The Pianist And The Lady[Republic Of China Gl] Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My godmother has never had any children in her life, but I think there is nothing wrong with that. She has lived a happy life and is much happier than many people with children. Time has never failed her beauty. I still remember her still beautiful face in her old age.

It is now 2000, and I am already seventy years old. The recollection of the past and the expectation for the new century make me want to write this story about my godmother and her generation.

I don’t remember many of the details clearly. If something is unclear, please forgive me for the memory of an old man who is about to die.

All my references for writing all this came from several diaries, chief among them the diary of my godmother’s lover.These diaries were neatly stored in a sandalwood box, with many photos inside.

The calligraphy of godmother’s lover is very graceful and beautiful. I learned it from a famous master. These words and photos span the length of decades. I read it again a few days ago. Godmother and her lover are a perfect match standing together. They are a match made in heaven. I can’t find too many words of praise. Their happiness is beyond my description. Only if you read those diaries yourself will you understand how I feel in my heart.

The sunshine today is particularly good. This is the first day I started writing. The fragrance of ink spreads from the paper, taking me back to that time when the wind and rain were shaky but people’s hearts were as solid as a rock. My godmother’s name is Shen Xian, and my godmother’s lover is called Lan Yuan.

In 1910, it happened to be the New Year, and on this day, which was the twelfth day for thousands of households, accompanied by the sound of firecrackers throughout the city of Yangzhou, Mr. Lan was delighted to have a daughter, whom he named Lan Yuan.

As the youngest child in the family, Lan Yuan is doted on by her brother and master. Before she was five years old, Lan Yuan was not a lady and only played with grasshoppers and crickets all day long.

I remember that the night before my brother and the young master of the Li family next door had an appointment to fight grasshoppers, Lan Yuan accidentally stepped on his grasshopper to death, causing his brother to be unable to lift his head in front of the young master of the Li family for two months.

But suddenly one day, Lan Yuan was taken to her mother’s room and scolded her for not having a good wife in the future. Her childhood took another direction.

In 1915, the fourth year of the Republic of China, the Republic of China government had been established for more than three years, but Yuan Shikai and the entire society still lived in feudalism.In Yangzhou City, people’s thinking has hardly progressed, and they still live according to the old system.

Mr. Lan feels that his wife is a little harsh on his daughter, but he also thinks that this is a good thing. It will be easier for a well-trained daughter to marry into a high family. When the time comes, a prosperous husband’s family will be of great benefit to the Lan family!

During the day, Lan Yuan went to a private school to study, listening to the old gentleman’s teachings with her brother. At night, she also learned some sewing and embroidery skills from the wet nurse. However, after only studying for five or six years, Lan Yuan had to learn the embroidery skills every day. She was not allowed to go to school anymore. Mrs. Lan said that was a place for men to go, and it had nothing to do with Lan Yuan.

In the following years, the warlords fought again. The Lan family was engaged in the rice, flour, grain and oil business. It could not be said to be very profitable, but it also made some money and became the leading wealthy family in Yangzhou City.

When she turned fifteen, Lan Yuan welcomed her haircut gift. Mrs. Lan wanted to marry her off next year, but she had never met a suitable husband.

At this time, Lan Yuan no longer had the mischievousness of her childhood. She was dignified, steady, and generous, but the light in her eyes was not bright enough. She had a pair of big, watery eyes, but they were not bright enough. She was also proficient in serving tea and pouring water, and being a prostitute. She could recite a few poems and songs, and she had the appearance of a young lady.

In 1928, Lan Yuan was 18 years old. Mr. Lan was determined to marry off his daughter, no matter how afraid no one would want her.

But in the past few years, Mr. Lan has not kept up with the times. He only focused on the small money business in the accounting room, neglected the education of his children, and let the lady with bound feet handle it.

A few days ago, he had dinner with some gentlemen. He heard that young gentlemen nowadays like women who have drunk foreign ink or received Western education. Obviously, Lan Yuan does not meet the conditions at all!

Mr. Lan was so anxious that he was sweating. The housekeeper made a pertinent suggestion, find a musician for the young lady to learn some Western musical instruments. It can be regarded as being influenced by Western culture. Firstly, it is easy to master the musical instrument, and secondly, she can get into the elegant hall. However, this matter should not be made too public, otherwise the whole city will know that the eldest daughter of the Lan family has not accepted any Western culture.

It is easy to find a Western musician, but there are mostly male musicians in the city. Mrs. Lan is always afraid that her daughter will be led astray by these men. She believes that men who play violin are the best at deceiving innocent girls!

How to find a suitable musician? The housekeeper’s temples were turning white with worry. Mrs. Lan asked to find a female teacher, and she could pay more. But looking at the whole city of Yangzhou, the only women who could play the piano or play the piano were women who were not short of money. How could they be willing to earn such a small amount of teaching fees.

Fortunately, there is always a road ahead. The housekeeper was going to the train station to pick up his old cousin who came to Yangzhou to make a living, and he happened to meet Shen Xian!

