Chapter 76 I'm Here to Steal Someone Too
"Auntie, Qujiang Pool is just ahead, right?" Meng Qing asked a woman selling flowers.
“Yes, that’s it. You’re from out of town? You’ve come to see the excitement, haven’t you? Today, the newly appointed scholars are attending the Qujiang Banquet at Qujiang Pool. It’s quite a lively affair.” The woman picked out three peony blossoms and handed them over, saying, “The spring scenery is beautiful today. It would be fitting for you to adorn yourself with a few flowers.”
Meng Qing noticed that all the passersby, regardless of gender, wore flowers in their hair, so she asked how much three peonies cost.
Upon hearing this, Du Li untied his purse and took out a copper coin.
Meng Qing planned to wear one peony in each of the three family members' hair, but Du Li refused to wear flowers in her hair. So Meng Qing wore two herself and inserted one into Wang Zhou's hair bun. The mother and son, with brightly colored flowers on their heads, squeezed sideways into the congested traffic.
"Mother, I can't see." Wang Zhou was short; he could only see the wheels of the car when he walked on the ground.
"Let your father carry you," Meng Qing said without turning her head. She craned her neck and stared in amazement at the carriages parked by the roadside. The carriages were decorated with jewels and pearls, and the carriages, made of some kind of wood, were even inlaid with thin gold and silver pieces.
"Wow! A red horse!" Wangzhou's eyes lit up. "Mom, a red horse, and it's alive!"
Meng Qing nodded, "Don't shout."
Du Li walked up to her, ignoring the coachman's stare, and whispered, "No wonder the nobles of Chang'an look down on brass paper horses; their carriages are decorated with gold and silver."
Meng Qing nodded. She walked around the carriage once, and finally looked at the chestnut horse pulling the carriage from afar. The horse had an imposing presence, and she wanted to observe it carefully so that when she made the paper horse later, it would have a similar expression.
"What are you doing? Get out of here!" the driver shouted, shooing them away.
Meng Qing agreed, and she switched to another carriage to continue watching. As she watched, she guided Wang Zhou to observe the horse's expression, body shape, knee bones, head, and rump.
Du Li figured she either wanted to teach Wang Zhou to paint or to make paper offerings. He didn't say anything, silently acting as her passenger, carrying Wang Zhou as she moved. The family of three slowly weaved through the traffic under the wary or disdainful gazes of the drivers.
Suddenly, a commotion arose in the distance. Meng Qing and Du Li turned their heads to look. It was the Flower Picker returning on horseback. The two immediately led Wang Zhou to squeeze towards the entrance of Qujiang Pool. However, there were too many people, and they could only watch Du Min riding a chestnut horse in the crowd. He held the reins tightly in one hand and a bunch of budding peonies in the other.
"Third Uncle, it's my third uncle!" Wang Zhou exclaimed softly.
“This time we can shout loudly.” Du Li said with a big smile. He looked up at Du Min’s figure on horseback. Among the thirty or fifty people, compared with the dashing and debonair sons of officials, his figure was obviously stiff. But this shortcoming was nothing. He really did rise from a peasant’s background to the officialdom. He was really amazing.
“Third Uncle—Third Uncle—” Wang Zhou shouted loudly from his father’s shoulders, “Third Uncle, I’m here.”
Du Min looked in the direction of the sound, hurriedly searched through the crowd, and finally found three smiling faces. He smiled broadly.
"This year's third-place scholar is quite young. I wonder if he's married yet." A young lady in the crowd stared at the departing figure.
"He's young, but he comes from a poor family. I heard he's from Jiangnan, with a humble background. He's been making quite a stir in Chang'an by attaching himself to a wealthy man and using some paper effigies of funerary objects." The woman shook her head. "Come on, let's go in and take another look."
"Oh? It's him? What a waste of such a handsome face."
Upon hearing this conversation, Meng Qing and Du Li exchanged a glance, both showing a sense of helplessness.
After the crowd dispersed, Meng Qing said, "Let's make a bet and see if your third brother will be chosen as a son-in-law today."
Du Li pointed to the child in her arms from behind. Wang Zhou was at an age where he was half-understanding and liked to talk. She hoped that this bet would not get out of Du Min's mouth.
Meng Qing shrugged, skipping the topic, "Let's go in and take a look."
The Qujiang banquet hall was decorated with brocade curtains and embroidered screens. Ordinary people could not get close to the place where the banquet was held. Meng Qing and Du Li walked around but could not see the grand scene of the Qujiang banquet. She took the initiative to go and see the pavilions and towers to add a model to the layout of the paper house.
