Chapter 120 Your childhood sweetheart?
Teng Qianxuan inherited her mother's looks; she was a typical beauty from Jiangnan, with fair skin, a slender figure, and a gentle and mild temperament.
However, that's only what it seems.
Perhaps it's due to her advancing age, or perhaps it's the arduous period of mourning she's endured over the years, but she possesses an exceptionally resilient character. Though seemingly gentle and mild-mannered, she is remarkably decisive and efficient in her actions.
Just a few days ago, she was still hesitant after being persuaded by Yang Yanjun, but in the past few days she has started to get involved with her, associating with a group of noble ladies whom Song Jin recognized but had never met before, and getting along like sisters.
"She doesn't need me to look after her, does she? She seems to be adapting quite well."
Song Jin walked behind with her arms crossed, keeping a respectful distance, and looked at the two people in front of her, dressed in flamboyant clothes and laughing like bells, feeling a little annoyed.
She takes one step for every three of them, and now she has to slowly follow behind them—it's exhausting! But getting closer and listening to them talk about everyday matters or cosmetics gives her a headache.
If it weren't for her mother's insistence, she would have run away long ago.
Two maids followed beside her, listening to her complain the whole way.
Xiao Mei smiled and said, "Miss Xuan has only been in Andong County for the past two years. Before that, she was very famous in the capital. Her talent was comparable to Miss Cheng Siyi's, and she was one of the two most outstanding poets in Yong'an City."
Little Ear chattered on and on: "Miss, you don't know, Yong'an City has so many kinds of things, like two beauties, three outstanding women, four lovely ladies, five champions, six, six, seven, eight, anyway, there are quite a lot."
Song Jin exclaimed, "So, do they get together every day to practice drinking games?"
Little Ears puffed out angrily: "Miss"
She had a round face with baby fat, fair skin, and blushed easily. She was always puffed up, looking just like an apple. Plus, she was quite small, making her seem very bullying.
Song Jin couldn't help but pinch her round cheeks and sighed, "No, isn't it a bit too big for Xiao Duo, with your size?"
Xiao Er's face instantly turned bright red. She jumped up, wanting to hit someone, her fists clenching and unclenching, embarrassed and annoyed: "Miss!!! I'm going back to tell Madam!"
Song Jin scoffed and mocked, "I didn't say anything. I just said Xiao Duo is big. You've got the wrong idea."
What else could it be but a large size?
Little Er was stunned for a moment, her face and neck turning bright red. Her head was practically steaming, and she stammered, unable to speak. She screamed and was about to burrow into the snow.
Xiao Mei pulled her over, saying helplessly, "Miss, stop fooling around."
Seeing that everyone was about to explode, Song Jin touched her nose and said, "I know, I know, it's just because I'm bored."
So you make fun of her when you're bored?
Little Ear stomped her foot in anger, then snuggled into Little Eyebrow's arms, whining, "Miss is mean, Little Eyebrow, we're not playing with her anymore!"
Xiao Mei chuckled and patted her shoulder: "Alright, we'll go explore by ourselves and let Miss have her own fun."
Given Song Jin's current boredom, the two of them staying would just be her playthings.
That's not good.
Of the thirty-six stratagems, the best course of action is to flee.
With that, the two of them held hands and swaggered away.
Song Jin stood there with her arms crossed, watching the two people's backs, and rolled her eyes: "How shameless of you, do you even remember who the young lady is?"
How stingy! Last time, the two of them were teasing her, but when it was her turn, she ran away first. It's so unfair of her.
Xiao Er turned around, made a face at her, then grabbed her and ran away quickly, as if there was a ghost behind them.
Song Jin clicked her tongue and shook her head, then turned to look at Teng Qianxuan and Yang Yanjun, who were stopped ahead. She sighed deeply and followed them, her head drooping.
If she weren't afraid her mother would find out and force her to study again, she would have run away long ago, pretending to comply but actually disobeying.
These two talk too much, spouting platitudes that she has no interest in.
Tsk
"What's wrong with you now?"
Song Jin sighed and walked over, gently blocking the crowd that was pushing towards the two of them, peering through the sea of heads into the crowd.
