Chapter 285: Chapter 285: Gaining Initial Fame
285
Zhao Yue was stunned, not quite understanding what Lord Zhang meant. Headmaster Yuan, standing beside him, laughed. He picked up the folding fan at his side and tapped Zhao Yue on the head with it. "Why don’t you hurry up and call him your Teacher? Elder Zhang wants to give you guidance. This opportunity is something others can’t ask for."
If Zhao Yue still didn’t understand after that, he would be a true fool. This Elder Zhang was going to offer him guidance and accept him as a student! Although he didn’t know who this Elder Zhang was, he had to be a highly respected senior, and it was an honor to be guided by such a person.
Thinking of this, Zhao Yue immediately moved to kneel and pay respects to his new master. "Student requests the Teacher’s guidance."
Lord Zhang chuckled. "Hey, get up, get up. For now, I’ll just give you a few pointers. There’s no need for such a grand ceremony."
"In the future, once you’ve entered the Capital City and your name is on the list of successful candidates, then you may come and visit my residence."
Zhao Yue responded resoundingly, "Yes, Teacher! I will study diligently and not disappoint your high hopes for me!"
Lord Zhang stroked his beard, smiling with satisfaction. "Very good, very good."
After rising, Zhao Yue hadn’t forgotten Lord Zhang’s offer to give him pointers, so he asked for guidance once more.
Lord Zhang was very pleased with his persistence and eagerness to learn. "You are quite persistent. Very well, I shall briefly explain this concept of ’slippery’."
"’Slippery’ implies ’crafty’. Whenever craftiness is mentioned, people invariably think of fawning flattery, sycophancy, and currying favor with the powerful."
"In reality, that’s not always the case. Whether in the path of an official or in the conduct of an individual, while one shouldn’t be without principles—edges, so to speak—one also shouldn’t be too sharply angular."
"Be crafty yet principled; be worldly-wise yet maintain a clear mind. Craftiness allows you to achieve what you hold dear through a simpler approach. The most typical example is the common saying, ’round on the outside, square on the inside’."
"Your good friend, Qiao Muchen, isn’t he? Though he appears to be a gentle and refined young master, he is, in fact, exceedingly stubborn. It’s difficult for others to sway the convictions in his heart. He is a classic example of someone with too many sharp edges."
"As for the two of you, it can be said that you complement each other quite well."
Perhaps because Lord Zhang was in high spirits today, he spoke more extensively with Zhao Yue. It was only after a considerable time that he waved his hand, allowing Zhao Yue to alight from the horse carriage.
Zhao Yue stood by the roadside, watching the carriage depart. Turning around, he saw Qiao Muchen and Zhao Zhitong standing behind him.
"Zhao Yue, where did you run off to just now? I chased out the door after you but couldn’t find any trace of you," Zhao Zhitong asked.
"I encountered Headmaster Yuan and the others when I stepped out. The Teacher called me over and asked a few questions," Zhao Yue answered truthfully. However, noticing the presence of outsiders like the Ding Family siblings, he refrained from mentioning Elder Zhang accepting him as a disciple.
Qiao Muchen looked up at the sky. "It’s getting late. Let’s hurry back to the academy. We still have to listen to the Teacher’s admonishments this afternoon."
Zhao Zhitong nodded. After bidding her friends farewell, she returned to the medical clinic to help.
Ding Xiang insisted on accompanying her and quickly followed Zhao Zhitong back to the medical clinic.
Ding Chenguang also returned to his stall to paint.
「"The four seasons’ weather urges us on, and a night’s fragrant breeze brings the summer heat."」
On the fifth day of the fourth lunar month, it was the Summer Solstice.
De Ren Tang was bustling with incessant activity.
Outside the entrance, several paintings and calligraphies were displayed on a table where Ding Chenguang sat, engrossed in his painting.
Just then, a horse carriage slowly approached, eventually stopping before Ding Chenguang’s stall. Immediately after, a young maid alighted from the carriage.
She approached the stall and smiled. "Young Master Ding, do you have any new works today?"
Ding Chenguang performed a graceful salute, then gestured towards three paintings on the table, smiling as he said, "Miss Xiao Xing, these are all my new works."
Xiao Xing nodded but then seemed troubled by the choice. She turned towards the horse carriage and asked, "Young Lady, Young Master Ding has three new works. Which one would you like?"
