Третий учёный династии Сун

Глава 24

Lin Suyang and Si Junxing strolled leisurely through the crowd, occasionally stopping to admire the jade pendants on the stalls, or to find an inconspicuous little shop for a cup of tea and a bowl of noodles—a truly pleasant experience. They figured the night boats had already begun, but seeing the current throngs of people, it seemed unlikely they could hail one. They figured it was better to take advantage of everyone's rush to the riverbank and leisurely wander around Ji'ao City, avoiding the "shoulder-to-shoulder" crowds and seeing more of the city.

When it comes to shopping, Lin Suyang's favorite places are calligraphy and painting shops. It's not that she's overly literary, but she simply loves those paintings with profound meanings, or those finely crafted brushes, ink, and paper. Reading a line or two of poetry along the way also greatly benefits her mind and spirit. This evening, during her leisure time, she happened to come across a shop specializing in calligraphy and paintings, and she pulled Si Junxing inside.

Although it was a calligraphy and painting shop, there were quite a few scholars and gentlemen standing in the shop at this time, some buying paper and brushes, some appreciating paintings and appreciating poems, discussing in hushed tones, and the air was filled with the atmosphere of scholarly pursuits.

Lin Suyang looked at each painting hanging on the wall, admiring them as she walked forward. She had almost finished looking at all the paintings on one wall when she finally found one in a corner signed Gong Ji. It depicted a young woman holding an oil-paper umbrella standing by a lotus pond. A light rain was falling, dripping onto the lotus leaves. It should have been a beautiful scene with fresh air, but for some reason, the woman's brows were furrowed, making the light seem gloomy.

The side of the painting remains blank, but someone has already inscribed a poem on it:

The red glow of the stove lingers into the evening, and golden cups and jade goblets are never filled to overflowing.

The lotus in the pond is about to bloom, its verdant leaves ready to be picked.

A misty rain falls, and oil-paper umbrellas shade the clouds on the covered streets.

To gaze into those deep eyes, Mulan, in her simplified form, feigns sorrow.

The poem, written in the style of "Magnolia Flower in Abridged Characters," perfectly complements the painting, subtly connecting the lotus, rain, and people in a way that is both intangible and tangible. It must be said that the poet's literary talent is quite remarkable. If someone could write the poem on Gong Ji's painting, they could take it away; why is the painting still hanging here today?

Lin Suyang asked the shopkeeper and learned that the person who wrote the poem had contracted a cold and had to pawn the painting again. Later, medicine failed to cure him, and he passed away. The painting has remained there ever since. Although some people greatly admire Gong Jidi's paintings, they are worried about bad luck after learning the reason, so they haven't sold them yet. Seeing that Lin Suyang seemed very interested in the painting, the shopkeeper asked her if she wanted it, saying he could sell it to her at a low price.

Lin Suyang smiled and bought it immediately. Since the person who had previously inscribed the painting had stamped it, the shopkeeper wanted her to stamp it as well to prove it was now hers. She smiled faintly, took out her stamp, pressed it against the red clay on the counter, and then stamped it on the lower right corner of the painting. She remembered that there was a painting of Gong Ji's "Moonlit Night" in the Imperial Academy of the Central Plains. She chuckled to herself, wondering when she had become such a devoted admirer of Gong Ji. The Imperial Academy… she wondered how Qin Yu was doing…

After leaving the study, Si Junxing asked, "What did you buy? You sound very happy."

"It's just a painting or calligraphy," Lin Suyang said, composing herself. "My young master Si isn't interested in this, is he?" She noticed his slightly disheveled collar and naturally straightened it for him. Si Junxing stopped walking, feeling his heart overflow with happiness. He smiled gently and said, "As long as you like it, I'll like it too. From now on, I'll accompany you to art shops every day. When we get home, you can paint and compose poems, and I'll listen to you write and recite. Okay?"

The vibrant colors flowing around him seemed to fall silent. Only Lin Suyang remained, gazing at his eyes, now devoid of their former brightness. Little by little, the light in his gaze made him shimmer, like the most serene pine tree, standing for a thousand years for the one he refused to let go of.

Looking at the dense crowds and constantly moving lanterns in the distance, Qin Hao sighed as he stood in a restaurant on the highest point of Ji'ao, "It seems I won't be able to enjoy myself tonight."

Lin Ziyan said in a low voice, "I have learned that Emperor Shenghan will be on a boat called Yueyanglou on the Fengjiang River tonight."

"Really?" Qin Hao asked casually, "Grand Tutor Lin... wasn't with us, was he?"

Lin Ziyan paused for a moment, then lowered her head and replied, "No."

"After searching for so long, have you still not found where Grand Tutor Lin is?"

