058 [A Far Cry From the Past]

The twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month marks the Lesser New Year.

In Renshou Ward, located in the eastern district of the capital, stood the majestic Marquis of Zhenyuan's Estate.

Qin Wanli had once served as the Viceroy of Xuanfu and Datong. Over a decade ago, relying on a fiercely fought and decisive campaign that annihilated tens of thousands of Tartars, he won renown throughout the realm and became a vital pillar of the Great Yan nobility. Today, he stood as the preeminent figure second only to Xie Jing, the Duke of Wei.

Presently, he commanded the Five-Army Division, one of the capital's three major military divisions, holding undisputed and real executive power within the armed forces.

The Emperor, praising his loyalty and valor, specifically ordered the Ministry of Works to construct this imposing marquis estate for him. However, Qin Wanli was usually consumed by military affairs; unless required to attend grand court assemblies on the first and fifteenth days of the month or summoned by the Emperor, he spent most of his time stationed at the military camp outside the city.

Qin Wanli had fathered three sons. The eldest and second sons had both married and were currently honing their skills within the military ranks. Only the youngest son, seventeen-year-old Qin Zhang, remained at home due to his grandmother's excessive spoiling, compounded by the old lady's concern over the inevitable perils of military life and her wish to preserve a single bloodline for the Qin family. Thus, Qin Zhang had always lived within the comfort of the marquis estate, enjoying the wealth and glory forged by the older generations.

This Third Young Master Qin possessed a stubborn and rebellious disposition, holding his nose high to the world. He idled his days away cockfighting and dog-coursing. If not for the fact that he only ran with a crowd of military scions and generally refrained from oppressing common scholars and citizens, he would never have escaped the relentless impeachments of the censors from the Censorate.

In the floral parlor of the western courtyard of the marquis estate, Qin Zhang idly flicked the bone tiles on the table with an expression of profound boredom.

Externally, this prodigal son bore quite a striking resemblance to Qin Wanli. He possessed the tall, slender build of a young leopard, broad shoulders, a straight nose, and sword-like brows. Had he donned armor, he would have exuded a considerable air of martial valor.

Yet, due to a neglect of physical training coupled with an indulgence in sensual pleasures, his waistline was slack and his complexion bore a faint bluish-white tinge, utterly wasting the exceptional foundation inherited from Qin Wanli.

Also present in the parlor was a young man named Cao Xuan. His father, Cao Zongheng, the Earl of Weiyuan, currently served as the Regional Commander of Jizhen and was a prominent general personally promoted by Qin Wanli.

Based on this connection, Cao Xuan had always considered himself Qin Zhang's subordinate. Although he was five or six years older than Qin Zhang, he willingly humbled himself and played second fiddle in his presence.

"Third Young Master, are you feeling somewhat unamused?"

Naturally understanding Qin Wanli's son's temperament, Cao Xuan knew this young master would normally never stay so docilely within the estate. It was simply because he had recently lost a lucrative financial avenue, leaving him in low spirits and devoid of the desire to carouse outside.

Qin Zhang cast a sidelong glance at him. "Knowing it, why ask?"

Cao Xuan chuckled, paused in thought, and said, "There truly hasn't been much amusement in the capital lately. However, I heard yesterday that someone has entirely booked out the Zhanxue Pavilion today, and a crowd is over there making merry."

"The Zhanxue Pavilion?"

Qin Zhang frowned and retorted ungratefully, "Out with it if you have something to say."

"Third Young Master, care to guess which people possess such refined tastes?"

A look of derision surfaced on Cao Xuan's face as he leisurely continued, "A bunch of penniless, high-flying Hanlin scholars. Who knows if the loose silver in their pockets adds up enough to settle the bill? If they end up having to write an IOU to the Zhanxue Pavilion, that would truly be a spectacle."

Upon hearing the word "Hanlin," Qin Zhang's expression instantly chilled, and anger steadily welled up within him. "Make yourself clear. Who on earth is it?"

Seeing that the fire had reached the right intensity, Cao Xuan answered frankly, "I heard it's that batch who passed the metropolitan examination with high honors during the Gengchen year, led by the Top Scholar Gao Tingbi, the Runner-up Cui Yanqing, and the Third-place Scholar Xue Huai."

