Chapter Fifteen: Tea and Conversation

Mr. Du seemed unaware of the intensely heated gazes from those around him. He stretched out his hands to help Shen Can up. “As a man guilty of crimes, I can naturally go anywhere in the world. But your elder brother and you have been honored by the emperor with important positions in the Secretariat—everyone knows of your status as distinguished scholars. Even though I am far away in Henan, I am truly delighted for my old friend.”

“Brother Yishan, your words make me feel utterly ashamed. If it weren’t for your generous support back then, how could I have reached where I am today? You are blessed by fate, while I am but a man of limited talent who has rashly taken on a high position. I feel deeply ashamed. How did you end up in Henan? Your brother and I have recommended you to the emperor many times, but we’ve struggled to find you.”

Meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land is perhaps the most joyful thing. After meeting, Shen Can couldn’t help but explain Mr. Du to all the guests present. It was only then that everyone in the Zhang family, including Zhang Yue, learned Mr. Du’s real name.

Du Zhen, styled Yishan, turned out to be Shen Can’s fellow townsman. That alone would have been significant enough, but his achievements—winning first place in the provincial exams in the 24th year of the Hongwu era, ranking second in the imperial exams in the 28th year, and having served as a Hanlin scholar—were enough to earn the respect of most civil officials. Although his career ended with demotion and dismissal, that was during the Jianwen era. Since Shen Can, who now worked in the Secretariat, treated him with such respect, who knew what heights he might reach in the future?

Seeing the guests who had previously shown disdain now approaching to greet him, Zhang Yue felt an urge to sneer, but he knew better than to act rashly and suppressed that thought firmly. Yet just then, someone else took the chance to provoke him, speaking loudly, “Third brother, you were nowhere to be seen just now. You spent so much time talking with Mr. Du—must you be his favorite student?”

Staring at his fourth brother, Zhang Jiu, who pretended to be innocent, Zhang Yue became furious. How could there be such a seemingly innocent but actually petty kid? It was just because Mr. Du suddenly appeared and stole the spotlight—why did he have to antagonize him? But it was too late for him to be angry. As soon as those words were spoken, everyone around turned their attention to him, with some even stroking their beards as they sized him up.

At such a moment, even Zhang Zhuo, who hoped his son could become outstanding under a great teacher, grew anxious. He quickly forced a smile and said, “My son has indeed received guidance from Mr. Du at the family school, and there is indeed a teacher-student relationship. But my son has been weak and sickly since childhood, with only average talent, so he has not yet truly become one of Mr. Du’s students.”

“Well, Mr. Du, would you be willing to take me as your disciple?”
Father stepped in to defuse the situation. Before Zhang Yue could breathe a sigh of relief, another annoying voice appeared. Seeing Zhang Jiu walk up with a smile, his handsome face tilted upward, he suddenly felt the same disgust as he had felt toward Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi.
At such a young age, he already knew how to belittle others to elevate himself—this kid was truly unbearable!
Silence reigned inside Ruiqing Hall, but outside, murmurs of discussion filled the air. Suddenly, two insignificant people appeared, one of whom even turned into a distinguished guest. The eldest grandson of the Zhang family then publicly declared his intention to become a disciple. The series of events was truly astonishing, and those outside couldn’t help but stand on tiptoes, eagerly awaiting an answer from inside.
Even amidst countless compliments, Du Zhen maintained a calm expression. He glanced at the delicately dressed child before him, then at the guests around, before finally fixing his gaze on Zhang Yue, whose expression remained unchanged.
“Does the fourth young master really want to take me as his master?”
Seeing Zhang Jiu nod repeatedly, he glanced at the other young men and suddenly suggested, “Just now, I heard everyone say they wanted to set questions to test these children. Might I ask Lord Zhang if I may come up with some questions?”
Zhang Xin hadn’t expected his son to suddenly change his mind and seek guidance elsewhere. But seeing Shen Can smiling without any displeasure, and Du Zhen pulling another trick, he pondered for a moment before saying with a smile, “Since Mr. Du is willing to test these younger generations for us, why would I refuse?”
“Very well. I won’t test them on poetry. Instead, I’ll use tea as a theme—please come up with a couplet related to tea, gentlemen.”
By this point, Zhang Yue had stepped back from the center of the group. Hearing this topic, he was slightly stunned. Suddenly, he felt someone’s hand press on his shoulder, so he turned to look back.
“Father?”
“Your fourth brother seems determined to win. There’s no need to compete with him. You’re still young; you’ll have plenty of opportunities in the future.”
Seeing his father’s attempt to act indifferent and noticing the clenched fist hidden under his sleeve, Zhang Yue understood everything. Thinking of the hardships he’d endured these days, the mockery and ridicule at school, his grandmother’s neglect, and his uncle’s scolding, he instantly set aside his concerns and wore a cynical smirk.
Is it just about showing off? He might not be good at anything else, but when it came to tea… he wouldn’t forget his skills from his past life!

