As dusk settled in, the sunset painted the sky red, bathing half of Jiangning City in a warm, glowing light. On her way back home, Su Tan'er ran into Xiao Chan, who informed her that Ning Yi had caught a cold. While inquiring about the doctor’s advice, she led the three maidservants toward the courtyard of Grandfather Su Yu, the patriarch of the Su family.

She had something to discuss with her grandfather today, and knowing that Ning Yi wasn’t seriously ill, there was no need to rush over and see him. Upon entering the courtyard, she noticed that her Third Uncle, Su Yunfang, and Third Aunt were already present, along with their second daughter, who was affectionately called Little Qi. At the moment, Little Qi was standing in front of Grandfather Su and telling a story. Several maidservants attended the group.

"... And then, General Zhou Yu gave Huang Gai a good beating..."

Su Tan'er approached, pulled out a stool, and joined her grandfather, third uncle, and third aunt in listening to the girl’s story, which was about the Three Kingdoms. It was quite entertaining. Soon, the story ended, and Little Qi stood up and greeted her, "Sis Tan'er."

"Wow, Little Qi can tell stories now. Did you go to a teahouse with Father to listen to a storyteller?"

"No, it’s something Brother Yi told us at school."

"Hmm?" Su Tan'er paused, slightly puzzled. "Which teacher?"

"Brother Yi, of course. Brother Yi knows lots of things."

Even though the title son-in-law was not a flattering one, and it implied a certain subservient status, in the Su family, Ning Yi was treated more like a brother than an outsider. Thus, Little Qi called him Brother Yi rather than brother-in-law. Su Tan'er smiled slightly at this but inwardly pondered the implications. Beside her, Third Uncle Su Yunfang said, "Isn’t he teaching Confucius’s Analects these days?"

Little Qi nodded. "Yes, Analects. We’re studying the section on Li Ren..." She looked slightly nervous, as talking about schoolwork often led to a recitation test.

However, her father didn’t ask her to recite anything this time. Instead, he turned to Su Tan'er and said, "Discussing The Three Kingdoms during a lesson on the Analects? Children might enjoy stories, but a teacher must command respect through knowledge. Drawing on different references is fine, but there must be moderation. You should remind Li Heng of this."

It was a stern criticism, and Su Tan'er could only nod in agreement. Grandfather Su chuckled lightly from beside them. "There’s no need to be so harsh. If he’s earned the children’s affection in just a few days, that’s a good sign. You don’t know the full context, and without it, how can you be sure that the Analects and the Three Kingdoms have no connection? How can you be certain that Li Heng didn’t have a deeper intention? Let’s not jump to conclusions."

Though Su Tan'er herself had reservations about mixing The Three Kingdoms with Analects lessons, it was clear that Grandfather Su liked Ning Yi’s approach. He didn’t care much about Ning Yi’s scholarly prowess—he had likely been aware of his son-in-law’s limited education from the start. Instead, Grandfather Su was focused on something else entirely.

The Su family’s situation was complex. Su Tan'er’s father, Su Boyong, had the most influence among the three brothers—Su Boyong, Su Zhongkan, and Su Yunfang—who each managed different aspects of the family business. While everything still seemed harmonious on the surface, thanks to Grandfather Su Yu’s presence, deeper tensions loomed. The third generation, in particular, had no competent male heirs, leaving Su Tan'er as the family’s brightest hope. Grandfather Su had already decided that she would take over the family business, a decision that wasn’t without its challenges.

The hen crows (a phrase meaning a woman is taking charge, traditionally seen as a reversal of roles in a patriarchal society).—a woman taking charge of the household—was not widely accepted. If any of the Su family’s men were even remotely capable, things might be different. But they weren’t, and Su Tan'er’s calm, strategic manner, along with her commanding presence, gave her the potential to lead. Now, Grandfather Su had officially handed over part of the family business to her, a formal trial to see how well she could consolidate and surpass the influence of the other branches of the family.

