Chapter 141: The Web

Over the past few days, a strange mood would occasionally cross Su Chonghua's mind. As for the specific reason behind this, even he found it somewhat difficult to articulate.

For a long time, owing to the Elder's high regard, Su Chonghua's status within the Su family had never been low. Moreover, since the true manager of Yushan Academy was Su Zhongkan, over the years he could be considered an important participant in the Su family's Second Branch. Recently, when the Second and Third Branches joined forces to move against the Eldest Branch—preparing to first eliminate this thinly populated yet seemingly most threatening faction within the Su family—he had also taken part. Occasionally at various gatherings, when discussing the current situation of the Second Branch, though external troubles had not yet been fully resolved, internal anxieties were at least somewhat settled. They had taken a massive stride forward on the path toward seizing the true managerial authority of the Su family, and regarding this, everyone's spirits were quite buoyant.

Today could be considered a major day. Ever since waking up in the morning, he understood the significance of such an event, and everyone's mood was somewhat out of the ordinary. Early in the morning, when he ran into Su Zhongkan in the nearby courtyard, along with several other shopkeepers and stewards close to the Second Branch, everyone exchanged bright smiles and pleasantries.

He naturally understood that tonight's outcome was already sealed. Su Tan'er had spent far too much money preparing to become an imperial merchant, yet this had failed to yield any returns, ultimately leading the external merchants to begin distrusting the Su family. All these matters could finally be brought to light tonight. With many people within the Su family exerting their influence together, those elders who had originally opposed a woman managing the household—or who had previously wavered on the matter—began standing with the Second and Third Branches. Even the traditionally formidable Third Uncle was powerless at this moment.

Yet, amidst the anticipation overflowing in the hearts of the Second Branch's people, that peculiar sentiment would still occasionally surface, especially during these past few days when he caught glimpses of Ning Yi's leisurely and carefree figure from the corner of his eye, planting extraneous, tangled thoughts in his mind.

*Waves Washing the Sand*...

What he occasionally recalled was precisely that *Ci* poem he had seen a few days ago. That poem was truly magnificent.

Su Chonghua actually possessed genuine talent and was a moderately well-known scholar in Jiangning. Having written poetry and *Ci* for so many years, there were naturally very few works that could shock him the very first moment he laid eyes on them. Coincidentally, Ning Yi's previous two pieces had both been of that caliber—though the drinking song with Pei Di obviously didn't count—and the *Ci* he had seen this time was no exception. Of course, if one were to look at it entirely in isolation, he would think the poem was merely a scholar's self-consolation and self-infatuation, clearly defeated yet stubbornly portraying oneself as the victor, and the very fact that this poetry was hidden away out of fear of showing it was proof enough.

However... every time he actually saw Ning Yi, connected it with this *Ci*, or saw other poems written by different people, that feeling would invariably take on a different shade. Su Chonghua was now standing on the side of the private school's classroom, watching with a thoughtful expression.

"...Here we are speaking of the science of counting with counting rods; everyone will learn this in the afternoon. However, I don't necessarily intend to tell you how to calculate right now, but rather some of the logical systems within rod calculus—the principles and methods of thinking through things—which are extremely interesting... In the far West, there is a country called Greece, and there is a story there known as Zeno's Paradox. One day, a lightning-fast hero encounters a tortoise. The tortoise says: 'If you race against me, you will never catch up to me...'"

At the front of the classroom, Ning Yi was smiling as he lectured, his chalk drawing lines on the blackboard: "The hero says, no matter how slowly I run, my speed is still ten times yours; how could I possibly fail to catch you? So the tortoise says, let us make an analogy: you are a hundred zhang away from me, and your speed is ten times mine. Then you come to chase me. When you have run one hundred zhang to reach my current position, I have run forward ten zhang. Therefore, you continue to chase for ten more zhang, but by this time, I have run forward another zhang. Once you pass this zhang, I am still ahead of you... You can continuously approach me, but you will never catch up to me. The hero thinks what he says is correct, and is left completely bewildered..."

His lessons were always like this. Clearly meant to be expositions on classics like the *Great Learning* or the *Doctrine of the Mean*, he would invariably drag in all sorts of miscellaneous topics, yet they were usually quite engaging. In the back, a new disciple named Zhou Junwu raised his hand: "Teacher, where is Greece?" Whereupon Ning Yi would smile and begin explaining Greece.