There were too many people to see clearly, but there were a few stalls, which must be selling things.
The weather was lovely today. The heavy snow of the past few days had stopped, the winter winds were calm, and the sun was shining brightly, making it feel warm and cozy. As a result, there were an unusually large number of people out and about today.
Song Jin had originally planned to take Niu Tielan out for a stroll, but unfortunately, she was feeling unwell due to the Gu poisoning and didn't want to move or have her accompany her.
The little girl is always either following her mother around or running around everywhere, it's not proper for her to behave like this, so Niu Tielan let her come out with Teng Qianxuan.
And so this is the scene we see now.
Seeing Song Jin approach, Teng Qianxuan looked at her with a helpless yet amused expression: "Is it really that boring to be with us?"
Song Jin yawned: "What do you think?"
Rouge and face powder, calligraphy and painting workshops, embroidery shops—those are places she can go.
Teng Qianxuan explained, "Actually, I haven't shopped here in a long time either."
During her years of mourning, she didn't completely abstain from meat, but she rarely dressed up or went out for leisure. Now that she can go out, she is indeed a little excited.
"That's why we should explore more," Yang Yanjun said with a smile, putting her arm around Teng Qianxuan's shoulder. "I'll take you out to play more often in the future."
Teng Qianxuan smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Sister Jun."
Calling them "sister" and "little sister" repeatedly, Song Jin rubbed her arms and shivered: "Can't you guys talk properly?"
Yang Yanjun smiled and said, "Speaking of which, I'm eight years older than you, so you should call me 'older sister'."
Song Jin chuckled and replied, "I am a princess; according to the rules, you should bow to me."
The two locked eyes, and anger began to rise.
Teng Qianxuan quickly tried to smooth things over: "We can't see clearly from here, let's squeeze in a bit."
Song Jin looked at her slender, pale appearance, then glanced at the crowd, clicked her tongue twice, crossed her arms, and strode forward, easily clearing a path and leading them through.
Amidst the crowd were several small stalls, with a few scholars dressed as scholars sitting at the tables, busily working.
Song Jin raised an eyebrow at the person in the center, then looked at the calligraphy hanging to the side.
"Spring Festival couplets and calligraphy, window decorations and paper charms, ten coins a set. Landscape paintings, one hundred coins a single piece."
Yang Yanjun read it aloud, then chuckled, "They're quite the businessman. Come on, I haven't had my picture taken this year yet. A hundred coins won't hurt. Come on, I'll pay, we'll each get one."
He spent a mere three hundred coins with the air of three hundred taels of silver; truly a man who makes the most of small sums.
Song Jin clicked her tongue twice, glancing at the pale-faced painter in the middle of the three stalls. Looking at his handsome appearance, how could he not understand her thoughts?
This guy is a total womanizer. After the divorce, he's really let loose. Here's a handsome Taoist priest, there's a burly blacksmith, and now he can't take his eyes off a handsome painter.
Seeing that the person had already dragged Teng Qianxuan away, squeezed past the people behind, and tossed silver coins with a wave of their hand, Song Jin curled the corners of her lips and slowly followed.
Yang Yanjun was already captivated by the men's beauty. The agreed-upon three hundred coins for three people had turned into one or two taels of silver with a wave of her hand. Lowering her voice and feigning coquettishness, she said, "I don't want the simple kind. Draw me beautifully and in detail, preferably with some flowers and plants."
Yan Sheng sat at the table, looking at the one or two taels of silver. With neither servility nor arrogance, he took out a finished painting from beside him. It depicted a boy of about ten years old, carrying a small cage of crickets, playing a game of Cuju (an ancient Chinese football game), his head tilted back, laughing heartily—quite adorable.
The background is simple, and the colors are not particularly refined, much simpler than Yang Yanjun's previous portraits, but the expression is very natural and lifelike, demonstrating the artist's skill.
Yang Yanjun exclaimed, "Young master, your painting skills are truly superb. You must be one of the examinees this time?"
Around the time of each imperial examination, a group of candidates from other places would arrive in the capital. Among them were many with good qualifications, but there were also quite a few with poor qualifications.
