Chapter 8: The Beauty at the Wine Stand

Jiang Bin shook his head and said: "There is no need to be overly modest. Heroes emerge from the common people; your background is not your fault. However, with diligence and effort, who fears a bright future? Brother Song, let us speak frankly. I am quite interested in you. If you truly feel hopeless about studying for the imperial examinations, I can help you think of some solutions. Although I am merely a Qianhu in Weizhou Guard and my official position is not significant, my words still carry some weight. If you are willing, I can arrange a position for you in Weizhou Guard. Given time, you could also be promoted. Although the military path differs from the traditional route of the examinations, it can be considered a shortcut to officialdom. What do you think?"

Although Song Nan had never seen so much real gold and silver at once, and despite the fact that he had millions in bank deposits in later years, to him, they were merely numbers. Seeing five taels of silver piled up on the floor of a full carriage was indeed visually shocking, but he ultimately managed to withstand it. He simply smiled at Li Daniu, laughing without speaking.

Madam Fang's complexion was flushed, her eyes darting quickly over Song Nan's face. She slammed the teapot onto the table, placed her hands on her hips, and spat, "It seems that Lord Qianhu has no desire to drink tea, so please go ahead."

Song Nan smiled and said, "If it were not for your mediation, this matter might not have ended well; I have yet to express my gratitude to you."

Li Daniu nodded in realization and said: "Indeed, when did Nan Ge'er ever have such plans? I was completely taken aback just now"

Fang Gu smiled gently and said, "You two should have some tea first. I will personally prepare some food and drinks. It seems there are not many guests today, and no one is here to disturb us in the courtyard."

Jiang Bin clasped his hands and smiled, saying: "My apologies, my apologies, it turns out you are a scholar. From my perspective, Brother Song indeed has the makings of an official. Just based on your methods today, how many could actually be of use?"

Song Nan sat down as instructed, and then heard the sound of rustling footsteps behind him. Just as he was about to turn around, a pleasant and melodious female voice came from behind: "Oh, isn't this Jiang Qianhu? What brings you here? It has been quite a while since you last visited my little shop."

Lord Jiang chuckled and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Miss Fang"

The two soldiers were overjoyed; five taels of silver was equivalent to half a year's salary. An ordinary family spends no more than one tael of silver a month, so they had struck it rich.

Before long, the imposing figure of Jiang Qianhu strode along the long street, with passersby avoiding him as if he were a ghost or a deity, not daring to glance at him more than once. Song Nan stepped forward to greet him, cupping his hands and saying: "What instructions do you have, my lord"

Master Jiang waved his hand to signal Song Nan to sit down, smiling as he said: "It's just to make a living. I am Jiang Bin, the Qianhu of the Left Camp of Weizhou Guard. To speak of my official title in earnest feels rather awkward. In Weizhou City, there are probably not many who do not know me, and Brother Song is one of them"

Li Daniu laughed and said: "Then I must thank Brother Nan. I must admit, if this had been said in the past, I would have certainly not believed it, but now I truly do believe it"

Then Fang Gu was blessed once more, gracefully departing; Lord Jiang fixated on Fang Gu's voluptuous beauty, licking his lips, and turned to Song Nan, saying: "What do you think? This proprietress is quite enticing, isn't she?"

The two smiled and nodded in gratitude; Song Nan secretly sighed, noting that the principle remains unchanged through the ages: money can make the devil push the mill. In his later dealings with the officialdom, he found that relationships were mere talk; once hundreds of thousands were transferred into the other party's account, all principles and policies became meaningless, let alone those insignificant junior officers.

Jiang Bin laughed heartily, rolled up his sleeves to reveal his dark, tangled arms, and with his large hands, as big as a fan, he picked up the teapot to pour tea for both Song Nan and himself.

Song Nan reached out and took a five-tael silver ingot from the car, handing it to the two soldiers, saying: "You two have worked hard, take this and go drink."

Song Nan Yi and the librarian exchanged smiles, but it was not convenient to speak. Suddenly, he recalled something, stood up, and cupped his hands in salute, saying: "So it turns out that you are the Qianhu (thousand-household) officer of Weizhou Guard. I was blind to not recognize such a great person, and I have been rude."

