Chapter 95 Mr. Du, is it possible that playing both sides is also the way of a gentleman?
"Madam Du, this is the sweet-scented osmanthus oolong tea my mother and I personally blended. It may feel slightly astringent at first, but the sweetness lingers long and the fragrance lingers on your teeth and cheeks. Wenqing feels that this tea is perfect for the season, as the cold fades and spring is in the air. Please enjoy it, Madam."
Xu Wenqing took the tray held by a maid beside her, and gracefully handed the teacup to the table next to Cheng. Her every move was gentle and graceful.
At this time, Mrs. Xu also asked Du Heng to sit down, and Xu Wenqing then walked to Du Heng's seat with a teacup.
She said nothing, nor did she glance at Du Heng, but her rosy cheeks betrayed her feelings. She gently set down her teacup and bowed slightly toward Du Heng. If Du Heng had glanced up at that moment, he would have seen her lowered brows, submissive, shy, and hesitant, like a child about to speak.
Mrs. Xu watched her daughter leave and said deliberately, "Why don't you say a word to your brother from the Du family, child?"
Then he said to Cheng with a smile, "Look, Madam Du just praised her and she got so timid. This child can't stand being praised, can't stand being praised!"
Cheng quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Mrs. Xu is too modest. I think Miss Xu is a perfect person. She is polite and courteous to strangers, a virtue that befits a daughter of a wealthy family. I wonder which young man will be so lucky as to marry your daughter."
Upon hearing this, Madam Xu smiled but did not answer. She simply glanced at Du Heng, who sat at the table below without even drinking any tea, and said, "Marriage is a matter of destiny. For now, it's best to wait for the flowers to bloom."
It was a coincidence, but just as Miss Xu had served tea and left, a servant arrived to report that Minister Xu had returned home and, having heard that Madam Du and Master Du were visiting, had invited Master Du to join them.
Mrs. Xu sighed inwardly, thinking it was true that a girl could not be kept for long. Wenqing had already given her heart after just one glance, and she turned to urge her father. She was afraid that Du Heng was unaware of the postponed Spring Examination and had rushed to prepare for it, thus losing his place.
But Cheng was still around, so she couldn't show it so obviously, lest people would notice. This son-in-law still relied on their family, and only by relying on their family could her daughter's future life be better.
After saying goodbye, Du Heng was led by a servant out of the flower hall, through a corridor, and into a quiet courtyard.
The servant led Du Heng into the courtyard and up the stairs. He stopped in front of the study and said softly, "Young Master, please come in."
Du Heng straightened his clothes and stepped in.
In the study, Minister Xu sat at the head of the desk, with a volume of "Book of Rites" spread out on it, and several pages of annotations on the side.
"Du Heng, I'm here to meet Master Xu."
Minister Xu looked up at him, nodded slightly, and said calmly, "No need to be polite. Please sit down."
Du Heng's father had been his subordinate, a cautious, modest, and diligent official. But such officials were often the same, not particularly impressive. The only thing he remembered was that Du Keqin had a son of renowned talent.
Others might come to the Du family during festivals and bring gifts under the pretext of seeking advice, but for the Du family, as long as Du Keqin brought his son with him, it didn't matter if he came empty-handed.
More than three years passed in a flash, and unexpectedly, Du Heng became more and more handsome. No wonder his jewel in the palm of his hand was unwilling to wait. After taking a closer look at her while serving tea, she came over to act coquettishly, asking him to talk to Du Heng about the Spring Examination as soon as possible.
My daughter is just beginning to fall in love, and she only cares about the present, but not the future. But as a father, I must not be so short-sighted, otherwise how could I have become the Minister of Rites at the age of nearly 40?
He pointed to a note on his desk and said, "I was just reading the Book of Rites when something struck me. The book says, 'Those who wished to manifest virtue throughout the world first governed their country; those who wished to govern their country first governed their family; those who wished to govern their family first cultivated themselves.'"
"Everyone knows the importance of self-cultivation, yet not everyone is able to do so. Why is that?"