Just a mile away, on the banks of the Qujiang River, separated by embroidered curtains, Du Min took his seat under the guidance of the master of ceremonies. He secretly glanced at his palm, which was chafed raw by the reins, and silently tore off the peeling skin, then pressed a handkerchief soaked in wine onto his palm.
A few hearty laughs rang out not far away, and then the laughter spread along the Qujiang River. Du Min was puzzled, but he also laughed along, took a sip of wine with his left hand, and took the opportunity to look up. After observing carefully for a while, he found that it was nobles and officials looking for a son-in-law.
Du Min felt a surge of excitement. He straightened his back and glanced at his classmate from the opposite bank, who came from a prominent family. He secretly adjusted his own movements, taking the other's posture as a reference.
However, he didn't have a chance to shine until the Qujiang Banquet ended. Except when Prime Minister Lu mentioned the Third Scholar, he got up to drink a cup of wine and recite a poem. After that, he seemed to have become just a supporting character at the banquet.
After the Qujiang Banquet ended, Du Min followed the crowd to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda to inscribe his name. Looking at the magnificent poems left by his predecessors, the sadness in his heart quickly dissipated. His official career had begun, and from now on, he could earn his own dignity and glory.
Du Min left his poems and name on the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Then, before the curfew, he returned to Anyifang and entered the small courtyard where geese honked and children sang.
"Third Uncle!" Wang Zhou was feeding the geese when he saw Du Min enter. He threw down the pine needles in his hand and rushed over with shining eyes.
Du Min bent down and picked up Wang Zhou in his arms. "You went to Qujiang Pool today, right? I saw you."
"Third Uncle, I saw you too! You were riding a live horse, a big red horse, and you were holding flowers. You looked so beautiful!" Wang Zhou said, gesturing excitedly.
"The newly appointed scholar is back! You look very impressive today." Meng Qing said with a broad smile.
"He's really become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), that's incredible!" Du Li felt a sense of reality only today.
"Thanks to my second sister-in-law..."
"Don't say that today," Meng Qing interrupted him. "Your second brother and I bought two jars of wine. We'll celebrate for you tonight, get drunk, and then go to sleep."
Du Min nodded, "I didn't drink enough at the Qujiang Banquet, let's continue drinking."
"The mutton stew is almost done. I'll fry a plate of soybeans and then we can eat," Meng Qing said.
"What is the Qujiang Banquet like? We can't get close; we can only hear music and dance, but we can't see anything else," Du Li asked.
Du Min put Wang Zhou down; the child was getting heavier and heavier, and he could hardly carry him anymore.
"It was just a stretch of flowing water, where newly appointed scholars and nobles sat by the water's edge, and the chief examiners of this year's provincial examination were also present, all exchanging ideas and making friends through literature," he described briefly.
"This is it? There wasn't much excitement at the banquet?" Meng Qing pressed.
Du Min sighed and then laughed, "I don't remember. I was so focused on learning from others that I was pretending to show off, but nobody paid any attention to me at all."
"What are you trying to learn?" Meng Qing asked, puzzled.
“The nobles and officials are looking for sons-in-law.” Du Min had nothing to hide from them, so he abandoned his shame and joked, “I mistakenly thought I had this opportunity too.”
Meng Qing and Du Li immediately understood. She nodded seriously, "So you want to be the groom? Tonight, you can drink three more glasses of wine, consider it a wedding ceremony."
Du Min: "..."
"You only need to drink one cup of the nuptial wine," Du Li reminded her.
“Who is he drinking the nuptial wine with? He doesn’t even have a real wife.” Meng Qing glanced at Du Min. “I said drinking three cups of wine is to serve as a wedding ceremony, and drinking one cup is just to say I bowed.”
Du Min ignored the two people and strode back into his room to change his clothes.
When the watchman's gong sounded, Du Li lulled Wang Zhou to sleep, Meng Qing fried the soybeans, and the three of them squeezed into the low kitchen to eat meat and drink wine heartily, talking freely about how they would make a name for themselves in Luoyang.
"I want to become a high-ranking official."
"I want to make a lot of money."
Du Li poured wine for the two of them, saying, "I'm looking forward to enjoying this."
Meng Qing laughed heartily, hooked her arm around Du Li's shoulder, and said boldly, "Granted."
Du Min looked at the two of them, then downed a bowl of wine in one gulp, hiccuping as he said, "I want to marry a girl who loves me very much."
