The banquet in the bamboo grove was in full swing when Yuan Niang suddenly noticed Chen Ge’er making furtive gestures from behind the bamboo clusters – sneaky, winking, and conspicuously secretive. Yuan Niang pursed her lips, momentarily unable to grasp his meaning.
After a long pause, Chen Ge’er had no choice but to shuffle over and quickly say: “Father, Mother wants you to go to the main hall to wash Liu Lang.”
The sons of Su Shi and Su Zhe were ranked together in birth order. Since the newborn hadn’t been named yet, the family simply called him Liu Lang according to his ranking.
By this time, Su Shi had already been made to drink three cups by his friends and was thoroughly drunk. He patted Chen Ge’er’s head and laughed: “No hurry, no hurry. The sun hasn’t reached its peak yet.”
Having said this, he stuffed a handful of sugar-fried chestnuts into Chen Ge’er’s arms and had him sit beside Yuan Niang to eat them.
Chen Ge’er felt as if sitting on pins and needles – how could he possibly sit still!
One jokester deliberately came over, but before he could speak, Su Shi grabbed him and said: “Watch me write.”
Everyone cheered: “Finally got Su Zizhan drunk! Quick, quick, prepare the brush and ink!”
There wasn’t time to bring another table from elsewhere, so people cleared one banquet table, had the delicious dishes removed from it, and before servants could bring cloths to wipe it, the impatient ones directly used their sleeves.
Yuan Niang facepalmed, staring in astonishment. Weren’t these supposed to be refined scholars? What was with the sleeves full of soup and food scraps?!
Chen Ge’er chewed sweet chestnuts and explained: “They’re always like this. You’ll get used to it after seeing it more, Yuan Mei.”
Yuan Niang nodded dazedly – truly, great scholars didn’t bother with minor details.
By now, premium xuan paper had been spread on the table. Huang Tingjian was grinding ink nearby while Su Shi held a brush. After brief contemplation, he wielded the brush with dashing elegance – this goes without saying.
When one sheet was filled, another was spread. Su Shi neither put on airs nor cherished his words, accepting all requests.
Each time Su Shi completed a piece, the whole hall erupted in applause!
The ink from his brush flowed like swimming fish, nimble and lively in its pauses and movements. Yuan Niang watched carefully by his side, utterly convinced – the most brilliant and elegant talents of Great Song could be no better than this.
Just as Li Bai’s embroidered words had once produced the glorious chapters of High Tang, now Su Shi’s brush was creating the elegance of Great Song.
Yuan Niang secretly thought: Feng Wu Ren Jian was exactly like this, no wonder she had traveled through time to Su Shi’s side. She opened her eyes wide, not wanting to miss a single moment!
Only after using all the blank paper brought by the guests did Su Shi make to put down his brush. One enthusiastic fan actually took off his outer robe in public, shouting: “Master Su, I have more here!” and spread his silk outer robe on the table.
Chen Ge’er’s eyebrow twitched as he whispered to Yuan Niang: “Incredible, this guy really isn’t afraid of the cold!”
“Perhaps his admiration for Master warms his heart,” Yuan Niang replied.
Su Shi rubbed Yuan Niang’s head, then continued dipping his brush in ink to write, saying as he wrote: “Just this once, everyone please put your robes back on properly.”
Those who had been about to follow suit could only reluctantly tie their garments.
With this, Su Shi set down his brush, scooped up Yuan Niang in his arms, and led everyone to the main hall to wash the newborn.
Charcoal fires burned warmly in the hall. Against the northern wall stood a three-foot long, two-foot wide nanmu table with four inwardly-curved horse-hoof feet.
On the table were arranged pork kidney, pork tripe, trotters, crystal dumplings, various fruits and other foods – all gifts from relatives and friends that day. Closer to the front were placed colored painting threads, gold and silver threads, colored satins, pearls and jade ornaments.
In the center of the table stood a silver basin carved with scenes of farming and study. Chao Yun poured freshly brewed fragrant water into it from a bronze pot, while Wang Runzhi added items like baby-washing fruits and colored coins. The wet nurse Feng, who cared for Liu Lang, wrapped colorful ribbons around the silver basin. Su Shi stirred the water with a gold and silver hairpin, and guests tossed in coins and silver hairpins—a ritual called “adding to the basin.”
