Chapter 128: The Terrace

For the next few days, it rained in Jiangning.

Before the city gates even opened, the persistent autumn drizzle seemed to dissolve the entire city into mist. Pedestrians on the streets hurried along, their figures tinged with a profound sense of weariness and lethargy. With the gates closed, little could be accomplished, and tasks that were simple on ordinary days now required far more effort. As the prices of grain and rice climbed higher and disputes grew increasingly frequent, everyone felt exhausted by these stagnant times.

However, if one were to isolate the textile trade in Jiangning, the situation was slightly different. A storm was brewing, and every household was operating with renewed vigor, forging new alliances and planning strategies, all while watching the winds of change to secure their position. The Wu family, previously the top textile merchant in Jiangning, had secured the position of Imperial Merchant for the year, signaling that they would soon begin preparing for expansion. Of course, it was unlikely they would make any major moves within the next few months, as the responsibilities of being an Imperial Merchant were immense; for now, they had to adjust to the annual textile quotas required by the throne. But once they stabilized, they would undoubtedly begin to march forward with giant strides.

In stark contrast, the Su family had begun to falter. After that fateful night involving the Imperial Merchant position, Su Tan'er finally began to appear in public, actively preparing to stabilize the turmoil the family faced and reaching out to former partners to secure their relationships. The Su family still possessed some underlying assets, and the responses they received were still positive for the time being. Yet, beneath the surface, it was hard to tell how many had already begun to retreat or were secretly making arrangements with other merchants.

The Xue family could do nothing about these events but wait quietly, laying their plans and gathering strength, hoping to carve out a larger share of the market that the Su family might soon relinquish. Having spent the most effort in the past targeting the Su family, they were well-positioned to seize this opportunity and reap even greater rewards.

These shifts had not yet fully materialized, but like termites, they had begun to rapidly erode the existing structure. In a month or two, the entire situation might collapse. The Wu family would rise to a new peak, while the Su family would slip from their status as one of the three great textile merchants in Jiangning, shrinking to the size of a mid-tier firm, and then—in the eyes of the discerning—perhaps continue to decline further.

In a sense, the internal strife of the Su family had already begun.

Within the Su residence, conversations were dominated by the events of that night regarding the Imperial Merchant position. The first, second, and third branches of the family had begun to draw clear lines, with voices whispering—both openly and in private—about Ning Yi’s incompetence and Su Tan’er’s inadequacy. Of course, over these past few days, Su Tan’er had been rushing about, too busy to deal with these people, and they lacked the courage to confront her directly. Yet, within the family, calls for her to step down from managing the business had already arisen, leading to daily arguments.

It was not just the shiftless descendants of the second and third branches; such sentiments had begun to appear among some of the Su family elders. The power that Su Zhongkan and Su Yunfang had accumulated over the years was finally being unleashed, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to the first branch once Su Boyong fell. With the Su family besieged from within and without, even the Old Master Su could no longer suppress these matters with an iron hand.

It would likely take some time for these events to reach a definitive conclusion, but in the eyes of the vast majority, Su Tan’er’s departure from the Su family’s commercial stage seemed like an inevitable trend. No matter how hard she struggled to maintain control or prevent the slide, some things were like a landslide once they began. Moreover, as a woman, she found it even harder to instill a sense of stability during such a crisis. Many might acknowledge her business acumen, but they doubted the Su family would continue to let her hold the helm.

During this period, the criticism directed at Ning Yi was perhaps the most intense. Though no one dared to openly demand action against him, behind his back, even those close to the first branch spoke unkindly, with some even saying the scholar was unworthy of the Second Miss. After that night, Su Tan’er had fully reclaimed her position, leaving Ning Yi with nothing to do. He returned to his idle lifestyle; with the rain falling and the private school closed, he spent his days reading, writing, and occasionally fiddling with a small cylinder, showing no sign that anything had changed.

