone's inner sanctum¹—it felt rather wicked, and he smiled to himself.

Though the two chatted for a while every morning, this was actually Ning Yi's first time inside the small building.

This small building stood by the river, surrounded only by some trees—it was quiet and elegant but without many other structures, and perhaps cool in summer, it appeared rather cold in winter. Though the outer walls had been thickened for winter and drafty areas sealed with thick curtains, the owner had been out for over half a day, so upon first entering, it actually felt colder than outside. The living room didn't have many things, but it looked quite refined. Seeming somewhat flustered by her guest's arrival, Nie Yunzhu ran back and forth trying to find things, but the tea was cold and there was nothing to eat, so in the end she could only invite Ning Yi to sit while carrying a small charcoal brazier outside to transfer the fire from the cart's stove.

She placed the small charcoal brazier in the center of the room not far from Ning Yi, then put a teapot on top: "Um... it'll be ready soon."

Ning Yi laughed with amusement, and this laughter made Nie Yunzhu slightly embarrassed, then she remembered: "Those preserved duck eggs..." She ran to an inner room and brought out two jars, placing them on the table before Ning Yi: "Anyway... I made them according to Master Ning's instructions. Whether they're edible or not, I don't know."

When she'd been preparing her pancake stall, she'd planned to also sell some tea eggs and salted eggs on the side, and when she mentioned this to Ning Yi, it reminded him of something, so he commissioned her to make these—Ning Yi paid for them. The preparation process was similar to salted eggs, only using lime water, camphor wood ash and such, with less salt than salted eggs—he just said it was an experiment and had her strictly follow the proportions. Now over twenty days had passed, so they should be ready to see the results.

Nie Yunzhu was actually somewhat interested in these strangely pickled salted duck eggs too, but right now she was more interested in the music Ning Yi had mentioned on the way—she only disliked entertaining others with her beauty, not the arts themselves. What songs someone who could write Water Melody Prelude usually hummed and liked—though she didn't ask normally, she was naturally curious. Now she brought Ning Yi a basin of clean water and a porcelain bowl, then moved over the household qin and brought brush, ink, paper and inkstone, sitting across the round table without saying anything.

Ning Yi took a duck egg from the jar and threw it in the water to wash, and seeing her expression, he couldn't help but laugh and nodded: "Alright, I'll sing for you. You write down the lyrics. But if I don't sing well, you can't laugh. This song is called 'Jialan Rain'... Mm, it's this 'jialan'..."

Snowflakes drifted down as the song faintly emerged from the small building, line by line.

"Sounds of prosperity retreat to empty gates, breaking the hearts of worldly people³,

Dreams turn cold, a lifetime of wandering, how many volumes of love debts.

If you silently consent to wait through life and death,

Waiting withered, circle after circle of tree rings...

The pagoda², broken several floors, whose soul was severed,

Pain rushes straight, one remaining lamp, the collapsed mountain gate.

Let me wait more as history turns,

Wait for wine to mellow, wait for you to play a tune on the guqin..."

A string sounded, quietly ringing out...

At the Su mansion, the examination at the library pavilion had already ended, and Ning Yi hadn't appeared. After briefly conversing with Old Master Su and the others, Song Mao returned to the courtyard the Su family had arranged for him, instructing his accompanying manager Song Kai to prepare things for going out and gifts.

For him, this trip to Jiangning might be somewhat rushed, especially the first few days, and there was some consideration about whom to visit first and whom later. While thinking about various matters, Song Kai entered again: "Master, Young Master Wenxing requests an audience."

Song Mao nodded: "Let him in."

Su Wenxing was Su Zhongkan's son, ranking fifth among the Su family's third generation males—this ranking naturally included not just the Su family's three branches but also various cousins. However, this Su Wenxing was born to Su Zhongkan's legitimate wife, and Song Mao was his cousin uncle and had doted on him since childhood. Song Mao had already anticipated his visit now.

The saying that the Su family's third generation had no useful talents circulated widely, but judging by appearance alone, the twenty-three-year-old Su Wenxing could still be considered dignified and impressive. After entering, he first paid respects and greeted Song Mao, then Song Mao smiled and spoke some words before him: "Wenxing, that person seeking fame through deception you mentioned this morning—is it really this Ning Yi, Ning Liheng?"

"Cousin Uncle, it truly is this person. We've already investigated his background. For twenty years he was an unknown bookworm who understood nothing. If he hadn't reduced his family to poverty, why would he need to marry into our Su family..."

Song Mao smiled: "I don't think he seems like it."

"That Water Melody Prelude at Mid-Autumn—he also said before Grandfather and Father that it was chanted by a Daoist, but only Grandfather spoke sternly, forbidding everyone from spreading it outside, so we couldn't openly discuss this matter..."

Su Wenxing felt frustrated, and now before this cousin uncle who doted on him, he spoke freely and at length. Song Mao smiled and pressed his hand, then made two downward motions: "Whether this is credible remains uncertain. If he truly seeks fame through deception and steals others' poems, your cousin uncle will naturally test him..."

"But Cousin Uncle, you praised him so much at the library pavilion today. If he..."

Su Wenxing had told Song Mao about Ning Yi this morning, and just now at the library pavilion, it was fine when Song Mao initially didn't know Ning Yi was those children's teacher, but after learning this, he still praised lavishly. Su Wenxing felt frustrated, fearing it would purely add to the other's reputation—though Ning Yi currently only had live-in son-in-law status, his fame would ultimately become leverage on Su Tan'er's side.

