Chapter 61: Wang Sulie

Chapter 61

Wang Sulie

The headmaster of the academy requested Kang Wang to set the topic for the poetry competition. Smiling, Kang Wang suggested,

"Today is Qixi day. How about we all reminisce about the cowherd and the weaver girl and compose poems about love?"

The scholars immediately picked up their brushes and began composing their poems, determined to showcase their talents. Soon, some finished and set down their brushes. The teachers walked around, inspecting the poems left to dry on the tables. The ones they liked were collected and placed in front of Kang Wang.

Nie Shuang glanced at the selected poems. Though she wasn’t particularly skilled in literary arts, she found the verses quite moving. It was impressive how such beautiful words could be composed in such a short time. She turned to Song Qilin and asked which one he liked. He pointed to a piece that described the cowherd, Niuqian, being separated from Weaver Goddess Zhinü, as he followed her to the heavens with their two sons, only to have the Queen Mother of the West[1] create a river to block their way. They could only meet once a year, when magpies gathered to form a bridge.

Even though the river divides us, my thoughts of you never fade. Hundreds of days apart feel endless, but a single glance of my beloved erases all my sorrow. In that moment of reunion, my heart finds eternal peace.

"That’s how I feel when we’re apart,"

Song Qilin replied, his deep gaze locking with hers. She knew he wanted to take her back with him but didn’t wish to force her hand. She was pursuing her grand dream, one far too significant to be confined by the title of the Young Furen of Yong An Hou Manor.

Song Qilin understood. Nie Shuang’s future was only set to soar higher. To keep her hidden away at home, waiting for him, would be a waste. She would never accept such a fate. All he could hope for was that, one day, after fulfilling her ambitions, she would return to him willingly.

Nie Shuang smiled sweetly and reached out to hold his hand, gently stroking the back of it in comfort.

Moments later, all the scholars had set down their brushes. Several more poems were selected, and the students whose works were chosen were called up one by one to read their pieces aloud. Many of the young maiden, upon hearing the profound love poems, blushed with shyness. Some young men and women exchanged furtive glances.

The teachers deliberated on the top three poems, and Kang Wang personally awarded the prizes. The three winners were all sharp-looking young men who not only composed beautiful poetry but also wrote with elegant and powerful calligraphy. The prizes were high-quality ink sets with fine inkstones and Hong Bao tea. The other scholars congratulated the winners and admired their work.

"The poems selected by the teachers are all excellent, with beautiful and fluid writing. If it’s agreeable, I would like to display them at the entrance of the Xiangyun Tea House for the people of the city to appreciate. After autumn, I will return them to their rightful owners,"

Nie Shuang suggested. The scholars whose works had been chosen were overjoyed at the thought.

"It’s truly an honor,"

The scholars all replied, granting their permission. They felt even more admiration for the Lady Boss. After all, who wouldn’t enjoy having their talents showcased, especially when praised by someone as stunning as her? Several of them blushed in response to her compliments.

Zhuang Zihan, a regular at the tea house and one of the award recipients, expressed his heartfelt appreciation,

"Ever since you’ve been here, Lady Boss, Huangjing City has seen nothing but good fortune. We’ve studied hard, yet beyond the examination halls, there have been few opportunities to display our talents. Your tea house not only provides a gathering place for scholars to discuss and debate, but today, you’ve organized this festival, allowing us to participate and enjoy ourselves. Most importantly, without you, we townspeople wouldn’t have the fine tea that we now get to savor."

Everyone echoed Zhuang Zihan’s sentiments, showering praise upon her until it seemed endless. Nie Shuang smiled warmly, thinking to herself how this highlighted the advantages of being a merchant. To succeed in business, one must always strive to improve and innovate, which ultimately benefits consumers. In fact, she could buy more tea leaves now, so she was already planning to expand the market for Lü Cui and Hong Bao teas beyond the palace and the aristocracy. After this festival, she could begin working on it in earnest.

Meanwhile, the noblewomen couldn’t help but feel envious. How could a mere merchant receive such admiration? Huangjing City’s prosperity was due to the efforts of the local officials, yet here they were, crediting a merchant woman. They seemed to forget that merchants like Ding Tao, who had risen by exploiting and ruining others, had only succeeded because of officials like themselves, who had turned a blind eye.

The Furen of Master Wang was known for her eloquence, so she decided to speak up, hoping to curry favor with Kang Wang.

"How could you all forget Kang Wang? It’s because of his wise governance that Huangjing enjoys such peace and prosperity. Moreover, Song Furen holds a noble title. Referring to her as a mere Lady Boss like this could be seen as an insult to the General."

"Nonsense!"

Song Qilin and Kang Wang both snapped in unison.

With her husband and Kang Wang defending her, Nie Shuang remained silent, calmly sipping her tea. After all, it was true that she was a merchant, and she felt no shame in that. There was no need to rush to her own defense.

