A Poor Man's Son-in-Law: He Picks Up the Daughter of a Duke's Mansion at the Start

The carriage moved very slowly on the official road.

Lu Qingyan's driving skills were mediocre, but fortunately the horses pulling the carriage were relatively docile. Yun Shuwei initially sat upright inside the carriage, but later, due to the severe bumps on the mountain road, she had to hold onto the side of the carriage.

"Can't you drive a little more steadily?" she couldn't help but lean out.

Lu Qingyan didn't even turn his head: "The road is uneven, young lady, please sit tight."

Yun Shu pursed her lips slightly and withdrew them. After a while, she asked again, "Are you really just a candidate here to take the imperial examination?"

"Um."

"What do you do at home?"

"Farming".

Yun Shuwei fell silent. She peered through the gap in the carriage curtain at the fields rushing past, where wisps of smoke rose from distant chimneys as the sky gradually darkened.

After walking for about half an hour, the outline of the city wall came into view in the distance. Yun Shuwei visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yongding Gate is just ahead." Her voice regained its light tone. "After entering the city gate, head east along Zhuque Street. You'll see a large house with stone lions. That's it."

Lu Qingyan drove the carriage as instructed. When they entered the city, the guards glanced at the carriage, saw the insignia of the Duke's Mansion, and let it pass without asking any questions.

The Duke's mansion was indeed magnificent. The vermilion gate stood tall, flanked by a pair of stone lions as tall as a person, and a black plaque with gold lettering hung above the lintel. As dusk approached, the gatekeeper had already lit lanterns.

The carriage stopped at the side gate. Yun Shu slightly lifted the curtain and said to the gatekeeper who came to greet her, "This is the coachman I hired temporarily. The carriage broke down on the way, and he helped to fix it. Take him to wash up, change into some clean clothes, and give him some money for his trouble."

The doorman, a man in his forties, responded respectfully, but his eyes held a scrutinizing look as he looked at Lu Qingyan: "Young man, come with me."

Lu Qingyan got out of the carriage. Yun Shuwei had already helped the awakened maid into the room, and didn't look back at him once from beginning to end.

The gatekeeper led him around the main gate and through a side alley to the back gate. The Duke's mansion was very large, with several courtyards just for the servants' quarters. Lu Qingyan was led into a side room, which was simply furnished but contained a bed and a table.

"You wait here for a bit," the doorman said before leaving.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, an old woman brought in a basin of hot water, along with a slightly worn brown short-sleeved shirt.

"Go wash up." The old woman put her things down. "Put your clothes here, I'll wash them for you."

Lu Qingyan thanked her. The old woman glanced at him and shook her head: "It's your good fortune to be able to work in the Duke's mansion. Do a good job."

She had clearly misunderstood. Lu Qingyan didn't explain. Only when he was alone in the room did he take off his indigo long robe, which was covered in dust and grass clippings, wash it quickly, and change into his shorts.

The clothes didn't fit properly; the sleeves were too short, and the trousers were hanging down. But the material was thick, made of fine cotton, and warmer than his old, worn-out silk robe.

After waiting a while, the gatekeeper returned, carrying a wooden tray with a bowl of hot soup noodles, two steamed buns, and a dish of pickles.

"Eat up." The doorman placed the tray on the table. "After you finish eating, go to the front; the Third Miss wants to see you."

Lu Qingyan was indeed hungry. He sat down quietly and ate his noodles, which were cooked in chicken broth and contained a few slices of meat. The steamed buns were soft and fluffy, and the pickles were lightly salty and palatable. He ate quickly, but his table manners were not rude.

Not long after they finished eating, a maid in a green jacket arrived and said that the Third Miss wanted him to come over.

This time, we walked through the corridor. Night had fallen, and lanterns hung under the corridor, illuminating the deep courtyard. Passing through a moon gate, we arrived at an exquisite little courtyard. The main house was lit, and the silhouette of a woman was projected onto the window paper.

The maidservant announced from outside the door, "Miss, the person has been brought."

"Let him in."

Lu Qingyan pushed open the door and entered the room. A warm, inviting atmosphere filled the air, accompanied by a faint scent of sandalwood. Yun Shuwei had changed into a pale yellow embroidered dress, her hair restyled and adorned with a jade hairpin. She sat at a round table, on which lay tea and snacks.

She looked up and sized up Lu Qingyan. Dressed in shorts, he looked more like an ordinary servant, but his back was straight, his eyes were calm, and he didn't have the usual awkwardness of someone entering the Duke's mansion.

"Sit down." Yun Shuwei gestured to the stool opposite her.

Lu Qingyan did not sit down: "Please speak, young lady."

Yun Shuwei didn't insist. She took out a brocade pouch from her sleeve and placed it on the table. The pouch was heavy, and the opening revealed the luster of silver ingots.

"Here is one hundred taels." She got straight to the point. "You saved me today, this is a token of my gratitude."

Lu Qingyan didn't move.

"But there are some things I need to say beforehand." Yun Shu looked at him, her tone becoming serious. "You cannot mention what happened on the mountain today to anyone. If anyone asks, just say that you were a driver I hired temporarily, and that you helped fix the car when it broke down on the way. That's all."

She paused, then lowered her voice: "As for bandits... there are no bandits at all, understand?"

Lu Qingyan understood. The fact that the Duke's daughter had been intercepted by bandits would damage her reputation if word got out. She was willing to pay to keep quiet rather than compromise her honor.

"I understand," he said.

Yun Shuwei seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and pushed the brocade bag forward: "Take it. One hundred taels, enough for you to buy a few acres of land back in your hometown, or... if you don't pass the exam, you can start a small business."

These were polite words, but the implication was clear: he was certain the student would fail the exam.

Lu Qingyan stepped forward and picked up the brocade bag. It felt heavy in his hand; it was indeed filled with solid silver.

"Thank you, young lady," he said calmly.

Yun Shu waved her hand slightly: "Alright, you can go now. Go out through the back door, the gatekeeper will open it for you."

Lu Qingyan turned to leave, then stopped: "That maid of yours, Miss..."

"The doctor has examined you; you're fine." Yun Shuwei picked up her teacup. "Just watch what you say."

Lu Qingyan didn't say anything more and went out.

The young maidservant waited outside the door and led him out. The night deepened, and the lanterns under the eaves swayed in the wind. When they reached the back door, the gatekeeper was already waiting.

"Take care, young man." The doorman opened the door.

Lu Qingyan walked out of the Duke's mansion. Outside the gate was a quiet alley, the night was deep, and only the faint sound of the night watchman's gong could be heard in the distance.

He weighed the brocade pouch in his hand and tucked it into his robes. One hundred taels was indeed a considerable sum. A year ago, this amount of money would have turned his family's fortunes upside down.

but now……

He recalled Master Mingjing's words: "Since you're here, make the best of it."

At the end of the alley, there were lights; it was a small noodle stall that hadn't closed yet. Lu Qingyan walked over and ordered a bowl of hot soup noodles.

While waiting for his noodles, he touched the bag of silver in his pocket and then the scholar's nameplate that was kept close to his body.

The noodles were served, steaming hot.

He picked up his chopsticks and began to eat slowly.