A short while later, everyone saw Xu Zhiyuan and others escorting a sprightly old man with a full head of silver hair as he entered. The old man wore a pristine white silk robe, and although he was very old, he walked with a vigorous stride. A childlike smile, seemingly returning to his roots, graced his face.
"Master Baiyan!"
"My goodness, it's actually Master Baiyan!"
"Master Baiyan has actually come personally to Miss Xu's birthday banquet! The Xu family has such great influence!"
Upon seeing the old man, everyone immediately recognized him and began to discuss in surprise. No wonder Xu Zhiyuan personally went out to greet him. Although Master Baiyan wasn't a political figure, his influence in political circles was unparalleled. Many of his students and friends held prominent positions, and Master Baiyan himself was a leading figure in the Chinese art world. Moreover, he was a close friend of the Fang family patriarch. It was no wonder the Xu family valued such a visit so highly.
When Chen Yang first saw his teacher, he was also astonished, his mouth agape. He had casually mentioned attending Master Baiyan's birthday banquet yesterday when he visited him. His teacher hadn't inquired about it since, and Chen Yang never imagined that his teacher would come without even a word of introduction.
Master Baiyan also saw Chen Yang in the crowd and smiled slightly at him. That simple smile, full of encouragement, warmed Chen Yang's heart.
At this moment, Old Master Xu, having been informed by the staff, emerged from the backyard, leaning on his cane. Old Master Xu was over eighty years old, with white hair and beard, but his spirits were good, and he didn't need the staff's assistance. He wore an old-fashioned grass-green military uniform, the top button meticulously fastened, his back ramrod straight, displaying the robust bearing of a soldier.
Old Master Xu, having fought his way up through blood and fire, and having held a high position for many years, naturally possessed an imposing aura that instilled a sense of unease in all the guests.
Upon seeing Old Master Xu, Master Baiyan quickened his pace, stepping out from the crowd to stand before him. He greeted him with a smile,
"Old Master Xu! How have you been lately?"
Old Master Xu laughed heartily, tapping his cane on the ground, and said,
"Thanks to you, my health is quite good! Master Bai, it's such a pleasant surprise that you could personally attend my granddaughter's birthday banquet!"
Master Baiyan chuckled, stroking his silver beard, and replied,
"Old Master Xu, my young disciple is a friend of your granddaughter. When he visited me yesterday, he told me he was coming to her birthday banquet today, and he begged me for ages to let him write a piece of calligraphy. As people get older, they fear loneliness, so I certainly wouldn't miss a chance for a lively occasion, and I simply brought it over myself!"
Master Baiyan's words were like a bombshell, causing a buzz of discussion among the guests. Master Baiyan's disciple is truly amazing! Not only did he obtain the calligraphy, but Master Baiyan himself delivered it to his door. Who is this incredible person? The guests looked around, hoping to find Master Baiyan's disciple.
Chen Yang was also taken aback. He had indeed said yesterday that he would attend the banquet today, but he hadn't mentioned requesting calligraphy at all, let alone asking Master Baiyan to make the trip. Why would his teacher say such a thing?
Chen Yang couldn't figure it out for a moment, but he knew his teacher wouldn't harm him; it was ultimately for his own good.
Upon hearing this, Old Master Xu became curious. He beckoned Xu Qingya over. Xu Qingya approached the two elders, first respectfully greeting the old man, and then politely saying to Master Baiyan:
"Master Baiyan, hello!"
Baiyan smiled and looked at Xu Qingya with a friendly gaze, making her a little embarrassed. Only then did Bai Yan speak:
"Hello, little one!"
Old Master Xu asked:
"Xiaoya, which of Master Bai Yan's disciples is your friend? Did he come today?"
Xu Qingya looked bewildered, unsure how to answer. She didn't know when she had met Master Bai Yan's young disciple, let alone that Master Bai Yan himself would come to celebrate her birthday—what an honor! Seeing this, Chen Yang pushed through the crowd and approached the two elderly gentlemen. He bowed slightly to them and said,
"Teacher! Hello, Elder Xu!"
Master Baiyan smiled and nodded, winking at Chen Yang with a hint of teasing.
"Little Chen Yang, this old body of mine is at your service today!"
After speaking, Master Baiyan turned to Elder Xu and said with a smile,
"Elder Xu, this is my good-for-nothing disciple, named Chen Yang. I just accepted him recently."
While Baiyan humbly used the word "good-for-nothing," his eyes revealed boundless affection and admiration for Chen Yang. Moreover, his presence at the banquet despite his advanced age showed his deep affection for Chen Yang, bordering on doting.
The guests present were all astonished. Chen Yang had just made a great splash during the birthday gift presentation; many would have thought it was just luck, a stroke of good fortune. This time, however, they were truly shocked. They hadn't expected that the unassuming Chen Yang was actually Master Baiyan's junior disciple, and clearly, Master Baiyan held him in high regard.
Even though Chen Yang came from a poor background, his status as Master Baiyan's disciple was enough to place him on equal footing with most of the people present. Chinese tradition emphasizes orderly succession, and Master Baiyan's direct disciples, nominal disciples, and students were scattered throughout the land, many holding prominent positions. Chen Yang's fellow disciples represented a vast network of connections.