The round-trip travel expenses, accommodation, and daily expenses for buying books and studying abroad all add up to a significant burden for their families.
Some people, with the pride and aloofness of scholars, openly demand that their families support them, while many others feel guilty and try to earn some money to supplement their household income.
The painter before me is so young and has such outstanding looks; with just a few strokes, he can accurately capture the expression of the subject. At this point in time, he is highly likely to be one of this year's test takers.
Yan Sheng: "You guessed right, young lady. The two gentlemen next to me and I are all candidates for this year's exams. The results haven't come out yet. We'll be spending the New Year in the capital soon, so we thought we'd earn some money for food."
Yang Yanjun: "I knew it! Judging from your spirits, you're sure to pass the imperial examination this time."
Yan Sheng chuckled: "Then I'll take your kind words, young lady."
Yang Yanjun stared at his handsome face and then asked, "Young master, you've already passed the imperial examination at such a young age, truly a young talent. Are you married yet?"
Yan Sheng felt somewhat helpless, but this question had been asked countless times before, and many people had asked it just now. Looking at the man's attire, which clearly indicated he was not cheap, and remembering the tradition of choosing a son-in-law after the imperial examinations, his eyelids twitched, and he cautiously and humbly replied...
“My family is poor, and I have accomplished nothing. My studies were entirely dependent on donations from kind people. Now that I have not yet passed the imperial examinations, I am not considering marriage for the time being.” Yang Yanjun’s eyes lit up, and she was about to ask more questions when suddenly a sharp pain shot through her head.
Song Jin's speechless voice came from above: "What's wrong, Miss Yang? Are you planning to find a husband? Why are you asking so many questions?"
She slapped Yang Yanjun on the head, then looked at the astonished Yan Sheng, a teasing smile playing on her lips: "Oh, long time no see! Our top scholar is as popular as ever!"
Song Jin was strikingly beautiful and had a lively spirit, so her clothes were mostly in vibrant colors. Today, she wore a deep purple dress with hibiscus patterns, a purple jade hairpin in her hair, and her lips curled into her usual flamboyant smile.
It was still the same face, still the same person, but compared to the untamed wildness of her rural days, she now exuded an air of nobility, standing out even from the bustling crowd around her.
Yan Sheng was stunned, and the joy that had welled up inside him gradually receded, replaced by a more complex mix of emotions.
He had always known that Song Jin was a formidable person, highly skilled in martial arts, and at such a young age, she treated the back mountain like her own backyard. If she wanted, she could earn unimaginable wealth at any time. Besides, although she seemed arrogant and conceited, she was actually flexible, discerning right from wrong, and maintained good relations with the county officials.
It's more powerful than the people in town can imagine.
Therefore, Yan Sheng always studied very hard, afraid that his mediocre performance would disappoint Niu Tielan, and he gradually gave up on his studies. Unfortunately, while he could control himself, he couldn't control his parents, his younger siblings, or even his family.
Unable to gain the favor of Song brocade
It was all just wishful thinking on his part from beginning to end.
It was like this before, and now it feels like an insurmountable chasm.
Faced with Song Jin's usual teasing, Yan Sheng smiled bitterly: "Even if everyone likes you, it's not as good as one person disliking you."
Song Jin's hand tightened, and she subconsciously exerted force.
Yang Yanjun hissed, pulled her hand away, covered her head, and glared at her: "Do you think my head is made of wood?"
Song Jin scoffed, "You said it yourself, you blockhead!"
"..."
Yang Yanjun, annoyed, reached out to smooth her hair, looked at Song Jin and then at Yan Sheng, and suddenly realized: "This is your childhood sweetheart?"
She was a little jealous.
This little girl doesn't act like a lady at all; she's always playing with cats and dogs, running around everywhere, but the people around her are all so good-looking!
Yang Yanjun looked at Yan Sheng's eyes, which had been glued to him ever since he appeared, and muttered to herself...
That brat is really lucky with men! It's a good thing she doesn't understand romance, otherwise she'd be causing quite a scene.
