Mu Chun
Dayu's martial arts program has always been a three-year program; those who fail are expelled, and only those who pass are allowed to continue their studies.
Qin Ziyuan is a third-year student at the martial arts academy in the capital. If all goes well, he will graduate in the autumn of the fifteenth year of the Yuanzhen era. For the past two years, he has consistently achieved excellent results, especially in riding and archery. Because of his seniority, he was selected as an assistant instructor, responsible for conveying teaching orders and maintaining order.
Not long ago, he learned from a rumor that a new martial arts doctor would be appointed at the training ground. He had hoped to achieve excellent results in this selection process to pave the way for his future career, but unexpectedly, all his expectations were dashed. Perhaps due to excessive nervousness, he performed only moderately in both rounds of the selection examination. After everyone had finished their tests, he indeed only received a first-class and a second-class score.
The best among them was Liang Zhengyuan, who had only been training at the Mujing Martial Arts School for half a year.
Qin Ziyuan was on good terms with several older students, including Cao Yuan, who was now serving as a study companion to the Fifth Prince. However, Cao Yuan had recently withdrawn from school due to injury, focusing solely on his role as a study companion, leaving Qin Ziyuan alone. Normally, this was fine, but when the martial arts professor announced Liang Zhengyuan as the winner today, he suddenly felt incredibly lonely and desolate standing beside the beaming Liang Zhengyuan. Especially when everyone gathered around to congratulate Liang Zhengyuan.
These people used to be all around him.
He was seething with anger, and even the sight of that figure galloping across the battlefield seemed like a thorn in his side. Years of arduous training had brought him to the brink of graduation and a promising start in the imperial court, perhaps even a position as a sixth-rank Zhaowu Colonel—a truly remarkable rank for someone of his stature. But this mishap had struck. He dared not even consider the possibility of never receiving the scholar's approval again; how difficult his future would become.
While Qin Ziyuan was lost in thought, everyone was exhausted from a day of training, so someone suggested going to Muchunlou next to the training ground to drink until they were drunk. This suggestion was immediately met with approval from everyone.
Zhang Boyuan, usually carefree and easygoing, led Liang Zhengyuan and the weary group into Muchunlou with his head held high. A regular at teahouses, he immediately waved his hand and expertly ordered several signature dishes from the waiter. Soon after, the waiter promptly served the drinks and food.
The spring pickled fish and peach blossom pickled fish were in season during summer, looking incredibly fresh and tempting. Seafood sashimi dipped in fresh orange juice was a delightful combination of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. We also ordered two steamers of crab roe dumplings; the fresh, bright yellow crab roe, paired with seasoned minced pork, was steaming hot and incredibly fragrant, making our mouths water. And then there were the fresh snails and clams in a broth, paired with Muchunlou's exclusive brewed osmanthus wine—one sip was enough to wash away the day's fatigue. The group raised their glasses and downed the osmanthus wine in one gulp, finally feeling satisfied.
Zhang Boyuan was born in Jiangzhou and loved raw seafood. He had always praised the ten-flavor platter at Muchunlou. At Zhang Boyuan's strong recommendation, Liang Zhengyuan also picked up a piece of ginger and vinegar oysters. Indeed, it was refreshing and delicious, leaving a lingering aftertaste.
Zhang Boyuan smacked his lips with lingering satisfaction, closed his eyes and sighed, "In the entire capital, only the dishes served at Muchunlou can be considered the best. Now that I'm full and satisfied, I finally feel completely at ease!"
Xie Qiao, a fellow first-year student at the martial arts school, couldn't help but laugh and say, "Brother Zhang has always loved seafood. I never imagined that you wouldn't need to go back to your hometown of Jiangzhou. This Muchunlou alone can relieve your longing."
Upon hearing this, and seeing that Qin Ziyuan still looked as if he was savoring the moment, everyone clapped their hands and laughed.
Liang Zhengyuan frowned and asked suspiciously, "Muchunlou has a great location, right next to our training ground. And the seafood sashimi is so delicious, could the owner be from Jiangzhou?"
Upon hearing this, Ma Fu, who was drinking alone to the side, perked up and hurriedly said:
“That makes sense! Ordinary people probably wouldn’t open a teahouse next to the martial arts training ground. The bustling Mujing North Street and Bajingli Bridge are always crowded with customers. I think the owner of this teahouse is probably also from Jiangzhou, and may even have some connection with our martial arts training ground. In that case, Brother Zhang will have another fellow townsman!”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Boyuan's eyes lit up instantly, and he looked quite expectant. He hurriedly reached out to grab the passing waiter to ask him something.
