Chapter 7: Charismatic Figures

Qin Xiao followed closely behind the young master as they ascended to the second floor. The interior of the restaurant was exquisitely and luxuriously decorated, with intricately carved wooden walls and a finely textured velvet carpet underfoot. The staircase handrail beside them was spotless and gleaming, while several calligraphic paintings on the wall were vivid and impressive, clearly the work of a master artist. The patrons at the tables were each displaying their charm, either composing poetry, engaging in drinking games, or laughing heartily from time to time.

Zhong Jun responded, smiling at Qin Xiao, "Indeed, Brother Qin has great insight. Chen Shiyi and I are both friends across generations, often gathering together. Unfortunately, he returned to his hometown in Sichuan two years ago to observe mourning for his father, and thus cannot meet with us today"

Zhong Jun said: "In two days, the martial arts examination, which opens a new chapter in our dynasty, will be held. At that time, there will truly be a grand spectacle to behold! This is an unprecedented event, as martial artists from all over the world, regardless of their background, will gather in the imperial city"

Please

A line of riders stopped in front of a tavern. Qin Xiaojue looked up and saw the sign "Thousands of Guests, Myriad Arrivals." The companions behind him, two men in black robes, took the reins from the purple-robed man and Qin Xiaojue, and went to tend to the horses. The purple-robed man waved his hand and said, "My brother, please!"

Having spoken, he picked up the clothes that were set aside and put them on, then walked out of the pavilion

Brother, let us go upstairs and meet my two friends

Zhang Xu laughed heartily upon hearing this: "Today is a day of high spirits, hence the situation has become so unbearable. A few of you wait a moment, I shall be back shortly."

Qin Xiaoxin thought to himself: "Zhang Xu's three cups of grass saint's transmission, removing his hat and exposing his head before the nobles, his brush strokes falling on paper like clouds and smoke. Years later, Du Fu's poetry will speak of him as having stripped down and written with his hair, right? I never expected that I would have the fortune to witness Zhang Xu's cursive script, which is renowned alongside Li Bai's poetry and Pei Min's sword dance as one of the 'Three Absolutes'..." and *illustrated* books.

At this moment, Zhongjun suddenly became serious and said to Aman: "Aman, as of today, all your expenses here within the month have been covered by me; the snow-white horse you asked me for last time has also been given to you; and that blue-eyed foreign singer who dances so well has been sent to you as well"

Qin Xiaorun could not help but laugh, saying: "What truly extraordinary individuals, so unconventional and unruly!"

Ah Man could not help but chuckle: "This foolish person!"

Qin Xiao couldn't help but sigh inwardly—Chang'an is indeed a place teeming with renowned figures! Just taking a casual stroll, one encounters historical luminaries of great repute!

Qin Xiaojue raised his cup and said: "I am but an unnamed wild grass, how can I deserve such regard from you, my lord? Please!"

The young master smiled at Qin Xiao and said, "They are all interesting characters"

The three individuals took their seats, each raising their cups to drink deeply. However, Zhang Xu remained sprawled on the ground, shaking his head, his body drenched in sweat. After his hair became stained with ink, it resembled flowing clouds, inscribing bold characters on the white paper, truly embodying the phrase "transformation akin to that of spirits, unfathomable in nature"

Upon reaching this point, Qin Xiao could not help but feel a slight astonishment

Young Master (Aman) chuckled lightly and said: "So it turns out that Brother Qin's name is so grand, just like this person, which is truly impressive! Come, come, Aman will first toast to Brother Qin. It is better to meet by chance than to invite, we can be considered quite fated!"

Zhang Xu finished writing the last character, suddenly stood up, with the ink on his head still wet, dripping all over him, yet he burst into loud laughter: "Wonderful, wonderful, how delightful!"

In a prosperous and peaceful era, with the people thriving and material abundance, one can avoid witnessing the indulgent and extravagant scenes of song and dance.

Aman looked at Chongjun with a teasing smile and said leisurely, "Brother, why go in circles? You and the library merely want this treasure of calligraphy from Zhang Xu. I will graciously concede it today, and I do not wish to compete with you."