Looking at this figure—so leisurely that he seemed entirely indifferent to today's events, or indeed to the changes in the Su family over the past month and more—paired with that *Ci* poem *Waves Washing the Sand*, that bizarre sensation welled up again. He frowned for a long while before turning and walking away.

This Liheng possesses truly profound skill in composing *Ci*, managing to influence even me with just a single piece.

Su Chonghua thought to himself, then shook his head...

The morning gradually passed, and afternoon arrived. Several courtyards of the Su family were crowded with people, as bustling as the Lunar New Year. By this time, the factions had finally become completely distinct; there was no need for excessive caution, only to wait for tonight's events to unfold. Members of the Eldest, Second, and Third Branches were still arriving in a steady stream.

Su Yu's courtyard was likewise filled with an endless stream of visitors today.

"...I also feel that since the Second Lass has shouldered so many matters for the household, the pressure is simply too great after all. Everyone naturally knows her capability; if the Eldest Branch had a male heir capable of taking over, even if an incident occurred this time, we would feel she could continue managing things. But after all..."

"At this juncture, the situation with the Third Branch truly cannot sustain this hard deadlock any longer, Third Brother..."

"Alas, if Boyong hadn't met with misfortune..."

In the reception room, the furnishings were not particularly lavish, but they appeared steadfast and dignified. Su Yu sat in the seat of honor, leaning on his walking stick, eyes closed in rest. Below him, people spoke one after another. These were the old brothers of the family; the clan assembly tonight ultimately relied on them to step forward and make the decision. It was always best to sound each other out beforehand and sketch out a rough consensus regarding the matters to be discussed tonight.

Setting aside various stances and vested interests, how could they possibly be unaware of Su Tan'er's competence? Yet given the current situation of the Su family, it was undeniably a matter of the Third Branch seizing assets. Su Boyong had fallen, and nothing could be done about it. If Su Tan'er continued to stubbornly hold on, it would in the end likely devolve into a vicious cycle of internal attrition. Su Yu clearly understood these matters as well, yet up to this point, he had not explicitly stated his position.

The old gentleman's prestige was, after all, immense. Without him stating his position, it was impossible for this matter to take shape, and by evening, arguments would inevitably break out. They were all elderly men, and most of them wished to avoid such occurrences. After all, the Third Branch's seizure of assets still had Su Yu presiding over it; if the old gentleman failed to see reason and insisted on standing by his granddaughter's side to fight to the death with everyone when evening came, the consequences for this family would be hard to predict.

Although Su Yu had remained extremely clear-headed all these years, people grew old, and no one knew whether he might suddenly become stubborn tonight.

"Therefore, Third Brother, regarding these matters, you really must give us a word."

Old Qi, sitting below, grew somewhat anxious, stood up to speak, and exchanged glances with the others. Several other elders chimed in in agreement. Su Yu opened his eyes a slit, squinted at them, and asked, "Give what word?"

"What on earth do you plan to do about the Second Lass's matter? There has to be a definitive number; once you speak, we'll have peace of mind..."

"Even I don't have peace of mind in my heart, so how can I give you a definitive number?"

"No... Third Brother, this matter... you cannot have no peace of mind. For so many years, everyone has listened to you."

"When evening comes, we must listen to what Eldest, Second, and Third have to say, what the others have to say, and what the Second Lass has to say. Only then will the matter become clear, and everyone will see it clearly."

"Third Brother, you are simply talking nonsense now. Of course we will listen to what they have to say when the time comes, but everyone already knows roughly what they will say. If you don't state your position first, we..."

"Old Qi."

His walking stick struck the floor. Su Yu looked at his seventh younger brother, who was just past fifty, his gaze then softening as he let out a sigh. "Until the very end, no one knows what it will truly look like. In short, when the time comes, if something makes sense, you follow it; if it doesn't make sense, you let it go. As long as nobody starts talking nonsense, that's enough. Right now, even I cannot see through this matter."

The old man closed his eyes and continued to rest: "In any case, we will discuss it tonight."

The afternoon sunlight shone upon the doorway, casting a vast expanse of bright light. The buzzing sound of discussion rose up once more...

