Chapter 48: The Foreigners

The young master’s face alternated between pale and flushed.

Xu Ling slowly clapped and laughed, “You said that Young Master Xie hasn’t been in the Central Plains for long and doesn’t understand our poetry, but unexpectedly, he can casually compose verses.”

Xie Yi bowed slightly, respectful but not appearing subservient: “Thank you for your praise, Your Excellency. I’ve merely learned a few phrases from being around Sister Mu for a long time, picking up through osmosis.”

Xu Ling looked Xie Yi up and down. Even dressed in plain moon-white clothes, his grace was hard to conceal. Among all the young masters present, there wasn’t one who could match his beauty. Thus, they could only avoid his brilliance.

Xu Ling squeezed out a smile on her wrinkled face and said, “One takes on the color of one’s company. Young Master Xie is indeed worthy of being Su Niang’s companion. Today, we’ve all gathered to appreciate flowers and compose poetry. Such an elegant affair can’t go without music. Let my youngest son, Yunshu, play ‘Peony Chant’ on the qin for everyone, to add to the festivities.”

The people below all chimed in, “Young Master Liu’s qin playing is unparalleled. It’s truly fortunate to hear Young Master Liu play ‘Peony Chant’ today.”

Su Mu knew too little about Xu Yunshu and had never heard before that any young master from the county magistrate’s house was famous for his talents.

Seeing how everyone was flattering and praising, it must be to please Xu Ling.

As if prepared in advance, a young servant quickly brought a guqin and placed it on the table. Xu Yunshu lightly lifted his robe and raised a pair of clean, slender hands to gently caress the qin strings. Su Mu then realized that this Sixth Young Master Xu, who didn’t look particularly stunning, had an exceptionally beautiful pair of hands, as if born to be a qin master.

As his long fingers danced over the strings, the qin’s sound arose, melodious and lingering. His fingers seemed to have an independent soul, lightly teasing and slowly rubbing the strings, producing a melody that filled the air.

When the piece ended, everyone applauded and praised.

Xu Yunshu stood up with his head lowered. He didn’t care about the praise from others; the only thing he cared about now was how Su Mu viewed him.

He knew his appearance was ordinary, and his qin skills were the only thing he could be proud of. This was also the only area where he could compare with Xie Yi.

Yesterday’s fleeting glance was still unforgettable to Xu Yunshu. In his heart, there was a small, vague expectation that his qin playing could attract Su Mu’s attention. He lowered his head and secretly glanced towards Su Mu.

Their gazes met.

Su Mu was also looking at him.

Xu Yunshu’s ears suddenly turned red as he pursed his lips.

In the large mansion with its strict rules, even when greeting female guests in the presence of outsiders, men must lower their heads and eyes, not daring to look directly.

So when Xu Yunshu had bowed to Su Mu earlier, he hadn’t even dared to steal a glance at her face.

While Su Mu was talking with her mother, Xu Yunshu quietly kept his head down, looking at the cold blue lotus embroidered on the hem of her pure white skirt, with a red carp half-hidden under the lotus leaves, only its tail visible. Xu Yunshu felt as if that fish tail was swimming into his heart.

Finally, after finishing the piece, he mustered the courage to steal a glance at Su Mu, but unexpectedly, she caught him red-handed.

Lady Su was looking at him, even smiling at him.

Xu Yunshu’s heart was suddenly in turmoil.

Counting, this was the second time he had seen Su Mu’s face.

Her eyes were on him, and her lips held a faint smile like the evening breeze carrying the scent of jasmine. Yet it seemed as if she was behind a veil of swirling mist, stirring one’s heart but unreachable.

Xu Yunshu suddenly envied Xie Yi, who could stand beside her, envied that he could be close to someone so aloof.

“Lady Su, what do you think of my youngest son’s qin skills?” Xu Ling asked.

Su Mu shifted her gaze from Xu Yunshu’s slender fingers and replied with a smile, “Young Master Liu’s qin skills can be called perfect, the lingering sound lasting for three days without fading.”

