Chapter 9
Gentlemen’s Friendship
Proofreader/Editor:
Nene Yashiro

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The wait for the results of the examination was long and drawn out. The candidates from distant lands who had come to the capital returned to their hometowns, but Zhang Ling remembered Tang Jiwei’s words and indeed came to pay a visit.

Madam Xiao knew that Tang Jiwei was mature for his age and had few close friends. When she saw the first visitor arrive, she was so excited that she repeatedly urged him to stay.

“Zhang Ling, my home has guest rooms too! You can stay in the capital without paying rent. The capital is so nice; you can save a lot on travel expenses!” Madam Xiao patiently persuaded Zhang Ling. He had the kind of appearance that made people feel affectionate, with a sweet smile and a fair complexion. He was completely unpretentious and not at all slick like his peers, looking more like the boy next door, easily winning Madam Xiao’s heart.

Zhang Ling, knowing how to navigate the situation, finally managed to escape her grasp and darted into Tang Jiwei’s study.

Tang Jiwei was busy copying Wang Chuan’s “Hundred Birds Paying Homage” ^[1]Wang Chuan is a famous Chinese painter during a certain dynasty in Ancient China/ One of his works is the ‘Hundred Birds Paying Homage a genuine artwork worth at least ten thousand taels. However, after Tang Jiwei’s meticulous copying, it could only be sold for around five hundred taels. His copying skills were so refined that he commanded a good price in this field. The owner of Xiangfu Zhai somehow acquired the original piece and insisted that Tang Jiwei create a replica, offering twenty taels for the labor. Moreover, for each additional copy, the price would increase by five taels.

Zhang Ling didn’t want to disturb him; watching him paint was a pleasure. He held the brush with steady hand and calm demeanor, neither anxious nor impetuous. Even while copying, there was nothing mechanical about his work; rather, he infused his own feelings into it, making the imitation more convincing.

“What’s this? Finally free from my mother?” Tang Jiwei put down his brush and turned to look at him with a smile.

Zhang Ling beamed even brighter and replied, “Since my family fell, I’ve been relying on others. No one has ever treated me as sincerely as your mother has. It seems that your talent is also greatly influenced by her!”
Tang Jiwei knew that Zhang Ling genuinely liked Madam Xiao. His lively and warm demeanor had won her over, and it was indeed a blessing for him to have such a kind-hearted “Aunt.” However, in the quiet moments of midnight reflection, he could never forget the gentle and dignified presence of his biological mother, which was entirely different from Madam Xiao’s hard-working nature. His mother had given him the love that an aristocratic son yearns for the most. He could never forget the days spent in the Prime Minister’s residence, where he had everything and had yet to lose anything.

“What’s wrong? Are you jealous that your mother likes me more than you?” Zhang Ling teased, noticing Tang Jiwei’s downcast expression.

Tang Jiwei packed up his painting tools and replied, “Why don’t you stay? My family has overcome poverty and can afford to take you in.”

Zhang Ling, however, politely declined. Their friendship was like water—simple and unpretentious. He preferred to keep their friendly relationship without any complications that could affect their bond.

Tang Jiwei understood Zhang Ling’s feelings and valued this friend, someone who connected with him purely through talent. No matter what the future held, he believed that if either of them needed the other, they would step up without hesitation.

The two discussed the current state of affairs, and it was only when they were together that they could truly express their thoughts.

“He’s a good emperor; I’ve seen it on my journey here. The late emperor governed with strictness, but his talent and methods pale in comparison to the current one. Neither of us has entered the officialdom yet, but we’ve already heard of this emperor’s ruthless methods. Serving under him is like being near a tiger. If we ever step into the official realm, Jiwei, maintaining our original intentions is of utmost importance!” Zhang Ling spoke earnestly, revealing a depth that belied his youthful appearance, showing that he truly cared.