After saying that, he collapsed onto the table with a thud.
Meng Qing and Du Li glanced at him, left him lying there, and continued drinking.
After an incense stick had burned, Du Li was about to collapse. He waved his hand and said, "You drink it by yourself, I can't drink anymore."
Meng Qing didn't force her. She poured herself a drink. Du Min passed the high school entrance exam. She stopped the rumors in her dream. Her lowly status was lifted. Wang Zhou and she both had a wider path ahead. She won the bet they made four years ago.
Meng Qing picked up her wine bowl and bumped it against Du Min's head. She laughed and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
She then downed half a bowl of wine in one gulp, put the bowl down, and refused to drink any more.
Du Li, feeling tipsy, leaned on the table and dozed off. Meng Qing glanced at him, then at the other person who was completely drunk and unaware of his surroundings. She staggered over to the stove to start a fire, making the kitchen warmer.
The three of them stayed in the kitchen until midnight, waiting for Du Min and Du Li to sober up before going back to their rooms to sleep.
That night, all three of them caught a chill. When they woke up, they were all hoarse and had stuffy noses. It took them three days to gradually recover.
"Second sister-in-law, second brother, I'm going to the Chen residence today and won't be back for lunch. I plan to invite Master Chen to a restaurant as a thank-you banquet for my teacher," Du Min said.
“Okay, I understand. Do you think we should take this opportunity to tell him that you’re going to Luoyang to become a county magistrate, but don’t let him find out from other people?” Meng Qing reminded him. “If he finds out that you’re intentionally hiding it from him, he’ll definitely be angry, and he might try to trip you up.”
"Okay, I'll think about it." Du Min agreed and went out with the bundle of money in his hand.
Du Min went to the Chen residence on the day the officials were on leave, but he was disappointed to find that the official Chen had gone out to meet friends. After thinking for a while, he left a message and went back.
*
"My lord, please."
"My lord, I apologize for bothering you during your ten-day break," Master Chen said, bowing as he entered.
Vice Minister Li gestured for him to sit down, saying, "The Ministry of Personnel is busy. Even on my ten-day holiday, I'm still busy with official duties and haven't had a break. It's not like I'm bothering you. Why are you here? Are you trying to find out information about your student?"
Master Chen laughed twice. "Yes, I heard that Magistrate Yin has taken a liking to him and wants him to be the county magistrate of Luoyang County. Is that true?"
“That’s true.” Vice Minister Li pulled out a memorial and chuckled, “Scholar Du was lucky. The Eastern Capital was divided into two counties, with Luoyang County taking up the majority. The position of County Commandant of Luoyang County was highly coveted, but unexpectedly, he came along as a surprise attack. It was even Prefect Yin who specifically requested him.”
Master Chen understood his meaning. This position should have been filled by someone before. He stroked his beard and said, "Prefect Yin is domineering. Newly appointed scholars must wait three years to be selected. They must be examined in terms of appearance, writing, speech, and judgment before they can be appointed to office. He wants people as soon as he arrives. Isn't this hindering the Ministry of Personnel's selection process?"
Vice Minister Li glanced at him in surprise, and he said without batting an eye, "He's just a county lieutenant, it won't have much of an impact."
“But I’m worried,” Master Chen sighed with concern. “You don’t know, sir. Du Min is completely ignorant of officialdom. He comes from a humble background and has little knowledge. He knows nothing about the selection process for becoming a Jinshi, let alone the ability to judge cases. If he were to go to a remote county, I wouldn’t say anything, since even if he made a big mistake, the impact would be minimal. But Luoyang is a different place. It’s the Eastern Capital. If he offends someone, I’m worried that the Ministry of Personnel will be held responsible.”
Li Shilang laughed. He flicked the memorial. Had Du Min offended Chen Mingzhang? His benefactor had turned against him and become his enemy.
“What you say makes sense, but I noticed Du Min at the Qujiang Banquet. He is adaptable and good at making improvements. I’ve been thinking about sending a minor official to teach him these past few days,” said Vice Minister Li. “Even if he is granted an official position, it will have to wait until the winter fair at the end of the year. There is a six-month period in between for the successful candidates to return to their hometowns to report their good news. He can stay in Chang’an and use these six months to familiarize himself with the regulations of officialdom.”
Master Chen was so angry he almost vomited blood. He just couldn't understand what Du Min had that made Minister Li so exceptional.
