The group had just reached the street below when they saw a young man blocking the funeral procession.
The young man bowed to Lu Gong Fu in the hearse: “Lin Bao pays his respects. Please take me as your disciple.”
The three of Lu Gong Fu's faces changed, their expressions filled with hidden anger.
Not only the three of Lu Gong Fu, but even the people lining the street to see them off thought Lin Bao's actions were inappropriate.
“Take him as a disciple? This Lin Bao is too much!”
“What kind of occasion is this? This is to send off Mr. Yan Yuan Fu, to mourn him. This Lin Bao's brain must have been kicked by a donkey!”
“To speak like this at a time like this, this man is too reckless.”
“Not beating you up is already a good thing, yet you're shameless enough to ask to be a disciple?”
“In my opinion, he just wants to take advantage of this special occasion and force Mr. Lu to agree to him. He's really not a good person.”
“Heh, playing music for a group of prostitutes in a brothel, do you think Lin Bao is any good?”
Zhong Bo Qi angrily walked over and scolded: “What are you doing? You want to be a disciple, but don't you know the time and place? Cough, cough, cough…”
Zhong Bo Qi coughed for a while, his chest throbbing.
Lin Bao, however, looked like a stubborn fool: “Master Zhong, I, Lin Bao, sincerely want to be Mr. Lu's disciple.”
Saying that, he fell to his knees with a thump: “Master, this is the ninth time I’ve bowed to you, please accept me as your disciple.”
Bang! Bang! Bang! He continuously knocked his head against the ground.
Lu Gong Fu waved his sleeve: “What utter nonsense!”
“Today is the day of Yuan Fu’s funeral, how dare you block the carriage in the street and deliberately try to be my disciple?”
Lin Bao ignored him, still eagerly talking to himself: “Master, I know you are alone, all by yourself. If you take me as your disciple, I will be your son. I am willing to take care of you in your old age!”
Wei Ming secretly covered his mouth, trying to hide his laughter. You, Lin Bao, think you're Gao Qiqiang!?
Lu Gong Fu, upon hearing this, was furious: “Scoundrel!”
“Get someone to throw him out!”
Two people immediately came over and dragged Lin Bao to the side. Lin Bao, however, was still shouting loudly: “Let me go, I want to be Mr. Lu’s disciple. Master, why won’t you accept me as your disciple?”
“Is it because I once played in a brothel? Master, you are a renowned scholar, you should be open-minded. Why are you so dismissive?”
“There is no one in Nan Zhou who is more suitable to be your disciple than me! If you don't accept me, your musical skills will truly become a lost art!”
Wei Ming couldn't hold it in anymore, this Lin Bao must be an idiot.
Good heavens, first he inappropriately blocked the funeral procession, forcing himself to be a disciple. Then he used his identity as a brothel musician to become the disciple of a renowned scholar. Now he’s even cursing that the scholar will have no successor, cursing him to die.
If he were Lu Gong Fu, he would take the Three Kingdoms Guqin and give this idiot a big slap!
Lu Gong Fu, after all, was a renowned scholar. Even though he was furious, he still suppressed his anger: “You just asked me why I didn’t accept you? Fine, I’ll tell you in front of the people of Nan Zhou!”
“It’s not because you once played in a brothel. Even if you were the Emperor's musician, I, Lu Gong Fu, would never take you as my disciple. It’s because I’ve heard your music. You’re just a craftsman who knows how to pluck strings, you have no talent at all.”
“My musical art, there may be no one to inherit it after me, but people like you who are mediocre are not worthy of learning. Just give up on this idea!”
Lin Bao, upon hearing this, trembled, his face turning white. His eyes were filled with anger, humiliation! Endless humiliation!
A craftsman who plucks strings?! No talent at all?!
At this moment, the crowd began to criticize Lin Bao: “Mr. Lu has made it clear, you should move aside and don't delay the funeral.”
“That's right, you want to learn music from a renowned scholar? You should take a look at yourself, are you even the right material!”
“You even dare to block the funeral procession, this is disrespect to Mr. Yan Yuan Fu, it's outrageous.”
“Just go away.”
“Get lost!”
“Get out of here!”
Lin Bao, being criticized by countless people, involuntarily took a few steps back. His shame and anger were evident. He stared at the funeral procession, bitterly saying: “Lu Gong Fu, you won't teach me music, fine. You even humiliated me like this, you just wait, I, Lin Bao, will avenge this insult!”
Lu Ling Feng and the others all heard Lin Bao's boast, and for a moment, their eyes flashed with disgust.
In fact, Wei Ming understood Lu Gong Fu’s refusal of Lin Bao. It wasn't just because Lin Bao lacked manners and had a bad character, but also because of his lack of talent.
Just like Qin Xiao Bai, the painter of the Demon Subduing Transformation, he chased after Pei Xi Jun wanting to take him as a disciple, yet he looked down on his own junior brother, even saying to Lu Ling Feng that famous line: "There's no hint of painting talent in his brow!"
