Top Scholar

Chapter 296 Yang Shen is gone
The following day, a birthday banquet was held at the Han residence.

Although the old lady intended for a small-scale celebration, the house was still packed with guests, including the wives and daughters of the other six prominent families. The heads of each family also offered their congratulations to Commander Han and presented him with birthday gifts.

In the back courtyard of the Han family mansion, the garden was filled with the chatter of young ladies from various families, all happily gathered together.

"I heard that the great scholar Yang has also come?" Miss Wang asked, her eyes wide.

"Of course!" Miss Han proudly puffed out her chest and said, "That's my cousin, of course he has to come and wish my mother a happy birthday."

"You've seen him?" the young ladies exclaimed excitedly.

“Of course, we even had dinner together last night.” Miss Han said happily, cupping her face in her hands, “My cousin is so handsome, his smile is so charming! And he’s so gentle…”

"How does he compare to our young master Su from Luzhou?" Miss Li asked with a hint of malice.

“That’s not a fair comparison…” Miss Han was quite sensible; Huang E was her cousin, after all. How could she discuss her cousin-in-law in public?

“It’s incomparable,” said Miss Li. “How can the young Yang Shen from Luzhou compare to the real Yang Shen?”

"Li Lizhen, stop being a sour grapes!" An angry voice rang out. Miss Zhu stood with her hands on her hips and her eyebrows raised.

"Let her say what she wants, sister." Huang E also appeared next to Zhu Yin and said with a generous smile, "Hongzhi doesn't make a living based on his looks."

With her life's major events settled and her freedom finally restored, she was naturally in an excellent mood!

"Oh, Sister Huang, you're finally out!" The young ladies cheered and surrounded Huang E upon seeing her after so long. "It's been a year since we last saw her, we've missed her so much!"

"I miss my sisters too!" Huang E said with a bright smile that made all the other women pale in comparison. "Luckily, we can play together again."

"Oh, your dad's set you free?"

"Of course, she's already engaged to Hongzhi, what reason does Uncle Huang have to stop her?" Zhu Yin said with envy.

"You guys are amazing..." The young ladies were equally envious, able to overcome their parents' obstacles and be happily together with their lovers. It had always been their ultimate fantasy.

~~
In the Han Family Garden, there is a Reflection Pavilion overlooking the lake. Standing on the pavilion, you can have a panoramic view of the entire garden.

Yang Shen and his brother were standing upstairs at that moment, with Commander Han's twelve-year-old son standing beside them.

"Shifu, point to your uncle, which one is your Aunt Huang?" Yang Shen put his arm around the chubby boy and coaxed him gently.

"That one, the one in the blue dress," Han Shifu said slowly with a smile, pointing to Huang E, who was stunningly beautiful in Luzhou. "It's been a long time since I've seen her. She's even more beautiful now."

"What a child he is, what does he know about what's beautiful and what's ugly?" Yang Shen laughed and scolded, and following his pointing finger, he saw the girl who looked like a rare orchid in a secluded valley.

He was instantly struck dumb, as if struck by lightning, and stood there stunned.

For a full half-stick of incense time, he didn't even blink...

"Brother, what's wrong?" Yang Dun waved his hand in front of his eyes.

He then came to his senses and said to Yang Dun with great regret, "Yongxu, I regret it so much! Why didn't I come two days earlier?!"

“Brother, didn’t you say that a dignified man should not be tempted by beauty?” Yang Dun asked.

"Yes, but it wasn't just any kind of lust!" Yang Shen pounded his chest repeatedly, enunciating each word clearly:

"In the north there is a beautiful woman, peerless and independent. One glance could topple a city, a second glance could topple a nation."

"How can one not know that a beauty capable of captivating a city or a nation is hard to find again?"

“Brother, let it go. Just like you said, a wife should be virtuous, not beautiful. No matter how pretty she is, she’s just a shell.” Yang Dun asked again.

"Such a beautiful appearance must contain a beautiful soul!" Yang Shen said with deep regret, "Why did I dislike blind dates? I've let my father down!"

"Wake up, bro. No matter how beautiful she is, she already belongs to someone else." Yang Dun shook him.

"Now that you mention it..." Yang Shen seemed to have come to his senses.

"So you can let it go now?" Yang Dun asked.

“I can’t let go even more…” Yang Shen pushed him away, turned around and went downstairs, saying, “No, I have to see if there’s a chance!”

"Brother, don't do anything rash, he's already taken!"

"She's only betrothed, not engaged. Maybe she'll waver when she sees me!" Yang Shen was completely infatuated and couldn't be stopped.

"Alas, there's no going back!" Yang Dun quickly followed, just in case he did something that would bring shame to the family.

~~
As Yang Shen stepped out of the Reflection Pavilion, he regained his composure, wearing a polite smile, and walked straight toward the group of young ladies.

"He's coming! He's coming!" The young ladies' hearts fluttered, and they clutched their handkerchiefs tightly.

No introduction is needed; everyone knows that this young master of Huamao Chunsong is none other than the world-renowned Yang Shen, Yang Yongxiu!
"This is so beautiful!"

"He came for me..."

"Nonsense, it's clearly aimed at me..." The group's infatuation kicked in again, unsurprisingly.

Only Huang E and Zhu Yin showed no reaction at all.

"It's just so-so," Zhu Yin whispered to Huang E. "I think he's not as good as my senior brother."

"I don't think he's as good as Hongzhi either," Huang E commented quietly.

Yang Shen walked to within five feet of the girls, stood properly, clasped his hands in a graceful gesture, and said in a booming voice, "I apologize for my abruptness, ladies. I just saw my cousin whom I haven't seen for ten years, so I came to say hello." "Please go ahead, sir." Seeing that he was staring intently at Huang E without glancing to the side, the girls all walked away disappointed.

