Жан Чунь

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"Dispute?" The word sounded foreign and ridiculous to Hao: "Does Your Majesty think there is any possibility of a dispute between me and Wanji? Is there anything I would not back down from in front of her?"

"You... didn't say or do anything to upset her?" Xu hesitated before finally asking.

Hao looked up, met Xu's questioning gaze with composure, and replied, "No. She told me she was pregnant with my child. We were both very happy. Later, she went to Qingshou Palace to tell the Empress Dowager the good news."

"With your child..." Xu Xin felt a sharp pain, as if his heart had been ripped out, and couldn't help but let out a spasmodic, bitter smile. Even after so long, he still couldn't forget. The wound he thought had healed was reopened by Hao's casual statement of fact, and it began to bleed again.

There was a moment of silence. After his emotions had calmed down somewhat, Xu asked again, "What happened after she returned from Qingshou Palace?"

Hao said sadly, "She seemed a little unhappy, and her expression was somewhat dazed. It was my oversight at the time; I should have pressed her for an answer."

“Then,” Xu asked, “did she tell you about her situation at the Celebration Palace?”

Hao shook his head: "She didn't say. After she died, I wanted to ask the palace maids who had accompanied her to Qingshou Palace, but three of them were dead and one was mute, so no one could tell the truth. Even the Empress Dowager refused to say."

Xu fell silent again. After a long while, he spoke again and asked slowly, "Hao, this is the last question, and you must answer me honestly: After she returned from Qingshou Palace and before she fell into the water, did you have any arguments or unpleasant conversations with her?"

Xu's expression was very serious.

"Your Majesty!" Hao looked directly at Xu, his tone slightly agitated, his eyes suddenly reddening: "Do you believe that it was my quarrel with Wanji that drove her to her death?"

Xu frowned. A chill ran through his eyes.

They stared at each other, their gazes meeting, and the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

After a long silence, Xu finally withdrew his aggressive gaze, suddenly smiled, and said, "That's good. It's late now, you should go back first. I will reward you handsomely."

Hao sighed inwardly. He bowed deeply to Xu, then rose and left.

He didn't want to fight anymore. He knew that Wanji was the most difficult knot in their hearts to untie; the slightest touch would cause them both pain. And his life was destined to be endlessly wasted under the shadow of this knot. Now, he no longer had the ability to fight for the career he desired.

Later, Xu granted Hao a larger fiefdom and two high-ranking but powerless official positions. At the same time, he stripped Hao of all his military power and even privately instructed the official in charge of recording history to attribute all the credit for the Western Barbarian War to Wang Shao and not mention Hao at all when writing about the Western Barbarian War.

Hao didn't mind that. What he regretted was the loss of his relatively free military career. Now he was back to his old state of aimless and unambitious living, a life he hated but was helpless to change.

His elder sister, Princess Shu, and her husband, Wang Shen, sympathized with him greatly and offered him much help in terms of family and friendship. The princess frequently visited him, personally taking care of his life with skillful management, keeping his palace, which lacked a mistress, in perfect order, and caring for him meticulously like an elder sister or mother. Meanwhile, his husband, Wang Shen, fully utilized his talents and wide circle of friends, taking him to play football, engage in amusement, compose poetry, and paint, and visiting the homes of prominent figures and officials in the capital, hoping to teach him to find enjoyment in these activities.

But he was still unhappy. One day, he told his sister and brother-in-law that he wanted to travel far away, see the mountains and rivers, and breathe the air outside of Bianjing. Wang Shen agreed wholeheartedly and asked him where he wanted to go, but Hao was quite clueless. He only wanted to leave the capital and had no specific destination in mind.

Wang Shen smiled and said, "In that case, I suggest you go to Hangzhou. The scenery in Jiangnan is the most beautiful, and it can make you forget your worries. Moreover, I can also take this opportunity to ask you for a small favor: send a painting that I recently completed to Hangzhou and ask an old friend to inscribe it."

