Chapter 790: An [Thank You! A Second Bow! 37k Words Owed]

Earlier that morning,

Zai Zhang brought Xingzhong and Hualan back to the Sheng household; this trip allowed Zai Zhang to pay New Year’s greetings to Master Zhuang and the elders, Xingzhong to visit his maternal grandparents, and Hualan to return to her natal home—all accomplished in one go.

On the way to the front courtyard’s main hall, Xu Zaijing looked up at the sky.

The day was overcast,

the sun flickering in and out behind the clouds.

The snow that had begun falling at dawn had stopped early, and it hadn’t been heavy.

Looking around,

the outdoor plants and trees remained a withered yellow.

On tree branches below, some white snow and patches of melted water still clung.

Most of the snow on sun-facing rooftops had melted, leaving the roofs and ground damp.

The snow in shaded corners of the courtyard had melted less, still a patchy gray-white.

On north-facing eaves and walls, where sunlight rarely reached, patches of white snow still clung.

Beneath the covered walkway,

a Sheng household maid walked toward the main hall, wrapped in a pale green cloak—clearly newly made.

In her hands she carried a tray holding porcelain plates of pastries, steam still rising from them—evidently just taken from the steamer.

Seeing Xu Zaijing approach, tall and elegant, the maid at the door hurried inside to announce: “The Fifth Young Master of the Xu family has arrived!”

No sooner had the maid spoken,

than the thick cotton curtain at the main hall’s entrance was pushed open from within.

Xu Zaijing reached the doorway and saw that it was Cuiwei, the maid by his aunt’s grandmother’s side, who had opened the curtain.

Seeing the Sheng maid standing at the door with the tray, Xu Zaijing made no show of modesty; he smiled, bowed slightly, and stepped through the curtain.

After nodding with a smile to Cuiwei, who still held the curtain open, Xu Zaijing circled around the screen at the entrance.

He glanced around the room and paused, slightly startled by the crowded, lively assembly.

The reason was that besides the elders he knew—Madam Yu, Madam Sheng, Hualan—there was also an additional elder from the Sheng family’s main branch.

Xu Zaijing immediately bowed and clasped his hands: “Auntie Grandmother, Auntie’s Grandmother, Madam Yu, I wish you all a prosperous New Year. Auntie, Sister-in-law, may you all be joyful and blessed in the New Year. Younger sisters, may your New Year be full of happiness.”

The elder ladies all smiled and nodded in response.

Rulan, Pinlan, and Minglan rose, supporting the heavily pregnant Yanran as they bowed to Xu Zaijing.

Wang Ruofu smiled at Xu Zaijing and waved her hand: “Liu Mama, bring a stool for the young master.”

Xu Zaijing smiled and bowed: “Auntie, no need yet—I must first pay New Year’s respects to Master Zhuang, then find Changbai, and only afterward return here to speak. It’ll be a while yet.”

“That’s fine, that’s fine,” Wang Ruofu nodded with a smile.

The elder lady seated at the head smiled and urged: “Jingge, go quickly. Among your classmates, you’re the only one who hasn’t paid your respects yet.”

Hearing this, Xu Zaijing smiled again at everyone, bowed, and turned to leave the room.

In the front courtyard,

near the study hall,

the path leading to Master Zhuang’s courtyard was lined with bamboo; snow still clung to the bamboo roots and shaded corners of the walls.

As Xu Zaijing entered the courtyard along the path, his gaze sharpened on two men in martial attire.

Before Xu Zaijing could speak, the two men bowed: “Greetings, Fifth Young Master.”

Xu Zaijing nodded, slightly puzzled.

At that moment, the cotton curtain of the house was pulled aside, and Master Zhuang’s son-in-law stepped out, smiling and gesturing inward: “Fifth Young Master, please come in.”

Xu Zaijing smiled and hurried forward to the door: “Brother Shi, may you have a prosperous New Year.”

Master Zhuang’s son-in-law nodded with a smile.

