Chapter 6

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

One day, when the school was on holiday, a man in brocade came to my door.

His features were handsome and striking, sharply defined as great mountain peaks: a face one would never forget after seeing it once.

Yet there was a severity about his brow that he could not conceal.

At once, I guessed that he came from an important family and that his visit would mean trouble.

Sure enough, when he explained his purpose, I was not pleased.

He said there were several young girls in his family who loved to study. They had happened to hear of a learned teacher called Sanshan in Willowleaf Village, whose reputation had reached the city, and wanted to invite her to their residence as their private tutor.

The salary he offered was astonishing. A single month would bring in as much as Three Mountains School earned in a year.

But I still didn’t want to go.

First, I couldn’t abandon so many pupils simply for money.

Second, I had established myself in Willowleaf Village and still had so many ambitions to fulfill. Becoming a private tutor in someone’s household would run counter to my plans.

Third, I was free here. In a great family’s residence, there would be a rule for every step I took. That sounded dreary. Such a household might also have connections with Princess Duanhe and Pei Yizhi, and I wanted no part of that.

So I politely refused.

Apparently, he hadn’t expected anyone to turn down so much money. He stared at me in mild surprise, then gave a smile of understanding. “I underestimated you, Teacher.”

That smile seemed to mark the lowering of his guard. His words grew more courteous as he explained, “The children heard of your excellent reputation and pestered their uncle until I promised to come to Willowleaf Village in person and invite you home to teach them. Now that I’ve failed my mission, they’ll certainly give me no peace!”

Afterward, I saw him several more times.

Each time, he stood beneath the weeping willow outside the school, arms folded, leaning against the trunk with his eyes shut, apparently listening to the lessons.

After this happened often enough, I invited him in for tea.

“A clear brew, with a lingering finish,” he said, plainly meaning no such thing.

I called his bluff. “It’s rough country tea. You mean the bitterness lingers.”

His bright, beguiling eyes rested on me for a few breaths. Then he burst out laughing and pointed at me. “You! Honestly!”

I still didn’t know who he was, and he never volunteered the information.

They say true friendship needs no embellishment.

I never imagined that a few cups of bitter tea could make us as easy with each other as friends of many years.

I thought that was good. Whatever his station, another friend I could talk to was welcome.

I hadn’t considered that appearances must eventually give way.

Or that I would be forced to bow to fate again.

There was a school in the city called Diligent Learning, founded by an old provincial graduate surnamed Guo. It had been running for over a decade and was quite well known.

After the old scholar died, his son Guo Huaijiu inherited the school. For some reason, its reputation had declined badly in recent years, and it had lost many pupils.

Just then, Three Mountains School was making a name for itself. Some children who left Diligent Learning enrolled with us instead.

When Guo Huaijiu heard about this, he came to my door.

The moment he saw that I was a woman teacher, with Qingning at my side, contempt spread over his face.