Jiangnan Gaiden

Kapitel 1

Chapter One: The White-Robed Minister

My name is Baiyi (White Robe).

The white of white clothes, the clothes of white clothes.

My job is to teach classical Chinese at a university. My favorite poem to teach my students is Liu Yong's "He Chong Tian" (鹤冲天).

"On the golden list, I missed the top spot by chance. The Ming Dynasty temporarily overlooked a worthy man, what can I do? My ambitions have not been fulfilled, why not indulge in wild and unrestrained life? Why bother with gains and losses! Talented scholars and poets are naturally ministers in plain clothes."

In the alleyways of pleasure, amidst the painted screens, a beloved is found, a place to seek out. Let us then embrace the beauties, indulging in romance, enjoying life to the fullest. Youth is fleeting; why exchange fleeting fame for quiet contemplation and song?

Talented scholars and poets are naturally ministers in plain clothes.

Every time I say this sentence, I can't help but feel elated and in a great mood.

I was in a bad mood for only one day. A middle-aged man burst into the classroom, panting, and pointed at me, saying breathlessly, "You...you're the one in white?"

I was in a rare good mood, so amidst the students' laughter and chatter, I pulled up a chair for him: "Sit down and let's talk."

He shoved my well-intentioned offer aside: "You liar! You're a teacher, yet you pretend to be the most confident lawyer, making me... This building is so tall, I don't need you to handle my divorce case with that old hag!" As he spoke, he stormed out of the classroom indignantly.

I watched as the middle-aged man's bloated body squeezed out of the door, a slight smile playing on his lips, and he uttered two incredibly pleasant words: "No need to see me out."

A girl with a ponytail smiled sweetly at me and asked, "Teacher in white, is that uncle going to be in trouble?"

I gave her a sweet smile and said, "What do you think?"

A month later, newspapers in J City carried a news item: "Hu Jin, a famous investor in the city, made his worst investment ever. His divorce from his wife has cost him six figures..." Next to the article was a photo of a middle-aged man who had barged into my classroom, his face as white as a sheet of paper.

I trimmed my nails while looking at the newspaper.

My roommate and secretary, Xiao Zhenzhen, handed me a cup of coffee: "Baiyi, what did you do? You made him look so pathetic. I really feel sorry for him."

mercy?

Stop joking, okay? Her face was full of a gloating, "pity" smile.

A sly smile crept across my face.

I gracefully accepted the coffee, my voice as melodious as a silver bell: "It's nothing. He wouldn't let me defend him, so I gave up the business. It's just that..." I drawled, pleased to see Xiao Zhenzhen straining her ears, "It's just that I defended his wife."

"Hahahaha——" Xiao Zhenzhen laughed so hard she bent over, completely lacking any ladylike manners. I picked up my coffee, a slight smile playing on my lips.

I am a lawyer, and my main profession is a university teacher of ancient literature. My side job, which I call my "minor skill," is being a lawyer.

But I happen to be quite famous in the "secondary profession".

Doing your main job is for enjoyment, while taking a secondary skill is for making a living.

I wiped the milk from my mouth, tied up my waist-length hair, and knew that for the sake of my food supply next month and the month after, I had to diligently continue the lawsuit.

"This is the underwear containing the suspect's semen, provided by my victim, and it has been tested by a forensic institution appointed by the court." Attorney Huang pulled out a report and handed it to the clerk. "The semen matches the defendant's blood type perfectly; this is irrefutable evidence. It was precisely because the defendant had long coveted my client that he used his superior-subordinate relationship to lure her to his home on the afternoon of August 20th, where he forcibly raped her in his yard. Such a beastly act is utterly unforgivable!" Attorney Huang spoke passionately, filled with righteous indignation, and handed the clerk a photo of the victim—a woman in her thirties with curly hair. "These are the marks on the victim's body after the assault. This beast..."

"I object! Your Honor, I object to the opposing counsel's use of such vehement language." It was my turn to step in. I cleared my throat; my principle was that I could lose the case, but my voice had to be pleasant. Looking at Attorney Huang's face, as yellow as his surname, I smiled elegantly again.

“First, I want to tell the opposing lawyer that the final judgment on merits and demerits is still pending, and your defamatory remarks will have legal consequences. Second, I will present my evidence to the court.” Under everyone’s watchful eyes, I pulled out a dirty handkerchief, covered in mud and grass clippings. “This is a handkerchief I bought last week; it’s pure cotton.” Attorney Huang interrupted me with a cold laugh: “Attorney Bai, we all know that. You’re not advertising for the cotton mill, are you?”