He readily agreed.

He left the capital and headed south without any attendants, traveling leisurely all the way, but unexpectedly encountered Pang Di and Wang Wen, who had been robbed, in the suburbs of Hangzhou.

After ascertaining the situation, Zhao Hao noticed that the two women were now alone, so he asked Pang Di for his opinion. He offered to escort them back to Pang Di's family home first, and then have the Pang family send someone else to take them back to the capital. Wen'er immediately objected: "These servants are completely useless. Your Highness saw it just now; they all collapsed as soon as the thieves appeared. They can't protect us at all. When will Your Highness return to the capital? If the timing is right, we'll travel with Your Highness; then we'll be absolutely safe."

Pang Di thought to himself that this girl was too insensible. After all, they had only met by chance. Although Prince Qi was known for his virtue and was called a gentleman by everyone, men and women were still different. How could they travel together? So he said to Wen'er, "We should not trouble His Highness Prince Qi like this. We should turn back first and then choose a better servant to escort us back to the capital."

Wen'er said indignantly, "It's obvious that Father's enemies want to ambush us, and they're making such a big show of it. If it weren't for His Highness Prince Qi, who could control them? If something like this happens again, we won't be able to see Father and Brother again!"

Pang Di felt that her words made sense, but it was really difficult for him to travel with her, so he couldn't help but hesitate.

At this moment, Zhao Hao said, "Miss Wang is right. Since we have the good fortune to meet, I will do my best to escort you both back to the capital. However, I have been entrusted to go to Hangzhou to find a friend first. You two may come with me, and after meeting that friend, we can return to the capital immediately." It turned out that Wen'er's words had reminded him that if Cao Ming led his men to make a comeback and harm Pang Di and Wen'er after he left, wouldn't he regret it and have no face to see Wang Pang again?

Wen'er smiled and said, "That's no problem, we'll go to Hangzhou with you first." She tugged at Pang Di and persuaded, "Sister-in-law, you've agreed too, haven't you?"

After much deliberation, Pang Di finally reluctantly agreed.

So Zhao Hao personally drove the carriage, taking the two women into the city. He had previously written a letter arranging to meet someone by West Lake, so he headed directly to the agreed-upon location.

The weather was fine that day.

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pleasure boat

Seeing that Pang Di and Wen'er spoke with refinement, Su Shi knew they must come from official families. Upon hearing Wen'er mention her father, he casually inquired, "May I ask who your father is...?"

Wen'er was about to answer, but then thought it best not to tell him. She decided to try to get his opinion on his father and the current situation first. If he still spoke recklessly, she would go back and ask her father to deal with him properly. So she rolled her eyes and said, "He's just a minor official. Even if I told you, Lord Su might not know. I won't mention it."

Seeing that she didn't want to talk, Su Shi didn't press further. At that moment, a beautifully designed pleasure boat was moored on the lake's embankment. The gauze curtains by the doors and windows danced in the wind, and the melodious strains of a pipa drifted out from within. Su Shi then invited the three of them aboard for a chat.

Upon entering the boat, one sees that the cups, dishes, and snacks on the table have all been laid out neatly, indicating that preparations had been made in advance.

After taking their seats and enjoying tea, the pleasure boat set sail, offering views of the beautiful West Lake from the windows. Pang Di, however, was still preoccupied with Su Shi's earlier mention of the imperial examination reforms. Hearing Su Shi's apparent disapproval, Pang Di asked, "Prime Minister Wang's reforms to the imperial examination system primarily address past problems, changing the rigid format and overly broad scope of the exams, which prevented students from mastering their studies and applying their knowledge in practical situations. He also abolished the poetry and prose exams that judged candidates based on rhyme and parallelism, instead focusing on selecting officials based on their understanding of classics, essays, and policy proposals useful for governing the country. Why does Lord Su find this unsatisfactory?"

