Chapter 1172: Ancient Tragic Love, Brother Lang Experiences Living History

"Stop!" Lin Lang shouted, his voice not loud but carrying an undeniable authority.

The shop assistants in Pingkangfang were taken aback when they heard the voice. They turned around and saw that Lin Lang had an extraordinary demeanor. Although they did not know Lin Lang's identity or background, he looked very noble. For a moment, they did not dare to make a move.

Lin Lang strode forward, blocking Lu Zhaolin's path, and gave the waiters a cold glance: "I'll pay off Young Master Lu's debt for drinks."

As he spoke, Lin Lang took out a silver note from his personal space and casually tossed it to the leader of the waiters, "This is enough to cover his drinking expenses and your 'losses.' If you dare to make things difficult again, don't blame me for being impolite."

The men weighed the silver notes in their hands and, seeing that the amount far exceeded what was needed, immediately put on fawning smiles: "Yes, yes, sir, you are right. We were blind!" With that, they all returned to Pingkang Ward.

Standing not far away, Mr. Sun asked in a low voice, "Daughter, why is my son-in-law standing up for this man?"

Sun Yizhen said weakly, "I don't know either. I just heard the man claim to be Lu Zhaolin."

Mr. and Mrs. Sun did not react much after hearing this, because in modern South Korean junior and senior high school textbooks, the poets of Xia Kingdom who are frequently featured are more famous poets such as Li Bai, Du Fu, Su Shi, and Wang Wei.

At the same time, Lu Zhaolin, who had collapsed to the ground, slowly propped himself up, clutching his chest where he had been hit, and looked up at Lin Lang, handing him a stack of silver notes.

Lu Zhaolin stood there stunned, his cloudy eyes filled with astonishment, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

He struggled to his feet, straightened his clothes, and bowed deeply to Lin Lang. His voice was hoarse but carried a hint of stubbornness: "Thank you for your help, but... I have never met you before. Why would you help someone as down on their luck as me?"

Lin Lang helped Lu Zhaolin up, his gaze sincere: "Young Master Lu, there's no need to ask any more questions. Asking is simply because you value talent."

Lu Zhaolin was startled and stared blankly at Lin Lang, his eyes instantly turning red.

Since his release from prison, he has been subjected to cold stares and ridicule, and has long forgotten what it feels like to be respected and appreciated.

Lu Zhaolin received the silver note from Lin Lang with trembling hands, bowed again, and spoke with a respectful tone tinged with excitement.

"Thank you for your kind words, my benefactor. May I ask your honorable name? I will never forget your great kindness today, and I will repay you if I have the opportunity in the future!"

"I am Lin Lang, the Emperor of Shanghai." He spoke calmly, his tone encouraging. "You are a poet of exceptional talent, how can you be so dejected because of a temporary setback?"

Holding the silver notes in his hand and listening to Lin Lang's resounding encouragement, Lu Zhaolin felt as if the grievances and disappointments that had been building up in his heart had found an outlet, and a glimmer of light rekindled in his eyes.

Lu Zhaolin knelt down with a thud, kowtowing and bowing: "This humble subject pays his respects to the Emperor of Shanghai. Thank you for your guidance! This humble subject will certainly live up to your expectations, pick up his pen again, and never give up on himself again!"

Lin Lang helped Lu Zhaolin up and said earnestly, "I know you were wrongly imprisoned by Wu Sansi. Wu Sansi's suppression can hinder your career, but it can't stifle your writing."

"Young Master Lu, you must cheer up and continue to wield your brush and ink, leaving behind more masterpieces to be passed down through the ages, so as not to waste your talent and my appreciation of you."

Lu Zhaolin said with tears of gratitude, "To be appreciated by the Emperor of Shanghai is the greatest affirmation of my talent. I will definitely return to my original aspiration, use my pen as a weapon to write about all aspects of human life, and live up to the Emperor of Shanghai's kindness in recognizing my talent!"

Seeing the renewed sparkle in his eyes, Lin Lang nodded slightly: "Alright, I trust you."

"These silver notes should be enough for your expenses for three to five years as long as you don't squander them. First, rent a house in Chang'an, quit drinking and cultivate your character, and don't go to brothels anymore. Exercise every day to get your body in good shape before you start creating."