Yan Sheng's attention was entirely focused on what Yang Yanjun had just said. He looked dazed, unable to hide his joy: "You... you mentioned me?"
Seeing his expression, Song Jin rubbed the goosebumps on her hands, took a small step back, and said seriously, "It was mentioned when you were talking badly about him."
Yan Sheng: ...
Seeing his disbelief, Song Jin shrugged and said directly, "With your parents, brother, and sister, if you do so well on the exam this time, they'll probably tear down your old house and build a new one."
Yan Sheng smiled wryly, wanting to explain further: "They've just had too many hard times..."
"Alright, alright, not bad, not bad. Just be careful not to get tricked later." Song Jin waved her hand to interrupt him, changed the subject, looked at the paintings on the table, and clicked her tongue, "Your brain is indeed very sharp, but why did you make so many? Did you know you didn't do well on the exam and are now not preparing for the palace examination?"
Yan Sheng said helplessly, "A day or two won't cause any problems, but the capital city has high expenses. If we succeed this time, that's fine. But if something unexpected happens, we'll have to wait until the second autumn festival after the New Year, which will take almost a year. We can't just sit around and do nothing."
This imperial examination was a new addition, and having an extra one was naturally a good thing, but the expenses involved were considerable.
Song Jin raised an eyebrow: "Out of money? I'll help you all the way."
Yan Sheng knew what she was going to say and immediately refused, saying, "Besides, the county and the academy provided financial assistance before I left, and Magistrate Xiao also gave me some privately. Adding in other miscellaneous things, I still have quite a bit on hand. It's just that reading every day is a bit tedious; coming out here is a good way to relax."
Scientific expeditions are a major undertaking, and he's not one to be overly concerned with saving face. If he's truly desperate, he'll swallow his pride and find a way to raise funds.
Song Jin nodded in relief: "Alright, if you need anything, just come find us. You should know where we are right now, right?"
Yan Sheng's feelings became even more complicated, and he nodded with difficulty: "The Princess's name is renowned far and wide."
Song Jin, slightly smug, waved her hand: "For the sake of old friends, I'll waive your formalities this time."
Yan Sheng was speechless
The two of them chatted back and forth, clearly old acquaintances.
After listening for a while, Yang Yanjun looked at the blank paper on the table and the growing number of people around her, and whispered, "So, are we still going to draw or not?"
Her one tael of silver is worth over a hundred catties of rice and flour. Now, accepting it is problematic, but not accepting it is also problematic.
It breaks my heart.
Song Jin rolled her eyes: "Paint? Of course I'll paint. It's stupid not to make money, right, Scholar Yan?"
Yan Sheng glanced at her, a feeling of emotion welling up inside him.
Although she's usually carefree and impulsive, she's often more considerate than anyone else, just like now.
He said helplessly, "Of course I will paint, but I was in a rush today, so how could I paint so hastily? Perhaps we could choose another day later to study the painting more carefully? I should have visited your residence to see you, Madam, some time ago, but unfortunately you were out, so it's been delayed until now. Back in town, I owe my current success to you, Madam. It's only right and proper that I pay you a visit. I just hope you and your wife won't find it inappropriate."
Seeing his sincere expression, Song Jin snorted and muttered, "At least he's not an ingrate."
Yan Sheng chuckled; he knew what Song Jin meant.
Although the Song family was a Duke's mansion, it did not have a good reputation outside, especially among scholars. His poor birth and lack of connections were his greatest disadvantages, but also his greatest advantage.
Compared to getting involved with the Song family, keeping his distance is actually the best choice. If he were to enter the Song family's home and be labeled as such, he would undoubtedly attract a lot of hostility.
Given the mother and daughter's character, even if he remained silent and pretended not to know them, they wouldn't say anything.
But Yan Sheng couldn't do it.
Throughout his journey, every school he attended and every piece of writing he produced relied on the support of the mother and daughter. Even if he were driven by greed, he could not have been so selfish and heartless.
Yan Sheng solemnly clasped his hands: "I will forever remember your great kindness, Madam."
Aside from kindness, he also had something to report.
He remained deeply troubled by the matter in Si'an County.
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