Chapter 52: Farewell at the Long Pavilion

Most poems from the early Han dynasty featured the character "xi." Later generations interpreted this character as having no specific meaning, merely serving as a modal particle. However, during the Han dynasty, this "xi" represented a lyrical form adapted from song verses, designed to be chanted. Unfortunately, in subsequent eras, no specific records survived detailing the exact melodies or rhythms used to sing them.

Chinese agricultural civilization has endured too many tribulations, causing countless cultural treasures to be lost in the long river of history...

Therefore, one of the reasons Cai Yan found Fei Qian's poem so novel was its lack of the character "xi," which left her unable to determine whether it should be recited to the tunes of Chu, Yue, or Zhou.

No matter how she tried to pair it, nothing felt quite right, causing her—someone who prided herself on being quite accomplished in music—some distress. This junior martial brother didn't even leave a note in the margin; how was anyone supposed to guess?

Still, Cai Yan understood the meaning of the two lines. Overall, while the conception was quite good, but—

Humph, are you calling me a withered tree or a sunken boat?

Isn't it better for the greater part of the Yellow River to run clear?

It is the Jing River that ought to be turbid!

This junior brother of mine really ought to read more books. I must find a time to speak with my father; if this level of scholarship gets out, it will bring shame upon the Cai family...

Let me compile a reading list of books that Junior Brother Fei Qian needs to study—

The Songs of Chu must be included; ah, the Music Bureau collections must be included as well, since his tonal patterns are all wrong. And if he dislikes using the character "xi," he should at least familiarize himself with the works of Ban Gu, also known as Mengjian... The Comprehensive Discourses in the White Tiger Hall should be added, and The Rhapsody on the Two Capitals is also quite well written—though it is a rhapsody, never mind, include it too. Oh, right, and The Book of Han...

Furthermore, Junior Brother Fei Qian's calligraphy also has some issues; it has form but lacks spirit, and he needs to practice more...

Let me think carefully about which copybooks would be best for him to emulate...

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While Fei Qian was still congratulating himself that Master Cai Yong's heart was still troubled these past few days and he had no mind to assign any homework, he received a long, lengthy list of mandatory reading books and required model steles for calligraphy, assigned by Senior Sister Cai Yan on behalf of their master...

This extensive list made Fei Qian's head spin.

Cai Yan, Cai Zhaoqi, I never offended you!

Had Fei Qian known that the casual poem he penned would bring him such a mountain of homework, he would surely have rather died than let his hand itch to write those two lines in the first place.

Yet the only consolation was that this homework could be done gradually and did not need to be rushed all at once; otherwise, Fei Qian truly would have had the urge to leap into the Jing River.

That day, after drinking and practicing martial arts at Lü Bu's residence, before returning, Lü Bu and Zhang Lang had fortunately used Lü Bu's specially formulated medicinal ointment on the spot to relieve a vast majority of his muscle soreness. Otherwise, the next day he wouldn't have been able to walk, let alone get out of bed, and might even have struggled to feed himself.

After all, Fei Qian's original physical frame was rather frail and unaccustomed to physical conditioning.

As for the agonizing process of applying that ointment, Fei Qian selectively chose to forget it.

Although Fei Qian understood that Lü Bu's willingness to produce such ointment—brewed from the grease of prairie alpha wolves mixed with medicinal herbs—to alleviate his muscle soreness indicated that Lü Bu indeed held him in high regard, the problem was that Lü Bu hadn't consulted him beforehand...

Or at least he could have found a few maidservants to do it...

Fei Qian still harbored some unspoken grievances.

In truth, Fei Qian failed to consider that working such thick ointment deep into the muscle tissue required considerable strength. Moreover, this kind of treatment had to be completed in one continuous effort; if interrupted halfway, the muscles would suffer even greater torment.

Had Lü Bu not taken a liking to Fei Qian, found their temperaments compatible, and helped him secure a new and suitable weapon, he never would have bothered. Back in the day, when Lü Bu practiced martial arts himself, he had endured every bit of it through sheer willpower alone...

However, martial arts training would have to wait. Fei Qian now needed to hurry outside the eastern gate of the city to make preparations ahead of his master, Cai Yong.

Master Liu Hong was about to set off to assume his post as the Administrator of Shanyang Commandery.

Although the two old men had already shared a private farewell drink beforehand, when Liu Hong was formally set to depart, Cai Yong still intended to see him off. Naturally, Fei Qian, as a disciple, was all the more obligated to attend, or it would be considered an egregious breach of etiquette.

Roughly ten $li$ outside the city of Luoyang, small pavilions were built at regular intervals along the imperial highway. Aside from serving as resting places, another vital function of these pavilions was to serve as venues for bidding farewell.

When Fei Qian arrived ahead of schedule in a hired carriage, he looked around and, seeing no sign of Cai Yong, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he wasn't late; being late would have been terribly discourteous.

Fei Qian directed the carriage driver to help set out the purchased wine and meat in a pavilion offering a clear view and a relatively clean environment. Then, folding his hands respectfully, he stood quietly at the roadside, waiting for the arrival of Cai Yong and Liu Hong.

Before long, a very unpretentious carriage came into view, and Cai Yong stepped out from the cabin. Seeing the wine and food Fei Qian had prepared in the pavilion, Cai Yong nodded without a word and stood quietly by the roadside alongside Fei Qian, waiting.

To anyone unfamiliar with them, who would ever guess that a imperial court chamberlain and a great literary master were standing in the dust by the roadside like ordinary scholars, awaiting a friend?

Shortly thereafter, a procession consisting of three carriages and a dozen guards came slowly into view from afar. High upon the leading carriage hung the tally of a commandery administrator.

Liu Hong had arrived.

It was not that Liu Hong wished to show off, but rather due to court regulations: whenever officials traveled on official business, they were required to display the tally to indicate their status, with violators penalized for discourtesy. While individuals like Cai Yong and Liu Hong's send-off by Cai Yong and Fei Qian were private matters permitting casual attire, Liu Hong was traveling to assume a new office, which constituted official business. Consequently, he not only carried the tally but was also accompanied by court-assigned guards.

As the procession reached them, Liu Hong alighted from the carriage and walked hand in hand with Cai Yong into the pavilion.

Accustomed to farewell ceremonies, Liu Hong's guards required no instructions; they simply guided their horses and carriages to a vacant spot by the roadside and waited.

To the guards' surprise, however, Fei Qian had not only prepared wine and food for Cai Yong's farewell to Liu Hong, but had also anticipated their share. He now instructed the hired carriage driver to serve the guards one by one, giving them an unexpected pleasant surprise and prompting profuse expressions of gratitude.

Witnessing this, Liu Hong gestured toward Fei Qian and remarked to Cai Yong, "Look at this, the boy's thoughtfulness is truly quite meticulous."

"Ziyuan is indeed amiable and handles interpersonal matters with a refined sense of detail," Cai Yong agreed. Yet today was not about praising Fei Qian, but rather seeing Liu Hong off. "Yuanzhuo, our time together was brief, yet now we must part again. After this parting, who knows when we shall meet again."

Both old men were advancing in years.

In youth, one's days stretch endlessly ahead, but now, both possessed hair as white as snow, and whether they would ever meet again was truly impossible to say.

Having settled the guards, Fei Qian hurried back into the pavilion, only to find the two old men, Cai Yong and Liu Hong, holding hands and gazing tearfully into each other's eyes...