Xu Ling smiled and said, “Lady Su is too kind. Why don’t you accompany this old one for a walk to appreciate the flowers in this garden?”

Su Mu nodded slightly and smiled, “I’d be honored to obey.”

Su Mu accompanied Xu Ling as they walked among the flowers in the garden. Xie Yi, who had been following her, was naturally accompanied by Xu Yunshu. They were five or six steps behind Su Mu and the others, appreciating flowers and fish like other male guests, but their thoughts were all on the same woman.

“Lady Su’s success in the imperial examinations has indeed stirred up the entire Juan City,” Xu Ling spoke slowly, leaning on her cane. “Our Juan City hasn’t produced a successful candidate for several decades. And when it finally does, it’s none other than the top scholar.”

Su Mu said, “Your Excellency’s success in the examinations years ago also shocked the entire city. I know by heart the poems and essays from Your Excellency’s examination.”

Xu Ling’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “Young people have such sweet tongues. But Lady Su, do you have any plans for the future? This old one is about to retire from my position. If nothing unexpected happens, you should be the one to take this seat in the future.”

“Su Mu wouldn’t dare,” Su Mu hurriedly said. “Your Excellency has been toiling and worrying for the people of Juan City all these years. You are the parent official in the hearts of the people, and cannot retire. Besides, I still plan to prepare for the autumn imperial examinations. If I fail the exam, I will go to the academy to become a mountain elder, focusing on academics and teaching students.”

“Is… that really what you think?” Xu Ling looked at her, her cloudy eyes full of probing.

Su Mu said, “Of course it’s true. Your Excellency, to be honest, I know my own capabilities. I’m fine with exams, but when it comes to managing the affairs of the people, compared to Your Excellency, it’s like the difference between clouds and mud.”

Xu Ling chuckled slowly, her cloudy eyes narrowing into slits, wrinkles crowding around them. She took Su Mu’s hand and said, “Young people shouldn’t be confined to one place. It’s right for you to want to participate in the autumn examinations and see a broader world. But don’t underestimate yourself either. I’ve seen many young people, and those as steady and not frivolous as you are rare. Come to my mansion often, and I’ll teach you more. When you take my position in the future, there will naturally be no need to worry.”

Xu Ling spoke with an air of authority, like a kind elder caring for the younger generation. But just seeing Xu Ling’s hypocritical eyes narrow, Su Mu knew she had no good intentions.

Su Mu stepped back half a step and said, “Thank you for your kindness, Your Excellency. I came today because I admire you and wanted to experience your demeanor. Your kindness makes me feel honored, but I need to prepare for the autumn examinations and need to focus on studying at home. I’m afraid I can’t come to Your Excellency’s mansion often.”

“Studying is good,” Xu Ling affectionately held her hand. “But is there someone to keep you company while you study?”

Su Mu lowered her head and smiled, like someone who had fallen in love: “…Your Excellency is teasing me.”

“Young Master Xie?” Xu Ling asked again.

Su Mu nodded shyly: “…Mm.”

“Having someone keep you company while you study is a good thing, but I heard that you only have him serving you at home, not even a servant. Recently, Young Master Xie’s younger brother has also come as a refugee, carrying injuries. Young Master Xie has to serve you and take care of his brother, which is really exhausting. I feel sorry seeing this and want to help you…”

Xu Ling beat around the bush for a long time before finally revealing her true intention: “You’ve seen my youngest son. Although his appearance can’t compare to Young Master Xie, he excels in his gentle and virtuous nature. I raised him myself. I want him to serve you, which would also help Young Master Xie, killing two birds with one stone.”

Su Mu inwardly laughed coldly, so this was what she had been waiting for.

She pretended to be horrified and said, “That’s absolutely impossible, Your Excellency. I’ve already given my heart to Xie Yi and announced it to everyone. If I let Young Master Liu come to my house, wouldn’t that be making him a concubine? The Sixth Young Master comes from a noble family and is your most beloved child. My family doesn’t have much money, nor do we have land to rely on. I have very little to offer the Sixth Young Master. In the future, he might even have to bargain with vendors when buying vegetables. This… if it were someone of humble origins like Xie Yi, it wouldn’t matter if he argued with vegetable vendors over a few coins in the street, but if it were the Sixth Young Master… I really can’t imagine it.”

