Gurgle, rumble.
A black carriage patterned in red with a dragon's head motif, drawn by four fine steeds, slowly passed through the north gate of Shu Prefecture City and headed south along Kanning Street.
Listening to the clamor around her, Xiao Jinghong slightly drew back the brocade curtain over the carriage window and looked at the scenery outside through the gap.
Ten days had passed since Third Place Scholar Li Huaigu had ridden through the streets on horseback, yet the taverns along Kanning Street and the students within the academies still spoke of it constantly.
Some described that day in flowery, pedantic language, embellishing it with, "The scenery that day was boundlessly splendid; we could not catch up even if we whipped our horses," drawing peals of laughter.
Others said Li Huaigu's life had sailed smoothly with a favorable wind: he had placed third in the imperial examinations, then been assigned a post at the Shuzhou Provincial Administration, and upon returning, had even won a beauty's hand.
He had money, fame, status, and beauty—everything.
The envy he stirred in others was beyond measure.
And whenever Li Huaigu was mentioned, the students naturally brought up Chen Yi as well, cursing him as "that Marquis of Military's mansion son-in-law" and calling him either "shameless and vile" or "a disgrace to cultured men." In any case, not a single good word was said of him.
After picking through their remarks, only two compliments were hidden amid the tangled chorus of condemnation.
One was, "That Birthday Ode is beyond our abilities," after which some student would occasionally put on airs of elegance and chant a few lines from it.
The other passable remark was, "The half-line of poetry the Xiao Family son-in-law wrote for the Third Place Scholar has great charm. Alas, it is only half a line, and we have no chance to glimpse the whole."
Although those words were immediately followed by more disparagement of Chen Yi, no one denied his talent for poetry.
"Flowers that can be plucked should be plucked without delay; do not wait until no flowers remain, then snap bare branches in vain."
After listening for a while, Xiao Jinghong understood that this verse had come from Chen Yi—and that he had personally written it on the day he forcibly seized the Third Place Scholar's wife.
In the words of those students just now: "That shameless scoundrel actually dressed up forcibly seizing a woman in such elegant words, yet I cannot write anything like it. Alas, alas..."
Hearing that, Xiao Jinghong lowered the curtain and silently leaned back against the soft couch stuffed with thick, pliant bedding.
She had to admit that in merely three months, her husband had managed to earn the scorn of so many students and commoners throughout Shuzhou City. That, too, was a kind of ability.
Xiao Wan'er noticed the unusual look on her face. "Second Sister, are you tired?"
Xiao Jinghong gently shook her head, the sharpness in her eyes fading. "Eldest sister, in your earlier letter, you said Chen... husband had changed for the better?"
Seeing her take the initiative to mention Chen Yi, Xiao Wan'er chided her, "You still have the nerve to say that? You ran off to inspect the Three Towns without a word, and only now do you remember to ask about him."
"Sister..."
"Fine, fine, Eldest Sister knows you did nothing wrong. It was all Brother-in-law's fault."
After teasing her a little, Xiao Wan'er went on to recount Chen Yi's behavior before she had left the Marquis's mansion.
"After you left, Brother-in-law was confined to his room. Every day, he copied the Family Rules and occasionally read books. He never complained."
"Actually, Brother-in-law is quite a good person, especially his handwriting..."
Thinking of Chen Yi's calligraphy, Xiao Wan'er could not help recalling the poem Xiao Die had recited to her.
Seeing her pause, Xiao Jinghong looked over. "His handwriting?"
Xiao Wan'er came back to herself, took her hand, and smiled. "Second Sister, the hand reveals the man. Brother-in-law's calligraphy is carefree and elegant, which shows that he is sincere and unrestrained by nature."
Sincere and unrestrained?
The idle gossip she had just heard surfaced in Xiao Jinghong's mind.
Her husband's reputation seemed sharply divided. It was likely true that he wrote well and composed good poetry, but whether he was sincere and unrestrained or shameless and vile remained open to debate.
Fortunately, she had returned to Shuzhou City now. Once she went back to the mansion, she would know simply by asking.
"Second Sister, once we arrive, you and I should first go see Grandfather."
"Alright..."
Just then, the carriage slowed slightly, interrupting the conversation between Xiao Wan'er and Xiao Jinghong.
Xiao Wan'er steadied herself and asked in confusion, "Hua Tang?"
Outside the carriage, Shen Huatang pulled the carriage to the roadside and replied, "Eldest Miss, Second Miss, something has happened."
At this, Xiao Jinghong directly pulled open the curtain and looked outside.
She immediately saw several Armored Soldiers dressed as Xiao Family guards gathered outside a Mounting Shop not far away. In their midst stood an old man in a plain long robe, tugging at a Xiao Family maidservant.
