After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 45
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- Chapter 45 - Running a Shop in a Bustling Area but Rarely Seeing Customers
The Yan family had very strict rules. Minister Yan held himself to high standards of conduct and talent, and he demanded even more from his children. He taught his son from a young age to be a pillar of the nation and a gentleman, with every word and action adhering to the principles of a gentleman. His requirements for knowledge and learning were particularly stringent. Minister Yan himself came from extreme poverty and had to walk three miles through the snow to attend school, but he managed to earn the third-place position in the imperial examinations through his own efforts. He believed that the student should surpass the master, and he set a high bar for his only son: “I came from a poor family and still became a top scholar. If you, as the son of a minister, cannot rank in the top three, you would disgrace the family name!”
He was equally strict with his daughter. The daughter of a minister should not be ignorant, as that would bring shame to him. Thus, even in the society of Dajing1, which generally believed “a woman’s virtue lies in her lack of talent,” he hired a provincial graduate to teach Miss Yan. Naturally, adherence to female virtues and etiquette was the foundation of everything. As his daughter, she was expected to uphold chastity and proper conduct without question.
So, when Yan Ruoxi attempted to hang herself, Minister Yan, nearly in a rage, immediately sealed off the news. A daughter about to get married hanging herself before the wedding would bring unimaginable disgrace to the Yan family! After the maid saved Yan Ruoxi, she refused to explain her reasons for attempting suicide and only cried when asked.
Even Yan Ruoxi’s younger brother, Yan Jia, did not understand why his sister would do such a thing. From his perspective, his sister was very fortunate.
Minister Yan’s own lofty standards extended to his family. Zhou Cai was a favorite of the emperor, and although Yan Ruoxi and Zhou Cai were in love, without the incident where Zhou Cai saved her, Minister Yan, who was wary of appearing vain and eager to distance himself from favored courtiers, would never have agreed to the marriage, even if Zhou Cai himself proposed.
The twist of fate was that Zhou Cai had indeed rescued Yan Ruoxi. On her way to make offerings, she encountered ruffians and fell into the water, spending time alone with Zhou Cai while she was soaked through. In Minister Yan’s eyes, this meant his daughter’s reputation was already compromised, and she was destined to marry Zhou Cai. The only fortunate aspect was that Zhou Cai was outstanding in both character and appearance. What could have been a disgraceful incident turned into a fortuitous match—had Miss Yan truly been violated, Minister Yan would have been the first to send her to a nunnery, believing that a daughter tainted in such a way could only become a nun, no matter how much it pained him.
Thus, Miss Yan could be considered extremely lucky, marrying someone she loved who was also the best choice. The entire Yan family was pleased with the match, including Yan Jia, who was happy that his father’s focus had shifted away from him. However, Miss Yan still tried to hang herself, leaving the whole family puzzled.
Today, Yan Jia left the house not just to clear his mind but also to find a poetry collection for his sister, hoping it might cheer her up.
Unfortunately, the book seemed to be out of print, and despite searching everywhere, he could not find it. A kind shopkeeper finally suggested, “Try that bookstore deep in the alley. They have many old books and might have what you need.”
Yan Jia found the bookstore, hidden deep in the alley and looking quite neglected, which explained why he had missed it despite passing by many times.
Zhou Xun was inside this sleepy bookstore.
The owner was an old scholar, not very enthusiastic about business, perhaps why the bookstore was always barely alive. When Zhou Xun entered, the bamboo wind chimes disturbed the dozing old man, who merely glanced at him before returning to his book.
Fortunately, the bookstore had a comprehensive collection, all meticulously maintained without the usual musty smell of long-neglected books. Zhou Xun remembered this place because he had once found a long-sought poetry collection here.
After searching for a while, he found several books he needed. One was called “Examination Classics,” summarizing the process and key points of the imperial exams, providing scholars with a clear understanding of the examinations. Another was a collection of the past thirty years’ examination questions, useful for practice. There were many other books as well.
He took his selections to the counter to pay. The old man, indifferent throughout, did not worry about theft or what Zhou Xun was doing, which Zhou Xun found quite comfortable.
The old man counted the money, started making change, and suddenly said, “I saw you two years ago. Did you fail the exams? Why are you buying these again?”
Zhou Xun was taken aback but smiled calmly, “Yes, I failed.”
The old man was surprised. He squinted, scrutinized Zhou Xun, and muttered, “That shouldn’t be. My eyes are sharp. You don’t look like someone who would fail…”
Anyone else might have felt insulted, but Zhou Xun saw no malice in the old man’s words and responded gently, “It’s all about timing and fate. Three years later, things will be different.”
The old man snorted, “You say it’s about timing and fate? So, you think your luck will change this time?”
His words were sharp, but Zhou Xun smiled, “There’s another saying: ‘Man can conquer nature.'”
The old man was stunned, then laughed heartily, “Man can conquer nature. Good, good, you have spirit!”