Tang Jiwei understood his purpose and was also aware of Han Zhen’s iron-fisted intentions. With each step Han Zhen took, Tang Jiwei’s chances diminished; he feared this emperor even more than Zhang Ling did.

“Zhang Ling, take care of yourself. Your talents will surely shine in the future. I hope that when we meet again in half a year, you’ll be filled with pride and achievements,” Tang Jiwei sincerely offered his well-wishes, believing that Zhang Ling was destined for greatness.

Madam Xiao was still trying to convince Zhang Ling to stay at their home, and the two lingered at the door, unable to part ways. Madam Xiao was enthusiastic, while Zhang Ling felt a bit shy, having never encountered such a hospitable aunt before.

“Mother, it’s understandable for him to want to return home; it’s only natural to visit. There will be many opportunities to meet again, so there’s no need to rush,” Tang Jiwei said with a wry smile, encouraging Madam Xiao to let it go and bidding a solemn farewell to Zhang Ling.

Madam Xiao kept murmuring to herself, increasingly feeling that this boy was worthy of deep friendship—honest, simple, well-bred, and talented; he seemed like the perfect friend for her son.

“Child, I’ve said it before, I think highly of Zhang Ling. What you do next is up to you,” Madam Xiao said while mending clothes, glancing at her son, who was reading nearby.

Tang Jiwei put down his book and replied helplessly, “If he were a girl, I could marry her and fulfill my filial duties, but he’s a boy with ambitions beyond this little corner of the world. Mother, don’t worry; whether this works out or not is fate. Friendship is also about destiny.”

Madam Xiao mulled over her son’s words and found them reasonable, yet she still felt a bit conflicted, sensing that he was evading the issue, unsure of what part of his statement was the problem.

“Alright, anyway, when I send you to the academy, it’s not to have you oppose me; I just feel that without a few close friends in officialdom, one could be stabbed in the back at any moment,” she said, wishing she could grab her son by the ear and make him understand. But, Tang Jiwei remained unfazed, leaving her helpless.

Meanwhile, Han Zhen was reading in his chamber. As he became deeply immersed in the text, he suddenly called for Wei Lin.

“Who first brought up the matter of the Jingzhao Yin? Was there any evidence before you searched the residence?” Han Zhen asked, his brows furrowed slightly. Though he was only in his underclothes, he still exuded an air of nobility, as if he wore a dragon robe.

Wei Lin had long been accustomed to his commanding presence. After a moment’s thought, he answered, “It was Grand Scholar Li Xiuming from the Wenhua Hall who first reported it.”

“Li Xiuming? How could he, who manages matters of the Crown Prince’s East Palace, be involved in the Jingzhao Yin’s affairs?” Han Zhen grew suspicious, increasingly feeling that there was someone behind the scenes orchestrating events.

“Look into the list of people who supported the proposal that day in court and their recent visits to the residence. I want to see who has the guts to scheme against all the officials,” Han Zhen said with a raised brow, his tone suggestive, the glimmer of ambition evident in his eyes.

Wei Lin asked, “Are you going to deal with him?”

Han Zhen lay back on the couch, supporting his head with his hands. “I’m just curious that someone could scheme so astutely, even calculating my reactions. This person must be quite skilled in political maneuvering; if I don’t recognize him, wouldn’t that be a failure on my part?”

“Understood, I will take care of it immediately.”

Once Wei Lin left, Li Sheng approached to advise the emperor to rest. However, the emperor seemed to be deaf to his suggestion, leaving Li Sheng feeling powerless.

“Tell me, compared to Zhenguan, who do you think is superior?” Han Zhen’s sudden question startled Li Sheng, who knelt in shock. This was the first time since the death of the marquis that the emperor mentioned his name, causing a chill to run down Li Sheng’s spine.

“I’m just asking casually. I suppose if such a person exists, he wouldn’t surpass Zhenguan; after all, he’s just a cunning fox,” Han Zhen mused aloud, his voice gradually lowering.

