Chapter 22: Zhou Mingyuan's Invitation

At this moment, Lu Zongde suddenly felt some regret; he should not have forced matters to this point just to seize the other party's family assets.

Although among these debts, his share was the largest, even if the courtyard and land were truly taken over and sold for money, the profit would not belong to him alone.

But after this operation, Lu Beigu might not hate the others, but he would surely hate him.

When the time comes and the other party truly becomes a high official, will he let him go?

Zhou Mingyuan, at this moment, seemed to suddenly realize and asked, "Eh? I wonder why everyone is at Brother Lu's doorstep? Are you here to deliver festival gifts like me?"

"Nothing, nothing is wrong."

Lu Zongde's mind was in turmoil; seeing Young Master Zhou here, he knew the guarantee document with the seal and Fingerprint Seal could not be snatched back, so he had to settle for the next best thing: getting back the borrowed money and interest.

Both sides exchanged money for the debt note, hand to hand.

After retrieving the debt note, Lu Beigu handed it to Pei Niangzi for safekeeping; the various creditors divided the money and dispersed on their own.

The crow on the elm tree at the alley entrance had watched the commotion for a long time, found it boring, and flew away with a "pulu-lu" flap of its wings.

"Thank you just now, Brother Zhou."

"It's a small matter."

Zhou Mingyuan had his servant put the gifts into the courtyard, then said, "Oh, by the way, besides my father asking me to deliver some festival gifts today, there is another matter. There are some customary rules in the various prefectures of Shu; usually, to welcome new classmates, they organize elegant gatherings like the flowing wine cup on a winding stream."

Lu Beigu was somewhat speechless: "Is Brother Zhou so certain I can pass the exam for Luzhou Prefectural School?"

"With Brother Lu's talent, entering the prefectural school is surely a matter of course."

Zhou Mingyuan hesitated a bit, then revealed his true purpose: "These gatherings are held in rotation; this year it is our turn for Luzhou to host. I heard they will also invite distinguished figures from the prefectural schools of Meizhou, Rongzhou, and Jiazhou to attend. At that time, we must prepare poems and lyrics, and I must ask Brother Lu to help polish them a bit."

Lu Beigu had heard that Zhou Mingyuan's learning in ink meanings and copying scriptures was quite solid; his policy essays were neither outstanding nor poor, but his poetry and fu were truly average.

Actually, among those who could enter the prefectural school or even pass the exam to become a provincial graduate, whose learning was poor?

It's just that if one is not skilled in poetry and lyrics, that would certainly be quite awkward in such social occasions.

So Lu Beigu instantly understood the other party's meaning and nodded, saying, "That is easy to discuss."

Although Lu Beigu himself was not very skilled in poetry and lyrics, as long as he was given time, his rate of improvement would surely be very fast. If he really had to attend the prefectural school gathering, it would be at least three months from now; by then, his level would be sufficient to cope.

As for plagiarism, Lu Beigu would absolutely not do it unless he was desperate or truly could not think of anything.

On one hand, Lu Beigu felt plagiarism was not true ability; writing it himself was the real skill. On the other hand, if he did not understand the ins and outs here, could plagiarism work for a moment and then for a lifetime?

The "Poems of the Divine Child," which has not yet been published, says well: "Learning is gained through diligence; ten thousand scrolls by the window lit by fireflies. Three winters' worth is enough for now; who will laugh at an empty belly?"

Lu Beigu always believed that only the learning obtained through his own hard study could never be taken away by others, and he would never run out of it.

On this side, having received Zhou Mingyuan's agreement, the corners of his eyes and eyebrows relaxed.

"In that case, I will not disturb Brother Lu any further."

After the sound of the carriage bells faded away, Pei Niangzi, who had already been very nervous, immediately bolted the courtyard gate.

She leaned her back against the door panel and patted her heart, which was pounding wildly.

The morning wind blew down a few peach blossoms, sticking to her sweat-dampened temples like a few spots of faded rouge.

"Sister-in-law?"

"Is it really just like this..." Her throat rolled twice, her voice so light it was almost inaudible, "solved?"

"It is solved; no one will come to cause trouble again."

Pei Niangzi finally let out a long sigh.

Lu Beigu turned his head; Tofu, at some unknown moment, had leaped onto the stone table and was secretly licking the crumbs that had fallen from the food box with its pink tongue.

Crystalline flakes stuck to Tofu's whiskers; seeing it discovered, it apparently knew it was in the wrong, did not dare to move, and instead immediately lay down, exposing its belly to act spoiled.

When Lu Beigu picked it up by the scruff of its neck, it still let out a "meow" as if unwilling to let go.

"Mother! Can we eat too?"

Seeing everyone had left, Lu Yuchi came out with her younger brother Lu Yanxi.

The child's innocent question dispelled the Solemn atmosphere; Pei Niangzi wiped her face, stood up, and picked a "Zitui Swallow" from the food box to hand over.

"Eat slowly with your younger brother; don't choke."

