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

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the day before the Little New Year, a poetry gathering was held at the residence of the Vice Minister of Rites.

The invitation was sent to young men from various families in the capital, saying it was for "making friends through poetry and welcoming the New Year." The Duke's mansion also received the invitation, and the heir, Yun Chengzong, nodded and told his sons of marriageable age to go.

Yun Shuwei didn't want to go. Since the banquet at the Princess's residence, the rumors had subsided somewhat, but she could sense that the scrutinizing gazes hadn't lessened. But Madam Wang said that it was precisely at times like these that she couldn't hide.

The poetry gathering was held in the back garden of the Vice Minister's residence. There was a small lake in the garden, and at this time of year, a thin layer of ice covered the surface, revealing the dark green water below at the edges. A warm pavilion was built by the lake, with glass windows on three sides, and underfloor heating inside, making it cozy and cozy.

When Yun Shuwei arrived, the warm pavilion was already filled with people. Most of them were young gentlemen and ladies, chatting in twos and threes. She spotted Princess Lingyue waving from the window and went over to her.

"Sister Wei!" Lingyue pulled her to sit down. "You've finally arrived. I just heard them say that we're going to compose poems about plum blossoms today, but I don't know how at all, and I was really worried about it."

Yun Shu smiled and said, "Just say a couple of random lines, it's not like it's an imperial examination."

As they were talking, several young girls ushered Yun Yao in. Today, Yun Yao was wearing a moon-white jacket and skirt embroidered with red plum blossoms, with a silver fox fur cloak over it, looking elegant and refined. As soon as she entered, several young men came forward to strike up a conversation with her.

The poetry gathering began, with everyone taking turns composing couplets. When it was Yun Shuwei's turn, she responded with "Cold branches embrace the snow, awaiting spring's return," a perfectly standard line. Yun Yao, however, provided a brilliant response, earning much applause.

Halfway through composing the couplet, Yun Shuwei felt a bit stuffy in the pavilion, so she quietly got up and walked towards the door. Lingyue was talking to someone and didn't notice.

A gust of cold wind outside made her feel much more awake. She walked slowly along the corridor, wanting some fresh air. The garden in December wasn't much of a sight, with only a few old plum trees blooming sporadically.

As she reached the lakeside, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. Yun Shu turned around slightly and saw an unfamiliar young maidservant dressed in the uniform of a servant from the Vice Minister's residence.

"Miss Yun," the maidservant curtsied, "Princess Lingyue sent me to invite you, saying she has a painting she would like you to take a look at."

Yun Shuwei, unsuspecting, followed the maid. However, the path wasn't back to the warm pavilion, but rather towards the artificial hill on the other side of the lake.

"Where is the princess?" She stopped in her tracks.

The maid pointed behind the artificial hill: "It's in that little pavilion over there; they say it's quiet."

Yun Shuwei looked around and saw that there was indeed a small pavilion over the rockery, but at this time of year, the pavilion was drafty on all sides. Why would Lingyue choose to look at the painting there?

Just as she was about to ask another question, she suddenly slipped—

Someone suddenly shoved her from behind.

The sound of ice cracking was deafening. Icy water instantly submerged her head, soaking her heavy winter clothes, which sank like lead. Yun Shu struggled desperately, but her hands and feet were numb with cold, and all she could see was a dark green blur.

"Help...me..." She only managed to utter half a cry before water poured in.

Exclamations came from the shore. Someone shouted, "Someone's fallen into the water!" and someone else shouted, "Help! Someone come quick!" But the lake water was icy cold in the twelfth lunar month, and for a moment no one dared to jump in.

Lu Qingyan also attended the poetry gathering today.

He came with a fellow townsman who had passed the imperial examinations. That scholar had some connections with the son of a high-ranking official and brought him along to broaden his horizons. The warm pavilion was crowded, so he went out for some fresh air after a while and walked not far to the lake.

Hearing the cries for help, he rushed over. Through the thin ice, he could see a figure struggling in the water, a scarlet garment bobbing up and down.