Wang Furen’s face turned pale with embarrassment. She quickly tried to explain herself, but in doing so, she only reinforced her criticism of Nie Shuang’s background. She had gravely underestimated the importance of Nie Shuang to the General. Wang Furen believed that if she could humiliate the Young Furen, the General’s affections for her would wane. After all, most men were like this, caring deeply about their own honor. A woman who tarnished a man’s reputation would not be someone he’d proudly bring to public events. She had even heard that General Song had married Nie Shuang reluctantly, which only solidified her assumption. The General probably didn’t care about her that much. Showing such affectionate behavior was probably just to show others. Otherwise, why would the Young Furen have had to flee to Huangjing less than a year after their wedding.

"Forgive me, I forgot that Song Furen is...uh...a merchant..."

"How dare you!"

This time, Song Qilin stood up.

"Who do you think you are, to insult my wife like that? Get out, now!"

Wang Sulie, seeing her mother humiliated and shouted at without any regard, was startled but also saw an opportunity to display her filial piety. She rushed forward, kneeling before the General, her voice trembling as tears flowed like rain on a pear blossom.

"Please, General, show mercy. My mother misspoke."

Like her mother, she shared the belief that, for men, women weren’t of much importance. A beautiful woman could be kept in the rear quarters, but if a woman was to be valued, she needed noble lineage to support her husband. In their eyes, Nie Shuang was just the former—a beauty but not someone who could bring honor to her husband’s name.

The guests at the event had mixed reactions to Wang Furen’s disrespectful words toward Nie Shuang. Many scholars felt outraged. They were familiar with her, recognizing her as a supporter of education. She offered discounts at her tea house and allowed them to use private rooms free of charge. Today’s festival was a result of her hard work and initiative.

One of Zhuang Zihan’s friends stood up and spoke,

"Wang Furen’s words are uncalled for. There is nothing improper about calling her the Lady Boss. We do so out of respect. She is the owner of a major business in Huangjing, fighting against Ding Tao to restore tea plantations to their rightful owners. She’s also granted trading rights to the tea shop owners who were forced to close down their business. Many women in nearby villages earn a living through her tea house, and their lives have improved greatly. Countless travelers passing through Huangjing stop by to taste the tea at Xiangyun Tea House. We all benefit from Lady Boss’s business. I don’t see anything wrong with Zhuang Zihan’s praise."

This scholar’s family also owned a tea plantation, but it was not a large area, so they hadn’t been targeted by Ding Tao. However, he knew well how wicked Ding Tao’s deeds had been. Nie Shuang, despite having the tea trade concession, had never cut off others’ livelihoods like Ding Tao had. Instead, she even shouldered the war tax on behalf of the townspeople.

Many people of the noble families agreed with Wang Furen but didn’t dare voice their opinions. To them, merchants and farmers were beneath their notice. When they bought goods, wasn’t it always the merchants who had to bow to them? The tea plantation owners were no different—when they were in trouble, didn’t they have to rely on officials for financial aid from the government? Praising a merchant like Nie Shuang over them was something they could never accept. Merchants were lower-class—how could they ever compare to the nobility?

Seeing the tension rising, Kang Wang quickly intervened,

"Young Miss Wang, please stand. The General is just in a bad mood."

Master He also tried to lighten the mood.

"The stars must be visible by now. It’s the Qixi Festival, after all. Why don’t we go look at the stars and see if Weaver Goddess Zhinü and God Niuqian have finally reunited?"

Wang Sulie glanced up at Song Qilin. Given the choice between Kang Wang and General Song, she found herself more drawn to the latter. General Song was tall, imposing, and the very embodiment of a heroic man. More importantly, she wouldn’t have to worry about dealing with a mother-in-law like Xian Fei, Kang Wang’s mother. As for the principal wife, she was confident that she could handle the situation. After all, Nie Shuang was just a mere merchant—how could she possibly compete with someone like her, born into a noble family and well-educated?

She didn’t believe that any man could refuse her. General Song, being young and full of vitality, was surely no exception to the allure of a beautiful woman. While she may not be as striking as Nie Shuang, she still possessed noble lineage and was considered a beauty in her own right. Her father had often said that no man could refuse a beautiful woman, and the more wives a man had, the greater his fortune. He himself had many concubines, and her mother had never dared to complain.

She knelt on the floor for a long time, yet General Song’s eyes never once glanced her way. Meanwhile, others slowly made their way toward the pavilion by the water. Finally, her brother stepped forward to help her up.

"Sulie, don’t follow in our mother’s foolish footsteps. Lady Boss is not someone you should trifle with."But Sulie refused to believe her brother. How could someone like her lose to a mere merchant?

[1] Xi Wang Mu or the Queen Mother of the West is a mother goddess in Chinese religion and mythology, also worshipped later in neighboring countries.