The next morning, as dawn broke, Qi Mingyue awoke. Birds chirped outside the window, carrying the unique vitality of spring. She got up and opened the window, seeing that another layer of pear blossoms had fallen in the courtyard, carpeting the ground like snow. She couldn't help but recall Xie Ansu standing under the tree apologizing yesterday, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

"Miss got up early today." Zhi Shu brought in warm water and was somewhat surprised to see that Qi Mingyue had already finished washing and dressing herself.

Qi Mingyue put on a jade hairpin in front of the mirror and said in a light tone, "I made an appointment with Young Master Xie to go for a walk along the Ying River. Let's set off early to avoid the sun being too strong."

Knowing her meaning, she brought out a lake-green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) embroidered with bamboo leaf patterns: "How about this one? It's both proper and easy to walk in."

Qi Mingyue nodded, changed her clothes, had breakfast, and then went out with Zhishu.

Xie Ansu was already waiting outside the academy. He was still wearing his blue robe today, but this time it was made of a fabric with a subtle silver thread pattern, which shimmered faintly in the morning light. When he saw Qi Mingyue come out, his eyes lit up, and he quickly went to greet her: "Good morning, Miss Qi."

"Good morning, Young Master Xie." Qi Mingyue nodded slightly, and seeing the small bamboo basket he was carrying, she couldn't help but ask curiously, "What's this?"

Xie Ansu smiled and said, "There's a tea stall by the Ying River that makes the plum blossom cakes that are absolutely delicious. I bought some on my way here for you to try, Miss."

Qi Mingyue felt a warmth in her heart: "Thank you for your trouble, young master."

The three walked along the bluestone streets towards the outskirts of the city. Yingzhou City was not yet fully awake in the early morning; only a few morning market stalls were open, with wisps of smoke rising and the aroma of food wafting through the air. Xie Ansu navigated the streets and alleys with practiced ease, occasionally pointing out the scenery along the way to Qi Mingyue.

“This street is called Qingyun Lane, named after the three top scholars who came from the previous dynasty.” Xie Ansu pointed to a quaint alley entrance. “There is a bookstore at the end of the alley. Although it is small, it has many rare and precious books. I can take Miss to see it another day.”

Qi Mingyue looked in the direction he pointed, and saw that the alley was deep and quiet, with moss covering the ground, and it did have a scholarly atmosphere. She nodded and said, "Good."

Stepping out of the city, a breathtaking view unfolded before me. The Ying River, like a ribbon, meandered eastward, its banks adorned with fragrant peach and plum blossoms and drooping willows. The morning mist lingered, shrouding the water's surface, creating a scene of ethereal beauty. A few small boats lay moored along the shore, gently swaying with the current, adding a touch of rustic charm.

"So beautiful." Qi Mingyue couldn't help but exclaim, as if the gloom of the past few days had dissipated with the morning breeze.

Xie Ansu's eyes gleamed: "The Ying River is most beautiful in spring. If you go a little further upstream, there is a shallow beach with crystal-clear water where you can see fish and pebbles. The scenery is even better there."

The two walked slowly along the riverbank. Xie Ansu carefully gave the flat, easy path to Qi Mingyue, while he walked on the water's side. Zhishu followed at a distance, neither disturbing them nor hindering their movement.

“Miss Qi, please look over there.” Xie Ansu suddenly pointed to the opposite bank. “Behind that peach grove is a small temple called ‘Yunshui Chanxin’. The old monk in the temple is skilled at chess, and Ansu often went there to play chess with him when he was young.”

Qi Mingyue looked into the distance and indeed saw upturned eaves hidden deep in the peach grove. She couldn't help but wonder, "Young Master Xie's chess skills must be superb."

Xie Ansu waved his hand and laughed, "It's just a pastime in my spare time. Even if I were to give him a three-stone handicap, I still wouldn't be able to win."

Qi Mingyue knew he was being modest. The Xie family was known for its literary tradition, and all its members were proficient in the Six Arts. Since Xie Ansu had earned the reputation of being a talented scholar in Yingzhou, his chess skills must be quite good. She suddenly thought of those young masters in the capital who claimed to be chess masters, yet they couldn't even remember all the chess scores. Compared to Xie Ansu's frankness, their inferiority was obvious.

After walking and stopping for about half an hour, we finally came to a shallow beach. The river water became crystal clear here, and we could see colorful pebbles on the bottom, with several small fish swimming among them, leisurely and content.

Xie Ansu found a flat river stone and laid out the felt mat he carried with him: "Miss, please sit down for a moment and try this plum blossom cake. Is it to your liking?"

Qi Mingyue sat down as instructed and accepted the pastries he offered. The plum blossom cakes were exquisitely made, shaped like five-petaled plum blossoms, as white as jade, and soft, sweet, and fragrant when eaten—truly an extraordinary delicacy.

"It's really delicious," she exclaimed sincerely.

Xie Ansu smiled and took a piece for himself, but did not eat it. He just looked at the shimmering river and said softly, "When I was young, I often came here to sit alone when I was tired from studying. Watching the water flow eastward and listening to the wind rustling through the willow branches, all my worries would disappear."

Qi Mingyue listened quietly, then suddenly asked, "Young Master Xie, have you ever considered leaving Yingzhou to study in the capital or other places?"

Xie Ansu pondered for a moment before saying, "To be honest, although I yearn for the outside world, I am even more reluctant to leave every blade of grass and every tree in Yingzhou." He picked up a pebble and played with it in his hand. "My father often said that reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. But I always feel that if one can truly understand a place, it may not be inferior to traveling all over the world."

These words, spoken so casually, stirred something within Qi Mingyue. She thought of the boastful young men in the capital, each claiming to have traveled extensively, yet perhaps lacking any real understanding of a place. Xie Ansu's understanding and love for Yingzhou, however, were heartfelt and therefore all the more moving.

“What you say is very true, sir,” she said softly. “Mingyue has learned a lot.”

Xie Ansu hurriedly waved his hand: "I'm just talking nonsense, please forgive me, Miss." He suddenly remembered something and took out a scroll of poems from his sleeve. "I recently read Miss's 'Commentary on Spring River Flower Moon Night' and gained some insights. I wrote a poem in response, and I would appreciate Miss's corrections."

Qi Mingyue took the poem and read it carefully. Although the poem imitated Zhang Ruoxu's old title, it took a different approach, using the spring scenery of the Ying River as a subject, giving it a unique and refreshing charm. What was even more remarkable was that several of the insights in the poem coincided with her own commentary.

"What a wonderful poem!" she praised sincerely. "Especially the line 'The Ying River is shrouded in mist, its verdant waters seeming to flow,' it captures both form and spirit, as if it were right before our eyes."

Xie Ansu's eyes lit up immediately: "Miss truly understands me! This line came to me that morning when I saw the mist on the river." He paused, somewhat embarrassed, "Ansu is being presumptuous, but could Miss please grant this poem a title?"

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