Su Shi said: "Poetry and prose are one of the important measures of a person's talent. They have strict restrictions such as tone and parallelism. It is not easy to compose a poem or prose with beautiful words and profound meaning under such metrical constraints. Ordinary people cannot do it well. In short, those who can compose poetry and prose well are definitely talented people, and very few people who cannot compose poetry and prose can be called talented. If poetry and prose were removed, the examination would be much easier, and true talents might not be able to stand out."

Pang Di asked again, "But governing the country and being an official do not require the aid of poetry and prose. Making candidates study these non-essential subjects day and night just to pass the imperial examinations is not only a waste of their time for learning classics, essays, and policies, but also easily leads them into the trap of indulging in trivial pursuits and losing their ambition. Has Your Excellency not thought of this?" In fact, she herself admired the elegance of famous scholars and privately felt that the imperial examinations should test poetry and prose, but for some reason, seeing Su Shi openly oppose it, she couldn't help but stand on her husband's side and debate with him.

Su Shi replied: "It is a great misconception that the idea of testing only what can be used in the future will allow candidates to focus their energy on studying the classics and arguing for policy. Even if they are well-versed in the classics, they will inevitably fall into the trap of narrow-mindedness and limited knowledge. A true talent for governing the country must be learned and knowledgeable. A person who only studies the classics but does not appreciate the beauty of poetry and prose is no better than a skilled waterworker and cannot become a prime minister."

Pang Di chuckled and retorted, “Master Su’s poems and essays are widely recited and praised throughout the land. Mr. Ouyang Xiu passed away this August, and Master Su has rightfully become the new leader of the literary world. Therefore, it is understandable that he would emphasize the importance of poetry and prose.”

Su Shi laughed heartily and said, "Does Madam think of me as so narrow-minded? In fact, Madam only needs to think about the poems and essays of these important officials of our dynasty, from Ouyang Xiu and Sima Guang to Wang Anshi, to know whether my point of view is reasonable or not. Especially Wang Anshi, when he participated in the imperial examination, he was almost selected as the top scholar by Emperor Renzong because of his excellent poems and essays. Now he has indeed shown great talent in governing the country. Although his merits and demerits are left for future generations to judge, regardless of whether his reforms are ultimately successful or not, he will be remembered in history."

Wen'er's eyes lit up when she heard this, and she asked, "I... uh, was Prime Minister Wang supposed to be the top scholar? How come he only got fourth place?"

This was an anecdote that Wang Anshi rarely mentioned to others. When Wen'er asked about it, Su Shi told them: "That happened in the second year of the Qingli era. At that time, Wang Jiefu traveled from Jiangning to Bianliang to take the imperial examination. Jiefu's poems and essays were an instant sensation. Originally, the examiners had ranked Jiefu first, Wang Gui second, Han Jiang third, and Yang Zhi fourth among the top ten candidates. However, when the poems and essays were presented to Emperor Renzong, the emperor, while appreciating them, disliked the phrase 'children and their friends' in one of the poems. Therefore, he swapped Jiefu's ranking with Yang Zhi's, causing Jiefu to miss out on the title of top scholar."

Wen'er smiled and said, "So, Lord Su also admires Minister Wang's literary talent?"

Su Shi nodded and said, "It's not just his literary talent. Jie Fu was upright and honest, with extraordinary integrity, and his demeanor was unrestrained. He was calm in the face of both honor and disgrace, and had the style of the famous scholars of the Wei and Jin dynasties. I also have great respect for his character and personality."

This answer satisfied Wen'er: "It seems that Lord Su and your father have very different views. I was worried that you would follow your father's lead in the future and write a 'Post-Distinguishing Traitor's Treatise'."

