"I know no one will believe me if I say it like this, but … there are some things I really don't want to do. Whether it's being a scholar, fame, or scholarly honors, I don't want to touch them. This … is true. "
Ning Yi's tone was indifferent, but the persuasiveness in his words was unquestionable. He was answering this question seriously, without any reluctance or bitterness. He was sincere and magnanimous. He looked like a young man in his early twenties, and he used to be a dull scholar. If he was the bookworm he used to be, he would probably stutter in front of Old Qin and Old Kang. However, at this moment, his temperament could not be ignored. Coupled with his figure, he looked aloof and free, not constrained by material things. If this temperament belonged to a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties, then it would be considered mature, steady, and unquestionable.
It was precisely because of this that his answer made the two even more puzzled. For someone like Elder Kang to ask this question, the meaning behind it wasn't simple. Moreover, with the way they were interacting now, Elder Kang wasn't making a deal with him, nor did he need him to repay him. If it was a normal person, they might suddenly become stupid and decline out of arrogance or something. However, Ning Yi wasn't such a hothead. Amidst the other's doubts, Ning Yi smiled helplessly.
"Ah, I also understand that this matter is puzzling, but …" He lightly tapped his forehead. "Perhaps the two of you don't know this, but a few months ago, I was hit on the head and only woke up after a few days of unconsciousness. I've already forgotten most of the past, and the matter of scholarly honors is indeed difficult to care about. As for lingering with a group of scholars in brothels, reciting poems, and winning the favor of women, it really doesn't arouse too much interest. However, the group of children in the academy is interesting. Occasionally, I'll tell them a story and make a ruckus. Otherwise, I'll come to the riverside and play chess and drink tea. I feel at ease. There are some interesting ideas in my head, and perhaps I can take it slowly. I'm satisfied with my current life. As for those who roll their eyes at me, why should I care about them? Even now, I'm not sure what the future will be like. It's just that I understand Duke Ming's good intentions. "
He cupped his hands in greeting and nodded. "I will remember this matter."
Of course, there were truths and falsehoods in what he said, but of course, it was impossible for him to tell them the truth. It was best to link his feelings with the memory loss incident and push the blame to the truth. There was no need to explain this reason. It was natural and reasonable, and there was no need for the other party to feel unnecessary worry. It was just that such a problem had occurred on his side.
Sure enough, Old Kang and Elder Qin were puzzled after hearing this. Ning Yi told them about his amnesia again, and they both looked enlightened. Kang Xian shook his head and smiled. "I didn't expect such a thing to happen." He thought that Ning Yi's thoughts were a little strange after he lost his memory.
After that, Elder Kang didn't mention those things anymore. After drinking a cup of tea, Ning Yi picked up the whiteboard and charcoal, bid farewell, and turned to go to Yushan Academy. When the figure disappeared at the distant intersection, Elder Kang sighed. "I didn't expect there to be such a thing. After being beaten like that, he became indifferent. Among the young, it is indeed rare to have such a temperament. It's just that it's a pity for his talent."
Elder Qin smiled and took a sip of tea. "He is only in his early twenties now. How will he become in the future, it's hard to say now. With his talent, he won't be able to avoid things that he should encounter. However, looking at today's matter, some things are worrying … Duke Ming, Liheng is too pragmatic. "
Kang Xian frowned. "Now that you say it, the matter is indeed so. Looking at his poems, they are all beautiful lines, but he doesn't care about the way of poetry. Ah, when will the bright moon appear, it hangs on the southeast branch … Calligraphy is also at his fingertips. He can actually reach such heights with so many kinds of calligraphy. Usually, he probably only treats it as a pastime. In his eyes, these things aren't as interesting as the chalk … "
Elder Qin nodded. "Being pragmatic is a good thing, but if he is too pragmatic and straightforward, I'm afraid there will be trouble in the future … Although Liheng is a person who knows how to seek benefits and avoid harm, he is, after all, young and impetuous. In some matters, he is still quite arrogant. He didn't want to perfunctorily pass the test of those students, so he rejected the invitation. In front of you and me, he didn't hide it. It's probably because of this … "
He thought for a moment, then laughed. "There's no need to think too much about this. We are just friends through chess. It's too much to worry too much. Since we know his thoughts, that's enough. What happens in the future, we'll see. "
*****
Over the past few days, the name Ning Yi could be considered to have caused some big or small waves in Jiangning City. Those who knew of Shuidiao Getou naturally had all kinds of guesses and opinions. Most of their opinions were actually simple, but if they were closer, they would gradually become more complicated. For example, Elder Kang and Elder Qin, and many other members of the Su family, such as relatives, stewards, servants, and so on. If they were closer, it would undoubtedly be Su Tai Gong, Su Boyong, and so on. Then, it was Chan 'er, Xing' er, and Xing 'er. Over the past few days, Xing' er often teased the two of them with the phrase "A Thousand Miles Apart", so Chan 'er was somewhat mentally prepared. As for Juan' er, she could be said to have been shot while lying down. Every time, her face would turn red, and she was so embarrassed that her face was like a small boiling teapot. In private, she would complain to Chan 'er, "Why did the son-in-law write this sentence …"
Therefore, over the past few days, whenever she saw Ning Yi, she would lower her head and avoid him.
