Chapter 99: Slow Journey in the Snow (Part 4)

Liu Zhongwu was in a bad mood. Although at first glance he just seemed a bit colder than usual, he hadn't said a word since sitting down at the table, only focusing on eating and drinking. Han Gang was deep in thought and had momentarily forgotten to ease the tension with a few words.

With neither Han nor Liu speaking, the atmosphere at the table became stiff. Lu Ming looked left and right, chuckled awkwardly, and then brought up the previous topic: "Do you remember the old Mr. Zhang we met just now?"

Liu Zhongwu kept his head down and didn't respond, while Han Gang put down his chopsticks and raised his eyes to ask, "What about him?"

Lu Ming leaned in a bit and lowered his voice, "I didn't remember at first, but when he left, I heard him mention that he has a son serving in the capital. That can't be wrong."

Seeing Lu Ming's mysterious expression, Han Gang's mind quickly clicked, and he realized, "Could it be that his son holds a high position?"

Lu Ming smiled slightly, "You guessed wrong, sir. It's not his son, but his clan elder brother!"

"Who?" Liu Zhongwu finally stopped his chopsticks, raised his head, and asked.

Lu Ming didn't answer directly but turned to Han Gang, "Sir Han must know."

Han Gang blinked, his mind clear. This was Lu Ming's way of easing the tension. 'Indeed, he is useful,' Han Gang thought. The only high-ranking official from Fujian he knew was, "Isn't it Zhang Wenshan, Duke of Xun?"

Duke of Xun, Zhang Dexiang, was a chancellor during Emperor Renzong's reign, with the posthumous name Wenshan. He had been dead for twenty years, but apart from him, Han Gang couldn't recall any other high-ranking officials from Fujian.

Lu Ming nodded, "Exactly, Zhang Wenshan!"

"Hasn't he been dead for twenty years?" Han Gang asked, "How could his high rank and wealth still be around now?" When a person is gone, the tea cools. Zhang Dexiang had been dead for twenty years, and even his own son would probably only remember to offer a bowl of yellow rice during the family sacrifice.

Lu Ming frowned and did some mental calculations, finally nodding, "Zhang Wenshan passed away in the eighth year of Qingli, which is twenty-three years ago now."

Liu Zhongwu, upon hearing this, lowered his head again and focused on eating.

Han Gang glanced at him, a smile hidden in his heart, and asked, "Since Zhang Yu is Zhang Wenshan's clan younger brother, he must be the great-uncle of Zhang Zeping, the top scholar of the Dingyou Examination in the second year of Jiayou?"

"Of course!" Lu Ming's words made Liu Zhongwu's chopsticks slow down. The top scholar, the best in the land, who would become a scholar-official and chancellor, was actually the nephew of the deceased Zhang Dexiang.

The world is indeed small, Han Gang thought to himself, but continued, "Although they are of the same clan, they are distant relatives. And this old Mr. Zhang doesn't seem to hold any official position, otherwise he wouldn't have mentioned his son. Who is his son?"

"Zhang Dun!" Lu Ming said, emphasizing each word, "Zhang Dun, also known as Zhang Zihou, is very famous. In the second year of Jiayou, he took the examination with Zhang Zeping. In the end, his nephew became the top scholar, while he only passed as a Jinshi. He felt ashamed and discarded the imperial edict, retaking the examination in the next session and passing again as a Jinshi."

Lu Ming's voice carried anger, jealousy, and a hint of envy, which Han Gang heard clearly. For a long-time failed candidate, a talent like Zhang Dun, who could pass the Jinshi examination whenever he wanted, was naturally an object of envy and jealousy...

'No, not jealousy!' Han Gang observed the changes in Lu Ming's expression, 'It's hatred! Deep-seated resentment accumulated over decades...'

"Do you know what kind of person Zhang Dun is?" Lu Ming asked, his expression changing again. The hatred on his face disappeared, replaced by a strange look. Han Gang found it hard to describe, but it reminded him of Wang Shunmin's expression the day after he went to Huimin Bridge, discussing with Zhao Long and Yang Ying about the depth and shallowness of things.

"What kind of person?" Liu Zhongwu asked, following up.

