Chapter Forty-Five: An Encounter with a Former Classmate on the Road

After selling the medicinal herbs, Mrs. Luo and An Yi headed to the Red Embroidery Workshop. At that moment, Aunt Liu and Xin Liu were already standing outside the Red Spinning Workshop. Sister Ping recognized them but paid them little mind, perfunctorily telling them that Mrs. Luo and An Yi had already left, so the mother and daughter had no choice but to depart. No sooner had they gone than Mrs. Luo and An Yi arrived.

“Sister An is here,” Sister Ping greeted Mrs. Luo, while winking at An Yi.

An Yi understood, “Mother, I'll wait for you here. I won't go inside.”

“Be good, don’t disturb Sister Ping while she’s working.”

“Xiao Xi’er is very well-behaved, she won’t bother me at all,” Sister Ping laughed.

Mrs. Luo smiled, carrying her bundle inside to make her delivery.

Sister Ping leaned in close to An Yi, boasting, “Those two who followed you last time came again. I tricked them, told them you’d already been by, and they left.”

“Sister Ping, thank you so much.” An Yi’s gaze shifted and she noticed someone outside selling winter melon. “Sister Ping, let me treat you to some winter melon.”

“Winter melon is expensive—such a big piece costs forty or fifty coins at least,” Sister Ping gestured.

An Yi smiled, “I can’t afford a whole melon, but I’ll buy a slice for you.”

“Really? Then I won’t be shy.”

“No need to be polite with me.” An Yi went to the stall, spent six coins, and bought three thin slices of winter melon. Looking at the translucent slices, her lips twitched a little, secretly admiring the vendor’s skill with the knife.

With the three slices, An Yi and Sister Ping each took one, saving the last for Mrs. Luo.

After Mrs. Luo finished her business, mother and daughter went next door to the fabric shop and bought two lengths of cloth. An Jian and An Yi had both grown taller—now their clothes were noticeably short.

Once they’d purchased the fabric, Mrs. Luo and An Yi went to the academy to find An Kang. Since returning home during the Dragon Boat Festival, An Kang had stayed at the academy studying diligently.

“Mother, little sister!” An Kang strode out.

“Zhuzi (eldest brother)!” Mrs. Luo and An Yi greeted him.

An Kang asked about the family, and upon hearing An Yi had apprenticed herself to Doctor Lu, he smiled, “Little sister, you must study hard.”

“I will,” An Yi replied with a smile, “Big brother, let’s not have noodles for lunch today. Take mother and me somewhere nice. I’ll pay.”

“By the sound of it, you must have made some money selling herbs, talking so grandly,” An Kang grinned.

“A small profit, still a long way from riches,” An Yi’s eyes sparkled like stars, “I hope one day I’ll be wealthy enough to bless the whole region.”

Mrs. Luo glanced around and whispered, “This time we earned a tael of silver.”

“Wow, my little sister is amazing!” An Kang praised, “Come, big brother will take you to a good meal.”

A tael of silver was a considerable sum for the poor, but still not enough for a meal at the city’s grandest restaurants. An Kang led them to a modest eatery tucked away in a side alley.

“An Kang.”

An Kang turned to look and smiled, “Zhi Lin.”

Mrs. Luo and An Yi also turned. They didn’t know the plump youth named Zhi Lin, but they recognized the young man beside him, dressed in blue, wearing a gentle smile.

Mrs. Luo called, “Fourth Young Master.”

The Fourth Young Master nodded slightly.

“An Kang, is this your mother and your little sister?” Zhi Lin inquired.

“This is my mother and my sister. Mother, little sister, this is my classmate and good friend, Cheng Zhi Lin,” An Kang introduced.

“Greetings, Auntie, hello Little An. How is it that Auntie knows my fourth cousin?” Cheng Zhi Lin asked.

Before Mrs. Luo or An Yi could reply, the Fourth Young Master spoke first, “Ji Huai Hall purchases medicinal herbs from Miss An.”

Cheng Zhi Lin’s small eyes widened in surprise, “Little An, you know your herbs?”

An Yi frowned at the nickname, unable to accept it, and lowered her gaze, “I know a few kinds.”

“An Kang, that book you borrowed last time—was it for Little An?” Cheng Zhi Lin pressed.

An Kang dodged the question, instead asking, “Where are you headed?”

“Bai Wei Restaurant has launched new dishes. I’m inviting my fourth cousin to try them. Why not join us?” Cheng Zhi Lin offered.

“No need, you go ahead,” An Kang declined quickly. Bai Wei Restaurant was the city’s largest and finest eatery, frequented only by the wealthy and noble.

“It’s rare to meet Auntie and Little An. Let me host today. You know my fourth cousin as well—let’s all go together. More company, more merriment, better appetite,” Cheng Zhi Lin said, grabbing An Kang’s arm and dragging him forward.

Though strong, An Kang struggled against Zhi Lin’s considerable weight and enthusiastic tug, unable to resist and forced to go along.

“Please, Auntie An, Miss An,” the Fourth Young Master gestured politely.

With An Kang pulled by Zhi Lin, Mrs. Luo and An Yi had no choice but to follow.

Bai Wei Restaurant was some distance away, so the five of them boarded the Cheng family’s carriage parked at the alley entrance. The carriage, far more comfortable than a poor family’s ox cart, was spacious and cushioned, with bamboo mats laid atop and a basin of smoking ice blocks in the center, cooling the air.

The Fourth Young Master sat in the middle, Zhi Lin and An Kang on his left, Mrs. Luo and An Yi on his right.

An Kang looked at Zhi Lin, who still clung to his arm, and said with a resigned smile, “Hey, I’m already in the carriage. Can you let go now?”

Zhi Lin chuckled, releasing his grip and pulling out a handkerchief to mop the sweat from his brow and cheeks, muttering, “This wretched heat—I’ll be roasted to dried meat soon.”

His words drew smiles from the others; what a plump piece of dried meat indeed!

“By the way, An Kang, have you finished your essay?” Zhi Lin asked.

“It’s done. I handed it in this morning,” An Kang replied.

“You’ve already submitted it? I haven’t even started,” Zhi Lin groaned, his small eyes squinting, “Oh no, what am I going to do?”

“It’s not due until tomorrow, don’t worry,” An Kang reassured him.

“You know how to write, so of course you’re calm. I haven’t a clue. Even if it were due next year, I couldn’t finish it,” Zhi Lin said, dejected.

“What’s the essay topic that has you so troubled?” the Fourth Young Master asked with a smile.

“I’m so foolish—I should have asked my fourth cousin for help,” Zhi Lin said, scooting closer with a fawning smile, “Fourth cousin, you must help me.”

“I may not be able to write it myself, but tell me the topic,” the Fourth Young Master replied cautiously.

“‘Thus, a great ruler must have ministers he does not summon; if he seeks counsel, he goes to them. He values virtue and delights in the Way... Not as such...’” Zhi Lin struggled to recall, blinking furiously, “‘Not as such... Not as such...’”

Seeing his distress, An Kang offered, “‘Thus, a great ruler must have ministers he does not summon; if he seeks counsel, he goes to them. He values virtue and delights in the Way. If they are not thus, they cannot assist him. Thus, Tang learned from Yi Yin before employing him, and so ruled without toil.’”

Such a lengthy topic made An Yi dizzy. She was grateful to be a girl, spared from the imperial exams. Otherwise, she would surely fail miserably.