101. Strumming Again, the Butterfly Sings Its Heartfelt Longing

“Nan Qing, is this the Jiangzhou Distillery you mentioned?” Dantai Ming looked at the vast empty lot before him, puzzled. It seemed as if something was about to be built here.

A few days ago, after much discussion, a group decided to bring Dantai Ming here to witness the early stages of industrialization. Today, they had arrived at this large construction site.

“Ziyu, this is the workshop area of the Jiangzhou Distillery. In three months, it will become the largest distillery workshop in Daliang, producing fifty thousand bottles daily. Each bottle is initially priced at five taels of silver, so that’s a daily revenue of two hundred and fifty thousand taels. Is one million taels of silver for five hundred thousand shares not a good deal?” Lu Jin explained.

“Fifty thousand bottles?” Dantai Ming asked in astonishment.

“It will only increase, never decrease,” Lu Jin confirmed. Achieving such scale in brewing might be tough initially, but as a distillation and processing operation, it’s entirely feasible.

Dantai Ming watched the bustling crowd at the site, his mouth agape in shock. This was hardly a mere workshop—it was a money magnet. Although costs must be deducted, the daily revenue from selling fifty thousand bottles hardly seemed low. In Daliang, that amount of wine wouldn’t last a few hours. And in the future? According to Lu Jin, expansion was certain. What an enormous scale that would be!

“In a few days, Qingfeng Mingyue Pavilion will launch this wine. Ziyu, you can go see how it sells for yourself,” Lu Jin said to Dantai Ming.

“Master!” Shen Yi came running breathlessly and greeted them.

“I’ve brought guests from Jinling to take a look at the distillery,” Lu Jin said to Shen Yan.

“Ziyu, let me introduce you. This is Shen Yi, the general manager of our distillery, responsible for all matters here. Shen Yi, this is Dantai Ming, the second young master of the Dantai family from Jinling. Please show him around,” Lu Jin introduced them.

“All right, I’ll follow this Manager Shen for a closer look,” Dantai Ming said. What a strange title.

With such a significant business, Dantai Ming couldn’t decide in just a few words; it was only proper to observe further. Lu Jin took this opportunity to excuse himself.

“I’ll give Ziyu half a month to decide. After that, no more waiting. Business is business, but friendship is friendship,” Lu Jin said.

“All right, Nan Qing, you go ahead. I’ll take my family to look around,” Dantai Ming said, naturally surrounded by many attendants as a noble scion.

“I won’t accompany you then. Shen Yi, please take good care of Young Master Dantai,” Lu Jin instructed.

On the way home, Lu Jin pondered what kind of days these had been. Hadn’t he agreed to take it easy? What kind of resting was this? Every day felt like a dog’s life.

——

At the Shen residence, in the Xiyuan Garden, by the Yuntai Pavilion.

Finally stealing a few moments of leisure, Lu Jin lay on the floating platform by the lakeside, feigning sleep.

“Master, Miss has arrived!” Caiyun whispered by his ear.

Just come on then; did a husband and wife need to make a fuss? Lu Jin squinted, basking in the sun.

“Husband!” Shen Yanxi softly called out as she approached.

“Wife wants to… oh, sister is here too?” Lu Jin had just reached out to surprise Shen Yanxi with a hug when he saw Shen Yanyun standing beside her.

Awkwardness overwhelmed him; his gentlemanly composure vanished. He withdrew his hand and rose from the chair sheepishly.

Shen Yanxi tried hard to suppress a smile. Shen Yanyun looked a little embarrassed; the young couple certainly got along quite well.

“Sister, please sit. What brings you here today?” Lu Jin hastened to be polite.

He rarely interacted with Shen Yanyun outside family gatherings, given how large the Shen household was. Frankly, this sister-in-law was quite formidable, so less contact was better.

“Seems like brother-in-law isn’t too pleased to see me!” Shen Yanyun teased.

“Nonsense, sister. You’re a beauty of the realm—I should be the one welcoming you,” Lu Jin replied courteously.

Shen Yanyun’s cheeks flushed slightly. This brother-in-law had quite the way with words but should have been more mindful with Xi’er nearby.

“Husband, are you eyeing sister?” Shen Yanxi laughed.

Lu Jin almost spat out his drink. He was just being polite. It puzzled him that Shen Yanxi could say such things freely—was it because the sisters were so close?

“Xi’er, what nonsense are you spouting!” Shen Yanyun’s face reddened. She hadn’t expected her sister to be so brazen.

“Ha, we’re family. Why so serious? Sister, stop calling him brother-in-law all the time—just call him Nan Qing,” Shen Yanxi teased, delighted by their discomfort.

Lu Jin realized his wife had a sly, carefree side beneath her appearance.

“Yes, sister, just call me Nan Qing!” he said politely.

“Fine, then you call me Yanyun. All this ‘sister’ makes me feel old!” Shen Yanyun laughed but realized she had spoken too much. Blushing, she stood aside.

Wait, Lu Jin was momentarily dumbfounded. Yanyun, pregnancy test? What if it came back positive? Whose child would it be?

Besides, this was the Shen family, steeped in etiquette. Calling someone ‘sister’ was proper; Shen Yanxi also did so.

“Husband, just listen to sister. In the Shen household, only a few of us are close in age, so we don’t need to be so formal,” Shen Yanxi supported.

Lu Jin felt more confused, not understanding their meaning.

“All right, let’s sit and chat,” Lu Jin relented. Calling names surely wouldn’t induce pregnancy.

