Chapter 96.1 Paying a Formal Visit to Chancellor Li
Once the Laba Festival passed, the Lunar New Year seemed to approach with lightning speed. Shen Shaoguang was swamped—inspecting her taverns, updating the menu, balancing year-end accounts, and preparing for the New Year’s gifts. Amidst all this, she somehow managed to squeeze in time for romance.
Deputy Magistrate Lin was busy as well, and couldn’t visit Shen Shaoguang every day. Yet, whenever he came by and found her absent, though he would say, "It’s no matter," the next time they met, his eyes betrayed a touch of ‘hidden bitterness’.
Perhaps it was his striking looks that made this half-joking, half-serious "melancholy" all the more irresistible, often leaving Shen Shaoguang a little unsettled. A man who could pull off such charm…
Could you possibly reason with him at a time like this? Absolutely not! Shen Shaoguang would find herself yearning to transform into one of those wealthy tycoons, willing to spend fortunes just to coax a smile from their beauties. She imagined saying, "I’ll buy you an emerald necklace with dozens of carats," or "Let me get you a mansion with three hundred rooms," or even "How about a fleet of luxury cars? A yacht? A private island?"
…But then she remembered her mortgage. Alas, dreams must come to an end.
Seeing Shen Shaoguang's expression shift through various emotions, Lin Yan smiled and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
"I'm reminiscing," she replied with a playful tone. "Suddenly, I understand why King You of Zhou lit the fire beacons just to make Beauty Bao smile[1]. When the beauty is pleased, what does an empire matter? Ancestors’ legacies? Riches and power? Bah, throw it all away! Throw it all away! Who needs them?" She dramatically waved her sleeve like an overindulgent aristocrat flaunting their wealth.
Lin Yan couldn't help but laugh at her theatrics.
Shen Shaoguang rested her cheek on her hand and mused, "Sir Yan, why are you so good looking?"
"The young nobles from the East Market may be dashing, but they lack the refined air of an intellectual. The exam-taking scholars may possess grace, but they lack majestic presence. As for the officials who sometimes visit the tavern, they might have both presence and elegance, but they're either too old or, if young, not handsome enough…I’m a bit flustered by it," Shen Shaoguang sighed and shook her head. "Why is that, I wonder? I never used to be so particular about appearances."
Lin Yan laughed even more. My A’Ji really knows how to charm people—she could bring the dead back to life with her words.
Shen Shaoguang smoothly shifted the topic. "Every time I do my rounds at the taverns, if I come across a delicious new dish, I think to myself, 'Our Deputy Magistrate Lin would probably like this, I’ll have to let him try it one day.' And if I hear some amusing anecdote, I imagine telling you about it, but then I think it would be better if you experienced it firsthand—my retelling would lack the humor. When I pass by the horse market, I always take a look, thinking which steed would suit you. Even if I don’t buy cosmetics, I’d gladly buy a horse for you."
She paused, her voice softening. "Today, on the way back in the carriage, I lifted the curtain and saw a figure that looked like you. I turned and stared for a long time."
"I truly wish I could be with you every day," Shen Shaoguang sighed.
Lin Yan, who had been smiling initially, felt deeply moved by her words. He too had found himself thinking of her often, wishing they could be together all the time.
Lin Yan gently brushed his fingers through Shen Shaoguang's hair and softly caressed her cheek. His eyes were filled with tenderness as he leaned closer, their foreheads touching. "A'Ji," he murmured.
"Hmm?"
"To think that mutual affection could be such a wonderful thing."
...
Shen Shaoguang, with her silver tongue, managed to spare herself the cost of extravagant gifts—no emerald necklaces, no mansions with hundreds of rooms, nor luxury cars, yachts, or private islands. Instead, she gained Beauty Lin's heartfelt understanding and received a declaration of love, demonstrating that sometimes, words are worth their weight in gold.
In the realm of romantic success, Shen Shaoguang was thriving, and her business was also flourishing. With the end of the hot pot month, the New Year’s banquet season began. All the branches were featuring various grand and festive dishes with auspicious names, while the taverns’ poetry walls were adorned in bright red, creating a lively atmosphere. New Year’s themed performances had been scheduled, and the poetry collection, with Deputy Magistrate Lin’s preface, were now available both in the taverns and in bookstores across the city.
