Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 223 The Drunken Old Man Ouyang Xiu

Facing him was a carved wooden window on the riverside, which was half-open at the moment. The cool night breeze, carrying the moisture from the Cai River, blew in, blending with the warmth inside and invigorating him.

Outside the window, the Cai River shimmers, and distant lights twinkle like stars reflected in the Milky Way.

Lu Beigu's gaze quickly swept across the pavilion. At this time, there were already more than a dozen people sitting there, in groups of three or five, some leaning against the window or railing, some sitting around the table, and some standing in front of the painting to comment on it.

He immediately spotted Zeng Gong sitting by the window, talking with several people, and his heart settled.

As Lu Beigu pushed open the door and entered, several pairs of eyes turned to him simultaneously, filled with scrutiny and curiosity.

"Brother Lu!"

Zeng Gong smiled gently and said, "You've come."

He stood up and naturally led Lu Beigu to the most lively part of the pavilion.

Five or six people were sitting around there. In the very center, in the main seat, was an elderly man of about fifty years old, dressed in dark blue casual clothes and wearing a soft turban.

His face wasn't thin; both cheeks were fleshy, and his eyes were bright and piercing. Although he sat still, he exuded a certain air of authority.

What's most striking are his eyes, which hold a worldly wisdom, yet also a touch of humor and nonchalance, as if they see through everything yet are happy to appreciate it.

Without a doubt, this was none other than Ouyang Xiu, the renowned literary leader.

Zeng Gong bowed respectfully to Ouyang Xiu, then stepped aside to introduce him, saying, "This is Lu Beigu, the talented man from Sichuan whom I mentioned to you before. He was introduced to the society by Zen Master Zuyin when he came to Sichuan."

Lu Beigu immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply: "Lu Beigu, a junior scholar, pays his respects to Lord Ouyang. I have long admired your literary talent and virtuous reputation. It is my great honor to meet you today."

His posture was respectful yet composed, and his voice was clear and melodious.

Ouyang Xiu's gaze swept over the string of jade bamboo beads on Lu Beigu's wrist, and he nodded slightly, confirming his identity.

Clearly, the token of Master Zuyin was a pass for him.

Ouyang Xiu stroked his short beard, a smile playing on his lips: "Oh? To gain the favor of Zen Master Zuyin? Not bad!"

"You flatter me, Ouyang Gong. I am humbled," Lu Beigu said modestly.

At this moment, Zeng Gong whispered to Lu Beigu, "Brother, don't you still have a letter from Zhang Fangping that you want to present to Lord Ouyang?"

Lu Beigu then took out the carefully preserved letter of recommendation from his pocket and respectfully presented it with both hands: "Zhang Fangping once wrote a letter instructing me to present it to Ouyang Gong in person."

Upon hearing this, not only was Ouyang Xiu slightly surprised, but even the young people who had been talking in hushed tones stopped talking and focused their attention on him.

"Zhang Andao's Letter"

A glint of light flashed in Ouyang Xiu's eyes as he took the letter.

He and Zhang Fangping served in the same court. Although they were not close friends, they respected each other.

But he didn't open the letter immediately. Instead, he placed it on the table in front of him and looked at Lu Beigu with great interest: "It seems that young friend Lu not only has the Zen master's favor, but also has a connection with Zhang Andao. Interesting, very interesting!"

His tone was relaxed, with a hint of amusement, clearly showing that he was even more interested in Lu Beigu, this young man who had suddenly appeared.

"I only met Master Zhang once in Sichuan. I am deeply grateful for your kindness and consideration," Lu Beigu explained.

"Hehe, Brother An Dao has excellent taste. To be recommended by him, you must have something special."

Ouyang Xiu smiled and then pointed to the seat next to him, "Come, come, sit down and let's talk."

However, Ouyang Xiu had actually seen quite a few young people like this who were talented and appreciated by important figures.

Therefore, at present, he is only interested in Lu Beigu.

Lu Beigu thanked him and sat down in the empty seat below Zeng Gong.

Once he was seated, Zeng Gong continued to introduce him to the other talented young men present. He first pointed to a handsome young man with a dashing and elegant demeanor, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, to Ouyang Xiu's left: "Brother Lu, this is Yan Jidao, the son of Yan Yuanxian, also known as Yan Shuyuan."