“Of course not.” I smiled slightly. “I specifically bought this new cotton handkerchief for this so-called 'rape' case, to match the fabric of the dress Ms. Hou Liyun wore that day.” A gasp of surprise rose in the courtroom. I continued, “On the afternoon of August 20th, it was a damp day. A light rain had just fallen around 10 a.m., and the ground was still wet. Coincidentally, it was also drizzling the day before yesterday. I used this handkerchief to wipe the yard of my client, Xie Ming’s, house a few times, and this is what happened.” I waved the handkerchief, revealing a slight layer of dirt. Turning to Hou Liyun, the woman with curly hair and red lipstick, my gaze turned icy. “Ms. Hou, can you explain why, when you were ‘raped’ by Mr. Xie Ming, there wasn’t a single scratch on your dress, not even a speck of dirt from the grass?”

Hou Liyun panicked, her lips trembling uncontrollably. "This...that day on the grass, my skirt was indeed cotton, but...that's because there was no water on the grass...no, no, it's because of him that day, this is..." "This is because what you did wasn't rape, but adultery." I stared at the woman, showing no pity. "You're my client's secretary, and you've had an improper relationship with him for a long time, but you're still not satisfied. You want to use this opportunity to cry foul and extort more money from my client! As for the marks on your body..." I smiled. "These might not have been from violence."

I won the case, but why don't I feel a sense of victory?

Perhaps, deep down, I prefer the thrill of revenge.

I packed my things, straightened my crisp black suit, and walked out of the courthouse. Suddenly, I saw Hou Liyun, her blonde curly hair flowing freely, running towards me. She spat in my face, and as she tried to leave a mark on my face with her bright red nails, the police behind her grabbed her. She struggled desperately, but realizing she couldn't break free, she began to hurl insults at me, using the most vicious language I'd ever heard before, a torrent of curses that seemed to go on and on.

"You little slut! You wretched girl, trampled on by a thousand men and cursed by ten thousand, do you even know what rape is? Do you know what sexual assault is? You don't even have a man by your side, yet you come here to file this kind of lawsuit. What do you know? You think you have a few worthless diplomas... Yes! You wouldn't even look at a dog! Hmph, hahahahaha..." She took a breath and continued to curse, "What a piece of trash, you haven't even lost your baby hair yet, have you ever tasted a man's touch? You look so cold, are you frigid or something..."

I shook my head, the jarring sound gradually fading from my mind. A soft hand, holding a gentle, damp towel, reached up and wiped away the dried saliva. Xiao Zhenzhen said softly, "Sister Baiyi, are you still thinking about what happened today? This woman seduced a man and then insulted him. She's really taking advantage of people's blindness. Tomorrow we'll sue her! We'll sue her for insulting my character!"

I sighed and said, "Forget it, why bother arguing with her? Besides,..." I paused, then laughed, "What she said isn't wrong, is it? I really don't even have a boyfriend."

Xiao Zhenzhen exclaimed, "But this isn't your fault, Baiyi! They're all blind!"

"Alright, alright, little girl, don't start swearing." I smiled, let my hair down, and gently combed it with a hairbrush. "Zhenzhen, help me pack my luggage. I have another case tomorrow, and I have to take a plane."

Xiao Zhenzhen hugged me and asked sweetly, "How many days will you be gone?"

I patted her hair and laughed, "It's only been a week. You'll be back in the blink of an eye."

If I had another chance, I probably wouldn't have taken that plane. I might have taken a train, a car, or even walked. Because I really didn't know it would end that way.

But who can predict the future? Perhaps even if there is a past, I will travel through time and come to his side to let him see the most beautiful moment of my life.

If I could do it all over again, I swear I would definitely buy a lottery ticket.

Because the chance of time travel is definitely not as high as the chance of winning the lottery!

Chapter Two: Temporarily Forgotten Worthies in the Ming Dynasty

I boarded the plane, found my seat, and closed my eyes to rest.

For some reason, I had a vague sense of unease all day. I took out a small bottle of pills from my bag and gestured to the flight attendant to bring me a glass of water.

The flight attendant smiled sweetly at me: "Madam, are you feeling unwell? Would you like my assistance? Our airline has a doctor on board for you."

I smiled back at her and said, "No need, thank you." I swallowed the three pills skillfully, then reached out and touched my left chest—the location of my heart. My heart has always been weak, and today it was beating particularly hard. I took a breath, forcing down my unease.

The plane had already taken off, and white clouds drifted past the window. I leaned back in my seat, gazing out the window with my eyes half-open. I heard the voice of a clean-cut, handsome man sitting next to me: "Miss, could you please call the captain?"