"A notorious person with talent but no virtue!" Lu Ming spoke without restraint, his voice rising, "Zhang Dun has no morals or conduct. When he went to the capital to study, he stayed at Zhang Wenshan's house. Within a few days, he stole Zhang Wenshan's concubine. When discovered, he climbed over the wall of Zhang Wenshan's residence and accidentally injured an old woman, causing a major lawsuit. This Zhang Zihou, though talented, has the same character as his father."

Han Gang frowned slightly, not knowing why, but he suddenly felt uncomfortable.

Lu Ming's mouth was dry, and he stopped speaking, picking up his wine cup to pour himself a drink.

Liu Zhongwu was actually very interested in the gossip Lu Ming was sharing, but he couldn't bring himself to ask for more. He turned to look at Han Gang, who was picking up bean sprouts with his chopsticks. After hesitating for a long time, he finally couldn't hold back and asked, "What did the old Mr. Zhang do?"

"He stole his mother-in-law!" Lu Ming laughed wildly, "Zhang Dun is actually the illegitimate child of Zhang Yu and his mother-in-law. It's said that he was supposed to be drowned at birth, but he survived by luck. Later, he was given to Lady Zhang to raise, and it's unclear whether he should be considered a son or a brother!"

Han Gang's chopsticks stopped. He didn't know how such a story could spread... Private gossip indeed spreads the fastest.

"Immoral and shameless, these words are tailor-made for Zhang Zihou and his father," Lu Ming, in high spirits, raised his voice significantly.

"Brother Ming, please be careful with your words!" Han Gang, seeing Lu Ming getting more and more out of control, immediately warned him, his discomfort growing, and he was also worried that the person he was waiting for might walk in at any moment.

But Han Gang's words came too late. The man sitting at the neighboring table, who had his back to them, suddenly slammed his hand on the table. The clatter of bowls and dishes rang out as he jumped up, turned around, and strode forward. With a hand like a fan, he grabbed the excited Lu Ming by the collar.

This was a young man in his early twenties, tall and strong, yet exuding a scholarly air. The combination of literary refinement and martial prowess was well-balanced in him. However, his gentle and refined demeanor was now replaced by intense anger. He lowered his head, pressing his face close to Lu Ming's, who was half a head shorter, and glared at him, nose to nose, demanding, "Do you dare to call Mr. Hengqu immoral and shameless?"

'Ah, I see!' Han Gang suddenly understood. No wonder he felt uncomfortable when Lu Ming mentioned Zhang Zihou; it was because the name and courtesy name were the same as his teacher's! However, Zhang Zai's courtesy name Zihou comes from the phrase 'thick virtue bears all things,' while Zhang Dun's Zihou simply means 'diligent and honest,' just as Zhang Heng, the top scholar, whose courtesy name Ziping means 'balance.'

At that time, people's names were all interconnected. Liu Zhongwu's courtesy name Ziwu means 'both literary and martial'; Lu Ming's Mingde comes from the Analects, 'to manifest virtue'; and Han Gang's own name comes from the phrase 'jade comes from Kun Gang.'

Lu Ming was suddenly grabbed and hadn't even seen what was happening when a pair of eyes, gleaming with murderous intent and burning with flames, appeared two inches in front of him. A pair of large hands, like iron clamps, pulled his collar tight, almost suffocating him.

'What's going on? Mr. Hengqu? Who mentioned him?' Lu Ming's oxygen-deprived brain couldn't function, and he couldn't speak. The eyes staring at him from such close range were as terrifying as those of a tiger or a wolf, making him feel weak and fall limply.

Liu Zhongwu stood up, but since the man was defending Mr. Hengqu, he didn't help Lu Ming, instead turning his gaze to Han Gang.

Han Gang also stood up, "Sir, my companion may speak without restraint, but he was not talking about Mr. Hengqu. It was another person, with a similar-sounding name but different characters. It's the 'zhang' of 'early morning,' not the 'zhang' of 'long bow.' Otherwise, I wouldn't have allowed him... to continue..." Han Gang's voice suddenly slowed down. The young man, dressed in a scholar's robe but with the build of a general, and a handsome face that combined martial and literary qualities, seemed familiar to him. He stared at the young man for a long time, hesitantly asking, "Is it you, Zhong Yishu?"

Hearing Han Gang explain that he wasn't talking about Zhang Hengqu, and realizing it was a misunderstanding, Zhong Jianzhong awkwardly let go of his hand. But when he heard Han Gang call him by his