To be Wen Mao’s uncle, he was indeed very old.
The Second Great-Uncle felt his time as a common man was running out. Looking back on his life, no matter right or wrong, success or failure, merit or fault, he knew that after death he would be just a name in the family register. Whether he accepted it or not, it was rather helpless. Then he suddenly met a once in a century talent appearing in the world, and he knew he had a chance to leave his name for later generations.
Since there was a chance, facing such a request from the Second Great-Uncle, how could Wen Mao, as clan head, refuse?
So he used connections and spent money to arrange for the Second Great-Uncle to be one of the common people who presented tea or wine during the jinshi parade through the streets. He also found a good angle at a restaurant by the roadside and arranged for a highly skilled painter hired at great expense.
When the parade arrived, among the three common people presenting tea and wine to the zhuangyuan, bangyan, and tanhua, there was the Second Great-Uncle. And through the arrangement, the one he faced was exactly the Tanhua.
The Tanhua accepted his wine, drank it in one go, and there was conversation and polite exchange before and after.
This scene was captured in the painter’s painting.
The Second Great-Uncle passed away not long after returning to Ningzhou. His name was Wen Yuanchun, and his funeral was held on a grand scale.
And that painting, ‘Wen Yuanchun Meeting the Tanhua Who Scored Full Marks in Four Subjects of the Imperial Examination, Respecting Literature and Honouring the Virtuous Through Age,’ was truly hung inside the Wen family’s thousand year old library, the ‘Wenshu Pavilion.’ It could be considered the fulfilment of the Second Great-Uncle’s final wish.
If the Wen family still existed a thousand years later, descendants entering the ‘Wenshu Pavilion’ would certainly see this painting. They would know that among their ancestors there was someone called Wen Yuanchun, and they would marvel at how the Wen ancestors revered the literary path.
The name Wen Yuanchun might also become a tale passed down by word of mouth among later descendants.
Otherwise, he would truly be just a name flipped past page by page in the family register.
Normally, only people like Wen Yan’an in the Wen family qualified to have their portraits painted and hung in the Wenshu Pavilion. Inside the pavilion, there were already portraits of sixteen jinshi from past generations of the Wen family. The Second Great-Uncle had managed to get his portrait hung in the Wenshu Pavilion in another way.
Speaking of the portrait matter, Wen Yan’an also felt quite emotional. He watched helplessly from the jinshi procession as his own Second Great-Uncle went to offer wine to someone else. He could only blame his own incompetence.
Hearing that there was no way to invite the Tanhua to the Wen family, Wen Hui, who had asked, could only sigh and give up.
But speaking of this matter of preferring to honour the Tanhua rather than the zhuangyuan, Wen Guo also could not help but ask curiously, “Yan’an, I heard the Tanhua was originally the zhuangyuan, but was demoted to Tanhua by His Majesty. Is that true?”
Wen Yan’an smiled bitterly. “It seems this matter has become known throughout the world. The zhuangyuan, Zhan Muchun, is the most embarrassed one. However, the court is refuting the rumours by strongly promoting him, giving Zhan Muchun many opportunities to display his talent.
Just based on last year’s disaster relief alone, he could be described as bold and decisive. A mere eighth rank official, just someone running errands in the disaster area, actually dared to propose strategies to suppress powerful local gentry and wealthy families. Later, he united local scholars and large numbers of disaster victims to force several major local families to open their granaries and distribute grain.
This was practically pinning his official hat to his waistband and going all out. At any other time, someone who acted like this would certainly meet a terrible end.
Yet that time, he received the full support of His Majesty, who shielded him from attacks in the court. Even people like the Duke of Xuan stood up to fully support him. It could be said that the right time, the right place, and the right people were all helping him succeed. This allowed him to gain enormous popular support in the disaster area, and also countered many rumours about the zhuangyuan title.
Just from during and after that incident, he was promoted two ranks for his merits. By the time I just left the capital, he had already been promoted again to the sixth rank.
