It was the 11th day of the second lunar month in the 15th year of the Yuanping Reign in the Great Han Empire. The first sign of spring was here. The temperature was turning warm but it was still pretty chilly. A few days after the snow had melted, a sudden light snowfall came in the morning, blanketing Pingxi Prefecture white.
Riding in a four-wheeled carriage, Yan Liqiang was inspired when he saw the snow fluttering past the green buds of the willow trees and couldn’t help but recite a poem. “The new year’s come, but still the plants don’t grow. First in the second lunar month, I’m startled by grass shoots. The white snow is vexed by the late coming of spring’s colors, so through the pavilion and trees it flies like a blossom.”
Although he didn’t really feel anything when he recited the poem, the other person in the carriage immediately turned his head to Yan Liqiang and gave him a strange look.
The person sharing the carriage with Yan Liqiang was none other than Yan Dechang. The blacksmith, who usually had his chest exposed and a hammer in his hand while loudly instructing his apprentices by the furnace in the blacksmith workshop, looked almost like an entirely different person. He wore a dark purple cap, and had also carefully trimmed his bushy mustache and beard. In addition to the luxurious long silk robes he was wearing, no one would have guessed he was a blacksmith as he looked like the head of an influential clan.
The people outside the carriage looked sharp too. Zhou Yong and sixteen soldiers from the manufacturing bureau were fully dressed in armor, carrying swords and bows with them.
They were opening the way in front of the carriage which Yan Liqiang and his father were in. Behind their carriage were eight ordinary four-wheeled carriages used to transport goods.
Two of them were transporting the newly-manufactured steam engine by the manufacturing bureau while the other six carriages were transporting gifts that Yan Liqiang had carefully picked out for the Lu Clan. There were two living deer in one of the carriages, and a few kilograms of five grains in another carriage. The remaining carriages were filled by scented teas, candied fruit, fine wine, all sorts of beautiful items made of silk, and also more than ten sets of gold jewelry…
The flying snow outside didn’t dampen the group’s mood. Apart from Yan Liqiang who was sitting in the carriage, the people outside were all joyful and in high spirits.
“Liqiang, you were reciting… a poem?”
Yan Dechang asked softly from the side. Yan Liqiang turned his head to him, only meet with his father’s questioning eyes. Yan Dechang was a blacksmith, but he wasn’t illiterate. However, he had only heard of some poems and could never recite even half a line. These things created by scholars as a pastime were always a niche in this world. Therefore, even if Yan Dechang heard it, he couldn’t be entirely sure it was a poem that Yan Liqiang was reciting.
“Erm… Father, I was casually reciting a poem because I felt inspired just now…” Yan Liqiang explained.
“Did you make that up yourself?” Yan Dechang quickly asked.
“Yes, I did.” Yan Liqiang could only force himself to say that while secretly apologizing to Han Yu and his family [1] in his heart.
“Look at this…” Yan Dechang spoke while he fished out a book from his robes, and then handed it over to Yan Liqiang.
Yan Liqiang looked at it to find that it was ‘Journey to the West’, which looked almost entirely different than before. At the bottom of the new book cover, was a row of text that read —’Author: Yan Liqiang of Gan Province’!
Yan Liqiang looked at the book, then at Yan Dechang’s serious gaze. He felt slightly embarrassed and was at a loss for words. All he could do was give his father a silly grin while rubbing his nose.
“This book was brought here by a foreign merchant who came to Liuhe Town when you were away for a duel at the Heavenly Lake. The merchant said that the content was a serial publication on something called ‘The Great Han Times’. Anyways, I didn’t really know what a serial publication was, but he mentioned that when it was completed last year, it was compiled into a book. The moment it came out, it caused quite a stir in the Imperial Capital. It gradually spread and nearly all the storytellers in the teahouses and restaurants in the Imperial Capital are telling this story. The merchant said that this book was written by you when you were in the Imperial Capital. Is that true?”
“I indeed wrote this when I had free time in the Imperial Capital.” Yan Liqiang could only continue forcing himself to say that.
“You grew up training martial arts under my supervision every day. You have not been to a teahouse even once and have never heard any fantasy story from someone else. How did you manage to write such an engaging tale? Also, about the poem you just made, I can tell that it’s a great poem even though your father isn’t a scholarly man. You never studied any poetry when you were young. Even when you were in the martial arts academy back then, they didn’t teach poetry there. I heard only scholars who had studied poetry for over a few decades could make a poem!” Yan Dechang looked deep into Yan Liqiang’s eyes. “You grew up without touching any of this stuff. So, how did you manage to write a book and make up a poem like that?”
