Chapter 3
Li Rong rested for a moment on the couch, the clamor of the crowd outside the inn lingering in his ears. It wasn't time to take his medicine yet, so he let Su Si leave him to attend to his daily chores. He was used to handing over silver to him, and he knew his servant was just a little greedy at best. He changed into a clean blue shirt and went downstairs to wipe the bamboo scrolls he had brought from his bookcase.
Because the journey was long, Li Rong only brought a few bamboo slips that he usually read. The carriage and boat were bumpy, so he untied the ropes on the bamboo slips to wipe off the moisture from the journey. He wiped the few dirty spots with a white handkerchief, and could still faintly smell the fragrance of bamboo slips and ink, which brought him the same peace as always.
He rearranged the bamboo slips by volume and sealed them in his bookcase. Hearing the dripping water of a clepsydra clock, he figured it was time for Su Si to return. Having previously instructed the shopkeeper to refill the pot of hot tea, he let it cool on the table. He opened the window to look out at the street. There were just as many people coming and going as there had been in the morning. The water reflected a few shops, their lights already lit. From his vantage point, he could see the red maple leaves of the distant mountain temple nestled among the surrounding evergreen trees, their golden glow shone by the setting sun.
He thought there were still many differences. Few families in Luzhou planted red maples, and the scenery was dominated by evergreen trees year-round. Amidst the lush greenery, a stream flowed around the city, but bridges were rare. Places like Gusu to the east favored red maples even more. The autumn breeze blew over the mountains, and the swaying crimson against the sunset glow didn't seem out of place, but instead evoked a touch of literary inspiration, perfect for a leisurely drinking session, where friends could mingle over literature.
It's rare to see the reserved heroic spirit of the Jiangnan region, yet it's all the more tinged with the subtle sadness of parting. Geese fly in formations over warm waters, and in autumn, horses often travel through the city, sometimes bidding farewell to wanderers leaving their homes, while letters arrive late and pedestrians pause. Everyone has their own inevitable experiences, but he still doesn't understand the unavoidable ones: the demotion from officialdom, the profits and losses from the family business, the half-jar of rice wine that bids farewell to old friends, and the promise of never seeing each other again.
Li Rong only half-closed the window, letting the wind, carrying the scent of water from beneath the bridge, waft into the room, tinging it with his image of Jiangnan, places he had actually visited. He waited until Su Si brought the medicine he was going to drink tonight. The Chinese medicine, specially cooled, had a more sour and astringent taste than usual, inevitably choking his throat.
Su Si had also changed into new clothes, looking more like a servant than his previous dusty appearance. Li Rong put down the medicine bowl and drank the cold tea he had prepared for Su Si. The cool tea diluted the bitter taste of the medicine in his mouth. He then asked Su Si, "Did you find a suitable driver this afternoon?"
Su Si nodded and complained while pouring tea, "Young Master, you picked the right time. The price here is two or three times higher than in Luzhou. I had to ask several people before I finally managed to get the price in half."
Li Rong smiled faintly at his words, then reached out to adjust Su Si's hairband and led her out. Dusk was drawing to a close, and most of the shops along the long street had already lit their lights. There were fewer vendors around than during the day. He first searched for a jade shop and left it to Su Si to select a gift for his beloved girl.
Li Rong quietly glanced at the jade hairpins and necklaces on display. A'niang didn't like these; she preferred wooden hairpins and combs hand-carved from pear wood. Hearing that Chang'an was full of skilled craftsmen, he decided not to rush and would go to Chang'an in a few months to pick out some jewelry for A'niang and the others.
Su Si, accepting his young master's teasing, carefully selected the dazzling array of jewelry. The owner's willingness was one thing, but he couldn't be too greedy. The girl from the next street was due to celebrate her marriage next year, and he felt a bit lost, unsure what she would prefer. He could only keep asking shopkeepers and listening to the conversations of the women who entered the shops as they carefully selected items.
Li Rong was willing to wait a little longer. Although he didn't understand the ways of love, he was happy to see Su Si find someone he loved. The servant boy who had always been by his side had grown up and it was time for him to start a family. After studying abroad, he should also follow his father's wishes and take the imperial examinations. Seeing Su Si ahead of him was a comforting thought. He had worked hard for many years.
He watched Su Si hesitating between two or three kinds of hairpins, and the customers in the shop also looked at him who was alone. He walked over, opened the brocade bag, took out the appropriate amount of silver and asked the shopkeeper for these jade hairpins. He specifically instructed that they be packed in a wooden box according to the popular style in the city and then delivered to Su Si.
"Sir..." Su Si lowered her voice and grabbed his fan pendant, "I don't need so much. There's no reason for you to spend money."
Li Rong folded the wooden boxes and stuffed them into Su Si's arms. "It's only right to put in more effort when pursuing a girl. If you can't get her later, you can blame your stinginess." He led Su Si out of the shop. "If we wait any longer and waste time, I'll hold you accountable."
Su Si took the jade hairpin that had been wrapped by the shopkeeper, and even stuffed it into a layer of cotton cloth and wrapped it in another layer for safety. It seemed that he really believed Li Rong's anxious words, and was afraid that he would waste time and did not want to talk about it anymore.
