Mysteries of the Great Zhou Dynasty

Chapter 135 Past Events

“Master, Master…” Wanyin called out as she opened the courtyard gate.

The master, who was taking a nap in the courtyard, removed the palm-leaf fan from his face. His face lit up with joy, and he was about to get up with a smile when he suddenly sat down again as if he had remembered something. He said with a stern face, "You still remember your master? I haven't heard from you for months. Aren't you afraid that your master will worry about you? You haven't even written a letter. People get annoying when they get old."

Wanyin walked over quickly, squatted down beside him, hugged his arm, gently shook it, and said coquettishly, "Master, I know I was wrong, I will never dare to do it again. How about I have my junior brother make you braised pork hock tonight?"

Master smacked his lips, stroked his goatee, glanced at Xiao Mu with evasive eyes, and said regretfully, "Never mind, your junior brother won't let me eat it, saying it's too oily."

Wanyin stood up, put her hands on her hips, glared at Xiao Mu, and pretended to be angry, saying, "He wouldn't dare. Even if a person is old, he still needs to eat some oil and fat. He doesn't eat it every day. What's there to be afraid of! Master, don't worry, I'm here."

Xiao Mu smiled without saying a word.

The master then smiled with satisfaction, stroking his goatee again and again.

Seeing her master smile, Wan Yin then introduced Yan Mingzhang and the others: "...By the way, Master, let me introduce you to a few people. This is Brother Yan Mingzhang, he's very good at solving cases! These two are Brother Qingfeng and Brother Moyun. This is A Bao, of course, he's already my junior brother's apprentice now."

The master nodded with a smile.

Because Yan Mingzhang didn't want to be too high-profile, he had already told Wanyin on the way here not to reveal her identity.

The group bowed respectfully. The master, intrigued, stood up and carefully examined Yan Mingzhang: "Those who are self-righteous are not enlightened, those who are self-assured are not distinguished. A good name... Ming generation... Who is Yan Lizhe to you?"

Yan Mingzhang was slightly taken aback, then respectfully replied, "It is indeed my father."

This time, it was Wan Yin's turn to be shocked. She never imagined that the great writer and calligrapher Yan Lize was actually Yan Mingzhang's father. No wonder his calligraphy was so deeply rooted in the Yan family tradition, and he even shared the same surname. How come she had never thought of this before? Her eyes widened as she stared at him incredulously: "How come you've never mentioned it before?"

He looked back at her, smiling, "You didn't ask either!"

The master slowly stood up: "You're not stupid, kid. You should have seen through this girl's identity a long time ago, right?"

Yan Mingzhang smiled and lowered his head without saying a word, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Rong Wanyin said angrily, "He even wrote a letter to my older brother and reported me! This is so unfair! Why did you know my identity from the beginning, but I only find out yours now? You liar!"

The master, never one to shy away from a good show, added fuel to the fire: "Rong girl, do you know who your grandfather is to him?"

Rong Wanyin's eyes widened in surprise. "It has something to do with my grandfather?"

The master slowly popped a candied fruit into his mouth and laughed, "This kid is your grandfather's last disciple! You deserve credit for him being able to become your grandfather's disciple!"

Rong Wanyin looked Yan Mingzhang up and down in disbelief: "My grandfather was my first teacher when I was little, how come I didn't know? Master, stop keeping me in suspense, you're driving me crazy!" The master laughed heartily and said proudly: "When you were little, you were too naughty, and your maternal grandfather insisted that it was your grandfather who had taught you badly, that your grandfather didn't know how to teach. So, Old Master Rong, who had long been retired, insisted on taking on a last disciple to prove that he was still as good as ever. You had classes on alternate days, so naturally you didn't know! Later, as you grew up, you became even more mischievous, and your grandfather couldn't stand you anymore, so he asked me to discipline you! That's how you became my disciple!"

Rong Wanyin had never imagined that she and Yan Mingzhang had such an interaction when they were children. This world is truly amazing; how come she has absolutely no recollection of it!
Rong Wanyin was a little angry that Yan Mingzhang hadn't told her sooner and had been deceiving her for so long.

Yan Mingzhang saw her expression and understood. He held up two fingers, turned to her ear and said, "Two meals of roasted mutton in exchange for your forgiveness."

Rong Wanyin pried open Yan Mingzhang's fingers completely and whispered an exorbitant demand: "Five meals!"

Yan Mingzhang gasped, feigning surprise: "You're a lion?"

Yan Mingzhang withdrew two fingers and made a three: "Three meals or none."

Rong Wanyin gave up, pouting, "Fine..."

The two went back and forth, completely ignoring their master's words, who was lost in reminiscing about his past glories.

The master turned around, as if he had thought of something, blinked, and said slyly, "By the way, young man, you're so amazing, then guess who I am?"

Yan Mingzhang said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "It is said that Prime Minister Rong loves his daughter dearly and gives her the best. Therefore, the master that Prime Minister Rong found for her must not be an ordinary person. In today's world, who else could have such a broad mind and the ability to manage the world, to make Taoyuan Town so prosperous, and to teach such two outstanding disciples?

As the saying goes, flattery will get you everywhere.

The old man Wuji clapped his hands and laughed heartily, his few strands of white goatee almost reaching the sky: "No, not two, but three!"

Rong Wanyin readily agreed and chimed in, "Yes, yes, I also have a particularly outstanding senior brother!"

The old man Wuji must have been thinking of his outstanding eldest disciple, because he nodded with great satisfaction.

Rong Wanyin had never seen Yan Mingzhang say such things before. He was always sharp-tongued and direct. Who knew that such a person could be so sincere when he said flattering words? This person was really too shameless. Rong Wanyin considered herself to be thick-skinned, but at this moment she had no choice but to admit defeat. She remembered that when she first met him, she was actually deceived by his appearance and thought he was a rich young master with no guile!
Master stroked his beard with a smile, quite pleased, almost already regarding him as Wanyin's future husband. Master said kindly, "The Yan family of Langya has been officials for generations, five generations of high-ranking officials. Why didn't you take a leisurely job in the court, but instead ran off to this desolate wilderness?"

Yan Mingzhang said solemnly, "A scholar must be resolute and persevering, for his burden is heavy and his journey is long. Some things must be done by someone."

Only then did the master's smile fade, and he patted Yan Mingzhang's shoulder with a look of satisfaction, saying, "Li Ze really raised a good son. Good boy, good boy! It is because of young people like you that the country has hope."

The master then turned to Rong Wanyin and smiled, "How was your trip? You didn't come away empty-handed, did you?"

Rong Wanyin smiled mysteriously, placed a package on the table, opened it, and inside were various items she had collected, as well as that bronze mirror, which was particularly dazzling.

The master glanced at the items on the table, then suddenly his smile vanished, and he slowly stood up.