Chapter 95.1 Happenings Inside the Bedchamber
Shen Shaoguang’s mind immediately trailed off to uncharted territory, narrowing her eyes and smiling like a sly fox.
Lin Yan tilted his head, looking at her with a gentle smile.
Let’s go, you think I’m afraid? Shen Shaoguang said with a smile. "Well, if that's the case, I'll go and ask for a cup of your good tea, Sir."
Lin Yan resided in the same courtyard where the Shen couple had once lived. The garden and corridors vaguely resembled the ones in her memories, though the details were different. Shen Shaoguang recalled that the courtyard had a large flower bed with peonies and begonias; the windows were always adorned with bright red paper cuttings; and birdcages hung in the corridors, housing a few melodious orioles. Every morning, her mother would personally change the grains and water for them...
"A'Ji—" Lin Yan looked at her with concern.
Shen Shaoguang turned to him with a smile, "Do you practice swordplay in this courtyard every morning, sir?"
Lin Yan nodded.
The once-large flower bed in the courtyard was now gone. Only a long, narrow strip along the corridor’s edge had been set aside, bordered by bricks, where a few clusters of flowers had been planted. Judging by the withered branches, they were likely peonies or similar flowers. The rest of the courtyard was left bare, paved with lotus-patterned clay bricks. As for decorations like orioles under the eaves or red paper cuttings on the windows, they were nowhere to be seen, leaving behind an unmistakably masculine atmosphere.
Shen Shaoguang laughed and asked again, "What kind of flowers are planted in this patch?"
"A few clusters of peonies."
"What varieties?"
"The flower merchant stated they were ‘Drunken Beauty’, though the color seems much more intense—like Fiery Sunset. I'm not particularly well-versed in these things. Once it blooms," Lin Yan smiled gently, "you can judge for yourself."
Shen Shaoguang curved her eyes and smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and stepped up the stairs.
Earlier, there had been a trace of melancholy in her expression, but in the blink of an eye, she had returned to her usual lively demeanor. Lin Yan's heart ached a little. He wanted to tell her she didn’t need to put on a brave face in front of him, but he feared it might only deepen her sorrow, so he held his tongue.
The maid from the Lin Residence lifted the curtain, and they entered the room.
Inside, a few pieces of sandalwood furniture—a large sitting platform, a long desk, and a bookshelf covering half a wall—were all in deep, subdued tones. Books were scattered everywhere, stacked on the desk, piled on the shelves, and even resting on a small table atop the chairs. Although the room was filled, it wasn’t cluttered. The books were neatly arranged, and the long table was adorned with a pen holder full of pens, a lamp, a brush wash, and a paperweight. The small table had its tea pot, tea cups, and snack plates all neatly placed. It was unclear whether Lin Yan was naturally tidy or if it was due to the diligence of the maids.
The most striking features of the room were the landscape painting on the wall and the six-panel folding screen. The painting depicted dark mountains covered in white snow, with a meandering stream beside which stood a thatched cottage. Two scholars were engaged in a game of xiangqi chess, capturing a serene and distant mood as if withdrawal from worldly affairs. Judging from the inscription and signature, the artist was likely a friend of Deputy Magistrate Lin.
The six-panel sandalwood screen displayed the calligraphy of "Gang Tang(Wild Pear Tree)[1]", written in flowing regular script[2], clearly penned by Deputy Magistrate Lin himself.
The poem "Gang Tang" from the Book of Songs reminisces about Duke of Shao, known for his dedication to governance and love for the people. Under the wild pear tree, he would ‘administer justice and conduct affairs.’ After his death, "the common folk, in fond remembrance of Duke of Shao's governance, held the pear tree dear and dared not bring axe to its trunk[3]"—a sentiment akin to modern-day fans' attachment to people and things associated with them. This poem reflected that idea.