The second floor is primarily composed of separate elegant rooms. The young master brought Qin Xiao to a place called "Liuyun Fuyue Pavilion" and stopped in front of it. He casually pushed open the painted door, and a wave of warm air greeted him, revealing an exquisitely decorated warm chamber.

Aman and Chongjun both burst into laughter. Aman said to Zhang Xu: "You are so engrossed in your writing that you haven't heard a word of what we've said. This brother here is quite extraordinary, a young hero, with the surname Qin, and his given name is just a single character, Xiao—Brother Zhang, you might as well go wash up; look at you, covered in ink, making this elegant pavilion all messy."

Aman smiled, raised his wine cup, and said to Qin Xiao: "Today's greatest gain is getting to know a remarkable person like you, Brother Qin. This is far more precious than the works of that madman Zhang. As long as I do not seek two treasures in a day, I am content and happy, haha! Brother Qin, please!"

Aman nodded in agreement and said, "If we are to speak of the current Emperor, he is indeed wise and mighty, continually pioneering new paths. I believe that this time, the national martial examination will surely add many talented generals to our Great Zhou Empire!"

The two entered the restaurant, where someone had already come to greet them, standing respectfully to one side, bowing their head and saying: "Young master has arrived, please proceed to the elegant seats upstairs"

Although Qin Xiao cannot be considered a literary figure, he was deeply captivated, staring intently at Zhang Xu and the characters he wrote. It was a poem: "Originally a noble son, I have always loved talent. Moved by the times, I think of repaying my country, drawing my sword against the weeds. Westward I ride to Dingling Pass, northward to Chanyu Terrace. Climbing the mountain, I see a thousand miles, my heart is leisurely with ancient thoughts. Who says I have not forgotten the calamity, it has been ground to dust."

The young master turned back with a smile and praised, "What keen insight and discernment!"

Zhong Jun raised his glass, casting a puzzled glance at He * Tu * Shu, who was beaming with excitement. He wondered to himself—could it really be that miraculous?

Ah Man was overjoyed, striking his fists together and exclaiming loudly: "With Brother Qin's skills, he will surely rank among the top three! Come, come, big brother, let us celebrate in advance Brother Qin's success in the top three, and his future as a renowned general of the Great Zhou Dynasty!"

Yet in my heart, I secretly thought: This A-Man truly knows how to speak; his flattery is so articulate that it brings great comfort to the heart. It seems he must be someone who has mingled in the official circles. This A-Man and Chongjun both associate with some renowned figures; could it be that they are Li Longji and Li Chongjun? Li Longji, the future Emperor Ming of Tang! In his youth, he even referred to himself as A-Man!

Qin Xiaojue glanced towards the elegant pavilion, marveling at its splendor, but was also taken aback—he saw a person sprawled on the ground, completely bare from the waist up, with a bucket of ink and several large sheets of white paper beside him, hastily writing on the paper with his hair dipped in ink

Qin Xiaohan smiled silently, slowly sipping his wine and savoring it. After arriving in the Tang Dynasty, he greatly admired and was satisfied with the winemaking techniques of this era. These naturally pure and fine wines, unprocessed by modern industrial methods, are even more refreshing and delightful than any XO from previous times. A man suddenly seemed to recall something, exclaiming in surprise, "Brother Qin, with such remarkable skills, are you perhaps here for the upcoming martial arts examination?"

At this moment, Zhang Xu seemed to come to his senses, and without bothering to put on his clothes, he allowed the ink to flow all over him as he walked to the side of the table and sat down, saying: "Chen Shiyi, the poet of the world, who does not know him, who does not recognize him? Just one line, 'I see not the ancients before me, nor the future ones behind; pondering the vastness of heaven and earth, I alone weep in solitude,' is enough to make him famous in later generations! — Oh, this brother here seems a bit unfamiliar..."

