Unaware of when it happened, he had somehow wandered into a quiet, secluded alley. Pausing slightly, he couldn’t help but let out a wry smile. Just as he turned to head back, he saw the main gate of a nearby residence creak open. An elderly man with a clear and distinguished demeanor stepped out with two attendants, and at that moment, he noticed the young man Ryan Carter turning to leave.

“Brother Zichang? Where are you off to?” Chris called out in surprise. “Why do you pass by my door without coming in?”

Ryan Carter was also taken aback. Turning his head, he caught sight of Chris’s face—usually so aloof, but now overflowing with a warm smile. “Uh, this is your residence, old Ethan? I was just wandering, lost in thought, and didn’t realize I’d ended up at your doorstep. Truly, I’m embarrassed.”

“Well, since you’re here, don’t leave.” Chris had felt an instant kinship with Ryan Carter upon their first meeting, and for this rare kindred spirit, he already regarded the young Ryan Carter as a confidant. “I’ve just opened the side gate to welcome two distinguished guests, and now that you’re here, Brother Zichang, let’s all gather together—wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

……

……

A carriage approached slowly. First to step down was a middle-aged man in a red robe, his expression wild and unrestrained. Strangely, though he wore casual clothes, he sported an official’s jade belt at his waist. After him, a tall, thin young man in his early twenties alighted from the carriage. Though not handsome, his features carried a subtle elegance.

Chris hurried forward and bowed, saying, “It is an honor for two such distinguished guests to grace the humble abode of a commoner like Ethan. The Ethan family is truly illuminated by your presence!”

The red-robed man burst out laughing and gave Chris a playful punch. “Old Ethan, what’s with all this ‘distinguished guest’ nonsense between old friends? I’m just a minor official, nothing worth mentioning! If you keep talking like that, Mark Green will make you drink two jars of wine as punishment!”

The young man beside him also smiled and returned the greeting with a cupped fist. “Old Ethan, you’re being too formal. Though you live among the common folk, your reputation for talent and integrity is well known throughout Luoyang. There’s no need for self-deprecation. David has come with Mr. Mark Green to seek a few cups of your Jade Pot Spring wine, and hopes you won’t mind the intrusion!”

The three exchanged pleasantries, completely unaware that the young man standing behind Chris now wore an expression so “contorted” it was nearly unrecognizable. A closer look would reveal the pale muscles of his face twitching slightly: It’s over, it’s over, I’ve run into celebrities.

Zhang Xu, the Sage of Cursive Script, was a renowned calligrapher, famous not only in the Tang Dynasty but also in later generations. He was said to be free-spirited and uninhibited, open-minded and generous, outstanding and exceptionally talented, with profound knowledge. He often drank himself into a stupor, then would shout and pace wildly before setting brush to paper—sometimes even dipping his hair in ink to write—earning him the nickname “Zhang the Mad.” Later, Huai Su inherited and developed his brushwork, also becoming famous for cursive script, and together they were known as “Mad Zhang and Drunken Su.”

As for Yan Zhenqing, he was not only a famous calligrapher but also a great patriot. The “Yan style” regular script he created, along with Zhao Mengfu, Liu Gongquan, and Ouyang Xun, made up the “Four Masters of Regular Script.” Together with Liu Gongquan, they were called “Yan’s sinews and Liu’s bones.” In the fourteenth year of the Tianbao era, An Lushan launched a rebellion. Yan Zhenqing joined forces with his cousin Yan Gaoqing to resist, rallying seventeen nearby prefectures and being chosen as their leader, commanding 200,000 troops and deterring An Lushan from attacking Tongguan hastily. In the first year of the Xingyuan era under Emperor Dezong, Li Xilie, the military governor of Huaixi, rebelled. The treacherous chancellor Lu Qi took the opportunity to have Yan Zhenqing killed by Li Xilie, sending him as an envoy, where he was strangled to death. Upon hearing of Yan Zhenqing’s death, the soldiers and officers of the three armies wept uncontrollably.

Chapter 010: Mad Zhang and Yan’s Sinews (Part II)

Sensing Ryan Carter’s nearly fanatical gaze, Yan Zhenqing shifted uncomfortably and glanced sideways, only to see a handsome young man in a blue robe, a faint smile on his lips, staring at him with “tender, affectionate” eyes. Yan couldn’t help but frown.

Zhang Xu waved his hand carelessly and asked, “Old Ethan, who is this young man?”

Chris laughed heartily, about to introduce Ryan Carter by name, but suddenly seemed to remember something and said lightly, “This is a young friend of mine, Young Master Carter, who has some insight into the art of wine. Since he happens to be here today, let’s all gather together—Zichang, these two are Andrew Bolton (Mark Bolton) and John Adams (David Adams), two esteemed gentlemen. Go ahead and pay your respects.”

Andrew Bolton served as a minor Jinwu official in Chang’an and had returned to Luoyang with a nobleman from the capital. He and Chris were old friends, and he was fond of his Jade Pot Spring wine, so he dragged John Adams, who was also accompanying the nobleman, to Chris’s residence. The visit was just an excuse; drinking was the real purpose. John Adams had only recently passed the imperial examination last year and was now a minor official in the Censorate.

By now, Ryan Carter had regained his composure, his expression returning to its signature calm and poise. He paid no mind to Chris’s “slip” in the introduction and stepped forward to salute. “Greetings, gentlemen!”

“That’s enough,” Andrew Bolton waved his hand.

John Adams didn’t pay him much mind either, simply regarding him as a junior of Chris, and returned the greeting with a faint smile.

……

……

Chris truly lived up to his reputation as an extraordinary figure among the common folk. His small flower hall was arranged with elegant simplicity, filled with a scholarly atmosphere. A carved lattice bookshelf stood at the front, packed with books. Two large, slender-waisted painted pottery vases stood in the corners, and four desks were arranged in a pinwheel pattern. Each pale blue stool was covered with a thick woolen rug.