Chapter 10: The Appointment at Dongpo

Having respectfully seen off Scholar Su, he finally let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly pushed the door open to enter the room. Initially, he had intended to explain a few things to his wife, but to his surprise, Ying Niang was curled up on the bed like a little cat, sleeping soundly while hugging a pillow. He could not bear to wake her, so he quietly tidied up the dishes and organized the table. Only then did he fill a bowl with clear water and, holding a brush, stand still in front of the table

Meanwhile, Song Tai, who visited in person, learned that his son-in-law had received a formal invitation from Su Shi. Overjoyed, he wanted to spread the news far and wide, but Gao Qiu managed to persuade him for quite some time before he was finally stopped. Although he admired the character of the members of the Su family, he was more aware that these officials representing the old party would eventually be dismissed from the court. As an ordinary commoner, if he attracted too much attention, he would inevitably face great misfortune in the future

Su Shi felt a shiver run through him; he had encountered many students from humble backgrounds, but none like Gao Qiao. Shaking his head and sighing, he expressed his dissatisfaction by asking, "If that is the case, why did you not inform me sooner? Do you think the doors of the Su residence are hard to enter? Time is as precious as gold; although you are young, you have already wasted a considerable amount of your early years and cannot afford to delay any longer"

The young couple was happily exchanging words when an untimely knocking sound came from outside the courtyard gate. With no other choice, Gao Qiu had to abandon his bowl and chopsticks to go open the door. However, the scene that greeted him left him stunned for a moment. The visitor was none other than Su Shi, dressed in a casual robe, and not far behind him was a blue soft sedan chair, with two young attendants standing by with their hands at their sides.

Winning is winning... Gao Qiu really did not want to bring up this match, so he merely responded perfunctorily with a few words, "In summary, I have already received four guan in prize money, and the remaining ten guan should also be forthcoming. Life at home will no longer be so tight."

The thought of his wife still lying in bed, unable to move because of that reason, and the room still filled with a somewhat warm and indulgent atmosphere, made him break out in a cold sweat. This visit from Su Dongpo was truly ill-timed; that scene must not be seen by this literary giant, otherwise, who knows how it would be distorted if it got out.

An old man and a young man chatted for a while, and then Su Shi brought up the purpose of his visit. It turned out that taking advantage of the arrival of spring in March, several literary figures who were friends with this scholar Su were planning to gather at the Su residence for a literary meeting. Among them were several renowned individuals, including the four distinguished scholars of the Su school: Huang Luzhi, Zhang Wenqian, Chao Wujiao, and Qin Shaoyou.

"Scholar, how could you..." Gao Qiu blurted out uncontrollably, and then hurriedly welcomed the esteemed guest into his home. "I truly apologize; I did not expect the scholar to come, and my home has not been tidied up. If the scholar does not mind, would you please sit in the grass hall for a moment?"

After the lively dance of the dragon and phoenix, the sun had set, yet the stove at home remained cold. Ying Niang had intended to get out of bed to prepare a meal, but having just become acquainted with the ways of the world, she was already utterly exhausted and sore all over. Naturally, she could only let her husband take charge, but her heart was filled with sweetness.

Although he had been frequently visiting the Su residence recently, Gao Qiu had never actually met these four individuals. Therefore, upon hearing of this rare opportunity, he certainly had no reason to refuse and readily agreed. In addition, there were many other guests he had not heard of, and upon serious reflection, it was indeed not easy for someone like him, who had little knowledge, to receive an invitation.

Gao Qiu ultimately could not escape the gentle embrace of Ying Niang. With beauty before him, he was not the kind of hypocritical scholar like Liu Xia Hui, and thus could not remain unmoved. It was only at the moment of their intimate union that he truly believed in his wife's innocence. Did he not see that his wife was even more innocent than he was?

Is it true? Although the young lady has become a married woman, her youthful heart remains unchanged. You must not deceive me! Suddenly, she remembered that her husband was originally going to attend the football match today and hurriedly inquired about the result

Gao Qiu had not originally considered this matter, but upon reflecting on Gao Shen's ugly demeanor today and thinking about the neighbors around who enjoy gossiping, he was indeed moved. With a slight sigh, he helplessly replied: "I appreciate your good intentions, Scholar, but as you can see, my family's situation is quite dire. If we were to move to a quieter place, I certainly cannot afford the expenses."

