Chapter 145: Necessary vs. Unnecessary
Li Xiaonan called out to Mei Jie, then stepped over the threshold. Wan Jing pressed close to Li Xiaonan and gritted her teeth, “Can’t you be a bit more ambitious!”
“Where am I not ambitious?” Li Xiaonan asked, bewildered.
“Our Young Lord said he’s treating you to a meal. He also said that if you refused to come out, claiming you hadn’t eaten, you should say he’s treating you. Look at you, all for the sake of a meal!” Wan Jing pointed at Li Xiaonan’s shoulder.
“So, are you saying I should go or not? It seems like…” Li Xiaonan paused, “Going is for food, and not going is also for food.”
Wan Jing stared at Li Xiaonan, blinked a few times, and let out a long sigh, “Why are you so gluttonous!”
“Because I am gluttonous, and I’ve never been able to satisfy my cravings properly,” Li Xiaonan sighed too.
Wan Jing looked at her sideways, then pushed her forward, “Then satisfy your cravings today. Eat as much as you want.”
“One meal isn’t enough. Let me tell you, to truly satisfy this craving, you need to eat whatever you want, as much as you want. Eating like this would take at least half a year to a full year to truly quell the craving and be completely over it.”
Li Xiaonan was pushed by Wan Jing, sighing as she walked.
Wan Jing stopped walking, stepped forward, and hugged Li Xiaonan from behind, saying softly, “I can’t get out. Otherwise, I’d treat you to meals every day and feed your cravings until they’re full.”
“It’s much better now. Mei Jie is making leek pancakes. Mei Jie’s leek pancakes are the best in the world. I’m reluctant to leave this, it’s not entirely because of my cravings,” Li Xiaonan reached out to hold Wan Jing’s arm.
“Don’t be so clingy, we’re at the alley entrance,” Wan Jing slapped Li Xiaonan’s hand away, coughed, held her breath, and lowered her eyes.
Li Xiaonan entered the tea house and didn’t see Gu Yan. Shi Gun stood at the staircase entrance, smiling, and bowed to signal Li Xiaonan to go upstairs.
Upstairs wasn’t divided into private rooms, but rather a large hall similar to the one downstairs, with many square tea tables.
A servant stood at the entrance of the corridor leading to the backyard and bowed to Li Xiaonan.
Li Xiaonan walked through the long corridor, turned a corner, and entered another spacious hall.
Gu Yan stood by the floor-to-ceiling window. Hearing footsteps, he turned to look at Li Xiaonan and beckoned her over.
Li Xiaonan stood beside Gu Yan and looked out the window.
A large area of houses was nestled among lush green trees, with the distant lake shimmering.
“This is the Pingjiang Prefectural School,” Gu Yan introduced.
“It’s so beautiful,” Li Xiaonan praised sincerely.
“When our ancestors built the villa, they also renovated the Pingjiang Prefectural School. The teacher who oversaw both the villa and the prefectural school was named Zhou. This small building was where Mr. Zhou spent his later years in retirement.
“Mr. Zhou was a Xiucai Scholar. He wasn’t successful in his studies but loved reading immensely. He lived out his days here and was buried in Yangzhou.
“After that, this small building became part of the villa. After purchasing the tea house in front, I had someone build a covered bridge.”
“The prefectural school is so beautiful, and your family’s library is also extremely beautiful,” Li Xiaonan exclaimed.
“You only went once, why didn’t you go again? Was it because of Miss Shi?” Gu Yan sat down at the table.
“It wasn’t because of her. I was busy with business and didn’t have time,” Li Xiaonan sat down too and sighed.
“How is your business? Are there any troubles?” Gu Yan poured a cup of tea and pushed it towards Li Xiaonan.
“It’s going quite smoothly. We already have seven villages and thirty-nine looms,” Li Xiaonan said cheerfully.
“Oh! Your business has grown so much!” Gu Yan exclaimed with exaggerated surprise, then burst into laughter.
Li Xiaonan gave him a glare and picked up her cup to drink tea.
“I’m happy for you, truly,” Gu Yan explained while laughing.
“What about your Maritime Tax Bureau? How is it going?” Li Xiaonan asked.
“I’ve found a way in,” Gu Yan replied with a smile.
“No wonder you’re so happy.”
“I am very happy, especially hearing that your business has grown so much. Honestly, thirty-nine looms make it a medium-sized weaving workshop.”
Seeing the look of disbelief on Li Xiaonan’s face, Gu Yan quickly changed the subject.
“I had someone steam a boiled fish, stir-fry some shrimp, and make crab roe dumplings. What else would you like to eat?”
“This is enough.”
As they spoke, a servant brought three dishes: steamed boiled fish, clear stir-fried shrimp, and crab roe dumplings, along with drunken chicken, clear broth ham, and two seasonal vegetables. They also brought a bowl of fine noodles and two small bowls of rice.
Li Xiaonan hesitated for a moment, then took a bowl of rice. She first picked up a piece of boiled fish.
Gu Yan didn’t take a bowl of rice. Shi Gun stepped forward, took a small bowl, scooped some fine noodles, poured some clear broth ham soup over them, and brought it to Gu Yan.
