A Word Worth a Thousand Gold, What Say You?

"Beacon fires tempered courage and gall; armor forged Kunlun. For ten years, spear held crosswise, pointed south; heroic spirit split the layered clouds. Once I trod Poshushuo's blue-gray waves, then bound Cangshan's demons and sprites, settling border dust with laughter. Barbarian drums sank to the abyss; Wei banners stood at heaven's edge."

"The birthday feast begins, golden cups brim, spring graces Meng Pass. Why mourn over crane-white hair? The stars themselves are marks of merit! A thousand ridges' pine waves sing praises, ten thousand valleys' starry rivers brew the wine; mountains and seas grow drunk together. I wish to borrow Heaven's brush and rewrite Marquis Dingyuan's feats!"

After Xiao Wuge finished reciting in a clear voice, the inexplicably surging hot blood in his chest made his little face flush slightly.

Xiao Wuge hurriedly caught his breath, feeling somewhat uneasy, afraid that Xiao Yuan and the others would blame him if he had performed poorly.

Yet the courtyard was silent as a grave. No one paid him any attention at all.

Old Sun's name was Fu, courtesy name Changming. He had once served as Left Provincial Administrator of Shu Provincial Administration.

For the moment, never mind his achievements as an official—he was certainly learned.

Thus, after hearing these lyrics, he could not suppress the surge of bold feeling within him and blurted out:

"Fine lyrics, fine lyrics indeed! They recall the past and brim with heroic spirit!"

"Every word and every line is just right. Old Xiao, this birthday banquet of yours will probably make plenty of old fellows green with envy."

Duke of Gan Zhang Xuan's mouth twitched slightly. Damn it, was this really not written for him?

"The lyrics are good, but they would clearly suit this old man even better."

At the side, Xiao Qiuyun's eyes shone brilliantly as she listened.

But the person most deeply moved was none other than Old Marquis Xiao, Xiao Yuan.

Sitting upright in his chair, he ignored the words of his two old friends. He kept murmuring the lines of the lyrics, and scenes from the past several decades of warfare involuntarily rose in his mind.

There was the time he drove back the Barbarian Tribe army at Mengshui Pass; there was the time he led the Dingyuan Army south to conquer the Poshushuo Kingdom, planting Great Wei's banners across every city there.

There was also the remorse and anguish he felt whenever members of the Xiao Family died on the battlefield.

All of it remained as vivid as though it had happened yesterday.

His eyes could not help reddening as he sighed, "It was hard on Chen Yi, writing such a Birthday Ode for this old man. Ah."

Zhang Xuan's face was full of sour envy. "Just enjoy it in secret, then. If you don't want it, give it to me."

Even if everything in the lyrics was true, using them for Old Xiao was just... damn it, what a waste.

Xiao Yuan laughed angrily. "Get lost."

Sun Fu, however, sighed. "Old Xiao, your grandson-in-law has truly given you a grand gift this time."

"How so?"

"These lyrics are enough to be passed down for a hundred generations. Wouldn't you call that a grand gift?"

With Sun Fu's insight, it was not hard for him to see the power of these lyrics. It meant that Old Xiao, an old fellow with not half a shred of literary talent, would be passed down through the ages along with them.

"Passed down for a hundred generations? Then wouldn't this old man..."

"That's right. You'll leave your name through the ages alongside these lyrics."

Xiao Yuan froze. He would be lying if he said he was not delighted. Who lived a life without wishing to leave a name behind?

Yet he could not help feeling somewhat awkward. So after a lifetime of military campaigns, his fame would not last as long as a single poem or lyric?

At that moment, Zhang Xuan came to his senses. He looked at Old Marquis Xiao, carefully examining him inside and out, up and down, before suddenly revealing a rather amiable smile.

"Old Xiao, this old man's birthday will be coming before long as well. How about we make a deal and you transfer these lyrics to this old man?"

As he spoke, he patted his chest and guaranteed, "Don't worry. I'll pay a most generous writing fee."

