Chapter Summaries

After moving into their new home in town, Xie Ning and Zhou Jinian shared a meal with their relatives and grew closer as husband and husband. Days later, Zhou Jinian took Xie Ning back to the village to catch fish, keeping the purpose of a bottle from the apothecary secret.

• Zhou Sanfeng set up an incense burner as the family and helpers moved into the new courtyard, and Xie Ning cooked a feast for everyone.
• Xie Dashu and Xie Yao praised Zhou Jinian for caring for Xie Ning before returning to the village.
• Xie Ning flirted with Zhou Jinian in their room, and Zhou Jinian taught him the first step of consummating their marriage.
• After several days in town, the family built a pond, and Zhou Jinian took Xie Ning back to the village to catch fish.
• Zhou Jinian bought a small porcelain bottle at an apothecary and refused to tell Xie Ning what it was for; Xie Ning followed him into the Zhou family courtyard in a huff.

Zhou Jinian and Xie Ning visited Lin Guihua, heard about Sixth Sister-in-law leaving after a fight with Sixth Brother, then went to the mountain and consummated their marriage at the water. The chapter left Xie Ning resting in Zhou Jinian’s arms.

• Xie Ning and Zhou Jinian visited Lin Guihua, who asked them to tell Xie Ning’s father that her family would accept a kind and good-natured match for Rong-ge'er.
• Lin Guihua explained that Sixth Sister-in-law had returned to her parents’ home with the baby after Sixth Brother kicked her out during a quarrel.
• Zhou Jinian carried Xie Ning up the mountain when Xie Ning could not keep up, and Xie Ning promised he would not complain about Jinian’s studies.
• At the water, Zhou Jinian drew Xie Ning close and used the porcelain bottle before consummating their marriage.
• Afterward, Zhou Jinian cradled Xie Ning until his breathing steadied.

Zhou Jinian and Xie Ning enjoyed an afternoon at the cave pool before returning to Qingshui Town, where a retired official’s grand procession delayed them at the gate. They reached home after dark and learned the official would stay in a mansion outside town.

• After Xie Ning fell asleep, Zhou Jinian caught fish in the pool, and Xie Ning later found an underwater exit while searching for shrimp; Zhou Jinian forbade him from exploring it.
• Zhou Jinian and Xie Ning returned toward town on their ox cart, where they found the gate closed to traffic for an arriving procession.
• A retired official from the capital entered Qingshui Town in lavish carriages accompanied by a long convoy, while the town magistrate and officials greeted him.
• After the crowd dispersed, Zhou Jinian and Xie Ning returned home late, poured their fish into the pond, and joined the family for dinner.
• Zhou Sanfeng said he had heard that the official would stay in a mansion outside town on East Street, reputedly furnished with gold-inlaid designs.

Zhou Sanfeng’s family opened a fish wonton stall in town, where brisk business led them to plan an expanded menu. As Zhou Jinian’s academy examination approached, Xie Ning prepared food and provisions for him and Xie Yao, who had come to stay.

• Zhou Sanfeng, Lin Jin, and Xie Ning opened their wonton stall at the entrance to Upper North Alley and sold out of filling on their first day.
• The family discussed preparing more food and adding fish wonton noodles to meet the demand.
• Xie Yao came to stay with the family so he could attend Zhou Jinian’s upcoming academy examination more conveniently.
• Xie Ning made cakes, zongzi, and shrimp rice provisions for Zhou Jinian and Xie Yao to take to the examination.
• Xie Yao tasted Xie Ning’s shrimp rice porridge and praised his cooking.

Xie Ning helped at the wonton stall and attracted the unwanted attention of Zhu Dachang, who tried to order him around. That night, Zhou Jinian held Xie Ning close before leaving for the academy examination in the county town.

• Xie Ning left home with sweet rice dumplings and went to help at the wonton stall while Zhou Jinian and Xie Yao studied.
• Lin Jin served Xie Ning hot fish soup and a roasted sweet potato as he warmed himself by the brazier.
• Zhu Dachang watched Xie Ning and had his attendant demand that he peel garlic, but Xie Ning calmly peeled some and returned home.
• Zhou Jinian climbed beneath Xie Ning's quilt and embraced him before his ten-day absence for the academy examination.

Xie Ning stayed home while Zhou Sanfeng and Lin Jin ran their wonton stall, keeping him away from Zhu Dachang, who had been harassing the family. Meanwhile, Zhou Jinian and Xie Yao prepared for the prefectural examination and joined the candidates in line on the day it began.