In just over a year, rising from the eighth rank to the sixth rank, four promotions in one year. It truly could be called a rare rapid rise. Who knows how many people envied him.”
Speaking of this with endless sighs, he was clearly very envious too.
The answer also avoided Wen Guo’s question, making no direct response.
Wen Mao spoke slowly. “The court may be promoting him strongly, but if it were you sent to the disaster area, would you dare to act like that? Could you do it?”
Wen Yan’an was briefly silent, then shook his head slightly.
Wen Mao reminded him, “He fought for it with his life. It is what he deserves. Do not speak sour words, and there is no need to envy him. The family does not need you to fight like that either. You just need to be steady and stable, and communicate more with the family when there are matters. Understand?”
“Yes.” Wen Yan’an bowed in acknowledgement.
Wen Mao also glanced at Wen Guo. “Some words, muttering a couple of sentences at home is fine. But if you dare to wag your tongue randomly outside the home, family law will be applied!”
Wen Guo pressed her lips together, and answered along with everyone else, “Yes.”
Wen Mao waved his hand at everyone. “The women withdraw.”
This meant they were going to discuss serious matters. A group of women who liked to chatter, whether happy or unhappy, all obediently took their leave.
Without those chattering women, Wen Mao then asked, “Yan’an, we were just speaking of that Wan family son in law, Yin Jizhen. Did he return with you this time?”
Wen Yan’an: “A fellow townsman went to the Censorate to ask him. He has some matters, and may return a few days later.”
Wen Mao: “You should know, the Great Sacrifice is about to begin. You do not want your grandfather to follow behind that old ghost of the Wan family in full public view, do you? If I lose face there, the entire Wen family cannot hold their heads up, and will lose face along with me. At the literary competition, once Yin Jizhen appears in the identity of the Wan family son in law, do you have confidence to defeat him?”
Wen Yan’an hesitated. “Grandfather, given our positions, is it really appropriate for us to participate in such matters now? He is also a speaking official of the Censorate. I am afraid he will not participate, right?”
Wen Mao: “I am asking what if. If he does appear, do you have confidence to defeat him?”
Wen Yan’an was somewhat hesitant, but in the end he did not pretend, and admitted with difficulty: “I have seen his answers in the provincial examination, the metropolitan examination, and the palace examination. In each one it was not by luck. He performed stably, and is indeed slightly better than me.”
Wen Mao rolled his eyes. One listen and he knew it was over.
As they say, in literature there is no first place. To make a scholar admit he is inferior to someone, the gap must be quite large.
In fact, if Yu Qing had not used the answers provided by Mr. Ming as reference and caused disruption, not only would Yu Qing not have become the zhuangyuan, but Zhan Muchun would also have been unlikely.
In other words, Yin Jizhen, who had to settle for bangyan, was the true, genuine zhuangyuan.
It was very normal that Wen Yan’an could feel the gap between himself and Yin Jizhen.
The eldest master, Wen Jiantang, who was also Wen Yan’an’s father, said in a deep voice: “An’er, you must fight with all your strength, you must make an effort!”
Wen Yan’an wanted to speak but stopped. Wen Mao had already raised his hand to stop him. “I originally wanted to let you go on stage and try. Since you yourself recognise the gap, then do not force it. In the path of literature, talent decides things, and it is the one thing that cannot be forced. Hmm, if you cannot do it, do not go. After all, you hold official rank. There is no need to knowingly face certain defeat and still thrust your face forward to be smeared. It would not look good when you return to the capital either.”
Wen Jiantang was somewhat anxious: “Father, then what do we do? Among our Wen family children, currently Yan’an is the strongest in literary matters. If even Yan’an cannot block the Wan family’s son in law, the others are even less worth mentioning.”
