Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 215 The Prize Redemption Moment
Following the address written on Zhao Bian's letter, Lu Beigu headed from Xiaotianshui Lane toward the west side of the inner city.

Because they arrived in Kaifeng in the morning, Lu Beigu had a meal at a temple before leaving at noon. So even though he had traveled a long way, his strength was fully restored after drinking tea and resting at Zhao Bian's house.

It's already October, and the days in late autumn aren't long. Before dusk, the sky is already starting to darken.

Fortunately, Kaifeng abolished the curfew system at the end of Emperor Zhenzong's reign.

Therefore, Lu Beigu didn't need to worry about not being able to return to Tianqing Temple in time after dark, or being arrested by patrolling soldiers while walking on the street.

The closer you get to the northwest corner of the inner city, the wider and more orderly the roads become, and the more magnificent and imposing the mansions on both sides become.

The streets were swept clean, and occasionally a beautifully decorated carriage would rumble by, the driver steady and the horse spirited, indicating the owner's extraordinary status.

The air was no longer filled with the leisurely, down-to-earth atmosphere of Little Sweetwater Alley, but rather with a sense of solemnity amidst a desolate ambiance.

Song Xiang's residence was located near Tianbo Gate Inner Street, which was adjacent to the palace city and literally "under the emperor's feet," a place where many powerful and noble people gathered.

This was also one of the benefits of high-ranking civil officials in the Song Dynasty. Those who could become the Grand Master of the Two Offices would basically receive a mansion bestowed by the government, without having to spend their own money to buy it.

Of course, changing your decorating style to your liking will cost money, and maintaining the daily operation of such a large mansion also requires considerable expenses.

However, this is not a difficult issue for high-ranking civil servants to obtain their salaries.

Following the address on Zhao Bian's letter of recommendation, Lu Beigu stopped in front of a grand mansion.

The vermilion gate was tightly shut; this was the residence of Song Xiang.

There were few visitors at the door, which was somewhat unexpected for Lu Beigu.

However, it makes sense when you think about it. Right now, Wen Yanbo and his ilk are at the height of their power. Everyone knows that Song Xiang has a very bad relationship with Wen Yanbo and his ilk, so no one dares to risk offending the prime minister by visiting Song Xiang, who is living in seclusion at home.

Lu Beigu straightened his clothes and stepped forward to knock on the door.

"Tap, tap tap."

A moment later, the side door opened a crack, revealing the face of a middle-aged man.

His gaze swept over Lu Beigu from head to toe. Seeing that although Lu Beigu was dressed plainly, he had a composed demeanor, unlike an ordinary poor scholar, so he politely asked, "What brings you here, young master?"

Lu Beigu cupped his hands and said in a clear voice, "Please inform Lord Song that Lu Beigu, a scholar from Luzhou, has come to deliver a letter from home on the orders of Scholar Song."

"Young Scholar Song?"

The doorman's gaze instantly turned serious, and his attitude became even more respectful.

"Is it Scholar Song Qi, Song Zijing?"

"Exactly."

Lu Beigu took out the precious family letter from his pocket and showed it to the gatekeeper.

"This is a letter to my brother written by Scholar Song himself at a banquet in Jiangling Prefecture. He entrusted me to present it to Lord Song in person."

The gatekeeper glanced at the letter and then said to Lu Beigu, "Young master, please wait a moment while I inform the steward."

After saying that, he stepped aside to let Lu Beigu sit in the gatehouse for a while, and then quickly walked towards the inner courtyard.

The Song residence was large, but the gatehouse was simply furnished, with a few calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls, giving it an antique feel.

There was no tea, so Lu Beigu sat quietly waiting, but his heart was far from at peace.

He knew the weight of Song Qi's deeply affectionate letter home.

The person he was about to meet was the one who had achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations, served as prime minister twice during the Baoyuan and Huangyou eras, and twice as privy councilor during the Qingli era, holding the highest position in both government offices.

His younger brother, Song Qi, was already a prodigy in poetry and prose. As the elder brother, he was a literary giant. How would he view him, an unknown nobody from Shu?

Lu Beigu's waiting time was not long, but every breath seemed to be stretched out.

The occasional sounds of carriages and horses coming from the street outside the gate only made the quiet air inside the gatehouse seem even more stagnant.

Soon, a series of hurried footsteps approached from afar.

The gatekeeper returned, his face respectful: "The steward said that the young master is waiting in the study. Please follow me, young master." Lu Beigu nodded, got up, and followed the gatekeeper through a door into the mansion.

Contrary to expectations of grandeur, Song Xiang's mansion was spacious and elegant, exuding the refined taste of a scholar.