Seeing his nephew mention this, Song Mao inwardly shook his head slightly, then patted his shoulder: "Wenxing, you're taking over your father's business. Uncle has long told you to take a longer view. Don't be resentful just because others have some minor fame. Currently in the Su family, though your cousin Tan'er's husband is only a live-in son-in-law, your grandfather won't let anyone touch him. If he truly has talent and you can't deal with him temporarily, why not present borrowed flowers to Buddha⁴, build good relations with him, and find what weaknesses he has? And if he seeks fame through deception, then one day he'll surely fall. The higher you lift him, the harder he'll fall. So before he falls, why not praise him more?"

Song Mao had a square face that looked upright and simple, and after speaking these words with sincere tone, he paused: "I still have matters requiring me to go out. Think about these words, Wenxing, and consider them yourself. Tonight, go see your father and mother... Mm, I'm leaving."

"I... I understand..." Su Wenxing bowed respectfully. "This nephew was thinking wrongly just now..."

Song Mao smiled and pushed the door to leave.

As Song Mao walked out from between the courtyards, another figure was walking along a path at the Su mansion's other end toward the side gate.

Xi Junyu, who'd come with Manager Luo, hadn't gone out with Manager Luo at this time—after news from the library pavilion arrived, he chatted with several people for a while before taking his leave alone. The Su mansion's courtyard was very large and this wasn't his first visit—he was already familiar with it, and after circling around, from this angle he could just see the two small buildings where Su Tan'er and Ning Yi lived.

Heavy snow fell as he stood there, gazing seriously for a moment before turning to leave, and passing through several snow-covered courtyards, as he neared the side gate, he heard a voice from nearby: "Manager Xi, what a coincidence!"

In fact, such "chance encounters" were no longer the first time, and Xi Junyu's mood was somewhat irritated today. He frowned slightly but still cupped his hands in greeting: "Seventh Young Master, what a coincidence."

Approaching from there was a richly dressed young noble holding a folding fan—not very old, his face looked somewhat childish and likeable. Su Wenji from the Su family's third branch smiled as he came over: "Manager Xi has worked hard. Since we've met so coincidentally, my father happens to be hosting at Spring Welcoming Tower today. I wonder if Manager Xi..."

"Hehe, thank you Seventh Young Master and Third Master for your kindness. Only Junyu has important matters and fears I cannot attend this banquet."

"Manager Xi, you can't always say this..."

"Doesn't Seventh Young Master also always say the same thing?"

"Alright then." Su Wenji straightened his expression. "Manager Xi, I know you like Second Sister."

Xi Junyu paused, then smiled indifferently: "This is somewhat novel."

"Manager Xi, why not admit it? For such matters, anyone in the household with eyes can see... To be honest, we all thought Second Sister would choose you. That day Father also said: 'If she chooses Xi Junyu, that would be troublesome.' Now there's no need to hide this from you. Everyone knows your abilities. Half of Second Sister's businesses were built up by you. But in the end, whether Second Sister, First Uncle, or Grandfather—none chose you."

Having already opened his mouth, Su Wenji waved his unopened folding fan and continued in one breath: "Who knows why they chose that Ning Yi? Don't say I'm speaking harshly—I'm just sowing discord. Even if I don't provoke, you'd think this way. Moreover, just now up front, that Ning Yi wasn't even present but still stole the spotlight. Do you know? Grandfather will value him more and more, though he's just a live-in son-in-law..."

Xi Junyu listened to these words, then smiled indifferently: "Seventh Young Master, I know they haven't consummated their marriage yet—until now they sleep in separate rooms, seeming like husband and wife but actually strangers. As long as they haven't consummated, this live-in son-in-law is just a joke."

"They'll consummate eventually! You and I both know Second Sister's character. Since she's already begun getting along with that Ning Yi, they'll consummate eventually. She's had good upbringing since childhood and would never do anything improper. Since she's already accepted..."

"Heh, Seventh Young Master, this is how you recklessly discuss your sister..."

Xi Junyu shook his head and walked forward, while behind him Su Wenji gritted his teeth: "However we discuss it, it's the same! Xi Junyu, you're crystal clear—Sister will definitely accept him sooner or later. This way you have absolutely no chance..."

Before he finished speaking, Xi Junyu suddenly turned around and strode back—he was tall with a slender build, already appearing imposing, and after several years in business, when he walked quickly with a dark expression amid swirling wind and snow, his manner was indeed somewhat intimidating. He stared at Su Wenji for a moment, then laughed coldly and shook his head: "Seventh Young Master, don't be naive..."

Xi Junyu often entered the mansion to discuss business, and Su Wenji also often came to wait—after several "chance encounters," everyone spoke politely with pleasantries. When had Su Wenji ever seen the usually composed and confident Xi Junyu with such an expression?

At this moment he was slightly stunned, then spoke: "Manager... Manager Xi, if you come to our side, you'll immediately be the Su family's chief manager for this region, and all resources of the Su family's third branch will be at your disposal. Whatever requirements you have, as long as we can fulfill them, we'll naturally agree. If you can manage these resources well, Second Sister is after all just a woman—if she can't inherit the first branch in the future and you want to obtain her, there will naturally be many methods... Father says you're a smart person. Everyone knows you're a smart person. We have sincerity here—no need for excess words, just think about it yourself..."

(End of Chapter)