Yuan Niang stared in disbelief. Huh? Is this right? The other things might be fine, but who knows how many germs are on these coins—isn’t that unhygienic? A newborn’s body is so fragile.
As she stood there dazed, someone pressed a copper coin into her hand. Chen Ge’er winked at her with a smile and said, “Yuan Mei, let’s go add to the basin too.”
Seeing everyone else joining in, Yuan Niang bit her lip hesitantly but let Chen Ge’er pull her forward. Chen Ge’er deftly tossed a coin into the basin, murmuring, “May Liu Lang grow up safe and sound, free from illness and misfortune.”
Yuan Niang woodenly raised her hand, hesitating and almost pulling it back. Thinking she didn’t know how to do it, Chen Ge’er pressed his small hand over hers and said, “Yes, just toss it in like that. Quick! Make a wish.”
Ah! Hey! Chen Ge’er, get a grip—this is your brother’s bath basin, not a wishing pond at a temple! If we make wishes here, won’t little brother become like a turtle in a wishing pond when he arrives? The thought made Yuan Niang chuckle despite herself. She had no choice but to follow local customs and mimic the others, saying, “May Liu Lang be strong and healthy, with everything going smoothly.”
Su Shi laughed and remarked, “Eh? After all these years, is Yuan Niang still afraid of this baby-washing basin?”
“Huh?” Yuan Niang was puzzled.
Su Shi continued, “Back at the Lin family’s baby-washing banquet, you refused to get in the basin and burst into tears the moment you touched it, flailing your little arms and legs so hard that your father and I got splashed all over. In the end, I had to hold you while your father scooped water to wash you.”
Yuan Niang flushed with embarrassment, then suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked, “Master, you didn’t compose a poem about that, did she?” She definitely didn’t want to be immortalized in history for that.
“I wanted to!” Su Shi replied, stirring the water in the basin. “But your father doted on you, saying, ‘My daughter is crying so pitifully—don’t tease her.’ So I had to swallow the poem that was on the tip of my tongue along with a sweet fruit.”
Yuan Niang nodded, smiling with lingering relief. “Master, you can compose to your heart’s content today.”
Su Shi laughed heartily. Yuan Niang was pulled away by Chen Ge’er to look at the fruit mountain nearby, just as a maid brought Liu Lang out.
Chen Ge’er whispered sneakily, “Good thing we slipped away. I smelled him—Liu Lang’s stinky right now. Let’s wait until he’s all clean before we play with him.”
Yuan Niang gave him an amused look. So that’s why he’d run off so suddenly.
When the water temperature was just right, Su Shi untied the silk ribbons of Liu Lang’s swaddling clothes, carried him to the basin, and gently bathed him.
A short while later, the little one was clean. The wet nurse spread out a colorful silk cloth, and Su Shi dried him, wrapped him up, and placed him in a small gold and silver box for everyone to admire. With literati and scholars present, poetry recitations were inevitable.
Zhang Xian stroked his beard and said with a smile, “Today, I’ll go first and steal a bit of the spotlight.” He lowered his eyes in brief thought and declared, “I’ve got it! Listen to this: Beneath Phoenix Hill, a phoenix fledgling rare, Adorned with five hues, five virtues it does bear. Descending to a scholarly abode, The moon’s lone cassia feels its glory shared.”
“Excellent poem, truly excellent! With this piece, Zhang Gong has set a high bar that leaves the rest of us struggling.”
As they were speaking, the page Yan Qing came to report: “Master, a letter and congratulatory gift from the Wen family have arrived.”
“Bring them quickly!” Su Shi exclaimed with great delight.
Yan Qing promptly presented the letter. Li Gongze laughed and said, “Today we are in for a visual treat. Brother Yuke must have sent bamboos.”
His guess was correct. Yan Qing was holding a long case containing a scroll painting.
Everyone eagerly unrolled the scroll to view it and exclaimed in admiration: “Truly worthy of Wen Yuke! Looking at his ink bamboos, one can almost hear the wind rustling through a bamboo grove. A divine work, indeed a divine work!”
Chen Xiang thrust a brush into Su Shi’s hand and said, “Wen Yuke’s ink bamboos and Su Zizhan’s poetry are indispensable. Quickly inscribe it, quickly!”
