When the banquet was over, the two lieutenants were still sweating profusely and could not breathe a sigh of relief. Even the lieutenant who had been quite arrogant before and had a peach blossom embroidered on his chest was sweating profusely now. The peach blossoms, which were originally light pink, were now soaked with sweat, and looked just two or three shades brighter. They stood on both sides of the banquet with fear, and actually did not move for a full two hours.
It wasn't until the Emperor Qi, who was an excellent poet and poet, ordered to serve wine for the new scholars at the banquet that he seemed to be waking up from a dream. He staggered forward, held the wine over his head with both hands, and sent the wine to the champion. Lang's hand.
You must know that this man is considered to be the most popular literati in this year. I am afraid that for many years, he has never met a literati who can make the emperor happy. Such a grand banquet is enough to make the imperial city happy. Shocking, I am afraid that if you are not in the ranks of powerful people in the future, you will feel a little sorry for such a grand occasion today.
But it happened that these two middle officials did not know Dayue, and they talked about the rights and wrongs of the literary world with the literati who walked arm in arm with the emperor. Especially the middle official with peach blossoms embroidered on his chest, his face was ashen.
The number of eunuchs in the palace of Shang Qi is extremely large among the nine kingdoms in the world. Initially, it was because they were afraid that servants in the palace would have illicit affairs with concubines, which would bring about a bad reputation and bring trouble to the palace, so many people from poor families were willing to purify themselves. , or a young descendant whose family has fallen into decline enters the palace and is responsible for all the trivial matters in the palace.
What's more, those who purify their lives have no descendants. Even if they have intentions, it is difficult to establish a family line, let alone gather party members to expand the family home, which will cause disaster and chaos.
The middle-ranking officials in the imperial city of Shangqi are all divided into five grades: pure flowers, bamboos, birds and feathers. The last rank is the young middle-ranking officer. His robes are clean, except for his goose-yellow gown, so he is called "Jing". The word, the one with peach blossoms embroidered on the chest is called flower, the one with cold bamboo embroidered is called bamboo, and the one with embroidered blue bird is called bird. Only the first-class Ling character has three feathers inserted in the chest. And for many years, only one person has been able to stand in the Ling character class, that is, the very old middle officer, who has been in charge of the major affairs of the Zhongguan for many years. Xiaoqing is never neglected, and the emperor relies on it the most.
The mid-level officials with the character of Ling need to salute respectfully, let alone the two low-level mid-level officials who have not yet entered the upper third rank.
Therefore, during the banquet, it was clear that warm springs were gurgling and mist was lingering, and there was no chill at all. However, the two of them felt like the cold sword blades rolling past after being frozen for several months in the cold winter. How could they still have the heart to watch the scene? Reciting poems and writing poems, talking about the past and the present.
But until the banquet was over, Xun Yuantuo did not mention this matter. He changed the cup and changed the cup. He even took advantage of the scenery to compose several poems. The middle official who specialized in narrating poems nodded frequently and said: I have memorized all these Xiaoling poems and even praised them endlessly.
"It seems that the number one scholar is not the kind of master who makes trouble behind his back. Your life and mine should be safe for the time being." The junior middle-ranking official cleared the banquet table. Although he was still frightened, he looked at the comparison. He was much better just now. He watched the young master leave the banquet, kowtowed to the emperor to resign, and came to the official road in the flower steps in a low voice.
"The human heart is the most unpredictable," the middle official still shook his head and sighed deeply, "The number one scholar must have met with the saints frequently recently. In addition to talking about knowledge, he always talked about some recent big and small things. If I mention anything about what I saw in the palace, our heads, which are like straws, will probably not be saved."
When the official Qian Zhongguan heard this, his eyes trembled.
It is said that the middle-ranking officials have no worries about food and clothing, and the royal food is delicious, but every year, there are many middle-ranking officials in the imperial city. Because of the slightest move, or because of delay in doing things for a moment, they are ordered to be killed by the old middle-ranking officer of the Ling rank, or are killed by the owl leader. To show the public, although the emperor is now particularly lenient after taking the throne, the middle officials who died in the palace all year round are enough to raise a lush and prosperous tree, and human life is worth less than grass and trees.
The emperor left, but the young master did not follow him. Instead, he walked to the two of them and whispered, "It is indeed a good thing that the literary world is prosperous. However, there is really nothing wrong with what the noble man said just now. It is rare in life." To be perfect and to draw parallels, instead of following the absurd statement that there is absolutely no shortcomings, it is better to teach students according to their aptitude. As long as there is no fault in morality and conduct, why should those who are good at raising war horses bother to learn how to raise farm cattle?"
"Furthermore, scholars account for nearly half of the rise and fall of a country, but suppressing martial arts and promoting literature is not a long-term solution. If the time is right, I should also give you a few words of advice from the emperor."
The middle official of Huajie frowned and said, "Aren't you worried that the speaker has no intention of speaking and the listener has intention when he says this? He just entered the official career. It is not appropriate to say such words to others like me."
Xun Yuantuo shrugged his shoulders and smiled nonchalantly, "Now we have something to say to each other, but to tell the harsher truth, there are thousands of high-ranking officials, but there is only one person below me. If this matter is mentioned, do you think I will be the emperor today?" Do you believe me, or do you want to believe you two? I would like to say frankly that it is only because the thoughts and ideas in the two minds are similar to those of my master that I reveal my thoughts and do not want to hide them in my heart."
"When a gentleman has a friendship, he should not hide it and accept it. The same spirit connects the branches."
The young master grinned and gave a slight salute.