Before Old Marquis Xiao could refuse, Sun Fu rose straight to his feet, so angry that his beard bristled and his eyes bulged. "You shameless old thing! You have no face at all! You dare even entertain such thoughts?"

Zhang Xuan cast him a sidelong glance. "Old Sun, this old man is the current Duke of Gan."

"And I earned my Jinshi degree with honors in the thirty-second year of Yongping. Say whatever you like, old fellow, but these lyrics have no share for you. You killed Barbarians, hmm... so what if you killed a few? Have you ever been to the Poshushuo Kingdom?"

"This old man will lead the armies of Jiaozhou and Guangyue Prefecture to the border tomorrow and will surely plant my banners everywhere!"

"And what about Marquis Dingyuan?"

"This old man has decided to hold a grand birthday banquet here. Is that acceptable?"

"You... you have no shame! How can a masterpiece that appears but once in a hundred years be treated so—be so lightly demeaned?"

"Once in a hundred years?"

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment, then slapped his thigh and looked at Xiao Yuan. "Old Xiao, a word worth a thousand gold. What say you?"

"Get lost!" Xiao Yuan laughed as he cursed. "You have no shame, but this old man does."

"If people found out that this old man had sold the Birthday Ode written by his grandson-in-law, I fear I would stink for ten thousand years."

Zhang Xuan smacked his lips, still unwilling to give up. He repeatedly signaled to Xiao Qiuyun beside him, asking her to help smooth things over.

He truly loved these lyrics. They were enough to display his valor and achievements.

Back then, when the Barbarian King led his great army north to batter the passes, he too had brought Jiaozhou soldiers to provide support.

Though Xiao Yuan had been commander-in-chief of the three armies, Zhang Xuan had also earned his share of credit for driving back the Barbarian King's army.

Seeing this, Xiao Qiuyun thought for a moment and smiled. "Father, these lyrics are indeed excellent, but they were clearly written based on Eldest Uncle's life. They may not necessarily suit you."

"In Qiuyun's view, the person who tied the bell must be the one to untie it. The one who wrote these lyrics is right here in the residence."

Zhang Xuan considered it, then smiled.

"That is indeed the truth. Old Xiao, this old man will not fight you for these lyrics. Surely I can borrow someone from you instead?"

"Wu Ge's brother-in-law, right? Brother-in-law?"

Zhang Xuan paused, and his smile faded. With a puzzled sound, he said, "The husband of the second girl? Chen Xuanji's illegitimate son?"

Xiao Yuan nodded slightly and waved for the others to continue bringing food. "Chen Yi did indeed write it. What, do you have a mind to ask him for a piece?"

"Don't forget, old fellow, that a few days ago you condemned the Chen Family as worthless and cursed Chen Xuandu and Chen Xuanji, saying those two brothers relied on His Majesty's backing to turn Jiangnan Prefecture into a smoky miasma."

Zhang Xuan snorted awkwardly. "Times have changed. Chen Yi is now the Xiao Family son-in-law and has nothing to do with the Chen Family. Having him write some lyrics..."

Forget it.

He truly had no favorable impression of the Chen Family of Jiangnan. The thought that his own Birthday Ode might come from a Chen Family member's hand made him feel deeply uncomfortable.

With that thought, he changed the subject. "Old Sun, later, recommend a talented scholar skilled in poetry and lyrics for me. I'll give you twenty percent of the writing fee."

Sun Fu laughed and cursed him for being an old shameless thing. Then, as if recalling something, he sighed. "It is a pity about that child Chen Yi."

Xiao Yuan sat a little straighter. "Oh? Tell me, what is the pity?"

Sun Fu looked at him and hesitated slightly. "Old Xiao, I'll say something unpleasant. Don't be angry."

"From these lyrics alone, one can see that Chen Yi's learning is far from ordinary. I imagine the saying that spread through Jinling before—that he possessed both loyalty and filial piety, with talent surpassing others—must be true."