Wang Lixing and Xiao Die?
Xiao Jinghong recognized the people from the mansion, then carefully studied the old man. Her eyes froze slightly.
Unable to see the situation outside, Xiao Wan'er could not help asking, "Second Sister, what happened?"
"Eldest Sister, it seems Mr. Yue Ming of Guiyun Academy has gotten into a dispute with the mansion guards and maidservant."
With so many people talking at once, Xiao Jinghong only caught something about a Calligraphy Copybook. She then said, "Sister, sit in the carriage for a moment. I will be right back."
Xiao Wan'er shook her head. "Mr. Yue Ming dislikes military men most of all. I will go with you."
Knowing she could not persuade her otherwise, Xiao Jinghong said no more. Supporting her, she helped her down from the carriage and walked with her to the Mounting Shop.
From inside came Mr. Yue Ming's sigh. "Miss, young miss, this old man is exceedingly fond of this Calligraphy Copybook. Could you... could you part with it?"
Xiao Die hugged the Calligraphy Copybook tightly and refused to let go. "Old Sir, this is a Birthday Gift from Son-in-law to the master. How could I give it to you?"
Had Wang Lixing not warned her earlier that this Old Sir was Mr. Yue Ming of Guiyun Academy, Shuzhou's most renowned great scholar—
She would have suspected that the calligraphy Son-in-law had previously lost had been taken by this Old Sir before her.
Yet she had clearly told him that this calligraphy could not be given away, but the Old Sir still would not relent. He had even reached out to grab the freshly mounted piece, making her quite angry.
"Son-in-law? That Xiao Family Son-in-law? Then tell this old man where he bought this Calligraphy Copybook. This old man is willing to purchase it at a high price."
"Bought? Son-in-law wrote this himself. Old Sir, if you wish to buy it, go to the Marquis's mansion and find Son-in-law yourself."
Mr. Yue Ming was stunned. "You say this calligraphy was written by Chen Yi, Chen Qingzhou?"
Xiao Die looked at him warily. "Of course Son-in-law wrote it. Could it have been written by you? The shopkeeper already gave you your calligraphy earlier."
Mr. Yue Ming looked at her suspiciously, still unwilling to believe it. "Miss, this old man merely wishes to have this Calligraphy Copybook or learn where it came from. If you are unwilling, then so be it. Why must you lie to deceive this old man?"
"I did not..."
Before Xiao Die could continue explaining, Xiao Wan'er spoke from beyond the crowd. "Mr. Yue Ming, please hear Wan'er out."
Only then did the Xiao Family guards and Xiao Die notice Xiao Wan'er, Xiao Jinghong, and the others outside. They hurriedly bowed.
"Greetings, Eldest Miss, Second Miss."
"Xiao Die greets Eldest Miss and Second Miss."
The passing pedestrians and the crowd that had already gathered to watch were all stunned. Only then did they realize that these people were the pair of sisters from the main branch of the Marquis of Military's mansion.
At once, most people dropped to their knees. Only several students who held scholarly degrees remained standing tall.
Xiao Wan'er swept her gaze over them and answered gently, "Rise, all of you."
Once everyone had stood, she held Xiao Jinghong's hand and went before the old man, then dipped in a slight bow.
"Mr. Yue Ming, everything Xiao Die said just now was true. This calligraphy was indeed written by Wan'er's brother-in-law, Chen Yi, Chen Qingzhou."
Though she had not seen the Calligraphy Copybook in Xiao Die's hands, judging from the writing she had seen from Chen Yi before, it was indeed possible that it had won Mr. Yue Ming's favor.
Mr. Yue Ming looked at them, directly ignored Xiao Jinghong, and asked, "Miss Wan'er, do you know the significance of the words upon it?"
Xiao Wan'er was slightly taken aback. After a brief thought, she extended her hand toward Xiao Die.
Xiao Die carefully placed the Birthday Ode in her hand. She glanced at Xiao Jinghong but did not dare say more, retreating again afterward.
Xiao Wan'er opened the box and took out the Calligraphy Copybook. With Xiao Jinghong's help, she slowly unfurled it.
The moment only a small portion of the brushstrokes was revealed, a thread of fluorescence emerged, lustrous and smooth like warm jade.
Xiao Wan'er's hand immediately froze. Her eyes widened, and she did not dare continue unrolling it.
She hurriedly looked to Xiao Jinghong beside her. When she saw her give a slight nod, shock and delight surged within her.
She was shocked because the writing on the Calligraphy Copybook truly possessed Calligraphy Artistic Conception.
Naturally, she was delighted because this Calligraphy Copybook might truly have been written by her brother-in-law, Chen Yi.
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