Chapter 10

Hearing the county magistrate’s assistant about to step forward, the high village head quickly moved to guide the way, pushed open the remaining half of the door, and looked inside, saying, "Oh, someone spent the night here."

Inside the temple, the traces of the fire were still fresh, and the ashes of the incense had not yet scattered with the wind. This immediately made the two men with knives alert, "Please wait a moment, sir!"

Saying this, they rushed in and carefully searched the temple.

The county magistrate’s assistant, not taking it seriously, stepped in, took the burning incense from Qing'er’s hand, performed the ritual, and then inserted it into the incense burner.

Suddenly, one of the guards exclaimed in surprise.

"What is it?" The county magistrate’s assistant frowned and asked.

"Sir, there is a memorial text here... Please come and take a look."

"Oh?"

The county magistrate’s assistant knew that this clansman was not one to make a fuss over nothing, so he walked over and saw a poem on the wall. At first glance, the wall was filled with golden literary aura.

"Quite a good memorial text. I wonder which scholar spent the night here, in a youthful frenzy, and wrote it... Hmm, this calligraphy is quite innovative."

The county magistrate’s assistant was taken aback for a moment, then focused on the memorial text: "Passing by this place, I cannot help but feel moved, and hereby offer my respects: The general was born in the previous dynasty, rising from the common people. At a time when the emperor lost control of the empire, rebels rose up everywhere. The general fought in the south and the north, quelling rebellions many times over fourteen years on the battlefield. Alas, the fortunes of the world have their limits, and each person has their own virtues. Thus, this defeat is not a fault of the battle. Now, the spirits are not blind, and their judgment is still present. May they be honored!"

The county magistrate’s assistant smiled at first, but then his heart stirred. The memorial text was well-written. As he looked again, he vaguely saw a green aura, which startled him.

"Song of Ascending the Ancient Wei Battlefield"

"Before me, no ancient sages are seen; behind me, no future ones will be."

"Thinking of the vastness of heaven and earth, I alone feel sorrow and shed tears!"

These twenty-two characters had a magical quality, drawing the county magistrate’s assistant’s gaze. He read it repeatedly, his expression becoming melancholy, which surprised the attendant Qing'er behind him.

Due to the influence of the superior, she also understood poetry and was skilled in appreciation, though she had no official rank and could not practice Daoist arts or see the literary aura. She was somewhat surprised, "Sir, this poem is good, but it’s not that impressive, is it?"

"Qing'er, you do not practice Daoist arts and are a woman, so it’s hard for you to understand... The memorial text is fine, but this poem, with its golden and green aura, cannot be viewed with ordinary eyes. If we were to carefully distinguish it, this could be called a Daoist poem, which is extraordinary!"

Qing'er was surprised by this significant evaluation.

The county magistrate’s assistant, noticing the signature at the bottom of the poem, was moved and sighed, "Ye Qing, he must be a descendant of the Ye family in this county. Without an official title, he must be a commoner... But this memorial text and poem show the style of a scholar. The Ye family’s good fortune is truly enviable!"

Everyone present immediately echoed his words. The county magistrate then instructed, "Find out who this Ye Qing is. As the county’s chief examiner, I cannot be unaware of the talents in the county!"

"Yes." Someone responded. The elders below were secretly envious and somewhat jealous.

According to the system of this dynasty, the county magistrate governed the entire county, while the county magistrate’s assistant was in charge of literary and Daoist records and presided over the child examinations. This statement suggested that Ye Qing would likely pass the child examination.

After inspecting the northern part of the county, the county magistrate’s assistant naturally had to visit the local prominent families to strengthen ties and cooperation. The Ye family was naturally on the list.

Outside the building

The clan leader Ye Mengqiu’s laughter could be faintly heard downstairs, indicating unusual joy. As one approached, the sound became clearer.

