Chapter 9

Although Xiaoming had once followed the bamboo shadows to Songyang Temple in the rain, at that time the temple gates were tightly closed. He had only glimpsed the various buildings with their flying eaves and intricate brackets from behind the high walls, leaving him with an impression of grandeur and elegance. A few days ago, Sima Heiyun had sent an invitation on behalf of his master, and today, led by a young Taoist, he finally got to appreciate the true splendor of this first temple of Songshan.

The pillars on both sides of the mountain gate of Songyang Temple were carved with dragon, tiger, and cloud patterns, and the plaque above the door was written by Emperor Gaozong himself. Even though Du Shiyi had seen countless rubbings and copies of famous inscriptions and calligraphy since childhood, he could not help but admit that the flying white script was truly extraordinary. However, he knew that he had been invited today to visit, and if he wanted to tour, he could do so later. After a brief moment of contemplation, he immediately followed the young Taoist.

"Little Master Du, we have arrived."

"This is..."

"This is the Master of the Temple's Feixing Pavilion. The Master of the Temple and Mr. Sima, along with Daoist Sun, are inside."

Since he was here, he might as well settle down. Du Shiyi composed himself and stepped over the threshold from under the bamboo curtain raised by the young Taoist. After passing the four paper screens outside, he realized that the Feixing Pavilion was not as sparsely populated as he had expected. The hall was filled with guests. In the central seat sat an old man in a gray Taoist robe, who appeared to be quite old, with white hair. At first glance, he seemed kind and benevolent, but upon closer inspection, he exuded a sharp and piercing aura. To his left sat the Taoist Taichong, whom Du Shiyi had met before. On the right, in a seat level with the central seat, sat another old Taoist.

The old Taoist had white temples, a ruddy complexion, and a spirited demeanor. Du Shiyi could not immediately determine his age but felt a sense of沧桑 (沧桑 means "the vicissitudes of life" or "the passage of time"). Compared to the nod of Taoist Taichong and the slight bow of the central seat's old Taoist, this smiling old Taoist exuded a more relaxed and easy-going demeanor. Instinctively, Du Shiyi felt that this was the old man who had offered help in the rain, the master of Sima Heiyun.

Below these three, the other eight or nine people on the seats were of varying ages, some in Taoist robes, others in simple scholar's clothing, with no signs of gold or silk. However, the bronze incense burners in the room were filled with the finest incense, and the serving maids were all beautiful. Everyone held a white porcelain teacup, and the screen outside, which he had only glanced at, bore the signature of Yan Liben, a famous painter of the early Tang dynasty, known for his character portraits despite his low official rank!

For a Taoist temple, this grandeur surpassed even the prominent families of the Du clan in Fanquan!

"Little Master Du, this is Master Song. Master Song, this is the nineteenth son of the Du family of Jingzhao, Du Shiyi."

Taoist Taichong, the only one who had met Du Shiyi, stood up to introduce him to everyone. After introducing Master Song Fuzhen, he immediately turned to the old Taoist with white temples, "This is Mr. Sima from Tiantai Mountain. His follower, I believe, is already familiar to Little Master Du."

Mentioning only the surname and not the name, and given that Sima Heiyun had visited the thatched cottage several times without mentioning his master, Du Shiyi naturally felt even more puzzled. After paying his respects to Mr. Sima, he followed Taoist Taichong to meet the others. Some were Taoists practicing at Songyang Temple, while others were young men from prominent families in the Eastern Capital of Luoyang. However, when he reached the last person, he quickly searched his memory because the person seemed somewhat familiar. Before Taoist Taichong could introduce him, the person smiled and stood up, bowing.

"From the south of the city, the Wei and Du clans, the most prominent families in Guanzhong, have been renowned for generations. The fame of the nineteenth son of the Du family of Fanquan is known throughout Jingzhao. There's no need for Taoist Sun to elaborate. The nineteenth son could write at four and compose poetry at six. I didn't expect to meet him again today at Songyang Temple." He paused slightly and then smiled, "To be honest, I have met the nineteenth son several times. Could it be that you don't remember?"

The speaker was about eighteen or nineteen years old, wearing a black headband, with a face as handsome as a crown, and a very distinguished appearance. Standing in front of him, Du Shiyi could clearly smell the fragrant aroma. He naturally did not mistake him for a woman, knowing that the Tang people loved incense, and prominent families often had secret methods for making it. However, hearing the other person lavish praise on him upon meeting, he frowned slightly and returned the courtesy, asking, "Is the elder also from Jingzhao?"

"Truly, the nineteenth son is a person of high status who forgets easily! I am Liu Ximing, and I often invite friends to visit the Du family in Fanquan, so I have seen the nineteenth son several times over the years."

