The one who came to find Yan Erlang was Liu Wenji.
Both hailed from Lingnan, and Yan Shang was exceptionally skilled at making friends. Even someone as arrogant and self-assured as Liu Wenji felt a surge of excitement upon reuniting with Yan Shang in Chang'an.
Liu Wenji laughed and said, "After receiving your letter saying you were coming, I immediately started looking for housing in Chang’an according to your requirements..."
Yan Shang promptly bowed in gratitude. "I’ve troubled you, Brother Liu..."
Liu Wenji grabbed his hand and shook it, signaling that such formalities were unnecessary.
He even blushed slightly. "But I haven’t found anything particularly good. So far, I’ve only managed to secure a place at Yongshou Temple in Yongle Ward. It’s a bit farther from the bustling areas, but it’s not exactly remote. Staying at the temple might actually help you focus on your studies..."
Yan Shang thanked him again.
In truth, the lodging Liu Wenji had found fell far short of Yan Shang’s own standards—he even considered Yongshou Temple too lively.
Nevertheless, Yan Shang naturally appreciated Liu Wenji’s kindness.
Mentioning this reminded Yan Shang of something else. "My teacher, Duke Dou, learned of my arrival in Chang’an and pulled some strings to get me into the Imperial College for a few days of temporary study."
Liu Wenji was taken aback, then envious. "Having a Grand Academician as your teacher—you’re truly fortunate."
In this era, books were exceedingly precious, and the Imperial College’s collection was one of the few vast repositories of knowledge.
Even though the imperial examinations were imminent, the fact that Yan Shang’s teacher could arrange for him to study temporarily at the Imperial College left Liu Wenji somewhat unsettled.
His own father had once served as a Censor in Chang’an—a position that often earned the ire of other officials. As a result, Liu Wenji’s father hadn’t left him with many resources in the capital.
Yan Shang glanced at Liu Wenji.
He smiled. "I made a request to my teacher, and he agreed to let you accompany me to the Imperial College."
Liu Wenji: "...!?"
He abruptly halted in the middle of the street, staring at Yan Shang in disbelief.
Yan Shang’s consistent kindness and approachability felt incredibly rare to Liu Wenji, who had experienced the fickleness of human relationships in Chang’an. For a moment, his eyes grew slightly moist.
Liu Wenji gripped Yan Shang’s hand and shook it vigorously. He opened his mouth several times, struggling to express his gratitude, and finally said, "Suchen, you’ve helped me so much. I, Liu, will never betray you in the future."
Yan Shang replied, "It was merely a small favor—why speak so gravely?"
Liu Wenji shook his head. "Only after coming to Chang’an did I realize that even things others could help with by merely speaking up—why should they bother to open their mouths for you? You’re the only one who would do this."
Yan Shang fell silent.
After a long pause, he said, "I’m not entirely without self-interest. Both of us are from Lingnan. In the future, when we serve as officials, others will inevitably see us as a united front. So, it’s only natural that we support each other and stand together against common challenges. Just as you helped me find lodging, it’s only right that I help you enter the Imperial College."
Liu Wenji laughed.
"Alright, enough said. Let me treat you to some wine!"
Yan Shang declined. "You know me, Brother Liu—I’ve never been one to drink."
Liu Wenji was astonished. "Really, Yan Erlang? You still don’t drink? Not even a single sip? Have you never made an exception...?"
The figures of the two scholars blended into the crowd, their voices gradually fading into the distance.
Far behind them, Mu Wan Yao and her party rode out of the city on horseback—merely noble youths enjoying a spring outing.
Their paths did not cross—The next day, Yan Shang and Liu Wenji went together to the Imperial Academy. After presenting their identity tokens for entry at the gate, they exchanged a glance, both seeing suppressed excitement and anticipation in each other's eyes.
An older senior student came to guide them inside. He spoke politely to Yan Shang for a few extra words, while only giving Liu Wenji a perfunctory nod.
Fortunately, Liu Wenji was busy marveling at the grandeur of the Imperial Academy and didn't pay much attention.
The senior led them to a study hall: "Master Dou instructed that until the imperial examinations, this hall is at your disposal. You may also freely borrow books from the academy library."
Yan Shang expressed his thanks and quickly added before the senior hurried away: "May I ask, senior, when might the master have time for me to pay my respects?"
The senior turned to look at this newly accepted disciple of the master. Seeing his refined and courteous manner, he formed a favorable impression and replied: "The master has recently been borrowed by an old friend to compile historical records. I'm afraid he won't have time to see you."
Yan Shang said politely: "Then I shall wait until after the imperial examinations to visit the master."
The senior gave him a surprised look, realizing the other had understood the master's implication—there was no need to meet unless the examination results were satisfactory.
After the senior left, Liu Wenji whispered to Yan Shang: "You see? They look down on people everywhere here. Even your master..."
Yan Shang interrupted: "Brother Liu, watch your words."
Liu Wenji raised an eyebrow but said nothing more.
Taking a deep breath, they entered the study hall. Only a few students sat scattered before rows of small desks, reading scrolls in their hands.
While Liu Wenji remained indifferent, Yan Shang properly stood at the doorway and bowed to the scholars in the room: "This humble student is newly arrived. Greetings to all seniors."
No one looked up.
The room fell into an awkward silence.
Seeing no response, Yan Shang withdrew his courtesy.
Suddenly, a young man who had been leaning sideways on a small desk while casually reading looked up toward the doorway and asked offhandedly: "Where are you from?"
Yan Shang looked at this gentleman who had broken the tension and replied gently: "Lingnan. Yan Suchen."
The questioner said nothing, but several others in the study burst into laughter, looking at Yan Shang and Liu Wenji at the doorway: "Isn't Lingnan a barbaric wilderness? Do people there even read? We heard you eat raw meat and drink blood daily. What's the use of reading there?"