As that final name fell upon his ears, Qin Zhang abruptly stood up.

Cao Xuan feigned astonishment. "Third Young Master, what is the matter?"

"Someone come, saddle the horses!"

Qin Zhang bellowed toward the outside, then turned his gaze back to Cao Xuan. Without offering further explanation, he commanded coldly, "Go now and notify those fellows one by one. Tell them to assemble with me immediately. Today, this young master is going to take them out to find some fun."

A sense of absolute certainty settled in Cao Xuan's heart. He hastily rose and said, "Understood, I'm on my way."

...

The Zhanxue Pavilion closed its doors to outside guests today.

As a time-honored venue for leisure in the capital, the Zhanxue Pavilion generally avoided such practices. After all, everyone spending money here belonged to illustrious and powerful clans; they could hardly afford to offend other noble patrons merely for the sake of a small sum of silver.

The reason they made an exception this time was twofold. First, with the approach of the lunar new year, most people were preoccupied with ancestral worship rituals, and even those prodigal scions had altered their usual habits, causing business at the Zhanxue Pavilion to noticeably dwindle.

Second, this group of guests could not be underestimated. Although the highest-ranking among them merely held the proper sixth rank, the master behind the scenes at the Zhanxue Pavilion clearly understood that the futures of these young officials were boundless.

They were fellow examination graduates of the same year, currently serving in the Hanlin Academy, the Ministry of Rites, and the Imperial Academy respectively—all prestigious and rapid-advancing official posts. Moreover, most of them maintained various connections with high-ranking ministers in the imperial court.

Leaving aside Xue Huai, who was currently riding a wave of immense popularity, the Top Scholar Gao Tingbi was rumored to be distantly related to a certain Grand Secretary. The Runner-up Cui Yanqing might currently be cooling his heels in a minor post, but the Cui family behind him was a century-old aristocratic clan, while the Erudite Chen Guanyue was the biological nephew of Chen Bojun, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy.

Such intricacies were too numerous to recount fully.

Consequently, the Zhanxue Pavilion readily accepted Gao Tingbi's deposit, cleared out this day of the Lesser New Year in advance, appeased several noble patrons who had originally planned to visit, and then wholeheartedly prepared the banquet.

At the third quarter of the Chen hour, guests arrived one after another.

As the compiler in the Hanlin Academy, the initiator of today's literary gathering, and the Top Scholar of the Gengchen cohort, Gao Tingbi naturally arrived first. Accompanied by two familiar probationary officials, he stood in the main hall to welcome his arriving cohort peers.

Gao Tingbi excelled in social pleasantries and would never neglect any single peer, causing the atmosphere within the hall to gradually grow lively.

That was until Xue Huai appeared, causing the room to suddenly fall quiet.

Xue Huai arrived neither early nor late. He would neither come early to steal Gao Tingbi's thunder nor purposely make a grand entrance at the very end to highlight his own uniqueness. Yet, even with every detail so thoroughly considered, the moment he stepped into the venue, he immediately became the focal point of all gazes.

If two years ago many people in the hall had been watching Xue Huai as a joke, then following the conclusion of the Ministry of Works corruption case, their perception of Xue Huai had shifted to include a measure of wariness and a trace of envy.

Even Top Scholar Gao Tingbi was still grinding through his seniority and awaiting official performance evaluations, yet Xue Huai had made a sudden and formidable rise, surging ahead of everyone by a full length before the three-year term had even arrived, and even winning verbal commendation from the Emperor himself.

They were all examination peers of the same year, and Xue Huai had previously met with walls everywhere he turned, yet now he had become the most promising figure of the Gengchen cohort. How could they possibly maintain peace of mind?

Meeting the countless complex gazes directed at him, Xue Huai maintained a calm, poised smile and made a sweeping bow with clasped hands. "Xue Huai greets all my peers."

His stance was crystal clear: today, official ranks and grades were not to be discussed; they would speak only of the bonds shared by examination peers.

Gao Tingbi was the first to snap out of it. He stepped forward with a smile and said, "Brother Jingche, we haven't seen you attend many banquets these past two years. We certainly won't let you slip away easily today; we must force down a few pots of wine with you at all costs."

