Chapter 75 The Youth's Revisit 1: Staying True to His Original Aspirations
The fifteenth year of Baoyuan, the Grain in Ear season.
The sun was intensely bright, casting a scorching glow across the ground. Lu Fang reined in his horse at the entrance of the alley near the Imperial College and dismounted.
He wore a Hu hat, and his narrow-sleeved, collared Hu robe was soaked with sweat, clinging to his back. His face was also covered in sweat, which kept sliding down his forehead, carving several shallow yellow sweat lines into his face, which was covered in yellow dust, revealing his skin, which had been tanned even redder and darker by the sun on the frontier.
After a six-year absence, he finally returned to the capital.
During the years he spent in Lingzhou, surrounded by endless yellow sand, he never stopped missing this alley, Yao Xiaoniangzi's general store, and everyone he had studied with at Zhixingzhai.
Lingzhou was better than he had imagined, but not by much.
God knows how he got through those six years.
The initial arrival was the most difficult. He was unaccustomed to the food and the climate. To make matters worse, Lingzhou was located in the northwest border region, a place where Han and non-Han people lived together. There were actually fewer Han people than non-Han people, and the non-Han people had all sorts of customs and languages. When Lu Fang first arrived, he couldn't even understand the locals.
Because of their different customs, the Hu people often quarreled. When they quarreled, they each spoke their own language, which they could not understand. They would curse each other, and before they could understand each other, they would start fighting. They would end up in a mess and come to the yamen (government office). Lu Fang, the military advisor, would then have to judge their cases, but the key problem was that he couldn't understand the language either!
Helpless, having already taken office, how could he back down? Could being an official be harder than passing the imperial examination? Lu Fang had no choice but to grit his teeth and learn these foreign languages. After six years of hard work, he had a basic understanding of six or seven foreign languages, including Tangut, Uyghur, and Tibetan. He could finally manage the complicated affairs of the government office and the disputes among the people that needed to be mediated.
But after six years of such a fulfilling life, pacifying people of all ethnic groups, searching for cattle and horses in the desert, apprehending thieves and murderers, and searching for mummies, Lu Fang, exhausted, slept in his official residence and wished he could dream of going back to the past and repeating the exam for three years!
Becoming an official is harder than passing the imperial examination!
Thinking about it now, studying back then wasn't so bad. If I had known being an official would be so tough, why would I have bothered studying?
The most tragic thing was that his term was originally three years. He thought he had made it through after three years, but his superior, seeing his diligence, shamelessly petitioned the court to extend his term! Well, three years after three years, now his second term is over. He's made up his mind to come back no matter what. This time he was careful and asked his parents to make arrangements for him in the capital before the exam. This year, he was finally transferred to Yanzhou! He became a staff officer in charge of organizing documents.
Although it is still the northwestern border, General Yue has troops stationed in Yanzhou! Lu Fang has long admired him, and the thought of becoming colleagues with General Yue fills him with excitement.
Taking advantage of the break during his transfer back to Beijing for a work report, he was finally able to return to the capital.
Upon returning to the capital, he didn't even bother going home; he went straight to the Imperial Academy as soon as he entered the city. Before setting off, he had already written to Geng Hao, Cheng Shujun, Meng Boyuan, and others, and the group had arranged to meet at Zhixingzhai.
He only regretted that Lingzhou was too far away. He first traveled by land and then by water, rushing as fast as he could without stopping. However, when he returned to the capital, he was still a few days later than the agreed date.
I wonder if they... are still around?
Lu Fang stood at the entrance of the alley, straightened his clothes and hat, dusted off the dust, and took a deep breath. The sun was setting in the west, and looking into the alley, students came and went in groups of three or five, their footsteps and laughter mingling in the long sunset.
This was the time when the students were dismissed from school.
As dusk fell, the old, weathered alleyways were half-lit and half-shadowed. Grass had grown on the roofs of many houses on both sides. As he watched the students walking by one after another, arm in arm with their classmates, laughing and joking, he suddenly felt a sense of disorientation. An indescribable feeling welled up in his heart, mixed with a touch of shyness and trepidation at returning home.
He had walked this road before, day and night.
He stepped inside. The small wooden window of the guardhouse at the alley entrance was pushed open with a whoosh, and Old Xiang's face, even more disheveled than he remembered, cautiously peeked out. His cloudy, aged eyes looked Lu Fang up and down for a long time, as if he wanted to speak but seemed hesitant to recognize him.