*Brush, brush, brush...* In a somewhat secluded teahouse, three maidservants and several stewards were busy turning the pages of numerous ledgers, copying items down. Opposite them sat several core members of the Wu family. Sunlight filtered down past the eaves, a breeze drifted by, and occasional whispers of conversation could be heard.

Su Tan'er sat to one side, quietly drinking tea. Ever since the Wu family capitulated, everything had gone smoothly, and the two sides were now on the verge of forming a tacit understanding of cooperation. Of course, the party forced into cooperation was certainly not happy about it.

Wu Qilong was also quietly drinking tea not far away, gazing at the patch of sunlight on the floor not far from his feet. Ever since the first day when Wu Chenghou failed to appear, Wu Qilong had taken charge.

"Tonight, I hear Xue Yan and the others have arranged to dine at Yuexiang House near Persimmon Street. The Lü family and Chen family will most likely have people attending as well," Wu Qilong spat out a bit of tea foam, speaking as though discussing a matter entirely unrelated to himself. "They are very concerned about this affair, and their expressions afterward might prove quite interesting." Though he spoke of it as interesting, the expression on his face was entirely devoid of amusement.

Su Tan'er could no longer be bothered to use such matters to provoke him. The first day had been tit-for-tat, establishing dominance right out of the gate, but after that, such things mattered little: "As agreed beforehand, the rest of the information should be told to me today."

Wu Qilong glanced sideways: "Later. I'll tell you as late as possible just because it pleases me."

"As you like." Su Tan'er turned her gaze aside. "However, if the person gets dragged away by you, I might swallow this bitter pill, but my father certainly won't."

"Hmph."

Wu Qilong let out a cold snort. After a moment, he asked, "What is that husband of yours doing right now?"

***

"Strolling around, finding friends to play chess, or going to listen to some young lady sing." Su Tan'er looked up and smiled. "As for my husband's affairs outside, as his wife, it doesn't do for me to ask too much... Managing the household well is enough."

Ning Yi was indeed watching a young lady perform.

On the second floor of Zhuji, Ning Yi was seated near a table, drinking tea and eating small pastries. Nowadays, there were regular musical performances by singing girls in this restaurant, though the performance Ning Yi was watching did not refer to this.

Yuan Jin'er was sitting right beside him at the moment, while diagonally across at no great distance, the renowned talented scholar named Liu Qingdi was also seated, casting his gaze toward them.

A few days prior, Liu Qingdi had already tracked down Zhuji. It was unclear through what channels he had managed to locate Yuan Jin'er, but regardless, he had been coming frequently of late. Today, with Yuan Jin'er here and Ning Yi present as well, she had simply walked over with an unhurried grace and seated herself next to Ning Yi, maintaining an intimate attitude toward him.

Jianghu rumors had long held that Yuan Jin'er had past entanglements with both Cao Guan and Liu Qingdi. Just how deep the feelings between talented scholars and beauties ran was hard to say; perhaps it didn't reach the level of Gu Yanzhen's previous distorted psychological state, but Liu Qingdi's grievance toward Ning Yi was well-founded. For a complex web of reasons—such as both being celebrated talents, or Yuan Jin'er's previous performance—being constantly stared at like this left Ning Yi somewhat helpless. This grudge had been forged back at Yanping Tower, and it appeared impossible to resolve anytime soon.

"Do you find this interesting?"

Ning Yi smiled and leaned closer to Yuan Jin'er.

"Very... interesting indeed."

Yuan Jin'er leaned in as well, adopting a demure, bird-nesting posture. In reality, Ning Yi couldn't take advantage of her in the slightest; a courtesan supreme remained a courtesan supreme, maintaining physical distance with her hands while gently pushing Ning Yi away.

"And Yunzhu?"

"Sister Yunzhu said she wouldn't come out to join the bustle; she's inside organizing the account books. So I had no choice but to come out and keep this great hero company."

At the onset of winter, both of their garments were somewhat thick, and Yuan Jin'er was dressed rather prettily. From the outside, the two of them looked as though they were huddled close together, squirming back and forth across a tiny gap of space. Liu Qingdi, watching from over there, looked as though his eyes were about to spew fire.

"Since our relationship is currently this ambiguous, you tell me: if I were to take liberties with you, wouldn't that be entirely reasonable?"

"Very well, this maiden will cast caution to the wind and sacrifice her virtue, just so Sister Yunzhu can see what kind of person you truly are."

