Lin Furen tidied away the everyday items, then crossed to the window, pushed it open, and gazed out for a while before closing it again.
The street was quiet and uneventful. Nothing worth seeing.
"My dear, let's go out for a stroll. Didn't you say you wanted to call on that woman village head? Why don't we go and see?"
"A fine idea. It's nearly time to eat as well. If this village head turns out to be an interesting sort, we can invite her to dine with us."
The couple brought along their eldest son and their daughter.
The youngest was still small, and they worried he might cause a nuisance, so they left him behind in the care of a maidservant.
The family of four set out without any attendants and walked out of the inn just like that.
They followed the street all the way to its end and came upon the village committee compound.
Dazhu spotted them through the window and called out, "What can I do for you, folks?"
The eldest son, Lin Yunxuan, stepped forward and cupped his hands in a salute. "Our family has just arrived in your fine village. My father is Lin Xuejin, first-rank graduate of the seventh year of Wan'an. We would like to pay our respects to your village head. We humbly ask that you announce us."
Dazhu had never received such a formal call in his life. One look and one listen told him these were people of standing—their bearing alone put them in a different class from the merchants who usually came through, and those merchants already struck him as impressive enough. But scholars were something else entirely. Scholars were far above merchants.
And there was something about a juren, too—he seemed to recall his sister mentioning it once, that a juren was a very impressive sort of person.
"Wait here a moment, I'll go and report." Dazhu bolted inside in a fluster, forgetting entirely that he ought first to ask the nature of their business.
Thump, thump, thump.
"Come in."
"Village Head, a juren has come. What do we do?"
"Speak clearly. What juren?"
"Four people arrived—looks like a family of four. They said—said they're some kind of juren."
"Juren is a rank, not an office. If they've introduced themselves as juren, they hold no official post. Go and show them in."
Dazhu went thumping back out again, and a moment later returned leading the four visitors.
Jinyi rose from behind her desk and walked over to the reception area.
Lin Xuejin, standing in the doorway, was somewhat taken aback when he saw her. She was only a village head—ordinarily he would not have given a second thought even to the elders of a township. But this place was clearly different, so he cupped his hands and spoke himself. "Lin Xuejin, first-rank graduate of the seventh year of Wan'an, pays his respects to Village Head Zhao."
"I am Lin Jinyi. Please be seated, Mr. Lin—and Madam, young master, and young miss as well. Chunlan, bring tea."
Both parties took their seats. Jinyi's expression betrayed no particular deference toward Lin Xuejin on account of his rank, and that, if anything, made him think the more highly of her.
"Mr. Lin has only just arrived at Taoyuan Village, I take it. It's a small place—any little wind or stir reaches every corner in no time, to say nothing of a juren gracing us with his presence."
"Ha, Village Head Zhao flatters me."
"May I ask what brings Mr. Lin here?"
"My children are growing older, and I hold no official post, so I've brought them out of the capital on a journey of study—to see something of this great land of ours."
Jinyi nodded. "My husband often says: better to travel ten thousand li than to read ten thousand books. Experience is the finest teacher."
Lin Xuejin was startled. He turned the words over in his mind, then said with admiration, "Your husband is a man of true learning. A single sentence, simply put, and yet it strikes like an epiphany. I find myself most eager to make his acquaintance."
A thought stirred in Jinyi's mind, and she smiled. "My husband does not ordinarily receive visitors, but I would be glad to invite Mr. Lin to stop by our home for a while."
Lin Xuejin caught her meaning at once. She was offering to make an introduction.
"Splendid!"
"There's no hurry. My husband is in the middle of a lesson at the moment. Let us enjoy our tea—this is something he alone has, and it's quite possible Mr. Lin has never tasted it."
"Oh? Is that so? Then I must certainly try it."
And indeed, Lin Xuejin had never drunk anything like it. He was moved to another round of admiring praise.
Lin Yunxuan watched this girl—a full year younger than himself—holding easy, sparkling conversation with his father as an equal, giving no ground whatsoever, and felt a bewilderment he could not quite put into words.
Such poise—he had never encountered its like.
And Lin Mengxuan, watching Jinyi, was filled with a fervent, wondering admiration. This older sister was remarkable!
"It should be about time now. After you, Mr. Lin."
"Ha! I'm about to meet your husband, and I'll confess—I am genuinely excited."
"I only hope Mr. Lin won't be disappointed. My husband is—how shall I put it—sometimes too free-spirited. He may come across as a little unrestrained."
"No matter, no matter! That is precisely the mark of a man of true character. True freedom of spirit."
The group went out and boarded two carriages—Jinyi in one, the Lin family of four in the other—and set off along the lakeside road toward the house.
"Father, that older sister is so remarkable!"
Lin Xuejin patted his daughter's head and smiled. "Then Xuan'er must work hard to become just as remarkable one day."
"I will, Father. I promise."
Lin Xuejin smiled and nodded, then turned to his son. "Yunxuan—what did you make of her?"
"A truly exceptional woman. That bearing of hers—I could not match it."
"Indeed. Such ease and generosity of manner—and yet tucked away in a small village like this. What a waste of talent. Though…" He paused. "They do say a woman's virtue lies not in her learning. Perhaps it is precisely because she is here that she can shine the way she does."
The two carriages drew up to the gate. Two young lads stood there straight as posts, as though they had not noticed the new arrivals at all—not so much as a flicker.
It was only when Jinyi stepped down from the carriage and spoke that they replied, and even then it was brief and direct.
"Xiao Qi, Xiao Ba—has the master returned?"
"He has."
The four Lins looked at these two wooden-statue boys, unsure what to make of them, only sensing some peculiar quality they could not quite name.
They had not yet reached the doorway when they heard the sound of children's laughter.
The four of them followed Jinyi into the courtyard—and froze.
A grown man was romping about with a dozen or so children. They all stood and stared.
One child was counting: "One, two, three—statues!" But even before the count was done, the big man standing closest had already tapped the child on the back, then turned and sprinted madly back toward the line.
He was a grown adult, after all, with legs far longer than a child's—and running without a shred of dignity at that.
So naturally he had been able to get closest to the front, yet was the first to dash back across the line. He stood there, laughing with open delight.
Was this a member of the household? But was something wrong with his mind?
Jinyi pressed a hand to her forehead. This was a disaster. He'd gone and done it in front of guests.
She called out, resigned to her fate: "My dear, do stop playing—you have visitors."
*My God.* That's her husband?
If she hadn't said so, one might have taken him for an imbecile.
The Lin family were all struck dumb.
"Visitors?" Zhao Baihui turned to look. Sure enough, four strangers had appeared. He gave a nod, then called out to the children: "Alright, that's enough—back to barracks! We have guests at home today, so head to the camp for supper. Fall in!"
Those last two words—and the dozen boys who had been running wild an instant before suddenly snapped to attention. They lined up by height, saluted in unison, and marched toward the gate in nearly perfect step.
They passed Jinyi without a word of greeting. They passed the four Lins without a single curious glance from any one of them.
For reasons they could not explain, the four Lins felt something shift inside them—something like awe.
A moment ago they had thought this man was touched in the head. Now they no longer dared think so.
Since arriving in Taoyuan Village, Lin Xuejin now for the first time cupped his hands and bowed with genuine, unreserved solemnity.
"Sir—Lin Xuejin, first-rank graduate of the seventh year of Wan'an, presents himself before you!"