Lu Fang took out his waist token and handed it over: "Old Xiang, it's me, Lu Fang."
Old Xiang then rushed out of the house, bowing repeatedly, and said happily, "So it's Lord Lu! It's been so many years! You... uh, you've grown so much more mature than when we were students!"
These words made Lu Fang feel a pang of sadness. What do you mean by "old"? He just looks old! The sun was scorching and the sandstorms were fierce in the borderlands. He was tanned dark and red, his skin roughened by the sun, and two clumps of red on his cheeks that wouldn't fade. How could he have been as handsome, fair-skinned, and clear-headed as he was back then, a student of the Imperial Academy and a scion of a noble family?
After exchanging a few pleasantries with Old Xiang, Lu Fang led his horse slowly into the alley. The alley, sandwiched between houses on both sides, was cooler than outside. It felt as if he were slowly walking into cool water, washing away all the heat from his body.
He gradually walked into the twilight of the alley, the old yellow light enveloping him and his horse, his shadow stretched long and cast obliquely on the wall to one side. He walked, walking in the present, yet it was as if he were walking in an old dream from years past.
Deep in the alley, the lintel of Yao's General Store seemed to have been repainted, shiny black, and the lanterns and signs were bright. Two small signs also protruded from under the eaves, one saying "Hot Soup" and the other "Tea," swaying gently in the evening breeze that echoed through the alley.
A sudden warmth welled up in his heart, and he couldn't help but wonder, is Miss Yao any good? No, she's already married, she can't be called Miss Yao anymore... Waaah, Lu Fang felt a pang of sadness in his heart. Six years have passed, and he still refuses to acknowledge that Miss Yao is married!
That hateful Lin Wen'an!
He quickened his pace and walked to the front of the grocery store, where he saw the familiar window with its thick wooden planks.
He peered inside with great excitement.
The shop was still as cramped as ever, with the furnishings almost unchanged from six years ago, except that there were even more goods than before. The shelves were filled with a dazzling array of food utensils that he had never seen before, making him dizzy. However, the counter was empty, and he did not see that familiar and pretty figure.
Just as she was about to speak, a small braid tied with a red rope suddenly appeared from under the counter. Then, a little girl, who was as delicate as a glutinous rice ball and dressed in a pink and white short-sleeved gauze shirt embroidered with loquats, climbed up the tall bamboo stool behind the counter using both her hands and feet.
She plopped down, placed her little hand on the counter, raised her chubby face, and with her big, bright eyes showing no fear, skillfully greeted Lu Fang in her tender childish voice: "Young master, what do you want to buy? I'll get it for you."
Lu Fang was initially stunned, but the setting sun shone on the little girl's face, which quickly softened his expression.
This must be Yao Xiaoniangzi's child!
He would never mistake her; those big eyes, that oval face, that…that nose and mouth…hmm, they do look a little like Lin Wen'an…but he pretended not to notice. In short, her whole expression, her features…were exactly the same as Yao Xiaoniangzi's! She was little Yao Ruyi!
His heart softened, and he was speechless for a moment, his eyes welling up slightly as he simply gazed at her. After a long while, he finally asked, "What's your name?"
His appearance aroused the suspicion of the precocious little girl. She squinted and looked Lu Fang up and down for a while. He looked disheveled, covered in dust, with a stubble beard and clothes covered in yellow dirt. He looked just like the kidnapper her great-grandfather had described who was a conman for children!
Without making a sound, she shifted her bottom back slightly, her eyes still fixed on him, but her short little feet had already quietly slipped down. Once her toes touched the crossbar of the stool, she immediately lowered her body and climbed down, nimbly sliding down to the ground.
As soon as she stepped firmly on the ground, she turned and ran into the yard, shouting as she ran, "Big Yellow! There's a strange person!"
Lu Fang was taken aback again.
Before he could finish speaking, a still robust, scarred yellow dog came running out of the yard and pounced on him like lightning.
The large dog was hovering in mid-air, about to pounce on him and roar at him menacingly, but suddenly, its body froze in mid-air and abruptly stopped.
It twitched its black nose in confusion, first tentatively sniffing his boots, then hesitantly circled him, carefully sniffing his dusty trouser legs. Suddenly, it raised its front paw, scratched its nose, sneezed loudly, and then looked up at him.
It seemed to recognize it, and even wagged its tail.
A low hum came from its throat, and it wasn't as fierce as when it charged out.