Inside the warm room, Xu Zaijing saw an imposing old man seated beside Master Zhuang at the head of the room, stroking his beard as he studied him.

The old man’s appearance struck Xu Zaijing as vaguely familiar; after a moment’s thought, he bowed deeply and clasped his hands: “Your humble student greets Lord Gu and Master Zhuang. May Your Excellency have a prosperous New Year, Master Zhuang, a blessed one. I come to pay my New Year’s respects.”

Gu, the Prefect of Kaifeng, stroked his beard and nodded with a smile, his gaze holding both admiration and scrutiny.

Master Zhuang smiled and beckoned: “Fifth Young Master, come sit.”

“Yes, Master.”

Xu Zaijing did not linger; after sitting and exchanging a few words with Master Zhuang on scholarly matters, he rose to take his leave.

It wasn’t that he feared Master Zhuang would quiz him—he saw at a glance that both Master Zhuang and Lord Gu were dressed for an outing and likely headed to a banquet.

To keep them waiting too long would be impolite.

Watching Xu Zaijing’s figure vanish beyond the moon gate, Gu Lin, the Prefect, smiled with his hands behind his back: “I always thought this boy was reckless and impulsive! Today, I’ve changed my mind entirely.”

Master Zhuang shot his old friend a disapproving look: “My student reckless and impulsive? If he were, how could he have sat steadily in the academy for years, steadily climbing the ranks? How on earth do you judge people?”

Gu Lin glared: “You ungrateful old man! I only worried his temperament would ruin his future! Honest advice is bitter but beneficial—do you understand?”

“Hmph, I don’t understand! Just wait—next year’s metropolitan exam will prove it!” Master Zhuang said with quiet pride.

Lord Gu looked at Master Zhuang and smiled: “Oh? You hold this boy in such high regard?”

“I hold every student in the academy in high regard!” Master Zhuang replied. “Come, let’s go—after the snow, let’s see if that man who changed his name and hid in his house dares to show himself to us.”

Lord Gu snorted and shook his head: “That fellow is now a surrendered official. He’s sent invitations several times but still won’t come out to meet us. I expect he’ll do the same today.”

In Changbai’s courtyard,

outside the main house,

Yanghao stood at the study door and called softly: “Young Master, the Fifth Young Master of the Xu family has arrived.”

“Let Fifth Young Master in,” Changbai’s voice came from within.

Hearing this, Xu Zaijing smiled at Yanghao, pushed open the study door, and stepped inside.

Changbai, seated behind the desk writing, glanced up at Xu Zaijing and smiled: “Help yourself, I’m finishing this assignment.”

“Go ahead,” Xu Zaijing said, walking around the room with his hands behind his back.

Xu Zaijing had rarely visited Changbai’s study,

so he first wandered to the bookshelf, pulled out a volume, glanced through a few pages, nodded, then moved toward the large white porcelain water jar in the study.

The jar was much like the one in Xu Zaijing’s own room, filled with colorful goldfish swimming within.

Something occurred to him; he took great interest in gently tracing his finger along the rim of the jar.

Seeing the faint gray dust on his fingertip, he smirked.

At that moment, Changbai looked up, saw Xu Zaijing smiling, and returned to his writing: “Fifth Young Master, what are you smiling at?”

Xu Zaijing shook his head with a smile: “Nothing, Changbai. Just thought of something amusing.”

While Changbai wasn’t looking, Xu Zaijing dipped his fingers into the fish tank.

Then he walked to the wall-mounted table and picked up the large sword resting on its rack.

“Shing.”

Xu Zaijing drew the blade, examined the hilt and the body, and said: “Oh? Changbai, you still use this sword often?”

“Mm,” Changbai replied without looking up. “In the mornings, I practice a few health-preserving sword forms.”

Xu Zaijing nodded, sheathed the sword, and returned it to the rack.

After a while,

Changbai set down his brush, reviewed his assignment, placed it under the paperweight, and rose: “Fifth Young Master, let’s go.”

