Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 11 Zhang Linggong is good at both calligraphy and writing

"The Lord's name is Rong, and he is from Donghai, Xuzhou. Bo Yi was the prime minister of Yu, and his succession was passed down to Xu..."

Xu Shen's father never held an official position and remained a commoner until his death, which lacks a significant component of his epitaph. Some people held many official positions, and simply listing their positions and briefly describing their achievements could make a good epitaph.

But this did not faze Zhang Luo. He picked up his pen and casually wrote: "A gentleman does not fight, hides his virtues and talents, does not make a loud noise, but has a bright and clear character, purifies others, and spreads a good reputation..."

An epitaph is a summary and beautification of a person's life, especially the latter. After all, the family of the person spent a lot of money and definitely not to be scolded.

Therefore, even if a person has nothing to offer, we must strive to uncover their shining points, and even the most ordinary deeds must be elevated to a certain degree. An Lushan and Shi Siming were both mourned by their ancestors in later generations. So, how can there be such a thing as an unforgivable and completely worthless person in this world?

Zhang Luo did not spend too much time on the main content of the epitaph. After writing it, he carefully checked each word to see if there were any taboos.

As for the calligraphy used to write the epitaph, he used the Liu style of regular script, which is famous for its "strong bones and strict rules". The reason for choosing Liu style is that he was not proficient in other styles.

In later generations, calligraphy is not as important as it was in ancient times. Even many people who are accustomed to electronic office work forget how to write when they pick up a pen. The reason why Zhang Luo learned Liu style calligraphy and has a good foundation in it is that he listened to the advice of a teacher in college: when studying and researching ancient history, it is best to master a skill that is common with the ancients. Only in the process of studying will there be a tacit understanding and a sense of immersion in the times.

Zhang Luo studied calligraphy for several years, so his Liu style calligraphy is not just random scribbles. Liu style emphasizes rules, so it is difficult to get started, but once you get the hang of it, your strokes will be vigorous and powerful.

After meticulously copying the epitaph, Zhang Luo felt it was perfect. The only flaw was the lack of Zhang Shuo's seal. He couldn't even meet Zhang Shuo, let alone his seal. He didn't know how to carve seals himself, so there was nothing he could do.

He had also made some preparations for this. After all, the epitaph had to be engraved on the stele, and the original seal was mainly used to serve as a signature to prevent forgery, but other than that, it had little significance.

The fact that Xu Shen had come to him for help meant that he acknowledged his identity. As long as he believed that he could get the epitaph written by Zhang Shuo, it didn't matter whether he had the seal or not.

If the other party still insisted on this, Zhang Luo would simply take the original document back and say that he would add his seal, but he would just break up with him and not play with him anymore! The specific response would depend on the situation during the transaction.

He was concentrating on ghostwriting and forging fakes, and two days flew by in the blink of an eye. The two farmhands had already returned to the farm, so Zhang Luo took Ah Ying with him on this trip. The round trip took two or three hours, and having such a charming woman by his side was a real treat. Furthermore, Zhang Luo had already gained a certain appreciation for Ah Ying's pharmaceutical skills, and this trip together would also allow him to see if he could help Madam Zhou recover.

Zhang Luo doesn't have many friends in this world. Zhou Liang and his son are simple and kind, so Zhang Luo is happy to interact with them to learn more about their customs and culture.

Having memorized the route from the previous visit, Zhang Luo and his servant left the city early this morning and arrived at Zhou Liang's home in the morning. In the small courtyard, besides Zhou Liang and his son, Xu Shen, a clerk from Henan Prefecture, was eagerly waiting. Beside Xu Shen, another middle-aged man in a round-necked robe also looked eagerly awaiting their arrival.

"This is Liu Sihu of Bianzhou. He came to the capital as an envoy to the court. We are from the same hometown and friends. I heard that you were meeting with such a distinguished and talented person like Zhang Lang, so I followed you here."

When Zhang Luo arrived, Xu Shen first briefly introduced the middle-aged man who was traveling with him. Then he asked impatiently, "Excuse me, sir, can Lord Zhang Ling agree to my request?"

Zhang Luo also suppressed his excitement and gestured to Ah Ying beside him to hand the rolled-up epitaph to Xu Shen. He sighed and said, "I won't go into detail about the twists and turns. At least I have lived up to your trust. Xu Shicao's meal the other day was not wasted."

Xu Shen's face lit up when he heard this, and he carefully unfolded the scroll. Liu Sihu, the official from Bianzhou, also hurried over, their heads pressed together as they carefully examined the epitaph: "Mr. Zhang Linggong truly has a masterful hand! This brushwork is truly magnificent!"

Both of them were seventh-rank officials appointed by the imperial court, and their cultural quality was naturally not low. Looking at the epitaph written and copied by Zhang Luo, they were excited and praised it highly.

This Liu-style calligraphy possessed an appeal that was ahead of its time, and since they had already preconceived the idea that the inscription was written by Zhang Shuo, they naturally embellished it in their minds. Even without this embellishment, Zhang Luo's epitaph could still be described as eclectic, richly elegant, and richly crafted.

"Mr. Zhang Ling is indeed worthy of being the head of the Imperial Academy. His calligraphy and writing are both excellent. He truly deserves admiration and respect. I admire him so much!"