Lu Fang laughed, squatted down, and reached out to rub the big yellow dog's fluffy head: "I didn't expect that you would still remember me, Big Yellow. It's a good thing I haven't changed the scented cakes for my clothes in the past six years. If I had, I'm afraid I would have gotten a slap from you."
When he was in school, he always smelled his clothes very fragrant. Back then, Da Huang hated him the most because he would sneeze whenever he walked next to him.
Lu Fang rubbed the dog's head repeatedly and sighed softly, "Big Yellow, it's been a long time."
Big Yellow gave its tail a perfunctory wag, fulfilling its duty as a former dog, stretched, and walked away.
Lu Fang was left alone, still squatting in the same spot.
A crack appeared in the curtain, revealing half of the little girl's wary face, her large eyes peering out with a mixture of alertness and curiosity. Seeing that Big Yellow hadn't scared the strange man away, but instead seemed to recognize him, they knew this man, like the other strange uncles who had come in the past few days, was either a student taught by their great-grandfather or a regular customer of their shop!
So she walked out confidently again, stood still like a little adult, and asked in a clear voice, "Are you also here to find my mother?"
Lu Fang nodded.
“She’s not home today.” The little girl nimbly climbed back onto the high stool and sat down. Seeing that Lu Fang was about to say something, she cleverly interjected before he could ask, “She, my father, and several other uncles, went to Luoyang Prefecture with Aunt Jiuwan to fight a lawsuit.”
Lu Fang wanted to ask something more, but she tilted her head, her little pigtail swaying as she did so. Then she suddenly realized, "Don't you want to visit my great-grandfather? He's in that door over there, the one with 'Zhixingzhai' written on it. Just go over there and you'll see him!"
As he spoke, he pointed to the opposite side with his finger.
Lu Fang stared at her in astonishment, speechless. A four- or five-year-old toddler spoke so clearly and logically, and could quickly deduce his identity and purpose from Da Huang's reaction, even guessing what he was thinking. This child was incredibly clever and quick-witted! She didn't seem like a child her age at all.
He paused, about to ask something else, when her big, round, dark eyes looked over and she added in a childish voice, "A few uncles about your age came a few days ago. They come every day, and they're sitting on the second floor across the street right now. Are they waiting for you? You're late!"
Alright, there's no need to ask anymore. With such a bright and intelligent appearance, he must be Lin Wen'an and Yao Xiaoniangzi's biological child, no doubt about it!
Lu Fang was both surprised and heartbroken to see her.
He ignored Lin Wen'an and only sighed in his heart: Ah, she truly is worthy of being Yao Xiaoniangzi's daughter!
He subconsciously reached into his pocket and pulled out a Persian-made tuk-tuk, handing it to her.
This instrument is made to resemble a young girl from the Central Plains, something you wouldn't see in Bianjing (Kaifeng).
The little girl peeked out and saw that this doll was completely different from all the ones sold in her shop. It had curly braids like golden fleece, a pair of crystal-clear eyes like azure, and wore a layered, frilly, colorful dress. It was very delicate and beautiful.
This immediately captivated the little girl. She stared at the blonde, blue-eyed doll with curiosity and delight for a long time, her mouth slightly agape in surprise. But soon, she shook her head and instead put her hands behind her back.
“I don’t want to. My mother said I’m not allowed to take things from strangers.”
"Tell your mother that it was given to you by an uncle named Lu Fang. She'll know as soon as she hears it." Lu Fang tried to make his smile look less like that of a bad guy. Then he gently placed the exquisite musical instrument on the window, took the horse, and turned to go to Zhixingzhai.
The little girl looked at the doll, then at Lu Fang, but still didn't touch it. She simply watched him go to Zhixingzhai with Da Huang.
Lu Fang walked to the entrance of Zhixingzhai, tied up his horse, and paused to look up at the plaque. It was the same familiar plaque, the wood color deepened with age, and the characters were clear and vigorous.
The cicadas chirped, and a little moss grew at the base of the wall where the water channel connected to the entrance. The wooden threshold of Zhixingzhai had been worn down by time, revealing the original wood color. How many students' footprints have walked here?
The young man checking membership cards at the entrance was a boy wearing a wide-sleeved robe from the Imperial Academy. He had a youthful face, and it seemed that Miss Yao had recruited students from the Imperial Academy to come here for "work-study."
However, the boy was a complete stranger, and he didn't recognize him.
