Chapter 25: The Three Great Illusions of Life

Before long, a woman dressed as a matron entered, carrying a food box in her left hand and a bottle of fine wine in her right. She performed a graceful, deferential curtsy to the assembled gentlemen.

"This is my wife," Yan Gongsheng explained hastily. After saying this, he pulled his wife forward, and together they performed another round of salutations.

A servant lifted the lid of the box, removing nine dishes in succession—chicken, duck, fermented fish, ham, and the like. It was a feast, both abundant and exquisite.

Yan Gongsheng invited Fan Jin and the two gentlemen, Zhang and Zhou, to take their seats. He poured the wine for them and said with a beaming smile, "I ought to have invited you esteemed gentlemen to my humble home, but firstly, I feared it was too crude and would only serve to slight such distinguished guests. Secondly, the hour is late, and entering the inner city requires presenting the official seal and warrant of Magistrate Tang. Therefore, I have taken the liberty of preparing a few small dishes and a pot of wine here. I hope you gentlemen will not take offense at my lack of hospitality."

Fan Jin accepted the wine, finding the man quite intriguing—warm, attentive, and thoughtful. He teased, "What are you saying? We should be the ones thanking you for your hospitality." He then glanced at Gentlemen Zhang and Zhou, adding with a playful jab, "On this trip, we haven't even paid our respects to Magistrate Tang yet, but we have already received such generous treatment from you, Master Yan. We have truly imposed upon your hospitality."

At this, the men stroked their beards and laughed heartily. Yan Gongsheng repeatedly insisted he was unworthy of such praise. He drained his cup in one go and tilted the clean, empty bottom toward his guests. "I have finished my cup; please, gentlemen, drink as you please!"

Fan Jin took a glance and realized the cup held grape wine. He took a small sip, finding it rather pungent, and realized it must be homemade country wine with a high alcohol content. After a few cups, he set it aside.

After the meal, Fan Jin and the others began to discuss the character of Magistrate Tang. Yan Gongsheng stood by to pour the wine, interjecting, "Magistrate Tang is clean, upright, kind, and benevolent. He is truly a blessing for Gaoyao."

Fan Jin nodded slightly. The prosperity he had witnessed upon entering the city today was proof enough that Magistrate Tang had a unique approach to local governance. In some places, where the air was thick with corruption, local officials could reduce a region to a wasteland where not a cock crowed and bones lay exposed in the fields—such things were not unheard of. The imperial court cared little, and with the Emperor so far away, as long as taxes were paid in full and on time, no further questions were asked. Fan Jin had made inquiries before arriving; this Magistrate Tang was also a *juren* degree holder before taking up his post in Gaoyao County.

Unlike Zhang Jingzhai, given the current prosperity and the atmosphere of peace in Gaoyao County, Magistrate Tang had a significant chance of continuing to rise through the official ranks. At the very least, he would not face the common fate of being forgotten the moment his term ended. Though Zhang Jingzhai was a man of considerable influence in Nanhai County, he did not dare put on any airs in front of Magistrate Tang.

Zhang Jingzhai nodded, saying, "That is true." After a moment of thought, he asked with interest, "Does the Uncle have any other virtuous policies or acts of benevolence?" He knew that a year ago, he had visited Gaoyao; while it was prosperous then, it could not compare to the thriving state it was in today.

Yan Gongsheng smoothed his sleeves, clearly a master of setting the stage. He sighed with emotion, "Magistrate Tang’s acts of benevolence are too numerous to count. As it happens, I have a personal connection with him."

"Oh?" The others set down their cups. Zhang Jingzhai, keen to uncover the background of this Yan Gongsheng and his relationship with the Magistrate, pressed him, "Pray, tell us more, Master Yan."

Yan Gongsheng smiled lightly. "Regarding this matter, Master Zhang, all things in life have their own threads of fate; one truly cannot force them." After a few moments of reflection, he seemed lost in memory and said slowly, "The day Magistrate Tang arrived to take office, all the local gentlemen of Gaoyao built a colorful pavilion and traveled ten miles out to welcome him. I was standing at the entrance of that pavilion, just like a common lackey. As soon as the Magistrate’s sedan chair arrived, the gongs and drums began to roar, and colorful flags fluttered! There were dancers and *suona* players, greeting him in wave after wave..."

Hearing this, Fan Jin fell into his own memories, while the other two gentlemen remained unmoved. He remembered years ago, when he had been entrusted with the urgent task of heading an industrial county to manage pollution. The local leadership had made a similarly grand, performative spectacle. The gongs and firecrackers were the least of it; there were hundreds of people dancing the *yangge*, a massive mobilization of forces. Famous local entrepreneurs, influential figures, and leading officials had crowded the only road he could take, creating a massive, pompous blockade. The entire national highway was draped in banners, and traffic was halted for an entire day. They claimed it was to ensure he felt the local "warmth," but in reality, they only wanted to show him enough face so that when it came to the pollution issue, he might turn a blind eye and let them off with a slap on the wrist.

That the gentlemen of Gaoyao were playing this same trick on Magistrate Tang—who would believe it was a simple welcome?

Yan Gongsheng continued, "When the Magistrate’s sedan chair drew near, I caught a glimpse of him from afar. I saw he had two thick eyebrows, a prominent bridge of the nose, a square face, and large ears..."

Fan Jin instinctively visualized the image in his mind, and a rotund figure appeared. He wanted to hear how Yan Gongsheng would bring this story to a conclusion.

"I was thinking at the time that Magistrate Tang truly lived up to his reputation—a kind, approachable, and true gentleman." Yan Gongsheng pulled back his long sleeves and spoke with measured ease.

Gentleman Zhang laughed heartily. "It seems you must have caught the Magistrate’s eye that day, Master Yan!"

The others were thoughtful. Seeing the attitude of the workshop officials toward Yan Gongsheng today, it was clear he was highly favored by the Magistrate and that their relationship was no ordinary one. Otherwise, he would not have volunteered to host them the moment he learned they were friends of the Magistrate. The intricate web of connections here was not something that could be explained in a few words.

Yan Gongsheng nodded with the air of one who understood the impermanence of the world. "It is truly strange. Dozens of people were standing there to welcome him, but when Magistrate Tang peered out from his sedan chair, he looked only at me."

Everyone found this curious, wondering if there was some deeper meaning.

Yan Gongsheng added, "I had a friend standing right there with me. He looked carefully at the Magistrate, then looked at me, and whispered, 'Have you known this Magistrate before?' I answered truthfully, 'I have not.' My friend then became quite infatuated, convinced that the Magistrate had been looking at him!"

Everyone burst into laughter. The three great delusions of life: "He is looking at me," "He likes me," and "I can make a comeback!" Yan Gongsheng’s friend had certainly claimed all of them. Of course, in later generations, that friend would undoubtedly have earned the title of "plain but confident." As for whether he was the pinnacle of such confidence, that would be a matter of opinion.