Yet, even though the school remained closed, some parents in the Su household had already begun to approach Su Chonghua, the head of the Yushan Academy, requesting to move their children to other classes. These children were students of Ning Yi, and their parents, having decided to align themselves with the second and third branches, no longer wanted their children taught by him. In the Su family, the school was a matter of great importance to the Old Master, and the fact that this factionalism had reached the school indicated it was no longer mere child's play. These developments had spread throughout the Su residence within a few days.

As September approached, the weather finally cleared, and it was said the city gates might open in the coming days. The tense atmosphere within the city seemed to ease slightly, but within the Su residence, the air grew heavier by the day. Beneath the veranda, two maidservants walked by, whispering to one another.

"To mess up something so big, and that son-in-law still acts like nothing happened..."

"So-called 'greatest scholar,' he's completely useless..."

"The Second Miss has been dragged down by him, too..."

"I wonder what will become of the Su family..."

Such discussions among the passing maids had become a daily routine. Today, however, the two maids were unlucky; as they rounded the corner of the courtyard, they suddenly saw a cold, beautiful face waiting for them. "You two, go help over there. They are moving things to the neighboring courtyard, and they don't have enough hands."

"Sister Juan'er..."

"Didn't you hear me? Everyone is working, why aren't you going?"

"But... the Fourth Miss asked us..."

"The Fourth Miss can wait; I'll send someone else... Go now!"

"Yes..."

The two maids looked unhappy, but they hurried away.

Juan'er frowned and walked briskly forward. A short while later, she heard people in another courtyard talking about Ning Yi—naturally, nothing good. She pursed her lips and chose not to intervene. Everyone was saying these things, and she couldn't manage it all. She lowered her head and walked quickly toward the small courtyard. Inside, Chan'er was sweeping the floor. Juan'er glanced at Ning Yi’s room and then up at the balcony. "Little Chan, where is the Master?"

"Oh, he went out, I think." Chan'er hugged her broom. "He said since it finally cleared up, he wanted to go for a walk. Does Juan'er need something?"

"I passed the gate earlier. The young master and miss from the Zhou family came looking for him."

"I see. But Juan'er, you don't look well."

"I ran into some people who don't understand anything..."

Juan'er coldly recounted what she had just heard. Chan'er pursed her lips, her expression darkening as well. They had heard such talk for days, and yelling at people was useless. As for other matters—things they knew—they couldn't speak of them at all.

"The Master is being wronged..." Juan'er said, her brow slightly furrowed. She was usually quiet, but today she truly felt sad for Ning Yi.

"Sister Xing'er scolded someone yesterday, too..." Chan'er said. "But the Master seems quite relaxed. I asked him yesterday if he was angry, and he was just fiddling with that telescope thing. He just shook his head casually and didn't say a word."

Chan'er mimicked the way Ning Yi shook his head, though it was hard to say if it was accurate. She was bothered by it too, but after a few more words with Juan'er, she hurried off to attend to the Zhou siblings.

After Juan'er left, Chan'er hugged her broom and stared at Ning Yi’s room for a long time. "Master..." she whispered, before picking up the broom and sweeping vigorously.

That morning, Ning Yi met with Nie Yunzhu in the small building.

He had gone to the small laboratory near the academy to retrieve some things and decided to wander over, not expecting to find Nie Yunzhu at home. It was their first meeting since the twenty-fifth of August.

Seeing him at the door, Nie Yunzhu’s expression was clearly one of relief. They didn't exchange many greetings; Ning Yi simply held a small bag and waved casually, while Nie Yunzhu stood on the steps, wearing a smile that, in hindsight, looked like a wife welcoming home a weary husband.

"How have you been?"

"The shop is fine. Jin'er is there, so I'm resting." Nie Yunzhu tilted her head, gesturing for Ning Yi to come inside. "And you?"

"I'm fine, too. It’s just that it’s been raining for days, so I couldn't get out. Now that it’s clear, I decided to take a stroll."

