Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 57 A Letter from My Sister-in-Law
As the sun began to set and darkness fell, the group stopped talking for a while.

Han San Niang took out some money from her purse and asked, "Old man, how much is it in total?"

"Perilla tea 8 coins, loose tea 5 coins, two small dishes of tea snacks 6 coins, totaling 19 copper coins. No iron coins accepted."

After paying the bill, the Han siblings said they wanted to go for a walk along the river and left first.

Walking to the riverbank and watching the gentle Anle Creek flow into the Yangtze River, Han Ziyu asked, "What does Third Sister think of Lu Beigu?"

Han Sanniang raised her chin and looked at the sunset floating on the river, saying, "I've also read 'The Heavenly River Water,' which is very well written. I originally thought the author would be a cold and aloof person, but today I see that she's the kind of person who would squat in a teahouse and eat bean cakes."

"No matter what, it's quite remarkable." Han Ziyu tapped his right palm lightly with his left fist. "When ordinary poor scholars see us, they either cower like quails or fawn like monkeys. But this one is different. He didn't even blink when Ji Yun introduced him. Tomorrow is the Buddha's Birthday, and he's still thinking about the county examination. He has some of Fan Xiwen's style."

Han San Niang nodded slightly: "Even if he doesn't become a great talent in the future, he should have been classmates with you at the state school these past few years. It's worth it for you to get to know him a little."

Han Ziyu suddenly said, "I just heard today that my late father, that troublemaker, is also here at this Zen Forest Gathering."

"What does he mean? Does he really want to compete with his elder brother?"

Han San Niang frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled.

"Competing for superiority is one aspect, but another is that at this Zen gathering, the elegant monk from Huazang Temple in Emei presented a copy of 'Luoyang Garanji' printed during the Northern Qi Dynasty as a prize. My family was determined to obtain this book in order to celebrate the birthday of our matriarch."

The Record of Buddhist Temples in Luoyang was written by Yang Xuanzhi, the military commander of the Eastern Wei Dynasty, more than ten years after the capital was moved to Yecheng. He revisited Luoyang, recalled the prosperity of the Buddhist temples in the suburbs before the calamity, and summarized the historical changes. It was completed in the fifth year of the Wuding era of the Eastern Wei Dynasty.

The original version from the Eastern Wei period can no longer be found. The earliest surviving versions are a few copies printed in different periods during the Northern Qi period.

Books from the Northern and Southern Dynasties period are already quite valuable in themselves, but this book has special significance for Buddhist believers, making it even more precious.

Why didn't we receive any news before?

"That's because Fawang Temple didn't want to offend either side, so they delayed the notification until the last day."

Han Ziyu sighed: "So when Ji Yun told me that he had a friend in Hejiang County who asked if I wanted to meet him, I had the idea of ​​meeting him and making friends. If it were any other time, I would probably have refused."

"So, inviting Lu Beigu just now wasn't exactly a spur-of-the-moment decision by you, elder brother?"

"Of course." Han Ziyu revealed the truth. "This year's Zen Forest Gathering is different from previous years. The rule has been changed to five people per team. We got the news late, and it would definitely be too late to go to Luzhou to call people. We don't know anyone in Hejiang County, so we have to get enough people first."

"Lu Beigu's novels are indeed very well written, but writing novels and composing poems are two different things."

Han San Niang seemed somewhat worried: "Although the Zen Forest Gathering tests many things, most of them are just ordinary elegant activities in a different way, so they are not that difficult. Only poetry and prose, which require real talent, are truly challenging."

"How could I not know this principle?"

Han Ziyu smiled wryly and said, "I didn't expect a single student from the county school to make a big difference. I just wanted to make sure we had enough people so we wouldn't be a burden. If we don't compete at all and let the Xian family unfairly overshadow us, I won't be able to swallow that."

Even if they are notified at the last minute, the first family still has the advantage.

Han San Niang rubbed her temples, equally helpless: "I heard that the Xian family also had some business in Hejiang County. One of the people who worked for the Xian family was the eldest son of the class who was ranked first in Hejiang County this year."

"Let's treat a dead horse as a living horse doctor."

Meanwhile, Lu Beigu and Ji Yun were unaware of the inside story, and they strolled all the way to the end of South Street.

Lu Beigu lowered his head and asked Ji Yun, "Where do you live? Will you be able to find me since it's getting dark?"