“Sis, don’t mind him. He’s a bit slow!” Shen Yanxi whispered.

“Pfft, who talks about their husband like that?” Shen Yanyun laughed. But she had a point—he was indeed slow earlier.

“If he weren’t slow, maybe I wouldn’t like him as much,” Shen Yanxi whispered back.

“I can hear you two…” Lu Jin said awkwardly.

It wasn’t far; whispering made no difference.

Both sisters laughed heartily, enjoying his innocence.

Lu Jin scratched his forehead. If alone with Shen Yanxi, he would have confronted her directly. But not with this crowd.

“Husband, Mid-Autumn Festival is coming. We usually hold a banquet at Xiyuan Garden, but because of grandfather, it’s been small these past few years. This year, we plan to make it grander, so I came to discuss it with you,” Shen Yanxi said.

Lu Jin finally understood why the sisters came together—there was something important to discuss. But he was clueless.

“Isn’t the emperor dead? Why would you make it grander?” Lu Jin asked.

“Because he’s dead, that’s why,” Shen Yanxi said angrily at the mention of the emperor. She was about to sip her tea but burst into laughter, saying they should still thank him.

Lu Jin was baffled; his wife’s expressions changed too quickly. Well, if they said so, it must be so.

“Who’s coming?” he asked.

“We’ve sent out invitations. Besides the Shen family, many will come—mostly children from prominent families in Jiangzhou. Outsiders will be mostly young people,” Shen Yanxi added.

“I’m not familiar with Mid-Autumn customs,” Lu Jin confessed to Shen Yanxi, who knew about his amnesia, so he spoke plainly.

“It’s about everyone coming together to think of ways…”

Hearing that, Lu Jin relaxed. They sat together, chatting and brainstorming for a while.

“Nan Qing, do you have any Mid-Autumn poems? Xi’er says your poetry is excellent,” Shen Yanyun said.

“Not bad. It’s easier when inspiration strikes; without it, I’m at a loss,” Lu Jin replied modestly.

“We want to find some fresh Mid-Autumn poems for the banquet. The usual ones have been overused. If you have some ideas, please share a few,” Shen Yanyun requested.

“All right, Caiyun, bring the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone!” Lu Jin didn’t hesitate; he knew many Mid-Autumn poems.

“Nan Qing, you’ve already thought of some?” Shen Yanyun was amazed. His talent was astounding.

“My husband composing poetry is effortless,” Shen Yanxi’s eyes sparkled with pride.

“Okay, I get it, your husband is amazing!” Shen Yanyun said, a bit exasperated. This sister had changed so much—who would have guessed the realm’s most beautiful woman had turned into a boastful wife?

“Sis, being jealous won’t help,” Shen Yanxi said unabashedly.

Lu Jin couldn’t even get a word in. The sisters volleyed back and forth endlessly.

When the maid brought the supplies, Shen Yanyun insisted on grinding the ink, and Shen Yanxi didn’t object. Lu Jin dipped his brush and began writing.

“On the fifteenth night of August, the old moonlight mingles with the rabbit’s glow…”

“The sky will bathe the world with moonlight tonight…”

One poem followed another, Lu Jin wrote without pause. Shen Yanyun stood stunned, while Shen Yanxi’s eyes glistened like autumn waters.

“Enough?” Lu Jin asked after writing over ten.

“Yes, yes! That’s plenty!” Shen Yanyun snapped out of her trance. Everywhere was covered with poems. If she said not enough, would he keep going? This man was truly incredible.

——

After the poetry session, they settled down to chat and play, even calling musicians over. Over time, Lu Jin grew accustomed to the aristocratic lifestyle.

More guests arrived: Wu You, the eldest brother Shen Yancheng, Shen Yanlun, and Lu Caiwei. Children from noble families, raised in such an environment, were naturally accomplished. His own sister needed to develop similar refinement.

“Husband, today I wasn’t just playing around,” Shen Yanxi said.

You’re anything but playing around—you’re going wild.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know when you played ‘Butterfly Transformation’ while I was unconscious?” Shen Yanxi laughed. She had hoped he would bring it up, but since he hadn’t, she couldn’t wait. Though played for her, she had never heard it before.

Lu Jin scratched his head, baffled. Surely some maid had betrayed him.

Shen Yanxi and Shen Yanyun laughed at his innocent expression, hugging each other.

Play away—cherish your wife, what else can you do? Having just finished a piece, Lu Jin placed his hands on the guzheng again to play, while the musicians recorded the notes.

When the piece ended, everyone was deeply moved, lingering in sorrow. Shen Yanxi’s eyes were already moist. It wasn’t just the familiar story or the music, but the love her husband showed her. Even as butterflies, they must be together.

“Nan Qing, how can a man compose such a touching story and music? It’s enough to break any woman’s heart,” Shen Yanyun wiped her tears. Indeed, every woman present had moist eyes.

“Sister, you flatter me. I wrote the story and music because my wife’s deep affection moved me. At that moment, I thought, if the world won’t accept us, as long as Yanxi is willing, I’d become a butterfly just to be with her,” Lu Jin said.

Upon hearing this, Shen Yanxi broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. With so many around, she couldn’t throw herself into her husband’s arms, so she turned to Shen Yanyun for comfort. Shen Yanyun, tears flowing, soothed her. Only they knew the sweetness and bitterness within.

The other women, unable to hold back, all wept until their eyes reddened. Such passionate devotion in a man was rare indeed.

Among the unnoticed crowd, Wu You lowered his head, tears falling like broken pearls.