Wan Shengqun, with stubble extending from his sideburns, a sturdy build, and fine brocade clothes, looked every bit a man of considerable means. He was also a married man busy with various affairs, so he usually had little leisure to stroll slowly in places like this. However, today, accompanying his future brother in law was the most important matter.
Seeing his future brother in law standing there in prolonged silence, he smiled and broke the quiet. “Jizhen, have you ever missed this place while in the capital?”
Yin Jizhen sighed. “I do not seem to have thought of it. In my dreams, however, I often wander by this lake. I wake up feeling empty, only then realising how hard it is to return to one’s homeland.”
Wan Shengqun nodded slightly. He could understand. Once a capital official, making the long journey back was no easy feat. Even with transfers and such, one might not necessarily return to Ningzhou. Most of the time, a person was no longer in control of their own movements.
Likewise, his own sister had followed her husband to the capital after marriage, as tradition dictated. It would probably be very difficult for her to visit home now.
Yin Jizhen turned around and waved to suggest they continue their stroll. He did not want to go to the literary competition venue too early. Dealing with those who came seeking fame was pointless, and the constant socialising was exhausting. It was better to pass the time here.
The best approach was to arrive only when the literary gathering began, and leave immediately after it ended, avoiding any entanglements.
The two men pushed through the weeping willows, returned to the path, and continued their leisurely walk.
Watching the crowds pass by, Wan Shengqun walked with his hands behind his back and finally spoke. “How many people spend their entire lives trapped in one place, never venturing beyond a hundred miles. Compared to the impoverished commoners, how fortunate we are. The road is perhaps better the further one travels. As long as you can establish yourself, anywhere can be home. As men, how can we be like the groups of women before us, merely admiring the scenery and seeking amusement. Jizhen, focus on serving the state, not on nostalgia. Take Xiaofen to the capital. As long as you can carve out your own path, the scenery will be good wherever you go.”
Yin Jizhen replied quietly. “The journey is hard.”
Wan Shengqun said, “Where do all these sighs come from? I am a few years older than you. Take my advice. Do not stop. Just keep walking forward.”
Yin Jizhen replied, “You have certainly grown wise in worldly affairs and skilled in human relations. Brother Wan, forgive my frankness. I have always believed you should not have abandoned the brush for commerce. If you had persisted, your achievements would have been considerable.”
Wan Shengqun laughed loudly. “I had to fight for the family estate. So much money. Letting it fall into other hands would have been too regretful. I still think money is the most tangible thing.”
Yin Jizhen could only shake his head.
Walking side by side at a slow pace, they reached the highest point of the Green Bridge and gazed at the shimmering lake waters.
“The green bridge spans across, vast and boundless on both sides…”
A woman’s gentle voice seemed to chant softly from inspiration, but was immediately interrupted by another impatient woman. “Oh, here you go again. I really cannot stand it. Can you just speak normally?”
Yin Jizhen and Wan Shengqun, who were standing with hands behind their backs looking out from the railing, both turned their heads. Where the voices came from, there were no women. There were only the backs of three slender men wearing felt hats.
“Hard to tell if male or female.” Wan Shengqun chuckled.
Yin Jizhen, however, stared blankly. He locked eyes with a man standing behind the three felt hatted figures. The man was none other than Yu Qing.
To run into him here? Both thought they had mistaken the person, but then each saw the truth in the other’s reaction. Yes, it was definitely him.
Hearing the comment about being hard to distinguish by gender, the three felt hatted men knew their disguise was seen through and turned around in unison.
These three were naturally Wen Xin, Song Pingping, and Xiao Hong.
Yin Jizhen had already raised his hand, pointing at Yu Qing with a look of astonishment.
Before his mouth could open, Yu Qing quickly called out, “Brother Wang, what are you doing here?” He strode over, repeatedly winking at Yin Jizhen.
Brother Wang? The three women were somewhat surprised. They did not expect Yu Qing to meet an acquaintance here. The main point was that this acquaintance looked quite impressive, and even his companion did not appear to be an ordinary commoner.
Brother Wang? Wan Shengqun looked bewildered. He naturally knew Yin Jizhen’s surname was not Wang, but judging by the way Yin Jizhen pointed, he seemed to know the man.
Before Yu Qing could get close, guards quickly stepped across, blocking his path and raising their hands to signal him to keep his distance.
Seeing the guards, the three women became even more certain that the party opposite them was extraordinary.
“Er…” Yin Jizhen paused for a moment, then finally caught on. The man opposite did not want to reveal his identity. He immediately called out loudly, “Brother Lin, why have you come here?” He then quickly told the guards, “Step aside. He is a friend.”
Hearing it was a friend, Wan Shengqun also immediately waved for the guards to step aside.
Brother Lin? The three women were completely confused. Was not A Qing’s surname Niu?
Yin Jizhen and Yu Qing had already grabbed each other’s arms, repeatedly patting them, truly expressing the endless emotion of a reunion after a long separation.
Afterwards, Yu Qing directly threw his arm around Yin Jizhen’s shoulder and, with their arms linked, started walking ahead.
Although Yin Jizhen was not quite used to such gestures, he was still very happy at this moment, even delighted. He truly never expected to meet this remarkable man again.
“…” Wan Shengqun looked stunned. Such a reaction from his future brother in law was rare. It seemed this was no ordinary acquaintance.
He could not let anything happen to his future brother in law. He glanced at the three women whose genders were hard to distinguish, then waved a signal for the guards in front and behind to follow.
Wen Xin and Xiao Hong looked at each other.
Song Pingping, however, kept lightly tapping her forehead, muttering, “It looks like him. It really seems like him…”
Xiao Hong tentatively asked, “Sister Pingping, what is wrong with you?”