To live a life of dedicated service and be revered and remembered after death is a quintessential Confucian ideal. Yet, with the contrastingly detached tone of the "Snow Cottage Chess" painting…it seems our Deputy Magistrate Lin possesses a touch of the scholar's classic penchant for duality
When seated in the lofty halls of power, they yearn for the peaceful joy of retreating to the mountains and forests; yet when residing in the distant rivers and lakes, they ponder the grandeur of purple robes and jade belts, commanding the empire. Such is the heart of a scholar..
Lin Yan and Shen Shaoguang sat across from each other on the chair as the maidservant brought in tea. They sipped the tea together.
As Shen Shaoguang’s gaze lingered on the folding screen, Lin Yan followed her line of sight.
Amused internally, Shen Shaoguang smiled and said, "Your calligraphy is truly excellent, sir. You must gift me a piece someday."
Given her earlier melancholic demeanor, Lin Yan sought to soothe her and replied gently, "I’ll write a screen for you as well. You can place it beside the reclining chair in your central room to block the wind."
Shen Shaoguang recalled the headboard screen Lin Yan had previously given her for the pillow. If she was not mistaken, the Wild Pear Tree screen likely concealed his bedroom behind it. She wondered if Deputy Magistrate Lin’s headboard screen was as solemn and earnest as this Wild Pear Tree screen.
Shen Shaoguang, always eager to tease, said, "I don’t want this Wild Pear Tree screen…"
Lin Yan smiled and asked, "What would you like then?"
"I already have screens depicting summer and autumn ponds. How about a winter scene?"
With the maidservants absent, Shen Shaoguang gave a flirtatious smile and asked softly, "Hmm, Sir Yan, what pattern is on your headboard screen?"
Lin Yan glanced at her, pressed his lips together, and then stepped down from the seating area, taking her hand. "Go and see for yourself."
Shen Shaoguang smiled and allowed him to lead her.
Lin Yan’s bedroom was spacious, with a similar style to the rest of the courtyard—broad, dignified, and serene. It featured a simple large bed without a canopy, only a small screen placed at the foot of the bed.
The screen, being a single panel, was unadorned, revealing a scene that was identical to the one on Shen Shaoguang’s screen: a vast lake with reeds, though hers was divided into several panels while this one was a single piece.
Shen Shaoguang had initially thought the screens were from the same lotus pond series, but she was surprised to find they were exactly the same.
Tilting her head to look at him, Shen Shaoguang saw Lin Yan smiling warmly but held her hand more tightly.
With her other hand, Shen Shaoguang lightly tapped Lin Yan’s chest, her expression a mix of amusement. "This place—abundantly clear."
Lin Yan took hold of her naughty hand, freeing his other arm, and wrapped it around her waist.
"A'Ji—" Lin Yan whispered her name softly.
Being held so closely, with his eyes, nose, and lips so near, Shen Shaoguang felt a bit nervous. She could hear the sound of their heartbeat quickening, but was unsure if it was his or her own.
Lin Yan closed his eyes, lowered his head, and kissed her.
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T/N: AHHHHH they kissed!!!!! (,,¬﹏¬,,) I love it! (づ> v <)づ♡ Sorry I had to cut the chapter here, but it was the best I could do!
Also, the names of the peonies should be made up, because I can’t find anything about them.
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Footnotes:
[1] Gang Tang (Wild Pear Tree/甘棠) - By Li Yu, the third ruler of the Southern Tang dynasty of China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. You can read the translation of this poem here - https://ctext.org/book-of-poetry/gan-tang/ens
[2] flowing regular script (行楷) - is a style of Chinese calligraphy that blends elements of semi-cursive script and regular script. It is more fluid and informal than the regular script, allowing for quicker writing while still maintaining clarity and structure. Source: https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E8%A1%8C%E6%A5%B7/9415199
[3] ‘The common folk, in fond remembrance of Duke of Shao's governance, held the pear tree dear and dared not bring axe to its trunk’ (民人思召公之政，怀棠树不敢伐) - is a quote from "Records of the Grand Historian" (《史记》), specifically in the section titled "House of Yan Shaogong" (燕召公世家). There is no translation, so this is in the original langauge - https://ctext.org/shiji/yan-zhao-gong-shi-jia/ens