In fact, in any industry, any career, when it reaches its peak, talent must be a factor, and it accounts for ninety-nine percent of success!
As Edison said: "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." People often overlook the rest of the sentence: “But sometimes that one percent of inspiration is more important than ninety-nine percent perspiration!”
Becoming a musician is easy, just practice diligently. But to become a master, you need exceptional talent!
At this moment, Su Wu Ming stepped forward and stopped the funeral procession.
Zhong Bo Qi and the other three were startled, thinking someone wanted to cause trouble like Lin Bao. They were about to get angry, but seeing Governor Xiong and Magistrate Luo were also there, they went forward to greet them.
Xiong Qian Nian sighed: “The passing of Mr. Yan saddens me deeply. He truly was a brilliant talent, please, the three gentlemen, grieve not.”
Zhong Bo Qi and the other three returned the greeting. Then Xiong Qian Nian introduced: “This is the newly appointed Su Sima.”
“Su Wu Ming has met the three renowned scholars.”
Su Wu Ming bowed in greeting. The three replied: “We have met Su Sima.”
Su Wu Ming said with sadness: “The three renowned scholars do not know, the deceased Mr. Yan was an old friend of mine in Chang’an. I came to Nan Zhou this time intending to visit him and reminisce. I did not expect that it would be a final farewell.”
Then he loudly mourned: “Brother Yuan Fu, may you rest in peace!”
Then Wei Ming also stepped forward and bowed to the coffin: “I, Wei, did not know Mr. Yan personally, but I have seen his calligraphy, and I have always admired it. Today, I have also come to pay my respects.”
Xiong Qian Nian quickly introduced: “This is Wei Ming, the Imperial Inspector of Shan Nan Xi Dao.”
Leng Ji was excited when he heard this: “Could this be the Poetry Immortal, Wei Yang Ming?”
“The title of Poetry Immortal is undeserved. I am indeed Wei Ming.”
Zhong Bo Qi, knowing Wei Ming's identity, immediately bowed: “Yuan Fu admired Mr. Wei’s 瘦金体 (slender gold script) the most. Unfortunately… now we are separated by life and death, and we can't meet him anymore.”
Wei Ming waved his hand: “If that’s the case, Wei Ming will write a eulogy for Mr. Yan, to express my condolences!”
Upon hearing this, Zhong and Leng were overjoyed. Even Lu Gong Fu put down his Guqin and jumped off the hearse. He went to Wei Ming, and the three deeply bowed.
Wei Ming’s talent is extraordinary, his casual verses can become classics. If Yan Yuan Fu could receive a eulogy written by Wei Ming, his name would be passed down through the ages!
Renowned scholars, throughout their lives, live for fame!
Su Wu Ming was grateful: “Thank you, my junior brother.”
His family also came forward to express their gratitude, especially Mrs. Yan, who was filled with tears: “To receive a eulogy written by Mr. Wei, Yuan Fu has no regrets in death!”
After the burial, Xiong Qian Nian sighed: “The four renowned scholars, they have been friends for many years, as close as brothers. Yan Yuan Fu once proudly told me that the reason he abandoned Chang’an and returned to Nan Zhou was because of the Four Scholars of Nan Zhou, who stood together through thick and thin, inseparable!”
“By the way, Zhang Xuan, the great painter of our dynasty, even painted their story into a painting, called Stone Bridge Picture!”
“Stone Bridge Picture?” Su Wu Ming exclaimed in surprise.
Xiong Qian Nian explained: “This painting is currently in the possession of the owner of Wang Bin Lou, Ouyang Quan.”
Luo Chang Shi interjected: “This Ouyang Quan, doesn't he always chase after those renowned scholars, wanting to join them? Why isn't he here to see off Mr. Yan Yuan Fu?”
Su Wu Ming, out of professional habit, subconsciously had doubts about Ouyang Quan.
Only Wei Ming knew that this Ouyang Quan was indeed a good person, but he was too superficial, wanting to be a so-called renowned scholar, but he didn't know the true meaning of a renowned scholar.
As a merchant, Cao Zhong Da from Sha Zhou did a great job, he was a true renowned scholar. He was generous and kind, his good deeds flowed freely. Ouyang Quan lacked Cao Zhong Da’s insight and openness.
At this moment, Ouyang Quan should be at home setting up a spirit tablet for Yan Yuan Fu, secretly paying his respects to the Stone Bridge Picture.
Speaking of Stone Bridge Picture, we have to mention Lu Li, the owner of Ju Zhen Xuan. He heard that Zhang Xuan had become famous in Chang’an, so he’s been wanting to buy the Stone Bridge Picture and sell it in Chang’an for a high price, but Ouyang Quan has always refused.
Lu Li believes that there’s only one and a half treasures in Nan Zhou: the Stone Bridge Picture is one treasure, and the other half is the Three Kingdoms Guqin in Lu Gong Fu's possession. After all, the Guqin and Lu Gong Fu shine together, so it can only be considered half a treasure.