"Your Majesty...no." In truth, Lin Ziyan didn't know where Lin Suyang was. He only guessed she might be in the Yan-Liao Imperial Palace. He was extremely anxious, remembering clearly how Han Yufeng had treated Lin Suyang back in Dayang. Now, with no news of her, could Han Yufeng have imprisoned her? This thought made Lin Ziyan even more uneasy. However, his military instincts told him not to lose his composure. Han Yufeng was the Emperor of Yan-Liao; if any important minister of another country made any mistake on his territory, it would inevitably cause conflict between the two countries. He believed Han Yufeng wouldn't act recklessly. His only fear was that Han Yufeng knew Lin Suyang's true identity as a woman and had other plans, which would be difficult to handle.

Qin Hao hadn't expected Lin Ziyan to have thought so much in such a short time. He turned to Lin Ziyan and said, "Didn't you find a boat? Why don't you go up the Fengjiang River to watch the night boats? I'm going to take a walk in the streets."

Lin Ziyan hurriedly said, "But young master has no one to protect him..."

"Do you think I'm completely useless?" Qin Hao laughed. "Go on, relax a bit, I'll be right back." With that, he went downstairs.

Qin Hao wandered aimlessly through the streets, his mind unsettled. He had come to Yanliao only to bring Lin Suyang back, but after so many days, he had not heard from him. He was certain that Han Yufeng had taken him away. Who else could have such an unforgettable appearance besides him?

Lin Suyang, Lin Suyang, you are probably the only one in this world who could make me set aside state affairs to search for you personally.

Qin Hao was lost in thought and didn't notice someone walking towards him. The person seemed to be in a daze as well, and the two bumped into each other by chance. The person dropped what they were carrying, and Qin Hao heard her apologize as she bent down to pick it up.

The familiar voice and the familiar scent that filled his nostrils made Qin Hao's body tremble. He stood there, waiting for the person opposite him to look up before calling out, "Lin Suyang."

The person opposite her stiffened almost imperceptibly, then said, "Young master, you've mistaken me for someone else." She turned to leave, but Qin Hao grabbed her arm. "Why don't you remove your veil so I can confirm whether you've truly mistaken me for someone else?"

"Young master, don't you know that men and women shouldn't touch each other? You seem to be a scholar; are you perhaps as rude as a commoner?" the woman said coldly, trying to break free, but Qin Hao wouldn't let go. He raised his other hand to forcibly remove the woman's veil when a gentle voice asked, "What is it?"

Looking up, she saw a handsome man standing behind her, holding her hand. His lifeless eyes revealed him to be blind.

"It's nothing, young master, you've mistaken me for someone else," the woman said, turning back to him.

"Is that so? I wonder who you mistook my wife for, young master? I suppose she's someone you're anxious about?" The man stepped forward and shielded the woman to his side.

Qin Hao was stunned. Had he really mistaken her for someone else? This woman was already married; how could she be Lin Suyang? The man was also a complete stranger. Perhaps he had been deluding himself. He smiled wryly, released the woman, clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute to them, and said, "I'm sorry. I was in such a hurry looking for someone that I made a mistake. Please forgive me."

The man smiled and said, "There are many similar people in the world, so it's not surprising that you would mistake me for someone else. Since you have nothing else to do, please excuse my wife and me from taking our leave."

Qin Hao quickly said, "Please, both of you."

The woman curtsied to Qin Hao, then hurriedly left with the man. Qin Hao watched their retreating figures, shook his head, and took a step to leave, only to step on something hard. He bent down to pick it up and saw it was a seal, which the woman must have accidentally dropped when she bent over. He quickly looked up to look for her, but in the vast sea of people, she had nowhere to be found.

He wiped away the dust and was about to put it back in his pocket when he suddenly felt that it looked very familiar. He looked at it curiously and the three characters raised on it, still covered with fresh mud, almost made him drop the small thing. He walked to a bright place in disbelief to check carefully, and the characters Lin, Su, and Yang, carved stroke by stroke, were clearly in front of him.

It's possible for people to resemble each other, but it's impossible for even seals to be exactly the same. Qin Hao had seen this seal before; Lin Suyang used it frequently for annotations in the Imperial Study, so he would never mistake it for someone else.

Qin Hao gripped the seal tightly, his barely concealed anger causing passersby to immediately flee. "Very well, Lin Suyang, it's like searching high and low without finding you! You dare pretend not to recognize me? I'll find you no matter what!"

Volume Two, Fallen Dust, Chapter Fifty-Seven: Scenery Never Lasts (Part Two)

Lin Suyang never expected to run into Qin Hao so coincidentally. The moment she heard him call her name, she felt as if her blood had frozen. She stiffly raised her head and met Qin Hao's burning gaze. She was about to be exposed, but thankfully Si Junxing reacted quickly; otherwise, she really wouldn't know what to do.

