Chapter 122: Calling a Cab

Zhang Yue was bewildered by this news. Why had Ouyang Xiu come to the Zhang residence? He had certainly not informed him of his whereabouts.

Zhang Yu, however, looked radiant with pride. "Scholar Ouyang? He must be late today. He has surely been composing a few new poems and has come specifically to ask us to critique them."

Zhang Yu, currently a Vice Director in the Ministry of Personnel, held a position within the capital bureaucracy. Though not a court official with a special appointment, he ranked twenty-ninth among the forty-two grades of the metropolitan civil service. Yet, one could not judge Ouyang Xiu by mere rank; as a Hanlin Academician, he held one of the most prestigious positions in the imperial archives, and his next promotion would undoubtedly be to the rank of a high official in the Secretariat. Furthermore, it was rumored that the Emperor intended to appoint Ouyang Xiu to concurrently oversee the Kaifeng Prefecture. Thus, his future rise to the highest levels of government was a certainty.

Recalling the Zhihe era, when Ouyang Xiu had nearly been demoted to Tongzhou due to the Hu Su affair, it was only because his relative Wu Chong—then Commissioner of the Imperial Herds—had submitted a memorial requesting to be demoted alongside him that the Emperor relented, saying, "Do not go to Tongzhou; stay and compile the History of Tang." Without that, there would be no Ouyang Xiu of today.

To put it plainly, Ouyang Xiu sending an invitation to Zhang Yu was a matter of great prestige. Under normal circumstances, Zhang Yu would be ecstatic, but in front of Zhang Yue, he had to suppress his delight to maintain the appearance that the two were on familiar terms. Meanwhile, the old steward, realizing his master had misunderstood the situation, looked as if he had swallowed something bitter.

Zhang Yue looked at his uncle and thought: *Not only is he stingy, he is also hard of hearing.*

Zhang Yue sighed with mock sympathy. "Very well, I shall go then."

"You wish to meet Scholar Ouyang as well? No wonder; his prose and poetry are famous throughout the world, and it is only natural to admire him. Another day, your uncle will introduce you. If you gain his favor, your future will be bright indeed!" Zhang Yu said warmly, his face radiating a paternal benevolence, tinged with unintentional smugness.

Zhang Yue coughed lightly and looked at the old steward, who was hanging his head, clearly pleading for Zhang Yue to explain the situation again. Zhang Yue had no intention of helping. "Uncle, since Scholar Ouyang has invited me, I shall take my leave now."

"No rush. Stay for dinner, spend the night here, and think it over. There is no need to answer me so quickly. Your uncle is far more generous than you imagine; it is just that my words are often unpleasant, which is why I am frequently cast as the villain."

"I have seen scholars who failed the imperial examinations end up destitute in Bianjing, eventually freezing or starving to death. I have also seen scholars waiting outside the gates of high-ranking officials, holding their scrolls and craning their necks, hoping for a mere glance. Or perhaps you wish to return to that provincial town where you can walk from one end to the other in a few steps?"

"Bianjing is prosperous, but living here is difficult. That is why I spoke bluntly. If you understand the wisdom in my words, it will only benefit you; there is no harm in it."

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle."

Zhang Yu spoke earnestly, "You mentioned planting citrus trees—both for shade and for fruit. Isn't it best to have the best of both worlds? That was a very insightful remark. You, your second brother, and I can all benefit from it. That is more than just having the best of both worlds; it is reaping multiple rewards from a single effort!"

Zhang Yue nodded. "Thank you for your golden advice. My companion is waiting at the inn, so I must take my leave."

"Very well. If you insist, I cannot hold you back. Do not forget our 'gentleman's agreement'."

A gentleman's agreement requires two gentlemen, and neither of them was one. Zhang Yue promised obligingly and took his leave.

As Zhang Yu watched him go, he turned to the old steward with a slight smile. "I have lived for most of my life, and I have yet to see anyone who is not moved by fame and fortune."

The old steward remained silent.

"What is it? Where is Scholar Ouyang's invitation?"

"Reporting to you, Master, the invitation from Scholar Ouyang was addressed to Third Young Master Zhang."

Zhang Yu, who had been stroking his beard, froze. "It was addressed to... what? Did you say Scholar Ouyang invited the Third Young Master?"

"Yes, Master."

"Could you have made a mistake?"

"It is impossible, Master. The men who came were Official Xu and Executive Ma from Scholar Ouyang's household."

Zhang Yu looked at the shriveled citrus peels on the table and was struck dumb.

***

Zhang Yue walked to the gatehouse and found the two men waiting there.

The man in front said, "I am Steward Xu from Scholar Ouyang's residence. My master requests that you visit his府 on the day after tomorrow at the hour of the Rooster."

He handed over the invitation, and Zhang Yue accepted it. "Thank you. I shall certainly attend."

Steward Xu smiled. "The invitation has been delivered; our trip was not in vain."

Zhang Yue asked, "By the way, how did you find me here?"

The two men exchanged a smile. One replied, "Someone will tell you eventually. We must be going; the Scholar is waiting for our report."

After they left, Zhang Yue stepped out of the Zhang residence, confused. After a few steps, he saw someone waving at him from a street corner.

"Brother Cai!" Zhang Yue approached, pleasantly surprised. It was indeed Cai Que, with Tang Jiu following behind. Cai Que nodded at him. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine. Why are you here, Brother Cai?"

