Thick clouds obscured the moon, and atop the Xuji Tower, only the sound of the whistling wind could be heard. The night wind cut through, slicing wild grass, and even though it was April, the chill reached straight to Tang Shen’s heart.
Initially, Tang Shen looked at Wang Zhen in astonishment, but he quickly composed himself, his gaze becoming inscrutable. He and Wang Zhen had trained under the same teacher, and by all accounts, they were already considered “peng” (companions). But Wang Zhen had said that only those with the same aspirations could be called “you” (true friends)! What were Wang Zhen’s ambitions? How could Tang Shen possibly know! So now, was Wang Zhen forcing him to take sides?
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Tang Shen, having recently placed third in the imperial exams, was certain to take up a position in the Hanlin Academy. For at least six months, he would be stationed there, which had nothing to do with Wang Zhen, who was in the Ministry of Revenue. He knew nothing of the current court situation, and it was only at tonight’s banquet that he learned a bit from Fu Wei and Wang Zhen. So, what use could he be to Wang Zhen? What were Wang Zhen’s ambitions, his standing in the court, his status? Tang Shen was completely in the dark!
Outwardly calm, Tang Shen’s mind was racing with countless thoughts.
Suddenly, a realization struck him: Was Wang Zhen really trying to force him to take sides?
He was only sixteen this year, born into a humble background, with no powerful connections. If it weren’t for Liang Song, Tang Shen would never have been able to become a disciple of Fu Wei. Reflecting on the past year of interactions with Wang Zhen—the times Wang Zhen guided him, helped him rise steadily in the imperial examinations, and even took him to release animals before the huishi—Tang Shen took a deep breath and concluded: Wang Zhen was merely asking about his aspirations! There might be some ulterior motive, but at this moment, playing dumb wouldn’t do any harm.
Looking at Wang Zhen’s smiling face, Tang Shen hesitated for a moment before responding, “Last March, I came to Shengjing, and it was only through the care of my teacher and senior brother that I found a place to settle in this unfamiliar city. When I left Gusu, I never imagined that my path in the imperial exams would be this smooth, all thanks to your earnest guidance, Senior Brother Zi Feng. I will never forget it.” Pausing, he concluded, “To me, Senior Brother Zi Feng is both a teacher and a friend.”
Wang Zhen looked at Tang Shen’s cautious and focused gaze for a long time before smiling slightly.
“Seeing you like this today reminds me of nine years ago.”
Tang Shen looked up at him, puzzled. “Nine years ago?”
Wang Zhen’s expression grew reflective, “Nine years ago, when I placed first in the imperial exams, I was as young as you are now.”
This time, Tang Shen was truly stunned for a while.
Wang Zhen was twenty-six years old, ten years older than Tang Shen. But Tang Shen had never considered Wang Zhen to be old. After all, in the modern world, twenty-six would still be considered young—probably still studying, not yet working. No one would call twenty-six old! But in ancient times, with Wang Zhen saying he wasn’t young anymore, Tang Shen found himself at a loss for words.
He glanced at Wang Zhen’s face, recalling that his fellow classmate at the Imperial College, Liu Fang, was also twenty-six, but looked much older than Wang Zhen. Wang Zhen, no matter how one looked at him, appeared like a twenty-year-old, a noble young man just coming of age, elegant as jade.
Tang Shen said, “Senior Brother, you still look very young.” This was one of the rare moments where he spoke with genuine sincerity.
Wang Zhen turned to look at Tang Shen and said, “The night wind is strong; let’s go downstairs.”
Together, they descended from Xuji Tower.
Before leaving, Wang Zhen suddenly asked, “By the way, do you know where your residence as a tanhua will be?”
Tang Shen replied, “Not yet. I heard it will be announced next month.”
Wang Zhen pointed to a location in the east of the city, very close to the Imperial Palace, coincidentally near both Fu Residence and the Minister Residence. He said, “Every time the top three scholars in the imperial exams are awarded residences by the emperor, this is handled by the Ministry of Revenue. How do you feel about that location?”