"That’s good." The doors to the living room were open, leading directly to a terrace extending over the river. The autumn sunlight spilled onto it, and a crooked tree leaned against the small building, casting shade across the deck. Nie Yunzhu thought for a moment. "Actually... I heard about what happened these past few days."

"Oh." Ning Yi looked at her and shook his head with a smile. "Well... things certainly aren't as terrifying as the rumors say, though it has been a bit noisy lately..."

"Why don't I play some music for you, Liheng, to help you relax?"

"Would that be too much trouble? You’ve finally managed to get a day off..."

"It’s no trouble at all." Nie Yunzhu smiled, then lowered her gaze. "I... I only really know how to do this..."

The terrace overlooked the river, offering a pleasant view. The shade from the crooked tree was sparse, and most of the terrace remained bathed in the lazy sunlight. Ning Yi took a cushion and sat down casually at the edge of the deck. When Nie Yunzhu brought over a tea tray, she saw him sitting on the wooden floor, back against the wall, one leg curled up as he gazed at the distant horizon. She couldn't help but smile as she set the tray down.

"I'll go get the zither."

She said softly, and Ning Yi nodded at her.

A moment later, the sound of the zither began to play...

Without realizing it, he fell asleep.

A warm, gentle feeling, as if drifting in water, with a mother's hand brushing softly over him... Nie Yunzhu did not know what piece she was playing; he was completely tone-deaf in that regard and had never been particularly fond of ancient zither music. Yet, at this moment, he was immersed in it. Nie Yunzhu hummed along occasionally, fragments of melody like the trivial whispers of a woman. When he looked over, the autumn light fell upon her, dusting her in gold. Her sleeves were white as snow, her dark hair stirred slightly, and her expression was one of intense focus—yet, whenever he looked, she would offer him a gentle smile during the pauses in the music.

She must have changed her clothes when she came in... As this thought drifted through his hazy mind, Ning Yi gradually fell into a deep sleep. On the opposite bank, the willow shade acted like a screen; an autumn breeze blew, and the river flowed past beneath the terrace. The leaves on the terrace rustled, and occasionally one fell. The zither music merged with the sounds of the water and the trees, and the woman’s soft humming was ethereal and melodious.

The music stopped at some point, and the woman sat there for a long time without moving, watching the sleeping figure of the man nearby. In all these years, this was the first time she had played for so long. Even when she had been in the mood to play for her own amusement, she had never played like this. Back in the brothel, her performances were driven by a desire to win; the element of genuine expression was thin. Only now was she playing solely for someone else, for a long time, hoping he would feel comfortable, peaceful, and comforted.

The wind blew across the river. She pushed the zither aside and stood up. There were soft footsteps as she quietly cleared away the teapot, cups, and snacks, fearing she might wake him. Then, she sat nearby in the autumn glow, quietly watching his sleeping face.

I don't know how long it had been, but the wind seemed to pick up. She went into the room and soon returned with a thin blanket. As she crouched beside him, she hesitated, worried that placing the blanket over him might wake him. Besides, the blanket was shared with Jin'er and carried a distinctly feminine scent. In that moment of hesitation, Ning Yi’s eyelids fluttered. He woke up in a daze, rubbed his eyes, braced his hands on the floor, and stood up.

The woman in white, holding the blanket, stood up instinctively. She hesitated, feeling a bit at a loss.

"Oh, sorry. I don't know what happened, I just fell asleep... It must be because your playing was too good."

Ning Yi laughed, still a bit groggy. Nie Yunzhu didn't answer. Turning her head, the white-clad beauty stepped forward, stood on her tiptoes in her white socks, tilted her head, and pressed her lips against his.

The touch was soft, warm, and slightly trembling and clumsy. The autumn scenery seemed to lose itself between the wooden building and the river bend. The wind blew past, the sunlight pierced through the eaves, and a leaf drifted down in the air, quietly witnessing the scene...