Chapter 67: Zhang Jie: We of the Zhang Family

While Zhang Jie and Chen Wenyun conversed, Pan Jinlian was chatting with Lady Wang.

“I didn’t expect Uncle Zhang to be the top scorer of this imperial examination.”

Lady Wang, having learned from Pan Jinlian that Zhang Jie was the top scorer, sighed repeatedly.

Although she had already heard from the yamen runner who brought the good news that her husband Chen Wenyun had passed the provincial exam,

given the closeness between Zhang Jie and her husband, she had at most guessed Zhang Jie was merely another examinee of the same cohort.

Even if Zhang Jie had failed the exam and remained merely a scholar, she had been mentally prepared.

After all, years of sharing a bed had taught her Chen Wenyun’s true nature,

that he was not the sort to distance himself from friends still stuck as scholars after passing the exam.

Yet she never imagined Zhang Jie had become the new top scorer.

Stories of child prodigies in the imperial exams were widely told, but how many had actually seen one?

“Could even Master Sushui or Lord Wang compare to him?”

Lady Wang marveled at how terrifyingly extraordinary Zhang Jie was.

Master Sushui was Sima Guang, who at age seven became famous as a child prodigy,

having memorized the Zuo Commentary and recited it to his family.

He was renowned for his memory and comprehension, later becoming a famed historian,

and after death was posthumously granted the title of Grand Tutor and Duke of Wen, with the posthumous name “Wenzheng.”

Lord Wang was Wang Anshi, who as a youth was also called a child prodigy,

possessing perfect recall, composing prose with lightning speed, famed for his literary talent and reformist abilities,

and posthumously elevated to Grand Preceptor and Prince of Shu, with the posthumous name “Wen,” hence known as Lord Wang.

Pan Jinlian, who had long studied late into the night with Zhang Jie, was naturally familiar with these two great ministers of the Song.

Though deeply pleased that Lady Wang had equated Zhang Jie with Wang Anshi and Sima Guang,

remembering Zhang Jie’s teachings on humility, she modestly replied:

“Lady Wang, you flatter too much—how could my young master possibly compare to Master Sushui or Lord Wang?”

“He’s still too young.”

Lady Wang, seeing through Pan Jinlian’s thoughts at a glance, sighed.

It wasn’t that she could read minds—Pan Jinlian’s slightly upturned lips had betrayed her true feelings.

“But what harm is there in youth being spirited?”

As Lady Wang recalled, when she first married Chen Wenyun,

she too had hoped her husband would become top scorer and even a jinshi,

that she herself would be granted the title of noble lady by the court, bringing glory to the family and immortality in history.

As Pan Jinlian grew more at ease, she first cautiously glanced around,

then leaned close to Lady Wang’s ear and whispered:

“Lady Wang, do you know of any secret remedies in Yuncheng County?”

“Secret remedies? What kind of remedies?”

Lady Wang was momentarily baffled.

Hadn’t they just been talking about their husbands?

How had the topic suddenly shifted to medicine and drugs?

“I mean… the kind that helps with childbirth.”

Pan Jinlian’s face flushed crimson, yet she still voiced her thought.

“Childbirth remedies?

From Uncle Zhang’s appearance, he doesn’t seem to need any remedy!”

Lady Wang, assuming Pan Jinlian and Zhang Jie had marital difficulties, asked in confusion.

Based on her years of experience, Zhang Jie’s aura was refined and contained,

the type who looked slim in clothes but muscular beneath,

surely a formidable force in bed.

“Could it be… Uncle Zhang is all show, a wax spearhead—looks impressive but useless?”

Lady Wang speculated wildly.

Zhang Jie: She’s slandering me! She’s slandering me!

“No, no—my young master is very vigorous.”

Pan Jinlian, still blushing, whispered in defense.

Though the saying “There’s no land that can’t be plowed, only oxen that die from overwork” was widely known,

in the past, she had only ever begged for mercy.

Zhang Jie: We of the Zhang family are strong, powerful!

Lady Wang, hearing this, felt puzzled: “That’s strange.

Logically, if the ox isn’t the problem, nothing else should be.”

Recalling her own marriage to Chen Wenyun, she remembered they had conceived Chen Yun within three months.

Could the young Zhang Jie really be less capable than her husband, nearing thirty?

‘If the ox is fine, then the problem must be the land.’

