Chapter 119: Riding a Tiger, Unable to Dismount

Zhen Qian searched his brain in vain, feeling completely at a loss. What should he do? What should he plagiarize?

He scanned his surroundings. The room was furnished with utter simplicity: a heated brick bed and a few chairs. There were no jade screens or intricately carved beams, though it was spotlessly clean. On the windowsill, a narcissus was in full, competitive bloom. An idea struck him.

"The mountain need not be high; it is famous if there is a deity. The water need not be deep; it is magical if there is a dragon. This is a humble dwelling, but my virtue makes it fragrant..."

"What? Are you not satisfied?"

Zhen Qian had recited the lines with a self-indulgent, carefree air, but when he finished and heard no praise behind him, his heart skipped a beat. "Oh, no!" It occurred to him that dedicating this poem to Li Cui was perhaps ill-advised. Who was Li Cui? He was the Emperor’s tenth son and the nephew of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. He lived in luxury, wore the finest silks, resided in grand mansions, was constantly surrounded by attendants, and enjoyed high office and fine horses. Reciting "In Praise of a Humble Dwelling" to such a man—was he insulting him? Was he out of his mind?

Disaster born from joy!

Ignorance is truly terrifying! Zhen Qian wished he could scrub his mouth raw. Why did he have to show off? Now, if Li Cui flew into a rage, he might just earn himself an early, free-of-charge reincarnation.

He stole a glance backward, and his heart finally settled.

He saw Li Cui and Fujiwara no Sukehio holding their wine cups, their mouths agape, staring at him in utter shock as if they were seeing a complete stranger.

"The commoner saw that the room was simple and was moved to speak. I hope you will forgive my impertinence!"

He had to set the tone for the poem immediately: he was absolutely not satirizing the Li clan; it had nothing to do with them. If you insist on taking it personally, that is your own business.

"A masterpiece... yet another masterpiece!" Fujiwara no Sukehio set down his wine cup, smoothed his robes, and bowed deeply to Zhen Qian with immense respect. "Master Zhen, your talent is vast. To hear such a work today—the lingering echoes will surely last for three days. To have met you in this life is enough!"

After a long pause, Li Cui sighed softly: "How fortunate for our Great Tang that from this day forth, we have gained another peerless talent. How joyous, how wonderful!"

Zhen Qian quietly wiped the cold sweat from his brow. Yes! He had bluffed his way through... that was a damn close call.

"You are too kind! My humble work... it is hardly worth mentioning!"

"If this is a humble work, then there are no masterpieces left in the world!"

Li Cui grabbed Zhen Qian’s hand, his eyes shining as if he had discovered a rare beauty. He trembled with such excitement that it seemed he might pass out at any moment.

*I am not into men, and the beauties of the world are waiting for me! Why are you holding my hand? Can you give me a little dignity?*

Watching the fiery look in Li Cui’s eyes, Zhen Qian was truly frightened. This was too much! Even if it was a masterpiece, couldn't the old man calm down? Had he never heard of high blood pressure or heart failure? If he died here, wouldn't the entire Zhen family be buried with him?

"I thought that after governing Hengzhou for many years, I had come to understand the great talents hidden among the people. Today, I realize I was narrow-minded. One fails to see the true face of Mount Lu only because one is within the mountain itself. Truly, you are a great recluse."

"Master Zhen is a genius of the age. Cao Zhi composed a poem in seven steps, but you, Master Zhen, took only six to create this monumental work. It is unprecedented, and I fear it will be difficult for anyone to match in the future."

Zhen Qian sighed inwardly. Liu Yuxi, Lu You, Zhou Dunyi... if you have spirits in heaven, please do not blame me. I was forced by circumstance and had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure. With your immense future talents, composing ten or eight more poems should be no problem. I am just borrowing these for now. If you object, just say the word... but if you don't, I will assume your consent.

Still, it was not his own work, and he felt a bit guilty. He would try to avoid such things in the future. If he ever ran into real geniuses like Li Taibai or Bai Juyi, his own meager store of ink would surely be exposed.

Li Cui finally let go of his hands and clapped Zhen Qian hard on the shoulder: "This is where you are wrong! To harbor such brilliance in your chest and yet hide it in the marketplace—what does this do to the dignity of the Great Tang?"

He was elevating this to a matter of national importance!

"When I return to the capital, I must report this to the Emperor. How can such a talent be hidden away? This is a loss to the Tang. Soon, the court will surely issue an edict summoning you to serve as an official..." Li Cui suddenly laughed, pointing at Zhen Qian. "Your Zhen family is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Zhen Ji hid away in Qingyan Mountain for over a decade, and just last month, he was finally summoned to serve as a secretary in Fanyang. Don't tell me you intend to follow in his footsteps!"

"My third uncle, Zhen Ji, has become an official?"

Zhen Qian was startled. His third uncle had lost his father young, was quiet and studious, and was praised by all as a scholar. He had hidden in Qingyan Mountain for over ten years, refusing to enter government service. He never expected him to end up working as a secretary under An Lushan. How unpredictable life is!

Everyone has their own aspirations. He hid to avoid trouble; perhaps Zhen Ji was waiting for the right price or the best opportunity to enter service. Regardless, his motives were different from his uncle's.

"The Great Tang is currently at peace, with prosperity everywhere. This is a once-in-a-century opportunity. You recluses who hide and refuse to serve are being disloyal to the Emperor. To not want to bring honor to your ancestors is unfilial. To have talent and not serve the country is unrighteous. To not bring blessings to the common people is unkind. What use is there for someone who is disloyal, unfilial, unrighteous, and unkind!"

This was backing him into a corner! How had he become disloyal, unfilial, unrighteous, and unkind? This was quite the accusation!

"I have been instructed!"

Zhen Qian humbly accepted the criticism. People hide away to enjoy their lives—what business is it of the Li Tang dynasty? Must everyone in the world serve the Li Tang like dogs to be considered loyal, filial, kind, and righteous? Must the whole world revolve around the Li Tang for it to be the truth? Did he think he was God, or the sun?

"Hm! Very good! You are a teachable youth!"

Li Cui was very satisfied that Zhen Qian recognized his ideological errors. No written confession was needed; his attitude was sincere, his response was timely, and since he had awakened to the truth, it was not too late to continue grooming him.

"A young man should not only think of comfort. You must think more of the court and the common people; you must make the world your responsibility. Why else do we study the teachings of the sages?"

"When poor, cultivate your own virtue; when prosperous, bring blessings to the world!"

"Excellent! Your studies have not been in vain," Li Cui said with satisfaction. "The ancients say one should listen to a man's words and observe his actions. I have heard much of what you have done in Luquan County. You are charitable, repairing bridges and building roads; you have the spirit of Mengchang. It is clear you are not a man who craves wealth, though indulging in the pleasures of the palate occasionally is not a crime. Remember that!"

Zhen Qian was glad he hadn't recited Zhang Hengqu’s "To establish a heart for heaven and earth, to establish a life for the people, to carry on the lost teachings of the sages, and to create peace for ten thousand generations." After listening to Li Cui’s long-winded preaching, all he wanted was for him to serve the Li Tang. It would have been far more practical to just give him some beauties or gold and silver.

He was now in a difficult position. Being a clerk in Luquan County was one thing, but now Li Cui wanted to recommend him for an official post. Wasn't that a death sentence?

He couldn't say no to Li Cui right now. To refuse his kindness would be disrespectful. What exactly did he want? The Three Fundamental Bonds and Five Constant Virtues of the feudal order could really crush a man. He must not cross the Li Tang for now; he would endure for the moment, and if it came to it, he would simply feign illness.