Lu Zhaolin quickly agreed. Although his legs were still a little unsteady from the beating, he straightened his back and showed no signs of being downcast.

"With your guidance, I will certainly follow your teachings. However, I do not know how to repay your kindness."

Lin Lang replied with a smile, "Just consider me your mentor. You only need to send your original poems and manuscripts to the Imperial Palace in Shanghai. I will send people to publish your works and make you famous in the Tang Dynasty, making you a literary giant."

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhaolin's body trembled again, and the glimmer in his eyes instantly ignited into a raging fire.

He gripped the silver note tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white from the force, his hoarse voice choked with barely suppressed sobs: "To publish a book...to become famous in the Tang Dynasty?"

"The kindness shown to me by the Emperor of Shanghai is beyond repayment! I, a humble citizen, will dedicate my life to writing an immortal chapter in memory of my benefactor!"

Lin Lang looked at the renewed sharpness in Lu Zhaolin's eyes and nodded with a smile: "That's good. From now on, you will be my retainer. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, or are bullied by villains again, just go to the Shanghai Imperial Palace for help."

It is worth mentioning that all the retainers Lin Lang kept in the Tang Dynasty lived and ate outside the mansion. The reason for this was simply that the imperial mansion in Shanghai was full of female members of the family.

Lu Zhaolin was shocked to learn that he had become a retainer of the Shanghai Imperial Palace. His chance to defy fate had come. He bowed deeply, stood up, and bowed again to express his utmost respect.

"Thank you for your appreciation, Mr. Xie. I am willing to serve you with my pen and ink, and I will never dare to slack off in the slightest!" Lu Zhaolin bowed again and stood up. His eyes were still red, but he could not hide the burning passion in them.

"Dongweng" was a respectful term used by retainers of the Tang Dynasty to address their master.

Seeing that he was respectful yet possessed the integrity of a scholar, Lin Lang nodded in satisfaction: "No need for formalities. Please go and settle in. I look forward to your poems, essays, and calligraphy."

"Thank you for your kindness, sir. I will devote myself to my studies and repay your kindness with my writings!" Lu Zhaolin carefully put the silver notes in his hand close to his body, as if they were not money, but the spark that would reshape his life.

Lin Lang patted Lu Zhaolin on the shoulder: "You just need to focus on your writing. I have a good eye for people, and you will definitely have a place in the literary world in the future."

A confident smile finally appeared on Lu Zhaolin's face.

"Farewell, sir. I take my leave now!"

As he spoke, Lu Zhaolin bowed again, this time a standard deep bow, with his hands tucked into his sleeves and his waist bent at nearly 45 degrees, fully demonstrating the respect a guest should show to his host.

Lin Lang chuckled softly, his tone indifferent: "Okay."

When Lu Zhaolin turned to leave, although his legs were still a little unsteady, he walked steadily with each step, his back straight as a pine tree, no longer showing the dejected and disheveled state he had when he was driven out of Pingkangfang.

Sun Yizhen, accompanied by her parents, stepped forward and asked curiously, "Your Majesty, why do you value this poor scholar who is addicted to wine and women so much?"

Lin Lang gazed in the direction Lu Zhaolin had gone and chuckled softly, “A rough gem is covered in dust; it only needs the dirt wiped away to regain its brilliance. Lu Zhaolin’s talent is far from ordinary; he has only temporarily fallen into obscurity due to unforeseen circumstances.”

“What I gave him was not only money and opportunities, but also a trust. This trust was enough to help him break free from his inner demons and become a genius poet praised by later generations.”

Sun Yizhen nodded in agreement: "Your Majesty has a discerning eye; I'm sure this young master Lu will not disappoint your cultivation."

Lin Lang watched Lu Zhaolin's staggering yet determined figure as he walked away, his heart filled with emotion—to be able to light a lamp for this down-on-his-luck scholar was a worthwhile journey.

It must be said that Brother Lang is kind and righteous.

Sun Yizhen asked curiously, "Your Majesty, has this person written any poems that have been passed down through the ages?"