He stopped and took out a slightly faded ink-colored card from his sleeve.
The boy hadn't paid any attention at first, casually taking the card Lu Fang handed him. When he saw that the card was very old, with the edges worn and rounded, his expression changed slightly. He subconsciously flipped it over to look at the number engraved on the back, and then his eyes widened: "You...you're actually number 001?"
Lu Fang immediately straightened his chest, that was it.
He's the number one bitter gourd at Zhixingzhai!
The young man then seemed to remember something, immediately took a step back, and bowed deeply to him, saying, "Lord Lu, please come in."
Lu Fang asked curiously, "How did you know I was...?"
His weathered face, without his official robes, led him to be mistaken for a foreign merchant on his way back; no one ever thought of him as an official.
“You’re very famous!” The young man smiled, stepped aside, and pointed to the stairs leading to the second floor: “Once you go inside, you’ll see for yourself.”
Lu Fang's curiosity was piqued. With Yao Xiaoxiao's guidance, he knew that his friends were still waiting for him on the second floor, which reassured him. So he didn't wander around too much, but instead looked around as he walked in.
The Zhixingzhai was still filled with the faint sounds of people, and every seat was occupied. The air was filled with the scents of ink and tea, a familiar yet long-lost aroma.
His gaze swept over the large study room on the east side of the first floor, then over the familiar tea room on the west side, and he smiled with a sigh and a touch of nostalgia.
He used to have the worst luck, but later Zhixingzhai became popular, and he was often ordered by his classmates to come out early to reserve a spot in the reading room and tea room.
Back then, he was always so sleepy that he would doze off while walking, cursing all the way. Now, when he thinks about it, those troubles are no longer in his memories; instead, he is filled with a little bit of fun for his younger self.
With a slight sense of melancholy, he walked to the stairwell leading to the second floor.
As soon as I stepped onto the first step, my eyes were drawn to a huge "laurel-picture" on the pink wall to the left of the stairs.
On it, with extremely casual and archaic dry brushstrokes, a vibrant ancient vine is depicted. The vine winds upward from the base of the wall, with dense branches and leaves. On each branch and leaf, the names of the students, their examination rankings, official positions, and their card numbers are written in small regular script in a neat and concise manner.
Lu Fang's name was first. Although he wasn't the top scorer in the imperial examination, he was the first member. Starting with him, each unfolding ink leaf continued to stretch upwards. Lu Fang's heart pounded. He took a few more steps forward, his eyes constantly searching.
He saw himself, and also the names of his classmates Meng Boyuan, Cheng Shujun, Lin Weiming, Geng Hao, and others. Since they were among the first members, their names were prominently displayed at the beginning, making them easy to find. Then he noticed a blank line below each name, inscribed with the words "Motto." What was a motto? Lu Fang pondered for a moment, then looked at the names of the other students and understood.
Scholars and writers often inscribed admonitory words on the right side of their seats to encourage self-reflection and constant self-examination. This must have been specially left by Yao Xiaoniangzi for her students to write after they passed the imperial examinations, serving both as her own code of conduct and as an encouragement to those who came after her.
He saw that the "mottoes" of Meng Boyuan and the others were already written, and the ink was still fresh, indicating that they had been written after returning to the capital recently. The ink on the writings of Cheng Shujun and Liu Huaiyan was much older. As officials in the capital, they must have been invited by Yao Xiaoniangzi to leave their writings when she first set up the wall.
Now only his "motto" remains blank, as if it is quietly waiting for his return today.
A thought flashed through his mind, and he glanced around. Sure enough, he saw a small basket hanging on the stair railing, filled with writing brushes and ink. He smiled knowingly; he knew that Miss Yao would have prepared it.
He took the brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote down his motto: "Keep your original aspiration and never change."
After finishing writing, he put the pen and ink back in their place, took one last deep look, and then walked up step by step.
With each step he took, more and more different names and their words came into view. Students from different periods, different aphorisms and proverbs, were like countless companions whispering along with his steps, converging into a torrent that only he could hear on these quiet steps.
It seemed that at this moment, he was not alone, but walking with many, many people. At that moment, an inexplicable sense of pride welled up in his heart. He seemed to see his own figure here back then, and he seemed to see the figures of countless students who had studied hard here over the past six years. The footsteps of those who were working hard for their future were growing and echoing along this vine.
For no apparent reason, I felt like crying.