As a gifted scholar from Hedong and a youthful laureate jinshi, Deputy Magistrate Lin’s preface stood out. His prose, with its alternating between loose and structured forms, was profound and elegant. It not only addressed the purpose and significance of scholarly pursuits but also added a touch of leisure and enjoyment. Aside from discussing the affairs of state and literature, he spoke of enjoyments in life, such as savoring tea, appreciating flowers, listening to the rain while burning incense, and engaging in banquets and poetry exchanges; suggesting not becoming a withered tree or a decayed scholar.
With such a preface, the entire collection acquired a more polished and esteemed aura, transforming the promotional pamphlet into a work that felt like a true publication. Many scholars came to peruse the poetry collection, and upon reading the preface, exclaimed in admiration. Their curiosity was piqued regarding the identity of the "Owner of the East Main," a name Lin Yan had whimsically chosen based on his home being located east of Shen Shaoguang’s residence.
The waitstaff, adhering to their master's instructions, merely mentioned that the preface was written by a friend of the proprietress.
Some scholars inquired, "Such a refined piece of writing surely isn’t the work of an ordinary person—perhaps it’s by a court official?"
The waitstaff, as adeptly cunning as their master, responded with a seemingly honest smile, "How could we know the details of our master's affairs…"
Upon hearing the feedback from both her taverns and the bookstores, Shen Shaoguang realized that her initial estimate of "a decade or so" for the collection to gain traction might have been too conservative. Our Deputy Magistrate Lin had single-handedly accelerated the process.
…
Before heading to Chancellor Li’s residence, Shen Shaoguang took the opportunity to lavish praise on Lin Yan during breakfast at her home. While Lin Yan's poetry and prose might surpass Shen Shaoguang’s, in terms of conversational skills, no number of Lin Yan could match Shen Shaoguang’s prowess.
Lin Yan, who was accustomed to rising early, arrived at Shen Shaoguang’s home just as she was about to have breakfast. Naturally, he accepted her invitation to join. During the meal, Shen Shaoguang spoke highly of the acclaim the preface had received, playfully asserting that Lin Yan’s talents were no less than those of Li, Du, Han, and Liu [2].
Lin Yan smiled as he listened to Shen Shaoguang's exaggerations, but his thoughts wandered elsewhere. He imagined a future where each morning was spent like this, having breakfast with A'Ji, enjoying her lively and charming banter. It seemed like a perfect life. However, he was soon torn by a dilemma: while he was accustomed to rising early for court, he didn’t want to impose such an early schedule on her. She was so delicate; it would be better for her to sleep in. Perhaps they could share breakfast only on the rest days.
Shen Shaoguang, meanwhile, was blissfully unaware that the Deputy Magistrate Lin, who was elegantly savoring his wonton soup, was already dreaming of a life where they spent every ‘dawn to dusk’ together. She continued extolling extravagant praises, oblivious to the deeper musings behind his serene smile.
.
.
.
Footnotes:
[1] King You of Zhou lit the fire beacons just to make Beauty Bao smile - Bao Si (褒姒) was the concubine of the ancient Chinese sovereign King You of Zhou. She was considered one of the most beautiful Chinese women. Bao Si was of a melancholic disposition so King You offered a thousand ounces of gold to anyone who could make her laugh. Someone at the court suggested lighting the warning beacons of Mount Li usually used to summon armies from the surrounding vassal states in times of danger. The nobles duly arrived at the court only to find themselves laughed at by Bao Si. Even after King You had impressed Bao Si, he continued to abuse his use of warning beacons and so lost the trust of the nobles.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bao_Si#:~:text=Si%20was%20of,warning%20beacons%20and
[2] Li, Du, Han, and Liu (李杜韩柳) - refers to the collective name of the four big Tang Dynasty literary figures: Li Bai, Du Fu, Han Yu, and Liu Zongyuan.
Source: https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%9D%8E%E6%9D%9C%E9%9F%93%E6%9F%B3/2601091