Shen Xian happened to take the same train from Nanjing to Yangzhou with the housekeeper’s old cousin. The train was so crowded that Shen Xian didn’t rush to get off the train. He slowly and leisurely got off the last one. He happened to hear the housekeeper of the Lan family complaining to his shabby cousin about Mrs. Lan’s strict requirements for finding musicians, “Madam wants me to find a woman who can play the piano to give lessons to my young lady. It’s hard for me, the third child, to die!”

Thinking that he happened to be a piano player, Shen Xian, who was too cash-strapped to care about his face, immediately stepped forward and offered himself.

“I have learned some piano in England. If you want to find a female teacher, can I do it?”

The excited housekeeper immediately dragged Shen Xian into a rickshaw and hurriedly took him to the Lan Mansion without even suspecting that Shen Xian might be a liar!

Shen Xian looked at the door of Lan Mansion. It was almost exactly the same as the pictures of traditional Chinese architecture she had seen in the UK. It was a classical and elegant deep house with two large pillars standing at the door. There were two stone pillars in the shape of lions on the left and right. The door was black and lacquered. The door was at least five meters high. It was made of fine wood and had a bit of fragrance. The threshold was high enough, and you would definitely trip over if you were not careful.

The door was opened from the inside, and a servant bent over her. Shen Xian noticed that the entire mansion was still wearing traditional Chinese clothes.The things placed in the garden were also very particular. Shen Xian was first taken to Mrs. Lan.

The tall and thin Shen Xian was dressed in a way that was incompatible with this house.The New Year has just passed, and the south is cold and humid. Shen Xian is casually wearing a pair of black pants and short boots, and a tight cashmere sweater, which is very warm. He wears a black coat on the outside. His straight hair is spread freely. The suitcase containing the luggage is kept by the butler.

Although Madam was dissatisfied with Shen Xian’s dress, it was difficult to find a female teacher, so she reluctantly agreed.

Then, Shen Xian was taken by the housekeeper to meet Lan Yuan. This was also their first meeting. Lan Yuan wrote in great detail in her later memories because she had not yet had the habit of writing a diary.

In the mid-winter season, the wintersweet blossoms in the yard were in full bloom. Lan Yuan was sitting in a small outdoor pavilion practicing tea art. The water in the teapot was poured into a tureen and steaming. She wore a hairpin, light makeup, and a white cloak on her body. She was as quiet as a virgin and independent from the world. Shen Xian’s first impression was that Lan Yuan was like a quiet rabbit.

In the quiet yard, Shen Xian stepped on a branch under the dry snow, and the sound reached Lan Yuan’s ears. She knew someone was coming, but as a young lady, she knew that she must remain dignified and elegant at all times. She only stopped pouring tea for a brief moment, but was not noticed. It was not until the housekeeper spoke that she really stopped and looked up at the person.

Shen Xian’s distinctive dress immediately attracted Lan Yuan, or rather, the entire family. The maid behind Lan Yuan also looked at this tall and thin strange woman, her eyes looking much nakeder than Lan Yuan’s.

This was their first meeting, but Lan Yuan’s eyes lasted forever.Lan Yuan marveled at the uniqueness of the girl in front of her, but felt that this outfit was really eye-catching and uncomfortable. The black clothes were too depressing, and the height made people feel oppressive, and she didn’t look like a normal woman. However, Lan Yuan hid her emotions very well, and just looked at Shen Xian with a flat look. She was neither contemptuous nor paying enough attention, but she was still polite.

“Miss, this is your new teacher. She will teach you how to play the piano in the future.”

“Hello, teacher!” Lan Yuan nodded slightly, bowed slightly and saluted, her voice was clear and gentle.

Shen Xian was used to being carefree and being saluted by many people one after another. Now that the young lady in the mansion was saluting her, it was too formal. She quickly stopped Lan Yuan’s politeness and spoke in a relaxed and cheerful tone. She regarded Lan Yuan as a peer. “There is no need to be polite. Since I am your teacher, I will set a rule for you first. You are not allowed to salute when you see me. Everyone is equal!”

Equality?When these words reached Lan Yuan’s ears, she couldn’t accept it. She was used to people’s different grades. This was the principle of her mother’s education in elementary school. If servants and ladies are equal, why should they distinguish between servants and ladies? But she did not argue directly with Shen Xian. She wanted to preserve her lady’s dignity. “Okay, the student understands.”

“Girls can be taught, yes, yes.” Shen Xian felt that as a teacher, he couldn’t be so unstable and speak like an old scholar.

But when it came to Lan Yuan’s ears, he only felt a little funny. The man in front of him looked like he was at least twenty, and he deliberately pretended to be an old gentleman in a private school. It was really funny, as if a three-year-old child was wearing grandma’s clothes, and the Chinese language was not very good. “Zi” clearly refers to children. If not, it can be changed to “nunnv”.

Then the housekeeper took Shen Xian to the guest room, and Shen Xian waved and said goodbye to Lan Yuan.

Lan Yuan didn’t react for a moment, and it took her three seconds to realize that this meant resigning. She was suddenly not used to hearing people speaking in plain language.

“Teacher, go slowly!” Lan Yuan did not salute this time.

After Shen Xian completely left the yard, Lan Yuan covered her face with her sleeves and smiled slightly, but no one noticed.Although this new teacher was not easy to mess with because of his dress, his words and deeds were quite interesting. These were Lan Yuan’s first impressions of Shen Xian.