Among these people, the one who had the most complicated feelings was naturally Su Tan 'er. In all fairness, what she cared about the most was not how talented her husband was, or how eccentric his personality was, but that she could not understand him.
Originally, she married Ning Yi because he was simple, and she could easily understand him. Even after they got married, if he married into the Su family, she would be able to participate in the business of the Su family without being criticized. Now, although this marriage was still in name, in her heart, she had more or less accepted him. Next, it was only a matter of time.
Who knew that at this time, she would realize that she could not see through this husband of hers at all.
Of course, at this time, this matter only revealed some clues. Her husband seemed to be indifferent, and did not seem like a person with ulterior motives. Su Tan 'er was also a quiet and intelligent woman, so she might not be flustered by this. However, when she was dealing with the various matters of the shop, her mind could not help but stop on this matter. In this day and age, no matter how intelligent or independent a girl was, as long as she was married, who could really be completely indifferent to her husband?
These days, she was still busy managing the many silk and satin shops of the Su mansion in Jiangning. In her spare time, she would call Juan 'er to go to the alley where Ning Yi used to live to inquire about information. While doing business, she would occasionally come into contact with acquaintances and ask, "That Ning Yi, Ning Liheng, is he your husband?" Then they would praise Shuidiao Getou.
After getting married, she should have brought her husband to meet the people she knew before. This would also solidify her identity as a pretentious husband, and it would be more convenient to talk about business. However, when she got married, she threw a bit of a tantrum, and Ning Yi was knocked unconscious by someone. After that, it was time for him to recuperate. Until now, this kind of interaction between the two was almost fixed. They only talked a little during meals at home. Although her attitude towards Ning Yi was natural, she was, after all, married, and more reserved and arrogant. Therefore, until now, apart from the last time when she proposed to attend the Pu Yuan Poetry Meet, she had not invited Ning Yi to go out with her to participate in anything.
Now, it was probably even more difficult for her to do so.
Before she got married, she had already done it once to inquire about and collect information about Ning Yi. Most of the time, it was her father and grandfather who had asked people to do it. She had also gone over with a few servant girls and asked Chan 'er, Juan' er, and Xing 'er to inquire about Ning Yi's reputation. At that time, the information they received was that he was a simple bookworm and not very talented. Of course, he wasn't completely stupid from studying. Otherwise, he wouldn't have accepted the proposal of the Su family to marry into their family. In this day and age, if a man wanted to marry into another family, he would probably have to accept his fate.
However, this time, when she asked Juan 'er to inquire, the information she received was slightly different.
Most of the comments were naturally the same as before. Ning Yi did not have a strong presence in that alley. Some people only remembered after Juan 'er emphasized several times that he was a man who lived in a certain house, "Oh, there is such a person." Others said, "That silly bookworm, I heard that he married into someone else's family and even sold his house." "He probably thinks that he won't be able to pass the imperial examinations." These kinds of statements were the majority.
However, there were also two or three families that said, "Oh, Liheng, I already know that he is very talented. It's just that he has always kept a low profile and has a steady character. He doesn't like to compare himself with others. He's not like those scholars who don't have much knowledge and only like to be in the limelight. This is called 'a full bucket of water doesn't make a sound, but half a bucket of water shakes' … Miss, you must have heard about that Shuidiao getou, that's why you came to inquire about it … "
"Married into someone else's family, he married into someone else's family because there is an engagement. Liheng, that child, is an honest person, so the engagement must be kept …"
"Third Aunt next door and Second Uncle Niu at the entrance of the alley all said the same thing. This servant gave each of them fifty copper coins …" Although she was just a little servant girl, Juan 'er's ability to inquire about information was absolutely not to be underestimated. At this moment, thinking about it, she smiled and said her own opinion, "However, this servant felt that they only said so after hearing that Shuidiao getou, so it can't be counted. Unfortunately, Teacher Zou, who taught son-in-law how to write, passed away last year. This servant also went to inquire about it, but son-in-law's mistress almost doesn't remember son-in-law. But after knowing the reason for this servant's visit, she still said some good things. Teacher Zou's widow and her family didn't seem to be living too well, so this servant took the initiative to send two strings of coins and some smoked meat over, in the name of son-in-law. "
"That's right …" Su Tan'er nodded, and then smiled, but it was still accompanied by a strong sense of doubt. When inquiring about information, one doesn't necessarily believe what others say. Although this time she got some good things, but the basic information was still the same as before. However, after Juan'er investigated in another direction, some of the seemingly correct guesses gradually revealed themselves to Su Tan'er.