Song Nan awkwardly said: "I am but a fool, unaware of the affairs of the world all day long. I beg your pardon."

Mr. Jiang chuckled and said, "It's nothing, I feel a sense of familiarity with you upon our first meeting. I would like to invite you for a drink, if you would be so gracious as to accept my invitation"

Lord Qianhu, this matter is of great importance, and I fear I cannot make a decision on my own. I must consult my mother before reaching a conclusion. Thank you for your kind support, and please allow me some time to consider it.

Song Nan chuckled and said, "What a beautiful and vibrant rose."

Song Nan felt somewhat puzzled; this was his first meeting with Jiang Bin, and they had known each other for less than two hours. Yet, this Jiang Bin, a thousand-household officer, was busy trying to find a way out for him, which felt a bit abrupt. According to Jiang Bin's own explanation, he felt a sense of familiarity upon first meeting. Perhaps what he did today was somewhat extraordinary for this year, which might have piqued the curiosity of this thousand-household officer.

Lord Jiang chuckled sideways and said: "That is indeed true, but what I desire is not merely the service of fetching tea and water. When will Miss Fang loosen her tongue a bit?"

Song Nan could not refuse, so he sent Li Daniu home with the silver, instructing him to deposit the silver in the bank in the afternoon to avoid attracting the attention of thieves.

Song Nan clasped his hands and said, "What matters do you two military gentlemen have?"

Lord Jiang laughed heartily and said: "Sister Fang, the fish has gone bad, and the cat has lost weight from smelling it. I would love to come every day, but I can't even catch a whiff of the fishy smell. What is the point? Therefore, I have to restrain myself from coming! I would rather not be scolded and driven away, wouldn't that be dull?"

A long-faced soldier gasped for breath, swallowed, and said: "Young Master Song, my general requests that you wait a moment; he has something to say to you"

The heavily laden cart filled with silver coins moved slowly, and Li Daniu's mouth was agape. It was the first time he had seen so much silver, making him feel as if he were in a dream. He rubbed the silver ingots in his hands, nearly drooling.

Song Nan hurriedly stood up, cupped his hands in salute, and said: "I have met you, Miss Fang. I am Song Nan, and I pay my respects to you"

Then Jiang Qianhu raised his hand in surrender and said: "Alright, alright, I won't say anything more. Bring out a few signature dishes; today I have a new friend visiting. Fang Gu, you must not neglect him, and do not let anyone disturb us. Come, come, meet Young Master Song."

Jiang Bin chuckled and said, "Are you indirectly insulting me? Are you blaming me for favoring the Song family? If I hadn't intervened, perhaps the Song family would have truly softened, and you might have gained even more."

The woman named Fang Gu laughed heartily, saying, "Look at what you say, it sounds as if I am some kind of tigress, while you, a big man, seem like a bullied little wife. Every time you come to my small shop, am I not the one personally attending to you? You should inquire a bit; who in Weizhou City has the honor of receiving tea and water personally from me, Fang Gu?"

Mr. Jiang sighed softly, saying: "What a pity, there are thorns!"

Brother Nan, you are truly impressive. I never expected you could actually obtain silver from that old shrew. But why didn't you ask for more? According to what you said, half of the estate belongs to you, which amounts to several tens of thousands of taels of silver. That would require dozens of carts.

However, being neither relatives nor acquaintances, and having never met before, Song Nan could not dare to agree hastily when this matter was suddenly brought up. Experience from later generations taught him that one should never trust the notion of free lunches falling from the sky. While the goodwill and support from strangers might be a stroke of luck, they could also be a significant trap, and he could not easily consent.

Mr. Jiang appeared quite familiar with the route, as if it were not his first time visiting this secluded tavern. Song Nan felt somewhat surprised, wondering why Mr. Jiang had chosen to bring him to such a remote establishment for drinks. Although Weihe and Tushuzhou City were not large, there must be plenty of luxurious restaurants. Mr. Jiang did not seem like someone who lacked the means to spend, suggesting that there must be another reason behind this choice.