Several second-tier Jinshi immediately chimed in with good-natured teasing.

Xue Huai's expression remained placid, though he found it rather amusing inwardly. The Top Scholar was trying to smear him the moment they met, subtly implying to the crowd that he, Xue Huai, was thoroughly antisocial?

Clearly, he was still viewing Xue Huai through an outdated lens, assuming that a couple of barbed, joking remarks would cause Xue Huai to lose his temper and sever ties on the spot.

Compared to the original owner's rigid uprightness, Xue Huai's skin was decidedly thicker. Since Gao Tingbi had voluntarily handed him the opportunity, how could he possibly ignore it?

Glancing around the hall, Xue Huai spoke with sincerity and measured propriety: "Many thanks for Kuangshi's reminder. These past two years, I poured my heart and soul into those matters and failed to maintain regular contact with my peers—that was truly a grave oversight. Once the banquet begins, I shall first fine myself three cups of wine by way of apology, and I hope all my peers will be generous and forgiving."

Hearing this, the smile on Gao Tingbi's face froze slightly before returning to normal.

The others registered a faint trace of surprise.

From the very moment the imperial examination results were announced, Xue Huai's lofty arrogance had been glaringly apparent. He preferred walking alone, particularly detested official banquets and socializing, and refused to grow close to others.

Although rumors had circulated recently in the capital that Xue Huai's temperament had altered considerably after surviving a drowning accident, most people in the hall had remained skeptical. Only now, witnessing Xue Huai's uncharacteristic demeanor firsthand and hearing the word "apology" from his lips, did they confirm that the once-haughty Third-place Scholar was finally willing to step down from the clouds and cease viewing them with an icy gaze.

It was not quite a case of being overwhelmed by unexpected favor, but as they were new to officialdom and had not yet entered the stage of petty calculation and treacherous scheming—and mostly shared no conflict of interests with Xue Huai—they had no objections to befriending him at present.

"Master Xue exaggerates. We are fated to be examination peers, and in the future, we will inevitably need to support one another. There is no need to be overly bound by empty formalities, let alone speak of apologies."

The Erudite Chen Guanyue stepped forward to take up the conversation, adding, "Besides, who among us doesn't know why you were busy these past two years? We already felt guilty for being unable to assist you; how could we possibly harbor any resentment?"

He had originally entered the palace examinations to become a probationary official and later secured a promotion to Senior Secretary in the Ceremonial Office of the Ministry of Rites through outstanding performance. His official rank was junior sixth, merely one grade lower than Gao Tingbi and Xue Huai, and even superior to Runner-up Cui Yanqing.

He was a smooth and sophisticated man adept at social navigation, popular within the Ministry of Rites, and practically the polar opposite of what Xue Huai had been for the past two years.

With Chen Guanyue taking the lead, several young officials eager to befriend Xue Huai chimed in accordingly.

"Brother Jingche's memorials are pearls of wisdom in every stroke; reading them feels like bathing in a gentle breeze. That is the true elegance of the Hanlin Academy!"

"Master Xue treats others with sincerity and conducts affairs with impartiality. Such breadth of mind is truly the model for our generation!"

"I long heard that the Third-place Scholar surpassed three examinations in talent, but today I realize his even more precious quality is his bright and upright character!"

"When Brother Jingche was wielding his brush in the Hanlin halls, even the Chancellor of the Academy praised his 'independent backbone'!"

In an instant, praises surged forth like a tide.

Fortunately, Xue Huai's composure was sufficiently steady, and he remained unblinded by these flattering words. With modest self-restraint, he replied, "I am deeply unworthy of such lavish praise from all my peers."

The atmosphere instantly grew even more animated.

Amidst the crowd, Gao Tingbi wore a smile on his face, yet felt a growing oppression in his chest.

He had originally assumed that with a little provocation on his part, Xue Huai would inevitably part ways on bad terms with his peers today, and once this matter was spread abroad, even if it couldn't instantly shake Xue Huai's foundation, what kind of future could a man expect if he couldn't even manage relations with his own examination cohort?

The problem was... gazing at the harmonious scene between Xue Huai and the others before him, Gao Tingbi sighed inwardly.

Why had this turned out so vastly different from his expectations?