Chapter 93

After finishing the meal and tidying up the table, Lin Qing'er began to brew tea for Wang Xian.

Although her cooking skills were not to be praised, Lin Qing'er was an expert in the art of tea. Watching her use a tea spoon to transfer the flower tea from the tea tray into the jade-white teacup, the dried flowers and tea leaves floated down gracefully, like petals falling in the wind.

"Petals fall into the jade cup," Wang Xian smiled and praised.

Lin Qing'er smiled sweetly at him, then, using a cotton pad, she lifted the small bronze teapot and tilted it slightly, allowing the hot water to pour steadily into the cup. The flower tea swirled and danced in the cup.

"Spring tide rises with the evening rain," Wang Xian named it.

Lin Qing'er covered the teacup and looked at Wang Xian with a teasing gaze, as if inviting him to continue.

"Three talents transform the sweet dew," Wang Xian smiled.

After a moment, Lin Qing'er held the cup with both hands, raised it to her forehead, and looked at him with affectionate eyes.

Wang Xian reached out to take the cup, and couldn't resist touching her smooth, creamy hand, smiling, "A cup of fragrant tea for a kindred spirit."

"Go to your room..." Lin Qing'er gave him a coquettish glance and also picked up a cup. She held the saucer with her left hand and brought it to her nose. With her right hand, she gently lifted the lid a bit, and a fresh, clear, and elegant fragrance of flowers and tea filled her senses, making her intoxicated.

Wang Xian, watching her graceful and elegant demeanor, was also entranced.

"Why don't you continue?" Lin Qing'er asked softly.

"Fine tea is like a fine lady," Wang Xian, regaining his composure, smiled. "Sister, this is your style."

"Style?" Lin Qing'er looked at him inquisitively.

"It's the state you should be in," Wang Xian smiled. "Buying spring in a jade pot, enjoying the rain in a thatched cottage. Sitting with a beautiful lady, surrounded by bamboo. White clouds after the rain, birds chasing each other. Sleeping with a zither under the green shade, a waterfall above. Petals fall silently, people are as calm as chrysanthemums. Writing the years, it is said to be worth reading..."

Listening to Wang Xian's slightly magnetic voice, Lin Qing'er's face lit up with a happy smile. It turned out that when he said 'kindred spirit,' he wasn't just being polite...

After a long while, Lin Qing'er came back to her senses from the romantic mood, and with a mix of anger and amusement, she glared at him, "Are you saying I'm a lazy lady who doesn't do any housework?"

"You're too negative," Wang Xian smiled bitterly. "My point is, everything in the world has its own strengths. For example, a fine horse can travel a thousand miles a day and is valued by knights, but if you ask it to catch mice, it won't be as good as a cat. A precious sword can cut through iron like butter and is favored by brave warriors, but if you use it to chop wood, it won't be as good as an axe. You, Lin Qing'er, are skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but why should you compete with a cook? It's better to let the cook cook and you to brew tea."

Only then did Lin Qing'er realize that Wang Xian was really good with words, and that he had been teasing her before...

"But if I don't clean the house or cook, what should I do?" Lin Qing'er, understanding Wang Xian's point without hurting her pride, felt troubled. "Living here, where every household can hear the roosters and dogs of their neighbors, if I spend all day on music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, won't people laugh at me?"

"I'll find you something respectable to do," Wang Xian told Lin Qing'er about what Wei Zhixian had said. She listened with bright eyes, "So, you might pass the examination next year!"

"Cough, cough, it's just Old Wei's guess," Wang Xian smiled bitterly. "Besides, I can't perform too poorly, or even if the master wants to help, he won't be able to."

"Of course!" Lin Qing'er was suddenly full of energy, clenching her fists, "I'll do my best to help you improve!"

"Ha ha..." Seeing her determined look, Wang Xian felt like he was in the hands of a demon, and laughed dryly, "Before you fully commit, shouldn't we hire a cook or a maid first?"

"Easy to say, but where's the money?" Lin Qing'er smiled bitterly. "The money left by my mother-in-law, plus what you gave me, is less than five taels of silver. It's enough for daily expenses, but without ten or eight taels, we can't even buy a rough maid."

Wang Xian felt ashamed, "We'll have money after the next payday..."

"There's one more thing," Lin Qing'er said seriously, "I don't care about fine clothes and delicious food, I just want..." She wanted to say, "As long as we're together," but was too shy to say it, "As long as we have simple meals, that's enough. Don't take money you shouldn't, what's wrong with living a simple life?"

Wang Xian knew that Lin Qing'er was worried he might break the law and get into trouble. He smiled bitterly, "I'll do my best and have a clear conscience."

"I understand the principle that too clear water has no fish," Lin Qing'er said softly, "Just be careful."

"Okay." Wang Xian nodded, holding Lin Qing'er's small hand, "People say women fear marrying the wrong man, but it's the same for men. Finding a good wife can help you live longer."

"Stop talking nonsense..." Lin Qing'er blushed and pulled her hand away, "It's time to go back to the yamen."