At the beginning of Wang Anshi's reforms, an article titled "On Distinguishing Traitors" circulated in the capital. Legend has it that it was written by Su Xun, the deceased father of Su Shi and Su Zhe, after reading Wang Anshi's "Ten Thousand Word Memorial" in the third year of Emperor Renzong's reign (1544). The article subtly criticized Wang Anshi, calling him a treacherous villain, stating that "this man will surely mislead the people." At the time, Fu Bi, Sima Guang, and other officials of the old party who opposed the reforms presented it to Emperor Renzong (Zhao Xu) as a powerful weapon, urging the emperor to accept the suggestion that the highly respected Su Xun had seen through Wang Anshi's sinister intentions years ago and knew he would bring disaster to the country. However, Emperor Renzong considered the matter carefully and ultimately felt the article's origin was suspicious, doubting it might not have been written by Su Xun, and therefore did not respond.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hao explained to Wen'er, "Miss, you misunderstand. The 'Distinguishing Traitors' was not written by Master Su. Master Su already explained this to the Emperor. After Prime Minister Wang submitted his 'Ten Thousand Word Memorial' in the third year of the Jiayou era, Emperor Renzong only commented 'Keep it for reference' and ordered it to be archived. At that time, Master Su was just a proofreader in the Secretariat. How could he be qualified to look at archived materials? Moreover, Prime Minister Wang was only a judge in the Ministry of Revenue that year. Even if Master Su felt that there were points in his words that were debatable, he would not have immediately become furious and treated him as a minister in power, writing this 'Distinguishing Traitors'."

Upon hearing this article brought up again, Su Shi couldn't help but chuckle, adding, "Moreover, the article contains the lines, 'One should not forget to wash one's face when it is dirty, nor to wash one's clothes when they are dirty; this is the true nature of man. But nowadays, it is not so. People wear the clothes of slaves, eat the food of dogs and pigs, and talk about poetry and books with mournful faces. Is this the proper way to behave?' To nitpick and argue over such trivial matters is certainly not the style of my father. Haha, 'not washing one's face when it is dirty, nor washing one's clothes when they are dirty' is actually one of the virtues of the famous scholars of the Wei and Jin dynasties. Ji Kang even 'did not wash his face for fifteen days a month, and was also prone to lice.' There are many scholars who are unkempt, and my father would not use this to attack Jie Fu. This article must have been written by someone else specifically to oppose the reforms and published under my father's name."

Hearing this, Pang Di immediately remembered that the Grand Secretary usually didn't pay attention to such matters of clothing and food. It was said that one day during court, a louse crawled into his beard, scurrying about. Emperor Zhao Xu and all the ministers saw it, and Zhao Xu found it very annoying but dared not say anything. After leaving the Zichen Hall, Wang Anshi asked his colleague, quite bewildered, "Why did the Emperor keep staring at me today?" His colleague then told him the reason, and Wang Anshi, greatly embarrassed, quickly caught the louse, intending to kill it on the spot. Unexpectedly, his colleague stopped him, saying, "Don't kill it, and it would be best to say some kind words to praise it." Wang Anshi asked, "Why?" His colleague said, "This louse has repeatedly roamed in the Prime Minister's beard and has been frequently looked at by the Emperor. Most people wouldn't have such a peculiar experience; how can you kill it? If you ask what to do with it, it's best to release it." Wang Anshi laughed heartily and released it.

Another anecdote is about food. Once, Wang Anshi visited a friend's house. His friend noticed he only ate the broad beans in front of him and assumed he loved them. So, every time he hosted a dinner party, he would place broad beans in front of him. Wang Anshi ate them without hesitation. It wasn't until his friend mentioned this to Wang's wife, Lady Wu, that she laughed and said, "He only eats broad beans because they're right in front of him, easy to reach. Next time, try putting something else in front of him, and he'll definitely keep eating them."