"Do you think I'm afraid?"

"Come on then."

"If I pass up free advantages... you are making things very difficult for me..."

Yuan Jin'er pursed her lips into a smile, appearing utterly pure. Their gazes met in mid-air, sparking invisible friction. The next instant, just as Ning Yi intended to perform a high-risk maneuver, Yuan Jin'er twisted her body, and a crisp "啪" (*slap*) rang out clearly through the second-floor hall. Liu Qingdi, who had previously averted his eyes from the sight of these two scoundrels, snapped his gaze back over, and everyone else turned to look as well.

In their field of vision, the pure and beautiful young maiden stood up and hurriedly retreated two steps. The items on the table rattled with a *clatter*. With one hand cradling her cheek, she stared at Ning Yi sitting there, tears already welling in her eyes—truly a picture of pear blossoms drenched in rain, stirring deep pity.

"Scoundrel!"

Damn it, she beat me to the punch...

That slap hadn't connected at all. Yuan Jin'er had appeared to stand up abruptly and swing her hand across, but in reality, only her wide sleeve brushed past Ning Yi's face. However, having trained in dance, her sleeves were extraordinarily broad, and she had clapped her hands together sharply in front of her lower body, instantly creating what appeared to onlookers to be a terribly humiliating slap.

"Beast! Impetuous! Despicable rake..."

Yuan Jin'er wiped her tears, winked one eye at Ning Yi, who twitched his mouth and thought, *You're ruthless.* Over there, Liu Qingdi had already abruptly stood up. Yuan Jin'er choked out, "I haven't even promised myself to you yet, how... how could you act this way..."

Then she ran off.

There were probably quite a few people in the restaurant just as indignant as Liu Qingdi, but upon hearing Yuan Jin'er's final spoiled and reproachful tone, they suddenly found themselves unsure of the true nature of the relationship between these two. Ning Yi sighed, raised his teacup, and turned his face away.

A few shop assistants who understood the true relationship between Ning Yi, Yuan Jin'er, and Nie Yunzhu stood frozen for a long while, entirely at a loss as to what games these bosses were playing at.

This tea was impossible to drink anymore...

Yuan Jin'er scampered into the inner room, looking immensely pleased with herself down the corridor. After brewing her emotions for a moment, she wiped her tears again, pushed open the inner door, covered her face, and cried with consummate sincerity: "Sister Yunzhu, Ning Yi is getting more and more out of hand. I was just joking with him, but he took liberties with me, and so many people saw it. If you don't believe me, go ask Xiao Ding and the others..."

Zhunzhu froze for a long moment: "In broad daylight... how did he take liberties with you?"

"He kissed me on the cheek." Yuan Jin'er sat down beside Yunzhu, sniffed, and cast a stubborn gaze. "It was supposed to be a joke, but he definitely did it on purpose!"

Zhunzhu cupped her face and examined it for a moment, then leaned in and kissed her cheek: "There. Now I've helped him take liberties with you."

"Really!" Yuan Jin'er protested. "Sister Yunzhu, you always believe him and never me!"

"In broad daylight, do you really think he'd do something like that? And you expect me to believe you... Come help me with the ledgers."

"These are terribly hard to calculate... No wait, why wouldn't he? Men are all like that, and he thought he was being subtle. You don't believe it happened in broad daylight, but that's exactly why—he calculated that exact blind spot! It's too sinister! What if next time he does that to me in broad daylight..." Yuan Jin'er struggled for a moment "...does *that* to me, Sister Yunzhu, you still won't believe me..."

Although both had formerly been pure courtesans, the subtle immersion within the pleasure quarters was profound indeed; such words were certainly something ordinary young women could never utter. Yunzhu burst into a fit of laughter: "If he... if he really does *that* to you in broad daylight, hmm, whatever it might be, I still won't believe it..."

Yuan Jin'er tightened her face, then couldn't help laughing along: "Anyway, you're just biased." She turned to help with the ledgers.

"The man has matters to attend to tonight, you shouldn't constantly go and bother him."

"I bother him because I like him, it's not because I dislike him, you know..."

***

*Thud.* Setting down the teacup, Su Chonghua was startled out of his thoughts by the sound as the afternoon sunlight began to take on a warm, golden hue, spilling into the teahouse. He looked toward the middle-aged man sitting opposite him.