“Well, to be honest, I’m here to snatch her too,” Master Chen said, changing tactics. “I’ve mentioned to you before that our Vice Minister of Rites wants to consider introducing paper offerings for the Heaven Worship Ceremony, but the person skilled in this craft is a woman, so we can’t let her work at the Imperial Household Department. We can only have Du Min handle the related matters and deal with his sister-in-law. I plan to have him serve as a temporary official in the Ministry of Rites for a few years, firstly to familiarize him with officialdom, and secondly to test whether paper offerings are suitable for burnt offerings. Do you think we could keep this person in the Ministry of Rites, and after the craftsmen at the Imperial Household Department learn this craft, we can let him work in the county government offices?”
"He's become quite the hot commodity," Minister Li chuckled.
Master Chen smiled and remained silent, waiting for Vice Minister Li to make a decision.
“Alright, it’s more in line with the procedure to let him learn the rules from you first before granting him an official position.” Vice Minister Li made the decision without much hesitation.
Master Chen was not surprised. Vice Minister Li was an official left to guard Chang'an. In terms of his stance, he was hostile to the Eastern Capital, so he would definitely side with Chang'an in this matter.
"I'll invite you for drinks another day, sir. I won't bother you any longer today," Master Chen said, rising to his feet.
Li Shilang ordered his servants to see the guests off, and he casually picked up a writing brush and rejected Yin Mingfu's memorial.
*
Master Chen returned home refreshed and, upon hearing from the gatekeeper that Du Min had arrived that day, pondered for a moment and then sent Zhao Xingwu to invite Du Min over.
Du Min rushed over, and upon seeing Master Chen, he immediately knelt down and said, "My lord, Du Min has passed the imperial examination with flying colors and has come to bring you the good news."
Master Chen sneered inwardly, "Get up, I know everything."
"Without you, I would not be where I am today. Please accept my three bows." Du Min kowtowed repeatedly. "I have no way to repay you today, so I can only express my gratitude by kneeling."
Upon hearing this, Master Chen felt only sarcasm. He said calmly, "Get up, there's no need for that. Do you have anything else to attend to?"
Du Min looked up and noticed that Master Chen's attitude was strange, which confirmed his guess.
"There's another piece of good news. The magistrate of Luoyang intends to appoint me as a county lieutenant in the Luoyang County government. I don't need to wait for the selection process anymore; I should be officially appointed this year," Du Min confessed. He guessed that Master Chen had heard rumors and asked directly, "Do you already know?"
"When did the magistrate of Luoyang contact you? Why didn't you tell me sooner? I've been asking around for ways to help you out. If outsiders knew, they'd laugh at me behind my back for being a fool. You're slapping me in the face!" Master Chen said coldly. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Were you on guard against me?"
Du Min's heart skipped a beat. He clenched his fists tightly and said solemnly, "Your Excellency misunderstands. I only met the magistrate of Luoyang at the end of January. Firstly, I was unsure of his identity; secondly, I was unsure if this matter could be accomplished; and thirdly, I was focused on taking the imperial examination and didn't take this matter to heart. After all, I must first pass the examination before anything else can happen. It was only after the results were announced that the magistrate of Luoyang's servant went to Anyifang to inform me that the memorial had been submitted, and only then did I confirm that this unexpected good news was true."
Master Chen stared coldly at him and said sarcastically, "You've improved. You're no longer kneeling on the ground, sweating profusely, admitting your mistakes."
Du Min's face turned red from the stab, and he could no longer maintain the humble expression on his face, so he quickly lowered his head.
"Didn't I tell you that people who try to please everyone never end well?" Master Chen asked. "Do you remember where I told you that?"
Du Min remained silent for a few moments before replying in a hoarse voice, "I remember, the Ruiguang Temple Pagoda."
Master Chen snorted.
“My lord, wherever I am, I will never forget your kindness. It was you who promoted me and led me to Chang'an, giving me the opportunity to travel far and wide.” Du Min knelt down with a thud. He straightened up and looked at Master Chen, saying, “To be so adept at pleasing both sides would mean I would betray you. Rest assured, Du Min would never do such an ungrateful thing. I don’t consider myself to be adept at pleasing both sides either. The magistrate of Luoyang may be another benefactor to me, and it’s time for me to move on to the next stage of my journey.”
Looking at him, Master Chen felt as if his pet dog was abandoning him when it was finally able to guard the house, and he couldn't bear to accept that.
"Fine, I won't stop you from seeking refuge with your next benefactor," Master Chen sneered. "Go back and wait, and see if this benefactor is reliable or not."
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