"Xun Yuantuo, if I can step into the court and see you two often in the future, I hope you can chat with me more and talk freely. However, drinking is not necessary. The quality of the wine is too poor and the alcohol is not strong. Really Don’t dare to drink too much.”
The two of them were silent and looked at each other, both clasping their fists and saluting, which seemed to be a sign of sincerity.
In the study room of the palace, a middle-aged man wearing a bright yellow robe grabbed Mr. Xun's sleeves and walked to the study together. He was still reading the latter's new poems. He was obviously smiling and happy, and he read with great joy. When it comes to the most exquisite sentence, I can't help but applaud and praise it repeatedly.
"Xun Aiqing's entry into the official position really makes everyone happy. I can't wait to promote you to the first rank in the court and always be by my side. To have such knowledge at such an age, and to be knowledgeable in theory and poetry is really a blessing. "The emperor of Shang Qi smiled brightly. He did not wait for Xun Yuantuo to kowtow and salute. He immediately pointed to the scroll of eaves and mountains on the wall of the study and said with a smile, "I had known that the Xun family was not only good at poetry but also proficient in painting. You might as well take a look at this volume for me to see what Liu Caibing’s skills are in the landscape of Yanshan Mountain painted by Yizhang in one day when he was sick.”
Xun Yuantuo also knew that the Emperor of Shang Qi in front of him was very fond of this painting. When he first got the opportunity to paint it, he wrote a sacred plaque in his own handwriting and sent it to the Liu family's house. He also sent the scroll with a volume of ten A two-foot-long eaves landscape painting hangs in the study. I have looked at it every day for many years. Now I am shocked to see it with my own eyes.
"The ordinary people have not yet entered the officialdom, how can they dare to be worthy of the word "Ai Qing"? The Holy Emperor's grace is so great that it makes the ordinary people panic."
Although he was highly regarded, after all, those who are favored and arrogant are the most likely to lose their lives. Naturally, Mr. Xun wanted to say this. He hurriedly wanted to kowtow and thank him, but he was lifted up by the emperor who was enjoying the wine, and he was slightly reproached. He smiled and said, "Young master of the Xun family has always been the mainstay of the court. If you dare not accept even this small favor, in the future, if I plan to include you in the first rank of the dynasty and be on an equal footing with Prime Minister Xun, wouldn't it be impossible for you to accept it?" "
The young master blinked and chuckled, "The common people will naturally accept His Majesty's favor. They don't dare to call you a lover, and they don't dare to waste His Majesty's heart and grace on you."
The emperor in yellow robe looked at the young young master in front of him. After a while, he put his hands on his hands and laughed, and patted the latter on the shoulder. "Don't say too many digressions, just look at the paintings. Over the years, I have been able to interact with you in this study room." Apart from you, Xun Yuantuo, there are no two people who are chatting and laughing happily, and it is Xun Yuantuo who is here to have a blind date, and I have to carry on the useless pretense of being the king of a country, which is very tiring to say the least."
In the landscape paintings on the eaves, the pen and ink are very wanton, and they are all done with the desire to splash ink. The brush strokes are all opened and closed, as if they have not paid attention to the details, just to achieve the momentum and spirit in one go, leaving no trace to hide, so that all the thoughts in the drunkenness can be expressed. Putting it on the tip of the pen, the majestic sea of clouds, dense mountains and rivers, together with the thousands of miles of landscape and terrain of Huayuan Mountain, are mixed with the pen and ink in the palm like a sword and smashed down. The viewer is shocked and can't calm down.
Xun Yuantuo watched the twelve-foot-long scroll for a full moment, but his expression was still hard to calm down.
"I remember that when I looked back at this picture, I happened to feel the wind and cold, and my whole body felt soft, but in just one glance, I was sweating profusely, and the wind and cold were gone. It was like stepping into a warm spring in the cold winter and drinking six or seven bottles of it. Boiling hot rice wine, the breath reaches the top of the forehead and the roots of the tongue are stimulated, and suddenly I feel that the clouds are opening and the moon is bright." The emperor sighed, raised his eyes to look at the long scroll, and sighed inexplicably, "But this is why I am worried, and this is why I am happy. I have watched countless scrolls for many years. Thousands of times, sometimes my heart suddenly bursts with pride, and sometimes I sigh and worry again. I wonder if Xun Aiqing can read my thoughts."
Mr. Xun looked back and bowed.
"The Holy Spirit does not dare to speculate on his own thoughts. The common people only choose this painting skill to express their opinions. It is difficult to know whether the words are right or wrong, and the emperor will be displeased."
"But it's okay to say it." The emperor, who was still young but had a square and solemn face, was surprised when he heard this. He replied cheerfully and took a cup of tea to drink.
"The first glimpse of this picture is the most powerful. The grassroots people come from Qingchai and travel thousands of miles to the border of Qi. On the way, they can also see the peaks and ridges clustering together and the rivers roaring like anger. However, no one can create this painting. Among all the majestic terrains, it is the most frightening."
"But in the last few breaths of this scene of incense sticks, the appearance of this painting has completely changed. The trend of mountains and rivers covering several miles of land is outlined in every detail. In this painting, the emphasis is on the spirit rather than the form. , so different that it should be considered a failure.”
"But it is also here that the Holy Spirit sometimes becomes worried and sometimes becomes heroic."
"Who in the world wouldn't want to take Wu Gou and gain fame both in life and in life, let alone the emperor who has gathered the destiny of a country. The mountains are dangerous, but there are always so-called heavenly weapons that can be defeated, but it is not easy to defeat them with heavenly weapons."
Every time the young master said something, the expression of the man in yellow robe changed. Until the last two sentences, his eyes were full of power.
No matter how much emphasis is placed on elegance in daily life, the majesty of the emperor arose.