Perhaps those who are focused on national affairs and extraordinary undertakings are often so unconcerned with trivial matters. They put all their energy and attention into the national economy and people's livelihood, so they don't care about food and clothing, only seeking to be warm and sustenant. Pang Di thought to herself. But then the image of Wang Pang, dressed in white, neat and fragrant, floated into her mind, making her feel fortunate: "If he also had such 'Wei-Jin style' as his father, how painful it would be to share a room with him... No, how could I allow him to be so slovenly? I would definitely throw him into the water to wash him clean every day before letting him in."

Thinking of the amusing details, a smile crept onto his face. Suddenly, he saw Su Shi rise and bow to her and Wen'er, solemnly saying, "Please rest assured, Madam Wang and Miss Wang, even if I have some objections to Wang Anshi's new policies, it's only to the matter at hand, not to the person. I misspoke on the embankment just now, and I apologize to you now. I will absolutely not utter any further words or make any unwarranted comments about him personally." Seeing that the two women were very concerned about his opinion of Wang Anshi and were defending him in every way, he knew they were probably his family members. Judging from their age and appearance, and recalling Zhao Hao's introduction, he guessed most likely they were his relatives.

Pang Di and Wen'er were both startled, not expecting that he had already discovered their identities. They immediately felt embarrassed. Pang Di immediately stood up and returned the greeting, saying, "Lord Su, you are too kind. We were being presumptuous in asking."

Su Shi smiled, his expression open and honest. Pang Di thought to himself that it was truly rare for someone to be so respectful and dignified after being demoted and banished from the capital by his father-in-law. He couldn't help but secretly admire his gentlemanly demeanor. He also thought of the criticisms Wang Anshi's reforms faced, which, besides the prejudices of the old faction, must also be related to his own conduct. Therefore, he sincerely asked, "If there is any truth to it, please speak freely. In Lord Su's opinion, what is my father-in-law's greatest flaw?"

Su Shi laughed and said, "Since you've already decided not to say anything, why do you still ask, young mistress? Alright, I'll say this last sentence. Actually, the day after he sent my younger brother Su Zhe out of the capital, I already said to him in court: 'Jie Fu's great sorrow was his gullibility.' That was the sentence."

Jie Fu was greatly saddened by his gullibility. Pang Di pondered this repeatedly, and although he didn't fully understand, he vaguely felt that there was some truth to it.

“Prince Qi left the capital to relax, so why should we discuss these matters further? Let’s listen to some music.” Su Shi turned to the singer who had been sitting in the corner playing the pipa and ordered her to sing a song.

The songstress looked up and agreed. Everyone then realized that she was very young, only about eleven or twelve years old, with delicate and lovely features. She became very shy when she saw everyone staring at her, which added to her charming and captivating beauty.

She gently plucked the pipa, slowly opened her cherry-like lips, and sang softly: "Her fragrant face is lightly made up, her eyebrows are skillfully drawn, her palace makeup is light. Her charm is bestowed by heaven, all in the way her eyes turn. I've long been accustomed to her, and now I can't bear to look at her so often. I've seen her so many times, but even then I can't help but stop. It would be better if I hadn't seen her at all."

Her voice was clear and melodious, with a touch of childishness, like a nightingale emerging from a valley. However, the lyrics were far too erotic, and it seemed rather strange for such a pure young girl to sing them.

Su Shi then asked her softly, "What's your name? How old are you?"

The little girl lowered her head and answered softly, "My surname is Wang, and my name is Chaoyun. I will be twelve years old soon."

Su Shi frowned and called out to the cabin door, "Mother Li, come in for a moment."

Someone immediately responded from outside, and a middle-aged woman in her forties walked in with quick steps. Seeing the situation, she hurriedly asked, "Is it because this young lady didn't sing well?"

Su Shi said, "She sang very well, but she is still young. Why did you let her sing such tender and sentimental lyrics?"