As her voice fell, the carriage curtain was lifted, revealing a girl of thirteen or fourteen years. Her eyebrows and eyes were as picturesque as a painting, and her demeanor was as tranquil as the moon.
Ding Chenguang hurriedly bowed. "Miss Han."
Han Feifei nodded slightly, a peach-blossom blush on her cheeks. She gently parted her delicate lips and said to Xiao Xing, "Xing’er, let’s take all three."
"Yes, Young Lady."
Xiao Xing complied, then retrieved five taels of silver from her pocket and handed them to Ding Chenguang.
Ding Chenguang glanced at the silver and quickly said, "Miss Han, I cannot accept this. My works are not worth this much money."
Seeing this, Xiao Xing placed the silver on the table. "Just take it. This is a token of my Young Lady’s appreciation."
After saying this, she gathered the three paintings and hurried back to the horse carriage.
Ding Chenguang hesitated. "This..."
Han Feifei spoke gently, "Young Master Ding, please don’t belittle yourself. Your brushwork is delicate, and your art possesses a lively charm. On light, simple paper, your strokes flow like clouds and water, fully capturing the colors of mountains and rivers. How could such masterpieces not be worth this sum?"
Xiao Xing chimed in teasingly, "That’s right, Young Master Ding! You really shouldn’t refuse. In my Young Lady’s eyes, these paintings would be worth a thousand gold pieces!"
She giggled after speaking.
Ding Chenguang’s face flushed with pleasure at the praise. "Miss Han, you flatter me."
Han Feifei shot Xiao Xing a feigned look of annoyance, then covered her lips with a handkerchief and laughed softly. "Young Master Ding, your literary talents are outstanding; you mustn’t be so modest. I believe you will certainly achieve great success in the imperial examination next year."
Ding Chenguang smiled politely. "Then I shall take Miss Han’s auspicious words to heart."
Han Feifei gave him a slight nod, then lowered the carriage curtain. The carriage slowly moved away.
Ding Chenguang stared at the departing carriage, lost in thought for a long time.
"They’re long gone, you know."
Zhao Zhitong’s teasing voice suddenly sounded from behind, pulling Ding Chenguang back to his senses. He turned, looked at the approaching Zhao Zhitong, and said with a smile, "Miss Zhao, you’re joking."
Zhao Zhitong glanced down the street where the carriage had disappeared and said with a smile, "Miss Han came to buy paintings again?"
Ding Chenguang nodded with a smile. "Yes. Miss Han mentioned that since she accompanied her father to his new post in Anyang City, many of the walls in their home were bare and in need of paintings and calligraphy."
Zhao Zhitong nodded, her smile full of meaning.
This Miss Han was the daughter of Magistrate Han. Half a month ago, when she came to De Ren Tang to pick up medicine, she had coincidentally met Ding Chenguang painting at the entrance.
After some conversation, Miss Han had come to greatly admire the talented scholar and subsequently purchased his paintings.
Later, upon learning that Ding Chenguang was selling his paintings to save money for the imperial examination in the Capital City, she began to send her maids and servants to purchase his artwork even more frequently, every few days.
Zhao Zhitong, who was always at De Ren Tang treating patients, naturally observed all of this. It was quite obvious that Miss Han had taken a liking to Ding Chenguang.
Ding Chenguang, however, remained unmoved, solely focused on reading the books of the sages.
「Just then, a yamen clerk from the County Government Office suddenly arrived.」
Ever since Zhao Zhitong had performed a forensic examination at De Ren Tang on a previous occasion, Magistrate Han would invite her to the County Government Office to assist with autopsies whenever a homicide case arose.
Initially, her maternal grandfather, grandmother, and uncle were vehemently opposed.
Ultimately, the County Magistrate himself had to come and request her assistance. He promised that, to the public, Zhao Zhitong would only be known as a meritorious individual who had helped the yamen solve cases, not as a coroner.
Her grandfather and uncles dared not defy the County Magistrate and reluctantly agreed.
As for Zhao Dong and Sun Mei, being people from modern times, their mindset was more open. As long as Zhao Zhitong was willing, they generally respected her wishes and did not object to her actions.
If Zhao Zhitong was willing to go, they wouldn’t say anything.
Subsequently, with the help of Zhao Zhitong and others, the County Magistrate successfully solved two murder cases in succession, earning much praise from the common people.