nycdaug Chapter 130 The Poetry Gathering in the Capital
Chapter 130 The Poetry Gathering in the Capital
[The remaining content of the previous chapter has been completed. Those who haven't read it yet can go back and read it!]
Gu Lin originally thought that it would be some time before Madam Fang met with him, and he was prepared to wait for ten days or half a month. Unexpectedly, three days later, the Fang family steward sent someone to deliver a letter to him.
After reading the contents of the letter, Gu Lin made a decisive decision. He went out to find Niu Qiang, who lived next door, and asked him to arrange a carriage to take him to discuss important matters with Madam Fang.
This time, Gu Lin did not use his own two carriages, but bought two more. Zheng Hao drove one when he went out in the morning, and the other one is now parked in the backyard of the inn.
Upon hearing Gu Lin say he was going out, Niu Qiang said, "I'll go out with Boss Gu."
He added, "The capital is not like Yue Mingfu. We are unfamiliar with this place. Scholar Zheng specifically instructed us that when Boss Gu leaves the inn, he must be accompanied by someone."
Seeing the other party emphasize it again and again, Gu Lin felt a little helpless. It wasn't that he didn't care about his own safety. He didn't like having people follow him when he traveled before because it was unnecessary. But now that he had just entered the capital, he knew what was important and wouldn't joke about his own safety.
Gu Lin said to Niu Qiang, "Then I'll trouble Brother Niu to drive me there."
Gu Lin boarded the carriage, with Niu Qiang driving in front, and headed towards the meeting place arranged by Madam Fang.
Upon arriving at the restaurant arranged by Madam Fang, Gu Lin asked Niu Qiang to wait for him in the lobby. Madam Fang, being a woman from an official family, was most averse to meeting outsiders without a reason.
Gu Lin walked up to the second floor and headed towards a private room.
Half an hour later, Niu Qiang, who was sitting in the lobby, frowned and looked towards the second floor. He thought that if Gu Lin hadn't come down after another incense stick's time, he would go up.
Suddenly, several figures appeared on the second floor. Gu Lin was seen walking side by side with a beautiful woman.
After Gu Lin saw Madam Fang off at the restaurant, before she got into the carriage, Madam Fang looked at Gu Lin with a smile and said, "After your juniors take the imperial examination, I'll invite you to my residence for tea. Don't say you're too busy then."
Gu Lin smiled and said, "I am deeply grateful for Madam Fang's kindness; I will certainly attend the appointment."
Madam Fang turned and entered the carriage, her maid supporting her: "Madam, please sit down and rest. It's freezing cold, and Mr. Gu is so tactless, talking so much to you outside."
The maid was somewhat dissatisfied with Gu Lin. Now that their mistress was pregnant, they couldn't afford to be careless.
After hearing the maid's words, Madam Fang made no comment, but if you looked closely, you would notice that the smile on her face had faded considerably.
"When did you become so fond of gossiping?"
Mrs. Fang spoke in a calm tone, seemingly asking a question but actually stating a fact.
Immediately, the maid's expression changed, and then she lowered her head and admitted her mistake: "Madam, this servant was wrong."
Madam Fang didn't ask her what she had done wrong. The maid in front of her was a servant of the Fang family, not someone she had brought from her maiden home. If it weren't for some problems with the shop that came with her dowry and the need to send a trusted confidant to check on it, Madam Fang would never have brought such a fool out with her.
Raising her hand to stroke her belly, Madam Fang said to her maid in a slightly gentler tone, "Now that I have reached a cooperation agreement with Boss Gu, you must treat him kindly in public and private from now on, understand?"
The maidservant quickly replied, "Thank you for your guidance, Madam. I understand."
No matter what, the other party is still a servant in my courtyard, and she should be taught a lesson when necessary. Today, I met Gu Lin, and it's fine that I didn't respect him. But if I continue to be so blind and offend people I shouldn't in the future...
Moreover, what Mrs. Fang was most bothered by was that even after she showed how much she valued Gu Lin, he still didn't know his place and wentssiped.
Unable to understand the situation or read other people's expressions, Madam Fang thought that she would renovate the courtyard properly after giving birth to the child.
After Madam Fang boarded her carriage and left, Gu Lin also turned around and boarded his own carriage to return to the inn.
When Gu Lin returned to the inn, he saw Da Zhuo in the lobby and asked him with slight surprise, "When did you get back? Where is Zheng Hao?"
Da Zhuo replied, "He returned not long ago. Young Master Zheng has gone back to his room."
Gu Lin nodded without asking any further questions, telling Niu Qiang to do as he pleased, and then went upstairs to his room.
Shortly after closing the door, as Gu Lin sat at the table drinking hot water, there was a knock on the door.
"Uncle Gu, may I come in?"
Gu Lin: "Come in."
