Chapter 133: The Three Great Houses: Han, Liu, and Liu

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Wei Renshi waited for Liu Yuxi to come over. When Liu drew near, he smiled, bowed, and said, “Your servant pays his respects to Lord Wei.”

A chill ran through Wei Renshi, and he hurriedly waved his hands. “Oh, spare me. Hearing you call me that makes my skin crawl.”

Liu Yuxi burst out laughing. “Young Master Wei has only just arrived in Chang’an, so allow me to show you around the city. As it happens, I am free today, and I can introduce you to a few people as well.”

Wei Renshi nodded. “Gladly!”

“In that case, where are you staying for now? Once I have finished today’s business, I shall come and find you,” Liu Yuxi said.

Wei Renshi told him where he was lodging temporarily. Liu still had to report for duty at the Censorate, so he took his leave first.

Wei Renshi held no official post and had no duties to perform, so after the court session he was free for the rest of the day.

The streets of Chang’an were actually little different from those of Luoyang. There was only one major distinction: in Luoyang, if you casually pointed at someone on the road, he might well be a merchant rich enough to rival a regional magnate. In Chang’an, the person you pointed at might just as easily be an official of the imperial court.

As Wei Renshi strolled through the streets of Chang’an, he pondered whether he ought to purchase a residence there.

It need not be very large. It would suffice if it could accommodate his family and a few servants. In any case, Weinan was not far from Chang’an, and his main residence would certainly remain there. When he came to Chang’an, he would not bring many people with him.

Since it would not be a place for permanent residence, he need not be too particular about its location. Chang’an had so many wards, and property prices naturally differed from one to another. He would simply choose a cheaper one.

However, Wei Renshi was unfamiliar with Chang’an, and if he wished to buy a residence, he would still have to rely on someone else to make inquiries.

After returning home, he called for Ma Weilong and Gou Er and went with them to the Western Market. There they found Manager Fang. Wei Renshi told him that he wished to purchase a residence, then asked where he might inquire about properties for sale.

Manager Fang thought for a moment before replying, “Young Master, please put your mind at ease. I need only ask a property broker to make inquiries, and we shall know at once. Those brokers are the best informed about which residences in Chang’an are being bought and sold.”

Such brokers were intermediaries who brought buyers and sellers together, arranged transactions, and collected commissions. They had existed as early as the Han dynasty, when they were known as market brokers. Taking advantage of unequal access to information, they could reap enormous profits through the simple act of bringing the two sides together, which gave rise to their later name. From the Song dynasty onward, they were called brokerage houses.

Wei Renshi naturally knew that such people existed; he simply did not know where to find one.

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With Manager Fang handling the inquiries, Wei Renshi no longer needed to concern himself with the matter.

He returned home and took an afternoon nap. When he awoke, the day was already well advanced and evening was approaching.

After rising and washing his face, he found that Liu Yuxi had arrived.

Wei Renshi left with Gou Er, following Liu Yuxi. Along the way, Liu said, “There are countless restaurants and taverns in Chang’an, but my favorite is Fragrant Ease House. Its specialty is fresh river fish, and the flavor is exquisite. I have also invited several close friends of mine. You should get to know them.”

“Very well.” Wei Renshi nodded, then asked, “I have been enfeoffed in Weinan, but the affairs of Weinan have nothing to do with me, do they? The county government can manage its own affairs. I need only look after my own little patch of land, correct?”

“Under our dynasty, a county baron may rank only ninth among the hereditary titles, but he is still a member of the nobility. You have an estate of three hundred households and five hundred mu of taxable farmland. How can that be called a mere little patch of land?” Liu Yuxi said with a laugh.

“So when His Majesty told me to devote more thought to building dams, depositing silt, and improving wasteland, it was merely a word of encouragement—not a genuine instruction?” Wei Renshi asked, seeking confirmation.

Liu Yuxi nodded. “That is what it means. However, since these methods were proposed by you, and since you are enfeoffed in Weinan, if the Weinan county government encounters difficulties in either matter, they will certainly come to pay their respects and seek your advice.”

“They may seek my advice, but they need not make me manage anything.” Wei Renshi breathed a sigh of relief. “I have grown accustomed to taking things easy. If you make me oversee such affairs, they will surely drive me to exhaustion.”

As the two spoke, the carriage arrived at the Eastern Market and came to a stop.

When they stepped down from the carriage, Fragrant Ease House by the roadside was indeed packed with diners.

Several people standing nearby saw Liu Yuxi descend from the carriage and came forward.

“Haha, Young Master Wei!” one of them called out to Wei Renshi. Then, as though suddenly remembering something, he bowed and said, “Ah—this humble one pays his respects to Lord Wei.”

The man was Zhang Ji.

Wei Renshi smiled at him. “Master Zhang, I hope you have been well. You may as well continue calling me Young Master Wei. Whenever someone calls me Lord Wei, I feel uncomfortable all over. Are your eyes any better?”

Zhang Ji straightened and smiled. “As a matter of fact, after I returned, I tried the method Young Master Wei suggested, and it truly worked. They have improved considerably.”

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Liu Yuxi stepped to the side and said with a smile, “This is Zhang Ji, courtesy name Wenchang. I presume no introduction is necessary. Young Master Wei, this gentleman is Han Yu, courtesy name Tuizhi, a Doctor of the Four Gates School at the Imperial College.”

Wei Renshi froze.

He naturally knew that once he had been granted a noble title and come to Chang’an, he would inevitably meet the renowned Han Yu, the great teacher of history. Yet to see such a towering historical figure appear before him so abruptly, without the slightest buildup, left him dazed for a moment.

Before Wei Renshi could recover, Liu Yuxi pointed to another man and introduced him. “This is Liu Zongyuan, the magistrate of Lantian County, courtesy name Zihou.”

Wei Renshi had not yet recovered from his first shock when another stunned silence overtook him.

This gentleman from Hedong was another celebrated figure in the literary world. Only a few days ago, Wei Renshi had experienced for himself the feeling described by the lines, “Across a thousand mountains, not a bird in flight; along ten thousand paths, not a human trace.” Today, he had come face-to-face with the man who wrote them.

Of the Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song, he had met two in a single day. The thought alone was thrilling.

Yet these legendary figures were still merely minor officials in the present, and so they, too, smiled and bowed.

“Greetings, Lord Wei. To receive a title at the age of twelve is without precedent in our dynasty. Having met you today, I can see that you are indeed extraordinary.”

“You are both too kind.” Wei Renshi returned their bows with great solemnity, leaving the two men momentarily surprised. After all, Wei Renshi’s official rank was now higher than theirs, and they had not expected him to return their courtesy with such gravity.

“Please, do not!” The two men hastily turned aside and took a small step back.

“You may simply call me Wei Renshi,” he said. “I have long heard of your illustrious names and have read many of your poems with great admiration. It is a rare pleasure to meet you both today.”

Looking at the men before him, Wei Renshi remembered that Han Yu, Liu Yuxi, and Liu Zongyuan were said to have been extremely close friends, though some subtle tensions had arisen between them for a time. In the end, however, their brotherhood had endured every hardship, and when they met again, a single smile had erased their old grievances. Before Liu Zongyuan died, he entrusted his children to Han Yu and Liu Yuxi—clear proof that their bond remained unshakable.

Liu Yuxi spoke from the side. “Let us go upstairs first, sit down, and have a few cups of warm wine to thaw ourselves. Then we can talk at leisure.”

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