Liang Shanbo: The Poor Scholar-Emperor

Chapter 106 Xie Daoyun and Zhu Yingtai

Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai temporarily stayed at the Xie family manor.

The two each stayed in a guesthouse, which was right next to each other.

As dusk fell that day, Xie Daoyun, accompanied by her maid Qingxiao, strolled to the guest house where Zhu Yingtai was staying. There she found Liang Shanbo in Zhu Yingtai's room, the two of them sitting opposite each other across a low table, whispering to each other, seemingly discussing something intimate.

When Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai saw Xie Daoyun suddenly enter, they were both startled and immediately stood up to bow to her.

Xie Daoyun's gaze swept back and forth between the two men, her brows furrowing slightly. She subconsciously said to Liang Shanbo, "Although you two have pledged your lives to each other, you are not yet married. Yingtai is a daughter of the prestigious Zhu family. You should at least observe some propriety. How can you freely enter and leave Yingtai's bedroom?"

Her tone wasn't particularly harsh, but it carried an air of dignified composure.

Liang Shanbo respectfully replied, "Madam's admonition is correct; it was Shanbo who neglected etiquette."

He deliberately avoided saying things like "I will definitely keep this in mind and dare not make the same mistake again."

Seeing his embarrassment at this matter, Zhu Yingtai couldn't help but smile, her eyes crinkling.

Xie Daoyun's gaze shifted to Zhu Yingtai's face. She saw Zhu Yingtai smiling with her lips pursed, and her gaze towards Liang Shanbo was as gentle as a spring pond, full of deep affection. The sternness she had been displaying vanished almost instantly.

She waved her hand, softened her tone, and changed her words, saying, "Enough, enough. The relationship between you two is different from others. You have been living together at Wansong Academy for more than two years, day and night. You are already used to this. I was just meddling. Just pretend I didn't say anything."

Liang Shanshu replied respectfully, "Your Excellency's advice is reasonable and not meddling. Your Excellency's words were originally for my sake in writing about Yingtai, and I am truly grateful."

When Zhu Yingtai heard Xie Daoyun say "we have been living together—we have been together day and night," she knew that Xie Daoyun originally meant to say "we have been living in the same room" but changed her words. She couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed and lowered her head slightly.

Xie Daoyun stopped dwelling on this and instead asked Liang Shanbo, "Last year, Mr. Meng sent several of your poems and essays to Youdu for his perusal, including the poems 'Pine Fence,' 'Snow on Qiantang Lake,' and 'Remembering My Late Father on a Snowy Day in Qiantang,' as well as the essays 'On the Interdependence of Substance and Function, and the Non-duality of Manifestation and Subtlety,' 'On the Difference Between Talent and Waste,' and 'On the Superiority of Qu Yuan and Song Yu,' along with a critique of the poems and essays written by Mr. Meng himself. And last autumn, you also wrote that poem 'Ode to the Cold Pine.'"

I have read all these poems and essays, and they have left a deep impression on me. Now, I need to send these poems and essays to my uncle, Anshi, who lives far away in Jiankang, so that he can also see your talent. This will also give him evidence when Youdu and I speak on your behalf. I wonder if you have any spare copies of these poems and essays with you?

In fact, she had not only read all of Liang Shanbo's poems and essays, but treasured each one, reading them countless times, and currently carried them with her. However, she was reluctant to send her treasured copy to Jiankang, lest it be lost forever.

Liang Shanbo replied, "I happen to have some spare poems and manuscripts here. Since you need them, I will go to the guesthouse next door to fetch them and present them to you."

Xie Daoyun then asked, "How many copies did you prepare? If you only have one, don't rush to give it to me. Make a copy on the spot to avoid losing the original draft yourself."

Liang Shanbo said, "I have prepared two copies. I will give one to my wife and keep the other one for myself. There is no need to make a copy on the spot."

""

Xie Daoyun nodded: "Then go and fetch it for me."

Liang Shanbo responded, turned and left the room, heading towards his guesthouse next door.

Before long, he returned with a blue cloth bundle, which he presented to Xie Daoyun with both hands. Qingxiao stepped forward and respectfully accepted it.

At this moment, Xie Daoyun and Zhu Yingtai were sitting side by side at the low table. She said to Liang Shanbo, "You may leave now. I have something to say to Yingtai."

Liang Shanbo bowed to Xie Daoyun, exchanged a glance with Zhu Yingtai, and then turned and left.