Hearing that it was a tea couplet, the group of boys immediately frowned in deep thought. Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi, the brothers, scratched their heads in agony. Seeing Zhang Jiu pacing around by himself, Zhang Yue quietly approached the two brothers and whispered something in their ears. Instantly, Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi, who had just been eager to show off, calmed down.

After a long while, a boy around thirteen or fourteen years old was the first to speak up: “Empty mountains hide cool greenery; jade cups hold warm fragrance.” As soon as he finished speaking, applause came from the guests, and the boy was overjoyed. Immediately afterward, Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi recited their own tea couplets almost simultaneously.

“After silkworms spin new silk, before tea is brewed, its fragrance spreads.”
“From a bamboo stove, the smoke is light yet the scent remains; from stone springs, the water is fresh and full of flavor.”

Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi were well-known for preferring martial arts over literature. Now that they had taken the lead, the other boys were clearly upset. But they were only twelve or thirteen years old, and most of their so-called talent was just boasting. In such a hurry, how could they come up with fitting words? Their frowns deepened even more. Zhang Jiu stared at his two foolish cousins in disbelief, then turned his gaze to Zhang Yue, who seemed indifferent, his eyes showing unmistakable anger.

A moment later, he finally came up with two lines that he thought would surpass the others. The anger on his face gradually faded, and he stood there with his hands behind his back, reciting like a little adult: “Green hues fill my heart; delicate fragrance enhances my springtime spirit.”

Hearing this, Shen Can burst into laughter: “All four couplets today are excellent. It’s up to Brother Yishan to judge!”
Du Zhen, however, didn’t rush to judge. Instead, he looked at Zhang Yue again. At that moment, Zhang Yue stepped forward three steps and bowed slightly: “I’ve also come up with a tea couplet. I’d appreciate it if Mr. Du could give it some feedback.”
“Good, then recite it for me.”

Seeing that most of the guests were still pondering the previous couplets, Zhang Yue read aloud: “Half of the mountain house awaits the bright moon; a cup of clear tea rewards a true friend!”
As soon as these words were spoken, the room fell silent. Everyone, including Shen Can, couldn’t help but repeat them several times—not just to appreciate the words, but also to contemplate their meaning. After a while, Shen Can, lost in thought, finally clapped his hands in admiration: “What a wonderful line—‘A cup of clear tea rewards a true friend!’ Truly excellent! Good tea is easy to find, but true friends are hard to come by. If I had to say, this is the best couplet of the day!”
“Indeed, the best!”
“In this world, true friends are indeed hard to find. It’s truly remarkable how well it captures that idea!”

Hearing the murmurs around him, Du Zhen’s face showed a faint smile once again. He had long passed the age when seeing a prodigy would excite him, nor was he particularly keen on selecting talented individuals for cultivation. Yet Zhang Yue’s gesture of “offering a cup of tea in gratitude to a kindred spirit” filled him with a sense of finding a true friend. Thinking back to how he had casually lent a copy of The Analects of Confucius out one day, only to spark such an opportunity, even someone as experienced as he was couldn’t help but feel that this was truly a stroke of fate.

So, under everyone’s gaze, he nodded gladly and said, “Using the bright moon to symbolize a kindred spirit—both in terms of imagery and wording, this couplet is indeed the best. We scholars study hard throughout our lives, of course, to showcase what we’ve learned, but who doesn’t wish to find a true friend in life?”

Du Zhen’s final judgment immediately sparked more approvals and echoes of agreement. For a moment, all the guests’ eyes turned to Zhang Yue, while many whispered among themselves. The third branch of the Zhang family had always been the weakest, and now their only son had made such a remarkable impression—could this be a sign of future changes?

The person who had vented his anger maintained a calm yet respectful expression. By interfering today and disrupting the stage they had built over time, he had indeed been unfair. But then, who asked you to come and provoke me?