In the main hall of Yun Mansion, Xia Jingyun met Concubine De, whose name she had heard countless times.
How should I put it? It is in line with his consistent conclusion of analyzing problems from basic principles.
In a feudal dynasty with a population of tens or even hundreds of millions, it is impossible for the emperor to choose the best women around him.
Unless the emperor's own taste is unique.
He had read some unsavory tabloids in the past about how ugly the pictures of the concubines were in the last years of a certain dynasty. It was as if the emperor was being tortured every night when he flipped the cards. He didn't believe it at all, because it didn't fit the bill. The most basic principle.
The woman in front of him at this moment was so beautiful that it almost exceeded his imagination.
The beauty of the country is such an overused word that for the first time, he has found someone worthy of it.
He bowed in salute, bowed his head to the ground, and shouted, "Xia Jingyun, a common man, pays homage to the empress. May the empress be blessed and safe!"
There was no emotion, anger, indifference, or arrogance on the face of De Fei Yun Qingzhu, only complete calmness, "Xia Jingyun, do you know your guilt?"
Xia Jingyun could only continue to bend his back, "The common people always abide by the law and help others. I don't know what the crime is?"
"Get flat."
Concubine De gave a simple order, then looked at his very handsome face, "Are you pretending to be stupid?"
When asked like this, Xia Jingyun really couldn't pretend to be stupid, so he had to say: "To answer the question, the old man loves talents very much, so he values Cao Min. He does not mean to deliberately confuse and deceive. The relationship between Cao Min and Director Feng is even more clear." In vain, there is no connection. What's more, the common people are not those people who are clever with their words. The manuscripts can prove it, the poems can support it, and everyone can rely on it."
"oh?"
Concubine De raised her eyebrows slightly, "Are you confident in your own abilities?"
Xia Jingyun nodded, "Yeah!"
"What kind of skills?"
Are you driving... Xia Jingyun, who has seen some bad episodes before, actually still has time to think about things at this moment, which is indeed courageous enough.
"Write poetry."
Being bold does not mean being reckless, so he chose the safest option.
Concubine De smiled softly, her charm was overwhelming, which instantly made Xia Jingyun's mind wander, and he quickly collected his thoughts.
"Then let's make a bet. I will give you a question. If you can do it to my satisfaction, I will believe that you have real talent and knowledge, and I will not hold you responsible for bewitching my father and satisfying your selfish desires. .”
Xia Jingyun thought for a while and nodded decisively.
Fan Yuejiao, the female officer on the side, sneered in her heart. Because of Feng Xiuyun, she also hoped that Xia Jingyun would be unlucky soon.
There are so many talented people in Zhongjing City, but not many of them are interested in the Empress. It is simply a fool's dream that someone with some talent and fame in a remote place wants to impress Empress Dowager De!
Besides, whether you are satisfied or not in the end is just a matter of a word from the queen. What a stupid country bumpkin.
Xia Jingyun had no time to speculate on the thoughts of people like Fan Yuejiao. His brain was spinning rapidly at the moment, guessing what kind of questions De Fei would give.
"Let's just praise the beauty of this palace!"
"Clam?"
"What? You don't dare anymore?" Concubine De glanced at him, her expression seemed a bit proud and mocking, "Do you think I will give you some ordinary questions so that you can solve the problem that you have already done? Submit the finished poem?"
Xia Jingyun suddenly smiled and said, "Madam, please lend me a pen and paper."
Concubine De nodded, and Fan Yuejiao went down to give instructions. Soon someone brought the desk and laid out pens, ink, paper and inkstones.
"Your Majesty, you are showing off your embarrassment."
As he spoke, he stood in front of the table, took a deep breath, and his aura slowly calmed down. Although his body was thin, he had a calm demeanor.
Pick up the pen, dip it in ink, lick it gently on the inkstone a few times, and then put down the pen.
"Yue Jiao, he writes a sentence and you read it to me."
"yes."
Fan Yuejiao stood next to Xia Jingyun, watching him finish writing the first line, and suddenly froze.
"Huh?" Concubine De snorted.
She just woke up from a dream and said quickly: "The clouds are like the clothes, the flowers are like the face."
Concubine De's expression remained motionless, but her beautiful eyes were filled with brilliance.
Fan Yuejiao continued: "The spring breeze blows and the dew is strong."
She swallowed, these two sentences were enough to satisfy the empress.
Damn it, is this bitch really so talented?
Why is that bitch Feng Xiuyun?
If I had known I came early, would I be the one who met him?
While thinking about it, she continued to read: "If not, I'll see you at the top of Qunyu Mountain."
"We will meet under the moon at Yaotai."
"No more?" Concubine De seemed to still have some unfinished thoughts.
Fan Yuejiao shook her head and said, "No more."
Different from Xia Jingyun's previous two poems, this time, Concubine De seemed to have no reaction at all. The slight ripples on her face disappeared instantly, and she returned to her previous calmness. "Yue Jiao, what do you think of this poem?"
Fan Yuejiao thought for a while and said, "To my concubine, the rest is acceptable, but there is one thing. It is autumn now, but writing about the spring breeze does not fit the situation, and it will inevitably be far-fetched."
Xia Jingyun directly retorted: "Your Majesty is in the bloom of spring. Since it is a word of praise for Your Majesty, it should be named Spring. How come the desolation of Autumn and the silence of Winter? What are your intentions! But curse Your Majesty!"
Fan Yuejiao hurriedly knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty, please forgive me! I never meant this!"