"Brother Chonghua seems to have something on his mind these past few days. Could it be that you are worrying about tonight's family affairs?"

The middle-aged man sitting before him was tall and thin with a wispy goat-beard. He was one of Su Chonghua's regular poetry companions, named Chen Lü, styled "Hermit Kongshan," and enjoyed a certain reputation in Jiangning. Having bumped into Su Chonghua on the street that afternoon, he had suggested coming in for tea.

"Ah, tonight... there likely won't be much of an issue..."

"Brother Chonghua, do not keep secrets from me. I heard that with your Su family clan assembly approaching these past few days, there will be major changes. When you attended the poetry gathering two days ago, you also seemed somewhat distracted and completely devoid of interest. If you aren't troubled by this, what else could it be? If tonight truly turns out to be uneventful, why don't you and I simply ignore those secular trivialities and attend the gathering at Changyun Pavilion instead? That would be far better."

"The clan assembly—even if the outcome has little to do with me, I must still attend after all." Su Chonghua smiled, then mused, "Ah, but speaking of the poetry gathering a few days ago... actually, I was merely feeling a sense of lamentation regarding the craft of poetry, realizing just how much innate talent it truly requires. A few days ago, I saw a *Ci* poem, and my heart was deeply conflicted. I've found myself recalling it constantly these past few days—ah, to the point of losing all interest in writing poetry myself. Yet the person who wrote it, well, he truly is not a desirable individual..."

"Oh?" Chen Lü's interest was piqued. "By your account, this poem is exceptionally good?"

"Exceedingly good." Su Chonghua shook his head. "It's just that when you match the person who wrote it with the poem itself, it genuinely leaves one sighing with mixed emotions."

"Brother Chonghua, hearing you speak thus makes me all the more curious. Do not keep me in suspense any longer."

"Ah, this was written by a younger cousin within my family, a man named Ning Yi, style name Liheng. Brother Kongshan, you have already heard tales of this person's deeds in the past. The current predicament of our Su family is partly due to him as well... A few days ago, he casually tossed off a *Ci* poem, merely handing it to a nine-year-old child in the family to read privately. I happened to see it by chance. This *Ci*—*Waves Washing the Sand*—its artistic conception is unlike anything I have ever encountered in my life, and compared to his previous two pieces, it is not the least bit inferior. Consequently, whenever I see this man, or read other people's poetry, I cannot help but recall it, feeling rather listless when it comes to composing verse myself. Yet this man is, frankly, quite objectionable..."

Su Chonghua shook his head, dipped his finger into a puddle of spilled tea, and—under the late afternoon sun—began writing out the lyrics while lamenting, as if wanting to savor the poem once more through this act. Across from him, the middle-aged man listened and watched the lines take shape, his gaze growing increasingly solemn...

***

In front of a small teahouse on the other side of the city, carriages had already arrived. Su Tan'er and Wu Qilong stood beneath the eaves, preparing to depart their separate ways. Wu Qilong gazed at the sunlight.

"The people you want are, respectively..."

Su Tan'er's gaze had originally been cool and detached, but upon hearing Wu Qilong utter those names, her eyes flickered slightly, and she furrowed her brows, though she remained silent. It was not until he finished speaking that Su Tan'er pondered for a moment before asking, "Just them?"

"Believe it or not as you wish."

"No, I believe you."

"Oh?"

"Some of the people we already knew. If you had kept anything hidden or held anything back, problems might truly have arisen." She smiled slightly and said, "Do you know what the first thing my husband said upon returning home the day we confronted you?"

"What?"

"Qiguang Zu is a traitor."

"..." Wu Qilong frowned as he looked at her.

"Because the first sentence you said to my husband was: *As expected, it's you*."

"So what?"

"He asked Steward Zhou to fish for information, and Steward Zhou certainly hadn't been drinking. Once problems started arising on your end, you would inevitably try to fish for information. Back then, my husband had designed several methods of accidentally leaking information for Steward Zhou. When facing Qiguang Zu, what Steward Zhou said was that what he admired most was Grandfather and my husband... My husband said you shouldn't have delivered that *'as expected'* with so many twists and turns; the moment he heard it, he knew whether you were merely guessing or had absolute certainty... I just hadn't expected those others to be involved as well..."