"But he is now your Xiao Family son-in-law and cannot enter official service. It will be difficult for him to display all the learning he possesses."

With a serious expression on his aged face, Sun Fu asked, "Is that not a pity?"

Xiao Yuan paused, then considered it. "It is indeed a pity."

Hearing this, Zhang Xuan looked at him suspiciously. "Old Xiao, when Jinghong chose a husband, why did you think of the Chen Family?"

"This..." Xiao Yuan shook his head. "That matter has passed. This old man does not wish to mention it again."

It involved too many things, and it would be difficult to explain clearly in a short while.

Yet Zhang Xuan had no intention of letting him off and pressed on. "This old man heard that Chen Yi did not have a good life in the Chen Family. That First Madam from the Cui Family had been suppressing him all along. Was she the one who arranged this matter?"

"More or less."

"Did Chen Xuanji know about it?"

"He probably did not. You and I both know that Chen Xuanji was ordered by His Majesty to serve as envoy to the Western Buddhist Kingdom and has yet to return."

"What about Chen Xuandu? He went to Northern Prefecture. Did he know about this?"

After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Yuan replied, "Perhaps he knew, perhaps he did not."

Seeing his strange expression and his unwillingness to say more, Zhang Xuan guessed there must be some hidden circumstances, so he did not press further. Still, he could not help reminding him:

"Old Xiao, those Chen brothers are neither easy to deal with. Watch yourself."

Xiao Yuan nodded silently. He knew all this already, so there was no need to say more.

After a short while.

Though Xiao Yuan's excitement had subsided, his complexion had grown even more ruddy. He ordered, "Bring the food. This old man will eat five bowls today!"

Soon, the servants came carrying food and wine, and Xiao Yuan called out:

"You two have seen this old man's appetite before. Today, let us compete and see who still has the courage of our younger days."

"Could it be that you can still eat half a cow in one meal?"

"Why can't I..."

Without further words, the three old fellows began wolfing down meat and drinking wine by the bowlful. Amid their laughter and merriment, it was as though they had returned to their youth.

Seeing this, Xiao Wuge bowed. "Grandfather, please continue eating. Your grandson will take his leave."

Xiao Yuan swallowed a huge chunk of pork. "Mm. Later, pass a message to your brother-in-law. Tell him this old man forgives him for fleeing marriage before."

Joy appeared on Xiao Wuge's face. After bowing, he prepared to return and tell Chen Yi this good news.

At that moment, Xiao Qiuyun, who had been sitting to the side with a smile on her face, spoke. "Wu Ge, don't leave yet. Take Heng'er to Chunhe Garden to play for a while."

"Mother, I don't want to go see that runaway groom. He..."

"Hmm?"

Before Zhang Heng could say more, Xiao Qiuyun shot him a glare that stopped his words. Somewhat sternly, she said:

"After you go there, you must not be rude. Do you understand?"

Zhang Heng answered with a sullen sound.

Xiao Wuge was reluctant, but after glancing at Xiao Yuan and the others and seeing them absorbed in eating and drinking, he could only leave with Zhang Heng.

After they left.

Xiao Yuan took a sip of wine to wash down the meat and said, seemingly casually, "Don't blame your Eldest Uncle for being meddlesome, but Heng'er should start studying."

Xiao Qiuyun's expression changed slightly, yet she did not dare argue and agreed.

Zhang Xuan glanced at her, smacked his lips, and said nothing.

Though there was an old saying that a child's failure to be taught was the father's fault, there was another saying: an overly indulgent mother ruins her child.

Sun Fu paid no attention to their family affairs. As he ate, he kept muttering, "Fine lyrics. If this old man could write such a masterpiece, I could die without regrets."

"Since you like them so much, how about it, Old Sun? Go take Chen Yi as your master?"

"That could work, but after you take this old man's grandson-in-law as your master, remember to change how you address me."

"Change your grandfather's ass."

"The old fellow is swearing now, hey. What an insult to refinement..."