Because a worry weighed on his mind, after dinner when night had fallen completely, he still took Lu Liu to visit the two fathers.
The two fathers assumed they had some matter to attend to. Lu Liu didn’t let Li Feng hide anything and said, “Da Feng has been trying to find a marriage match for Shun Ge’er today. He’s reluctant to leave, and he thought you two would miss me too, so he brought me home to take a look.”
Hearing this warmed their hearts, and they said, “Why worry? It’s so close. Just a few steps and you’ll be there.”
Indeed, it was fortunate that the distance was short.
Li Feng and Lu Liu drank some fish soup, warming themselves and chatting for a while. They had come burdened with worry, but left full of motivation—to work hard and earn money, because only with wealth could they achieve reunion, just like observing the moon.
Xie Yan lived in the county, which had obvious advantages. Before visiting, he could ask Wu Pingzhi for guidance.
Wu Pingzhi said to him, “Next time you go out, take an adviser with you. Someone to give suggestions and watch the reactions of others.”
Xie Yan refused—he had his own mind. Bringing such a person along was unnecessary; he only occasionally needed advice.
That day he went to visit the magistrate Zhang. Xie Yan treated Zhang respectfully. Although Lu Yang had sent gifts multiple times without response, Zhang had made a ruling when their matter went to court. That case had greatly influenced Xie Yan.
Among the gifts he brought back, the most expensive was for Magistrate Zhang: a gold pen—expensive in appearance, but of no real merit.
Wu Pingzhi said, “They’re just two officers; they won’t trouble you. With Master Jin present, if he mentions it to Magistrate Zhang, before you even speak, the matter with the Luo brothers will be settled.”
That was even better. Xie Yan disliked drawn-out dealings; long conversations made his words less pleasant.
They chatted about studies as well.
After returning to the capital, Xie Yan planned to study skills with his teacher and asked Wu Pingzhi for guidance.
The next February he would take the provincial exam. Wu Pingzhi arranged the vow-keeping obligations, which would take up much of their time on the road.
Wu Pingzhi said calmly, “With my current knowledge, passing the provincial exam this year would be satisfactory. Next year I’ll try for the metropolitan exam—whether I succeed depends on fate. I’ve been busy lately, not as diligent as before, but this change of pace is like exercising my mind. Perhaps my state of mind has shifted; the essays I’ve written recently feel better than before—relaxed in phrasing, elegant in style. Though the ideas aren’t new, they move the reader.”
Xie Yan wanted to see. Since he had to leave early in the morning, he glanced over the paper, then returned it to Wu Pingzhi at the door. He commented, “Indeed, very good. If you maintain this level by next February, you should succeed.”
Wu Pingzhi raised an eyebrow. “You sound so confident. How can you be so certain?”
After meeting Cui Erge, Xie Yan had a sense of what kind of essay score could be achieved. That was a chief examiner, not an ordinary scholar in the capital. Using that as a reference, one shouldn’t pursue novelty for its own sake.
He remembered his teacher’s approach to evaluating essays: comparing personal taste with objective analysis. Writing that could stand out didn’t require chasing novelty; clear expression, coherent ideas, and engaging points were enough.
He told Wu Pingzhi, “Many can read well, but writing coherently is rare. I can do that. On this foundation, I want to make essays interesting. I’m still imitating now. Seeing your mindset shift and your writing improve, I hope after this period, when I return to the capital, I will change as well and try writing more.”
Wu Pingzhi smiled, “Then it’s my turn to teach you. I haven’t strictly written formal essays lately, just travel notes, recording observations. These past years, experiences have accumulated. In writing, I reflected on ideas, thought of topics that fit, and composed in one go. You said my writing had purpose; today I’ll say the same to you—you won’t write drafts; essays must be complete, not random notes.”
Xie Yan learned much from this. Last year he had worked tirelessly, writing multiple versions of the same topic, but they were true essays, varied in approach. Observing life and travel, he captured details with sketches, rarely writing long texts.
The two parted at the door: Xie Yan went to visit the Zhang family, Wu Pingzhi to visit relatives.
The Zhang household was easy to find. Xie Yan brought gifts, and as Wu Pingzhi had said, with Master Jin present, before Xie Yan spoke, Magistrate Zhang approved the matter with the Luo brothers.
Xie Yan suggested a one-year leave; Zhang raised an eyebrow but agreed.
Zhang asked about Xie Yan’s tutors. He disclosed half, keeping some concealed. When asked about familiarity, Xie Yan said it was decent, using Wu Pingzhi’s experience as a reference.
After this, Zhang’s attitude became cooler. Hearing that Xie Yan had apprenticed under an old instructor at the prefectural academy, he sighed openly, thinking Xie Yan was still too inexperienced.
As a local-born, he had some attachment. Zhang sincerely advised, “Further exams aren’t just about study. Plan for the future. If unsure, observe other scholars. Be intelligent, watch and act, and you’ll have a good future. In officialdom, studying alone isn’t enough.”
Xie Yan thanked him and performed a proper student bow.
After the meeting, Xie Yan opened the small gift box: a gold pen. He raised an eyebrow.
Master Jin quickly said, “He has a clever husband; everything is managed well.”
Zhang closed the box, shaking his head: “His husband can’t take office for him.”
He was a proper official from the imperial examination system. He could recognize talent but would not be overly attentive.
Exams were trivial compared to stepping into new arenas; all real tests had just begun.
He admired Xie Yan’s literary talent but doubted his career prospects.
Xie Yan didn’t know Zhang’s opinion. Leaving the Zhang residence, he inquired with officers nearby and quickly told the Luo brothers about the one-year leave granted by Magistrate Zhang.
“Brothers, you need to pack quickly. We’ll go to the capital early—I want to settle everything!”
Luo Dayong studied him. Xie Yan seemed the same as before, yet something was different, though he couldn’t pinpoint it.
“Do you feel any change in yourself?” he asked.
Xie Yan answered honestly, “My skin’s thicker. I used to act freely, not knowing others disliked it. Now I know, but I haven’t changed. I’ll proactively create difficulties for others.”
The Luo brothers laughed, patting and squeezing his shoulders. Xie Yan stood still; his body had grown solid.
Luo Erwu said, “Good, reliable now.”
Xie Yan smiled, asking, “I’ll stay in the county for two more days, then return to the village to tend my father’s grave, then go to Li Village. After that, back to the capital. Can you manage?”
He was blunt, pressing them with questions.
The Luo brothers agreed: they’d go first for a year. If all went well, they’d bring their father along; if not, they’d return. Living in the county, they could care for the household.
Xie Yan hadn’t heard about their father and thought he was gone. He asked, “Where does uncle live now? Why haven’t I seen him?”
Luo Dayong said, “In the countryside. After we married, the home couldn’t accommodate him, so he returned to the countryside. He has a room at my aunt’s, in the east of the county.”
Across the county, no wonder they hadn’t met.
Xie Yan wanted to bring him along, but the Luo brothers refused.
