Chapter 358: The Affection Between Teacher, Student, Father-in-Law, and Son-in-law

Yangshu Alley in the western part of Beijing was not one of those bustling areas filled with nobles and high-ranking officials; in fact, it was rather secluded and quiet. Yet the mansion bestowed by the emperor suited Du Zhen’s temperament perfectly. The Hanlin Academy was originally a place for the elite, and Du Zhen never engaged in social interactions, choosing only those who matched his own tastes. Thus, the lack of traffic and activity outside his door suited him well. With such a master, the servants naturally had no complaints about lacking opportunities for profit—had it been about money, the Du family, consisting only of a mother and daughter relying on a few acres of paddy fields, would have left long ago.

Therefore, when Zhang Yue entered, the servants working in the courtyard greeted him with smiles and bows before returning to their tasks. The old gatekeeper, Yue Shan, escorted Zhang Yue through the screen door and said cheerfully, “It’s not that the servants are lazy or neglectful. It’s just that the master and mistress have instructed that the son-in-law may enter at any time without needing an announcement.”

Ms. Sun had agreed to keep Du Wan there for ten more days, so she was still on her way. That day, Zhang Yue came alone. Accustomed to the hustle and bustle outside other people’s homes, he felt his distractions fade as he stepped into this peaceful place. Even before becoming the son-in-law, he was a frequent visitor here, so it felt natural for the Du family’s servants to treat him as one of their own. He nodded in agreement.

After entering through the second gate from the outer courtyard, he decided not to go to the main house in the north courtyard for now. Walking west along the cobblestone path, he saw the row of three study rooms in the distance. Recognizing Mingdi standing under the eaves of one of the study rooms, he hurried over excitedly. Back in Kaifeng, Du Zhen had taught him, as well as Mingdi and Moyu, how to read and write, so he was very familiar with them. When Mingdi bowed to him, he said with a smile, “Is my father-in-law in the study?”

“You’re lucky to come at just the right time. Scholar Da Shen is here too today.”

“Scholar Da Shen is here? It’s true that it’s better to come at the right time than early. I was just thinking when to visit the Shen family, and now I’ve run into them by chance. By the way, are my father-in-law and Scholar Da Shen chatting casually or discussing something serious? If it’s important business, it would be rude to barge in now. I’ll go see my mother-in-law first.”

“You’re mistaken. Scholar Da Shen is in high spirits today and is writing inside!”

“Writing? If that’s the case, I really need to take a close look later… Hmm, my father-in-law said that Master Shen’s calligraphy hinges on tranquility. I can’t go in until he finishes writing. Please wait with me outside for a while.”
Although he knew Shen Du’s handwriting was exceptional, Zhang Yue was even more aware that this Hanlin scholar had no leisure time at all. Shen Du spent his days by the emperor’s side, handling imperial edicts, decrees, and poems, as well as creating paintings for the palace—there was little time left for writing on ordinary days.
Following Mingdi up two steps under the eaves, he saw a thick, simple blue cotton curtain hanging in front of the study door, but there was no sign of activity inside. Realizing that Shen Du must be concentrating on writing and that no one should disturb him, he waited outside. The sky had been overcast since they arrived, and now tiny snowflakes were falling. Though the eaves provided some shelter, gusts of cold wind carrying snow still hit them. Wrapped tightly in his coat, he waited for about fifteen minutes before finally hearing voices coming from inside. He quickly pulled back the curtain and stepped inside.
“Hey, is it the Yuan Festival already?”
As soon as he entered, Zhang Yue saw Du Zhen holding one corner of a vertical scroll by the desk, while the gray-haired Shen Du held the other corner, both discussing something. Upon seeing him, Shen Du placed his brush in the inkstone and nodded with a smile.
“Since I was summoned to the Hanlin Academy by the emperor, I don’t know how many characters I have to write each day. So, not only do I rarely write on my own, but even when people ask me to write for them, I can’t produce very good work. Today, thanks to what your father-in-law said about good ink, I was able to write quite a bit at once. Yuanjie, it seems it’s snowing outside, isn’t it?”
Mingdi, who followed in, hurriedly explained, “It’s just a light snowfall outside. Your son-in-law arrived early and learned that Master Shen was writing in the study. Knowing that Master Shen’s calligraphy requires tranquility, he didn’t want to disturb him, so he waited outside for a while.”
There was a charcoal brazier in the study, so both Shen Du and Du Zhen were dressed in casual clothes, looking relaxed. Hearing this, Shen Du showed surprise, then smiled at Du Zhen and said, “A few days ago, another Hanlin scholar asked me to write for him. Since his writing was good, I agreed. But when I went to his house and picked up the brush, he handed me his own scroll, claiming he had practiced imitating my style for years. Then he kept showing off his knowledge, not realizing that writing requires tranquility. Yishan, you, as both my student and son-in-law, truly understand me well. Your handwriting is precise, steady, and powerful!”