Xie Daoyun then said to Qingxiao, "You should also go out and wait."

Qingxiao responded and quietly withdrew.

The door closed, leaving only Xie Daoyun and Zhu Yingtai inside.

Xie Daoyun looked at Zhu Yingtai up close, her eyes filled with curiosity and admiration.

Zhu Yingtai felt a little embarrassed by Xie Daoyun's gaze and lowered her head slightly. However, Xie Daoyun chuckled and said, "If I didn't already know you were a woman, seeing you dressed as a man, I would really think you were a very handsome young man."

Zhu Yingtai bowed slightly and said respectfully, "Over the past two years, I have grown accustomed to dressing as a man. Besides, women's clothing is quite inconvenient when traveling, so men's clothing is more convenient. However, it would be somewhat offensive to meet you in this attire, Madam. Please forgive me."

Xie Daoyun waved her hand, her expression gentle: "What's so offensive about that? Am I an unreasonable person? Actually, when I was a young girl, I also thought about disguising myself as a man and traveling around. I wanted to see what the world was like, to see those famous mountains and rivers, ancient sites and relics. I even thought that if I could disguise myself as a man and go to the battlefield as a female general, then my life would not have been in vain."

She smiled self-deprecatingly: "But in the end, I don't have your courage. Thinking is one thing, doing is another; I'm still bound by those rules of the inner quarters and the dignity of my family. So, seeing you today, I feel joy, envy, and a bit of inexplicable melancholy."

She was no longer as dignified and aloof as before: "Hearing you talk about your affair with Liang Shanbo today has only made me more curious about you. I'd like to hear more about your experiences studying at Wansong Academy disguised as a man over the past two years. Would you be willing to tell me about them?"

Zhu Yingtai smiled slightly and said, "Since you are willing to listen, I am naturally willing to tell you in detail."

At that moment, Zhu Yingtai picked out some memorable events and recounted them to Xie Daoyun in detail.

She was initially a little reserved, carefully considering her words, but as she spoke, she gradually relaxed, and her tone became more sincere and natural, as if she were immersed in beautiful memories.

She said that on the day she first entered Wansong Academy, there was only one empty room left in the Jiazhai dormitory area, and there was a rule that two students had to share a room. So Mr. Meng arranged for her to share a room with Brother Liang. She was very uneasy at the time, feeling that it was really inconvenient, and she was also afraid that Brother Liang would find out the secret. That night, she made a "three-point agreement" with Brother Liang.

She recounted a trip to Qiantang Lake, where she was so captivated by the scenery that she blurted out, "How beautiful!" Her voice betrayed her girlish nature, prompting her classmate Jia Boyang to publicly question whether she was a woman. She was flustered and confused, but Liang helped her out of the predicament.

At that time, she thought Brother Liang was a fool, unable to even realize she was a woman. Now she understood that he wasn't a fool at all; he was just deliberately protecting her.

She recounted that when the two first arrived at the academy, she had intended to invite Brother Liang to have both breakfast and lunch at the fine kitchen, with her paying the bill, but Brother Liang refused. So they agreed that they would each pay for their breakfast at the vegetarian kitchen, and she would invite Brother Liang to have his lunch at the fine kitchen.

She recounted the days they spent studying together in the library. Every afternoon, they would sit side by side on the second floor by the window. Spring turned to autumn, winter to summer, and Liang, with his ability to memorize what he read, read and memorized many books in the library.

She recounted how the two of them practiced archery together in the pine forest behind the mountain, and how Brother Liang won the autumn archery championship three times, giving her the bows and arrows he won the year before last, last year, and this year.

She recounted the gathering at Mirror Lake last January. She and Brother Liang had arranged to meet at the entrance of Liu Village in Shanyin. Together, they explored Mirror Lake and climbed the old willow tree that Brother Liang had climbed as a child. It was her first time visiting Brother Liang's hometown. Although she didn't meet his mother, she felt even closer to him.

She then brought up the events of this year, saying that from spring to summer, and from summer to autumn, Brother Liang had repeatedly hinted to her, hoping that she would take the initiative to tell the truth.

She recounted a summer night when the two of them were looking at the stars outside the schoolhouse. She recited "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl" and asked Brother Liang what he thought of the poem. He said, "The Cowherd has stood on the opposite bank for so many years, perhaps waiting not for the day of the Double Seventh Festival, but for the Weaver Girl to call his name. Once the Weaver Girl calls, the Cowherd will take care of the rest."