Upon hearing this, Du Heng immediately stood up and responded, "My Lord, the Analects says, 'For a day, if one can restrain oneself and return to propriety, the world will return to benevolence.' Confucius' words are exactly this truth. The difficulty of self-cultivation lies in self-control. Although people know that they should cultivate themselves, only a few can truly maintain this self-discipline day after day. Therefore, few can cultivate themselves, and even fewer can govern a country and bring peace to the world."
Lord Xu nodded upon hearing this, and then asked, "If that's the case, then aren't the teachings of the sages just empty words?"
Du Heng said without hesitation, "Your Excellency is absolutely right. The great principles of the world, if no one practices them, are like an echo in an empty valley. However, though the great principles are far away, those who practice them gradually reach them. The teachings of the sages aim to cultivate the mind and character. The imperial examinations, which select talents, are the very essence of selecting people for the truth. These students, after ten years of hard study, are following the path of the sages."
Lord Xu nodded slightly, a hint of approval on his face, and his tone softened considerably. "Your title of last year's top scholar is truly well-deserved. It shows you've put in a lot of effort. Some people, even if they read a lot, can't quote from the classics and apply what they've learned."
He paused, closed the book, and casually said, "This year's Spring Examination will be moved up to the fifth day of the sixth lunar month. The chief examiner has been chosen: Zou Xuezheng, a native of Henan. He is known for his balanced examinations of current affairs and the Confucian classics, and he particularly likes to combine legal regulations with Confucian classics."
At this point, Lord Xu raised his eyes slightly, looked at Du Heng, and said meaningfully: "If you are really determined, then take advantage of this April opportunity to study hard. You may be able to achieve success in this exam."
After Du Heng returned to the flower hall, Madam Xu called a maid over. The maid leaned close to her ear and whispered a few words. Madam Xu smiled at Du Heng even more and nodded repeatedly.
Cheng was delighted as she watched. Her Heng'er could certainly stand the test.
Before I knew it, the sun had set and it was time to say goodbye.
Madam Xu and Madam Du came out of the hall, walked slowly hand in hand, talking and laughing, and soon they arrived at the front yard of the second gate.
At this time, Du Heng had ordered his servants to lead the horse outside the yard and was waiting in front of the door.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of horse hooves beating in a steady rhythm from the alley in the distance. He looked in the direction of the sound and found that it was the eldest son of Yuan, Yuan Song, whom he had just met not long ago.
Yuan Song was also a little surprised. He glanced at Du Heng, then glanced at Madam Xu and Madam Du who were still saying goodbye at the door. His expression was immediately clear.
He dismounted, stepped forward, and first bowed to the two ladies. He then asked his attendant to present a small package and said, "Aunt Xu, my father brought some special products from our hometown in Zhejiang, and my uncle asked me to send some to Uncle Xu."
It was obvious that the Yuan and Xu families had always been on good terms. Mrs. Xu seemed to have known his temperament for a long time. She smiled and nodded, and simply asked someone to take it, saying, "Thank you, uncle and aunt."
As he spoke, he briefly introduced Cheng: "This is Yuan Song, the nephew of Mr. Yuan, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet."
Yuan Song immediately stepped forward, bowed, and said with a smile, "My nephew Yuan Song greets Madam Du. To be honest, I had the honor of meeting Brother Du at the literary appreciation meeting yesterday. I feel that we met too late."
Although he was usually unruly, he was always polite and sweet to his elders. After hearing this, Cheng realized that he was a young man from a wealthy family and was also acquainted with Heng'er, so she nodded in greeting.
Mrs. Xu smiled and invited Yuan Song to come in and sit down, but he waved his hand to decline and then walked to Du Heng's side.
He patted Du Heng's saddle, turned his back, and said with a low laugh, "The daughter of the Xu family is a model of noble ladies, but there are not many young men who can enter the Xu family."
Then he snorted lightly and said with a smile, "Master Du, isn't it true that playing both sides is also the way of a gentleman?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