Could it be that Father has already discovered the secret of my reincarnation?
The thought flashed across Yan Liqiang’s mind. He didn’t know how to explain himself to Yan Dechang. For a moment, he even felt flustered.
While Yan Liqiang struggled internally and wondered if he should tell Yan Dechang the truth, the latter continued speaking. However, he was speaking in a softer voice and even checked the windows on both sides of the carriage before speaking.
“I also realized that you seemed to have changed into another person ever since you got injured by Young Master Hong during the Martial Arts County Trial last time. As the days go by, you grow stronger and stronger!” Speaking up to this point, Yan Dechang licked his lips and spoke more prudently in a secretive tone. “Tell me the truth. Did that old deity from your dream teach you all these things?”
Old deity from my dream?
Yan Liqiang was slightly taken aback. He blinked his eyes and immediately plastered an extremely serious expression on his face. He also lowered his voice and spoke secretively. “Keep this between us, Father. These are indeed all the things that the old deity from my dream taught me. He was also the one who told me that ‘Journey to the West’ tale!”
“As I expected. How can I, as a father, spread something like this to outsiders?!” Yan Dechang looked as though he was suddenly relieved and enlightened. “So, it was also the old deity from your dream who taught you the mechanics and the investigation of things?”
“Yes. Apart from those, he also taught me a lot of other things!”
“Alright, we’ll keep this between us. After tonight, I shall pretend I didn’t know anything. You shouldn’t tell anyone about this either. Nothing good will ever come out of it!” Yan Dechang warned.
“I know. I only told you because you asked me, Father. If it was someone else, I would never admit that!”
“Good, good.” Yan Dechang nodded, then let out a long sigh before changing the topic. “Oh yes, have you really given serious consideration to the purpose of your visit to the Lu Residence today? Once you say something like that, you’ll have to be responsible for it until the very end!”
“Don’t worry, Father. I have given it good thought!”
“I heard from your Uncle Qian that you are well-matched with the Ninth Lady from the Lu Clan. Both he and Old Master Lu wanted to matchmake both of you, but things didn’t work out. So why did you…”
“Lady Lu is actually fond of me, but she’s quite temperamental. I only have myself to blame for being a little too direct that time and ended up embarrassing her, thus causing things to go awry. However, time has changed. When I was going to duel against the Soaring Heaven Sect, many thought that things weren’t that optimistic for me. After Lady Lu found out about the news, she abstained herself from eating meat and prayed for my safety by chanting the ‘Great Compassion Mantra’ 81 times at the Lotus Temple everyday. She lost so much weight in just a month. She didn’t tell me about it, but I found that out from someone else. I was quite moved after hearing that. Although Lady Lu is quite spoiled and temperamental, I think she’s a kind-hearted woman of moral rectitude. I haven’t heard any negative rumors about her, so she is fit to be my wife…”
Yan Dechang suddenly sighed, “Nobody understands a son more than his own father. Why do I get the feeling that you have only decided to do this for the Lu Clan instead?”
Yan Liqiang was silent for a moment, before he told Yan Dechang the truth. “I do not wish to hide this from you, Father. Taking in Lady Lu means taking in the Lu Clan. The Lu Clan is a well-established and influential clan in Pingxi Prefecture. They are incomparable to any ordinary wealthy clan. Although the Yan Clan seems just as influential, only you and I are in it. Some things just can’t be bought with money. If something happened to me during the duel against the Soaring Heaven Sect, the Yan Clan would have lost everything irrevocably. Putting aside our friendship with the Lu Clan, as soon as we form an alliance with the Lu Clan through marriage, the Yan Clan will become the number one clan in Pingxi Prefecture and gain a solid footing. Except for being accused to rebel against the throne, pretty much no one can lay a finger on us.
“After taking in Lu Clan, I will be able to fully access the Lu Clan’s manpower, resources, and connections. We’ll no longer find ourselves in situations where our hands and feet are bound. I need the Lu Clan to completely be on my side. If this can be exchanged by marrying a woman from their clan, I think that’s acceptable…”
Yan Dechang stared at Yan Liqiang for a good while. “I don’t care for what reason you choose to marry Lady Lu, but make sure you don’t disappoint her if you really marry her!”
“Rest assured, Father. I am not a cruel person. Lady Lu has feelings toward me. She’s also a beautiful, smart, and innocent woman. She’d make a good wife and mother. If I am going to marry her, I shall never let her down!”
“Glad to hear that!”