He continued, “Take the books and read them. If you have any questions, come to Youhuang Alley and ask me! I’m always here, idle anyway.”
The old man spoke with great confidence, as if there was no knowledge in the world he didn’t possess. Zhou Xun, surprised, looked closely at this seemingly unremarkable old man, noticing for the first time some subtle oddities.
The old man grinned, “What, you think I’m a fraud?”
“Your junior wouldn’t dare,” Zhou Xun responded respectfully. “Sir, you are a great scholar from the previous dynasty. I am honored and humbled to receive your guidance…”
The old man was taken aback and, after a moment, asked, “How did you figure that out? There’s nothing here to suggest it…”
“Because of the calligraphy behind you—it was written by you, wasn’t it?” Zhou Xun explained. “Dajing has a rule to avoid using names of emperors from the past five generations. Any characters in their names must be altered by adding or removing a stroke. After five generations, there’s no need to avoid them. The character ‘Yun’ in the calligraphy behind you is habitually missing a stroke, as it was the name of an emperor six generations ago. There are many ways to avoid taboo characters, but the Hanlin Academy of the previous dynasty had a fixed method. Your calligraphy not only avoids the name of the emperor from six generations ago but also the one from three generations ago, following the exact same method…”
“Of course,” he added with a smile, “I am just making a bold guess. Please don’t take offense.”
“You have sharp eyes,” the old man laughed heartily, showing no offense. Zhou Xun knew he had struck a chord with the old man’s nature, as he had sensed before speaking. “It’s a pity you aren’t serving in the court, doing something useful for the country! If you have time every month, come by often. Keep this old man company, read some books here. That would be nice.”
His words hinted at a desire to take Zhou Xun as a disciple, though he didn’t say it outright, perhaps wanting to observe him further. Zhou Xun understood this and graciously accepted without pretense.
Seeing Zhou Xun’s open demeanor, the old man was even more pleased and said more, “You seem quite easygoing—but do you know what a great opportunity you’ve just received? Never mind, it’s getting late. You should head home. Oh, wait—”
He pulled out a few books from the stack next to him and tossed them to Zhou Xun. “No change needed, consider these books your change!”
Zhou Xun accepted the books and thanked him before leaving. The old man settled back into his bamboo chair, glanced at the sky, and estimated it was nearly the hour of You. After a stretch, he stood up.
Several other shop owners, who often took breaks in the shade next to the bookstore, were surprised to see the old man coming out so early to close up. “Hey old man, closing up so early today?” one of them asked.
The old man, while taking down the bamboo curtain, lazily replied, “Have to close early. I’m not as young as I used to be, able to stay sharp late into the night…”
His words seemed random, making the others laugh. They all knew the old man’s background was mysterious. His bookstore was the only one in the secluded part of Youhuang Alley, and the entire alley was his property.
A person who could own a whole street in the bustling and quiet areas of the capital was no ordinary man. A few years ago, a wealthy merchant wanted to buy the area, coming in aggressively. In the end, the merchant not only left empty-handed but also got embroiled in a lawsuit.
These facts made it clear that the old man was not someone to be trifled with. They jokingly called him “weird old man,” but none dared to offend him. Just as the old man was about to lower the curtain, a young boy in light green clothes came running up, face flushed and panting.
“Shopkeeper, shopkeeper, could you please wait a moment? I’m looking for a book…” the boy pleaded.
“Not serving customers today, we’re closed!” the old man replied.
“Please, just a moment more,” the boy begged. “My family has very strict rules, and it took me a long time to get out. If I can’t buy it now, I’ll have to wait another half month…”
The old man remained unmoved, continuing to lower the curtain. The boy grew desperate. “My sister has been depressed lately, and she is getting married in just over half a month. As her brother, I must…”
The old man stopped and looked at the boy. “Whose child are you?” he asked.
The boy stammered, “My… my father is Yan Rui…”
He immediately regretted saying this. Minister Yan had strict rules forbidding his children from flaunting his name or position. Yan Jia had no such intention, but feared the old man might misunderstand and think he was using his father’s status as leverage.
But Yan Rui… perhaps his father’s name wasn’t that well known? The old man was just a bookseller in a remote shop, far from the bustling city. Maybe he didn’t know his father?
As he worried, the old man scrutinized him, finally stopping when he saw the family crest on Yan Jia’s belt.
“Yan Rui? That man was harsh on himself and even harsher on his children, overly strict…” the old man muttered. “Alright, since you care so much for your sister, I’ll make an exception. Come in and look.”
Yan Jia was overjoyed, thinking his sincerity had moved the old man.
But after searching, he still couldn’t find the book and had to ask again, disappointed.
“The ‘Jiangxue Collection’? I gave the last copy to that young man earlier for a riddle…” the old man remembered.
Before he could finish, Yan Jia had already dashed out, hoping to catch up with the previous customer.
Dajing1 – The Great Jing