The courtyard is spacious, paved with bluestone, and several tall pine and cypress trees stand tall and verdant, their branches filtering through the dappled sunlight.

The winding corridors connect several courtyards, with birdcages hanging under the corridors, and the melodious birdsong adds to the tranquility.

The gatekeeper led Lu Beigu to a pavilion overlooking a pond and said softly, "Young master, the young master has arrived."

"come in."

A not-so-loud voice came from inside the pavilion.

Lu Beigu stepped inside.

The interior of the room is simply furnished with a table, a couch, and several chairs. Against the wall is a huge, floor-to-ceiling bookshelf filled with books.

Sunlight streamed through the exquisitely carved wooden windows, illuminating the gleaming marble floor.

An elderly man, dressed in a dark blue casual robe and with graying hair and beard, stood with his hands behind his back by the window, looking at a few leisurely koi carp in the pond outside the window.

He was not tall, and even a little thin, but his straight back made people feel as if they were facing a silent mountain.

Hearing footsteps, Song Xiang slowly turned around.

His face bore a five or six-point resemblance to Song Qi, both being lean and possessing the same scholarly air. However, the temperament between his brows was completely different. Song Qi's languid elegance was nowhere to be seen on his face; instead, there was a kind of clarity that came from experiencing the ups and downs of officialdom and witnessing the vicissitudes of life.

Song Xiang's eyes were particularly deep, his gaze calm yet seemingly able to see through the thoughts of the person before him.

"This junior, Lu Beigu, pays his respects to Lord Song!"

Lu Beigu felt a chill run down his spine and dared not be negligent, so he bowed deeply in greeting.

Song Xiang's gaze fell on Lu Beigu. He didn't speak immediately, but quietly observed the young man who had been entrusted with a letter by his unruly younger brother.

He was tall and upright, with clear and bright eyes. His gaze was calm yet sharp. He was composed and dignified, neither arrogant nor humble. Just based on this demeanor at first glance, he already surpassed many impetuous young scholars.

"No need for formalities." Song Xiang raised a finger. "Give me the letter and sit down."

Lu Beigu handed Song Qi's letter to Song Xiang with both hands, then sat down as instructed, but only on the front half of the chair, keeping his back straight and his hands on his knees.

The room fell silent for a moment, with only the chirping of birds outside the window and the gentle ripples on the pond.

Looking at the letter from home, Song Xiang's gaze gradually became somewhat unfocused.

He seemed to have returned to his distant childhood memories: the eager anticipation under the jujube tree, the murmuring of books in the cold night, the shared meals and quilts in the dilapidated temple—those warm scenes buried deep in his heart and sealed by the dust of time were reawakened by his younger brother's writing.

After a moment, Song Xiang’s gaze refocused, the tenderness vanishing and returning to its usual depth.

"Since you are a scholar from Luzhou, are you here in the capital for next year's imperial examination?"

“Exactly,” Lu Beigu replied. “I was fortunate enough to be the top scholar in the Luzhou provincial examination in the first year of the Jiayou era, and I have come to Tokyo to take the provincial examination of the Ministry of Rites in the second year of the Jiayou era.”

"In his letter, Zijing praised your poems as extraordinary. The line 'The moon is the soul of my hometown' fully expresses the feelings of a traveler and also implies the thoughts of being a traveler in the world and a passerby in time. It is quite reminiscent of Du Fu's style. He is a free and easy person and rarely praises his juniors so highly."

Lu Beigu quickly replied modestly, "I was just expressing my feelings and scribbling this down. I am truly flattered by the praise from Scholar Song."

“No need to be so modest.” Song Xiang shook his head slightly, a hint of reminiscence in his eyes. “It is already rare enough that Zijing could be moved to write such a heartfelt letter. The stories of his childhood that he told me in the letter also make this old man’s heart uneasy.”

Upon seeing this, Lu Beigu immediately took out Zhao Bian's letter of recommendation from his pocket.

"When I was in Sichuan, I was fortunate enough to be favored by Zhao Gong, the Imperial Censor of the Palace, who also gave me guidance. When Zhao Gong heard that I had come with this letter, he specially instructed me to present this letter to Song Gong as well."

After reading Zhao Bian's letter of recommendation, Song Xiang pondered for a moment and then spoke.

“I have been quite famous for my literary talent since I was a commoner. After passing the imperial examination, I served in the Imperial Academy for many years. Even in my old age, I still read books tirelessly. I have some knowledge. It is not difficult for me to teach students at home.”

Lu Beigu was overjoyed, knowing that this was the moment to redeem the prize from Song Qi's family letter!
(End of this chapter)