Cai Que said, "After I left the Imperial Academy, I saw you being forced into a carriage on the street. I was worried for your safety, so I followed the carriage all the way here. Then I returned to the inn to find Fourth Brother, and unexpectedly, two men from Scholar Ouyang's household arrived looking for you. I brought them here."

Zhang Yue felt a warmth in his heart. "Brother Cai, I truly do not know how to thank you."

Cai Que smiled slightly. "A mere trifle. But Third Brother, that even Scholar Ouyang has invited you to his residence is truly impressive!"

Zhang Yue quickly said, "My teacher was an old friend of Scholar Ouyang, which is why he invited me. It is nothing. I hope you will keep this secret."

Cai Que laughed heartily. "I see. If word got out, half the Imperial Academy would be fawning over you, hoping you would be their shortcut to success."

"Oh? Have I been admitted to the Imperial Academy? And Fourth Brother as well?" Zhang Yue asked, pleasantly surprised.

Cai Que smiled. "Indeed. I heard the news and went to the inn to tell you and Fourth Brother, only to see you being dragged away."

"This..."

Cai Que smiled. "As for the reason, you need not explain it to me."

Zhang Yue said, "You are truly a loyal friend, Brother Cai. You didn't even know my connection to Scholar Ouyang, yet you risked your safety to save me."

Cai Que joked, "Then, are you willing to introduce me to Scholar Ouyang?"

Zhang Yue replied solemnly, "Of course. If such an opportunity arises, I will certainly do so."

Cai Que nodded. "Let us return to the inn; Fourth Brother is waiting for your news."

"Very well."

As they were about to leave, a carriage pulled up. The driver called out, "Gentlemen, do you need a ride?"

Zhang Yue knew this was the equivalent of a taxi. Since the Han Dynasty, there had been "mileage-drum carriages"—a small drum inside would strike every time the wheel turned a certain number of rotations, allowing the fare to be calculated by distance.

Zhang Yue thought that since Cai Que had helped him, he should hire a carriage to show his appreciation. He asked the driver, "How much to the South Gate of the Imperial Academy?"

The driver, seeing business, smiled. "One way or return?"

"One way!"

"Twenty-five coins."

Zhang Yue was about to agree, but Cai Que grabbed his arm, looking stern. "Twenty-five coins? How can you ask for so much? Renting a carriage for the whole day is only two hundred coins, and it’s just a short distance to the South Gate. Are you trying to cheat a newcomer?"

Zhang Yue couldn't help but chuckle; this was typical of Cai Que's sharp bargaining.

"Sir, you can't say that... well, fine, fine! You scholars from Min are truly something else. Forget the profit. Eighteen coins, one way! Deal?"

Zhang Yue, seeing Cai Que about to bargain further, quickly said, "Fine, Brother Cai, eighteen coins it is."

The three boarded the carriage and arrived at the inn shortly after.

Inside, Huang Haoyi was waiting with a woman. Seeing Zhang Yue, he was overjoyed. "Third Brother, Brother Chizheng, I am glad you returned safely! I have been worried all night."

Zhang Yue laughed, then his expression darkened. "Fourth Brother, did you go home today and tell your sister-in-law that I had arrived in Bianjing?"

"How did you know, Third Brother?"

Zhang Yue looked at Huang Haoyi. *This man has such a long tongue.* If not for the woman beside him, he would have given him a piece of his mind.

Zhang Yue looked displeased, but Huang Haoyi didn't notice and said, "Third Brother, Brother Chizheng, this is Yulian."

The woman bowed gracefully to Zhang Yue and Cai Que. Zhang Yue glanced at her; she was indeed quite beautiful, with alluring eyes. It was no wonder Huang Haoyi was so infatuated.

Zhang Yue said politely, "Greetings, Miss."

Cai Que glanced at her and said nothing, seemingly disdainful of her background. He immediately said, "Third Brother, since you are safe, I will take my leave."

Zhang Yue tried to persuade him to stay for dinner, but Cai Que refused. Huang Haoyi laughed, "Stay for a bit, Brother Chizheng, let us celebrate our admission to the Imperial Academy."

"The Academy does not permit late returns. I shall take my leave and we can talk another day."

Cai Que left, leaving no room for further persuasion. Tang Jiu ordered a pot of wine and retired to his room.

Zhang Yue, Huang Haoyi, and the woman named Yulian sat in the inn's main hall for dinner. Zhang Yue ordered chicken, duck, fish, and a pot of wine. Having some money now, he felt generous, wanting to celebrate their success.

At the table, Yulian was attentive, pouring wine for the two men. Zhang Yue drank a fair amount and felt a bit tipsy. He noticed Yulian's eyes lingering on him frequently.

Zhang Yue pretended not to notice, chatting with Huang Haoyi while eating. Suddenly, he felt a foot brush against his leg under the table.

Zhang Yue was startled.

At the square table, he and Huang Haoyi sat opposite each other, while Yulian sat at the side. The foot had clearly come from the side, and it felt like the tip of a woman's embroidered shoe.

His face flushed red, though the wine made it difficult for the others to tell.

Yulian raised her glass. "For Third Brother to enter the Imperial Academy at such a young age is truly remarkable. I have great admiration for you; let me toast you, Third Brother."