Lin Suyang pulled Si Junxing along, walking until the crowds and noise gradually disappeared from sight and sound, then she stopped. Looking back, she was relieved he hadn't followed. Instinctively, she reached into her robes and touched something; her heart sank. The seal was gone.

Si Junxing remained silent, doing whatever Lin Suyang did. Since their reunion, he had become much calmer than before, no longer easily doubting or worrying. It was enough that Lin Suyang was by his side; there was no point in thinking about anything else. Besides, if Lin Suyang wanted to leave, he would never stop her. As long as she was happy, he would have achieved his own wish.

Lin Suyang calmed herself down and said to Si Junxing, "Shall we go home?"

Hearing the word "home," Si Junxing felt a warm current flow through his heart again. He smiled and said, "Okay, let's go home."

Back in the courtyard, Lin Suyang locked the door and turned to see Si Junxing's slender figure standing there waiting for her. Unable to contain herself, she threw down her painting, rushed over, and gently embraced him. Si Junxing didn't speak, but simply raised his arm to hug her back, waiting quietly.

"What should I do? I don't want to leave you..." Lin Suyang's voice trembled slightly.

“Fool, if you don’t want to leave, then don’t leave. No one can force you.” Si Junxing said in a low voice, “Unless you are willing, no one can force you to do anything, right? My Su Yang is proud and cold. Your will is even stronger than mine. So, don’t worry about anything, just be yourself.”

Lin Suyang closed his eyes and sighed inwardly, but some things can't be accomplished just by insisting on them.

She opened her eyes, withdrew her hand, and slowly pulled down her veil. The bright moonlight illuminated everything around her so clearly. Si Junxing's handsome face was like an ink painting, every line of which was imprinted in Lin Suyang's eyes, never to be erased or wiped away.

As if guided by a ghost, Lin Suyang tiptoed and gently pressed her lips to his. Just like that, his cool temperature seeped through, making Lin Suyang feel as if she were soaking in water, warding off the summer dryness. The peach blossoms in the courtyard swayed gently, their delicate fragrance lingering between them.

Lin Suyang nestled in Si Junxing's arms, lying on the bed, looking at the rooftop, which was also hazy in the moonlight outside.

She asked Si Junxing, who was holding her, "Tomorrow I'll tidy up the patch of land under the peach tree. Then I'll buy some seeds to plant vegetables, okay?"

“Okay,” Si Junxing replied.

"What kind of seeds should we buy? How about leafy greens? You love leafy greens." In the past month or so they'd spent together, Lin Suyang had almost figured out everything Si Junxing liked, disliked, loved to eat, and disliked. However, it seemed that he really enjoyed anything she cooked.

"Okay," Si Junxing said again, a slight smile curving his lips.

"Okay. From now on, we'll go fishing every two days and make fish soup to improve our lives."

"good."

"On rainy days, we sit in the yard with umbrellas and listen to the sound of the rain. In winter, we build snowmen."

"I can also write poetry and paint at home. When we run out of money, we'll sell our paintings to make ends meet. Once we've saved enough money, we'll build a small house next door. In the future, if someone else joins the family, we won't have to worry about having nowhere to live..."

Si Junxing's fingers twitched, and he hugged her tighter, hiding his deep silence. He still said, "Okay."

Lin Suyang didn't know why she, who was usually indifferent, was talking so much. It seemed like she could never finish. She really wanted to tell Si Junxing everything she wanted to say—her planned future, her happy future. It was as if if she didn't make things clear tonight, she wouldn't have the chance tomorrow, or ever again. Tomorrow…would it be another sunny day?

A tear slid down her cheek and landed on Si Junxing's hand, wet like a sudden downpour.

The next day, Lin Suyang prepared breakfast with even more care than usual. Si Junxing ate with relish, and Lin Suyang watched him, her eyes filled with his image. After he finished eating, she got up to clear the table, but there was a knock at the door. Lin Suyang's heart sank. She glanced at Si Junxing sitting there and said, "I'll go open the door."

Anxiously, the walk from the room to the courtyard gate seemed to take forever. The knocking was still going on. Lin Suyang stopped behind the door, took a deep breath, and opened it abruptly. Outside, Qin Hao stood there expressionless, while Lin Ziyan stood respectfully behind him. When he saw Lin Suyang come out, his eyes widened, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"I had trouble finding Grand Tutor Lin," Qin Hao said calmly.

Lin Suyang lowered his head and remained silent.

"What, it seems Grand Tutor Lin is unwilling to see me?" His gaze sharpened instantly, fixed directly on Lin Suyang. At that moment, Si Junxing's voice rang out from behind: "Who is it?"