It was undoubtedly a prime piece of real estate, close to where both Fu Wei and Wang Zhen lived. Tang Shen had no complaints about living there.
But the Hanlin Academy was in the west of the city, with more than half of Shengjing separating the two places.
Tang Shen honestly replied, “It’s a great location, just a bit far from the Hanlin Academy.”
Wang Zhen responded, “Oh, I just wanted to inform you that this location was decided three days ago.”
The implication: just informing you, not asking for your opinion.
Tang Shen: “…”
Then why ask in the first place!
After they descended Xuji Tower, Wang Zhen offered to escort Tang Shen home, which Tang Shen did not refuse. Sitting in the spacious carriage, the seats covered with fine tiger pelts, the fur sleek and shiny, the drawers inside filled with various snacks and books, Tang Shen could tell that Wang Zhen knew how to enjoy life. The carriage glided smoothly over Shengjing’s already even roads, without the slightest bump.
The carriage bearing the Minister’s house lantern slowly arrived at the alley where Tang Shen lived. Tang Shen jumped off the carriage. He turned back and said, “Thank you, Senior Brother Zi Feng, for seeing me off.”
Wang Zhen lifted the carriage curtain and said to Tang Shen, “It’s late; walk carefully, little Junior Brother.”
Tang Shen responded, “You too, Senior Brother.”
After exchanging pleasantries, Tang Shen was about to turn and leave when Wang Zhen suddenly said, “A few days ago, while reading, I came across a saying. Thinking about it today, I find it quite interesting. Little Junior Brother, in some matters, you must know not only what can be done but also what cannot be done.”
Tang Shen froze, looking up at Wang Zhen in the carriage.
After a long pause, he chuckled lightly and said, “Isn’t that a variation of the phrase ‘knowing the impossibility and still doing it’ from the Analects? A clever twist.”
Wang Zhen smiled and said no more, as the carriage wheels creaked on the cobblestone road. Tang Shen stood at the alley entrance, watching as Wang Zhen gradually left, the smile on his face slowly fading away.
Back home, Tang Shen sat in his study. Feng Bi brought him a bowl of hot soup, but he had no appetite for it.
The Analects state, “It is said that knowing the impossibility and still doing it is an admirable trait,” implying that Confucius was someone who, knowing something was impossible, still pursued it. Wang Zhen had suddenly given him a variation of this saying, advising him to “know what can be done, and know what cannot be done.”
“What exactly is he trying to say?” Tang Shen pondered, then suddenly clenched his fists. “Does he know why I came to Shengjing?”
Immediately, Tang Shen dismissed the thought, “How could he? I have already become a disciple of Fu Wei, and over the past year, I have shown no unusual behavior. If Wang Zhen had been a bit more well-informed, he might have even known that I once scolded the members of the Songqing faction in front of the emperor at the Imperial College.”
As it happened, Tang Shen was spot on. Wang Zhen, closely connected with the Grand Eunuch Ji Fu, indeed knew about this.
Tang Shen continued to think, “I haven’t made any mistakes, and after Mr. Liang’s death, I immediately distanced myself from him and rarely mentioned him in front of Mr. Fu. Besides, I’m only sixteen, just a kid. I must be overthinking it.”
“But…what if I’m not overthinking it?”
“Could Wang Zhen really be telling me to consider carefully whether something should or shouldn’t be done? Is he advising me to think twice before making any decisions?”
In the study, the candles burned with a crackling sound.
After a long while, Tang Shen’s eyes were like torches, unwavering and resolute: “Even if ten thousand people stand in my way, I shall go forth!”
Having finally come to a resolution, Tang Shen felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He no longer dwelled on Wang Zhen’s words from that night, nor did he let them trouble him further. He picked up a bowl of meat broth, intending to take a sip, but found that the soup had already gone cold, with a layer of congealed fat floating on top, making it unappetizing. Tang Shen set the bowl aside in disgust. After some thought, he picked up some paper, ground the ink, and began to write. He copied the calligraphy practice book that Wang Zhen had given him and then took out a knife to bind the pages he had written into a booklet.