Li Sheng wiped the sweat from his forehead as he stood up, feeling as if his shoes were soaked.

Some topics are sensitive, and mentioning them lightly can be dangerous. Both Han Zhen and Li Sheng were well aware of this.

Second Aunt entered Tang Jiwei’s courtyard with a dark expression, followed by Tang Mi, whose face was streaked with tears, and Tang De, whose expression was equally alarming.

“What happened? Why is Mi’er still crying?” Madam Xiao asked anxiously as she came out to see the commotion at the courtyard gate, her heart racing with worry. “Could it be that someone is pressuring you for marriage again?”

Tang De angrily plopped down onto a grass pile in the yard, remaining silent. Second Aunt sighed as she walked into the house, followed by Tang Mi.

“Big sister-in-law, I truly cannot endure this any longer. Although our family is poor and not as well-off as the Third Sister’s, we are not the kind of people who can be easily pushed around. My father and I are not at the point of selling our daughter, and besides, it’s impossible!” Second Aunt exclaimed, her hands trembling in anger, spilling the tea that Madam Xiao had poured for her.
Mrs. Xiao listened, confused, and quickly interrupted, “Can you explain clearly? I don’t understand what’s going on! How did this turn into a discussion about being poor or rich? What is happening?”

Second Aunt took a big bowl of tea to steady herself before she began to explain, while Tang Jiwei leaned against the doorframe to listen in.

The younger sister of the Tang family, who had married into a wealthy family in the north and now lived as a young mistress, was Tang Jia. Since giving birth to her son, Song Zhiyuan, she had firmly established her position as the main wife of the Song family and had distanced herself from the two brothers of the Tang family. She didn’t care to interact with them. However, keeping to themselves didn’t stop the youngest son of the Song family from being interested in Tang Mi. He sought Tang Jia’s help to take Tang Mi as a concubine. Seeing that her younger brother was favored by the old lady of the family, Tang Jia thought of selling him a favor. But unexpectedly, Aunt Two shot down that idea with a single blow.

“Big sister-in-law, why should the innocent daughters of our family be reduced to being someone’s concubine? Mi’er is a fine girl; I should find her a stable family to marry into, but how did it turn into her being an unchaste girl that nobody wants? What kind of sin is this? What kind of relatives are we talking about here? It’s enough to drive me mad!” Second Aunt exclaimed in frustration.

Madam Xiao understood the situation and grew furious. If it were her, she would have dealt with that sister-in-law with a strong hand. Aunties are supposed to help their nieces find good matches, not drag them down. To say that her own niece was losing her virtue was outrageous; she was just an innocent girl. The disgraceful words that were thrown around were nothing but cold water poured over family ties, truly chilling the hearts of their kin!

Madam Xiao pulled over the tear-stained Tang Mi and said, “Mi’er, your auntie says you’re a good girl. There are plenty of people who want to marry you in the streets; don’t let someone with a mouth full of nonsense anger you. She can’t even do anything as outrageous as snatching a bride! Just stay calm, and I want to see how far she can take this!”

Seeing that Tang De was still outside, looking red-eyed and agitated, Tang Jiwei handed him a bowl of tea.

“Brother, I’ve never seen such an aunt. Just because she married well, does she think she can yell at her family? She never comes back for the ancestral rites during the holidays, and now that she’s pushing someone into the fire, she suddenly remembers my sister? What kind of person is that!”

Typically someone who didn’t like to talk behind others’ backs, Tang De was also riled up and shouting. Tang Jiwei could imagine how their aunt must have been acting, with her high-and-mighty demeanor. The drama in common folk was just as intense as that at court; schemes and slanders were much more apparent. Unlike the surroundings he used to live in, where one could never guess who was shooting arrows in the dark, each attack was a deadly strike. Fortunately, the common folk still held a healthy fear of the law, so violent incidents were rare.

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Author’s Note: …..