Song Pingping turned her head to look at Yin Jizhen’s retreating figure. “The man with A Qing, I think I have seen him before. I do not know if I am misremembering. How could A Qing possibly know him. Strange, it really looks like him.”
Wen Xin asked, puzzled, “Who is he?”
Song Pingping said, “Xin’er, do you remember the provincial examination Yuwen Yuan took last time? After the results were out, I wanted to drag you along to see what Yuwen Yuan looked like. You were too shy and refused, so I went alone. Do you remember?”
At this reminder, Wen Xin nodded. It was indeed true. She asked, “So what?”
Song Pingping pointed at the departing figure. “The prefecture held a celebration banquet then. A group of successful candidates attended. I was watching from outside. He seemed to be the leading scholar, the top provincial graduate.”
“Ah!” Xiao Hong was quite shocked. “Sister Pingping, could you be remembering wrong? How could A Qing know a top provincial graduate, and even have his arm around him like that?”
Song Pingping wondered aloud. “When attending the banquet, that man walked at the very front. He looked like the moon surrounded by stars, very imposing. Even Yuwen Yuan seemed merely a foil. It was hard not to stare at him. He really looks very similar.”
Xiao Hong reminded her, “Sister Pingping, the top provincial graduate from the same examination year as Master Yuwen is Yin Jizhen, who took second place in the imperial capital’s golden list. How could A Qing possibly know Yin Jizhen, and be so familiar with him?”
Song Pingping rubbed her chin, muttering, “Maybe I really did remember wrong. It has been a long time, and I cannot be sure. But what is wrong with this A Qing, abandoning us and running off straight away? Is this any way for a servant to behave?”
That man was Yin Jizhen? Wen Xin, standing nearby, was already biting her lip, her eyes shimmering with unusual brilliance. She knew exactly why A Qing would know the second place imperial graduate Yin Jizhen.
If she had harboured even a slight doubt before, she could now be one hundred percent certain. A Qing was the legendary third place graduate who achieved perfect scores in all four subjects of the metropolitan examination. He was the greatest literary talent under heaven!
The calligraphy in the storeroom, she had not misread it. It was indeed the inkwork of that third place graduate!
Through the turbulent currents of history, a talent once in a century!
Good heavens, the “talent once in a century” praised by old Master Yuwen was actually hiding quietly in the Wen household as a servant.
Even though she had already made her judgement, confirming it now still made her heart race. She suddenly said, “Let us go and see.”
She took the lead and hurried in Yu Qing’s direction. She had absolutely no mind left to accompany the other two women for amusement.
On one side of the bridge, rows of weeping willows still stood. Two old acquaintances from the capital stood under a tree, smiling at each other, shaking their heads endlessly, both looking deeply moved.
Seeing Wan Shengqun approaching with his entourage, Yu Qing muttered a few words to Yin Jizhen.
Yin Jizhen nodded, then walked quickly over to Wan Shengqun and said, “I have met an old friend. We have some matters to discuss privately. Please keep your men from getting too close. It would be inappropriate.”
“Understood.” Wan Shengqun agreed. But looking at Yu Qing’s demeanour, he could not help but feel doubtful. “Jizhen, in Ningzhou, is there any friend close enough to you to put an arm around your shoulder whom I do not know? Who is this man? To be so vulgar and disrespectful towards a court official.”
Yin Jizhen could not help but smile. “He truly does not care for court officials. It is right for him not to observe etiquette. Everything depends on the person. Do not take it to heart.” He waved his hand and walked away, not revealing who it was. The key point was that the man himself did not want to be named.
Back under the willow tree, the two old friends, reunited after a long separation, smiled at each other once more.
Wen Xin, walking from the bridge, saw this, stopped, and watched from a distance.
“How did he become Brother Lin? I will go and ask A Qing what is going on.” Xiao Hong snorted and was about to look for Yu Qing.
“Xiao Hong.” Wen Xin called out to stop her, shaking her head to signal her not to go.
Song Pingping glanced at the situation over there and also said, “No need to go over. There are guards in plain clothes keeping watch. You will not be able to get close.”
Under the willows, after his emotions settled, Yin Jizhen looked him up and down. “Brother Shiheng, the scene of you resigning and fleeing the Censorate is still vivid in my memory. Last time, during the relief efforts in Shangwan Prefecture, you caused quite a stir. You made the court lose face. After that, there was no news of you. I never expected to meet you here. Did you go into seclusion in Ningzhou afterwards?”
Yu Qing said, “Something like that. I feel light without official burdens. How about you? Surely you are not still guarding the storerooms at the Censorate?”
Yin Jizhen smiled. “I am a second place graduate after all. Even if just for the sake of showing the scholars of the realm, they would not keep me guarding storerooms forever. Thanks to the appreciation of the Vice Censor in Chief, I at least have some proper duties to attend to. Speaking of which, the Vice Censor in Chief still mentions you occasionally. You have rather disappointed his goodwill. When I see him next, I will definitely mention our encounter.”
Knowing Brother Shiheng’s character, he spoke without too much restraint.
Yu Qing shook his head. “Why mention me? I am a man of the martial world now. It is all in the past. By the way, how is Lin Chengdao? Is he still guarding storerooms?”
Yin Jizhen laughed. “He benefited from your influence. He was later transferred to the Ministry of Rites.”
Yu Qing looked doubtful. “What does his transfer to the Ministry of Rites have to do with me?”
Yin Jizhen said, “You are surely familiar with the Xiyue Restaurant. Your three characters, ‘The Human Realm is Good’, made it nearly impossible to book a table there. Once it became known that he could easily secure a booking at Xiyue, the Ministry of Rites requested his transfer. It is useful for hosting foreign guests and such. He is now in charge of that area. You know the Censorate. Those who enforce the law must first discipline themselves. His connections could not be utilised there.”