Seeing the person answer frankly, Du Shiyi glanced at the others, noticing that most were watching them with interest. He smiled slightly, "I didn't expect to meet an old acquaintance in a foreign place. Since the elder is also from Jingzhao, it seems your information is a bit outdated. A serious illness at the end of last year almost cost the life of the nineteenth son, who was once only slightly famous. It also left me without any inspiration for writing, and I can hardly produce decent poetry or prose anymore. If it weren't for my young sister, who traveled a thousand miles to seek medical help in Songshan, I wouldn't be standing here today."

Upon hearing this, the people from Luoyang, who had been pondering the fame of the nineteenth son of the Du family, were now enlightened, and their expressions varied. Some shook their heads in regret, some nodded silently, and some were secretly pleased. However, regardless of their thoughts, many looked at Liu Ximing with different gazes. Faced with these clearly different looks, Liu Ximing could only maintain his composure and said, "I have been in Luoyang for the past half year and truly did not know about the misfortune that befell the nineteenth son."

"Adversity is the cradle of fortune, and fortune is the harbinger of adversity. After this misfortune, I realized the value of family. Otherwise, I wouldn't have seen the light of day again, and I wouldn't feel that the worst is over, nor would I be preoccupied with the so-called decline of my talent."

Having calmly revealed the fact of his talent decline, Du Shiyi, after hearing Liu Ximing's defense, acted as if nothing had happened, bowed again, and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you." He then sat down in the last seat below Liu Ximing, which was his rightful place based on age.

"Since Mr. Sima has honored us with his presence at Songyang Temple, and everyone has already met, why not seek his guidance now?"

Master Song Fuzhen, seemingly unaware of the awkward atmosphere in the room, began his opening remarks. At this point, Du Shiyi realized that his invitation today was not because Sima Heiyun's matter had any progress, but because of another grand event. He wondered who this Mr. Sima was, who not only attracted Taoists but also people from Luoyang, including many prominent families. As he pondered, he curiously looked at the person, only to meet his gaze.

"Mr. Sima's 'Treatise on Sitting and Forgetting' I have read many times. In the fifth chapter, it says, 'Though there are pursuits, do not let the heart be swayed by gain or loss.' However, in life, unless one is a sage, if one has pursuits, one will inevitably be concerned with gain or loss. May I ask, Mr. Sima, how can one eliminate the heart of gain and loss?"

A young scholar's sudden question made Mr. Sima look away from Du Shiyi and smile, "Because it is so difficult to achieve, I said in the 'Treatise on Sitting and Forgetting' that it can be done with effort. Gain and loss are desires, and desires are human nature. But to achieve sitting and forgetting, if one cannot discard these, how can one be calm and composed? For example, if I, a person of the world, were to seek fame and fortune like the scholars in the imperial examinations or the officials in the court, that would be too much concern with gain and loss. I once said that the study of yin-yang and numerology is heretical and of no use in governing the country or cultivating oneself. To truly seek purity and transcendence, one must start with self-reflection. Zengzi said, 'I examine myself three times a day,' which is a profound truth. I share this with all of you!"

Having seen many charlatans in historical books, Du Shiyi, who was now skeptical of deities, could not help but applaud Mr. Sima's straightforward words. Seeing the others nod in agreement, he perked up, thinking that today's event would not be as difficult as he had expected. Indeed, one after another, people began to ask questions, ranging from the 'Treatise on Sitting and Forgetting' to the 'Tianyinzi' and the practice of breathing for health. As he listened with great interest, Liu Ximing, who had been silent after being questioned, suddenly spoke again.

"Mr. Sima's method of breathing for health is said to be highly regarded even by the Former Emperor. I wonder if, for a condition like Little Master Du's, breathing for health could restore his former inspiration?"

This question was not only sharp but also directly targeted Du Shiyi, causing a moment of silence in the hall. Du Shiyi merely frowned slightly and looked thoughtfully at the smiling Mr. Sima, who stroked his beard and nodded, "Breathing for health is about longevity, but its effects take a long time. It's not a shortcut. If breathing for health could restore inspiration, the Taoist community would be overwhelmed. Moreover, Little Master Du's condition has already been treated by Zifang, and he is now out of danger. I won't overstep my bounds. Of course, if Little Master Du is interested in learning breathing techniques with me, that is also possible."

This half-joking, half-serious response made everyone smile. Since the matter involved him and Mr. Sima had already answered, Du Shiyi calmly said, "Recovering from a serious illness is already a stroke of luck. To ask for more would be ungrateful. Even if I cannot be a scholar, I can still be a legal official; if not a legal official, I can still excel in martial arts and fight on the battlefield; even if I fail in both, I can still be a bookworm; if not a bookworm, I can still be a farmer!"

Liu Ximing's question was deflected by Mr. Sima, and upon hearing Du Shiyi's final words, he could not help but sigh, "Being a farmer is a lowly occupation. Why be so disheartened, nineteenth son?"

"Being a farmer is not necessarily lowly. Didn't Zhuge Li