Chapter 9

Shao Jiyan thought to himself that this was indeed an opportunity; he feared that if he delayed for another moment, the people in the garden would move far away. There was no time for further contemplation, so he looked around and, seeing no one, rushed into the garden. Once inside, he did not look up but headed straight towards the place where he had just seen a shadow flash by, pretending to be lost as he approached. As he turned around a rock formation, he unexpectedly bumped into a little girl.

Shao Jiyan was only afraid of being seen by others, so he hurriedly said: "I have been out for a long time, and if I return too late, they might blame me. If someone sees me talking to the young lady, it would not be good." After saying this, he took his leave from Shen Wanrou and walked out. Once he exited the courtyard, he did not rush to leave but instead pretended to hesitate for a moment, turning back to look. He indeed saw Miss Shen still standing in the same place, gazing in this direction. Upon seeing him turn back, she immediately showed a hint of embarrassment and turned to leave.

Shao Jiyan hurriedly said: "The term 'talented person' is truly undeserved; it is merely a false reputation passed around. Miss, please do not take it seriously"

Shen Wanrou had previously heard many stories about talented scholars taking the imperial examination from her brother, among which was Shao Jiyan. At that time, she merely heard the name without paying much attention to it. A few days ago, while secretly going to the lake under the pretense of burning incense, she fortuitously encountered Shao Jiyan and others. On a whim, she exchanged verses with them, and thus remembered the name Shao Jiyan. At sixteen years of age, she had begun to experience the stirrings of love, and there were quite a few suitors who came to propose. However, within her boudoir, it was inevitable that she harbored some girlish sentiments, and having read some idle books, she was quite enamored with the tales of talented scholars and beautiful women. The chance encounter with Shao Jiyan at the lake made her feel a sense of fate, inevitably giving rise to some unusual feelings. A few days ago, she heard her brother mention that he had befriended Shao Jiyan, praising him for his talent and integrity despite his humble origins, which reminded her of the stories she had read about impoverished scholars meeting their ideal partners, thus making her increasingly attentive to Shao Jiyan. Yesterday, upon hearing that Shao Jiyan was among the guests invited by her brother, she felt anxious in her heart. At this moment, she had specifically come to this courtyard to take a walk, hoping to have the opportunity to catch a distant glimpse of him, to see what this talented scholar truly looked like.

The events that followed were even simpler. Shen Moxuan was indeed a remarkable individual, and it did not take long for his identity to be revealed. The three were both surprised and delighted, and Shen Moxuan simply admitted it openly. Subsequently, the bond among the four of them grew even closer, to the extent that they began to refer to each other as brothers.

Shao Jiyan hurriedly apologized, saying: "I am Shao Jiyan, having been invited by Young Master Shen to this banquet. I just left the banquet to sober up, but unexpectedly got lost and accidentally stumbled here. I hope for your forgiveness."

The banquet continued until the afternoon, and after returning home, Shao Jiyan was once again pulled by Feng and Chen to drink elsewhere, not returning home until the evening, slightly intoxicated. Along the way, Shao Jiyan was only calculating in his mind. Initially, he had no thoughts about his chance encounter with Miss Shen, but today it seemed that Miss Shen indeed harbored feelings for him, which compelled him to entertain the idea: her father and brothers were all officials in the court, enjoying the emperor's favor and being well-utilized. If he could truly marry her, it would be a wonderful affair. Moreover, Miss Shen was not only beautiful but also possessed some talent; although she had a hint of the delicate demeanor typical of wealthy young ladies, she could still be considered a suitable choice for a virtuous wife. In the future, with a beautiful partner and a smooth career path, would it not be a perfect match?

As he was thinking this, he heard a gentle voice of a young girl coming from a nearby place hidden among the mountain stones: "Cui Zhu, which one is it?"