Qin Ziyuan, who had been silently picking at the assorted plum cakes on the platter in front of him since entering, cleared his throat and said slowly when he heard the others discussing the owner of Muchunlou:
"The owner of this Muchunlou restaurant does have some connection with our martial arts school, but he is not from Jiangzhou."
Ma Fu raised his eyebrows, a hint of doubt in his eyes. "Oh? Brother Qin, do you know the details?"
Qin Ziyuan was the most senior among them. Ma Fu and Zhang Boyuan, among others, had only entered the Central Martial Arts Academy and trained in the training grounds in the thirteenth year of Yuanzhen. They had always treated him with great respect. Today, when Liang Zhengyuan won the top spot, the two of them surrounded him quite intimately, which made Qin Ziyuan feel extremely resentful.
But to save face, he kept a calm expression, though his words were somewhat cold:
“There used to be a pair of Dou brothers in the martial arts training ground who were very skilled in martial arts. I wonder if any of you have heard of them? The elder brother, Dou Yanzhou, was a good friend of mine and was two years older than me. He has now entered the government to serve in the imperial court. The younger brother, Dou Yanxun, was a martial arts student in the same year as me, but unfortunately, he was later plagued by injuries and illnesses, so he dropped out of the training ground after only half a year of study.”
He raised his teacup, gently brushed away the floating leaves with the lid, and said slowly:
"Muchunlou used to belong to an old man who lived in Rujiang. Later, as he grew older, he was no longer able to manage this huge teahouse, so he handed it over to Dou Ershao, a former regular customer. Dou Ershao loved sea fishing, so the fresh seafood in these teahouses was the result of his fishing trips. Muchunlou used to be just an ordinary teahouse for martial arts students to quench their thirst and rest, but now it has been completely renovated and also serves food and drinks. In less than two years, it will be a thriving restaurant in Mujing, making a fortune every day."
Upon hearing this, Ma Fu suddenly slapped his thigh and said, "No wonder! I was wondering why I kept seeing Dou Yanxun around here during training a few days ago. But he was far away, and I didn't know him well, so I didn't dare to recognize him. It's all thanks to Brother Qin's good connections."
Zhang Boyuan shook his head with regret, "I thought that a shop with such fresh seafood must be from Jiangzhou. I had heard before that Dou Yanzhou had excellent results in the martial arts school, but I didn't expect that the Dou brothers were not only good at martial arts, but also very adept in business. Mujing truly deserves to be called the capital of Dayu, it really produces a lot of talents."
Dou Yanzhou currently serves as the Chief Clerk of the Water Conservancy Bureau in the capital, overseeing the dredging and maintenance of rivers, canals, and dikes in the capital and surrounding counties. Although his rank is not high, it is a desirable position. Moreover, it is an open secret in the capital that his father, Dou Huaisheng, is backed by the imperial son-in-law Liao Qian, and he is now rising in status.
Therefore, the Dou family could be considered a rising star in Mujing. Since Qin Ziyuan was a close friend of Dou Yanzhou, he was sure to have a bright future. Consequently, Ma Fu and the others looked at him with even more respect than before.
Qin Ziyuan had experienced firsthand the feeling of being fawned over and trampled on today, and he sneered inwardly. He couldn't help but look up at Liang Zhengyuan sitting next to him. Sure enough, Liang Zhengyuan looked solemn, staring at the plate of raw sashimi in front of him, lost in thought, completely devoid of his previous arrogance.
He couldn't help but feel smug again. After all, if it really came down to seniority, Qin Ziyuan was the oldest in the entire school's martial arts arena, while Liang Zhengyuan was just a newborn calf, what was he anyway? He picked up another plum cake with his chopsticks, and only then did he feel much better.
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they chatted for a while before settling the bill and leaving.
When Liang Zhengyuan reached the door, he suddenly frowned. He said he needed to go and do something convenient first, then greeted the others and returned to Muchun Tower.
He walked along the corridor for several dozen steps, and only after the laughter and chatter of the crowd had completely subsided did he quietly call the waiter to arrange a private room and order a pot of tea.