Wen Yuke excelled at painting bamboos but was always sparing with his ink. Those who sought his paintings often returned disappointed. Even when he did paint, his works contained intentional blank spaces. He always instructed those requesting paintings not to let others write on them, waiting specifically for Su Zizhan. This had become customary, especially since this painting was originally intended for Su Shi.
Su Shi gazed at the ink painting of snow-covered bamboos, remaining silent for a long while. After some time, he sighed and wrote:
My son must be formed from bamboo’s soul,
With joints like bamboo, his spirit pure and whole.
When eighteen years have passed and he’s full-grown,
His clear shadow will repay the snow-shone.
At this time, opponents of the new policies were being assigned to various posts across the country by the court. Their grand ambitions remained unfulfilled, and their ideals of serving a sage ruler had vanished like bubbles. Though Chen Xiang felt melancholy inwardly, he reminded himself this was a day of celebration and shouldn’t be dampened by gloom. He proactively commented: “Excellent! What fine lines about repaying the snow-shone! Zizhan possesses great talent – why fear lacking opportunities to display it?”
Another added: “Fan Zhongyan said: ‘Those in high positions at court worry about the people; those distant from court worry about their ruler. Thus they worry when advancing and worry when retreating.’ Now that we are distant from court, we should forget our worries and seek joy, cultivating ourselves accordingly.”
“Well said, well said.”
More people continuously composed poems for the baby-washing ceremony. When Liu Lang was carried around the hall, Chen Ge’er became so frightened he hid behind his elder brother. The young lad now carried such literary aura that everyone who saw him felt compelled to compose a poem about him. He thought he’d better endure it for now and visit him in the rear hall later.
Su Mai saw this and shook his head with amusement. Taking Liu Lang in his arms and noticing the child’s clear spring-like eyes, he paced while reciting:
“A heavenly steed’s son, Rides moonlight across the river come. Laden with aspirations high, To serve his lord on Golden Terrace nigh.”
Hearing this, everyone clapped and praised: “Truly worthy of Master Su’s son! I believe it won’t be long before the young phoenix’s song surpasses the old phoenix’s!”
Chen Ge’er modestly responded on his brother’s behalf: “Uncles, you flatter him too much, too much!”
With his handsome features and exquisite jade-like appearance, the boy looked particularly adorable when bowing formally with complete seriousness. The guests suddenly felt tempted to tease him: “Erlang also…”
Before they could finish, Chen Ge’er quickly interrupted: “Uncles, please enjoy the food and drinks on my father’s account! This youngster takes his leave now!” So saying, he grabbed Yuan Niang’s hand and ran off without looking back.
Su Shi also shook his head with a smile: “That boy! Gentlemen, please join me for drinks and pay him no mind.”
Meanwhile, Chen Ge’er took several coins from the silver basin used in the washing ceremony, strung them together with colored thread, and led Yuan Niang to a quiet courtyard.
None of the front hall’s noise reached this place. The room was filled with the strong smell of medicine. A young child who had just finished taking medicine was coughing lightly while holding his chest. When he saw Chen Ge’er, unconscious joy overflowed between his eyebrows, and he called out sweetly: “Second Brother!”
Chen Ge’er nodded, hanging the painted thread strung with copper coins around his neck, and asked softly, “Are you feeling better now?”
Shu Ji nodded obediently and said, “Much better.” He carefully touched the colorful cord around his neck and asked, “Is the front courtyard very lively?”
Chen Ge’er waved his hand dismissively. “It’s unbearably noisy and not fun at all!”
In truth, Second Brother was actually the one in the family who loved bustle the most—how could he possibly dislike noise? He only said this to reassure his younger brother.
Shu Ji understood this well. His small hands clenched the brocade quilt, and just as he was about to speak, Chen Ge’er interrupted him: “I heard the Qiantang Shen family excels in medical arts. Father met with the Shen family head today—there’s hope for your recovery.”
Shu Ji nodded obediently. His legs were much thinner and weaker than those of ordinary children, so he shouldn’t really entertain hope. Yet he desperately wanted to stand up and run around freely like Second Brother.
He adored Second Brother most of all. If Second Brother said there was hope, then he believed it!