Zhang Yue stepped forward to pay his respects just as he heard Shen Du speak in a dismissive tone, realizing that Shen Du was recalling past events. Zhu Di was skilled in martial arts but also valued young and talented individuals; countless civil officials had been selected through the imperial examinations over the years. These newcomers, full of ambition, naturally lacked the caution of their predecessors. Back during the Hongwu era, Shen Du had failed to take the examinations in time due to his elder’s death and thus been exiled to Yunnan. How could he tolerate those impatient people?

He then said with a smile, “My handwriting was trained by imitating Master Shen’s calligraphy, so I can consider myself half his disciple. Yesterday, the emperor gave me a piece of his calligraphy and asked me to learn the art of calligraphy from you. They say one should respect teachers, and today I happened to meet you at my father-in-law’s house. Wouldn’t it be improper to wait outside for a while?”

Even Du Zhen couldn’t help but smile. “Minze is like an elder to you. Look, in the blink of an eye, you’ve gained another half-disciple!”

“Very well, I accept this disciple!” Shen Du had always disliked social obligations. Being in a good mood today, he gestured for Zhang Yue to come closer and pointed at the scroll, saying, “Look, this was forced upon me by your father-in-law and teacher. He knows I’m attracted to calligraphy, so after some urging, he clearly tried to trick me into taking it on.”

“The clouds are deep; the path within them is hard to find. A few thatched cottages rent space among the clouds, with the clouds resting in the shade of pines. Hanging there are a zhang-long zither and a se, lying on mossy stones with the cloud roots as a pillow, and plum blossoms dipped in the cloud tips. The heart of the clouds knows no self; I have no heart of clouds.”

Taking a few steps closer, Zhang Yue saw a bright red seal marked “Shen Minze” on the piece of calligraphy. It wasn’t the regular script Shen Du was known for, but rather a smooth and beautiful clerical script, with a sense of solidity and simplicity. It was a poem by Wei Lizhong titled “Joy Before the Hall.” Knowing well that the Shen family’s regular script was famous throughout the land and that the later official script style originated from it, Zhang Yue never claimed any expertise in calligraphy. Now, listening to Shen Du explain the techniques and style, he listened attentively.

Du Zhen also knew that Shen Du was extremely dedicated to teaching his own descendants but rarely taught outsiders. Thus, even those who copied Shen’s calligraphy sheets rarely captured its essence. Shen Du had been like a half-teacher to him, and he had been like a half-teacher to Shen Can. When Du Wan was young, Shen Zao, Shen Du’s son who lived in the countryside of Zhangyan, had tutored her in studies. The two families were true aristocratic friends, which was why he understood the true essence of the Shen family’s calligraphy. Now, he couldn’t help but listen and ponder at the same time.

“My regular script is inspired by Zhao Mengfu and Song Ke, emphasizing the balance between square and round, as well as hardness and softness—precisely the style the emperor favors most. Those who practice calligraphy often focus on meticulousness and propriety, yet they fail to realize that regular script also comes in different qualities. If it lacks vitality and momentum, it’s nothing but mere formality… Although clerical script and regular script differ in form, the principle remains the same… In the future, you shouldn’t be limited to literary pursuits. While writing well is important, understanding the essence within it is even more crucial. With that essence, even if one is a bit careless, the writing still possesses spirit… People say that my regular script and my cursive script complement each other, but in truth, my cursive script isn’t meant to be shown off—it has its own principles…”

Spurred by his enthusiasm, Shen Du casually took a piece of rice paper, dipped it in thick ink, and demonstrated personally. He talked for over an hour, during which Mingdi ground ink in three inkstones. By the end, still eager to continue, Shen Du finally stood up, only to find his back and waist aching and his wrists too stiff to lift. Looking at the candle lit in the study, he couldn’t help but laugh in amusement.

“Getting older means I start talking on without realizing it. You two, father-in-law and son-in-law, shouldn’t have reminded me!”

Seeing Shen Du rubbing his wrists with a satisfied expression, Du Zhen smiled at Zhang Yue and said, “Back when Brother Minze taught me to write, he never talked so much. I guess teaching descendants is no different. Yuanjie, why don’t you hurry up and thank Master Zile?”

Prompted by this, Zhang Yue quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply, saying, “Thank you, Master Zile, for your guidance!”

