Whenever Madam Lin thought of her precious daughter, her head started to ache.
After last night’s commotion, the moment she saw the testimony Xie Zi’an had sent over, nothing could stop her—she went straight to Xu Nanchun’s courtyard to smash things up again.
Thinking of Xu Nanchun, Madam Lin couldn’t help but sneer, secretly furious at herself for misjudging her. She’d never imagined the little lamb would one day turn into a man-eating wolf.
Seeing that although Madam Lin’s face was cold, her attitude was still decent, Xie Songren thought it over and realized the Xu family was ready to marry off their daughter. His heart leapt with joy.
The reputation of the Xu family’s principal wife for doting on her youngest daughter was well known. If word hadn’t already spread that a marriage engagement had been made with the young marquis of the Jingyang Marquis household, the threshold of the Xu residence would have been worn down by matchmakers long ago.
Xie Songren pondered for a moment, then said tentatively, “Now that this matter has happened, my Xie family is naturally willing to bear all responsibility. I only wonder whether your honorable household…”
He was laying out his position first. Since his son had ruined Miss Xu’s reputation, the Xie family was willing to take responsibility—but if the Xu family still intended to honor the engagement with the Jingyang Marquis household, then it was no longer any business of the Xie residence.
Xie Zi’an glanced at his scumbag of a father. Truly worthy of an official—that masterful art of speaking.
Seeing this, Madam Lin was satisfied with the Xie family’s attitude.
At this point, the two families could only be joined by marriage.
“Let’s pick an auspicious date,” she said, settling the matter with one decisive stroke.
While the three elders discussed the marriage, Xie Zi’an was ushered out.
A servant boy cheerfully invited Xie Zi’an to stroll around the courtyard.
The Xu family’s courtyard was naturally far more refined and beautiful than the Xie family’s. Not only were there many rare flowers and plants, but great effort had been spent transplanting numerous trees as well. Walking along the path, shaded by green foliage, one couldn’t help feeling refreshed and at ease.
Just as Xie Zi’an was admiring this rare taste of ancient courtyard scenery, a piece of fruit struck him on the head. At first, he thought it had simply fallen from a tree.
But the next moment, another one came down, then another.
Annoyed, Xie Zi’an looked up to see which uncivil rascal was responsible.
Looking up, he saw a young girl dressed in riotously colorful clothes sprawled on a tree branch. When she saw Xie Zi’an looking up at her, she even pulled an ugly face at him.
“Stinky scholar!”
Xie Zi’an laughed in exasperation. How could he not know who was up in that tree?
It was the vicious female supporting character herself, the one at the center of his “adultery” scandal—Xu Nansong.
The girl looked sweet and adorable, but her behavior was utterly rotten.
Xie Zi’an crossed his arms and sneered, “I may be a stinky scholar, but once you marry into my family, you’ll be the stinky scholar’s little wife!”
Xu Nansong’s face flushed red—out of sheer fury.
She shouted, “Who would marry you!”
“If not me, then who? You’re going to be the stinky scholar’s little wife!”
“Insufferable! You shameless lecher! Shameless brute!”
Raised pampered and sheltered, she didn’t know how to curse people—those were the only two insults she had, and she kept repeating them.
Still not satisfied, she picked up more fruit and pelted them at Xie Zi’an one after another.
Xie Zi’an fled with his hands over his head. “Throw one more and I’ll get angry!”
Xu Nansong laughed until she could hardly stand. “Go ahead and get angry! Am I supposed to be scared of you?”
A wise man doesn’t fight losing battles—if he couldn’t afford to provoke her, couldn’t he at least run?
Xie Zi’an turned and walked off.
“Hey! You’re not allowed to leave!”
“Stay and keep getting pelted? Only a fool would do that.”
As she watched Xie Zi’an walk farther and farther away, Xu Nansong slammed her fist furiously against the tree trunk—only to hurt her own hand.
After last night’s uproar, her mother still refused to budge, insisting that she marry Xie Zi’an.