"Oh, there's a bookstore over here that my family owns; I live there."

Ji Yun pointed to the northeast. He was short, his head only reaching Lu Beigu's shoulder, so they could still talk at the tea table, but it would be a bit difficult to face each other once they were outside.

"If you want to go to the Zen Forest Gathering tomorrow, just come find me at the bookstore at noon, or you can meet me on the street and go together."

“I suggest you participate,” Ji Yun said. “I heard that as long as you participate in the Zen Forest Gathering, you can write your name on the prayer flag and have the monks in the temple chant sutras for you to pray for you. If you rank high, you will also receive a protective Buddha statue and be given a Dharma name by the abbot.”

"Does this even have rankings?"

"Of course." "Then how will the competition be conducted?" Lu Beigu was also quite curious.

"I'm not entirely sure about the specifics either."

Ji Yun thought for a moment and said, "They all seem to be elegant things, but the forms of expression will change, and there will be competition."

Lu Beigu nodded. He hadn't wanted to go, but since Ji Yun and the others had invited him, it seemed inappropriate not to.

Moreover, it was a custom in the Song Dynasty at that time that monks would give children Dharma names to ensure their safety. If he could get the opportunity to protect the Buddha statue or be given a Dharma name for his two children, he would be quite happy.

Lu Beigu touched the sachet that Lu Yuchi had embroidered for him at his waist and made up his mind.

Before parting, Ji Yun urged again, "Remember the remaining manuscript of 'Jiangzuo Fusheng'! Also, if you want to buy the book, go to the bookstore and mention my name. I'll talk to the shopkeeper and he'll give you a 10% discount!"

The two waved goodbye.

As soon as he returned to the county school dormitory, he saw Lu Guangyu waiting for him at the door.

"Brother Lu?"

"Brother Lu, you're finally back."

Lu Guangyu quickly pulled a letter from his sleeve: "Your sister-in-law asked a merchant to send you a letter from home. Knowing that you are not at the county school, she wrote my name on it. I was afraid of losing it, so I have been carrying it with me and waiting for you to come back."

"what?"

Lu Beigu took the letter: "Thank you very much, Brother Lu."

"It's nothing," Lu Guangyu asked. "Tomorrow is Buddha's Birthday, are we still reading together in the morning?"

“Of course.” Lu Beigu nodded.

After Lu Guangyu left, Lu Beigu went into the dormitory room and opened the letter at the small table.

Because Pei Yan can write, this letter was written by her own hand, not dictated by someone else. There was nothing important in the letter, just telling Lu Beigu that everything was fine at home, that no one from the clan had come to cause trouble, and that he could rest assured.

Besides that, Lu Beigu was asked to find a house to rent in the county town when he had free time, so that the matter of transferring his household registration could be completed.

His sister-in-law's concerns were certainly reasonable; Li Pan had given him the same advice not long ago.

The reason is simple: the administrative efficiency of the Song Dynasty government was really low. And even if Hejiang County processed it quickly, Gulin Town would still have to spend time going through the procedures and verifying the information.
The back-and-forth correspondence alone has already made the little time left very tight.

The process of transferring one's household registration must be completed within one month.

Lu Beigu was thinking to himself that buying a shop to give his sister-in-law a business was just something he considered on the side.

What was truly important to him was to get his family's household registration transferred before the county examination.

Because he was the only member of his family, and he and his eldest brother's family were not yet separated, the whole family was registered under the same household registration, so any changes had to be made together.

The Song Dynasty had clear regulations for relocation, requiring one to reside and work in the local area for a full year.

This means that Lu Beigu can only move his family's household registration to Hejiang County, and it is impossible for him to move it to Luzhou City!

He had to get his household registration sorted out before entering the state school. If he didn't get a household registration in Hejiang County, he would still be registered in the Luoshi Jimi area after entering the state school, which would be a big problem.

Therefore, you have to choose between renting a house or buying a residential land.

Lu Beigu preferred to buy a cheaper plot of land and move the whole family's household registration there. If there was a shop in front, he could also help his sister-in-law make a living to support her daily expenses.

This idea is certainly good, but there's a problem: he doesn't have the money.

Regardless of his choice, it would be best to complete the relocation as soon as possible while Li Pan is still serving as the magistrate of Hejiang County and his words still carry weight, lest things get complicated.

(End of this chapter)