Outside the study,

on the way,

Xu Zaijing said: “I heard from Dongrong, your uncle’s personal guard, that Yuanruo brought a fine calligraphy scroll. Shall we go take a look?”

Changbai nodded: “Let’s go. By the way, Old Master Yu is coming this afternoon—we must make good use of the chance to learn from him.”

Xu Zaijing nodded: “Indeed! Second Young Master really is something—today he actually brought Lady Yu along. She’s far along in her pregnancy.”

Changbai said: “Lady Yu was practically raised by Madam Yu. Seeing her today might lift her spirits considerably.”

“True.”

As they spoke,

the two arrived outside Sheng Hong’s study.

The attendants at the door, Buwei and Zhi Que, saw Xu Zaijing and Changbai and hurried to announce them.

“Uncle.”

“Father.”

Seeing the two enter and bow, Sheng Hong, standing behind his desk, smiled and beckoned: “Jingge, Baier, come look at this calligraphy.”

As Xu Zaijing finished his appraisal and Changbai was about to speak, Changfeng slipped beside Xu Zaijing and whispered: “Jingge, are you going to Qiao Jiu’s poetry gathering this afternoon?”

Before Xu Zaijing could answer, Changfeng continued: “I heard from Sixth Young Master that this gathering cost a fortune—they’ve even invited Shishi, the most famous courtesan in the capital!”

Xu Zaijing shook his head: “Old Master Yu is coming this afternoon—we should take full advantage of the chance to learn. It’ll benefit our future examinations.”

By the desk, Sheng Hong was already guiding his nephews in brush technique.

Changfeng smiled and whispered: “Jingge, Shishi is now the most celebrated courtesan in the capital—she’s nearly impossible to invite. After today, you might never see her again!”

“They say her beauty is unmatched. Every noble youth who’s seen her has become her devotee. I wonder what she truly looks like.”

As he spoke, Changfeng gazed dreamily and whispered further: “Jingge, suppose Shishi takes a fancy to me and invites me to stay the night—what should I do?”

He clapped his fist into his palm and sighed: “So difficult! So difficult! So difficult!”

Xu Zaijing smiled and shook his head, about to reply, when Sheng Hong called out: “Come, Yuanruo, try this brush technique.”

Qi Heng smiled and nodded.

Chang Feng tiptoed and peered out, then waved to Xu Zaijing and said, “Jing-ge, let’s go take a look too.”

A moment later,

Qi Heng said with surprise, “Uncle, thanks to your guidance, I truly feel my brushwork and calligraphy have taken on a new quality!”

“It’s also because Yuanruo has exceptional talent,” Sheng Hong chuckled.

Zai Zhang and Gu Tingye, beside him, also laughed and offered a few compliments, making Sheng Hong wave his hand in amusement.

Xu Zaijing’s study also held Sheng Hong’s calligraphy, and over the years he had often copied it; Budebushuo , Sheng Hong’s script was exceptionally beautiful.

Writing an exam paper in this style, regardless of content, would at least earn full marks for presentation.

At this moment,

A maid’s voice came from outside the study: “Master, Madam says Elder Yu is nearly here; please go to the main hall to greet him and wait a moment.”

“Very well, I understand,” Sheng Hong called out clearly.

Outside, the maid departed.

Sheng Hong wiped his hands with a damp cloth, nodded toward his son-in-law and sons, and said, “Zai Zhang, Chang Bai, Feng-er—you three go ahead.”

Hearing this, Chang Feng’s eyes lit up; he immediately agreed and tugged at Qi Heng and Gu Tingye’s sleeves, heading for the door.

Chang Bai and his brother-in-law Zai Zhang exchanged glances, then gestured to each other to proceed.

Sheng Hong looked at Xu Zaijing beside him and smiled, “Wu Lang, what are you waiting for?”

Xu Zaijing smiled: “Cousin, I’d like you to write a few more pieces for me, so I can practice them at home before Lantern Festival.”

