The waves shimmered, and the night was as cool as water. Unknown insects chirped in the leaves and bushes by the shore. It was getting late, and it was time for the people on the boat to sleep. A warm yellow light seeped through the window on the second floor of the pleasure boat. The two women had already returned to their rooms and were having a bedtime conversation.
"So, that's how Brother-in-law … made a name for himself?"
"That's … the specifics … It's just a few poems. He couldn't refuse, so he composed them. If others say that he's the number one scholar of Jiangning, he doesn't think much of it … Ah, his personality is quite strange …"
"Since ancient times, only extraordinary people can do extraordinary things … But, is brother-in-law really not interested in the imperial examinations?"
"He said no, but I can't ask too much about these things …"
"How did the younger sister and brother-in-law meet?"
"They got to know each other after they got married."
"How …"
The lights weren't too bright and they were chatting about trivial things. It was getting late. Su Tan 'er and Lou Shuwan's voices were soft as they talked about Ning Yi's matters.
It was impossible to say that no one had any impression of the name Ning Liheng at the banquet on the pleasure boat tonight. Even though information wasn't advanced, the circle of scholars in the country was only so big. After a few poems were recited by the women in the brothel, the name Ning Liheng would more or less ring in their ears. Scholars at this time were particular about having a good memory. After Ning Yi introduced himself, it was inevitable that some people would find him familiar.
However, the first impression was also very strong. With Lin Tingzhi and Lou Shuwan as a reference, it was easy for people to make all sorts of associations since they were also a married couple who had married into the family. On the other hand, Lin Tingzhi wanted to show off, so he pointed out Lou Shuwan's family background and hinted that she was a married woman with status and elegance. Now that she was convinced by his poems, she had a good impression of him. And Miss Lou's friend had the same status. If you wanted to show off, you could naturally court her. Just like that, everyone focused their attention on Su Tan 'er and subconsciously filtered out her husband, Ning Yi.
In most cases, a son-in-law's status was low. This wasn't something that could be said. For the vast majority of families that married into the family, even if the woman was publicly indecent, the man would not dare to speak out even if he was angry. These men's identities were like permanent workers or servants. Occasionally, there would be some hot-blooded ones who were forced to marry into the family. When they encountered such matters, if they could not swallow it, it was not unheard of for them to kill their wives and father-in-law's entire family.
This kind of thing was extremely rare. The Wu Dynasty always talked about the three obediences and four virtues, but this was an unequal foundation to begin with. When everyone around them felt that the two were not equal, the relationship between the husband and wife who had married into the Wu Dynasty naturally would not develop too well. If the woman looked down on the man from the beginning, the man would not be able to live up to her expectations. Over time, the dissatisfaction would increase. At this time, it would not be uncommon for the woman to find a lover or have a lover outside.
For someone like Lou Shuwan, with her family background, it wasn't strange for her to have connections with scholars in the open or in the dark. She was young, beautiful, rich, and her temperament was not bad. Any scholar who could be with her would only be taking advantage of her and not losing out. In this era, it was considered elegant for the noble families to gift concubines to each other. Hooking up with a married man, in a small circle, was nothing more than a romantic affair to prove one's charm. In the romantic land of Jiangnan, since ancient times, there was no lack of obscene lyrics and songs praising this kind of thing.
Just like that, after the sudden introduction, there were only one or two people who were suspicious. No one was interested in taking care of the married couple, so they didn't ask. After Ning Yi and Su Tan 'er left and the formal banquet ended, there were people who asked Lin Tingzhi about the couple's background or asked Su Wending and Su Wenfang about their family's background in Jiangning. After some discussion, someone said, "That Ning Liheng just now seems to have the same name as the author of' Shuidiao Getou '."
On the pleasure boat, Lady Qing 'er also smiled and said, "This servant was also thinking just now. They're both from Jiangning. What a coincidence." She made a living and was more sensitive to these things. She didn't think that the son-in-law of the Shang family would be a big wordsmith. She only asked the two people from the Su family, "Young Master Wending, Young Master Wenfang, have you seen the Young Master Ning in Jiangning?"
Su Wending said, "Isn't he my brother-in-law just now?"
