Chapter 113: Apprehension Near Home

That night, Du Shiyi yielded his sleeping quarters to the Wang brothers, opting to sleep alone in the study on the east side of Danran Tower. Although the room had been prepared for little Master Cui, the surrounding shelves were packed with neatly arranged scrolls. Before drifting off, he flipped through a couple of volumes, and his old habit flared up, leaving him with an itch to light a candle and copy them through the night. Only after immense restraint did he finally return to his bed.

He lay there, mind racing. One moment he thought of Yang Zongwan and the stonemasons who had traveled with them, and the heavy crate of Duanxi inkstones; the next, he contemplated the return to the ancestral home in Fanchuan and the old lands of Duqu. Despite the exhaustion of travel, he remained wide awake. What kept him from finding peace, however, were the low, murmuring voices coming from the western room, where the Wang brothers assumed he was already asleep.

"Elder brother, now that we have returned to Chang'an, where do you intend to stay? I hear that in the North Ward of Pingkang Fang, the courtesans gather and scholars abound. If one has good poetry or prose, it spreads instantly. Why not..."

"Those places of indulgence—they call it fame, but it is really a reputation for profligacy and fickleness. Besides, I am no longer a young man coming to Chang'an for the first time to seek a career. Why should I go to such a place to make a name for myself?"

"But... since you have returned, surely you should present your calling cards to the various princes..."

"Fifteenth Brother, look at how many scholars in this capital submit their scrolls every year, hoping to catch the eye of the powerful. Do you know why few are truly esteemed? Beyond raw talent, one must possess integrity and character. Even if I rent a dilapidated shack, as long as I shine at one or two literary gatherings, word will naturally spread that Wang Shisan has returned, and the princes will invite me themselves. Do not be anxious just because Du Shijiu is sitting for the Jingzhao Prefecture examination this year. We met by chance yet felt like old friends; I respect his character, and he respects my Zen heart. Who will prevail? We shall see after the exams."

So, Wang Wei had indeed returned to sit for the Jingzhao Prefecture examination this year!

Du Shiyi knew that Wang Wei was not a native of Jingzhao; sitting for the exam as a non-resident was common enough. Jingzhao Prefecture and the Tonghua region were the centers of the imperial examination culture, drawing scholars from all over the realm. Not only were there more candidates, but placing in the top ten in Jingzhao carried far more weight than succeeding from some remote province.

Even though life in the capital was prohibitively expensive, countless people scrimped and saved, year after year, hoping for a path to advancement. Someone like Wang Wei, who had been moving in the circles of the nobility for three years and already possessed a sterling reputation, would not be aiming for a mere passing grade; he was clearly gunning for the top spot. It was no wonder Wang Jin was so concerned.

Hearing the talk of mutual respect, Du Shiyi couldn't help but smile. He let out a yawn, closed his eyes, and stopped eavesdropping on the brothers' private conversation. Gradually, he drifted into a deep sleep. He did not dream at all, and when he opened his eyes, the morning light was already flooding the room.

After washing, Du Shiyi shared breakfast with the Wang brothers. Wang Rongting arrived soon after. When the subject of his father, Wang Qinglan, came up, he apologized profusely, explaining that his father had gone to court early and would not return until the afternoon. He presented three long, rectangular wooden boxes as gifts from his father. After much polite refusal, the three finally accepted and bid their farewells. When they went to see Lady Zheng to take their leave, she gifted Du Shisanniang an embroidered silver-patterned shawl, noting with a smile that it was the latest fashion in the capital.

Having received gifts, Du Shiyi and the Wang brothers were prepared with return tokens. The brothers gave a box of stationery from the Bingxin Workshop in Luoyang, while Du Shiyi offered a screen embroidered by Du Shisanniang and a scroll of the *Heart Sutra*—translated by the monk Xuanzang—which he had copied himself. Having learned in Luoyang that the nobility and their wives were devout Buddhists, and knowing from Wang Rongting that Lady Zheng shared this faith, his thoughtful gift delighted her.

After saying goodbye to the Cui siblings and enduring the little master’s insincere parting words, Du Shiyi led Du Shisanniang and the Wang brothers out of the inner residence. Both parties had their retinues ready. Wang Wei and Wang Jin had only a couple of servants, but Du Shiyi noticed that beside his ox-cart—originally a gift from Cui Weizhi—stood not only Tian Mo and the stonemasons but also Liu Mo and other servants of the Cui household. Before he could ask, Liu Mo stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"Master Du, the Lady, the Fifth Young Lady, and the Eleventh Young Master all gave orders that we are to attend to you during your stay in Chang'an. Since you are returning to Duqu in Fanchuan with the Thirteenth Young Lady, it is only right that we accompany you."