"Indeed. Time flies when I'm with you..." Wang Xian looked at the sky and smiled bitterly, "I'll go then." He finished his tea and hurried back to the yamen.

Back at the yamen, Shuai Hui told him that the marriage certificate for Chen Deyeh and Liu Shi had been repaired and made to look old. Wang Xian checked it and found no problems, so he had it delivered to Zhu Dayou.

Meanwhile, Erhei began spreading rumors that the reason the Yu family refused Liu Shi's remarriage was because her brother-in-law, Yu Yifan, had been dominating her for a long time. Spreading rumors was what hooligans were best at, and with Fuyang County being small, it didn't take long for the rumors to spread throughout the city.

Even Han Jiaoyu, the instructor, heard about it and called Yu Yifan to his office for questioning. Despite his denials, he was severely reprimanded by Han Jiaoyu.

Dazed and confused, Yu Yifan was mocked by his classmates with the saying, "Better to eat dumplings than anything else, better to play with your sister-in-law than anything else," which left him feeling extremely frustrated. Just as he was about to go home, his cousin rushed over, panicking, "The bailiffs have taken Uncle away, and Auntie wants you to come back quickly."

Hearing this, Yu Yifan forgot his anger and hurriedly asked for leave to return home to find out what was happening. It turned out that the villain, Chen Deyeh, had reported his father to the authorities, and not only was his father summoned for questioning, but Liu Shi was also taken away.

He also learned that while his family was notifying him, they had also informed the old man in the countryside. Feeling more at ease, Yu Yifan and his brothers rushed to the yamen to support his father.

At the entrance of the yamen, the bailiffs didn't stop them and let them enter the hall to listen.

As soon as they entered, Yu Yifan saw his father, Chen Deyeh, Liu Shi, and her parents kneeling on the platform. He bowed to Wei Zhixian and said, "Your Honor, my father is also here. Please allow me to kneel in his place." This was a polite way of speaking, as a scholar could see the official without kneeling, but his father didn't have that privilege. However, it was improper for a son to stand while his father knelt, so the magistrate would usually say, "Let your father stand up."

"Alright," Wei Zhixian said coolly, "Kneel together then."

"This..." Yu Yifan swallowed, "I am a scholar..."

"I know you are a scholar, and I know your name is Yu Yifan!" Wei Zhixian said coldly. "You were involved in the disturbance last year, and I haven't forgotten."

"I'm not here to cause trouble," Yu Yifan, seeing Wei Zhixian's dislike, quickly explained, "I just heard that my family was in trouble and came to see what happened..."

"Rascal!" Wei Zhixian slammed the gavel. "I haven't forgotten, but you have. You've forgotten the ancient rule that scholars are not allowed to participate in litigation, even in their own cases, which should be handled by family members!" He coldly added, "You still remember the last beating, so you can take another one now!"

"I'm just here to listen..." Yu Yifan hurriedly defended himself.

"Then stand quietly to the side," Wei Zhixian said expressionlessly, "I'll call you when I need you."

"Yes..." Yu Yifan, feeling humiliated, had to step back awkwardly.

Wei Zhixian slammed the gavel again and returned to the main topic, "Chen Deyeh, you claim to be Liu Shi's lawful husband. Do you have any evidence?"

"Your Honor, I have the marriage certificate from the time we were engaged," Chen Deyeh quickly pulled out a document. The Yu family was stunned...

"Liu Shi, is this true?" Wei Zhixian asked.

Liu Shi, who had been informed of the matter when she was summoned to the yamen, naturally insisted that it was true, as it concerned her future and her unborn child. She said it was arranged by her parents...

"Bring it up." Wei Zhixian nodded, and his attendant presented the document. Wei Zhixian looked at it and then called the registrar from the household department. Soon, Wu Wei, dressed in a blue robe and wearing a clerk's cap, arrived in the hall and verified the document on the spot, saying it was fine and issued by the county. Wu Wei thought to himself that he had issued it personally, but he was cunning and didn't mention the date, which would be useful if anything went wrong.

Seeing the villains turn into a legal couple, and himself and his father become criminals for forcibly taking someone, Yu Yifan was sweating profusely but dared not speak. Fortunately, his father also realized the danger and argued, "This marriage is illegal. A married daughter is like water that has been poured out. Liu Shi is already part of the Yu family, and without our permission, she cannot remarry!"

"Nonsense. A married woman follows her father, and a remarried woman follows herself," Chen Deyeh, guided by someone, loudly opposed. "The Great Ming Code does not stipulate that a woman needs her in-laws' consent to remarry!"

"Your Honor, there must be something fishy here..." Yu Yifan's father, sweating, said, "We never heard Liu Shi mention this marriage before. How could a marriage certificate suddenly appear?"

"It's because of your coercion!" Chen Deyeh said angrily. "I asked a matchmaker to propose, and my in-laws agreed, but your family interfered. You are a powerful family, and we couldn't afford to offend you, so we had to resort to this. We didn't have a wedding or announce it, just quietly got a marriage certificate!"

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