“You… you don’t have any land to rely on?” Xu Ling frowned, incredulous.

Which successful candidate, after passing the imperial examinations, wouldn’t have rich merchants register land under their name to evade taxes, making enough to support a dozen servants?

That’s what she did when she passed the examinations. A poor person could change their fate overnight and bring glory to their ancestors.

Therefore, hearing Su Mu say this, she absolutely couldn’t believe it.

Su Mu spoke earnestly, “Yes, I now rely on the monthly salary and food issued by the government to get by. Although life is a bit more comfortable than when I was a scholar before, compared to the Sixth Young Master’s life, it’s probably not even as good as his personal servant’s.”

Xu Ling was half-believing, half-doubting. She had thought that Su Mu, like her back then, would amass wealth after passing the examinations. She didn’t expect Su Mu to take no action at all.

Xu Ling had initially thought that although sending her son to be Su Mu’s concubine was a bit embarrassing, after all, she would be the future county magistrate. Su Mu had become a successful candidate, so her future life wouldn’t be too bad, and Xu Yunshu would naturally live a life of luxury.

She didn’t expect that he would have to bargain with vegetable vendors. Bargaining wasn’t the issue, but doing so would be like publicly slapping her face, letting the whole city know how low she had stooped to please the new successful candidate, the future county magistrate. This was absolutely unacceptable.

Xu Ling temporarily abandoned this idea, planning to go back and have someone investigate thoroughly whether Su Mu was deceiving her before making a decision.

If she dared to deceive her, a hint of ferocity flashed in Xu Ling’s aged eyes.

The brief confrontation between the two temporarily subsided.

Xie Yi, who was following not far behind them, was completely unaware. He was blocked by Xu Yunshu and couldn’t get close to Su Mu at all.

“I just heard that Young Master Xie can’t distinguish between peonies and herbaceous peonies. If Young Master Xie doesn’t mind, I can teach you a simple method to identify them,” Xu Yunshu said, deliberately bringing the topic back as he saw Xie Yi constantly looking towards Su Mu.

He knew the purpose of his mother’s private conversation with Su Mu, and he was also nervous and anxious, with a hint of hope that his mother could persuade Lady Su.

Although his appearance wasn’t outstanding, especially when compared to Xie Yi, he had an advantage in that the green clothes he wore today were fresh and natural, making his features appear softer and his temperament more gentle and dignified.

If it weren’t for the fact that he was born of a concubine, Xu Yunshu would have been the perfect image of a principal wife.

Xie Yi’s heart was completely tied to Su Mu; wherever Su Mu went, his heart followed. But he couldn’t refuse Xu Yunshu’s kindness and could only say politely, “Of course I won’t mind.”

Xu Yunshu smiled faintly and shifted his position, whether intentionally or unintentionally, blocking Xie Yi’s line of sight to Su Mu.

He lowered his head and spoke softly, “Although there are many ways to distinguish between peonies and herbaceous peonies, Young Master Xie only needs to remember one key point, which is to look at the leaves. Peony leaves are full and spread out, while herbaceous peony leaves are slender and long. As long as Young Master Xie remembers this point, you will definitely be able to distinguish between peonies and herbaceous peonies.”

Xie Yi listened absent-mindedly, but had to pretend to have a sudden realization: “I see. Xie Yi has learned a lot.”

Xu Yunshu continued, “Now that Young Master Xie has learned, shall I have the servants prepare a peony and a herbaceous peony for you to identify?”

Xie Yi politely declined, “Young Master Xu is kind, but flowers are most beautiful on their branches.”

“Pluck the flower while you may. I have a ‘Two Beauties’ peony in my courtyard that’s blooming beautifully. I’ll have Que’er pluck it later and give it to Young Master Xie, and also…” Xu Yunshu’s voice was gentle and soft: “Also to Lady Su.”