With no one else around, Yang Shen asked Huang E in his most dashing voice, "Cousin, do you still remember your brother? I am your cousin Yang Shen. We met ten years ago."

"Hello, cousin," Huang E said politely, curtsying. "I'm sorry, I was too young back then and have no memory of you at all."

"It's alright, I only recognized you because Shi Fu told me about you." Yang Shen said with a smile, "But I've heard of my cousin's beautiful name before, and I've even read your poems."

“Cousin, please don’t mention it again. I was young and naive back then, but now that I’m older, I know that a woman’s virtue is the most important thing. I have long since reformed myself and no longer indulge in romantic pursuits,” Huang E said solemnly.

"Uh..." Yang Shen was momentarily speechless. He had originally planned to start a conversation by mentioning their shared interests, hoping to win someone over. Unexpectedly, Huang E had completely shut him down...

Just as he was about to try another approach, Huang E smiled slightly, unfolded the lady's fan in her hand, and said, "Cousin, you could give my future husband some pointers. He's never been willing to put in much effort when it comes to poetry. Look at what he's written!"

"Hehe..." Yang Shen looked at the poem written on the fan, which was clearly in a man's handwriting:

Fragrant mugwort and calamus surround the painted hall. Soft silk threads wrap around jade wrists, celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival. Willows droop along the path, wandering aimlessly. A breeze passes by, lightly lifting thin silk robes.

Her delicate hands wove a delicate brocade pouch, holding elegant sentiments that resonated with her tender heart. A short letter was sent to express her sorrow at their long separation. Dusk was approaching, and the new moon shone on the western chamber.

He was immediately extremely embarrassed, his face turning red as he said, "Isn't this fine?"

"But compared to his writing, it's far inferior. I'll need your guidance in the future, cousin." Huang E said with a generous smile, "However, he can also teach you how to write..."

"..." Yang Shen could easily tell that Huang E was praising him in a veiled way while criticizing her so-called husband in a veiled way.

In the Ming Dynasty, poetry was considered a lowly and unworthy pursuit; only prose was the proper path!

"It's really nice to see my cousin today. Excuse me." Huang E struck his target and then fled, determined not to linger.

Yang Shen stood there, looking lost and forlorn.

"The most talented woman in Sichuan is indeed sharp-tongued and insightful!" Yang Dun then leaned over and said with a smile, "She doesn't give my elder brother any chance at all."

"I want to go home..." It took Yang Shen a long time to finally manage to utter the sentence.

"We'll have to wait until we've had the feast before we leave." Yang Dun pulled his distraught older brother away from the backyard.

~~
At the Han family's birthday banquet, the long table was filled with delicacies, and even the tableware was made of gilded enamelware.

Yang Shen, however, found the food tasteless. Apart from forcing himself to wish his aunt a happy birthday, he spent the rest of the time looking as listless and dispirited as Huang Feng, who was sitting opposite him.

Madam Huang naturally wouldn't blame him; she would only feel sorry for her nephew. The child had come all this way to be beaten up; it was truly pitiful...

After the banquet, Madam Huang tried her best to persuade Yang Shen to stay, but he resolutely refused and insisted on leaving this sad place immediately.

Madam Huang had no choice but to reluctantly see him off to his car, holding his hand and weeping as she said, "My son, I'm so sorry. I'll find you someone better!"

Yang Dun was startled upon hearing this. "Again? Are you trying to kill my brother?!"

“Auntie, there’s no need to trouble yourself. There are plenty of men in the capital who want to marry their daughters to my brother.” Yang Dun quickly turned the tables on Yang Shen, saying, “There’s an Uncle Wang whose daughter is a beauty beyond compare, and my brother likes her very much…”

"Alright." Madam Huang was too embarrassed to continue matchmaking, so she instructed Han Si to make sure her cousin got on the ship.

~~
After the carriage left the Han residence, it headed straight for Guanyizui Wharf.

After passing the Bell and Drum Tower, Yang Shen, who had been silent all along, suddenly whispered, "I want to see that person."

Although no one was named, everyone knew it was the heart thief.

"To Pearl Alley." Han Si knocked on the car window.

Zhuzi Lane is near the East Gate. The carriage didn't need to turn; it went straight and arrived at Dahe Street, then turned into the alley behind the street.

Han Si had the driver stop the car in front of the county government office and pointed to the door across the street, saying, "That's his house."

Looking at this cramped and humble dwelling, Yang Shen felt even worse.

"He's just a kid from the mountains, his family has no power, no influence, and no money..." Han Si comforted him, "Yong Xiu, if you lower yourself to his level, you'll lose."

"Stop talking, cousin..." Yang Dun couldn't listen anymore.

"I had already lost," Yang Shen said with a wry smile.

As they were talking, a young man dressed in a long robe came out of the house and walked towards them.

"It's him!" Han Si whispered, "Should we go down and meet him?"

"No, I just need to remember what he looks like." Yang Shen's eyes finally brightened. He stared intently at Su Lu until the man entered the county office, then said in a deep voice to Yang Dun:

"I'm off to study hard. I'll definitely beat him in the essay section next autumn!"

"Brother, you've finally cheered up!" Yang Dun was overjoyed, and was about to say, "Congratulations on finally overcoming the charms of a beautiful woman."

But then Yang Shen said quietly, "Let Sister Huang know that my writing is better than his!"

"Hopeless..." Yang Dun rolled his eyes and ignored him.

P.S. The title of the previous chapter contained spoilers; I've corrected it. Please vote with your monthly tickets!!!

(End of this chapter)