Chapter 26: The Daughter of the Changsun Clan Comes of Age

Zheng Yanqing and Ma Sanbao passed through a narrow corridor and stepped into a cloister.

This was the back garden of the Zhangsun estate. It was early spring, and the crabapple blossoms were on the verge of blooming. Bright sunlight bathed the garden, reflecting off the ripples of the pond, creating a mesmerizing scene. In a pavilion, a young boy held a book, reciting verses with his head swaying rhythmically. From the courtyard came the occasional silver-bell laughter of a young girl, adding a touch of vitality to the spring scenery.

"Brother, Brother!"

Zheng Yanqing heard a delicate call and turned toward the sound. He saw a little girl perched on the branch of a tall cherry tree, waving excitedly at the boy in the pavilion. In her hand, she held a cluster of bright red, seemingly ripe cherries.

"Brother, look! The cherries are ripe, the cherries are ripe!" she shouted with excitement.

The boy in the pavilion looked up. His expression turned grim instantly.

"Guanyinbi, come down! It's dangerous!"

He rushed out of the pavilion, urging her to sit still as he approached. But the little girl seemed not to hear, continuing to wave her arms excitedly. Perhaps this was the first time she had climbed such a high tree in her life. Seeing the boy running toward her, she seemed a bit nervous, clutching the cluster of cherries and retreating slowly.

*Creak, creak!*

The branch suddenly shuddered, emitting a faint sound of snapping wood.

The boy realized the situation was dire. Casting aside any concern for his own composure, he sprinted at full speed toward the cherry tree. Just as he rounded the pond and neared the base of the tree, the little girl let out a startled cry. The branch snapped, and she plummeted. The boy’s mouth hung open in terror, but before he could even scream, a figure flashed past, catching the girl mid-air. They hit the ground with a thud and rolled to cushion the fall.

"Guanyinbi! Guanyinbi!"

The boy shouted her name, and the maids playing in the garden rushed over.

On the lush green grass, Zheng Yanqing helped the little girl up. "Little one, are you alright?"

The girl widened her dark, liquid eyes and suddenly burst into tears. The suddenness of the event had shocked her into silence, but seeing Zheng Yanqing, she felt a sense of safety and finally let out her cries.

"Wait, is that you?"

The boy ran over and froze upon seeing Zheng Yanqing. He recognized him, of course, but his primary concern was the girl. Ignoring any formalities, he rushed over, scooped her up, and checked her over. Seeing she was unhurt, he let out a sigh of relief.

He hugged the girl, soothing her, "There, there, Guanyinbi, don't cry!"

The girl was unharmed. After a few sobs, she huddled in the boy’s arms, curiously peering at Zheng Yanqing. Yanqing looked somewhat disheveled, his white robe now covered in dirt.

The little girl suddenly giggled, her tear-streaked face appearing all the more charming for that smile. "Big Brother, have a cherry!" She held out the cluster of cherries she had been clutching.

Yanqing paused, then smiled and accepted the gift. The girl’s smile brightened even further.

The boy stood up and turned to Zheng Yanqing. "Zheng Yanqing, what are you doing at my home?"

"Your home?"

"Oh, I am Zhangsun Wuji, and this is my younger sister, Wugou. Thank you for saving her just now; otherwise, she would surely have been hurt."

Zheng Yanqing’s pupils constricted!

He was Zhangsun Wuji?

Zheng Yanqing had long admired this man, who would go down in history as the head of the twenty-four meritorious officials of the Lingyan Pavilion. Although he knew they would meet sooner or later, he hadn't expected it to happen so soon, and in such a manner.

Zhangsun Wuji was slightly older than Zheng Yanqing but stood half a head shorter. He had a bit of baby fat and a round face; when he smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits, giving him an unassuming, harmless appearance. But one would be a fool to underestimate him. This was the man who, alongside Li Er, would one day forge the glorious Zhenguan era.

"So it is Elder Brother Zhangsun," Zheng Yanqing said, cupping his hands. "I was invited by the Great General to pay a visit. Wugou, are you still frightened?"

Zhangsun Wugou’s porcelain-white, peach-blossom-pink face flushed with a faint blush. She shrank back against Zhangsun Wuji, nodded slightly, and murmured a sound of affirmation without speaking further.

Zhangsun Wuji felt a flicker of confusion: His father invited him? What for?

As he pondered, Zheng Yanqing bowed. "Elder Brother, I have other matters to attend to, so I shall not intrude further. Guanyinbi, be more obedient in the future and don't climb trees again, do you hear? If something had gone wrong, your parents would have been devastated."

Zhangsun Wugou agreed obediently.

Zheng Yanqing and Ma Sanbao departed. Shortly after, Madam Gao and Zhangsun Sheng arrived, having heard the news. Madam Gao gathered Wugou into her arms. "Guanyinbi, are you hurt?"

Wugou shook her head, then whispered into her mother's ear, "Mother, I just saw the dashing big brother!"

Madam Gao was taken aback. Then, Zhangsun Wuji explained what had happened. Madam Gao realized the "dashing big brother" was Zheng Yanqing. Her heart stirred, and a smile graced her face. "Guanyinbi, you will be able to see that big brother often from now on. Are you happy?"