"So, my Grand Tutor has a 'guest' here. Why doesn't Grand Tutor Lin introduce him to me?" Qin Hao looked at Lin Suyang with a half-smile, then stepped into the courtyard and walked towards Si Junxing, who was leaning against the door.

Lin Suyang sighed. What was bound to happen had finally happened.

"Brother, you wouldn't have forgotten me so quickly, would you?" Qin Hao said to Si Junxing.

Upon hearing the voice, Si Junxing knew it was the man who had mistaken him for someone else last night. It turned out he really was looking for Lin Suyang.

“If you don’t mind, why don’t you come inside and talk?” Si Junxing said calmly.

"Very good." With that, she followed Si Junxing inside.

Lin Ziyan walked past Lin Suyang, unsure of what to say, and called out, "Sister..."

Lin Suyang said with a wry smile, "Go in."

Inside the room, Qin Hao and Si Junxing sat at the table in the center. Lin Ziyan stood behind Qin Hao. Lin Suyang walked slowly to Si Junxing's side, took his hand under the table, and whispered in his ear, "Don't say anything in a moment, I'll handle it myself." Before Si Junxing could nod, she let go of him and knelt down in front of Qin Hao.

"Your Majesty, I know I have committed a crime and have deceived the Emperor. I am willing to accept Your Majesty's punishment." The voice, neither humble nor arrogant, made Qin Hao's eardrums ache slightly.

He glanced at Lin Suyang on the ground, then turned to Si Junxing and said, "I wonder how you, young master, think I should deal with someone who has deceived my master?"

Si Junxing already knew that the person beside him was the Emperor Hong, the ruler of the Great Yang Kingdom, who held the power of life and death over Lin Suyang's family. He still calmly stood up, walked along the edge of the table, and came to Lin Suyang's feet. Lin Suyang pulled him up, and he knelt down as well, saying, "This humble subject is willing to submit to Your Majesty's disposal along with the Grand Tutor."

Lin Suyang said, "No. One should take responsibility for one's own actions. I will bear the consequences of my mistakes alone. I disguised myself as a man to infiltrate the court, and no one else knew about it. I beg Your Majesty to see this clearly and not implicate others."

"Don't involve others? Does 'others' include the person next to you?" Qin Hao's words were devoid of emotion.

Lin Suyang was shocked: "Your Majesty! Si Junxing is my savior. He has no idea of my true identity..."

"Alright," Qin Hao interrupted her, "I will settle your matter with you properly for the crime of deceiving the emperor. Commander Lin," Qin Hao said to Lin Ziyan, "Take Grand Tutor Lin out first, I have something to say to this young master Si Junxing."

"Yes." Lin Ziyan went to help Lin Suyang up, but Lin Suyang avoided his hand and looked at Qin Hao, saying, "Your Majesty, I am willing to accept the punishment. Please do not make things difficult for him."

Hearing Lin Suyang defend him so fiercely, Si Junxing tightened his grip on her hand. "You can go out now. I also have something to discuss with the Emperor." Lin Suyang looked at him with a puzzled expression. Si Junxing smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Qin Hao, his anger barely contained, said, "Does Grand Tutor Lin intend to defy me?"

"Your Majesty, I dare not," Lin Suyang said, bowing her head. Lin Ziyan pulled her back, saying, "Sister, let's go out."

Lin Suyang stood up, glanced at Si Junxing again, and then walked out.

"What do you have to say to me?" Qin Hao asked the person who was still kneeling on the ground.

"This humble subject only begs Your Majesty not to make things difficult for Grand Tutor Lin."

Why should I agree to your request?

"This humble subject...is willing to bear all the sins for the Grand Tutor." Si Junxing's voice became as faint as peach petals in the courtyard.

"I didn't realize that Young Master Si was so deeply in love with my tutor," Qin Hao said calmly. "However, I have absolutely no interest in how you met or how you got together, and I have even less interest in your life. So I will not accept your condition."

Si Junxing clenched his fist tighter: "I wonder what Your Majesty requires of this humble subject to spare Grand Tutor Lin?"

Qin Hao stood up, leaned close to his ear and said, "It's simple, I want you... to leave her."

Volume Two, Fallen Dust, Chapter Fifty-Eight: Scenery Never Lasts (Part Two)

Si Junxing's body trembled slightly.

Qin Hao continued, "I am not forcing you, but you should know that Lin Suyang is the Grand Tutor of our Great Yang. If people find out that she disguised herself as a man and infiltrated the court to serve as an official, not only will our Great Yang lose face, but the more than one hundred members of the Lin family will probably be executed for her crime of deceiving the emperor. Can you bear to do that?"