In late spring in the capital, willow catkins drifted like fine snow, shrouding Li Xiuyuan's "Wanxiang Garden" in a hazy haze. The Jinxiu Poetry Society's first gathering was held there. A carved table had already been set up beside the waterside pond. A jade brush was inserted into a wolf-hair brush, and the rice paper still carried the scent of freshly ground ink. Su Jinli's carriage, covered in green curtains, stopped outside the moonlit gate. As she lifted the curtain and stepped out, the jade pendant at her waist jingled with a crisp sound—it was the "talisman" Su Mingxuan had forced upon her, claiming it could ward off evil spirits like Wang Jing'an.
"President Su is here!" The sharp-eyed Zhang Mingxuan immediately greeted him loudly, and opened the folding fan in his hand with a "snap". On the fan was his newly painted picture of the spring scenery of Qujiang Lake.
On the lawn beneath the waterside pavilion, a dozen talented men and beautiful ladies gathered and chatted. Lin Wanyue, wearing a pomegranate-red silk gown embroidered with gold, her hair adorned with a dazzling nine-phoenix rising sun hairpin, exchanged a glance with the other noblewoman beside her as she noticed Su Jinli approaching. A polite smile crossed her face. "President Su, you're finally here! We were just having trouble figuring out the topic for today's poem."
As Su Jinli approached, she vaguely overheard their earlier discussions—"...I heard she even dared to disrespect her stepmother at her coming-of-age banquet," "A motherless legitimate daughter is even more prominent than Liu's daughter." She calmly brushed the willow catkins away from her shoulders and smiled, "What are your thoughts?"
A noble lady in a pink jacket said in a sweet voice, "We thought about it and decided to use 'Grievance in the Boudoir' as the title, which would also suit the sad scene of late spring." As she spoke, her eyes moved and glanced meaningfully at Su Jinli's plain clothes.
"Grievances?" Su Jinli raised an eyebrow, her fingertips lightly tracing the celadon brushwasher on her desk. The topic seemed elegant, but it was fraught with traps—for a woman in seclusion to discuss her grievances, at best, she'd be accused of moaning without reason, and at worst, of being "restless." Lin Wanyue's move, while ostensibly a suggestion, was secretly an attempt to put her on the spot.
Before Su Jinli could speak, Lin Wanyue chimed in, "Sister Chen, this is a great idea! Women in seclusion always have a thousand thoughts on their mind, and expressing them through this is a way to make the most of this spring." As she spoke, her jade fingers gently stroked the pearl flower ornaments on her temples, her eyes piercing Su Jinli like fine needles. "What do you think, President Su?"
The surroundings instantly fell silent, everyone's gaze flickering between the two. Su Jinli met Lin Wanyue's gaze and suddenly chuckled softly, her voice as clear as the clashing of jade. "Miss Lin, you're wrong."
She walked to the edge of the pond and broke off a dewy crabapple branch. Water droplets from the petals dripped onto the hem of her plain skirt, leaving a small stain. "Although late spring has fallen flowers, it also has new green shoots. Look here—" She raised her hand and pointed, revealing newly emerged lotus flowers in the pond, with a few dragonflies dancing around the curled leaves. "Spring is a season of rebirth, a season of vitality everywhere. Why dwell on the word 'resentment'?"
Su Jinli turned to face the crowd, her eyes bright. "In my opinion, we should title it 'Spring Joy.' Write about new swallows carrying mud, children chasing butterflies, and the joy of poetry and wine while enjoying youth. That way, we can live up to the beauty of spring in the garden and align with the purpose of our Jinxiu Poetry Society: 'Connecting through literature, nourishing the soul through joy.'"
Her words were like a stream of fresh air, instantly dispersing the subtle tension in the air. Zhang Mingxuan was the first to high-five, "President Su is right! Girlish resentment is too melancholy, how can it compare to the freshness of springtime!"
"That's right, I just saw the young master of the Li Mansion chasing butterflies. It's perfect for a poem!"
"President Su is indeed very insightful. The word 'Spring Fun' is brilliant!"
As the voices of approval echoed, Lin Wanyue's grip on the handkerchief suddenly tightened, her smile nearly falling. She'd intended to embarrass Su Jinli with her "boudoir grudge," but she'd easily managed to steer the conversation in a more interesting direction, earning her a round of applause. "Since President Su has made up his mind, then I'll do as you say," she forced a smile, her tone tinged with a subtle stiffness.
Just as everyone was preparing to compose their poems, a little maid with twin buns stumbled into the garden, her face pale. "Miss! This is bad! A group of vicious men have come to the front yard, saying they want to cause trouble for the poetry club!"
"What?" Li Xiuyuan stood up suddenly, the sleeves of his moon-white scholar's robe brushing the table, nearly knocking over the inkstone. "Do you know who it is?"
Su Jinli's heart sank, and her first thought was Wang Jing'an. She followed Li Xiuyuan toward the front yard, her embroidered shoes clacking against the cobblestones. As expected, as soon as she turned the corner of the Taihu Lake stone, she saw a circle of people surrounding the moon-shaped gate. Leading the group was none other than Wang Jing'an, dressed in a royal blue brocade robe. Behind him were four or five burly, wielding slaves, clubs in hand. It was clear they were no pushovers.
"Wang Jing'an, what are you doing here?" Li Xiuyuan frowned and stepped forward, blocking the crowd. "This is my Li Mansion, and I won't tolerate you running wild!"
Wang Jing'an glanced at him sideways, with a scornful smile on his lips: "Li Xiuyuan, mind your own business! I'm here to see Su Jinli today!" He pushed Li Xiuyuan away and rushed straight into the garden. The hem of his brocade robe swept across the stone lions beside the door, splashing a few mud stars.
"Wang Erlang! How dare you!" Su Mingxuan rushed out like a small animal protecting its cubs, clutching the bamboo sword he never left behind. "My sister said she won't marry you. Don't you understand what I'm saying?"
"Get out of here, little brat!" Wang Jing'an waved his hand impatiently, pushing Su Mingxuan so hard he staggered. "Su Jinli, get out here!"
Su Jinli stepped forward and stood in front of her brother, looking at Wang Jing'an with a cold gaze: "Young Master Wang, I'm honored to have you here. I wonder if you have any advice for me?" She noticed that the dark circles under Wang Jing'an's eyes had become darker, and the jade belt around his waist had been replaced with an ordinary belt. It was obvious that he had lost all his money again.
Wang Jing'an looked at her plain yet charming face, a trace of resentment flashing in his eyes. "Su Jinli, you're famous now? You founded a poetry club, and you've become a famous talent?" He stepped closer, the smell of alcohol and cheap perfume on his body making her frown. "I'm telling you, if you don't agree to marry me today, I'll make sure your poetry club doesn't exist! You won't be able to hold your head up in the capital!"
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