Li Rong naturally breathed a sigh of relief, passing by a restaurant and listening to a performance by a famous performer. He had no intention of seeking pleasure, but he saw a beauty approaching, amidst the blossoms and willows, and sitting with her delicate fingers playing the pipa. The ethereal air of Jiangnan completely blended into this tune, the escaping lute's sound harmonizing with the rippling water, accompanied by the sound of lotus songs drifting across the night, the clear beauty of the lake.
It was difficult for him to find suitable words in the books of sages to describe the Jiangnan region at that moment. The great scholars who traveled to the six kingdoms had no chance to see the peace of today, and it was difficult to leave room for describing the natural scenery in every word. He suddenly felt that he was too far away from the chaotic world of the previous dynasty, with flames of war and drunkenness on the battlefield. He could only stroke the ink words on the bamboo slips with his fingertips, savor their meaning in his dreams, and only understand two or three points of their meaning.
My own limited knowledge and the hasty journey before I pick up my pen to write inevitably lead to the reputation of drifting with the tide. I can only sigh with regret and wait for another opportunity to capture this scene. This flourishing Jiangnan seems like a dream from a bygone era, now before my very eyes, and thanks to the bamboo scroll, it evokes a sense of regret.
When the song ended, Li Rong led Su Si to the other side of the bridge. Amidst the throng, they followed the stream of people to the end of the long street, where they could see the boundless lake. The last notes of the evening songs from the fishing boats lingered, and the lights of the painted boats illuminated the dusky landscape once again. The calls to solicit customers were much more gentle than those on the street, and most of them simply quietly approached the shore to ferry the wealthy young men who had already made reservations.
Su Si's exclamation echoed in his ears. Li Rong helped the servant carry the bag on his back, and with a pause in mind, he returned to the inn. He felt vaguely skeptical of such prosperity, but also felt that the prosperity and peace of the day had no other meaning. It was just that he was ignorant and unaccustomed to such a crowded night, the ever-bright lights, and the people coming and going.
They returned to the inn, and Li Rong left Su Si to his own business. He closed the street-facing window and went to light the oil lamp inside. The cladding kept the noise out, a level of liveliness he could tolerate. Li Rong read the clepsydra, untied his slightly askew hairband and outer robe, and lay flat on the couch.
He covered his lips with a handkerchief and coughed uncontrollably. The cold he'd just caught was flaring up a bit. Fortunately, Su Si had already gone downstairs, so there was no need to dwell on the departure date. He closed his eyes, pulled the quilt closer to himself, and gradually warmed up, feeling better.
The faint tip of the flame was shaken by the wind that sneaked in. The sounds in his ears were constant, sometimes a new song in Wu dialect, sometimes turning into the cheers of the crowd. When it was quieter, the sound of flowing water could be heard in the wind, making Li Rong feel as if he was still in the scene just now.
He could clearly see the pleasure boats on the lake, and the crowds gathered by the lake, enjoying their evenings amidst the singing of ladies and the night dances, as they always had. Li Rong had a sudden realization: everything in Gusu City was always new to strangers like him. His time here was too short, and he couldn't adapt to local customs. He only took a cursory look at the things around him, searching his mind for similar feelings from past readings.
But he had some other doubts, like the black hair and white bones and the horn sounds in the sky, and some of his doubts about the prosperity of the Jiangnan water town. It was clearly not decadent music, but it left him with an inexplicable feeling. This was something that he could not see with his pen or his heart now, and it was also something that he could not interpret from ancient books now.
So it was his turn to toss and turn that night, his thoughts becoming increasingly entangled, needing no further explanation as he sank into the complex and shifting dreams of the previous night. Tonight, he seemed to be in a light sleep, still able to hear the music and the bustling voices outside the window, the flickering firelight before his eyes. He allowed himself to picture the long street and the bridge in his mind again, and it occurred to him that he hadn't seen the Jiangnan night sky clearly.
In a city shrouded in constant lights and singing and dancing, few paid much attention to the sky and clouds above, or perhaps even the uncertain whether the moon was full or crescent. Li Rong was among them, inexplicably puzzled, also trapped in his body, still lying sideways in his quilt, pondering these unresolved questions.
He eventually fell asleep from the cold, leaving these unanswered questions behind. The crowds on the long streets had dispersed without a trace, and the pleasure boats on the lake ceased their song and dance, returning to the time for the water and moon to be alone. The moon, unobstructed by clouds, cast its shadow on the swaying surface of the river or lake. In the distance, red maples were veiled in the night, and scattered lights punctuated the water's shimmer, creating a single, shimmering color that painted Suzhou's midnight scene, both bright and dark.
Li Rong gently pulled back the long hair that had been pressed against his pillow, turned over, and pulled the quilt down a little. He seemed to hear the sounds again, distant yet near, a cacophony of voices, unable to distinguish between human voices, the sound of zither, and flowing water. They were sounds of Jiangnan, of Gusu, of all the sounds he had heard during his past two or three days. Even if he didn't dream tonight, he would still vaguely remember Jiangnan at this moment, Gusu at this moment, and the things that were not written in books and that he had yet to understand.
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