Zheng Hao opened the door and walked in. Gu Lin looked at him and saw that he was still wearing the clothes he had worn that morning. A strange look appeared on his face: "Didn't you go to the poetry gathering? Why are you back so early?"
Peng Zhizhi had informed Zheng Hao of the poetry gathering the night before, and the news of the gathering was sent to Zheng Hao by a letter from Peng Zhizhi. Zheng Hao had never been interested in such poetry gatherings and banquets unless there were substantial benefits or advantages involved; otherwise, he would not attend.
However, this poetry gathering was different from the past. It was organized by the top scholar from the capital, and many scholars from various prefectures would also attend. Zheng Hao thought about it and decided to go.
Zheng Hao walked towards Gu Lin and then sat down next to him.
With his eyes slightly lowered, he noticed that Uncle Gu's fair fingers were slightly red from the cold. He took out the hot water bottle he had prepared earlier and placed it in the other man's arms. He then said, "I originally thought we would exchange knowledge, but it turned out to be a romantic affair in a brothel. Brother Peng, Brother Zhen, and I found it boring and left after a while."
The hot water bottle warmed his cold hands. Gu Lin frowned slightly upon hearing this and said, "Isn't the imperial examination coming up soon? Why aren't they studying hard and instead going out to visit prostitutes?"
He genuinely didn't understand. In his impression, and in recent years, the scholars he had come into contact with, including the seemingly unreliable Peng Zhizhi and Zhen Cheng, were all very serious when it came to matters related to scholarship. At least from Zheng Hao, Gu Lin knew that the four of them, let alone the romantic escapades before the imperial examinations, even their usual gatherings for meals were always in formal restaurants.
Seeing the puzzled look on Uncle Gu's face, Zheng Hao said, "The capital city gathers the wealth and treasures of the world, and there are many high-ranking officials, nobles and princes. It is a place of extravagance and debauchery. Correspondingly, compared with the candidates from other prefectures, the candidates here are more unrestrained and unruly."
Zheng Hao put it euphemistically: this poetry gathering, ostensibly for academic discussion, was actually a place for seeking pleasure and indulging in debauchery. But these were not the most shocking aspects.
Uncle Gu was unaware that this meaningless poetry gathering, which was solely for indulging in sensual pleasures, was tacitly organized by scholars from the capital and other economically and culturally developed prefectures in the Jiangnan region.
This poetry gathering is held every three years. Three years ago, it was organized by the top scholars from the Suzhou and Hangzhou areas, and this year it's the turn of the capital.
The seating arrangement at the poetry gathering was clearly divided by region and class. Northern scholars sat on one side and southern scholars on the other. However, this was only a rough division. Among the northern scholars, there were even more distinctions. For example, scholars from the capital and Jinyang Prefecture sat in the front seats, while the other scholars from the north sat in order. The same was true for the southern scholars.
During the gathering, it was mostly theoretical discussions, with some criticizing certain policies and others praising the emperor's virtues. However, most people, like Zheng Hao and Zhen Cheng, sat in the back without saying a word.
The whole thing was meaningless.
Zheng Hao's eyes were filled with indifferent emotions. He was supposed to have breakfast with Uncle Gu this morning, but this matter delayed him.
Gu Lin comforted him, saying, "Since they're not genuinely interested in organizing a poetry gathering to exchange knowledge, let's not go. I refuse to believe that with your academic achievements, you can't learn on your own. Let's not go along with their corrupt practices."
Seeing that Uncle Gu was using the phrase "to go with the flow" in this context, Zheng Hao, who had been feeling rather unenthusiastic about attending the poetry gathering, gradually relaxed.
A rare smile appeared on his lips: "Yes, I won't go along with them."
As the cold winter passed and spring gradually arrived, Gu Lin and Zheng Hao spent a unique Spring Festival in the capital.
Although Zhao's wife and the others weren't around, the liveliness of the capital city filled the void of loneliness from being away from home. On New Year's Eve, Gu Lin and Zheng Hao went out for a stroll, and then stayed up together at an inn to welcome the New Year. The entire capital city was brightly lit all night, just like daytime.
As the Spring Festival passed and the festive atmosphere gradually faded, the number of candidates going to the capital for the imperial examinations increased noticeably. The room rates at the inn where Gu Lin was staying rose considerably. The top-tier room, which used to cost 100 taels of silver a month, doubled again after the following year.
With more guests at the inn, Gu Lin stopped going down for meals to avoid trouble. However, because he had business dealings with Madam Fang, he would still have Niu Qiang and others see him off.
He kept a low profile, but in the inn full of men, a handsome young man could be seen coming and going every few days, accompanied by different men, which was really too eye-catching.
One day, as a tall, slender young man with a beautiful face and a cold expression walked through the lobby and up to the second floor, someone couldn't help but ask the waiter, "Waiter, is that young man a regular guest at your inn?"