Fan Zihong's face grew even more grim. Today, Xu Zhiyuan was preparing to formally announce his marriage to Xu Qingya, and he had made meticulous preparations, arriving at the banquet full of pride. Unexpectedly, because of Chen Yang, from the moment he presented his gift, he had suffered a series of setbacks, completely relegated to a supporting role at the banquet.
And now, at the banquet, besides the undisputed female lead, Xu Qingya, the most prominent figure was undoubtedly Chen Yang, who was currently speaking with the two elders.
Grandpa Xu, with a warm smile, looked Chen Yang over and said,
"Young man, you're clearly a talented young man. Congratulations to Master Bai on finding another fine student!"
Chen Yang offered a few modest words, then looked at the scroll Bai Yan was holding and said,
"Teacher, please show everyone the calligraphy you brought today!"
Grandpa Xu immediately replied,
"Yes, yes, Master Bai! It's been a long time since I've seen your masterpiece!"
Master Bai Yan smiled and nodded in agreement, taking a framed scroll from the paper tube. Xu Zhiyuan quickly gave a signal to the staff nearby, and two elegant waitresses stepped forward, carefully taking the scroll from Bai Yan's hands, each holding one side, and slowly unfurling it.
Everyone watched with bated breath. Master Bai Yan's calligraphy was rarely seen, and this one was especially precious because it was specially written by Master Bai Yan for Xu Qingya's birthday. As the waiter slowly unfurled the scroll, approximately four feet long and one and a half feet high, it was fully revealed to everyone. All eyes were fixed on it, where four large characters, "巧笑倩兮" (Qiao Xiao Qian Xi), were written at the top. Each character was bold and vigorous, giving a sense of overwhelming grandeur. Following this was the signature of Master Baiyan; this piece not only used his seal "白岩山人" (Baiyan Shanren) but also his rarely used seal, "怡然自得" (Yi Ran Zi De).
The four characters "巧笑倩兮" come from the *Classic of Poetry*, specifically from the beautiful poem "硕人" (Shuo Ren) in the *Airs of the States*, praising the charming smile and captivating eyes of Zhuang Jiang, a woman from Qi. It is quite fitting to describe Xu Qingya. Moreover, Zhuang Jiang married in grand style, but because she did not bear children, she suffered long-term neglect. Duke Zhuang of Wei was short-tempered and even suspected of abusing Zhuang Jiang. Later, he married Li Gui and Dai Gui from the state of Chen. Unhappy Zhuang Jiang could only express her sorrow through poetry.
In a sense, Zhuang Jiang was a tragic figure; her tragic fate was sealed the moment she married Duke Zhuang of Wei. Bai Yan's choice of this line from the poem "Shuoren," which describes Zhuang Jiang, was partly to praise Xu Qingya's beauty, but also seemed to carry a deeper meaning.
When Chen Yang saw these four characters, he couldn't help but glance at Bai Yan in surprise. Master Bai Yan happened to look at him, and as their eyes met, he revealed a meaningful smile.
The others, however, didn't consider the deeper meaning of the line. They were all full of praise for Master Bai Yan's still-powerful calligraphy skills, even Xu Zhiyuan temporarily forgot his "main business." Master Bai Yan personally inscribed a poem for his daughter's birthday—what an honor! Even he felt proud, and his smile broadened.
Old Master Xu examined the seal on the calligraphy scroll, his eyes narrowing as he said,
"Master Bai, to receive this calligraphy from you, especially one bearing the 'contentment and joy' seal, our Xiaoya is truly blessed!"
After speaking, Old Master Xu beckoned to Xu Qingya, saying,
"Xiaoya, come quickly and thank Master Bai!"
Xu Qingya took the scroll from the waiter, still tightly clutching the Yabeah raccoon plush toy Chen Yang had given her, and walked to Master Bai Yan, bowing deeply and sincerely saying,
"Master Bai Yan! Thank you!"
Of the two gifts she received today, Chen Yang's toy was the most thoughtful, while Master Bai Yan's calligraphy was undoubtedly the most precious; both warmed Xu Qingya's heart. And since Master Bai Yan had bestowed the calligraphy entirely because of Chen Yang, Xu Qingya felt even more grateful to Chen Yang. Old Master Xu disliked noise. Now that Master Baiyan's calligraphy had been displayed, he stood up and said to Baiyan,
"Master Bai, you are a distinguished guest of the Xu family! Let's go to the backyard for tea and a chat! It's been a long time since we had a proper conversation."
Master Baiyan chuckled and said,
"Alright!"
Then he turned to Chen Yang, took out his seal box from his pocket, and handed it to him, saying,
"Young Chen Yang, come in! Keep the seal safe for me!"
"Yes, Master!" Chen Yang accepted the seal box and replied respectfully.
Old Master Xu was even more delighted to see that Master Baiyan had brought his seal. Since Master Baiyan was so proactive, perhaps he should ask the master to leave another piece of calligraphy today!
The group stood up and headed towards the backyard. Xu Zhiyuan, as the eldest son of the old master, naturally accompanied him. After instructing his wife to take good care of the guests, he quickly followed. Chen Yang glanced back at Fan Zihong, whose eyes were blazing with anger, a slight smirk playing on his lips. He thought to himself, "Today I'm going to ruin your plans!"
This meeting with Old Master Xu in his backyard was, in Chen Yang's view, a golden opportunity…