• Zhou Jinian made ginger soup for Xie Ning, then left with Xie Yao to travel to the examination town.
• Xie Ning helped his family prepare for the stall, but Lin Jin sent him home when he saw Zhu Dachang sitting there with two companions.
• Zhu Dachang paid for his meal and left with his companions, and Zhou Sanfeng and Lin Jin discussed opening a shop if their son passed.
• Zhou Jinian and Xie Yao stayed at the quiet Tong Family Inn to study for the prefectural examination.
• Zhou Jinian and Xie Yao went to the examination site before dawn and joined the queue with their guarantor and other candidates.

Zhou Jinian completed the prefectural qualifying examination calmly and left the examination grounds with Xie Yao. Afterward, Zhou Wenshu and Zhou Liufeng joined their classmates for a drunken celebration, while Zhou Liufeng privately resolved to pass on his tenth year of examinations.

• Zhou Jinian passed the strict entrance inspection and settled into his examination cubicle before the education commissioner announced the start.
• Zhou Jinian answered the Four Books questions, ate the provisions Xie Ning had prepared, and composed a poem on the theme of lotus.
• The education commissioner admired Zhou Jinian's composure and elegant handwriting as he inspected the candidates' papers.
• After the papers were sealed, Zhou Jinian declined Zhou Wenshu's invitation and returned to the Tong Family Inn with Xie Yao.
• Zhou Wenshu, Zhou Liufeng, and their classmates drank and talked about romantic prospects, while Zhou Liufeng resolved to pass the examination in his tenth year.

Zhou Jinian took first place in the prefectural examination, while Xie Yao placed tenth. After returning home, Zhou Jinian told Xie Ning he had become a xiucai, and his family celebrated the news.

• Zhou Jinian invited Zhou Wenshu for a drink after the examination, but Zhou Wenshu declined, knowing he had performed poorly.
• Zhou Jinian and Xie Yao waited five days for the results, then learned that Xie Yao ranked tenth and Zhou Jinian was the first-class top scorer.
• Third Zhou and his wife worried about Zhu Dachang's repeated visits and told Xie Ning to stay inside the courtyard.
• Xie Ning welcomed Zhou Jinian and Xie Yao home, then cooked fish while Zhou Jinian helped tend the stove.
• Zhou Jinian told Xie Ning that he was now a xiucai's husband, and Xie Ning celebrated before Third Zhou and his wife congratulated their son.
• Zhou Jinian carried Xie Ning to their bed after they returned to their room.

Zhou Jinian was proclaimed the top scorer in the county, prefectural, and academy examinations, astonishing the townspeople and leaving Zhou Wenshu bitter over the broken engagement to Xie Ning. The successful results made the family’s wonton stall famous, and Xie Ning began helping there in public.

• Xie Yao returned to the village, and five days later the county magistrate arrived to announce Zhou Jinian’s examination results.
• The county magistrate named Zhou Jinian the top scorer and gave him a stipend, while Xie Ning and the townspeople reacted with amazement.
• In Great Well Village, Zhou Liufeng became a scholar, Zhou Sifeng celebrated his brother’s success and his pregnant wife, and Zhou Wenshu brooded over his own failure and his family’s broken engagement to Xie Ning.
• The townspeople credited Zhou Jinian’s success to the fish dishes at the Zhou family’s wonton stall, bringing it a rush of customers.
• With Zhou Jinian’s support, Xie Ning started going out to help at the busy stall.

Xie Ning persuaded his family to open a shop in town, and Zhou Jinian helped secure a suitable property. After Master Zhu invited local scholars to a banquet at Plum Blossom Manor, Zhou Jinian set out to attend, aware that Zhu hoped to win the scholars’ favor.

• Xie Ning proposed opening a shop in town, and Zhou Jinian and Lin Jin supported him until Zhou Sanfeng agreed.
• Zhou Jinian comforted Xie Ning, and the two spent the night together.
• A messenger delivered Zhou Sanfeng an invitation from Plum Blossom Manor and a basket of eggs for Zhou Jinian.
• Zhu Dachang visited the Fragrance House, where Xiangniang hurried to accommodate him after his attendant rebuked her.
• Zhou Jinian and Xie Ning chose a shop near the market for three taels of silver in monthly rent.
• Zhou Jinian left with Xie Yao and Zhou Liufeng to attend Master Zhu’s banquet at Plum Blossom Manor.