As he spoke, his expression gradually dimmed. Seizing the opportunity, he jokingly mentioned the game of cuju from today, and then self-deprecatingly referred to the reward of four guan. "I know this is a frivolous pursuit that can lead to a loss of ambition, but due to the circumstances at home, I have no choice but to do so"

He was writing on the table with a brush dipped in clean water, murmuring to himself: "It's a pity I didn't make better use of my brain back then; I memorized too few Song lyrics! I have memorized a few of Qin Guan's poems, but now the original author has long since appeared, and they are of no use anymore. Hmm, the poets after this period, I only know Li Qingzhao, Xin Qiji, and Lu You. I have memorized the most of Li Qingzhao's poems; she should still be young now, so it probably wouldn't matter if I plagiarized a couple of her works. I only remember the last line of Xin Qiji's 'Qingyu Case,' and as for Lu Fangweng's works, it's hard to say..." Hmm, the poets after this period, I only know Li Qingzhao, Xin Qiji, and Lu You. I have memorized the most of Li Qingzhao's poems; she should still be young now, so it probably wouldn't matter if I plagiarized a couple of her works. I only remember the last line of Xin Qiji's 'Qingyu Case,' and as for Lu Fangweng's works, it's hard to say...

As a modern exemplary man, Gao Qiu had undoubtedly researched countless culinary recipes, yet faced with the limited ingredients available at home, he could only helplessly opt for fried rice. When the two large bowls were brought to the table, he could only see his wife's eyes wide open in astonishment, as if she had encountered a monster, which made him genuinely amused.

Only when a bowl of water was nearly written dry did he barely confirm the general repertoire for the upcoming event, feeling utterly exhausted. At that moment, he wished he could look up and lament the unfairness of fate, yet he had no idea how fortunate he was to have met Su Shi upon his arrival in this treasured place. Lost in thought, he inevitably fell into a deep sleep.

Little did he know what he feared would come to pass. Su Shi casually strolled a few steps in the courtyard and then smiled as he said: "Today, I have come specifically to see that your front yard is tidy and well-kept. Surely, you must have a virtuous wife, and the interior of your house should also be quite extraordinary."

This... this wife... Gao Qiu could hardly find a reason to object, so he simply and confidently fabricated, "My wife has not been feeling well these past few days, so she is following the doctor's advice to rest in bed. Due to the illness in the house, we did not dare to disturb the scholar."

"As a scholar, I am not one to be overly sentimental. If there were no other options, I would certainly seek assistance. However, if possible, I still hope to be self-reliant. A game of cuju can earn me a few coins, and that is quite a worthwhile transaction, is it not?" Gao Qiao slightly revealed his rogue demeanor, and sure enough, Su Shi across from him not only did not take offense but instead showed a hint of a smile

Missing the opportunity to see Scholar Su left Yingniang quite distressed, however, she soon rallied her spirits, spending five hundred wen to purchase several bolts of fabric from the cloth shop, and immediately began working day and night. Gao Qiu watched as his wife’s eyes turned red from exhaustion, feeling a pang of sympathy in his heart, but when Yingniang's stubborn temper flared, no one could stop her, and he had no choice but to let her be.

Since it is a literary gathering, one cannot avoid composing poetry. Unfortunately, he does not possess much in terms of literary talent; if he cannot manage it well, he may soon find himself at a loss for words. Therefore, he has resolved to conceal his shortcomings, having only once, during his first appearance at the Su residence, plagiarized an obscure Song dynasty poem.

"I see, it seems I have been rather reckless," Su Shi believed it to be true and thus took a seat on the stone bench in the grass hall. "Today, I too find myself with nothing to do. I did not expect your dwelling to be so humble. Hmm, as I walked here, I noticed quite a few idlers. You must be aware of the story of Meng Mu's three relocations; have you ever considered moving?"

"Stop looking, just eat!" He affectionately rubbed his wife's cute nose and placed a bowl of fried rice on the wooden table in front of her, "Make do with this for now. Once you feel better, I will take you to the Zhouqiao Night Market!"