Wen Mao: “Do they think my Wen family has no one? The Wan family has a son in law. Does my Wen family not have one? If it will not do, let Xin’s fiance go up. Yu Wenyuan’s provincial examination results were about the same as Yin Jizhen’s. The two of them might be able to compete. Besides, with Old Mr. Yu’s face, those judges would also have to consider carefully. At least they would not dare to easily favour the Wan family.”
At a waterside pavilion by the lake, three people were talking by the railing. They were also discussing Wen Yan’an’s return.
A chubby old man, a white clothed young man with sword like eyebrows and starry eyes, and a capable woman in a blue long skirt.
The chubby old man was an elder of Qinglian Mountain, named Fan Wuchou. He was responsible for Qinglian Mountain disciples’ worldly training affairs, and lived long term in the Wen residence. To some extent, he also guaranteed the Wen residence’s safety.
The handsome young man with sword like eyebrows and starry eyes was his disciple, named Zou Yunting.
The woman in the blue skirt was also Fan Wuchou’s disciple, named Song Pingping.
The master and disciples talking turned their heads one after another, and saw Wen Xin walking quickly while holding a metal cylinder, followed by her maid Xiao Hong.
Seeing them, Wen Xin stopped, bowed, and only left after paying her respects.
Xiao Hong also gave a half curtsey, and was about to run.
“Xiao Hong.” Song Pingping called out to her. After beckoning her to come over, she asked: “What is Xin holding that makes her in such a hurry?”
Xiao Hong smiled playfully. “A treasure. At least in the young lady’s eyes it is a treasure. A piece of calligraphy.” Then she said to Zou Yunting with a worried face: “Young Master Zou, Zilong is still constantly spitting out food. He simply will not eat, and keeps running away. What should we do?”
Zou Yunting said calmly: “Keep starving it. Once it is hungry enough, it will eat anything. Tie it up well and lock it up well, and naturally it will not be able to run away.”
Xiao Hong sighed: “After locking it up, it does not eat or drink and keeps crying pitifully. It looks so pitiful. The young lady cannot bear it, and keeps letting it out. If no one watches it closely for a moment, it slips away. So annoying.”
Fan Wuchou smiled slightly. “It is just like a child being weaned. Crying and making a fuss is very normal. There is always a transition period. Once it gets used to it, it will be fine.”
“Yes.” Xiao Hong nodded vigorously to show she understood, then took her leave.
Song Pingping said: “Master, I will go see what treasure Xin has obtained.” After receiving permission, she also quickly left.
Zou Yunting watched her go. It was not his junior sister he was seeing off, but rather he was staring from afar at the beautiful figure that had just disappeared at the lakeside intersection.
Fan Wuchou glanced at his disciple’s reaction, and suddenly said to himself: “Everyone has been young. Everyone has someone they cannot obtain. Some people can only be kept in the heart. Things that do not belong to you, do not show them on your face, and even more do not put them into action. Otherwise it is not good for anyone.”
Hearing these words, Zou Yunting was suddenly startled. His face changed greatly. The look he gave his master was somewhat flustered. He seemed not to have expected that the thoughts hidden deep in his heart would be known by his master.
Fan Wuchou: “Everyone likes a good woman, but you should know clearly that the founding ancestor established rules for Qinglian Mountain. Disciples in the sect cannot marry Wen family women, and cannot marry Wen family men. Otherwise what awaits you will be severe punishment. There is a precedent for this. Restrain your own desires, lest you harm others and yourself. Your junior sister has deep feelings for you. Why must you let her down? If you are not confident you can restrain your desires, I will give you one chance. Go back to the mountain to cultivate in peace!”
Zou Yunting lowered his head and was silent for a while, before replying: “This disciple understands.”
Fan Wuchou closed his eyes and said no more.
Jade Garden, Wen Xin’s residence.
Song Pingping had already caught up with Wen Xin, and asked: “Whose calligraphy did you get, to make you so excited?”
Wen Xin smiled beautifully. “A Shiheng’s authentic handwritten work.”
“Ah, is that the Tanhua? Quick, take it out. Quick, let me see too.”