Oh, Miss Yao, how could you be so thoughtful? How could the students studying here not be inspired upon seeing this wall? And which student, like him, who has already passed the exams, wouldn't be moved to tears upon returning to this place and seeing these things?
He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, lifted the curtain, and entered the tea room on the second floor.
As soon as he entered, several young men sitting around a table in the corner immediately turned to look at him. Lu Fang's eyes met theirs, and for a moment, time seemed to freeze.
Everyone, including Lu Fang, froze in shock. After a brief, almost breathless moment of recognition, someone suddenly exclaimed, "Lu Da! You've finally arrived!" "Lu Fang, did you fall into a coal mine? You're so covered in soot!"
Everyone suddenly stood up and gathered around.
After a long while of patting his shoulders and back, greeting him, marveling at him, and expressing barely suppressed excitement, they finally led him to his seat.
Lu Fang also looked around, carefully examining his long-lost friends: Cheng Shujun and Liu Huaiyan had grown beards, making them appear even more refined and composed, but otherwise they hadn't changed much; Meng Boyuan was dressed in brocade, adorned with flowers, and even had flowers in his hair. He truly lived up to his reputation as a dashing figure returning from Jinling, dressed in a very fashionable manner! Lin Weiming had also grown a beard, and like Lu Fang, his face had become much more weathered, darker, and fatter. The once sharp-mouthed, monkey-faced boy had become... a fat, dark monkey.
Kang Hua couldn't come back this year. After looking around again, he noticed that one noisy person was missing. He wondered, "Huh? Where's Geng Hao?"
Upon hearing this, Meng Boyuan and Lin Weiming exchanged a sly look that they couldn't help but laugh. Then, they gestured for Lu Fang to look behind them.
Lu Fang turned his head, puzzled. In the corner of the tea room furthest from the table, Geng Hao sat alone, fuming, his face long and drawn. Geng Niu and Geng Ma were beside him, trying to comfort him with worried expressions, but the more they tried to persuade him, the darker Geng Hao's face became.
Geng Hao's appearance hasn't changed much, except that as he's grown older, he's grown a short mustache and his features are becoming more and more like his father's.
Lu Fang asked curiously, "What's wrong with him?"
When he asked the question, everyone except Cheng Shujun burst into laughter.
A blush crept across Cheng Shujun's face. Feeling uncomfortable at being laughed at, he coughed lightly and got up to walk to the window, pretending to be engrossed in looking at the newly placed potted flowers in the courtyard.
Lu Fang was completely baffled: "What happened? Tell me quickly!"
Lin Weiming covered his mouth, barely managing to stop himself, and winked, saying, "In a while, Geng Hao will probably have to call Cheng Da... Third Brother-in-law!"
Lu Fang's eyes lit up immediately, gleaming with gossip, and he urged, "Tell me in detail! Tell me in detail!"
Meng Boyuan immediately chimed in, adding fuel to the fire: "Geng Hao has an older sister born out of wedlock. A few months ago, she went to the Wanxing Trading Center at Daxiangguo Temple. The place was crowded and chaotic, and the Geng family's carriage got stuck in the mud. After getting out, she was accidentally separated from her servants in the throng. Cheng Da happened to be there with his mother to offer incense and was waiting for her outside the temple. Seeing someone crying nearby, he learned she was a woman from the Geng family and kindly waited with her for a while, offering gentle words of comfort until her family came to pick her up. But then… hehe, later, she took a liking to him!"
Lu Fang listened with great interest, clapped his hands and laughed, "Isn't this a good thing? Cheng Da has a bright future now, and he's handsome too, how could Geng Hao not want him?"
"Geng Hao said that among all his half-sisters, the one he was closest to was Geng San Niang. He couldn't bear to part with his elder sister, nor did he want to call Cheng Da Jie Hu (brother-in-law)! Because of this, he even took leave and traveled back from Jingdong Road by cargo boat to break up the couple..."
"Shut up! All of you shut up!"
Geng Hao turned around angrily and roared, and seeing his expression, everyone burst into laughter again.
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Geng Hao, who was far away on Jingdong Road, received a letter from his friend: Cheng Da has a good marriage prospect!
He nodded with satisfaction: Not bad, not bad. Reply: May I ask which lady she is?
A few days later, I received a letter: It's your sister!
Geng Hao (immediately buys a boat ticket and rushes back): You lecherous scoundrel, how dare you steal my sister! [bursting into tears][bursting into tears]
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