The First National Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 15

Regardless of what the future holds, it is a great joy to gather here today. I will use this bowl of wine, one cup representing ten, to share these ten cups with everyone.

"Young Master Xu is indeed straightforward; he deserves praise," someone remarked.

Before anyone else could respond, Xu Tian continued, "Of these ten cups of wine, the first is to toast the rising sun. As heaven moves with strength, a gentleman should strive unceasingly; every generation produces its own talented individuals, each leading the way for hundreds of years."

As he spoke, he finished the glass of wine in his hand and raised another one.

Upon hearing his words, everyone fell silent, savoring the moment as he continued.

"The second cup is offered to the bright moon; when will the bright moon appear? I raise my cup to ask the heavens; may we all live long and share the beauty of the moon, though separated by a thousand miles."

"The third cup is offered to friends; a thousand cups are too few when drinking with a bosom friend; why must we have known each other before? A true friend is hard to find in life; let us sing, dance, and revel!"

"The fourth cup is to myself; the sky is high for birds to fly, the sea is wide for fish to leap; everyone has their own talents, so let's not waste our youth and grow old in vain."

Everyone listened quietly, as if they had a premonition. At this moment, there was not a sound in the hall.

"The fifth cup is offered to my hometown; the moon shines brightest in my hometown, and on every festive occasion, I miss my loved ones even more. No water is more beautiful than my hometown's; no people are closer than my hometown's."

"The sixth cup is offered to those far away: Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles, and worry not about having no friends on the road ahead; a touch of noble spirit, a thousand miles of exhilarating wind;"

"The seventh cup is a toast to life: wealth cannot corrupt, poverty cannot sway, and power cannot subdue; what is love in this world that makes people willing to die for each other?"

"The eighth cup is a toast to the past, for the past is not like smoke; this feeling can only be cherished in memory, for at the time it was already a regret."

"The ninth cup toasts to tomorrow, for where will I be when I wake from my drunken stupor? On the willow-lined bank, in the dawn breeze and under the waning moon; if one day I achieve my lofty ambitions, I will reclaim our lost lands and return to the imperial palace."

"The last cup is a toast to this moment, this place. The great river flows eastward, its waves washing away countless heroes of the past. All have passed away; to find truly remarkable figures, look to the present."

After saying this, Xu Tian drank the tenth cup of wine in one gulp and turned the cup upside down to show everyone.

"Okay." Someone shouted first, followed by a clapping sound.

"Okay," the others echoed.

"Very well, let us all drink this wine together, and let us all remember these ten words."

“Excellent! These ten words, though not poetry, are even better than poetry.”

......

"A thousand cups of wine are not enough when drinking with a bosom friend. Come, come, let's have another cup."

"Why bother with past acquaintances when we meet? Brother, come, let's have a drink."

"As expected of Xu Lang, you possess great talent. In addition to the delicious food, you also composed excellent verses. Today's trip has truly been worthwhile."

Zheng Zhuangyuan also stood up, raised his wine cup, and said, "Young Master Xu, you are a scholar, I toast you." This was the first time he had taken the initiative to toast someone today.

Xu Tian also raised his cup to drink with Zheng Zhuangyuan, and then said, "Everyone, I'm already quite drunk. I'll recite one last poem to conclude this. I'm too drunk to personally entertain you all anymore, so please forgive me."

The crowd immediately fell silent, and dozens of people watched Xu Tian intently as he recited his poem.

"The world's storms are created by our generation,

Once you enter the world of martial arts, time flies.

A thousand years of fame and glory are discussed in jest.

"Life is but a fleeting dream."

"Alright, haha, in this situation, we should definitely get drunk!" Without hesitation, the cheers immediately rang out again, pushing the atmosphere to its climax.

"Inspired by this poem, fame and fortune are like fleeting clouds. Well done, let's drink."

"Let us drink together, and afterwards we should compose a poem, so that this trip will not have been in vain."

"Xu Tian is truly talented. Today's celebration is extremely rare, and I imagine it will be unforgettable for everyone for the rest of their lives. I will never forget it either," Wang Yong said, appearing beside him at some point.

"Brother Wang, I've had a bit too much to drink and need to rest for a while. Could you please entertain everyone for me?" Xu Tian said with a wry smile.

Even though I drank the lightest kind of wine, the quantity was so large that I'm starting to feel a bit bloated.

"Yes, you can go ahead. No one will blame you now."

Xu Tian gave some instructions to Manager Jiang and Song Liang before going to the back living room to have some tea and rest.

Mr. Cui then came over and went to Wang Yong's side.

“Zi’an, Brother Xu Tian is indeed a man of great poetic talent. He composed several excellent verses in a short time. He is no ordinary person,” Wang Yong said to him.

Mr. Cui responded, "I have had many interactions with him and know that his talents are far more than what I have mentioned. He has always been quite low-key and does not like to be famous. Today's move was out of necessity."

"Indeed, he invented chess and cards, and the local cuisine should also be related to him. I heard from you that he also knows music. He's only in his early twenties, a few years younger than us. I really can't imagine how he learned it."

"There are quite a few people who become famous in their twenties or thirties. I guess that's what people call geniuses. Besides, Taoism is extremely mysterious."

At this moment, another person came over. It was Cai Ze, the teaching assistant of the state school: "Shoucheng, Zi'an, you've come to the right place today. It's been a worthwhile trip. It's a real pity that we didn't get to know this scholar sooner."

“Brother Cai, Xu Tian has had too much to drink and is resting in the back. But it’s alright. There will be plenty of opportunities to meet in the future. There’s no need to rush.”

Xu Tian slacked off in the back and didn't show up until everyone had finished eating and drinking and was about to leave. Only then did he come out to see them off.

After another round of pleasantries, the guests departed in their respective groups. At this moment, a stranger approached Xu Tian, ​​cupped his hands, and said, "Young Master Xu, I am very grateful for your hospitality today. It feels like we've known each other for ages. I am going to another place, but I will come back to Dingxiang City next year to pay my respects to Young Master Xu again."

"Yes, I'll wait until you come to Dingxiang City again so we can drink and have a good time together." Xu Tian said this even though he didn't know the person.

"Thank you. Farewell."

After finally seeing everyone off, Xu Tian returned to the shop. Song Liang came up to him and said, "Young Master Xu, the guests left behind more than a dozen poems. What should we do with them?"

"Oh, tomorrow I'll have someone frame the poems, select a few good ones, and hang them on the wall so that all the guests can see them."

Today, everyone in the shop witnessed another side of Xu Tian, ​​a side they had never known before. Not only is he a prodigy, but he is also a poet, a side that even the top scholar admired.

After a long day, Xu Tian was exhausted and rested early.

After the Lantern Festival, Wang Anping and his family finally returned, bringing with them three teenagers from the countryside.

One of them is Wang Anping's nephew, Wang Kangquan, the son of his elder brother Wang Ancheng, who is twelve years old this year. Another boy is a distant relative of the Wang family, Wang Hui, who is thirteen years old this year. The other is the nephew of the steward's maternal family, surnamed Tian, ​​who is twelve years old this year.

The reason for bringing back three children was something Xu Tianwang and Anping had agreed upon beforehand. Two of the shop's general workers had left, and they were short-staffed. Hiring from outside was too expensive and they didn't trust the staff, especially since the shop had some secrets.

Furthermore, in the long run, it is necessary to cultivate our own workforce, as the newly built factory will also require reliable personnel in the future.