In the conversation, the county magistrate’s assistant was named Lu Ming, from a high-ranking family in Luzhou. His branch of the family had some distant ties to the Ye family, and he referred to the clan leader as uncle, indicating a certain foundation for cooperation. If they could find some common interests...

Ye Mengqiu, dressed in a white linen Daoist robe, thought quickly, his movements in pouring tea unhurried: "If you had come earlier, I could have introduced my third son to you. He is a few years younger than you and has been doing business in Luzhou for the past two years. He is worried about being unfamiliar with the area and lacking support."

The county magistrate’s assistant, dressed in a blue casual outfit, stroked his beard and smiled, "This is easy. I will write a letter when I return, and the merchants in Luzhou will give some face. Moreover, the mountain goods here, as I have seen on my journey, are precious but hard to obtain. It’s impressive that he has achieved this."

Ye Mengqiu personally served a cup of tea, "My nephew truly cares for the people. I offer this tea in place of wine, on behalf of the villagers."

The county magistrate’s assistant quickly took the cup with both hands, "Serving as an official, one should bring benefits to the people. I do not deserve such a gesture from you... In fact, I have long wished to tour the entire county, but as a newcomer, I did not want to overshadow the county magistrate, so I stayed in the county for half a year, which I find embarrassing, truly embarrassing!"

The "county magistrate" was the main official above the county magistrate’s assistant, also known as the "hundred-li marquis" in the official world.

Ye Mengqiu understood the situation. This was the county magistrate’s assistant seeking local alliances, but he did not rush to express his stance. He turned to talk about some local anecdotes and curiosities. This was not just out of reserve, as it involved the rise and fall of the family. Even if he was interested, he could not agree immediately, which would make him seem too eager and be looked down upon.

The county magistrate’s assistant was familiar with this and did not press the issue, joining in the conversation.

A gentle breeze blew, and the small gathering became harmonious. After two cups of tea, wine was served, and Ye Mengqiu called three young girls to accompany them.

The three girls were all around sixteen or seventeen years old, not heavily made up, wearing light dresses, standing gracefully. Each had black hair and bright eyes, and the girl on the left of the county magistrate’s assistant was particularly gentle and beautiful, called "Xiao He" by the old man, her laughter and demeanor adding to the atmosphere, showing a level of poise and insight not typical of a servant.

The county magistrate’s assistant did not look at her much. The girls present would not be direct descendants of the clan, perhaps they were daughters of servants, but who knew if they were distant relatives of the Ye family?

The county magistrate’s assistant was of the type who achieved success later in life and had passed the age of seeking pleasure. He valued practical benefits and did not want to get involved in unnecessary trouble.

After three rounds of wine, the county magistrate’s assistant smiled and finished a cup of wine, changing the topic, "Speaking of which, I encountered something interesting in the mountains a few days ago, which may be related to a member of your family. I would like to ask Uncle about it."

This indeed piqued the interest of those present. Ye Mengqiu stroked his white beard and smiled, "Oh, I would be happy to help you understand."

The county magistrate’s assistant then briefly recounted his experience that night, reciting the poem with great seriousness.

None of those present were vulgar, and they deeply appreciated poetry. Influenced by their initial expectations, they were greatly impressed by "Song of Ascending the Ancient Wei Battlefield."

"Before me, no ancient sages are seen; behind me, no future ones will be... The words are simple, but the meaning is profound. Who in our family has this style?" Ye Mengqiu pondered, recalling the earlier conversation, his gaze filled with doubt.

If there was such a poem, it would have been well-known within the clan, and the author would have received special attention and care. How could it have gone unnoticed?

The three girls listened with wide eyes, finding such stories, which usually only existed in novels and songs, appearing in real life, stirring their hearts.

Xiao He, unable to resist the hints from her sisters, being of higher status, asked on their behalf, "Sir, do you know who it is?"

"The signature is Ye Qing. Do you have...?"

"Ah, it’s him..." Xiao He exclaimed, quickly covering her mouth, blushing from the embarrassment of her impoliteness, silently scolding herself for losing composure in front of a distinguished guest.