Gu Yan slowly ate the noodles, watching Li Xiaonan who was focused on her food.
This little girl was always so engrossed in whatever she ate.
After a quiet meal, Shi Gun brewed tea and brought it over.
“The Autumn Imperial Examination is at the end of October. How is your brother preparing?” Gu Yan asked.
Li Xiaonan froze for a moment, then gave a soft “oh” and didn’t answer Gu Yan’s question, instead asking, “Why do you ask?”
“Your brother was outstanding in the first half of the year, two outstanding performances in a row. If he achieves something this autumn, it would be within reason,” Gu Yan said meaningfully.
“What do you want to do?” Li Xiaonan placed her hands on the table, leaned forward, and asked in a low voice.
“To help out, so your brother can become a Recommended Scholar,” Gu Yan answered directly.
Li Xiaonan slowly let out a long “oh,” leaned back in her chair, looked at Gu Yan, and after a moment of silence, dragged her chair forward, rested her arms on the table, and said to Gu Yan, “Thank you, but.”
Li Xiaonan’s words trailed off. She lowered her eyes, then after a moment, looked up at Gu Yan and asked, “You’ve read my brother’s essays, haven’t you? What do you think? Are they good enough to pass the Autumn Imperial Examination?”
Gu Yan looked at Li Xiaonan and didn’t answer.
“Those essays still took three to five, seven to eight days to write and revise. I also had to review and revise them two or three times.”
Li Xiaonan looked down at her fingers.
“My brother’s scholarship and essays, even now, would find it difficult to pass as a Xiucai Scholar.”
Gu Yan looked at Li Xiaonan, his eyebrows slightly raised.
“Back then, how Third Uncle bullied us, you heard it on the day County Magistrate Huang presided over the trial,” Li Xiaonan glanced at Gu Yan.
Gu Yan nodded.
“That was a major event, but there were more minor incidents. Third Uncle’s family, and the villagers, seemed to have nothing else to do but think of ways to bully us every day.
“They would drain the water from our fields, and instead of using the field paths, they insisted on walking through our fields. They threw water snakes and leeches into our fields. Eldest Sister and Second Sister had to watch over the fields almost every day.
“Whenever Third Aunt was unhappy, she would come to our house and curse at us, blocking the courtyard gate. In half a year, Third Aunt smashed our jars three times. The grandchildren of Third Uncle’s family threw stones and urinated into our courtyard.”
Li Xiaonan’s throat choked up. She lowered her head and after a while, continued, “Eldest Sister worried about Brother. I was always worried about Eldest Sister and Second Sister, afraid they would be so exhausted that they wouldn’t be able to get up.
“It was truly out of desperation that I took the exam under my brother’s name. I never dared to think I could pass as a Xiucai Scholar. I just thought that if I could pass one or two exams, I could ask Mr. Gao to help intercede, so Brother could attend the county school. Our family would sell our land and move to the county town to live.
“Eldest Sister said that as long as we could live, we would survive.
“At that time, I took the exam in his place for the sake of our five siblings’ lives. Now, we shouldn’t do such a thing anymore.”
“A Xiucai Scholar is too low. Besides, there are always those who pass by luck every year when their scholarship and essays aren’t sufficient,” Gu Yan said, trying to persuade her after some thought.
“For our family, a Xiucai Scholar was enough. If heaven truly looked after us and we passed by luck, that would be fortune and destiny. But this isn’t that kind of luck, is it?” Li Xiaonan looked at Gu Yan.
“You don’t need to be too fixated on this,” Gu Yan persuaded again. “Your brother isn’t too bad. Worldly affairs and human relationships are unavoidable.”
Li Xiaonan shook her head. “Eldest Sister always said that taking the exam for Xiucai was a last resort, for survival. Now that we are living well, we shouldn’t be greedy for more.
“Should we act the way others do, based on how the world is and how others are?
“When we were in Little Li Village, Eldest Sister often said: We cannot be like them.
“When Third Uncle was driven to ruin by the clan, Eldest Sister was very angry and said that bullying Third Uncle like that was no different from how Third Uncle bullied us. Eldest Sister wanted to speak in the ancestral hall, and this was the reason.
“Eldest Sister said we should act and live with a clear conscience. I think what Eldest Sister said is very right.”
“Your Eldest Sister is admirable,” Gu Yan said, picking up the teapot to refill Li Xiaonan’s cup.
“However, the entire Liangzhe Circuit, and even the entire Jiangnan, probably know that you and I are friends, or there might be other rumors suggesting that your brother’s participation in the examination doesn’t require my intervention.”
“I’ll go back and discuss it with Eldest Sister and Brother. We won’t take the exam,” Li Xiaonan said after a moment of silence, looking at Gu Yan.
“Why throw the towel in because of a minor setback?” Gu Yan said, somewhat amused.
“We’ll take the exam when Brother’s scholarship and essays are sufficient for a Recommended Scholar. As people, our hearts must be at peace first. Otherwise, we won’t taste the delicious food, we won’t see the beautiful scenery, we won’t have the mood, right?” Li Xiaonan said with a smile.
“No wonder you eat everything so deliciously. I’ve learned a lot,” Gu Yan cupped his hands and said with a smile.
