118. Governor-General of Jiangbei, Yang Xitai

Shen Residence, Plum Garden, Qingyun Pavilion.

Whether the chicken or the egg came first is a question, but it certainly wasn't the question on Lu Jin’s mind right now. His current concern was: what does one do when they encounter a high-ranking official of ministerial level? It was, quite frankly, panic-inducing.

Yang Xitai, the Governor of Jiangbei, was visiting the Shen family, and it was only natural for him to meet the younger generation of the household. Likewise, it was a matter of etiquette for the children of noble families—like the Tantai siblings and Wu You—to pay their respects now that they knew he was there.

The meeting took place in Qingyun Pavilion, a scenic spot on the south side of the Plum Garden. The pavilion stood six stories high upon a rocky slope, featuring wide corridors and expansive eaves, creating a magnificent presence. From the sixth floor, one could look past the city walls to see the vast and surging Lan River in the distance.

Inside the grand pavilion, Governor Yang Xitai and his wife sat in the place of honor, accompanied by Shen Hao and his wife. The other three sides were occupied by the younger members of the Shen family and the Tantai siblings.

Yang Xitai was a quintessential man of the North. Around fifty years of age, he was sturdy and tall with a square face, prominent cheekbones, thick eyebrows, narrow eyes, a straight nose, and full lips. The neatly trimmed, graying short beard beneath his jaw added a touch of scholarly elegance. He appeared to be a man of both letters and arms, a venerable and honest elder.

His wife, in her forties, had a slightly broad face but balanced, dignified features. Her face was lit with a smile, and her eyes were kind and gentle. Compared to women of the South, she possessed a greater sense of resilience and depth. Their daughter, Yang Minzhen, was also a rare beauty.

However, none of this mattered much to Lu Jin, who only spared them a casual glance. Could any beauty surpass his own wife?

"Shizhong, this is my son-in-law, Lu Jin. He and Xier have been married for only half a year. The wedding was rushed, so I didn't get a chance to inform you," Shen Hao said, introducing him from the seat of honor.

"Junior Lu Jin pays his respects to Governor Yang," Lu Jin said, bowing low.

"Xier pays her respects to Uncle Yang and Aunt Yang," Shen Yanxi added.

"Good, good. Mingyuan, you are truly blessed; the two of them are a perfect match. Nephew, there is no need for such formalities. Your father-in-law and I are old friends. This visit is not for official business, so there is no need for titles—just call me Uncle Yang," Yang Xitai laughed.

"Uncle Yang! Aunt Yang!" Lu Jin repeated.

"Good, good. Xier, the last time I saw you, you were quite downcast, but now you have found a wonderful husband. You have a good eye," Yang Xitai praised.

"My Minzhen said Xier had found a fine husband, and seeing you now, it is certainly true. You two are a perfect pair. Xier is truly lucky," Madam Yang added with a beaming smile.

"Thank you for your kind words, Uncle and Aunt. I, too, feel very fortunate to have met my husband," Shen Yanxi replied with a sweet, radiant smile.

*Lu Jin: (⊙ꇴ⊙) Don't you ancient people believe in modesty?*

Lu Jin was already feeling awkward standing there, especially since Yang Minzhen, sitting to the side, kept looking him up and down. *Is there something so interesting about me rubbing my waist?*

"Right, right. You two should live well together. Please, sit down," Madam Yang encouraged.

"Jin'er, what is wrong with your waist?" Zhou Manyun asked, having noticed Lu Jin rubbing it several times in just a short while.

"Mother, I just twisted it accidentally yesterday."

*The culprit is standing right there, isn't she? It's your daughter!*

"Have you had the house physician look at it?" Shen Hao asked, concerned.

"Father, it is just a minor injury; it is already much better."

"Xier, you really must..." Zhou Manyun started, anxious to tell her daughter to be more attentive and not to let Lu Jin overexert himself. But when she looked over, she saw her daughter standing behind Lu Jin with a flushed face. Having plenty of life experience, Zhou Manyun paused, immediately realizing what had happened. She glared at her daughter.