Madam Li hurriedly explained, "Today, her older sisters are either sick or have already gone out to a banquet. The remaining older ones are all too weak to handle such a grand occasion. Although Chaoyun is young, she plays the pipa very well and sings quite well, so I dared to ask her to sing. As for the song she sang, I heard that today's guests are distinguished guests sent by the Imperial Son-in-Law, Commander Wang Jinqing, so I specially asked her to sing Commander Wang's new song..."

Su Shi was taken aback: "Was it written by Jinqing?" He then smiled and said, "Only he could write something so gentle, charming, and tender."

Zhao Hao was quite surprised and said, "My sister is so dignified and composed, how come the lyrics my brother-in-law wrote for her are so light and graceful?"

Pang Di and Wen'er exchanged a glance, both understanding that the poem, judging from its meaning, was not written by the prince consort for the princess, but clearly for a concubine, lover, or courtesan. Wen'er's lips curled slightly, revealing a look of disdain. Pang Di, on the other hand, recalled the princess's wistful expression as she leaned against a pillar in the palace, watching the prince consort depart into the distance.

Su Shi, of course, knew the hidden story, and quickly covered it up, saying, "I suppose Jinqing was recalling the scene when he first met Princess Shu, which is why he wrote it so affectionately. Everyone in the capital knows about the love between the princess and her husband, and it has become a beautiful story. I have always envied them."

Zhao Hao nodded slightly and said nothing more.

Su Shi then instructed Li Mama, "Chaoyun is still too young. In the future, let her come out to entertain guests less often and teach her to sing more refreshing songs."

Mother Li smiled and agreed, saying, "From now on, we'll only let her sing the lyrics written by the adults. The adults are so considerate of her; I'm afraid she'll grow up to be just like Gu Lingbo, completely devoted to the adults."

Ink Pig

After touring the lake, Su Shi invited the three men to visit his residence in Hangzhou.

It was just a small courtyard, lacking the grandeur of a typical official's residence, but it was clean and tidy. The few green bamboos and clumps of orchids planted in the courtyard were enough to depict the refined and elegant lifestyle of a scholar.

Lady Wang Runzhi, Su Shi's wife, came out upon hearing the commotion. She was the cousin of Su Shi's deceased wife, Wang Fu, and came from a scholarly family; she was beautiful and elegant. She greeted everyone politely, her demeanor gentle and quiet. However, she appeared rather haggard and frail. Su Shi immediately stepped forward to support her, asking with concern, "Are you feeling better now? Why don't you go inside and rest?" As he spoke, he took the cloak from a maid and personally draped it over his wife. He then held her hand in one hand and touched her forehead with the other, before pressing his own forehead to check his temperature, his brow furrowed with worry.

He then explained to the three guests, "My wife has caught a cold and is not yet fully recovered."

Zhao Hao and Pang Di hurriedly invited Madam Su to go inside and continue to rest and recuperate. Madam Su felt quite apologetic. Although she was eventually persuaded by Su Shi to go to her bedroom to rest, she still frequently instructed her maids to come out and serve tea and water, and prepare fruit. She was very courteous.

After sitting down and chatting briefly, Zhao Hao took out the painting "Layered Peaks and Misty Rivers," which his brother-in-law Wang Shen had brought for him, and showed it to Su Shi. Wang Shen's landscape paintings drew inspiration from the styles of Li Cheng and Guo Xi, and in terms of coloring landscapes, he learned from Li Sixun of the Tang Dynasty. Later, he developed his own unique style, neither ancient nor modern, forming his own distinct school. He liked to paint scenes such as misty rivers and distant ravines, clear skies and deep valleys, and cold forests and secluded valleys. This painting, "Layered Peaks and Misty Rivers," is painted in shades of blue and green, with a majestic and imposing atmosphere. It depicts the scenery of the Fankou section of the Yangtze River in Wuchang. Upon unrolling the scroll, one sees the boundless river flowing towards the sky, with a fishing boat floating on the water. On both banks, green mountains rise one after another, their peaks shrouded in verdant green that seems to float in the air like mist and clouds. The forest is lush and green, and waterfalls and springs cascade down from the deep valleys and ravines. Clouds and mist appear and disappear, and the water touches the water and creates a misty, distant scene, as if it were not of this world. It makes the viewer feel as if the air is filled with mist and the moisture is on their face.