Yan Jidao was about seventeen or eighteen years old. He inherited his father Yan Shu's handsome appearance and poetic talent, but there seemed to be a hint of melancholy between his brows.

Although Yan Shu was a prime minister, he passed away last year.

This is normal, after all, Yan Shu was already forty-seven years old when Yan Jidao was born.

As the youngest son in the family, Yan Jidao received special favor from his prime minister father from a young age.

He was exceptionally intelligent from a young age, able to write articles at seven and take the imperial examinations at fourteen. It can be said that Yan Jidao was born and raised amidst luxury and elegance, surrounded by jewels and fine clothes, and never encountered any setbacks.

But as the saying goes, "when people leave, the tea grows cold," and Yan Jidao, who suddenly lost his father, has clearly come to deeply understand this principle recently.

He nodded slightly to Lu Beigu and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Yan Jidao was in a bad mood, so he only said something polite, but Lu Beigu didn't want to be impolite.

"So it is Young Master Yan. I have long admired your father's reputation as a master of poetry. Meeting you today, Young Master Yan, I am truly impressed by your extraordinary demeanor."

Yan Jidao, later known as "Little Yan," and together with his father Yan Shu, were called the "Two Yans." He was an important figure in the graceful and restrained style of poetry in the Song Dynasty. Although Yan Jidao's official career was very bumpy, he lived a long enough to pass away during the reign of Emperor Huizong.

Then, Zeng Gong pointed to two young men sitting a little further to Ouyang Xiu's right, with calm demeanor, simple clothes, and some resemblance in their features, but with very different expressions and temperaments: "These two are Cheng Bochun and Cheng Zhengshu, brothers."

The slightly older Cheng Hao had a gentle face and a reassuring sense of honesty. He smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "Cheng Hao greets this virtuous brother."

Although he had not yet entered officialdom at this time, his gentle and upright demeanor already bore the beginnings of the later "Mr. Mingdao".

Cheng Yi, who was slightly younger than him, appeared more serious, with slightly furrowed brows and sharp eyes, exuding an almost harsh seriousness.

"Cheng Yi," he said, bowing slightly.

This man was "Mr. Yichuan," who later founded the "Luoyang School." Although he was young at the time, his serious and etiquette-conscious personality was already evident.

Knowing that these were the Cheng brothers, who would later become the founders of Neo-Confucianism, Lu Beigu hurriedly bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Brother Bochun and Brother Zhengshu."

Cheng Hao returned the greeting gently, while Cheng Yi simply cupped his hands in a gesture of respect once more.

Finally, Zeng Gong's gaze fell upon a solitary figure by the window.

The man wasn't particularly tall, but his shoulders and back were straight as a pine tree, his face was square, and his gaze was fixed on the boundless night sky through the open window, as if he were staring at something.

“That’s Zhang Zai (Zhang Zihou) from Guanzhong,” Zeng Gong introduced.

Zhang Zai turned around when he heard someone call his name.

"It is a great pleasure to meet you today!"

Zhang Zai smiled and returned the greeting, saying, "You're too kind."

He then returned to the window, his gaze drifting back to the night sky, as if the brief conversation had only momentarily pulled him back from some grand contemplation.

Zhang Zai was clearly more interested in his own thoughts than in social interactions.

At this moment, Ouyang Xiu had already casually opened Zhang Fangping's letter, glanced at it quickly, and then put it down.

Ouyang Xiu clapped his hands in time, and everyone's eyes turned to him.

He said loudly, “Alright, almost everyone has arrived. Today, our Qingsong Society is having a small gathering, both to exchange ideas and to enjoy each other’s company. Brother An Dao praised our young friend Lu highly in his letter, saying that he has ‘extraordinary insight and a profound mind, and is no ordinary person.’ It seems that tonight, we may be able to hear our young friend Lu’s insightful remarks?”

Ouyang Xiu's words were encouraging, and at the same time, they drew everyone's attention back to Lu Beigu, a newcomer who had come with two recommendations.

(End of this chapter)