Sima Qian looked up toward the voice and saw two Luo Clan Scions approaching together. One was Young Master Qing; the other bore a considerable resemblance to him, but Sima Qian had never met him.
Luo Qing introduced him. "Grand Historian, this is my elder brother, Young Master Bai.
"Brother, this is the great talent I mentioned, the former Grand Historian, Minister of War Zichang, from a hereditary family of Court Historians.
"He is a true Court Historian."
A true Court Historian!
Sima Qian froze. This was probably the highest praise of all: a pure man, a man who had risen above base tastes.
Luo Bai's estimation of Sima Qian rose another notch. After they exchanged greetings, Luo Bai said, "Grand Historian, please come with me to meet my father."
Since Sima Qian had come in a private capacity rather than on official business, there was no need for excessive formality. They followed the freshly swept path.
Sima Qian noticed that although the palaces in Zhao City's inner city were much smaller than the Imperial Palace in Chang'an City, they felt entirely different. Here, a grand, weighty presence surrounded him at every moment.
From every scratch on the walls, from every austere, ancient building, a sense of antiquity rose unbidden, followed by a sensory impact that rushed straight at him, making reverence well up despite himself.
Especially as they passed the Luo Clan's Ancestral Temple, the Dare-to-Fight Warriors standing outside looked like sculptures. Faint voices singing praises to the sages drifted out.
This was nothing less than sacred ground for writing history!
Just walking this stretch, Sima Qian already felt literary inspiration welling up like a spring. He could absolutely write with stirring passion while remaining faithful to historical fact, producing a comprehensive history of brilliant literary merit.
The three