Liu Wenji's face immediately darkened with anger.
Knowing it was unwise to offend people upon arrival, he struggled to contain his rage: "Lingnan may be remote, but it's still territory of Great Wei. Why shouldn't people read there?"
The students in the room exchanged glances and laughed more maliciously. One stood up and said: "Then may we ask, what books have you read? Have you seen the books Grand Tutor Zhang compiled for children two years ago?"
To insult them with children's books!
Liu Wenji's face flushed crimson with fury. He stepped forward, clenched his fist, and swung. The other stepped back in slight alarm, blustering: "How dare you strike someone?!"
As Liu Wenji's punch was about to land, a hand reached from the side to stop him. Yan Shang restrained Liu Wenji while turning to the provoking student: "Might I ask where you are from, senior?"
The other declared loudly: "I am of the main lineage of the Guan clan from Longxi!"Yan Shang said mildly, "The Guan clan of Longxi is indeed a prominent family. I've heard that the Guans practically monopolize all official positions in Longxi. Your lineage has been rooted in Longxi for generations, so even court-appointed officials must defer to the Guan family upon arrival. Such heroic spirit naturally commands admiration from a humble southerner like me from Lingnan."
The other party's eyes gleamed with pride, his expression softening. "You flatter me. I didn't expect even someone like you to have heard of our Guan name."
The young man who had initially asked Yan Shang and Liu Wenji about their origins didn't join their exchange, instead watching them with keen interest.
Sure enough, Yan Shang continued, "Then, Brother Guan, are you aware that here in the capital, your Longxi Guan clan is looked down upon by the true aristocratic families of Chang'an, Luoyang, and Jinling? When the imperial examinations were first established and they deliberated on standard pronunciation, they outright excluded Longxi from the ranks of noble families, calling you crude barbarians who only know warfare, lacking cultural heritage."
"As far as I know, these years haven't been kind to the Guan family in Chang'an. You may dominate Longxi, but without scholarly traditions passed down through generations, you ultimately remain outside the mainstream. The people of Chang'an look down on you just as you look down on someone like me from Lingnan."
The other man was trembling with rage, glaring furiously.
Yan Shang smiled, made a slight bow, and concluded the discussion: "...Thus we see that one's place of origin doesn't make as much difference as some might think."
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the scholar who had been bested in argument by a newcomer was naturally unwilling to accept this. His face shifted through various expressions, and he was about to curse when someone entered the classroom.
A young voice, cool and detached, cut through: "What's all this noise? If you don't wish to study, take your quarrel outside. Don't disturb others."
Everyone turned to see a youth with snow-pure features entering. Their expressions changed, anger suppressed into silent resentment as they returned to their seats.
Yan Shang watched thoughtfully as this radiant young man passed indifferently by them.
That evening, Yan Shang invited two people to drink: the young man who had initially helped them and later refrained from joining the others in harassing them, and the youth who had finally arrived and scolded everyone, indirectly coming to their aid.
The former agreed cheerfully upon hearing it was for drinks. The latter ignored them completely, until Yan Shang's silver tongue and persuasive skills finally moved the young man to accept.
Liu Wenji, as Yan Shang's townsman, naturally joined them.
Yan Shang invited them to the Pleasure Quarter for the Famous Flower Banquet, reportedly the most expensive feast in all Chang'an, costing 300 copper coins just to begin. Liu Wenji winced at the price, but Yan Shang remained unperturbed.
This drew additional glances from both invited guests.
Once seated and pouring wine for himself, the young man introduced himself as Feng Xianyu, saying carelessly, "My grandfather was a merchant, so I'm usually looked down upon by that crowd too. Yan Suchen, your dressing-down of them today was truly satisfying."
Knowing Yan Shang didn't drink, Liu Wenji proactively replaced the wine before him with tea, then turned to the others: "To be frank with you all, I've known Yan Erlang for many years, but this is the first time I've seen him argue with anyone. Our Yan Erlang is practically a bodhisattva descended to earth who never shows temper!"
Yan Shang responded, "Letting everyone bully you is just foolishness, not absence of temper."
Then he said to the young gentleman: "Judging by your age, you should drink less wine as well."
The other glanced at him but said nothing.Feng Xianyu chuckled beside them, "You don't know this gentleman, do you? His name is Wei Shu. Thanks to his presence today, those people didn't dare continue their remarks..."
Yan Shang asked, "Of the Luoyang Wei clan?"
Wei Shu replied coldly, "You seem quite knowledgeable about noble families. But if you seek connections, you've mistaken your target. I'm merely a concubine-born son—the Wei family's resources aren't inclined toward me."
Yan Shang's tone remained even, "If friendship were solely for utility, you underestimate me greatly."
Such breadth of mind.
Wei Shu glanced at him and fell silent.
Thereafter, they naturally drank and dined, chatting about everything under the sun. Wei Shu spoke little, while Feng Xianyu clearly knew much about him—each time he glanced at Wei Shu, his faint smile made Yan Shang ponder.
Midway, Liu Wenji excused himself. Unable to bear Feng Xianyu's intermittent stares, Wei Shu set down his chopsticks: "I know why you keep watching me—isn't it because I'm suspected of wedding a princess? If you find it so distasteful, why bother socializing?"
Feng Xianyu froze, then cried injustice: "You're mistaken! I envy you! I'd give anything to catch a princess's eye and soar effortlessly in officialdom..."
Wei Shu was stunned, clearly unprepared for such lack of ambition.
Yan Shang mediated, pouring tea for both: "Ju Yuan speaks of wedding a princess as a path to office—but which princess might this be?"
Wei Shu answered, "Princess Danyang."
Yan Shang promptly choked on his tea, coughing until his face flushed crimson.
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