Chapter 110.1 Extra Three
Lin Yan sat on his bed, troubled by the vivid and lengthy dream he had last night. In the dream, he had become a successful jìnshì and was appointed to an official position, only to watch Teacher Cui’s family downfall… Lin Yan furrowed his brows.
As he continued to reflect, he recalled that he had later secured an external post. After the Emperor's passing, he was summoned to the capital, where he was appointed as Deputy Magistrate. It was there that he met a young miss, whose smile seemed to carry the very essence of spring…
In the dream, affairs of the court were far from ideal, fraught with internal strife and external threats. He experienced both promotions and demotions, serving as a Chancellor twice throughout his life. He had led military campaigns against Nanzhao kingdom and quelled the Rebellion of the Zhaos, ultimately reaching the age of seventy while still in office as a chancellor, which he deemed a satisfactory conclusion.
Domestic matters, on the other hand, were much more tranquil. He had spent decades hand in hand with his wife, living in harmony, while their two sons and daughter were all respectful and understanding.
Thinking of the woman who frequently appeared in his dream, Lin Yan shook his head. It was indeed just a dream, and a rather absurd one at that; the ‘wife’ in his dream was none other than Shen Qian's daughter—Shen Qian, the Deputy Minister, who happened to be the examiner for this year’s imperial examination!
Feeling somewhat ashamed, Lin Yan chastised himself for fantasizing about the examiner's daughter while weaving tales of her family's downfall. How utterly unbecoming… He never realized he could be so despicable.
Yet, he couldn’t help but savor the scenes from that dream.
"Why is a young girl like you being released from the palace?"
"I was released due to my illness." Her smile held a hint of mischief and challenge.
"We’re not on the same path, if we go our separate ways, we might each find our own peace. Forcing ourselves together might only lead to friction and harm. I used to believe, as long as the path allowed it, we could keep walking, step by step… It’s my fault. Rather than moistening each other with damp and spittle, let us leave the earthly attachments behind and traverse the world unimpeded." She cried sorrowfully.
"Lin Yan, I missed you too," With tenderness, she spoke while resting in his embrace.
…The dream was filled entirely with her, the young lady known as A'Ji.
In the dream's final moments, the two of them were already elderly, supporting each other as they strolled through a garden.
“A'Ji, the autumn breeze is turning cool; shall we move to Zhongnan Mountain for a while?”
She teased him, “You must be thinking about that osmanthus tree again. I’ve never seen anyone so particular in taste—why is it that only the flowers from that tree make the best pastries? Is that tree somehow infused with the essence of the sun and moon and was soon to become a montresss?”
He chuckled, “It’s not that the tree has successfully cultivated into a montresss, but when we’re there, seeing the blossoms in full bloom, you can’t help but get hands-on. No one else can replicate your flavor.”
Thinking to this point, Lin Yan felt a bit embarrassed and couldn’t quite imagine himself, with gray hair, still uttering such sweet nothings.
“An Ran—are you awake?” His peer, Zhao Che, knocked at the door.
“Yes.” Lin Yan slipped on his robe, got out of bed, and put on his shoes before heading to the door.
"Today we’re heading to Leisure Garden, just outside the city, to enjoy the snow and the plum blossoms. The roads are a bit tricky, so we should set off early," Zhao Che remarked with a smile.
Lin Yan nodded in agreement.
With the twelfth lunar month already upon them, scholars had gathered in the capital, waiting for the Ministry of Rites examination after the New Year. During this time, they needed to present their writings to prominent officials and famous scholars, seeking ways to gain recognition at poetry gatherings and banquets, hoping their names would reach the examiners’ ears and bolster their chances for the upcoming exams. Such was the nature of the world in this dynasty; there was no room for anyone to maintain their lofty ideals—Lin Yan acknowledged that he was but an ordinary man, and he was not above the fray.
Success in the imperial examinations required effort. With a declining family lineage and having lost his parents early on, the burden of supporting the household fell upon him.
“Leisure Garden was once the garden of Prince of Wu. This esteemed vassal king truly appreciated elegance, saying, ‘If I alone enjoy these blossoms and snow, it would be a great injustice,’ so he opened it to the public…” Zhao Che continued to discuss the matter of admiring the plum blossoms.
Hearing the mention of Prince of Wu, Lin Yan was reminded of his dream. In that dream, Prince of Wu had long since turned to ash.
“…I heard yesterday that Prince of Wu was at odds with that Daoist spiritual master. Given the sage’s power, had it not been for the alchemical explosion that led to his demise, that vassal king might have found himself in a difficult position,” Zhao Che remarked. Although he was also from a distant province and had not been in the capital for long, unlike Lin Yan, who had a reserved nature, Zhao Che had a wide circle of friends and thus knew much about the prominent figures in court.
Lin Yan knitted his brows. "I haven't come across this news."
“I only heard it from someone else, so I can't confirm its accuracy. They say that Prince of Wu once…”
After discussing the old grievances between Prince of Wu and the ‘Illustrious Sage of Great Virtue and Clear Guidance’ during breakfast, Lin Yan and a group of scholars took a carriage to Leisure Garden outside the city. Since they had come under the pretext of admiring the plum blossoms and the snow, it was only natural for them to stroll and take in the sights.
To their surprise, they encountered several young ladies adorned in exquisite attire, wrapped in fur overcoats, with a retinue of maids and servants trailing behind—likely the daughters of noble families in the capital.
The scholars, displaying their manners, stepped aside to let the young ladies pass.
The young women offered slight curtsied as they walked by.
“Be careful, A'Shen.”
Hearing the name ‘Shen’, Lin Yan instinctively turned back. He saw a petite girl stumble slightly, only to be steadied by the young ladies and maids beside her.
The petite girl’s faint voice drifted back, “It seems my dream last night was half true.”
“How can a dream be half true?”
“I dreamt I tripped and found a gold ingot. Today, I almost fell, but I didn’t see any gold.”
Another young lady chimed in and teased, “You’re just being silly! A'Chen, go on and give her a couple of wake up slaps…”
The young ladies gradually moved away, their laughter lingering in the air.
Zhao Che glanced ahead and whispered, “It seems the young ladies have just come from the estate of Prince of Wu.” While anyone could visit the garden, not everyone could enter that villa; those noble ladies clearly belonged to the upper echelons of society.
Lin Yan nodded calmly, but inside, he was deeply shaken. That was unmistakably A'Ji from his dream! Though she was still young, having "been married for decades," her clever and lively demeanor was unmistakable.