Chapter 286: Second Senior Brother

Chapter 286: Second Senior Brother

His question struck a chord with Meng Wan, who suddenly sat up straight and pulled a handkerchief from Song Tingzhou's arms to roughly wipe his face. "Do you think they might have done it for Senior Brother..."

And so... they took their own lives?

Song Tingzhou pressed his lips together. "With both of them passing away this time, Senior Brother will have to return to Yangzhou for the mourning period."

"No, I can't wait. I'll leave for Yangzhou as soon as possible tomorrow morning and have Yao Geer wait for Second Aunt in the prefectural city." Meng Wan's heart ached terribly. If Xiang Yun and Lin Yi had died of natural causes, he could still console himself, but if they had sacrificed themselves to keep their son Lin Congrong out of the succession struggle, he could never accept it.

Song Tingzhou wanted to accompany Meng Wan to Yangzhou. "Then I'll go to Qinzhou tomorrow to request leave from the Provincial Administration Commissioner."

Meng Wan naturally wanted him to come along to pay respects to his master and grandmaster, but Prince Lian had been causing trouble for Song Tingzhou lately, and he definitely couldn't get away. Besides, the matter in Qinzhou needed his presence. "At this critical moment, even if you go to see the Commissioner, Prince Lian will find a way to interfere. And besides, we're about to go to war with Annam—can you really leave Lingnan?"

What Meng Wan said was true. Song Tingzhou, usually so composed, looked unusually unsettled. He had only just enjoyed a few days of peace with his husband, and now they were to be separated again.

The one who had just been comforted now had to turn around and console Song Tingzhou. "I'll be very careful. I'll come home as soon as I've paid my respects to Master and Grandmaster." By the end, Meng Wan's voice was choked with emotion again.

The two had been standing for a long while. Song Tingzhou sat down in a chair in the room. With no outsiders in the house, he pulled Meng Wan onto his lap, his arm wrapping around Meng Wan's slender waist. "Then take Chi Yu and Xue Sheng with you, and Xiao Ci as well."

"Keep Xue Sheng by your side. Chi Yu is skilled in martial arts and is a young man, so I'll take him and Xiao Ci. The three of us will travel and try to reach Yangzhou as quickly as possible." Meng Wan leaned against Song Tingzhou's shoulder, his gaze drifting through the window to the outside. Though the sun blazed overhead, a chill seeped from his very bones, spreading through his body. He couldn't help but shiver and curled into Song Tingzhou's embrace to draw a trace of warmth.

That afternoon, Meng Wan packed his luggage, managing only two large bundles. The lotus root starch he'd sworn never to eat again took up an entire bundle on its own.

He didn't even ask the household servants to prepare a carriage. Before dawn the next day, he, Chi Yu, and Chu Ci each mounted a horse and galloped off.

Since the Shijian relay stations stretched north along the route, food and lodging were no problem on the journey. If he hadn't been in such a hurry to reach the Lin family, Meng Wan could have even checked on his accounts along the way.

And so they traveled—taking boats where there was water, following official roads where there were roads. Aside from Chi Yu taking care of a few minor bandits, there were no major incidents.

On the second day of the sixth month, Meng Wan arrived at the gates of the Lin residence in Yangzhou City under a fine, silvery rain.

The Lin family did own a residence in Yangzhou—a modest three-courtyard compound that Lin Yi and Xiang Yun had purchased when they married. After the old couple retired to Yangzhou, they rarely stayed there, preferring their home in the countryside.

Since the funeral was to be held in the city—the countryside home being too small—the mourning ceremonies took place at the city residence, with the burial procession later heading to the countryside.

Xiang Yun hadn't wanted to make a big deal of it. Only on her deathbed did she have the servants spread the word. Apart from those close to her like Meng Wan, Lin Yi's other disciples were only notified after Lin Congrong returned to Yangzhou.

Thus, when Meng Wan arrived, white lanterns still hung on either side of the Lin family's gate, but the funeral had long since ended.