"Oh, you're talking about the Young Master Ning who wrote 'Shuidiao Getou' and 'Green Jade Case'. Qing 'er sang those songs a while ago and wanted to meet the author for a long time. Although I can't meet him now, if Young Master Wending and Young Master Wenfang meet him, it'll be good to tell Qing' er about it. "
Su Wending and Su Wenfang were stupefied, "Yes, he's … my brother-in-law."
For a moment, the expressions of the people on the pleasure boat were interesting. Most of them were dumbfounded and then whispered. There were also people like Lou Shuwan who didn't pay much attention at first and only came over to ask questions after realizing what was going on. In reality, Su Wending and Su Wenfang were more or less naughty. They thought that with so many scholars, once their brother-in-law announced his name, the other party would exclaim loudly and they would feel honored. Who knew that this group of people wouldn't react at all. Now that they were finally satisfied, they bade farewell with innocent expressions. They would go home and show off to their sister and brother-in-law.
As for Lou Shuwan and Lin Tingzhi, they returned not long after. Lin Tingzhi looked at Ning Yi and didn't ask too much, but Lou Shuwan was different. She did not have much interest in poetry. What really attracted her was the coexistence of words and the atmosphere behind the poems. It was just like the annual literary gatherings in Suzhou and Hangzhou, where people would praise and praise, where scholars would recite poems one after another, and people would clap their hands and stare at them …
She was a smart woman. With a little learning, she could also tell the good and the bad of poetry. However, different from Su Tan'er, Su Tan'er looked forward to integrating the writing itself in addition to doing business. Not only could she tell the good and the bad, she also hoped that she could be like those scholars. Even if she couldn't do it, she could at least integrate it into the mood of the poem and become an elegant person. It was just that she was entangled with many things and was a woman. She didn't have enough talent in this area. Sometimes she felt that she reeked of money and lacked elegance, so she admired those scholars.
Lou Shuwan, on the other hand, looked forward to the appearance of poetry. It didn't matter if she wasn't elegant in nature. It was enough for others to think that she was elegant or very elegant. She didn't know how great Jiangning's top scholar was, but hearing this title naturally made her think of titles like Hangzhou's top scholar or Suzhou's top scholar. Usually, people who were given such titles, no matter whether they were rich or poor, were the center of attention outside. They would participate in some literary gathering and win first place, or they would be praised or valued by great scholars or officials at certain occasions. Some of them passed the imperial examinations and became officials in a short time. Even if they didn't go well in the examinations, they were always the center of attention in Suzhou and Hangzhou.
Lou Shuwan could only imagine what Jiangning's top scholar was like based on this impression. However, she couldn't connect it with Ning Yi's status as a son-in-law. She was puzzled on the way back, but it wasn't appropriate for her to ask directly. Fortunately, she was proficient in the art of conversation. After chatting for a while, she finally brought up this topic with a calm and indifferent tone.
It was just that Ning Yi didn't have much of an interest in this aspect. His literary talent was also fake. Ning Yi didn't have any qualms about this. If it was in front of his wife and family, including Su Tan 'er, Xiaochan, and Nie Yunzhu, it was natural for him to pretend to be a great scholar and make them proud. However, if he wanted to show off too much in front of outsiders like Lou Shuwan, with his current state of mind, there was really no need. He could only say that his literary talent wasn't high and others praised him unjustly, and so on.
Thus, Lou Shuwan could only think that she had been too rude to this brother-in-law two days ago, so he was more or less angry. She could only wait until late at night before talking to Su Tan 'er.
However, after talking for half the night, when Su Tan 'er fell into a deep sleep, she still had some doubts in her heart. She didn't understand why such a great scholar would marry Su Tan 'er. She didn't understand why Ning Yi had such a temperament. When she woke up the next morning, she saw Ning Yi practicing on the deck again. She could only think that this was an unruly scholar who was truly proficient in the six arts and admired the chivalrous style. When Lin Tingzhi saw Ning Yi practicing martial arts again, his expression was also indescribably complicated.
The pleasure boat set off again that morning. The waterway from Jiaxing to Hangzhou was still close to two hundred miles. However, with the wind and water flowing smoothly, even though the boat didn't travel too fast, by the afternoon, the waterway had already become increasingly busy. The villages and passers-by on both sides of the canal began to increase. Occasionally, there were gardens and courtyards hidden in the nearby tea mountains and forests, proving that they were nearing Hangzhou.