The waiter looked puzzled, but seeing that Liang Zhengyuan had just been sitting in the hall with his entourage of wealthy and influential students from the martial arts school, he knew he couldn't afford to offend him, so he forced a smile and asked:
"Sir, have you made an appointment with us?"
Liang Zhengyuan merely glanced at the surrounding furnishings, all of which were understated wooden furniture, but upon closer inspection, one could discern their superior quality.
He recalled the day Lin Xu came to see him at the school's martial arts field under the scorching sun. The sun was blazing, but she sat in the shade with a smile for a long time before leaving.
He vaguely remembered that Dou Yanxun had also appeared at the Muchun Pavilion that day.
He picked up the teacup, gazing at the clear tea and the delicate red-tailed fish floating at the bottom, lifelike against the crisp white tea. He raised an eyebrow and finally asked, "Did your boss come today?"
The waiter bowed and said with a smile, "Does the gentleman have an appointment with our young master? However, the young master has been busy lately and hasn't been here for a long time." He quickly added, "But if the gentleman has any important matters to instruct, he can inform me first, and I will relay them to our young master when he arrives."
Liang Zhengyuan's armor gleamed in the interplay of candlelight and sunlight within the Muchun Tower, yet his expression remained remarkably gentle.
"It's alright, I'll just stay here and have some tea."
His private room was located by the window, offering a clear view of the martial arts training ground next door, where banners fluttered and dust filled the air. He held his teacup, sipping his tea casually, humming a little tune as he did so, finding it quite comfortable.
After the tea master added tea for the third time, a very delicate fragrance finally wafted from behind the beaded curtain of the private room.
Liang Zhengyuan turned his gaze away from the window, and then heard very light footsteps. Then he heard the beaded curtain sway gently, and saw a man in a black silk brocade robe lifting the curtain with one hand and striding in.
Liang Zhengyuan toyed with the cup in his hand, his eyes filled with clarity: "I have long admired the name of Young Master Dou."
The newcomer had a fair complexion and striking peach blossom eyes. A faint smile played on his lips as he gracefully sat down, lifting his long robe before nodding to Liang Zhengyuan:
"Brother Liang, I would like to congratulate you on winning the martial arts championship today."
Liang Zhengyuan clapped his hands and laughed, his expression cheerful, yet he made no attempt to hide the probing look beneath his smiling eyes:
“I used to train at the school’s martial arts field every day, but I never knew that Second Young Master Dou was the manager of the famous Muchun Pavilion. I apologize for my disrespect. That’s why I’m here waiting for you, just so I can have a chat with you for a while.”
Dou Yanxun curled his lips and said calmly, "Brother Liang, why beat around the bush with me? I was hiding in the teahouse and refused to show my face, but Brother Liang saw through the waiter's strange words at a glance. Since you are so smart and have been sitting here waiting for me for three pots of tea, please speak frankly."
Liang Zhengyuan then slowly put away his smile and revealed a serious expression.
"When we were drinking earlier, I heard that the seafood at Muchunlou is the finest in Mujing, and that Young Master Dou goes out to sea to fish every day. If it is true, as the waiter said, that you, the head of the household, have not been here for several days, then the seafood we have tasted today would not be so delicious."
Since Young Master Dou is a sensible person, I, Liang, will not beat around the bush. What I wish to discuss with Young Master Dou today is a private matter concerning my family, specifically my cousin, Lin Xu.”
He put down his teacup, looked directly at Dou Yanxun, and spoke gently yet with an undeniable firmness:
"My cousin Lin Xu is exceptionally beautiful, arguably the most beautiful woman in Mujing. Now that she's starting to fall in love, perhaps she'll have a chance encounter with Young Master Dou sometime during the day, and she's become obsessed with you."
Young Master Dou is incredibly charming. I originally didn't want to interfere in my cousin's private affairs, but the situation is complicated now. Therefore, I implore Young Master Dou for your help: please, no matter what, do not fall for my cousin, Lin Xu.
Dou Yanxun remained composed, as if what the other person was saying had nothing to do with him. His face still wore a calm, serene smile, a soft light flickering in his eyes. After a long pause, he finally spoke with a smile:
"Brother Liang, are you implying that I, Dou, am unworthy of your sister?"
Liang Zhengyuan's gaze darkened slightly as he looked at Dou Yanxun. He simply shook his head gently, and after a long while, he slowly spoke again:
"It has nothing to do with Young Master Dou. It's just that I really can't bear to see her injured."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