The gatekeeper, used to the steady stream of visitors these days, sat just inside the entrance. Seeing someone approach, he hurried forward to ask, "Have you come to pay your respects to the old master and old lady?"

Meng Wan had cleaned up at an inn before coming. He held a white oil-paper umbrella, wore pure white clothes with a rough hemp mourning robe over them, a strip of mourning cloth tied around his left arm, and his hair tied back in a ponytail with a white mourning ribbon. He wore no ornaments whatsoever. Standing somberly before the Lin family gate, he said, "I've come to attend the funeral."

Paying respects was for mourners offering condolences to the family, while attending the funeral was for relatives who had traveled from afar to mourn their dead.

The gatekeeper had been muttering to himself about how the visitor was a young man, but at Meng Wan's words, he suddenly understood. "You must be Meng Fulang. Please, come in."

Meng Wan wasn't surprised by his reaction—Lin Congrong must have given instructions at home.

"Quick, go to the main hall and tell the master that Meng Fulang is here." The gatekeeper led Meng Wan into the courtyard and hurriedly dispatched a servant to notify Lin Congrong.

Yangzhou gardens were exquisite and delicate. The Lin residence might not have a view at every step, but it featured whitewashed walls, dark tiles, and upturned eaves. A winding path snaked through flowers and trees, and Meng Wan strode along it swiftly beneath his umbrella, the vibrant blooms couldn't slow his anxious pace.

By the time he reached the moon gate leading to the second courtyard, Lin Congrong and his wife had already hurried over to greet him.

"Wan Geer, I didn't expect you to get here so fast." Lin Congrong had aged considerably in the six years since they'd last met. His demeanor remained refined, but his temples were now streaked with gray.

His wife, Liu Shi, showed the same signs of aging. Both wore mourning clothes, their faces etched with exhaustion and their eyes red and puffy.

Meng Wan bowed to them both, his voice heavy with grief. "Senior Brother, Sister-in-law, my condolences."

Liu Shi returned the bow. "You've come a long way and must be tired. Rest here at the house for the night. Tomorrow morning, your senior brother will take you to the countryside to pay respects at your master and grandmaster's graves."

Even if Meng Wan wasn't tired, given how haggard Lin Congrong and his wife looked, he couldn't very well insist on going right away. He agreed and settled into a guest courtyard at the Lin residence with Chu Ci and Chi Yu.

The atmosphere in the Lin household was conflicted. On one hand, mourning cloth and white lanterns still hung throughout the compound, and servants moved about in near silence, the whole residence steeped in solemn grief.

On the other hand, besides Lin Yi's disciples coming to pay their respects, the house was packed with relatives—Lin Congrong and Liu Shi's two sons and their wives, Xiang Yun's daughter Countess Huai'en (Lin Conghui) and her family, plus the newly arrived Meng Wan and the not-yet-arrived Nie Erfulang—filling all three courtyards to capacity.

Luckily, Meng Wan hadn't brought many servants, or there really wouldn't have been room.

Meng Wan had a thousand questions for Lin Congrong, but now wasn't the right time. Liu Shi walked him to the small courtyard, and Meng Wan made small talk with her. "Sister-in-law, where's Xuanniang?"

A hint of relief crossed Liu Shi's weary face. "Xuanniang is with child and returned to the capital early." The girl had married at just seventeen, but luckily her husband's family was also from the capital, so mother and daughter could still see each other a few times a year.

When Xuanniang had married, Meng Wan, though unable to return to the capital for the wedding because of the distance, had contributed generously to her dowry. Liu Shi was grateful for that and so stayed warm toward Meng Wan.

Liu Shi had a lot to manage—her two daughters-in-law were still young after all. Before she left, Meng Wan asked, "Sister-in-law, is Countess Huai'en here? Should I go pay my respects?"

Liu Shi sighed, looking helpless. "She is indeed staying here, with her son and daughter-in-law too, but she's said she doesn't want to be disturbed. You'd better not go. I'll send someone to tell her you've arrived."