She recounted an autumn evening when the two of them returned from archery practice, passing through the fields outside the school's back gate. Looking at the bleak autumn scenery, she was overcome with sorrow and uttered many poignant words. Brother Liang, however, said, "My dear brother, who knows if we will be separated by this time next year? Perhaps we can stay together for a long time; who knows?"

She recounted that on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the two of them admired the moon outside the schoolhouse. Brother Liang told her the story of Chang'e flying to the moon, and she used the poem "The Moon Rises" from the Book of Songs to subtly confess her feelings to Brother Liang, though it was too subtle.

She then recounted the day of the first snowfall in midwinter, when she changed into women's clothing and told Brother Liang everything, and Brother Liang also told her everything.

When she recounted these past events, she wasn't deliberately showing off how wonderful her beloved was, but rather gently taking out those cherished memories one by one and laying them out before someone willing to listen.

As Xie Daoyun listened, she became increasingly moved by the love between Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. None of these little things were earth-shattering events, but it was precisely these ordinary fragments accumulated over the years that built up the deep affection between the two.

Xie Daoyun couldn't help but feel even more fond of Liang Shanbo. In Zhu Yingtai's words, this poor boy was so talented and composed, so considerate and gentle yet resolute and courageous. Her feeling of "If only I had been as brave and resolute as Zhu Yingtai back then" deepened even further.

At this point, Zhu Yingtai mentioned the "Songs of Chu" again: "Madam, I love the 'Songs of Chu' very much. The first time I studied with Brother Liang in the library, it was the 'Songs of Chu' that I read. Later, when I realized that I had romantic feelings for Brother Liang, I often thought of the 'Lady of the Xiang River'."

The day before I left Wansong Academy, I spent the last time reading with Brother Liang in the library, and I made a point of reading the *Chu Ci* again. But by then, everything was different. I was no longer the Xiang Lady who dared not speak; I had spoken, and Brother Liang had agreed.

Upon hearing this, Xie Daoyun suddenly smiled and said, "What a coincidence! I also love the Chu Ci."

She added, "I have carefully read Liang Shanbo's essay, 'On the Superiority and Inferiority of Qu Yuan and Song Yu.' He compares Qu Yuan to a raging fire and Song Yu to autumn waters, saying that there is no inherent superiority or inferiority between the two, only a difference in their circumstances. This viewpoint coincides with what I had previously thought."

Zhu Yingtai then recounted the past debate between Liang Qichao and Wang Shu. At that time, Wang Shu wanted to debate with Liang Qichao alone, asking him to set the topic. Liang Qichao, however, asked her to set the topic, choosing the *Chu Ci* (Songs of Chu). Liang Qichao's speech that day was exceptionally brilliant, and he later wrote down his insights in *On the Superiority and Inferiority of Qu Yuan and Song Yu*. It was she who suggested he write this essay.

Before they knew it, Zhu Yingtai and Xie Daoyun had been chatting for almost half an hour.

It was completely dark, and the night was deep.

Xie Daoyun looked up at the night outside the window, suddenly realized, and sighed, "It's getting late, I should go back."

I thought this was just a casual chat, but it turned out to be quite a long conversation. Although we are ten years apart in age, we've talked like sisters.

Zhu Yingtai humbly replied, "Madam, you flatter me. How could I possibly call you my sister? It is already a great honor for me that you are willing to listen to my rambling today."

Xie Daoyun shook her head, her expression serious, and said softly, "I am speaking from the heart, not just being polite. When I was young, I had a few close female friends. We studied together, played chess together, and discussed poetry together. We were quite happy then, but after I got married, our contact gradually became less frequent."

In the Wang family manor, the people who come and go around me are either maids, servants, or my husband's concubines. It's rare these days to find someone like me, sitting opposite you, speaking frankly and honestly.

As she spoke, she stood up, and Zhu Yingtai quickly followed suit.

She took Zhu Yingtai's hand again and patted it gently: "If you have free time in the future, you can come and talk to me often. There's no need to be formal or act like an outsider."

Zhu Yingtai was deeply grateful, bowed, and said sincerely, "Yes, Madam."

Xie Daoyun returned to her residence, dismissed her attendants, and sat alone in her study.

The study was quiet, while the cold wind whispered outside the window, its sound faint and eerie.

She unfolded the manuscript of poems that Liang Shanbo had just sent under the lamp. Although she had read these poems many times, she still carefully flipped through them page by page.

