A special thank you to my patrons:
—Shahzaam, Jacob Mooe, kevin Williams, Pasang Sherpa, Acedia, kurtis newman, Nhoxious, sediaz, Targaryen, King Scales.
You can read 50 chapters ahead of everyone on p@treon.
P@TREON - [email protected]/lessaservantofcosmos
(just replace the "@" with "a")
ps: Please support me on P@treon. I can really use your help!
————————————————————
The Huang family's secluded estate lay just ahead in the distance. Fei Qian could already make out a crowd of people gathered at the entrance to the village, and at their head stood none other than the patriarch of the Huang clan, Huang Chengyan.
Fei Qian hastily dismounted, tossing his reins to a nearby personal guard. He hurried forward a few steps and prostrated himself before Huang Chengyan.
Huang Chengyan laughed heartily, his mouth stretched so wide he could scarcely close it. He personally helped Fei Qian to his feet, looked him up and down, and then declared in a ringing voice, "My fine son-in-law has returned home at last! This is truly a joy beyond measure! This old man has specially prepared a humble banquet, and I beg you all to honor us with your presence!"
The Huang family's secluded estate—perhaps because artisans and craftsmen frequently came and went—was called an estate but more closely resembled a fortified manor of a relatively open design. At its center, nestled against the hills and beside the water, stood a grand compound with soaring walls. Surrounding it were the dwellings of some residents, over half of whom were craftsmen, with the remainder being tenant farmers who worked the surrounding fields.
Thus, when these artisans and tenant farmers heard Huang Chengyan's words, they all raised a rousing cheer. In a lively cluster, they flocked around Huang Chengyan and Fei Qian, accompanying them as they walked inside.
As for the eight hundred cavalry Fei Qian had brought, Huang Xu naturally took charge of them without needing any detailed instructions from Huang Chengyan. He led them towards the workshop area situated to the side and rear of the estate.
That area was frequently used by the Huang family for the research and development of various tools and equipment, so it was actually quite spacious. It was rather well-suited to serve as a temporary encampment.
Members of the Huang clan all pitched in of their own accord. Some fetched pots and bowls, others carried out stools, some built up cooking stoves, others raised tents, and still others set about constructing makeshift stables. Everyone found a task suited to their abilities, and every face was wreathed in smiles, as if they were preparing for some grand festive celebration.
Before stepping through the gate, Fei Qian deliberately swept his gaze over the rear courtyard wall. He caught sight of a small head ducking hastily out of view, and at once, it felt as though the burdens of this entire period had lightened considerably.
Huang Chengyan took Fei Qian by the arm and led him towards the main hall of the inner compound. Naturally, the more core members of the Huang clan followed behind the two of them and entered as well.
Inside the hall, some tea and light refreshments had already been laid out. When it came to the main event—the formal wine feast—no matter how important it was, there was absolutely no principle that would allow Fei Qian to attend straight off his horse without first washing and bathing. Thus, this gathering in the hall served merely as a brief reunion, its purpose being to let everyone get a general understanding of Fei Qian's current circumstances.
Back when Huang Chengyan had first chosen Fei Qian as his son-in-law, there had been a few people who expressed a degree of incomprehension and freely offered their own verdicts on Fei Qian. Relying on their many years of life experience, these people had delivered all sorts of precise and definitive conclusions about him. They felt that even being a disciple of Pang Degong, or even holding the post of Assistant Officer of Jing Province, could not alter the fate dictated by his status as a mere branch member of the Fei clan. He could never amount to anything of real significance. In other words, all these surface trappings were illusions, mirages, entirely impractical things...
In any case, they leaned on the fact that they had eaten more salt than he had eaten rice, and there had been no shortage of muttering, both openly and behind closed doors.
But now, all these very same people had pasted brilliant smiles onto their faces. Now they spoke of how they had always seen Fei Qian as a young talent of rare brilliance, and how they themselves had, from the very start, so staunchly supported Huang Chengyan's choice.
Among them was Huang Chengyan's younger cousin, Huang Jiu, styled Mengqian—the one currently laughing with the most exuberant glee.
Fei Qian vaguely remembered that during the wedding ceremony, when he had been toasting the various elders, this very man had lectured him at great length.
As for the content of those lectures, it was nothing out of the ordinary. Whether in the later ages or here in the Han Dynasty, there were always some people who, for reasons unknown, possessed a profound sense of superiority, or were exceedingly skilled at finding it.
They stood as if upon a high altar, their proud heads tilted back, emphatically stressing that Fei Qian had this shortcoming or that deficiency, that he had failed to do this or that well enough. Then—firstly, out of respect for Huang Chengyan's standing, and secondly, to encourage the younger generation—they would, in the end, reach out with pitying condescension, as if bestowing charity, and declare that these words of an old man were meant in regard for him, for otherwise this old man would not even deign to speak them.