Her sister-in-law was proud and haughty, looking down on the whole Lin clan. If Meng Wan went to pay his respects and got a cold reception, it would reflect poorly on the Lin family. Better for Liu Shi to smooth things over—if the countess didn't want to see him, then fine.

Meng Wan wasn't really eager to go either, but given his master-disciple bond with Xiang Yun and the countess's status, he couldn't very well make no gesture at all. With Liu Shi's words, at least his absence couldn't be held against him.

Dinner was brought to the small courtyard by the Lin family's servants. Though he was staying at the Lin residence, since Lin Congrong hadn't cooked for him personally, Meng Wan had to stay cautious.

"Xiao Ci, test this for poison." Meng Wan gestured at the dishes on the table.

Chu Ci took out his silver needle, always soaked in a special medicinal solution, and tested each dish. Only after confirming they were all safe did the three of them sit down to eat.

Stewed tofu, stir-fried cabbage, and cabbage and tofu stew.

Cold cucumber salad, cold water celery, and cold eggplant salad.

Chi Yu pouted, about to cry. He was the best hunter in the Niao village and couldn't survive without meat. He could understand simple meals on the road, but having to eat vegetarian in Yangzhou as well?

Meng Wan picked up a piece of tofu and gave it to him. "Bear with it. Once we're back in Xiwu Prefecture, I'll stew you some pig trotters and steam you some crabs."

Meng Wan himself ate without much of an appetite. It wasn't that he craved meat like Chi Yu—his heart was too heavy for food to taste right.

Chu Ci set down his chopsticks and pressed his fingers against Meng Wan's wrist for a moment, then picked up his chopsticks and put a bit of each dish on Meng Wan's plate, signing with his hands, "Eat more, so your body stays strong."

That night, the rain outside grew louder, the sound of droplets beating against the courtyard plants ruining any hope of sleep. Meng Wan closed his eyes in the dark and sighed softly. They probably wouldn't be able to go to the countryside tomorrow.

Sure enough, early the next morning, a servant from Lin Congrong's courtyard came to report that the rain was too heavy to go into the mountains. They would wait a few days until the mountain paths weren't so muddy.

Since the funeral had already been missed, a few more days didn't matter much. Over the next two days, guests came and went at the Lin residence, all coming from far away. When visitors brought female family members, Meng Wan would also be asked to keep them company.

Dressed all in white with no jewelry, he still stood out in the crowd. Sitting next to Liu Shi's two daughters-in-law, he looked like a son of the Lin family. The female guests would all ask about him, and when they learned he was Xiang Yun's youngest disciple, they would fall silent.

No wonder—he was just too unknown. People had only vaguely heard that he'd married some official posted far away and hadn't been back to the capital in years. No one knew of any famous works by him.

Only the officials who had been at the court session in the imperial study three years ago had been lucky enough to see Meng Wan's calligraphy in person. Beyond that, there was a painting of the Changping flood that Lin Congrong had placed in the Lin family school, displayed alongside several of Mr. Xiang's works as a family heirloom for future generations to see.

So while one could say Meng Wan was unknown—the high officials who had seen his work at court secretly wished to collect two of his paintings but had no way to get them—one could also say he was famous, for his name carried weight at least in Lingnan. To ordinary people, though, he remained a mystery.

Therefore, although he drew a few extra glances because of his handsome face, no one took the initiative to engage him, and he was happy to be left alone.

By now, few outsiders were left—anyone who needed to pay respects had already come—but on the fifth day, Lin Congrong summoned him again and introduced him to a middle-aged scholar in his thirties, saying, "This is the youngest disciple my mother took on."

Then, to Meng Wan, he said, "Wan Geer, this is your second senior brother, Dai Zhong."

Xiang Yun had accepted only three disciples in her lifetime. The eldest was also male, but unfortunately, he had a short life and died young.