Sheng Hong beamed, nodding with clear pleasure, and said, “Wait a moment, Wu Lang.”

He rummaged through several unused practice sheets on the desk, pulled one out, and smiled, “This one I wrote with great satisfaction—take a look, Wu Lang?”

Xu Zaijing took it, glanced once, nodded repeatedly in approval, and bowed, “Thank you, Cousin.”

Sheng Hong smiled, “Let’s go.”

Leaving the study,

the sun emerged from behind the clouds,

its bright rays slightly blinding.

He waved to the group waiting ahead and said, “Cousin, I see you have a passion for calligraphy far beyond the ordinary.”

Hearing this, Sheng Hong chuckled, stroking his beard, his eyes filled with nostalgia, and nodded, “Wu Lang, you’ve sharp eyes indeed.”

After a moment’s thought, watching Xu Zaijing carefully roll up his practice sheet, Sheng Hong’s gaze grew distant, and he said, “When I was a child, my father was still alive. He would hold my hand and teach me to write.”

“He said I had a natural gift for calligraphy.”

He smiled, half-ironic, half-melancholy.

Xu Zaijing nodded—he knew Sheng Hong meant his own flower-ranked father, his aunt’s husband, Lady Sheng’s lord.

Sheng Hong took a deep breath and smiled at Xu Zaijing, “When I was young, before I began preparing for the imperial exams, I didn’t truly admire my father.”

“But once I started the exams,” Sheng Hong sighed, continuing, “after passing the county, prefectural, and academy tests, I began to admire him more and more.”

Xu Zaijing nodded vigorously: “You’re right, Cousin.”

Suddenly, Xu Zaijing remembered something and said softly with a smile, “Without entering the exams, seeing Uncle Sheng is like a frog at the bottom of a well gazing at the moon; after entering the exams, seeing Uncle Sheng is like a mayfly gazing at the blue sky.”

Sheng Hong paused, turned to look at Xu Zaijing with a smile, and said, “Wu Lang, though slightly exaggerated, that phrase strikes right to my heart.”

Back then, Lady Sheng had spent heavily to hire renowned masters to guide Sheng Hong, yet he had exhausted himself merely to rank within the top two hundred of the entire Zhou dynasty.

But in Sheng Hong’s eyes, his father had ranked directly in the top three.

Sheng Hong knew well: the higher the rank, the harder it was to climb further—and thus his admiration grew ever deeper.

Ahead, Zai Zhang and the others had stopped walking, waiting, and turned to watch Sheng Hong and Xu Zaijing.

Zai Zhang glanced at the scroll in Xu Zaijing’s hand and smiled, “Father-in-law, Wu Lang—what were you two talking about that made you so happy?”

Xu Zaijing and Sheng Hong approached. Sheng Hong smiled, “Nothing much—just some old memories with Wu Lang.”

As they spoke,

the group arrived at the front courtyard’s main hall.

After sitting on the two rows of chairs facing the entrance, Sheng family maids brought over trays holding tea bowls.

Suddenly,

the room brightened,

as someone lifted the cotton curtain, letting sunlight stream in.

Xu Zaijing and the others turned toward the door and saw Mo Lan, tall and slender, holding a hand warmer, followed by Lu Zhong and Yun Zai.

Seeing the maids with the tea trays, Mo Lan moved forward with tact, first serving tea to Sheng Hong at the head of the room, then turning to serve Zai Zhang and Chang Bai.

When serving Qi Heng, Mo Lan met his gaze with tender eyes, earning a warm nod and smile from him.

As Mo Lan, satisfied, moved to serve Xu Zaijing, she found he had already risen and taken his own tea bowl.

Seeing her surprise, Xu Zaijing smiled, “It’s no trouble—I took it myself. No need to trouble Fourth Sister.”

Mo Lan smiled, bowed to everyone, then stepped to the other side of the screen and bowed again: “Great-aunt, Grandmother, Lady, Madam, Elder Sister, An.”

(End of Chapter)