Lady Wang formed a hypothesis.

Yet she knew such words couldn’t come from her, so she reluctantly found an excuse:

“Perhaps it’s just a matter of time.

It’s too soon—why not wait a while longer and see?”

The time is too short; wouldn’t it be better to wait a while longer before seeing?

Pan Jinlian, who harbored similar suspicions, nodded weakly.

Pan Jinlian, who had similar suspicions, nodded weakly.

“Father, someone’s here to see you.”

As Zhang Jie and Chen Wenyun continued chatting,

Chen Li, who had been playing outside with friends, walked in and called out in a childish voice.

“Oh? Who is it? What does he look like?”

Chen Wenyun, sipping tea, set down his cup and asked softly.

“I don’t know who he is, but he’s wearing the yamen’s black robe.

He told me to give you and Uncle Zhang this letter.”

Chen Li handed the letter to Chen Wenyun.

“The yamen?”

Chen Wenjun frowned.

How had the yamen’s letter arrived the moment they stepped into his home?

Had the yamen stationed spies at the city gate and his very doorstep?

Yet despite his confusion, he couldn’t neglect the yamen’s messenger.

“Younger brother, since this letter is addressed to both of us, shall you open it?”

Thinking the letter was meant for both him and Zhang Jie, Chen Wenjun pushed it toward Zhang Jie.

“Brother Chen is the host, I am the guest—I naturally defer to the host.”

Zhang Jie pushed the letter back toward Chen Wenyun.

The host was present; for him to open the letter first would be overstepping.

Moreover, he already had a guess about its contents:

Chen Wenyun had been a quiet, honest scholar with no legal troubles.

Though Zhang Jie had killed Lord Ximen and the bandits of Ye Zhu Zhai ,

even if he had carelessly been exposed,

facing a man as dangerous as him, the authorities would send troops to arrest him directly,

not send a letter—and include Chen Wenyun, the newly passed provincial examinee.

So what was the most notable thing about the two of them?

Naturally, one was a newly passed provincial examinee, the other the newly crowned top scorer.

This letter was almost certainly an invitation to a banquet.

“Since you insist, I won’t refuse.”

Chen Wenjun picked up the envelope, broke the wax seal, and unfolded the letter.

As Zhang Jie had predicted, Chen Wenyun glanced over the letter briefly, understood its gist, and laughed:

“Hah! This is an invitation from County Magistrate Shi, asking the two of us to attend a banquet tonight.”

“Younger brother, wait here—I’ll go welcome the yamen runner.”

Chen Wenyun rose to his feet.

Normally, a yamen runner’s visit should have been handled by his servants.

When the yamen runners came to visit, it should have been his servants who went to guide them in.

But who could blame him for not having money back then to hire servants?

Could we really make Chen Li, a child, go fetch the yamen runners?

What about Wu Song?

He knew Zhang Jie held Wu Song in extremely high regard, and rather than treat him as an equal,

he too would treat Wu Song as an equal, never giving orders as if he were a servant.

“Let’s go together, let’s go together.”

Zhang Jie said with interest.

Zhang Jie and Chen Wenyun walked side by side toward the courtyard gate, with Wu Song, towering like a iron tower, following behind them.

As soon as they stepped out of the courtyard gate, they saw a yamen runner in dark official attire standing a dozen steps away.

“Greetings, Master Chen, Master Zhang.”

The runner hurried forward upon seeing Zhang Jie and Chen Wenyun.

“Isn’t this Head Hu?”

Chen Wenyun, who had long been familiar with Yuncheng County, recognized the runner at once.

“Master Chen, Master Zhang, have you read the letter?”

Head Hu asked loudly.

“Mm.”

Zhang Jie gave a slight nod.

Since this was Chen Wenyun’s home, he didn’t need to speak.

“Please return and tell County Magistrate Shi that I and my younger brother Renjie will certainly attend the banquet on time.”

Chen Wenyun bowed deeply with solemnity.

He would not become arrogant just because he had passed the provincial exam.

Compared to himself, a mid-tier juren, County Magistrate Shi was a genuine graduate of the imperial examination.

Though only ranked third class among jinshi, a jinshi was still a jinshi,

far above any juren in status.

Even Zhang Jie, as the provincial top scorer, was no exception!

“Then I’ll return to report.”

Satisfied with the answer, Head Hu happily took his leave.