The next day, Tang Shen asked Yao San to make some qingtuan (green rice dumplings).
It was still April, around the time of the Qingming Festival. While the people of Shengjing didn’t have the custom of eating qingtuan, the people of Jiangnan did. In the evening, Tang Shen carried a basket of steaming hot qingtuan, along with the booklet of his writing, and went to the Minister Residence.
He waited in the flower hall for half an hour before Wang Zhen finally returned from the Ministry of Revenue.
Wang Zhen was surprised to see him there.
Tang Shen said, “Senior Brother mentioned the other day that I hadn’t visited the Minister Residence in a long time, so I came today to pay my respects. It so happens that we made some qingtuan at home. Though they were made rather simply, I thought I’d bring some over for Senior Brother to try. Also, this is the calligraphy booklet I wrote last month. Senior Brother’s calligraphy is exceptional. I can only replicate the form, but not the essence, so I’d like to ask for your guidance.”
Wang Zhen looked at Tang Shen and laughed, saying, “Why not stay at the Minister Residence tonight? In a few days, you’ll be taking up your post at the Hanlin Academy. Even though it’s a leisurely office, you still won’t have as much free time as you do now. Let us, as senior and junior brothers, talk through the night by candlelight, and I’ll take a look at your calligraphy booklet.”
Tang Shen hadn’t planned on spending the night at the Minister Residence, but he was still concerned about the things Wang Zhen had said the other night. From what he could tell, if he wanted to become a powerful official, the best shortcut was through Wang Zifeng.
Tang Shen said, “Alright, I had actually thought of that too, but I’ve always hesitated to trouble Senior Brother.”
Wang Zhen asked, “Really?”
Tang Shen, ignoring his conscience, replied with sincere tones, “Really!”
Wang Zhen said, “Then come and stay more often in the future. After all, the Tanhua Residence is close by!”
Tang Shen: “…”
Why does this feel a little off?
After dinner, Tang Shen took out the calligraphy booklet he had written, lying that he wrote it last month. Wang Zhen carefully examined the booklet and then asked Tang Shen to write a few more characters in front of him. After pointing out a few areas for improvement, Tang Shen wrote two more characters.
Suddenly, a hand reached from behind and grasped his. Wang Zhen held Tang Shen’s hand, guiding him in writing.
“Showing sharpness is good, but this stroke could be lighter.”
In the flickering candlelight, Tang Shen slowly raised his head to look at Wang Zhen standing behind him.
Wang Zhen released his hand and smiled, “Junior Brother?”
Tang Shen turned back, “Is this how it should be written, Senior Brother?”
“Yes, well done.”
In the dim candlelight, one person held his hand, teaching him calligraphy. A year and a half ago, there had been someone else who had done the same.
Tang Shen wrote earnestly, and Wang Zhen patiently taught him. When they finally parted, Tang Shen retired to the guest room in the Minister Residence. Lying in bed, he stretched out his hand and looked at his right hand in the moonlight, recalling the warmth of Wang Zhen’s touch. However, he could no longer remember the feeling of when Liang Song had once taught him calligraphy.
Liang Song’s hands were a bit cooler, while Wang Zifeng’s were warmer.
But when facing Wang Zifeng, he tread carefully, as if on thin ice. In contrast, with Liang Song, he dared to do anything, say anything, and be truly himself—Tang Shen, not Tang Jingze.
To Wang Zifeng, he was Tang Shen, but also Tang Jingze.
Only with Mr. Liang was he just Tang Shen—only Tang Shen!
“Sir…”
I miss you.
You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )
Tang Shen didn’t sleep a wink that night, staying awake until dawn. When he got up, Wang Zhen had already left for court. The steward invited Tang Shen to stay for breakfast at the Minister Residence, and Tang Shen didn’t decline. After eating, he returned home. It was still only around 5-7 AM. He had arranged to meet Zhao Qiong at Qianli Tower at noon.
There was no time to waste. Tang Shen freshened up, changed his clothes, and set off for Qianli Tower.
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