*Still, is my son-in-law too frail? They just got married! No, I must tell my daughter to make sure he gets proper nourishment.*

*Lu Jin: Mother-in-law, don't misunderstand. I really did just twist it—it's not that I'm not capable!*

With so many people around, Zhou Manyun couldn't interrogate her daughter, so she shifted her concern back to her son-in-law. It took a while for Lu Jin to soothe them both. Once they finished talking to Shen Hao and Zhou Manyun, they moved toward Yang Minzhen.

"Husband, this is the Sister Zhen I told you about," Shen Yanxi introduced. In truth, Lu Jin already knew this was Yang Xitai's daughter, as she had been introduced earlier.

"Greetings, Miss Yang," Lu Jin said politely.

Yang Minzhen had stood up as well, and upon his approach, she became even more brazen, staring straight at him.

"Greetings, Young Master Lu," she replied with a return bow.

"Oh my, Xier, I don't see anything particularly special about your husband..." Yang Minzhen whispered to Shen Yanxi immediately after the greeting.

*Lu Jin: (⊙ꇴ⊙) Is that polite? Should I have grown wings?*

"Sister Zhen..." Shen Yanxi pouted. What could be "special" about a living, breathing person? If one could tell everything just by looking at someone's face, life would be far too simple.

After the greetings, Lu Jin and his wife took seats next to Yang Minzhen. Since they were friends, Lu Jin had no choice but to sit nearby.

"Youran, come over here," Lu Jin called out to Wu You, who had finished greeting Yang Xitai.

"Big Brother," Wu You smiled broadly upon seeing him. She came over, exchanged brief greetings with Yang Minzhen, and sat beside Lu Jin. From an outsider's perspective, Lu Jin sitting between two beauties looked quite comfortable.

As they chatted, the Shen family youths finished their greetings to Governor Yang and his wife, taking their seats around the perimeter.

"Why are you boys so dark?" Yang Xitai asked when Shen Yanlun and the other younger ones sat down. He noticed they were all tanned, a row of "dark boys"—quite a spectacle.

"Clang!" Four or five of them stood up in perfect unison.

"Reporting to Uncle Yang, we are not afraid of the dark..."

*Everyone: (⊙ꇴ⊙)*

The mothers present could only cover their foreheads. Look at what their children had been turned into by their son-in-law. Still, they did look more masculine than before, even if they were a bit dim-witted.

Lu Jin, who had been chatting with Wu You, was stunned by this sudden shout. He wanted to hide his face right there. *Are these the things I trained?*

In truth, it wasn't the boys' fault. They were used to training together, and the Pavlovian response to Yang Xitai's question had triggered a conditioned reflex.

"Pfft! Xier, your brothers are hilarious," Yang Minzhen couldn't help but laugh.

Shen Yanxi didn't know what to say to those naive boys, so she turned and glared at Lu Jin.

"Good, good. Tell me, Uncle, what have you been playing at to get so dark?" Yang Xitai was genuinely curious. The children of Jiangnan noble families were usually as delicate as porcelain dolls, so this was a refreshing sight.

*Damn, answer him yourself! Why are you looking at me?*

"Uncle Yang, we were just training, and the sun did this..." Shen Yanlun reacted, no longer as reckless as before, but he still explained their regular training routine.

"Mingyuan, your son-in-law is truly remarkable. He is even well-versed in military affairs?" Yang Xitai asked in surprise.

*I'm not well-versed in anything. I've just seen a lot of it and have been trained quite a few times.*

All Lu Jin could do was instill discipline; for actual martial prowess, he still relied on Yuanfang and Su Nian. Now, Lu Jin had to step forward. It wasn't that he wanted to show off, but because Yang Xitai, while asking his father-in-law, was clearly targeting him. He was twenty years old; he couldn't hide behind the adults forever.

Furthermore, parents were the same throughout history: they hoped their children would bring them prestige. Lu Jin could no longer hide in the background.

"Uncle, you flatter me. I am not well-versed in military affairs. I have only been leading the boys in some exercises to strengthen their bodies and minds, and to cultivate their spirit of courage."

"Oh? What is this 'self-cultivation'?" Yang Xitai clearly intended to test him.

"In my view, self-cultivation is an essential ability one must possess, encompassing virtue, knowledge, and discipline, as well as basic personal martial prowess. In short, one should be accomplished in both literature and martial arts."

"On a small scale, personal martial prowess means having a healthy body so that, even in times of misfortune, one has the strength to survive and not be bullied or starved. On a larger scale, it is the ability to protect one's home and country."