A heavy silence fell, sucking Wu Qilong down into a freezing abyss. Su Tan'er glanced at him.

"I'm leaving. Let's cooperate properly from now on; I have no wish to drive the Wu family to total annihilation, as that would reflect poorly on my Su family's reputation."

Turning away, Su Tan'er's gaze turned frosty. Wu Qilong stood there, watching Su Tan'er's carriage drive off. Even with the sunlight shining upon him, he felt no warmth. Over yonder, Ning Yi's casual figure seemed to be standing right there, casting his gaze over and projecting that shadow across the entire Wu family...

***

Inside the Su residence, people were talking and laughing as they emerged from various courtyards. The bustling noise—a mixture of ease, anxiety, joviality, and covert delight—gathered together much like the festive crowds of the Lunar New Year. Greetings and pleasantries were exchanged on all sides.

The evening banquet was nearly prepared; only after the banquet would the clan assembly take place—the gathering that would determine the direction of the Su family for years to come. Out in the city, Xue Yan, Xue Jin, and others had also left their homes, hurrying in groups toward tonight's gathering place.

"Hurry up, hurry up! Tonight's gathering cost a heavy sum to invite the courtesan supreme over; you fellows are in for a treat, so make sure to put on a good show when the time comes..."

"A courtesan supreme? Could it be Lady Qilan?"

As merchants, the Xue family generally enjoyed good relations with the Puyang family of Puyang. This year, the Puyang family had promoted Qilan to the title of courtesan supreme in the courtesan contest. Since it wasn't the peak season, anyone they managed to invite would most likely be her. However, Xue Yan shook his head.

"I originally wanted to invite Lady Qilan over, but Puyang Yi is also hosting a banqueting feast today, and a bunch of literary scholars like Cao Guan and Liu Qingdi are all attending. That's a matter of the Puyang family's face, so Qilan must preside over it. Consequently, I managed to invite Luo Miaomiao instead..."

Meanwhile, Su Chonghua, who had lingered outside all afternoon, was also riding his carriage back toward the estate. Ning Yi had bid farewell to Yunzhu and was likewise walking down the street leading home. Other members of the Su family who had been out were also converging back toward the residence.

The carriages rumbled through the streets and alleys. Su Tan'er sat inside the carriage compartment, closing her eyes as she pondered numerous matters. Presently, she produced a slip of paper and wrote three names upon it. When she lifted the carriage curtain, Guard Geng was sitting on the outer carriage shaft and turned his head back.

Su Tan'er handed the slip of paper to him, her gaze icy: "Execute this as planned. Be careful—don't let the Wu family pull a fast one on us in the end."

Guard Geng nodded, tucked the note into his bosom, leapt down from the moving carriage, and sprinted off in another direction.

Sunlight streamed in through the lifted carriage curtain, carrying no warmth.

A short while later, in a certain rendezvous room, Guard Geng showed the three names to another person before dropping the slip of paper into a fire to burn.

Outside a certain shop belonging to the Su family, Xi Junyu sat basking in the sun, silently contemplating all the arrangements he had made along the way. After a moment, he sighed, though he also managed a slight smile, stood up, and walked toward the Su residence.

"It's nearly time to eat, everyone prepare to head over." In Su Yu's courtyard, inside the reception room, the old man at the head finally opened his eyes, smiled, and spoke. Following that, everyone began to stand up, streaming out the door amidst a clatter of fragmented chatter.

Su Boyong, whose complexion remained pale, sat in a wooden wheelchair, pushed out the door by his wife and concubine. In the courtyard outside, including Su Yunsong and Su Danhong, numerous stewards belonging to the Eldest Branch were waiting for him. He smiled and waved his hand, though his expression remained frail: "Let's go, let's go, we'll be quite busy tonight..."

Su Zhongkan, Su Yunfang, Xi Anzhi, Yu Daxian, Su Wenxing, Su Wengui, Su Wenji... Dozens upon dozens of people, enmeshed in various nets of interest, began to tighten their hold.

The entrance of the Su estate was lively as well. Su Tan'er stepped down from her carriage, and shortly thereafter, she caught sight of her husband not far ahead, having just finished exchanging greetings and pleasantries with a Su family relative. Smiling, she walked over to him.

"Husband, let's go inside."

*Actually wrote seven thousand words, I'm truly amazing ^_^ RO!~!*