After a long while, she put down her poems and essays, then spread out a letter paper, picked up her pen, dipped it in ink, and began to write a letter to her uncle Xie An, who was far away in Jiankang.

She first drafted a manuscript, but she wrote it with great seriousness and dedication, carefully considering every word and phrase, striving to be sincere and genuine without being overly pretentious.

The calligraphy is in her signature running script, with delicate and even strokes that contain strength, and an elegant yet lively structure, just like the person she is.

"Your niece, Ling Jiang, bows again before your esteemed uncle: It has been a year since I last saw your kind face, and I have been unable to serve you day and night. I am filled with longing and yearning for you. I humbly wish you good health and that all the family members in Wuyi Lane are well."

The letter began with ordinary greetings and pleasantries. She inquired about her uncle's health, the elders and younger relatives in Wuyi Lane, and briefly mentioned her own recent situation, all in a proper and considerate manner.

As for Meng Wenlang's recommendation of Liang Shanbo to Xie Xuan, the details of Xie Xuan's examination of Liang Shanbo at Wansong Academy during his journey through Qiantang last year, and the reasons and process of Liang Shanbo bringing Zhu Yingtai to the Xie family manor for help, she need not write these things down herself; Xie Xuan will explain them in detail in another letter.

The siblings had already discussed how to write their respective letters.

She earnestly wrote: "This time, my niece and Youdu wrote a letter together, earnestly requesting that you, as an elder, personally write a letter to Zhu Guang. I know that this matter involves a great deal and is no small matter. The Ma family of Shangyu relies on the Wang family of Langya for support; the Zhu family is also a prominent local family with deep roots. Although Liang Shanbo is a rare genius, he comes from a poor family, and from a worldly perspective, he is far inferior to the Zhu family's daughter in terms of social status."

However, I believe that it is precisely because of its difficulty that Uncle's intervention is necessary. Uncle's word carries immense weight, and all scholars in the land look up to him. If Uncle were to personally write a letter to Zhu Guang, using the prestige of the Xie family of Chenjun to pave the way for their success, then this matter would most likely be accomplished.”

She put down her pen and couldn't help but fall into reminiscence.

Her gaze fell on the flickering flame, a single, dancing light reflecting countless memories in her eyes. She recalled her youthful fantasies about lovers and happiness, dreams of soaring through the skies and flying high. Those dreams, ultimately, remained unfulfilled. But Zhu Yingtai was different.

She picked up her pen again and continued writing: "I still remember when my niece was young, her uncle once praised her with the line 'not as good as willow catkins rising in the wind,' which my niece has remembered to this day. At that time, my niece was in the Xie family, studying the classics and history, practicing riding and archery, and exploring various schools of thought. She also once had unrealistic expectations, believing that in this vast world, there must be a place for her to settle down, to display her talents and fulfill her ambitions."

However, since marrying into the Wang family, she has lived in a secluded courtyard with many doors and the passage of time. Only then did she realize how difficult and arduous it is for a woman to display her talents and take a step forward in this world.

Looking at Zhu Yingtai now, her courage and decisiveness are something my niece never possessed back then; the lover she met is also something my niece has never met in her life. My niece cannot bear to see their deep affection destroyed by social class and reality; even more so, she cannot bear to see Zhu Yingtai repeat her niece's mistakes, trapped in the Ma family mansion, living a life of melancholy and endless regret.

If the uncle can grant this wish, it will not only lead to a happy marriage but also create a timeless love story. For the niece, it will also fulfill a wish she never uttered to her uncle when she was young.

Your niece bows again, humbly requesting your kind judgment.

After finishing writing, she checked the letter from beginning to end, scrutinizing and revising it word by word, deleting and adding, reconsidering several places where the wording was not sincere enough, and slightly toning down several places where the emotional expression was too straightforward.

After the revision, she took out a brand new letter paper, carefully copied it over, and then put down her pen.

It took a long time of being busy to finally finish this letter.

There was frequent correspondence between the Xie family manor in Shining and the Xie family residence in Wuyi Lane, Jiankang, delivered by express messengers.

The following day, Xie Daoyun's letter, along with Xie Xuan's letter and Liang Shanbo's manuscript of poems, were delivered to Xie's messenger and sent to Xie's residence in Wuyi Lane, Jiankang.

The messenger secured his bundle to the saddle, mounted his horse, and the horse's hooves pounded through the thin winter frost, galloping off northwest along the official road.