Shen Moxuan had a penchant for associating with talented scholars. At the time of the imperial examination, he heard that several exceptionally gifted candidates were staying at the Gaosheng Inn, so he decided to visit incognito with the intention of befriending a few like-minded companions. By coincidence, on that very day, the Yanzhou Guild Hall on East Street was hosting a poetry gathering, attracting many scholars eager to join the festivities. Due to Chen Mingqi's excessive drinking the previous day, he was feeling unwell, and both Feng Ziqing and Shao Jiyan did not want to neglect their friend, leaving only the three of them in the entire inn.

Shao Jiyan had made up his mind. First, he needed to pass the entrance examination to high school, and he was already confident about this. Second, he aimed to cultivate a relationship with Shen Moxuan to win his favor. This was not difficult; over the past few days of observing and listening, he had a clear understanding of what kind of person Shen Moxuan was and what type of individuals he preferred to associate with. As long as he catered to his interests, it would be fine. Third, he sought opportunities to meet Miss Shen again, hoping to deepen her feelings for him. This, however, was somewhat challenging. Miss Shen lived in seclusion, and if not handled properly, it could backfire, making him appear to be a reckless person with ulterior motives.

He was lost in thought all the way home, and before he knew it, he had arrived. Upon pushing the door open and entering the house, he was taken aback to find that the jade-like figure he had not seen for many days was already in the room, though he could not tell how long she had been waiting.

Shao Jiyan thought to himself: Although I have some reputation among the scholars who have come to Beijing, this girl is a lady of the inner chambers and may not have heard of matters outside the residence. If she has heard my name, it must be from her young lady. With this thought, I feel even more justified in my actions this time. Moreover, although he did not raise his head, he caught a glimpse with his peripheral vision of what seemed to be a small pavilion behind the mountain rock. He thought that the young lady must be in that pavilion. Since I just introduced myself, she must have heard it. If she is indifferent, this girl only needs to point me in the right direction, and I can return without any loss, with no connection to this matter. Furthermore, although he did not raise his head, he caught a glimpse with his peripheral vision of what seemed to be a small pavilion behind the mountain rock. He thought that the young lady must be in that pavilion. Since I just introduced myself, she must have heard it. If she is indifferent, this girl only needs to point me in the right direction, and I can return without any loss, with no connection to this matter. If Miss Shen has any interest in me, she should reveal herself by now.

Shao Jiyan immediately recognized that the voice belonged to the woman from the cabin on that day, and he instantly understood the situation. Shortly after, he saw a young girl with willow-like brows and apricot-shaped eyes, gentle and charming, walking out from behind a rock. Cui Zhu called out to her, "Miss," and then ran back to her side, whispering something in her ear

Upon hearing the name "Shao Jiyan," the girl immediately displayed a hint of surprise, instinctively glancing towards the nearby rocky area behind her. Although she quickly concealed her reaction, these subtle changes in her expression did not escape Shao Jiyan's notice

Shen Moxuan presented himself with remarkable demeanor and extraordinary bearing. Although Shao Jiyan and the other two did not recognize his true identity, they could not help but speculate that he must have an impressive background. Consequently, they intentionally displayed some scholarly grace, and as the days passed, they found themselves feeling as if they had missed out on knowing him earlier.

Moreover, he has not had the heart to think of Ruyu these past two days, for on one occasion when he went to the Gaosheng Inn to visit friends, he unexpectedly encountered the son of Minister Shen, Shen Moxuan. Young as he is, Shen Moxuan has already entered the Hanlin Academy, not due to his father's influence, but because he possesses genuine talent and learning. He was the second place in the last imperial examination, and his writings have greatly pleased the Emperor. It is often said that this young Master Shen will surely achieve even greater accomplishments than his father in the future

At this moment, it was evident that Shao Jiyan was indeed a handsome young gentleman with striking features, and he struck a chord in my heart. I remarked, "Young Master Shao, your esteemed name has reached my ears even within the confines of my chamber, and it is said that you are a rare talent to behold."