Su Shi exclaimed in admiration, "More than a year has passed since we parted, and I never imagined that Jinqing's painting skills would improve so much! After seeing this painting, I feel I have no other desires but to buy a piece of land in the place depicted, build a house, cultivate the land, and live a leisurely life in seclusion." He immediately ordered his writing implements to be prepared, pondered for a moment, and then inscribed a poem on the painting: "A thousand layers of mountains weigh down my sorrow on the river, floating in the air like clouds and smoke. Are they mountains or clouds? I cannot know. The smoke dissipates and the clouds disperse, but the mountains remain. I only see two dark, deep valleys with a hundred springs flowing down. They wind through the forest and cling to the rocks, appearing and disappearing, then rushing down to the valley mouth as a river. The river is level, the mountains open up, and the forest ends. A small bridge and a country inn lean against the mountain. Travelers pass by the tall trees, and a fishing boat floats on the river, swallowing the sky."

Pang Di had seen Su Shi's calligraphy before, finding it rich and elegant, but not quite exceptional. However, seeing Su Shi's own handwriting now was a completely different experience. He was immediately struck by its ancient simplicity and strength, its dignified and composed style, its graceful and unrestrained spirit, its skillful simplicity concealing its inherent clumsiness while overflowing with vitality. He thought to himself that this man truly deserved to be called the foremost talent of the time; not only were his poems and essays superb, but even his calligraphy surpassed others. No wonder Commander Wang had asked Prince Qi to send him a painting from afar with an inscription; such a masterpiece needed to be paired with Su Shi's literary and calligraphic skill to be truly worthy of its praise.

Zhao Hao praised the calligraphy highly and thanked him repeatedly. Wen'er, not wanting to praise Su Shi, remained silent. Given her personality, she would seize any opportunity to criticize Su Shi if he showed even the slightest flaw, but seeing no fault in his poetry or calligraphy, she had no choice but to keep quiet.

As everyone was still admiring the poems, a young woman strode in from outside. Before she even entered the room, she smiled sweetly and said, "My master asked me to ask Lord Su for a few of his new poems to read."

She approached Su Shi and curtsied, then turned her head and smiled, waiting for his reply. Her slender figure, bright eyes, and charming demeanor were far beyond that of ordinary maids.

Su Shi smiled at her and said, "So it's Miss Zheng. How have you been lately, Brother Luzhi? You've been busy these past few months, and most of the poems you've written are mediocre. If Luzhi saw them, he would definitely laugh at you. Only today did I manage to recite one that's still presentable. If you don't mind, I'll write it for you later." After saying this, he turned to Zhao Hao and introduced her, "This is Huang Luzhi's maid, Huang Zheng."

Lu Zhi was the courtesy name of Huang Tingjian, a close friend of Su Shi. They were very close, often composing poems and drinking wine together. Even after Su Shi was demoted to Hangzhou, they maintained contact, frequently exchanging messages and poems. Huang Zheng was Huang Tingjian's most beloved maid, exceptionally intelligent and skillful, with considerable knowledge of calligraphy and painting. Therefore, Huang Tingjian often sent her to request calligraphy, paintings, and poems from Su Shi.

Upon hearing this, Huang Zheng urged Su Shi to write quickly. Su Shi then took another sheet of paper and, using the remaining ink, wrote in one stroke the poem he had composed that afternoon at West Lake, "Drinking on the Lake After Rain."

After finishing writing, Huang Zheng bent down to examine it closely, and after a long while, she finally spoke up and praised, "What a fine line, 'If you want to compare West Lake to Xi Shi, it is beautiful whether lightly or heavily adorned.' Indeed, a fine poem."