"Really?" Wugou asked, her eyes wide with excitement and a hint of doubt.

Glancing at Zhangsun Sheng, who was busy chiding the maids, Madam Gao lowered her voice. "Your father has decided to take Zheng Yanqing as his disciple!"

Zhangsun Wuji’s body stiffened: Father is taking Zheng Yanqing as a disciple?

***

The news that Zhangsun Sheng was to take on Zheng Yanqing as a disciple spread like wildfire through the streets and alleys of Luoyang.

People were both puzzled and yet found it entirely logical. Zhangsun Sheng was a high-ranking official and a member of a prestigious family; Zheng Yanqing, born of the Xingyang Zheng clan, was exceptionally talented and skilled in both letters and martial arts. Thus, such an apprenticeship made sense. Those with a keen eye could see that this union would add a brilliant stroke to Zheng Yanqing’s future.

At the same time, the poem "Leaving the Frontier" that Yanqing had presented to Zhangsun Sheng also began to circulate. Reflecting on Zhangsun Sheng’s career and accomplishments since entering service, the poem seemed remarkably fitting.

Many officials remaining in Luoyang secretly cautioned their children: do not cause trouble, and do not be like Mai Zhong, who had provoked Zheng Yanqing. It was not just because Zheng Yanqing was currently the talk of the town, but because of Zhangsun Sheng. They might ignore a declining Xingyang Zheng clan, but they could never underestimate the influence of Zhangsun Sheng.

He was, after all, a true pillar of the imperial court!

***

"Yanqing, you are to be the disciple of Great General Zhangsun?"

That evening, Pei Xingyan did not attend the Lantern Festival in Luoyang, but instead rushed to the Bamboo Garden with Xue Wanche to inquire.

The ball-kicking team from the twenty-eighth of the twelfth lunar month had already disbanded. Xue Shou and Yao Yi had left Luoyang; Dou Xiaowen had been taken to Chang'an by Dou Wei, who claimed that since the boy was turning sixteen the following year, he would be sent to serve under Dou Kang’s command. This signaled that Dou Xiaowen had officially entered the inner circle of the Dou family. Eight had become five, and it was said that Xue Wanche would soon return to Hedong.

As they soaked in the hot springs in the mountain valley, Zheng Yanqing nodded at Pei Xingyan’s question.

"Yes, the apprenticeship ceremony is in ten days. Before that, I must fast and clear my mind, so I’m afraid I won't be able to spend time with you all. By the way, Elder Brother Pei, have you heard any news? Is the Governor of Henan about to take action?"

Zheng Yanqing felt that Zhangsun Sheng would not have mentioned the Governor of Henan lightly, nor would he have urged him to avoid Luoyang.

Pei Xingyan thought for a moment. "Nothing major, I suppose. Though I heard my father say the Emperor intends to build the Yongji Canal in Hebei, connecting the Qin River to the Yellow River, from Huixian to Linqing, and then to Zhuojun. It’s an enormous project... Oh, I remember now, my father told me to keep a low profile lately. I heard Governor Fang intends to clear out the refugees in Luoyang; that must be it."

The number of refugees in Luoyang was increasing, so a crackdown was inevitable. Zheng Yanqing was not overly concerned. He assumed Fang Yanqian was merely using the refugee issue to tighten security in the city. With more and more aristocrats moving from Chang'an to Luoyang, the behavior of their spoiled scions had become a blight on the city.

But did Fang Yanqian have the capital to stand against those powerful families? When he served as a Sima in Xuzhou, he had enacted sweeping reforms with success, but Luoyang was not Xuzhou. Zheng Yanqing was not optimistic about his success. If things went wrong, Fang Yanqian might even find himself in ruin.

What truly concerned Zheng Yanqing was the construction of the Yongji Canal. It wasn't that the canal couldn't be built, but given the current state of the Sui dynasty, it seemed like draining the pond to catch all the fish. Last year, the construction of the Tongji Canal had caused uprisings among refugees and left lands barren. Now, starting the Yongji Canal in Hebei might lead to dire consequences. Yang Guang’s scholarly idealism was on full display—pursuing speed and efficiency without regard for the practical reality. He heard that bandits had already appeared in Hebei last year; if they pushed this construction, would it not worsen the refugee situation? That was the real problem.

Perhaps the decline of the Sui dynasty was being paved by the construction of this Grand Canal.

Yet, facing all this, Zheng Yanqing felt powerless to intervene.

After chatting with his young friends, he bathed, changed, and returned to the Bamboo Garden. Pei Xingyan and Xue Wanche were so relaxed from the soak that they decided to stay the night at the Bamboo Garden rather than return to Luoyang.

Zheng Yanqing read for a while, then summoned Ma Sanbao to his side.

"Ma Sanbao, you are not from the Zhangsun household, are you?"

The casual nature of the question startled Ma Sanbao. He looked up, surprised.

"Today at the Pili Hall, I noticed that when you saw Zhangsun Wuji, you did not perform the rites of a servant. Zhangsun Wuji did not seem to mind, and while he spoke with me, he did not even cast a glance in your direction. Therefore, I suspect you are not a member of the Pili Hall. Ma Sanbao, tell me, where do you really come from?"