Shao Jiyan originally thought that the guests invited by Shen Moxuan would mostly be the sons of officials and aristocrats. However, upon interaction, he found that not all were young masters. Among the ten or so people at the table, they recited poetry, engaged in lively discussions, compared ancient and modern times, and enjoyed fine wine and delicacies, which was quite delightful. Yet, as the evening progressed and everyone drank a few more cups, several young noblemen inevitably revealed some aristocratic airs. Feng Ziqing and Chen Mingqi also hailed from prominent families in other provinces, while Shao Jiyan came from humble beginnings, making it difficult for him to find common ground in conversation. Although he felt out of place, he did not want to show it. After chatting and laughing with everyone for a while, he excused himself, claiming he needed to relieve himself due to intoxication.

Shen Wanrou said: "Young master is too modest, your talent is not something a mere girl like me can hear through hearsay..." As she spoke, she slowly recited the verses that Shao Jiyan had composed during their outing by the lake.

The more Shao Jiyan thought about it, the more satisfied he felt, so he began to carefully devise a plan. Given the power of the Shen family, he would at least need to achieve the rank of a top scholar to be qualified to visit them. However, even so, he still fell short compared to many prominent young men. With the numerous factions within the court, Shen Dearn might very well harbor intentions of winning hearts through marriage alliances. To impress the Minister Shen solely with his own abilities was akin to a fool's dream. Unless Miss Shen held deep affections for him, and with the support of her brother Shen Moxuan speaking favorably on his behalf, only then would Minister Shen consider marrying his daughter to someone of his humble background. The numerous factions within the court might lead Shen Dearn to consider marriage alliances to win hearts. To impress Minister Shen solely with his own abilities was akin to a fool's dream. Unless Miss Shen held deep affections for him, and with the support of her brother Shen Moxuan speaking favorably on his behalf, only then would Minister Shen consider marrying his daughter to someone of his humble background.

On this day, Shen Moxuan hosted a banquet at his residence and also invited Shao Jiyan and two others, who gladly accepted the invitation

Shao Jiyan feigned a moment of surprise, pausing for a brief moment, and then seemed to realize: "I just heard the young lady's voice and found it familiar, but I did not dare to think too much about it. It turns out that the young lady is... I was unaware that the person on the boat that day was the young lady. If I have been rude in any way, I hope the young lady will forgive me."

Shao Jiyan released his hand, unwilling to return immediately, and instead strolled slowly back along the path he had come. Occasionally, he would glance into the elegantly designed garden courtyards, unable to resist admiring them, though he was well aware that it was improper to intrude. As he reached the outside of one garden, he suddenly heard the sound of women's laughter coming from within. Fearing he might encounter female guests, Shao Jiyan hurriedly tried to hide. Just as he had not moved far, he heard a woman inside say: "Miss, don't go any further; today the eldest young master is hosting guests at Qinzhu Pavilion, and it would not be good to accidentally bump into a guest."

The young girl, upon seeing the stranger, was startled and exclaimed, "Who are you?!"

This was the first time Shao Jiyan had seen Miss Shen's appearance. Although she was not a stunning beauty, she was still a rare and lovely woman. Gradually, some thoughts began to form in his heart. At this moment, he merely adopted a respectful demeanor and said, "I am Shao Jiyan. I momentarily lost my way and accidentally bumped into you, Miss. I hope you can forgive me."

Shen Wanrou blushed, and just as she was about to speak, she heard someone moving outside the garden

If Ruyu truly did not come for several consecutive days, Shao Jiyan continued to go out during the day to socialize and engage in social activities, returning home quietly at night. Although it was somewhat unusual, he also found joy in the tranquility.

Shao Jiyan was taken aback, thinking to himself that this Minister Shen only had one daughter, and the 'young lady' mentioned by this girl was likely the Miss Shen he had encountered by chance during the lake outing. He hurriedly turned back, hiding outside the garden gate and cautiously peering inside. However, within the garden, the rocks and trees obscured his view, and he could only vaguely see a figure, unable to discern the person's features.