Xu Nansong knew that the other day, when her second sister had brought people to catch her and Xie Zi’an together in bed, she had no choice but to marry him no matter what—otherwise, her already-married eldest sister and the unmarried sisters at home would all suffer for the sake of her reputation.
She was just indignant that she had to marry a sour scholar.
She had sent a maid out early to make inquiries and learned that Xie Zi’an was a bookworm with a stubborn and foul temper.
But seeing him today, he didn’t seem so bad?
Xu Nansong, feeling glum, called out: “Mudan, hurry and bring a ladder over. I want to come down.”
No one answered. Only then did she remember that, fearing Xie Zi’an would discover her, she had sent Mudan away earlier.
Xu Nansong was annoyed. She looked down—it seemed she had climbed quite high.
She was on the verge of tears.
She tried climbing down by herself, stumbling and bumbling, but she could still make it down.
Xu Nansong’s heart leapt with joy, and she grew smug again.
Without a ladder, she could still get down just fine.
“Hey!”
The sudden voice startled her so much she nearly fell.
Xu Nansong turned her head crossly—Xie Zi’an, that scoundrel, had come back and was watching her with a smile.
“Don’t you know you can scare someone to death!”
Xie Zi’an paid no mind to her nasty tone and watched her with great interest: “Would you like this young master to help?”
“No! Men and women should not touch. Are you trying to take advantage of me?” Xu Nansong lifted her little chin and shot him a sidelong glance.
Xie Zi’an said crossly, “No good deed goes unpunished!”
He turned and left again.
Xu Nansong carefully climbed down once more, but unfortunately got stuck halfway. Just as she was at a loss, Xie Zi’an arrived with people in tow. Madam Lin charged ahead, crying anxiously, “Aiya, my precious darling! How did you climb so high!”
Behind Madam Lin followed a whole crowd of maids and servants.
Being seen by so many people in such an embarrassing state, stuck in a tree, she nearly died of shame.
It was all Xie Zi’an’s fault!
She glared viciously at the man, only to find him gloating!
Madam Lin hurriedly had the servants set up a ladder, watching nervously from below. Once she was down, Madam Lin scolded her crossly, “Climbing so high—what if you’d fallen! You’re carving out your mother’s heart!”
Xu Nansong nestled coquettishly into Madam Lin’s arms. “Mother, only by climbing high can you see far—only then can you see certain people’s true faces.”
Xie Zi’an let the pointed remark go in one ear and out the other, even baring his teeth in a grin at Xu Nansong as she looked over, which made the girl furious.
Why was this Xie Zi’an different from the rumors?
So infuriating!
Madam Lin poked her daughter’s forehead crossly. How could she not know her daughter still resented the marriage arrangement?
She took out a handkerchief and wiped her face. “All right, all right, go back to your own courtyard. You’re dirty as a little kitten.”
“Mother!” Xu Nansong protested, stomped her foot, and ran off.
…
After all this commotion, Xie Zi’an concluded his visit to the Xu residence and followed Xie Songren home.
Xie Songren was beaming with delight, his smiling face impossible to hide.
Xie Zi’an looked at him with disdain.
Xie Songren snapped angrily, “How dare you look down on your own father!”
“Father, please cover up that smile of yours. Anyone who didn’t know better would think I’d ruined that young lady’s reputation on purpose.”
Xie Songren coughed dryly a couple of times and shot his rebellious son a look. “Nonsense! Now that the two families are joined by marriage, treat the girl well. You’re no good at your studies—you may well end up needing to rely on her someday.”
Whether he’d need to or not remained to be seen.
But he definitely had to see his studies through.
In the Great Jin Dynasty, society was divided into scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—and it was the scholar-officials who truly held power in this era.
Before Xie Zi’an transmigrated, his family had been wealthy and influential. Suddenly arriving here, he had become a poor scholar whom everyone mocked and looked down upon. The gap could hardly have been greater.
The imperial examinations were an absolute necessity.