The second disciple was a free spirit—eccentric, capricious, and unpredictable. Those three odd words together summed up Xiang Yun's assessment of him.

The third was Meng Wan, the one Xiang Yun loved and was most proud of. She said he was the most talented disciple she'd ever taken on.

"Greetings, Second Senior Brother." Meng Wan studied this senior brother of his. He used a brush as a hairpin, his features refined and elegant, matching Meng Wan's image of a free-spirited painter. The brush itself was fascinating—the black tip looked very hard, and the shaft was carved into bamboo segments from a grayish-white material.

Dai Zhong let out a hearty laugh. "Little junior brother seems to like your senior brother's hairpin. How about I just give it to you?"

With that, he quickly pulled out the hairpin, and his long hair suddenly spilled down, giving Meng Wan quite a start.

Meng Wan stepped back, clasping his hands behind his back. "Senior brother jests. I merely found your hairpin distinctive and took a second look."

What was wrong with this guy? Pulling out his hairpin in front of strangers like that. In this era, a hairpin was like shoes or socks—only close family, brothers, or spouses could give them to each other. If he accepted the hairpin and Song Tingzhou found out, that would be trouble.

Lin Congrong was just as shocked. "Dai Zhong, put your hairpin back right now. Wan Geer has his own."

It took a lot of talking to calm such an impulsive man down. Meng Wan didn't take the hairpin, and Dai Zhong looked pretty disappointed.

Meng Wan: "…"

The next day, Nie Erfulang and Nie Zhiyao arrived as well. Aside from them, almost no one else came, so Lin Congrong took everyone to the countryside to pay their respects in person at the graves of Lin Yi and Xiang Yun.

Meng Wan was the last to pay his respects. The others waited in the carriages at the foot of the mountain, while Meng Wan knelt before the graves of Xiang Yun and Lin Yi, feeding paper money and ingots into the fire one by one, his eyes starting to sting with tears again.

"Senior brother, how exactly did Master pass away?"

Lin Congrong had a complicated look on his face. "I know what you're thinking. It's not that, but it kind of is."

Meng Wan turned his head to look up at him. "What do you mean?"

"My father had started not recognizing people last winter. He really did die of old age." Lin Congrong knelt before the grave as he spoke. "My mother... after my father died, she wanted to die too. She went six days without a sip of water or a bite of rice. Before my master's funeral altar was even taken down, she went with him."

A few tears slid off Meng Wan's chin, dripped onto the soil, and were quickly absorbed without a trace. "Did Master say anything before she died?"

Lin Congrong shook his head. "By then, she couldn't speak anymore." And even when she could, Xiang Yun had been too tired to talk.

She was never the type to lecture her descendants—how they lived was their own business. Only Meng Wan had she once seriously entrusted to someone's care.

Descending from the mountain, both Meng Wan and Lin Congrong had regained their composure.

Since everyone had paid their respects to Lin Yi and Xiang Yun, it was time to take their leave. Unlike the grief and urgency of their arrival, their departure carried a quieter melancholy.

Of Lin Congrong's two sons, the elder had only passed the county-level examination and had entered the Imperial Academy through the merit of Lin Congrong's second-rank official status. He now served as a seventh-rank county magistrate in the provinces.

The younger son was more accomplished—he was a provincial graduate, with a chance to pass the metropolitan examination on his own merit, but that was a matter for the future.

Lin Congrong, having returned home for mourning, was required to remain in Yangzhou for twenty-seven months, or two years. The Lin family held no noble title, and two years away from the court—who knew what changes might occur in the interim.

"Elder brother, I told you long ago to have your second nephew curry favor with the daughters of noble families, but you wouldn't listen. How else could you have ended up in such a predicament?" Countess Huai'en sneered.

She insinuated repeatedly that her two nephews were unambitious, but Lin Congrong had only one recommendation quota for the Imperial Academy. He had given it to the elder son initially, and it was only later that Lin Conghui's help allowed the younger one to enter as well.