The First National Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 63

It can serve as a supplement for scholars in their spare time. Then he admonished the two of them not to be arrogant because of this, and to work harder in the future so as not to fail the expectations of the court.

The article also praised Dingxiang County, saying that it had a good writing style and good education, and offered some words of encouragement.

Of course, the text mentioned the rewards: a set of writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones for each person, and fifty bolts of silk. That was all, leaving Xu Tian, ​​who had been paying close attention to this matter, greatly disappointed.

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly. The imperial court was really too stingy. A set of writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and fifty bolts of silk—in terms of value, they were only slightly better than the previous reward from the prefecture.

After Magistrate Fang finished reading, he put the silk scroll away and returned it to the plate.

Then he walked over, reached out and straightened the two men's posture, and said, "You two don't need to be so polite. I'm sure you've understood the imperial edict, so I won't say anything more. I hope you will remain humble and composed in the future, and produce more excellent articles to bring glory to our county."

"Thank you for your advice, Magistrate. We will certainly live up to your expectations," Mr. Cui said first, and Xu Tian nodded in agreement.

"That's good. As for the reward, we will arrange for someone to deliver it to you when you return later."

To be honest, I don't know you two very well, and I'd love to get to know you. It's almost noon now, so I've had some snacks prepared in the back garden. Why don't you go sit for a while and satisfy your cravings?

"Thank you for your help, sir. We dare not refuse." The two thanked him again.

The magistrate's invitation to a meal was a great honor, so naturally no one dared to refuse.

So the two men, along with the county magistrate's assistant, followed the magistrate through the back gate, walked through several corridors, and entered a garden. Inside was a small pavilion with a stone table and benches.

At this moment, there were eight or nine plates of various sizes on the table, filled with fruits, pastries, and the like. Xu Tian noticed oranges, dried persimmons, pears, plums, red dates, cherries, and other fruits.

It's springtime now, and there are very few seasonal fruits available. It's quite remarkable that there are so many varieties here; they must have been stored in special warehouses all along.

If this wasn't prepared specifically for today, it means the magistrate is quite the foodie and knows how to enjoy life, Xu Tian thought to himself.

"Sit down, sit down." The magistrate sat down first.

The group took their seats one by one.

"Come, have some fruit first. Some of these are hard to find elsewhere." The magistrate took the lead and ate some.

Mr. Cui and Xu Tian also ate some, and to be honest, the taste was quite good. Unfortunately, the setting wasn't quite right; they weren't at home. Eating there felt like a very cautious and unpleasant experience.

"Please don't be so polite, gentlemen. Thanks to you both, it's a rare treat to eat so much fruit here at the magistrate's place," Magistrate Wu said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

"That's true, I usually wouldn't be willing to take out so much at once," Magistrate Fang said with a smile.

"Hmm, these cherries are very fresh and taste great; you can't find them for sale elsewhere," Mr. Cui commented.

Xu Tian also specifically targeted cherries. These fruits are not produced in large quantities, even in later generations, and they are not cheap. He had been here for so long, but had never eaten them before.

"It is said that these cherries are specially planted by mountain families around places with hot springs so that they can ripen early and are produced in very small quantities, which is quite rare," Magistrate Wu revealed some information.

“That’s truly rare,” Xu Tian echoed.

If what he said is true, it can be considered a luxury in this era. Magistrate Fang was really generous to bring out cherries to serve his two guests, who were not of high status or position.