"The few old people that son-in-law met when he went to the river to play chess, are most likely extraordinary people … Now the one who knows the most is most likely Old Master Kang, who spoke up for son-in-law at the Still water poetry meeting that day …"
"Huh?" The evaluation of Ning Yi before he lost his memory could be confirmed, then if something really happened, it should have happened after he lost his memory. She also knew that Ning Yi went to the river to play chess and made a few chess friends, but she did not do any investigation. The news that she got at this time really shocked her. She did not know whether it was because of luck or other reasons that her husband was able to know such a person, and the subsequent information that came back made her even more stunned.
The news that came out from the Still water poetry meeting only said that Kang Xian was a great master of Confucianism, and that his achievements in all aspects were very respectable. But some of the background that was hidden behind, in fact, was not covered up too much. It was just that he did not say it, but after an investigation, it had already been found out.
Kang Xian, Kang Mingyun, was not only a great master of calligraphy, a great master of Confucianism, but at the same time, his other identity was the son-in-law of Princess Cheng, a relative of the Emperor. Although the Wu dynasty had always been very strict with the relatives of the Emperor, and it was impossible for a son-in-law to participate in state affairs and enter the court to become an official, but Princess Cheng was the aunt of the current Emperor, and this Kang Xian was the uncle of the current Emperor. Even if he was just a rich and idle person, but such an identity was really noble, and not something that a merchant family like the Su family could reach.
Once the news was revealed, the shock that it brought at first was really indescribable. Su Tan'er was a little confused for a moment, but after a moment of shock, a relatively clear clue was gradually placed in front of her.
"How did son-in-law make friends with such an important person, Chan'er said that they just casually went over and played chess, and then got to know each other." Juan'er was puzzled, and then became a little hesitant. "But speaking of which, the identity of Old Master Kang, and the identity of son-in-law... Ah..."
Juan'er did not dare to say the following words, but it was enough. In the way of doing business, all kinds of information must be filtered at all times. Sometimes some clues seemed hard to believe, but when other clues were filtered out, what was left may be such news.
The identity of her husband, and the identity of Old Master Kang... were both son-in-laws...
For Su Tan'er, although this answer would seem a little bizarre to ordinary people, but it was already the answer closest to the core.
Husband... perhaps only had some contact with the other party while playing chess, or perhaps did not know the other party's identity, but the two did indeed have such a common point. The identity of the son-in-law seemed to be noble, and marrying the Princess was in fact marrying into the Imperial family. But with the other party's talent, he could not be an official in his lifetime, and could not display his ambitions. It was not difficult to understand why he would appreciate Husband. In this way, it was no wonder that he wanted to block the tongues of the people at the Still water poetry meeting, and make Husband famous...
Her husband said that it was a Daoist priest who passed by the door. Not only did her grandfather not believe it, she also did not believe it. This was because Xiao Chan would definitely not lie to her. That Daoist priest recited a song. Could it be that he sang it … Maybe it was really her husband's miraculous hands, or maybe it was Old Master Kang's doing. It was hard to say. She did not care too much about it now. After all, she had doubts in her heart before. She only felt that there were doubts everywhere. Now that she sorted them out, she was suddenly enlightened. For some things, she did not care much.
Husband's personality was actually indifferent, his words and actions were not annoying. She did not care whether his talent was high or low, it was better if it was low. She did not mind him marrying into the family, and if it was high, then it was a pleasant surprise. She did not expect that there would be such a shady plot in the Mid-Autumn poetry meeting. If it was really Kang Xian's plan, then perhaps it was just a joke made by the old man on a whim.
"Watch how this old man teaches you. You'll scare your wife and your family …"
Thinking about it, it was not impossible. Her husband's personality was indifferent, but at this age, he may not really be content with the identity of a son-in-law. Although Grandfather did not want to treat him harshly, and she also did not want him to be discriminated against, but the identity of a son-in-law would occasionally be looked down upon. People would always have such thoughts, and this was a hurdle that he had to overcome. It was understandable that he wanted to show off his talent.
If that was the case, her husband... could it be that he really wanted to tame this restless little girl...
Some things would not change once they were decided. This was the main premise. She did not have any requirements about marrying into the family or marrying into the family, but one day, she would take over the family business of the Su family. This was the main point, and with this premise, as her husband, he could only marry into the family. Thinking of this, she did not hate these speculations in her heart, and even felt a little happy about it.
There were no other possibilities, were there?
Thus, on the way home, she smiled gently and warmly …
This was a very private smile, even Juan'er and Xing'er in the carriage did not notice it...
*****
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