He smiled and clasped his fists at Qin Xiao. Zhong Jun carefully examined Qin Xiao and couldn't help but nod, saying: "Good, good! Indeed a remarkable person! A Man, you always encounter such extraordinary individuals. I truly envy you, my elder brother!"

Exquisite delicacies from land and sea were successively presented on the table, while the three of them sipped lightly and engaged in casual conversation.

Please, esteemed brother!

He then turned around, picked up a jug of wine from the table, removed the lid, and poured it into his mouth

Qin Xiaoxiao: "I will not hide it from you both, I, Qin, have come precisely for this purpose"

The man in the purple robe responded in kind, shaking off his cloak, and said to the other person, "How is business for Boss Zhao? Have all my friends arrived?"

Zhang Xu, oblivious to his surroundings, began to recite passionately— "Feeling the times and thinking of repaying the country, I draw my sword against the weeds. Westward I ride to Dingling Pass, northward to the Chanyu Platform, how exhilarating, how exhilarating indeed! It is a pity that Chen Shiyi cannot come today, unable to personally appreciate his exquisite poetry, paired with my exquisite calligraphy"

Qin Xiaoyou was genuinely impressed and exclaimed in astonishment

Zhong Jun was taken aback and said, "You would be so kind? In the past, you were willing to fight with me over a piece of calligraphy by that madman Zhang Xu. Why today..."

Um ... ...

Boss Zhao nodded and said: "Thanks to Master Meng's blessings, the business of this small shop is still doing reasonably well. Two of your friends have already arrived and are waiting upstairs."

The young master brought Qin Xiao to the side of that person and said to the young man: "This brother, this is my elder brother Chongjun. Elder brother, this is a remarkable person I just happened to encounter on the road!"

Good word! Good poem!

The two of them laughed heartily

Ah Man? Qin Xiao thought to himself: "This is obviously a nickname, and it even has 'auspicious' in it! Or perhaps it should just be called Cao Cao (both of these are Cao Cao's nicknames). In the past, there were occasional rumors about a young prince in the court who had given himself such a nickname. Who could it be? Could it be..."

Two people raised their necks and drank the fine wine in the cup, while Zhong Jun stood by, stunned—who exactly is Qin Xiao, to be so highly regarded by the King of Linzi?

The young master removed his purple robe and casually handed it to Boss Zhao. It was evident that he was indeed charming and distinguished, not at all ordinary. Although he was of a similar age to Qin Xiao, he exuded an air of nobility in every aspect.

Qin Xiaoyi pondered and said, "Is it possible that the esteemed Lord Zhang Xu is referring to the senior Chen Ziang?"

It is indeed this person

The young master also laughed heartily: "Eldest brother always arrives a step ahead of the younger brother, getting this madman drunk first, intending to extort his precious works alone, with ill intentions, truly ill intentions!"

Qin Xiao glanced at the person, who was also dressed in an elegant and luxurious manner. He appeared to be in his twenties, with a bold spirit radiating from his brows.

Qin Xiao has lived in the Tang Dynasty for nearly ten years, and has gained some insights into the renowned historical figures and poets of this period. At this moment, he could not help but exclaim: "Could it be that this person is the cursive script master Zhang Xu?"

I am Qin Xiao

Qin Xiaoxian admired: It is indeed the capital city of Chang'an, even the taverns are so grand and impressive, one could say they are five-star hotels of the Great Zhou Dynasty

Qin Xiaoxin thought to himself: This "young master" seems to come from a good family; even the president of a five-star hotel treats him with such deference. He must be the second generation of some high-ranking official's family.

The owner Zhao, standing to the side, could not help but feel alarmed: Who is this nobleman, that he actually calls the King of Linzi his brother? Judging by his appearance, he does not seem to be a son of a duke or a nobleman

The two entered the elegant pavilion, where Zhang Xu was deeply engrossed in writing, completely oblivious to his surroundings. The other person, who had been waiting there for some time, laughed aloud at the young master, saying: "Ah Man, you finally made it! Look at this madman, after a few drinks, he is so pleased with himself that he has completely lost his composure!"