Having experienced many ups and downs over half a lifetime, the over-sixty-year-old Shen Du naturally understood what Du Zhen meant by asking Zhang Yue to change his address. As a Hanlin scholar, he was merely an instrument in the emperor’s hands, responsible only for copying and writing. He had no say even in adding or removing a single character from an imperial edict. Thus, he never believed that imperial favor could benefit an entire family. Though he had acted on impulse today, it was indeed because he found Zhang Yue likable—nothing to do with talent, just a simple sense of compatibility.

After helping Zhang Yue up, he couldn’t help but encourage him with a smile. After chatting a while longer, he got up to leave. After all, as the emperor’s scribe, he was indispensable to Zhu Di, who only allowed him a day off today. Having spent so much time at the Du family’s home, he naturally needed to return to be with his family.

Du Zhen and Zhang Yue personally escorted the person to the gate, watching until the carriage slowly left before turning back. It was snowing heavily at that time. Zhang Yue carefully held an oilcloth umbrella in one hand and supported Du Zhen with the other, constantly reminding him to be careful of the path ahead. Even so, by the time they reached the main house in the northern courtyard, their coats were covered in snowflakes, and their boots were mostly wet.

Seeing this, Lady Qiu quickly stepped forward to tidy up their coats and ordered a maid to bring two pairs of old shoes. After everything was arranged and they sat down, Zhang Yue said shyly, “Father-in-law, after I received the Emperor’s sword, I noticed it resembled the one you gave me back then, so I brought this one with me when I went to the south of the Yangtze River, leaving the real one with a few attendants who were sent to investigate secretly. I never expected it to attract attention, and it was even shot through by an arrow… When I left today, I took it to the blacksmith, but he said he could only try to repair it; it might not be possible to fix.”

“So it was that sword that was broken!” Du Zhen was momentarily stunned before his expression turned stern. “Since it was used, it served its purpose. A sword is inanimate, but a person is alive! You should be grateful that they targeted the sword instead of your life! As the saying goes, one wrong move can ruin everything; those who rely too much on calculation will surely fail in their schemes. Remember this well from now on!”

Seeing Du Zhen’s rarely seen strict demeanor, Lady Qiu quickly instructed Chunying to step back temporarily. Seeing Zhang Yue bowing in shame with a guilty expression, Du Zhen continued to give him earnest advice. She, who had intended to intervene, swallowed her words and instead gazed at the two of them with kindness, feeling even more certain that she had chosen the right son-in-law.

It had been over three years since her husband returned to the court, yet his temper hadn’t changed at all. Those who visited him were still the old friends and colleagues from his earlier days; there wasn’t a single younger person among them. If it were another young man as her son-in-law, who could deal with such a stubborn and stern father-in-law? Thinking of this, she smiled even more and quietly got up to retreat to the inner room.

After giving Du Zhen his lecture, seeing that his wife was no longer there, he paid her no further attention and instead asked in detail about Zhang Yue’s journey south. After Zhang Yue explained everything in great detail, Du Zhen said thoughtfully, “As for taxes, our dynasty’s tax rate is far lower than that of the Tang, Song, Mongol, and Yuan dynasties. Yet there are cults among the people, and merchants are willing to risk their lives to go overseas—this shows that simply reducing taxes and enforcing harsh laws is not enough. Moving the capital to Beijing was indeed to stabilize the north, but the conscription of laborers and craftsmen is far too excessive… By the way, your proposal to lift the sea ban is probably just one of your ideas; there must be others as well, right?”
“You truly understand my thoughts,” Zhang Yue said, moved, and instinctively called him “sir” again. Seeing that Du Zhen wasn’t aware of it, he continued without changing his wording and laid out all his thoughts in detail. Finally, he added, “Although a tax rate of one in thirty is already extremely low, there are still unscrupulous merchants who try to avoid it. Moreover, the Japanese pirates are indeed a serious threat. As far as I know, there are already many small boats sailing out from the Songjiang area, even among the Du family members…”
“What do you care what they do!” Du Zhen glared at Zhang Yue irritably before sighing again. “I know you mean well. Alright, you take care of this matter. My family members also need to be kept in check. As for the other ideas you have, put them aside for now. Don’t bring them up all at once while the emperor still favors you—there needs to be some buffer time. Don’t worry about my safety. If those bandits from the White Lotus Sect target me, that’s even better; I’m afraid they’ll hide instead! As for the reason you returned this time, Yang Mianren hinted to me that the emperor’s intentions might be unexpected… By the way, do you know that your cousin at the Imperial Academy went to see Yang Mianren because of you?”