Without thinking twice, he took off his outer robe and jumped down.

The water was so cold it felt like a thousand needles piercing her bones. Lu Qingyan held her breath and swam over, grabbing the person's arm. It was a woman, already too weak to struggle, her eyes closed, her face deathly pale.

He swam towards the shore, supporting her. Ice shards cut her hands, causing a burning pain. Finally reaching the shore, someone reached out to help and pulled her ashore.

Lu Qingyan climbed ashore himself, soaking wet and shivering with cold. He wiped the water from his face and recognized the person he had rescued—

It is a gentle breeze.

She lay on the ground, and maids and servants surrounded her. Some wrapped her in cloaks, while others pinched her philtrum. After a few breaths, she coughed up some water and slowly woke up.

She opened her eyes, initially bewildered, then her gaze focused on Lu Qingyan.

She looked at him, at this disheveled scholar dripping wet, her gaze gradually shifting from confusion to terror, and finally to anger.

"It's you..." Yun Shu's voice trembled as she struggled to sit up. "Why is it you again? You designed this, didn't you?"

Lu Qingyan was taken aback.

The surroundings fell silent. Everyone was watching him.

Yun Shuwei pushed away the maid who was supporting her, pointed at Lu Qingyan, and tears welled up in her eyes: "It was you last time, and it's you again this time. What exactly do you want to do? Are you only satisfied when you've ruined me?"

"Miss, you've misunderstood..." Lu Qingyan tried to explain, but her teeth were chattering from the cold, and she could barely speak.

"A misunderstanding?" Yun Shu stood up slightly, her cloak-clad body still trembling. "What a coincidence! I fell into the water, and you're the one who saved me? What are you, a man, doing in this back garden?"

She became increasingly agitated as she spoke, all the grievances, fear, and anger she had accumulated over the past few days surging up: "I gave you money to keep quiet, and you agreed so readily... and then you turned around and plotted against me? You thought that by saving me you could climb up to the Duke's mansion?"

Lu Qingyan's face turned pale. Not from the cold, but from anger. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but looking at the inquisitive, suspicious, and gossipy gazes around him, he suddenly felt that anything he said would be superfluous.

Yun Shuwei walked up to him and raised her hand—

A crisp slap.

Lu Qingyan didn't dodge and took the blow squarely. His face stung as he turned to the side.

"Get out." Yun Shuwei's voice was low, yet sharp as a knife. "Don't let me see you again."

Maids and servants surrounded her and helped her away in a hurry. Lu Qingyan was left standing alone by the lake, soaking wet, with a clear handprint on her face.

The onlookers gradually dispersed, and whispers drifted into my ears:

"Did he really design it?"

"Looks honest, I never expected..."

"You're crazy for trying to climb the social ladder."

A fellow townsman, a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, ran over, draped his outer robe over him, and whispered, "Brother Lu, let's go quickly, don't stay here."

Lu Qingyan didn't move. He looked down at his still dripping hands, the cuts on the back of his hands from the ice seeping blood.

Then he raised his head and looked in the direction Yun Shuwei had left, his eyes turning cold.

"Let's go," he said, his voice eerily calm.

As I left the Vice Minister's residence, the sky darkened, and it began to snow again. Snowflakes landed on my face, mingling with the stinging pain from the slap I had just received.

The fellow townsman, a scholar who had also passed the imperial examinations, kept saying, "Brother Lu, you were too impulsive. After all, she's a young lady from the Duke's mansion. Your rescue has only brought you trouble..."

Lu Qingyan didn't reply. He recalled the moment he jumped into the water, the icy chill, and the weight of the person he lifted.

Then I remembered the undisguised disgust and hatred in those eyes.

He stopped and looked back at the tall gate of the Vice Minister's residence.

The snow fell heavier and heavier, quickly accumulating into a thin layer on the ground. Lu Qingyan tightened his half-wet clothes and turned to walk into the snowstorm.