Even though Hangzhou wasn't the capital of the country yet, it was at the end of the Grand Canal. It had been a bustling metropolis since ancient times. As evening approached, the buildings of the city spread out in front of them. In the distance, there was a busy cargo port. Even compared to Jiangning, Hangzhou wasn't the least bit inferior.
After that, nothing unexpected happened. Lou Shuwan found her servants to unload the goods from the boat. On the other hand, she tried her best to invite Ning Yi and his wife to stay with the Lou family temporarily. After all, they had come from afar and probably hadn't found a specific place to stay yet. However, even though they might have to rely on the Lou family, the local tyrant, in the future, Su Tan 'er still shook her head to express her refusal. In reality, the Su mansion had a certain amount of property in Hangzhou. Even though it was just two small shops that had been randomly opened, when it came to accommodation, she had arranged for someone to rent a small courtyard from the moment they had prepared to head south. As for the house that they really planned to stay in, she planned to look for it as she toured over the next few days.
Since the Su family had come with so many people, they naturally had thoughts of expanding their business. It wasn't necessarily a good sign to suddenly stay in someone else's house. Lou Shuwan opened her mouth slightly and didn't say anything else. She was curious about Ning Yi, but naturally, that was all. The next day, Ning Yi and Su Tan 'er went to the Lou mansion to visit. They had a meal and also met the current head of the Lou family, Lou Jinlin.
This person was slightly older than Su Boyong, probably in his early fifties. His beard and hair were both black and white, but he was in good spirits. His appearance was dignified, heroic, and extremely spirited. When he calmed down, his aura was imposing. From his appearance and manner of speech, this person was a true business tyrant. The Lou family's background was much deeper than the Su family's. Even though they were still a business family, they had already settled into a truly stable family style. This Lou Jinlin must have lived like a prince since he was young, but he wasn't mediocre. He had the ability and the means, and he had experienced real intense struggles in the business world. Only then could he develop this kind of oppressive aura of nobility.
As for Su Tan 'er, he obviously treated her like a junior, and his attitude was relatively amiable. However, as for Ning Yi, this head of the Lou family was more or less suspicious and hostile. During the meal, he asked a few relatively sharp questions, then narrowed his eyes and looked at Ning Yi with a smile that wasn't a smile. It felt a little like a lion staring at its prey.
Ning Yi roughly knew where his hostility came from. From the conversation during the visit, Lou Shuwan had obviously told her father everything that had happened along the way. After Lou Jinlin heard his daughter's account, he must have felt that his daughter had been fooled by Ning Yi and his wife. Perhaps he didn't have too many thoughts of probing Su Tan 'er, but after hearing about Ning Yi's identity, he subconsciously wanted to find out more about him.
Different from Lou Jinlin, in his previous life, Ning Yi had started from scratch and worked his way up. When he reached a certain level, he had also seen many business tycoons with real family backgrounds. When these people used a vigilant or testing attitude to examine the younger generation, they would often have this kind of gaze. It wasn't that young people would actually be afraid of this kind of gaze, but under this kind of gaze and aura, it was inevitable that the average person would panic. Some people would subconsciously show weakness in consideration of the other party's power, while others would forcefully hold on, or simply put on a slightly rude and arrogant attitude. In reality, they would also mess up their own rules. In the eyes of an experienced person, it was easy to see through a person's depth. This wasn't knowledge that could be learned, but experience that could be cultivated through long-term knowledge of people.
Being stared at by Lou Jinlin like this, Ning Yi couldn't help but laugh in his heart, almost feeling nostalgic. In the past, those who had looked at him like this were later surpassed by him one by one. Among them were opponents and companions. However, he had started from scratch and killed along the way. Later on, although he had settled down and restrained himself, if he was serious, his aura would still appear sharp. Back then, when he bid farewell to Tang Mingyuan, he was like this. Deep in his bones, there was only regret and tiredness, and he couldn't cultivate the laziness of a lion.
At this time, Lou Jinlin naturally couldn't make him feel much pressure. He smiled and looked at Lou Jinlin's expression a few times. Then, he just made a simple gesture of chatting and answered as usual, without any changes in his expression. As for how Lou Jinlin would judge after the matter, it was none of his business.