Her fingers brushed the gold-painted interlocking branch patterns on the edge of the food box, yet she felt a sense of unreality.

After all that fuss in the morning, the whole family was hungry.

Pei Niangzi went to bring out the prepared Cold Food porridge; in the coarse earthenware bowl, a few tender elm coins floated on the surface of the white porridge.

Lu Beigu then lifted the lid of the stack of food boxes placed nearby; inside the topmost box lay neatly arranged "Snowflake Frost," a delicacy made from glutinous rice and sheep's milk that melted easily and had to be kept in a food box filled with ice.

As for the one below, it was a box of "Crystal Sashimi," cut crystal clear; this was a jelly made by boiling fish and then cooling it, trembling slightly when sliced like the lake ice of early spring.

"It has been many years since I last ate this."

Pei Niangzi was momentarily lost in thought.

Looking at the thin mist in the distance, Lu Beigu also felt moved and spoke.

He softly recited Han Hong's "Cold Food" from the early Tang: "In the spring city, nowhere do flowers not fly; on Cold Food, the east wind slants the imperial willows."

"At sunset, the Han palace passes around candles; the light smoke scatters into the homes of the five nobles." Pei Niangzi's voice gradually lowered, "In Kaifeng, on the last day of the Cold Food Festival at dusk, the Emperor truly would send eunuchs to bestow new fire upon the ministers."

Lu Beigu's expression shifted; he asked tentatively, "Sister-in-law never told me why the family moved from Kaifeng back to our hometown back then."

Pei Niangzi lowered her head, pressing her lips together.

Just then, the courtyard gate was suddenly knocked on again.

"Who is it?"

"Pei Niangzi, it is this old woman."

Pei Niangzi opened the door; Aunt Wang squeezed in with a basket on her arm, her face full of smiles, her eyes constantly glancing around.

Her gaze swept back and forth between the Snowflake Frost and the Crystal Sashimi; she made two "tsk tsk" sounds in her mouth and said, "If you ask me, the young master of the Lu family should have become a provincial graduate long ago, and you, Pei Niangzi, are the same; hiding such a Wenqu Star has made this old woman worry for nothing..."

"Does Aunt Wang have something to do?"

"Oh, nothing urgent; I'm here to bring you some things."

Aunt Wang, her heart aching slightly, placed the basket filled with locust leaves onto the stone table, the willow-leaf silver hairpin at her temple rustling softly.

"Eating locust leaves during the Cold Food Festival is perfect for purging the five viscera of toxins; take them to make cold noodles."

Having spoken, she departed with reluctance.

"She's afraid I'll hold a grudge against her," Lu Beigu sneered.

"This is merely the nature of common folk to trample the low and flatter the high; there's no need to take it to heart, lest you live a weary life."

Pei Yan shook her head and said, then placed the locust leaves beneath the tree.

After the meal, the family of four went out together; in the Great Song, the Cold Food Festival and the Qingming Festival were not clearly distinguished, yet the Cold Food Festival held far greater significance, so on the first day, one must visit the graves to sweep the tombs.

At this moment, the ancient town of Gulin was shrouded in a hazy morning mist.

According to custom, fire was forbidden and cold food eaten for these three days; before every household's door stood pre-made wheat cakes and ring-shaped biscuits, with willow branches inserted into date cakes and placed upon the door lintels.

However, when visiting graves during the Cold Food Festival, paper money could not be burned; the paper money had to be hung on the cemetery trees, known as "splitting money."

Lu Beigu first helped Pei Yan clear the weeds around the graves of his parents and eldest elder brother, then arranged the cold food offerings before the tomb.

A strong gust of wind blew, lifting the splitting money into the mountain breeze like a flock of gray butterflies suddenly startled into flight.

The two children were sensible, yet not fully understanding of matters.

At this time, they did not yet know how terrifying death and separation truly were; watching the fluttering paper money, they felt no sorrow, merely staring fixedly.

"Beigu's policy essay received a 'Jia-Zhong' rating," Pei Yan poured a cup of cloudy wine onto the grave, her voice so faint it was barely audible, "The magistrate holds him in high regard."

Beneath the roots of a nearby tree, several clusters of newly sprouted rush grass swayed gently in the wind.

This wick grass possesses immense vitality; even if trampled completely into the mud, new shoots will sprout again after a single rain.

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① Locust Leaf Cold Noodles, a traditional cold dish originating in the Tang Dynasty, made by mixing flour with locust leaf water, cut into shapes such as cakes, strips, or threads, boiled, rinsed in cold water, and then eaten; originally a palace dish, the "Tang Liu Dian" records: "The Imperial Steward provides Locust Leaf Cold Noodles in summer; for all court assemblies and banquets, officials of the ninth rank and above are all provided with this meal"; by the Song Dynasty, it evolved into a popular summer-cooling delicacy in the markets, with methods varying by region; besides locust leaves, some used sweet chrysanthemum juice, or added mandarin fish, sea bass, or shrimp meat as toppings.

(End of this chapter)