After carefully reading and appreciating the inscription, Xu Shen's face was filled with a smile of fulfillment. He carefully rolled it up and put it away, still praising it, showing his extreme satisfaction. As for Zhang Luo's concern about the lack of his grandfather's seal, Xu Shen didn't care at all. Perhaps because he was too excited, he simply ignored it.

Zhang Luo was very happy to see that he had dealt with it, but he also explained carefully: "Although this article was written by my grandfather, it was written by someone else. It was copied by a servant in the mansion who was good at calligraphy."

Zhang Shuo was the prime minister of the current dynasty, so it was inevitable that documents with his comments would be issued to local government offices. In order to avoid being exposed on this small issue, Zhang Luo did not forget to make a small patch.

"Thank you so much, this book is of great quality and truly an extraordinary work!"

After hearing this, Xu Shen bowed again and again to express his gratitude. Some famous writers may not have strong writing skills, so usually after hiring someone to write the epitaph, they would find another famous calligrapher to copy it before engraving it. This naturally incurs additional expenses, and the original works of some famous calligraphers are also very difficult to obtain, so the fee for the pen may not be less than the cost of the manuscript.

Now that Zhang Luo sent him this beautiful calligraphy, it saved Xu Shen from subsequent troubles. Naturally, he was very grateful and grabbed Zhang Luo's arm to thank him repeatedly.

But he was soon pushed aside. Liu Sihu of Bianzhou, who had come with him, came up to Zhang Luo and bowed deeply, saying, "I also have a request. I beg you to convey it to Lord Zhang Ling!"

Zhang Luo was still thinking about how to continue his business. After all, he could not show his identity in public and it was not easy for him to solicit business openly. However, he did not expect that the second transaction would come to him immediately after the first transaction was completed.

Although he was beaming with joy, Zhang Luo's face suddenly darkened. He stamped his foot and shouted angrily, "I was moved by Xu Shicao's sincere filial piety, so I conveyed his wishes to my father. I didn't expect you to be so rude and harass me again and again! Do you really think my father is a profit-seeking, flattering person?"

"We dare not, we dare not! Duke Zhang Ling is a renowned minister, admired throughout the land. We admire him too. We absolutely, absolutely dare not even think of disrespecting him!"

When the two heard Zhang Luo's angry rebuke, they hurriedly shook their heads and waved their hands in denial. Liu Sihu said with a sad face, "I beg you to listen to my humble servant's voice. I lost my father when I was young and was raised by my loving mother. The frugality of her funeral is a lifelong regret for me!"

"I have been serving in foreign states for a long time. This time, I am fortunate to be able to report to the court as an envoy. This has given me the opportunity to visit famous families in the capital, hoping to ask for a stele for my mother. As my court period is coming to an end and I will soon return to my homeland, I don't know when I will be able to return to the court next year. I hope you will be grateful for my feelings and convey them to me, so that I will not leave my country with regrets!"

Seeing the other party's grief, Zhang Luo was moved and his anger faded. He stepped forward and helped Liu Sihu, who was unable to stand up after bowing deeply, and then sighed, "Although Liu Sihu's filial piety is touching, my father is not retired. I conveyed Xu Shicao's request a few days ago, but was severely reprimanded. I really don't dare to make another request. There are many famous people in the capital. Why do you have to keep asking for this?"

"Lord Yan's literary reputation is known throughout the world, but who would be willing to settle for less? I also know that this request is indeed difficult for you, and I regret that I am unable to express myself beyond this worldly life. I can only offer you a hundred strings of cash to comfort you for the trouble of traveling and to ease your embarrassment when being questioned. Regardless of whether it succeeds or not, I would like to express my gratitude in advance. If you can give me your works, I will give you another generous gift. It is absolutely polite!"

Then Liu Sihu stepped forward and spoke with an earnest and sincere look on his face.

Hearing that Liu Sihu had raised the price again, Zhang Luo couldn't help but glance at Xu Shen on the side, "Look how generous your fellow villager is. He gave me a hundred strings of cash just for running errands, but you got the books and literature with this hundred strings of cash. You really made a fortune!"

He was silent for a moment, then glared at Xu Shen and sighed, "I was lured into Xu Shicao's trap. Having done so before, it's hard to resist. Forced by this bond of friendship, I can only do it reluctantly. But Liu Sihu, please remember, this is only between you and me. If we can't succeed, I won't accept anything. Losses will never be brought to the government! If my father is implicated in this, I will sue the government and accuse you of feigning filial piety and bribery to curry favor! You should reflect on the severity of this matter!"

"How dare I, how dare I! My dear, please rest assured that I will not overstep the mark and cause any trouble!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Sihu quickly bowed and said that he was also a government official and could understand the interests involved.

The prime minister of the time did not concentrate on handling the country's military and political affairs, but instead stayed at home every day writing epitaphs for people and selling his works for profit. If this were really spread outside, it would naturally cause great controversy, so this kind of thing can only be done and not said.

He thought he understood the world, but he didn't realize Zhang Luo was simply trying to widen the information gap to make his business more secure. "Once you've got the epitaph, just pay the money and leave. Don't mess around, or I'll sue you!"

(End of this chapter)