On the other hand, Su Tan 'er noticed Lou Jinlin's attitude. On the way home after the visit, she looked a little angry. "This family, I went to visit out of goodwill, and they actually gave me that kind of expression. Husband, you … didn't feel anything?"
Su Tan 'er looked at Ning Yi and asked hesitantly. In the conversation just now, Lou Jinlin asked about Ning Yi's background and so on. Some of the questions were relatively sharp, and the other party's expression was also very pressuring. However, Ning Yi answered casually as he ate. There were two questions that were probably related to the relationship between husband and wife that he didn't want to answer, so he casually turned it into a rhetorical question. In that kind of situation, he might not have been able to be very natural. He actually directly turned the situation around under the strong home advantage of the old man, and then conveniently stuffed the home advantage back.
Ning Yi just shook his head, his attitude calm. "His daughter more or less seemed to have been set up, so it's not strange for him to have this kind of reaction. This uncle is still very powerful. If it's not necessary, try not to make an enemy like this. "
Tan 'er nodded. "I know." She was originally good at business and interpersonal skills. Compared to Ning Yi, she didn't really seem to be inferior — at least based on today's contact, it was very difficult to tell who was better. After all, she was also an extremely talented and highly skilled businesswoman — but when she heard Ning Yi's casual words of warning, she didn't feel too much repulsion in her heart. She just obediently nodded and felt at ease in her heart.
Even so, no one would think that she was inferior to Ning Yi. At this time, the sun was setting in the west. In the horse carriage, the only thing reflected in the light was a pair of young and well-coordinated husband and wife. Ning Yi thought about it and also smiled. Then, she also smiled.
The horse carriage drove through the beautiful but unfamiliar streets. Now, it was already the market of Hangzhou …
This time, they only visited Lou Jinlin, Lou Shuwan, and her husband. Lou Shuwan's two elder brothers weren't at home. It was considered a polite visit without too many motives, so it didn't necessarily leave a very deep impression on each other. Although Lou Shuwan's husband was also a scholar, because he married into the Lou family, he was also very low-key in the Lou family. Of course, a person of that age could only be low-key in front of a family head like Lou Jinlin.
On the second day after the visit, it started to rain. Lou Shuwan made a trip to the small courtyard where the Su family was temporarily staying. She had originally planned to show everyone around Hangzhou as a host, but because of the heavy rain, she gave up. After another day, the heavy rain didn't stop, so Lou Shuwan went to deal with the family's business. She waited until the weather cleared up, but she didn't come again. She only sent a family servant to bring Su Tan'er and the others to look at some courtyards, storefronts, and so on. She only said that Miss was currently in a hurry and couldn't come, so she asked for her forgiveness.
At this time, everyone settled down in Hangzhou. The Su family originally had a few properties here, and the Wu Family also ceded a few storefront properties. They were originally too far away, so it was quite troublesome to officially take over and organize them now. Su Tan'er remembered that she had originally come with her husband to play, but all kinds of trivial things were mixed together. In Ning Yi's eyes, these days were quite interesting.
After a few days, they officially took a fancy to a courtyard in the city and bought it directly. Then, they began to plan and decorate it. This was a mansion located near Taiping Alley. Although it was expensive, Ning Yi was the main buyer. According to his calculations, if the capital city moved south in the future, a nine-mile imperial city would be built not far away. At that time, whether this land was for sale or for his family to live in, every inch of land would be worth its weight in gold. He didn't intend to fight for land with some high officials or nobles. As long as he had some connections, he could sell it and make a big profit.
The few streets near this mansion were quite prosperous, and it was easy to do business there. However, the neighboring area was a residential area, which was suitable for living. There was a medium-sized martial arts school at the end of the street, where people laughed all day long. However, Ning Yi had lived in a big city for a long time, so naturally, he didn't find it noisy. Instead, he found it interesting. Then, he thought about it. Since he had nothing to do, he might as well join this martial arts school and find some actual combat.
He liked mysterious things like inner strength, and more or less yearned for martial arts. However, it was a kind of exploration of mysterious things that he didn't understand. As for actual combat, he actually wasn't passionate about it. He also didn't think that he would really become a Jianghu person in the future who lived on the edge of a knife. It was just that he had experienced a few things, and now that he had nothing to do, he felt that practicing seemed to be beneficial.
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