The pressure on Su Tan'er was immense, but for Ning Yi, his role as a son-in-law was simply to ensure that she could stay within the Su family. Grandfather Su valued his relationship with the Ning family and treated Ning Yi well. The family conflicts hadn’t escalated yet, but if they did—especially once Grandfather Su was no longer around—those looking to harm Su Tan'er would surely see Ning Yi, with his relatively low status, as an easy target.

Anticipating this, Grandfather Su had sent Ning Yi to teach at Yushan Academy, where many of the Su family’s younger members were studying. If Ning Yi could gain their respect as a teacher, he would hold a more respected position in the family dynamic, making him harder to undermine. For Grandfather Su, the fact that Ning Yi had already won the children’s favor was a promising sign. He asked for more details about Ning Yi’s teaching, and Little Qi excitedly shared them.

"Sis Tan'er, do you know what our teacher will talk about tomorrow?"

Su Tan'er smiled, "I don’t think there will be a lesson tomorrow. Brother Yi has caught a cold, and he’s resting today. I doubt he’ll be well enough to teach tomorrow."

"Oh?" Grandfather Su inquired about Ning Yi’s condition, and Su Tan'er relayed everything she had heard from Xiao Chan. Little Qi asked, "Can I go visit Brother Yi?"

Su Tan'er shook her head. "Colds can be contagious. It’s better if you wait until Brother Yi recovers before visiting him."

After Third Uncle, Third Aunt, and Little Qi left, Su Tan'er stayed to chat with her grandfather a little longer. Later, when she went to check on Ning Yi, he was lying in bed drinking medicine, his expression showing clear displeasure. After a few words of concern, she decided not to mention the stories from earlier.

Su Tan'er was capable and had ambitions of making a name for herself, but she was also a very traditional woman. Despite not having been thrilled about her marriage, she had accepted it and was trying to get along with Ning Yi. This willingness to accept her role showed that while she had personality, she was still bound by societal norms.

She hoped that as a teacher, Ning Yi would maintain an air of authority, not win over his students with little tricks. While she appreciated cleverness, she would have preferred for him to be a more traditional scholar, even if somewhat rigid in his ways. At the moment, she was still getting to know him, and wouldn’t make any judgments too soon. Still, she couldn’t help but begin to imagine the kind of husband he might be.

At this stage, though, it was still a time of mutual understanding, and she wasn't ready to make any final judgments. But she was slowly starting to form a picture of her husband in her mind.

She understood that Ning Yi was an ordinary scholar with modest learning, limited vision, but a good heart and temper. This, it seemed, would be the man to whom she would entrust her future.

Though there was room for some capriciousness now, time was not unlimited. Eventually, they would need to live together, and she would bear his children. As long as he wasn't wicked or malicious, these things would happen naturally. The future seemed settled, with little room for surprise or change.

At the end of autumn in the seventh year of Jinghan in the Wu Dynasty, the elegant Su Tan'er, who had only recently become a wife in name, looked up as the wind brushed her cheek and ruffled the strands of hair near her ear. Her clear eyes reflected a certain helplessness, but her expression remained mostly calm. Dressed in a pale green robe that swayed gently in the breeze, this bright and intelligent young woman was beginning to accept the nature of her marriage.

But at this moment, her thoughts were not fully consumed by her marriage. There were still other things to consider, other tasks to focus on. Ordinary life, with its occasional distractions, would continue on its course. If everything progressed as expected, perhaps decades later, she might look back on this moment and recall the wind of a certain day. But for now, everything was still in abundance; there was no need to overthink the future.

And so, in this peaceful and almost imperceptible flow of time, the Mid-Autumn Festival arrived.

When illness strikes, it does so swiftly like a mountain collapsing, but recovery is as slow as drawing silk from a cocoon. In this era without effective medicine, Ning Yi, whose body had always been weak, was still confined to his room on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, nursing a cold. He passed the time reading an ancient novel written in colloquial Chinese.