The waiter was pouring tea when he heard the question. His brow twitched, but he quickly replied, "That husband is accompanying his family to the capital for the imperial examinations."
The waiter's explanation was vague, leading the diners to mistakenly believe that Gu Lin had gone to the capital for the imperial examinations with her husband.
Immediately, he said with disdain, "With the imperial examination approaching, instead of focusing on her studies, she brings her husband to the capital and indulges in a life of pleasure. I doubt that she will even make it onto the list of successful candidates."
The scholar sitting at the same table nodded in agreement, saying, "Absolutely, absolutely."
Another scholar at the same table said, "This imperial examination has gathered the best talents in the country. Someone as sentimental as him is probably lucky to pass the provincial examination. He should just give up on the imperial examination."
These men were scholars from out of town, all traveling alone to the capital. They had no idea they could bring their wives with them, and their travel expenses were all covered by local wealthy merchants. To save money, they stayed at this inn, sharing a room with one other person.
They considered themselves to be diligent and hardworking students from poor families, and they couldn't stand those candidates from well-off families who even brought a group of servants when they went to the capital for the imperial examinations.
The words of the group struck a chord with the scholar who had spoken first, and he said cheerfully, "Let's eat, let's not pay attention to those vulgar people. We have to attend a poetry gathering tomorrow."
Gu Lin was completely unaware of the turmoil below. The imperial examination was just over ten days away. After finishing his business with Madam Fang, he focused all his attention on Zheng Hao.
Entering Zheng Hao's room, Gu Lin carried the bamboo basket he had bought for the exam. He then said to Zheng Hao, who was sitting at the desk reading, "I've bought everything you need for the exam. Do you see if there's anything you're missing?"
As more and more candidates flocked to the capital, the innkeeper, being experienced, specifically reminded Gu Lin and his group to buy the necessary items for the imperial examination in advance. Otherwise, if they tried to prepare a few days before the examination, everything might be sold out.
Taking the basket from Gu Lin, Zheng Hao looked down and examined its contents: charcoal, a kettle, paper, ink, brushes, and inkstones—everything he needed.
Suddenly, Zheng Hao touched a brown object.
He picked it up, turned to look at Gu Lin, and said, "Ginger?"
Upon seeing this, Gu Lin immediately explained, "Although it is the end of February, the capital is still freezing cold. The innkeeper told me that in previous years, many candidates from other places caught a cold and developed a fever after staying in the examination hall for one night because they could not adapt to the climate of the capital. You can take a stove and charcoal with you when you go in. If you feel cold, you can boil a bowl of hot ginger soup to warm yourself up."
As he continued, Gu Lin's face showed regret: "It's a pity I can't bring you a hot water bottle."
Hearing Uncle Gu's words, Zheng Hao felt a little helpless. The other party had prepared all the necessary materials for the imperial examinations for him, from the county examination to the provincial examination.
During the imperial examinations, while other students were usually gnawing on hard, dry rations, he would eat warm, delicious meals.
Zheng Hao's expression softened, and he said gently, "I have been exercising regularly and my blood and energy are stronger than the average person, so I don't feel cold easily. In addition, with the clothes and ginger soup that Uncle Gu has prepared for me, I will definitely not be afraid of the cold."
Gu Lin could only say, "Even so, you must wear more clothes when you enter the examination room. You may not feel it during the day while sitting in the examination room, but you don't know how cold it will be at night."
Seeing that the other person's thoughts and ideas were all for him, Zheng Hao's cold heart softened, and he nodded in response.
In March, the imperial examination will be held.
As with every exam before, Gu Lin personally escorted Zheng Hao to the examination hall.
This imperial examination was unlike any other. Zheng Hao was one step closer to passing the exam with flying colors. As long as he could get through this hurdle, regardless of his performance in the palace examination, his fate of changing his social class and destiny would be sealed.
It can be said that this exam was the most important stage in the imperial examination system.
Once Zheng Hao passed this test, he was a guaranteed Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), and at the very least, he would start as a county magistrate of the seventh rank.
However, facing this crucial exam, Gu Lin was not as nervous as before.
Perhaps it was Zheng Hao's calm and composed demeanor from the county exam to the provincial exam that inspired him. Moreover, Gu Lin thought that even if Zheng Hao underperformed this time, he could still support him. At worst, he could buy a house in the capital and let Zheng Hao study hard, and take the exam again in three years.
Gu Lin is very magnanimous.
However, Zheng Hao had no idea what the other person was thinking. He looked at Uncle Gu, who was unusually calm, and felt both surprised and relieved.
Zheng Hao said, "I'm going in. Uncle Gu, you should go back."
Knowing that the other party wouldn't feel at ease if he didn't get in the car, Gu Lin raised his arm and waved to Zheng Hao before turning around, getting into the car, and heading back to the inn.