Fortunately, Fei Qian had navigated the professional world of the later era, so he had simply maintained a smiling face throughout, listened quietly, and observed every point of etiquette from start to finish. This had, at least, left Huang Jiu with nothing specific to criticize.
Of course, Huang Jiu had not taken leave of his senses and deliberately sought to pick a quarrel with Fei Qian, a man he had never met before. The root of the matter was that he felt Huang Yueying could have been matched in marriage to someone better—or, more accurately, someone who better fit his own ideal standard—such as Pang Tong.
But he had never imagined that Huang Chengyan would settle on Fei Qian.
Thus, for Huang Jiu, who normally had little to do with the Huang clan's artisans and craftsmen, the path the Huangs had taken towards craftsmanship was, in his eyes, a dead end. Only the study of the classics was the orthodox route, because craftsmen would forever be working in subordinate roles, and would never have the chance to stand as independent masters, be enfeoffed with territory, and ranked among the nobility.
Such views as Huang Jiu's were, even now, very much in the mainstream. As a result, Huang Jiu had attained a certain voice within the Huang clan, representing the opinions of those internal family members who aspired to advance through classical scholarship into the political arena.
Huang Chengyan gently clapped his hands, and everyone immediately fell silent.
A smile graced Huang Chengyan's face as he swept his gaze around the room. He spoke slowly: "Our Miannan Huang clan, though our name may not resound throughout the land, yet our virtue is practiced in our home soil and known throughout Jing-Xiang. Now, we have been graced by imperial favor, adding another official cap and tassel to our lineage. This is a blessing for our house, a celebration for all the Huang clan! Only by plowing the fields in spring can there be a harvest in autumn. Only by accumulating depth and releasing it slowly can one attain such a seal and ribbon. You of the younger generation must guard against impatience and haste, maintain upright and stern hearts, seek not embroidered robes and silks, but strive for excellence in your studies; crave not dragon livers and phoenix marrow, but devote yourselves to cultivating your character and nature. In this way, you can avoid becoming a laughingstock and also bring added luster to the lintels of our Huang family!"
These were the kinds of words that had previously always been the domain of Huang Jiu, that representative of classical learning. But today, Huang Chengyan felt that he himself had delivered them rather well.
A group of young men within the hall promptly rose to their feet and acknowledged the instruction in unison. A cluster of half-grown lads of the Huang clan, their eyes all ablaze with admiration, took the opportunity of the formal salutation to stare fixedly at Fei Qian. This, in turn, left Fei Qian not quite knowing whether to laugh or cry.
At a cursory glance, it seemed the Huang clan had no shortage of young men; seven or eight of them were right here in the hall. Yet, it appeared that none of them had managed to leave much of a name for themselves in the pages of history...
Huang Chengyan nodded and added a few more words. Finally, he laughed and declared, "Today's banquet is to celebrate the joyful occasion of an official promotion. Let no one stand on ceremony—drink freely and enjoy yourselves to the fullest!"
Everyone responded in a chorus of assent, and the atmosphere instantly grew lively and animated.
For a celebratory banquet marking a promotion or ennoblement like Fei Qian's, it was generally not restricted to a specific time frame. Running from morning until night and continuing for three or even five days in a row was considered perfectly normal. Guests could arrive at any time and take their seats to begin eating whenever they wished. Because the timing was so fluid, the dishes were predominantly cold fare—chilled chicken, sliced raw fish, and the like—that could be replenished as needed. Of course, if an honored guest did not care for cold food and wished for some hot dishes, such as roast meat or baked wheat cakes, the rear kitchen would immediately begin cooking them, all to ensure that every guest left fully satisfied.
Because the banquet would stretch on for quite some time, aside from the very beginning when Fei Qian, as the man of the hour, absolutely had to make an appearance, the rest of the event was generally hosted by other members of the Huang family in rotation. Naturally, if some particularly important guest arrived, Fei Qian would still need to come out and receive them in person. After all, this was a celebration shared jointly by the Huang clan and Fei Qian himself.
Of course, although the era of the rigid upper-and-lower tier classifications of the gentry, as seen in the Eastern Jin, had not yet arrived, the practice of holding separate inner and outer feasts was still observed. The sons and members of the gentry families were all entertained within the compound, while individuals of even higher status were invited to ascend into the main hall itself. As for the ordinary neighbors and common folk, at most they could seat themselves outside the walls of the Huang family estate. Even that much, however, was already a privilege they could boast about for quite some time upon returning home.