Concubine De waved her hand, "It doesn't matter, I asked you to say it, so you won't be blamed for it. Everyone, go down, Xia Jingyun stays."
Fan Yuejiao hesitated for a moment, glanced at Xia Jingyun, and stepped back unwillingly.
Now only Concubine De and Xia Jingyun were left in the room, as well as the old nanny who had been standing next to Concubine De, silent and motionless like a stone statue.
"Xia Jingyun, I have a question for you. Do you think I have any worries?"
Xia Jingyun said quickly: "Your Majesty's country is beautiful and fragrant, her holy family is prosperous, and she is raising the prince. Her position is stable, so there is no need to worry."
Concubine De looked at him and said, "If I give you another chance, please think about whether you want to answer like this."
Xia Jingyun was stunned for a moment. Is this really a test?
He observed Concubine De's expression, but didn't see any clues.
Damn it, it’s a bet! Anyway, he won't die.
He hesitated and said: "Common people dare to ask the queen a question."
"explain."
"How is Dong Palace's character and ability?"
As soon as these words came out, the old grandma, who had been as silent as a stone statue, turned her head for the first time and glanced at Xia Jingyun, with a hint of surprise in her eyes.
"The harem is not allowed to interfere in politics. How can I evaluate the East Palace? That's all, I won't make things difficult for you."
Concubine De was noncommittal, waving her hands in disinterest and looking at Xia Jingyun, "One last question for you. Is there anything you want to say to me?"
Your Majesty is so beautiful...
Of course, this was impossible to say. Xia Jingyun bowed deeply and said, "Thank you for your love."
Concubine De suddenly laughed. For the first time, her smile was not so dignified, not so restrained, but more like a living person.
"I have punished Feng Xiuyun, and I have even spoken out to punish you, causing you to panic as if you were bereaved... Do you still thank me?"
Xia Jingyun said respectfully: "Thank you, Madam, for letting me know how many people around me are hypocritical and gather for profit, and how many are true friends."
Concubine De blinked her beautiful eyes, her thick and staggered eyelashes closed, as if the tight heart was opening a little and fleeting gaps, "You mean, I am not angry at you, but by acting like this, I am help you?"
"When I first learned the news, I was very frightened. No one can remain calm in front of the queen's power."
Xia Jingyun flattered him first, and then said: "But I forced myself to calm down and think about it. Even if the empress really thought of me that way, she would take the risk of destroying the warmth of reunion with the old man after a long separation and capture me as soon as I arrived in Jiang'an. Really? All I can take from the old man is some money and small profits, which are not worth mentioning in the eyes of the empress. How can they be compared to making the old man happy!"
"To say the least, I can't get rid of the dirt in your eyes, so there are countless ways to deal with an unknown person like me so that I can't make trouble. There is no need to use this method that makes the old man sad the most, so I was thinking Does the empress have another purpose? After all, the empress can stand out in Yun Guibo's harem, and the means are by no means so simple. The news last night should not be spread, and it should not be spread so fast, the common people are even more sure I’m guessing.”
"And when I came here and saw your true face, and was deeply impressed by your elegance and dignity, and felt closeness and admiration from the bottom of my heart, I finally confirmed my inner guess."
Finally, Xia Jingyun flattered him again and called it a day.
The smile on Concubine De's face could no longer be concealed, and the whole room was filled with excitement, "Are you saying you're not a clever talker?"
"Everything Cao Min said comes from the heart and is sincere."
Concubine De stood up slowly, stood tall, elegant and generous, and took steps that would captivate all living beings, "When you stand in a good position and look down, they are all fans, all with humble smiling faces, but No one can completely know how many evil thoughts are hidden behind these smiling faces. But you just need to know that they are not so sincerely good to you."
"Just like my trip, from the harem to the court, from Zhongjing to Sishui Prefecture, how many people wished that I would die on the road. The team along the way has been attacked and assassinated no less than ten times. But when I Standing in front of them, there are still smiling faces of respect and admiration."
"If you want to go up, there are countless things that will make you more desperate and panic than me venting my anger on you. I hope you can still keep thinking like this. Only by being calm can you find that glimmer of hope. "
She looked at Xia Jingyun, "I also hope that you can move up step by step, and eventually stand higher and farther. If you overlook all living beings, you must always be alert. Your feet are not solid supporters, but deep ones." The bottomless abyss is full of demonic hands that are eager to tear you off and replace you immediately."
"The common people will definitely live up to your Majesty's instructions!" Xia Jingyun agreed repeatedly, and then said with deep emotion: "The common people are so virtuous and capable that they have such high hopes from the Empress."
"No need to be so tempted."
Concubine De rolled her eyes at him, her inadvertently revealing charm almost sent Xia Jingyun away on the spot, "It is extraordinary that you can win the favor of my father and Uncle Su Shi at the same time. They recommend you as much as I do, how can I? I can't express it. I have carefully read the one calligraphy, two poems, and one article you wrote. You are indeed a great talent. What is even more rare is that you can have such extraordinary talent in the matter of governing the country. Insights are extremely difficult. It is reasonable for me to look up to you."
She slowly walked back to the couch and sat down, "But seeing is believing. I have indeed put some thought into testing you. This poem is good. If you want to do anything, I can satisfy you."
Xia Jingyun felt excited, finally waiting for this day.
He lifted up his long robe, kowtowed, and said, "The Caomin family was murdered by a traitor, and the family was confiscated and distributed. I hope that the empress will uphold justice for the Caomin family and restore my innocence so that I can take part in the imperial examination and serve the country!"
