Chapter 120: The Three Paths Palace
This was Wen Mingqian’s second banquet since returning to the capital.
Coincidentally, it had rained the day before, and by this day, the scenery was clear and bright, with a cool breeze blowing, truly a pleasant and fine day.
The guests arrived one after another. They all knew about Gong Changan’s kidnapping and that Wen Mingqian had been frightened into illness, so their visit this time also carried a strong sense of concern.
“Sister, your complexion today is much better than when I visited a few days ago,” Liu Cuiyi said happily, taking Wen Mingqian’s hand.
“Your clothes today suit you exceptionally well,” Wen Mingqian noticed Liu Cuiyi was wearing new clothes. “And the fabric is also very special.”
“I bought it at Sang Ji Silk Shop. Ever since you took me there, I’ve often gone to pick out fabrics,” Liu Cuiyi said. “They always have fabrics that can’t be found elsewhere, and they happen to suit my taste.”
“Shu’er and Yan’er are also growing more beautiful,” Liu Cuiyi had brought her two daughters today. “Just thinking that in a few years, you’ll have two graceful daughters standing by your side makes me so envious.”
“You are still young; if you want daughters, you can have them yourself,” Marchioness Jiangxia Qian Shi said with a smile as she walked in. “It’s a bit lonely to have only Changan as your child.”
She was unaware that Wen Mingqian and Gong Xu were outwardly husband and wife but had long since grown apart. She simply assumed they had reconciled.
After all, the most detested Consort Song was dead, and Wen Mingqian was so young and beautiful; how could Gong Xu not be tempted?
“Madam, it’s been a while. Please come in,” Wen Mingqian quickly stepped forward to greet her.
“Indeed! I went to Xijing to escape the summer heat a few days ago. I only returned the day before yesterday and heard about the events at your mansion. It truly startled me. Fortunately, there was no real danger,” Qian Shi said, clutching her chest. “Those villains are truly audacious!”
“I apologize for causing you to worry, Madam,” Wen Mingqian said. “I still feel scared when I think about it. I don’t know when I’ll be able to get over this feeling.”
As they spoke, several more guests arrived, and Wen Mingqian naturally had to greet them all.
Cui Baozhu and her stepmother and sister also arrived. Leng Shi, upon seeing the many noble ladies present, greeted them with a beaming smile.
“This old woman hasn’t joined in the fun for a long time. I’ve come today to get closer to everyone and to support my daughter-in-law,” Old Madam Gong said, walking in with a smile, supported by Wei Shi. As she was the eldest, everyone stood up to greet her.
Old Madam Gong quickly said, “Please, please sit. I, the hostess, am late and should apologize to everyone. However, I know you all won’t mind this old woman’s tardiness.”
By this time, Wen Mingqian had already stepped forward to escort her to the main seat.
Before this, Old Madam Gong had already learned about Gong Changan’s kidnapping.
Wei Shi and Wen Mingqian had discussed that the matter would eventually reach Old Madam’s ears. Since Gong Changan was now safe, there was no harm in telling her slowly.
Old Madam Gong remained silent for a long time after hearing this. After a while, she finally spoke, “Ma Daguang often hangs around Prince Zhao’s Mansion, so he must know Song Xiang. I suspect Song Xiang might have played a part in this. He probably felt his sister’s death was unclear and harbored ill intentions to harm Changan.”
“We all suspect the same, but we lack evidence,” Wen Mingqian said. “It’s also difficult for the authorities to investigate him, given Prince Zhao’s influence.”
As soon as Old Madam Gong arrived, she pulled Gong Changan to her side. “You said this morning you didn’t have enough Jade Dew Rolls, so I told them to make some for you tonight. You don’t like osmanthus flavor, so tell them not to put osmanthus in any dim sum from now on.”
“Old Madam truly dotes on her grandson!” everyone laughed. “When the two masters were young, they weren’t doted on like this.”
“That’s the truth,” Old Madam Gong smiled. “To be honest, when my two children were young, because there were in-laws and a great-grandmother above us, I, as a grandson’s wife, naturally had to show filial piety to the elders first, and my own children were left to the care of the servants. By the time I remembered, they were already teenagers.
However, my grandson is indeed very lovable, especially since he and his mother lived in our hometown for the past few years. We truly owe them.”
“Old Madam is here today to support her daughter-in-law,” Marchioness Changrong said with a smile. “It doesn’t matter that you weren’t together in previous years; you will surely make up for it with double the affection in the coming years.”
Marchioness Changrong was the most eloquent, and Old Madam Gong agreed wholeheartedly.
“This child is clearly intelligent. The younger generation of your esteemed household will surely achieve fame,” Countess Linchuan said. “Your Eldest Young Master and Second Young Master are renowned for their studies, and the remaining two will surely not be inferior.”
“Speaking of studies, have you all heard?” Marchioness Jiangxia put down her tea cup. “San Jing Academy is recruiting disciples again.”
As soon as this was said, everyone’s attention was drawn, and they forgot about other matters.
“Really? How many years has it been since San Jing Academy recruited disciples from the mountain?” asked Leng Shi, Cui Baozhu’s stepmother.
“It must be about seven or eight years! It’s not easy to be accepted there. Sometimes they recruit once every three or two years, and sometimes once every five or six years. At most, they only accept five or six, and sometimes even just one or two.
I heard that they observe celestial phenomena every time they come down the mountain to recruit disciples, which is why the timing is not fixed.”
“Anyone who is chosen is truly blessed by their ancestors,” everyone said with envy. “The tutors at San Jing Academy don’t even accept the Emperor’s invitations. Anyone who can study there can rise in status without taking imperial examinations.”
“Especially Tutor Zhuge. If one can become his personal disciple, entering the residences of princes and marquises would be like entering one’s own home. However, I wonder if Tutor Zhuge is still accepting disciples. He must be over eighty years old now?”
“It was said before that Tutor Zhuge intended to take one person as his closed-door disciple, but this news has been circulating for nearly ten years, and we haven’t seen him take any more students. I suppose there will be an opportunity this time when he comes down the mountain? I wonder which child will be so fortunate.”
San Jing Academy existed even in the previous dynasty, renowned for hundreds of years, and did not disappear with the change of dynasties.
This was because it was located in the deep mountains, far from the secular world, and moreover, people highly respected scholars, especially these great Confucian scholars who were considered nobler bloodlines than royalty.
San Jing Academy always valued quality over quantity when recruiting disciples, but every disciple who entered the world became a prominent figure, and those who left the world became reclusive masters.
This has been the case for many years without exception.
Whether in court or in the wilderness, from the Emperor down to the common folk, everyone considered it an honor to associate with the teachers and disciples of San Jing Academy.
People often said that if a family had a son who could enter San Jing Academy, they would be willing to spend all their family property to do so.
However, they only looked at talent and character when recruiting disciples; it could not be exchanged for money or power.
But it is precisely because of this that San Jing Academy has maintained its reputation undiminished for a hundred years and is highly regarded by the world.