The county magistrate’s assistant, not concerned with such minor details, became more interested, "Is this Ye Qing a member of your family? I apologize for my ignorance. I would like to meet him if possible."

When Ye Mengqiu heard Ye Qing’s name, he was startled and immediately had thoughts. But he was a very deep person, thinking carefully while speaking slowly, "He is a member of my family, just fifteen years old, and is about to take the child examination. Since you have summoned him, it would be improper not to meet him... Xiao He, please bring Ye Qing up."

"Yes!" Xiao He bowed and turned, descending the stairs, her hairpin in the shape of a fan revealing her attractive figure, making her particularly charming!

The county magistrate’s assistant was momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure, seeing Ye Mengqiu smile, "This is my adopted daughter, just sixteen years old. If you think..."

"Cough!" The county magistrate’s assistant was startled, coughed, and his pale cheeks showed no unusual expression, raising his cup, "When we meet, please do not reveal my identity... The child examination is approaching, and it would be inappropriate for me to meet him privately. The more talented, the more protection they need."

Ye Mengqiu, seeing this, did not mention Xiao He again, raising his cup, "I will thank you on behalf of Ye Qing."

The school was not far, and Ye Qing was brought to the building in about two hours.

In the last floor, where no one else was present, Xiao He turned and kindly reminded, "The person you are about to meet is a distinguished guest. Please be careful with your words."

"Thank you for the reminder." Ye Qing bowed and moved forward, reaching the inside, and bowed to Ye Mengqiu and the middle-aged man, "Qing greets the clan leader and this distinguished guest."

The young man’s manners were proper, exuding a literary aura, which made the county magistrate’s assistant’s eyes brighten. He glanced at Ye Mengqiu and smiled, "Please sit. In this gathering, we only discuss poetry, not status. I read this 'Song of Ascending the Ancient Wei Battlefield' the other day and have been thinking about it. Please help me understand..."

"Of course." Ye Qing responded, looking at Ye Mengqiu, who nodded, and then sat down.

Xiao He, following the rules, did not reveal who the middle-aged man was, but Ye Qing, having seen him in his previous life, knew he was the county magistrate’s assistant. The county magistrate’s assistant asked questions, and Ye Qing answered them calmly.

The county magistrate’s assistant, while asking, carefully observed Ye Qing. Seeing his face, which had a sharp and unkind appearance, he was initially displeased, and his mood dropped by seven-tenths.

However, the subsequent answers satisfied the county magistrate’s assistant, increasing his appreciation. He thought, regardless of the face, the talent was there, and said, "You have good literary talent. This autumn, you will be one more child examinee!"

Ye Qing smiled bitterly but did not respond, which made the observing county magistrate’s assistant pause, "What is the problem? Do you have any difficulties?"

The elder asked, and Ye Qing then said, "The other night, I dreamed of a golden-armored deity summoning me, so I traveled thirty miles to the mountains, spent the night in the temple, and wrote on the wall. This was indeed rash, and I was punished with a three-month house arrest. I feel this punishment is justified and dare not disobey."

The county magistrate’s assistant looked at Ye Mengqiu, seeing his face turn red, and laughed, "This is too harsh. I will speak with your clan leader, and you should go to the examination."

Ye Qing was overjoyed, thanked the county magistrate’s assistant, and then thanked Ye Mengqiu, before leaving.

Watching Ye Qing’s back, Ye Mengqiu was deep in thought, his eyes slightly narrowed, looking into the distance, and then took a deep breath.

Lu Ming, holding his wine, laughed, "Your family has produced another talent... This young man has the aura of a Daoist and a literary bone, making him one of us. Compared to others, he has a bit of cunning, but that’s not unusual. What do you think, Uncle?"

"Haha, you’re right, you’re right..." Ye Mengqiu laughed, not saying more, just raising his cup.

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