Wu Pingzhi reminded him to be polite: “You’re making me sound like I came here to bribe someone.”
Everyone around laughed at that.
The family banquet was casual, centered on home-style dishes with tea served alongside.
Shun Ge’er, being older now, became quite reserved in the presence of outsiders, keeping his head down and quietly eating, only concerned with the food before him.
Lu Yang asked him to pass dishes from across the table. Shun Ge’er couldn’t reach, so he kept getting up and, seeing Lu Yang smiling, playfully pouted: “Brother Yang, you’re being unfair!”
Lu Yang told him not to be so formal. “This is Young Master Wu, just like your big brother, a close friend of our family. You don’t need to be polite; you’ll see him often in the future.”
After further introductions, Wu Pingzhi learned that Shun Ge’er was Li Feng’s younger brother. Seeing his tender face and childlike speech, he treated him as a child. Having come unprepared with gifts, Wu Pingzhi, upon hearing that Shun Ge’er was studying, took two fine inkstones from his satchel and presented them.
Xie Yan, feeling a twinge of envy, said, “Why didn’t you bring two fine inkstones for me too?”
Wu Pingzhi obliged and gave him two as well, making Xie Yan beam with delight.
The conversation turned to everyday life. Wu Pingzhi, preparing for the prefectural exam in the city, had left his father in the county to oversee family affairs.
He rarely spoke of household matters, but now he opened up. His branch of the family was small—his father died in childbirth years ago, leaving mother and child, and never remarried.
Uncles and cousins had long coveted the family wealth, frequently coming by to meddle. Wu Pingzhi, having achieved in studies and being adept in business, carried the family affairs steadily. The old household staff respected him, and everything went smoothly despite attempts at interference.
This year, with the provincial exam approaching, his relatives knew the stakes and refrained from causing trouble—but matchmakers kept coming. Before he passed as a successful candidate, they tried to arrange suitable brides for him, claiming it didn’t matter the size or number—anyone would do as long as the family could support them. Wu Pingzhi found this outrageous.
Mindful of the approaching exams, he didn’t want extra trouble and left them aside, planning to deal with them properly after the August exam.
Respecting elders, he remained courteous, though it had bred a group of ungrateful troublemakers.
Xie Yan frowned. “How can this be? Your father is still alive—what right do they have to arrange brides for you?”
Wu Pingzhi shrugged while eating. “Who says they don’t? Hands are long.”
Lu Yang joked, “Chop off their hands.”
Wu Pingzhi choked on his food, insisting, “No need, no need.”
He then asked Lu Yang and Xie Yan how they were settling in the city.
Lu Yang was fine—he had grown up in the city and felt at ease among the streets and markets.
Xie Yan was also content, with books to read, debates to attend, and family waiting at home at night.
His mother felt accustomed too; she didn’t enjoy going out, so staying home was the same.
Shun Ge’er, unexpectedly speaking, swallowed his food and said, “Vegetables are expensive.”
Lu Yang held his forehead—who ever mentions the price of food at a banquet?
Wu Pingzhi didn’t mind and instead poured Lu Yang a cup of tea.
“Lu Sir, you’ve worked hard.”
Lu Yang drank a cup with him.
After the meal, Xie Yan led Wu Pingzhi to the study.
The bookshelves were in place, and the tea room had been remodeled. Entering, one saw two wall-facing bookshelves. These shelves had only cubicles, no backing; the upper cubicles were measured to match the windows, allowing light in.
In the bedroom, several small, vertical shelves lined the walls. A small partition connecting to the tea room held a portrait of Lu Yang.
In the study, Lu Yang added two more shelves along the inner wall and behind the desk. The moon gate’s eight-treasure shelves were still in use. By the window, a small high-legged table held a pot of asparagus fern.
To enter the study, one had to pass through the bedroom—a slight inconvenience. The shelves were expensive; Lu Yang didn’t want to buy a screen, so a curtain was hung over the kang, hiding it while leaving some space.
Xie Yan’s books were now arranged, filling half the bookshelf behind him immediately.
The space was large, so he arranged books by category. Favorite texts and unread articles were separated for easy access. Compared to stacking, this made finding books simpler.
His older notes were still unorganized. His newly recorded notes and excerpts were labeled by year, occupying specific cubicles, making it convenient to review often-read material.
With his mother free at home, she cut paper for him, storing much of it on the inner wall shelves, organized by price.
In the Xie family, good paper was used for assignments. The instructor didn’t enforce strictness, leaving it to the students’ ability. Xie Yan knew this was to preserve copies for future students, who could see these texts in the quiet room. Benefiting from his predecessors, he also wanted to provide for successors—never stingy with paper.
Xie Yan loved this room. Showing Wu Pingzhi around, he said, “When my husband opens his study, he’ll bring me some books to fill the shelves. Wherever I go, I’ll always have books to choose from.”
Wu Pingzhi remarked, “All that’s missing is a screen.”
Xie Yan nodded. “Yes, but my husband said few guests come; they usually sit in the main hall, so there’s no need to spend on one. I agree, and now I’m showing you the inner room.”
He guided Wu Pingzhi to the desk. The room was spacious, so the desk didn’t need to be against the wall. It was positioned forward, with shelves behind and facing the moon gate. Two chairs faced each other across the desk.
Xie Yan had Wu Pingzhi sit on the inner side. “My husband reads with me in the evenings, so I sit opposite him. You sit inside; I’ll take his place.”
Wu Pingzhi found it amusing listening to Xie Yan talk about his husband and these small details. Seeing Xie Yan’s growth, he understood Lu Yang’s efforts and shook his head, no longer smiling.
Sitting inside, he got to the point, discussing the imperial examinations.
The provincial exam was in mid-August, four months away.
They weren’t under the capital’s direct jurisdiction and had to go to the provincial capital.
It was nearby, but the exam was important—arriving a month early left time for unforeseen events. Leaving too late could lead to problems.
Counting backward, they needed to depart by mid-July, staying three months in the city.
After August, the next Spring Exam was six months later.
If Xie Yan succeeded, he’d stay in the city for only a year before moving to the capital.
Wu Pingzhi studied the study carefully. Just one year, yet the room was decorated so nicely—it was a huge effort for them.
Xie Yan said, “My husband said we must plan for the future, but we can’t plan for everything. Sacrificing the present for an uncertain exam next year is unnecessary.”
For such expenses, Lu Yang would discuss with Xie Yan. Usually, he agreed, but Lu Yang still consulted him.
Xie Yan was no longer naïve; he could tell Lu Yang wanted him to have a good study environment and live comfortably. The room, set up this way, reduced pressure and removed worries about next year’s exam.
Lu Yang’s message was not about study alone—it was that earning money was to live well. Holding hundreds of taels in hand, living in a modest home, and returning exhausted to a simple house made life feel collapsing.
Wu Pingzhi, after hearing this, said, “You’ve indeed grown up—though you’re not polite with me.”
Xie Yan laughed and handed him some of his notes.
