Chen Yunfan began, a wry smile on his face. "Back when Father was ordered to head west, all the officials in Jinling Prefecture, big and small, scrambled to give him a farewell banquet."
"It was lively, to be sure, but it was just an ordinary affair."
"Father was no stranger to such commotion. He'd just exchange a few pleasantries and be done with it."
"I don't know what got into Brother Yi, but in front of all those elders, he wrote that poem, 'A Farewell to Jinling,' for Father."
"It was a good poem, I'll admit, but I knew Father definitely didn't like it. The other guests mostly praised his literary talent out loud, but inwardly they were probably laughing at him for not knowing his place."
As he spoke, it was as if Chen Yunfan was reliving that day. He chuckled and asked:
"Tell me, how could such a self-important, arrogant man, so proud of his own talent, suddenly learn forbearance?"
"Did Mother locking him up for five years truly smooth out all his rough edges?"