"As for the importance of wisdom, you and my father understand it better than I; I need not embarrass myself further," Lu Jin said.

"Whether it is an individual, a family, or a nation, literature and martial arts are like two arms; one cannot do without the other. Without wisdom, one is shortsighted; without courage, one is humiliated. There is no eternal peace in this world. As the saying goes, 'Life springs from sorrow and calamity, and death comes from ease and comfort.' We men must have a sense of urgency."

"Especially the sons of noble families; we carry the hopes of our clans. We should have lofty ambitions, keep the country in our hearts, and forge ahead with determination. To be able to hold a brush to bring peace to the world, and to mount a horse to secure the realm—only then do we live up to our youth."

After finishing, Lu Jin bowed and stepped back. He had answered what was asked and brought prestige to his family; that was enough. When he returned to his seat, he saw Shen Yanxi's eyes sparkling. Lu Jin chuckled softly.

"Bravo! Mingyuan, you truly make me envious. How did you manage to snatch up such a fine son-in-law?" Yang Xitai clapped his hands and laughed.

"Shizhong, you flatter him. Jin'er is young and impulsive, so please, offer him your guidance," Shen Hao said, though his satisfaction was evident.

It wasn't just because of what Lu Jin said; Yang Xitai was a Northerner, and Northerners valued courage. Even without Lu Jin's eloquence, the mere fact that he valued physical strength and martial spirit endeared him to this Northern man.

Yang Xitai felt a pang of regret. *This should have been a son of the North! How was he born in the South? What a pity!*

"'Life springs from sorrow and calamity, and death comes from ease and comfort'—that is truly thought-provoking. For a young man to have such insight, he will surely be extraordinary. Congratulations, Mingyuan. Such a fine son-in-law is enough to bring comfort to one's life," Yang Xitai mused, finding more depth in Lu Jin's words the more he pondered them.

Lu Jin found it strange. *Is this quote not known here?* Although there were classics in the family, he had been too lazy to read them.

"Shizhong, do not overpraise him. Jin'er is still young. If you praise him too much and he loses his head, you'll have to compensate me with another son-in-law," Shen Hao joked.

"Haha, well said. But it would be hard to find another one like yours," Yang Xitai replied, his expressions far more animated than those of the reserved Jiangnan scholars.

"Nephew, would you like to take up a position under me?" Yang Xitai asked after the pleasantries.

*Lu Jin: (⊙ꇴ⊙) That was unexpected. Is this my chance to become a civil servant?*

Inter-family patronage was a way to maintain their status. However, Lu Jin could not take a position now. If he were alone and powerless, he would have seized the opportunity. But he was a son-in-law of the Shen family, and Yang Xitai wouldn't have offered the olive branch otherwise. With the Shen family behind him and plenty of his own projects to handle, he had no need for such a position.

"Thank you for your favor, Uncle. I am still young, my nature is scattered, and my experience is limited. I fear that even with your opportunity, I would not perform well. I hope to experience more of the world and broaden my horizons. If one day I desire to enter officialdom, I will surely seek your guidance. Please, do not forget your words today," Lu Jin replied half-jokingly.

"Haha, Mingyuan was right—it seems you truly have no desire for office yet. Do not worry, nephew; when you are ready, come find me. You can choose any position under my command," Yang Xitai said. He wasn't surprised; among noble families, there were many who simply waited for the right opportunity.

Lu Jin was about to sit down, but he was called back.

"Nephew, your poetry and paintings are unparalleled; your fame has even reached Luzhou. I accepted your 'request' earlier—do you have a masterpiece to share with me?" Yang Xitai laughed. He had learned quite a bit from Shen Hao that morning.

*Lu Jin: ...Damn, he's using a blank check to scam a poem out of me. He's a ministerial-level official; can I refuse?*

"Since you favor me, Uncle, I dare not refuse," Lu Jin bowed.

In a short while, paper and ink were prepared, and Shen Yanxi naturally began to grind the ink. Everyone in the Shen household wanted to see what masterpiece Lu Jin would produce. Yang Minzhen, who had been curious about him all along, craned her neck in anticipation.

Lu Jin lowered his head and pondered: *Which poem should I choose?*