Song Nan smiled and said, "Rest assured, Da Niu, from now on I, Song Nan, will ensure that you, Li Da Niu, live a good life and bring glory to our ancestors"

I, Jiang Bin, do not care for any formalities and need not dwell on this matter. Brother Song likely does not wish to be seen as the bookish recluse he described himself to be. Today, I find myself somewhat admiring Brother Song; your courage to demand your inheritance from the Song family is commendable. One must understand that the Song family has close ties with the local government, and your audacity is indeed remarkable.

Song Nan scratched his head and said: "My mother hopes that I can achieve a degree of success and bring honor to our family, but I fear I am not cut out for it. To be honest, I am quite conflicted. On one hand, I do not want to disappoint my mother; on the other hand, I have little interest in studying. After ten years of learning, I have only managed to become a xiucai, and I dare not even think about passing the imperial examination."

Jiang Bin slowly nodded in silence and suddenly said: "Brother Song, I see that you are very intelligent, possessing both courage and adaptability, which is why I have the desire to befriend you. Are you, Brother Song, planning to study and take the examination to achieve academic success?"

Miss Fang cast a gaze like autumn waters towards Song Nan. Noticing that Song Nan was quite young and dressed in a plain cotton long robe, she felt a bit surprised and gracefully curtsied, saying: "Young Master Song, greetings. This humble servant, Fang Gu, pays her respects."

A fragrant breeze wafted by, and a slender figure approached like the wind. Song Nan looked up and saw a woman holding a tray, on which rested a teapot. She walked lightly to his side. The woman appeared to be in her twenties; although she wore simple clothing, her bright eyes and white teeth, along with her flower-like smile, revealed her to be an exceptionally beautiful young woman.

Song Nan smiled and said: "If there are too many, there will be no chance. The Song family has a very close relationship with the government. If it becomes excessive, it will be detrimental. The Song family would rather use money to facilitate connections than be willing to provide us with any benefits."

Song Nan said: "You jest, my lord. If it were not for the fact that my mother and I were left with no other choice, why would I seek misfortune at the Song residence? My origins are that of a servant's child, which is hardly a glorious matter. To make a scene in public, what honor would that bring to my face?"

The tavern is quite small, featuring a modest courtyard adorned with a few flowering trees. In the courtyard, there are simple canopies for shade, beneath which a few tables and chairs are arranged, serving as seating. It seems that Lord Jiang frequents this place; he boldly sought out a stool and sat down, patting the stool beside him, he said to Song Nan: "Come, come, just sit here."

The two exchanged glances and laughed heartily. Just as their laughter subsided, they heard someone behind them seemingly shouting loudly. The driver also brought the carriage to a halt. Li Daniu leaned his head back to take a look and was immediately startled, exclaiming: "This is bad, they have changed their minds and are coming after us."

Song Nan waved his hand and said: "How could that be my intention? I never planned to create an unmanageable situation. Your Excellency's intervention has provided me with a way to step down, and I am still grateful for it."

Song Nan also said: "Thank you for your trouble"

A hint of displeasure flashed across Jiang Bin's face, but it quickly vanished as he smiled and said: "That is only natural; it was my rudeness. Let us not dwell on this matter for now. Today, as we gather, let it be an opportunity to make friends. Fang Gu's food and wine are ready; let us taste Fang Gu's culinary skills. Hahaha"

Mr. Jiang sent the accompanying soldiers back to the camp and led Song Nan into a quiet alley, turning left and right. After passing through the alley, the view suddenly brightened, revealing a clear stream flowing before them. Under the cover of a row of lush trees by the stream, a wine flag was raised, indicating that there was a tavern here.

Song Nan leaned out of the window to look at the road, and saw two soldiers running and shouting, chasing after a large cart. They were indeed the attendants of Lord Jiang. Filled with confusion, Song Nan lifted the curtain of the cart and stood waiting. The two soldiers, panting heavily, bent over as they reached in front of Song Nan.