Du Shiyi realized that the men Cui Weizhi had sent to look after the young master must have remained at the Wang estate, and these were the men who had followed him out of the city the previous day. Though their insistence on treating him like one of their own made him slightly uneasy, he realized he was indeed shorthanded, so he smiled and thanked them for their trouble.

After bidding a final farewell to Wang Rongting, he helped Du Shisanniang and Zhuying into the ox-cart and mounted his horse. As the two groups exited the north gate of Guangde Fang, Wang Wei reined in his horse to wait for Du Shiyi. "Du Shijiu, we part here for now. Once you are settled, I shall certainly visit you in Fanchuan. By then, I trust everyone will know exactly where you reside!"

"Is Brother Wang trying to goad me into making a name for myself upon returning home?" Du Shiyi laughed, cupping his hands in a salute from his saddle. "Once my home is in order, I invite you and Wang Shiwu to come for a gathering! Farewell for now, until we meet again!"

Wang Jin, seeing the invitation, nodded. "Du Shijiu, until we meet again!"

The two parties separated, with Du Shiyi heading south and the Wang brothers north. Inside the spacious, steady ox-cart, Du Shisanniang couldn't help but examine the box her brother had given her. After turning it over for a long while, Zhuying smiled and said, "If you truly wish to know what the Master of the Wang house sent, why not open it? Since the young master gave it to you, surely it is meant to be opened."

Curiosity getting the better of her, Du Shisanniang carefully lifted the lid. Inside lay a bamboo-tube brush. The bristles were a faint purple; she touched them lightly and found them short and firm. Seeing a faint "Xuan" character on the bamboo handle, she whispered to herself, "It is a purple rabbit-hair brush from Xuancheng... The Master of the Wang house is truly generous! It is fortunate that I embroidered some things in Luoyang and my brother prepared return gifts, or else I would have been quite embarrassed!"

After passing through the Anyuan Gate of Chang'an and traveling a short distance along the main southern thoroughfare, the party turned onto a path lined with lush green trees. As familiar sights met his eyes, Du Shiyi felt long-dormant memories slowly resurfacing, leaving him in a daze. When he had suddenly awakened in this era as another man, he had accepted Du Shisanniang quickly but had resisted returning to the ancestral lands of Fanchuan. Yet, now that he was back, these sights were not merely a shock; they brought a sense of familiarity and comfort that allowed his taut nerves to finally relax.

The Jingzhao Du clan originated from the time when Emperor Xuan of Han relocated high officials and the wealthy to populate Duling, and the Marquis of Jianping, Du Yannian, was among those moved. Though many descendants later migrated elsewhere, most still considered Duling their ancestral seat. While Duling itself had fallen into decay, the Du clan’s settlement in Fanchuan remained prosperous.

Duqu was divided into Northern and Southern Du. The south, Du Gu, lay on the south bank of the Xu River, backed by the Shenhe Plain. The north, Duqu, sat on the north bank, backed by the Shaoling Plain. They faced each other across the river, both inhabited by the Du clan. It was said that the family had generations of scholarly heritage; whether in the north or south, the households of the literati were everywhere. Even the children in the fields could often recite poetry, creating an atmosphere of refined elegance. Because of the stunning mountain scenery, many court officials also built villas there, but the saying "nine out of ten families are named Du" was no exaggeration. Du Shiyi and Du Shisanniang’s ancestral home was in the Northern Du.

After three years of absence, even Du Shisanniang couldn't help but pull up the cart curtain, gazing greedily at the sights of her hometown. As they passed a certain house, she froze, then shouted, "Stop! Stop!"

"Shisanniang?"

Before Du Shiyi could finish his sentence, the cart door was pushed open, and Du Shisanniang jumped down, lifting her skirts. Before Zhuying could reach her to offer support, she had already reached the wooden gate and began hammering on it, calling out, "Aunty! Aunty!"

Soon, there was movement inside. A middle-aged woman in coarse clothing emerged, wiping her hands. The moment she saw Du Shisanniang, she stood stunned, then a look of shocked joy broke across her face. She rushed to the gate, fumbling to open it, and then clutched Du Shisanniang’s arms tightly. "Young Miss! It really is the Young Miss! You’ve finally returned. There have been all sorts of rumors these past few years, and I thought... I thought..."

Her voice trembled with emotion. When her eyes fell upon Du Shiyi on horseback, her breath hitched. She stumbled past Du Shisanniang toward him, covering her mouth as she choked back a sob, unable to utter a word. Seeing this, Du Shiyi hurriedly dismounted. The woman suddenly rushed forward and embraced him, breaking into uncontrolled sobs. Passersby on the road stopped to stare.

Du Shiyi was initially unaccustomed to such sudden intimacy, but seeing Du Shisanniang wiping away tears and Zhuying’s reddened eyes, he felt the image of a young wet-nurse flicker in his mind, and his stiff posture softened. In this land of Fanchuan, how many other old acquaintances still held the memories of his past?