"I won't go into too much detail about me, but I'll just mention two lines from Lu Zhaolin's poem 'Ancient Thoughts of Chang'an': 'To become a pair of mandarin ducks, what is death to me? I'd rather be a pair of mandarin ducks than an immortal.'"

Son Ye-jeong asked, seemingly understanding but not quite, "What do the Chinese explanations of these two lines mean?"

Lin Lang patiently replied, "Flounder is a type of fish. It is said that this fish only has one eye and can only swim when two fish are together."

The poem “‘If we can be like flounders, we will not fear death’ means that if we can be with our loved ones like flounders, then we will have no regrets or fears even in the face of death.”

"The meaning of 'I'd rather be a pair of loving mandarin ducks than an immortal' is that I'd rather be a pair of loving mandarin ducks than pursue the illusory life of immortals. Isn't that romantic?"

After listening, Sun Yizhen smiled with barely concealed admiration and said, "Hmm, those two lines of poetry are quite beautiful and romantic. But since this young master Lu yearns so much for pure love, why does he frequent brothels and drink with women?"

Lin Lang replied, "Before Lu Zhaolin was unjustly imprisoned, he served in the Deng Prince's mansion. He followed Deng Prince Li Yuanyu to move around the capital and various places for about ten years."

"During his tenure as the new Commandant of Yizhou, Lu Zhaolin fell in love with a local singer surnamed Guo. The two were deeply in love, and Lu Zhaolin even planned to redeem her from her servitude and marry her."

"However, after Lu Zhaolin's term as the county magistrate of Xindu ended, he was required to return to the capital for assessment and new appointment according to regulations. He promised Guo that he would return as soon as possible to get married."

"Two years have passed, and Guo has not yet waited for Lu Zhaolin. Lu Zhaolin was suppressed by Wu Sansi and unjustly imprisoned. Not only was his career interrupted, but he also contracted a stroke in prison. He was too busy to take care of himself and could not fulfill his promise to Guo."

"But when he thought of Guo Shi still waiting for him to redeem her and marry her in Yizhou, and how Lu Zhaolin himself had become such a miserable ghost, he gave up and felt that he was not worthy of her and did not want to delay Guo Shi any longer."

Upon hearing this, Sun Yizhen sighed and said, "I never imagined that Lu Zhaolin's situation was so tragic. His love story is quite poignant."

Lin Lang continued, "Historical records state that Luo Binwang, one of the Four Great Poets of the Early Tang Dynasty, later traveled to Shu and met Guo in a tavern."

"Guo told Luo Binwang about her affair with Lu Zhaolin, saying that Lu Zhaolin had disappeared without a trace after leaving and had not kept his promise to come back and marry her."

"After hearing this, Luo Binwang felt that Lu Zhaolin's actions were unethical, so he wrote a poem on behalf of Guo, titled 'A Love Affair: Guo's Reply to Lu Zhaolin,' in which Guo's voice condemned Lu Zhaolin for his heartlessness and ungratefulness, and cursed him as a treacherous man who started a relationship but then abandoned it."

"But Lu Zhaolin did not respond to Luo Binwang's public criticism of his poetry, letting public opinion destroy him."

"Until he was 40 years old and could no longer bear the torment of illness, he crawled ten miles to the Ying River and jumped into it to commit suicide. His last poem was wrapped in Guo's brocade handkerchief."

After hearing this, Sun Yizhen said with a hint of sadness, "So, Lu Zhaolin really loved Guo Shi and wasn't a heartless scoundrel?"

Lin Lang replied, "Yes, otherwise how could he have written such affectionate verses?"

"What's even more heartbreaking is that in a Tang Dynasty silver box unearthed in the old site of Yizhou in the Xia Kingdom, archaeological experts discovered seven red beans that the Guo family had treasured back then. The bottom of the box is inscribed with 'Zhaolin does not return, the red beans turn to ash.'"

"I never imagined that Guo's love for Lu Zhaolin was so profound and unwavering!"

Sun Yizhen was deeply moved upon hearing this and shook Lin Lang's arm, pleading, "Your Majesty, why don't you do me a favor and grant this tragic love story to this couple? Help Lu Zhaolin redeem Guo Shi and bring her to Chang'an, so that they can finally be together."