Han Zhongyan returned home late at night and immediately ordered the waiter to bring him a cup of tea.
Han Zhongyan was drinking tea, thinking of the prostitute Ma Yuhou introduced to him today, and recalling her waist that could be grasped, and couldn't help but move.
At this time, an old man came up and said, "Da Langjun, where were you just now?"
Han Zhongyan smiled disapprovingly and said, "Uncle Eighth, don't ask, just rest early."
Having said this, Han Zhongyan asked in a low voice: "Is daddy asleep?"
The other party said: "My husband originally asked you to come to the study, but I told you that Da Langjun would spend the night at Taixue today, so he didn't ask any more questions and just asked you to see him tomorrow."
Han Zhongyan breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "It's all up to Uncle Eight to take care of me."
The other party sighed: "My wife told you to go to Taixue to study before. She thought it was because you had grown up and made you happy, but unexpectedly it became the reason why you didn't return home. I don't know if I can keep it secret for you anymore. Da Langjun is still here Admire poetry and books more and go to these brothel places less."
Han Zhongyan said disapprovingly: "Eighth Uncle, let me tell you, although Taixue is a place for studying, there are a few people who can get ahead. As for the brothel, it is mostly a place for partying and fireworks, but those who go there are not those who spend a lot of money. . It’s just about where the people are.”
"Besides, I don't care about learning. In this private examination, my poems, poems, and scriptures are all top-notch. As for hanging around the brothel, I just hang out with a few government officials. Don't worry about this."
The other party smiled bitterly and said: "Da Langjun really has a good tongue and can make you speak some truth about anything."
Han Zhongyan laughed and said: "Not all scholars are like this, but don't worry, Eighth Uncle, I will never dare to say anything in front of my father. I will do whatever he says. Yes, Eighth Uncle, I'm a little tight lately." , I wonder if you can lend me some money and I’ll pay you back another day.”
Hearing this, the other party shook his head and said: "I don't have a lot of money, but I still want to advise you, Mr. Da Lang, to spend less money on those women, and don't cause any trouble."
Han Zhongyan laughed and said: "Uncle Eighth, women who want money are not good. I'm most afraid of those who don't want money!"
"But don't worry, Eighth Uncle. When my marriage to the Lu family's wife is completed, I will feel better. Now you just pity me and let me have fun. I don't know how many more good days like this are left."
The other party smiled and said: "If you pass the Jinshi examination, I will do everything you need."
The next day, after Han Zhongyan exited Han Qi's study, his respectful expression immediately turned into an expression of anger, while holding a book of poetry in his hand.
Han Zhongyan thought to himself, what does it mean that his father scolded him for no reason? What does it mean to tell yourself to read this collection of poems? Wasn't it Ouyang Xiu's work?
Han Qi and Ouyang Xiu have always been die-hard political allies. However, they had some disagreements about the tea tax before. However, their relationship is still close. Ouyang Xiuxin's collection of poems was always sent to Han Qi to read as soon as possible. He said it was for correction, but in fact it was a first-class attitude.
Han Zhongyan scolded himself, why did he show him this collection of poems again?
Han Zhongyan understood that his father had this temperament. Sometimes, even as a biological father and son, he would never say certain things directly.
Han Zhongyan went back to his room and looked through the collection of poems first, but saw that there were Ouyang Xiu, San Su, Zeng Gong, etc. in it. They were all world-famous figures, and San Su was his guest.
Previously, Lao Su had visited his house and asked his father to take care of his two sons' career.
As for the other two people in the collection of poems, they were Zhang Yue and Zeng Zai. Han Zhongyan happened to know these two people as his classmates in Taixue.
Han Zhongyan took a look and thought to himself: "Is this what the old man meant?"
He heard that his father had reprimanded Zhang Yue at the Taixue Shijing Hall, and he remembered that it was because Emperor Renzong had summoned his teacher Zhang Youzhi but he could not come.
However, if you offend someone in the officialdom, you have to make up for it in private, otherwise it will be bad if you have a personal grudge due to official business.
During the discussion in the political hall, the two prime ministers were arguing about one thing in front of the emperor. In a place where the emperor was not around, the relationship between the two was indeed quite good.
If anyone knew about it, they would not criticize the practice, because it is a very ancient thing. My opposition to you is for public reasons, but my friendship with you is for personal reasons. I will not support you in public just because I am friends with you privately.
Anyway, no matter what they say, it’s all in the mouths of officials.
For example, Han Qi killed Di Qing's general Jiao Yong. After killing the opponent, he despised his status as a warrior and said, "A good man is the one who is called out outside Donghua Gate."
Later, when Ouyang Xiu and Liu Chang criticized Di Qing, many people believed that it was Han Qi who ordered it. Song Dynasty civil servants had looked down on generals for a long time.
This is something everyone knows, but what about privately?
Han Qi and Di Qing had a good relationship. After Di Qing's death, Han Qi personally wrote a memorial, praising him as a privy envoy as a great event for the dynasty.
Moreover, Han Qi always took care of Di Qing's sons. Historically, when Han Zhongyan went out of town, he asked Di Qing's son Di Yong to be his deputy.
Empress Dowager Gao wanted Di Zhen's daughter to be Emperor Zhezong's empress. Han Zhongyan worked hard to bring her together and repeatedly expressed her support.
Han Zhongyan went to the banquet when he thought of this.
There were several officials from Beijing at the banquet, and Han Zhongyan would not be absent on such occasions.
In his eyes, studying is studying, socializing is socializing, and those who only know how to read and don't know how to socialize are just bookworms. However, he also looks down on those in the yamen who only know how to socialize but not study.
On this day, he met Jun Wenjifu, Liulang of Wenyanbo's family, in Dongjier Lane.
Wen Yanbo and Han Qi served as prime ministers in the same dynasty. As for the several sons of Wen Yanbo's family, Han Zhongyan not only knew them, but also had contacts with them. Among them, Wen Jifu was the most talented.
After the two of them took their seats, they sat in the banquet with several people in the inner ring, listening to twenty or thirty ladies playing and singing, while the two of them chatted.
A prince-in-law on the side said to an official: "It is a pity that all the new armored horses from Taipu Temple are given to the Western Army... Can your Majesty, please spare a hundred or ten horses and replace them with prince-horses... I don't know what to do... …”
Their voices gradually became lower.
Han Zhongyan showed disdain when he heard this. Wen Jifu was worried that he would have an attack, so he smiled and said, "Shi Pu is having a drink."
Han Zhongyan smiled, raised his wine cup and took a sip, when a famous man brought a plate of fish.
Han Zhongyan took a bite and immediately slapped the table and cursed: "Is this fish so fishy?"
The Tangzi was startled and immediately apologized, but Han Zhongyan refused and smashed the plate to the ground. This shocked the two people who were discussing how to replace the Western Army horses with rhinoceros horses.
But seeing Han Zhongyan pointing at the hall and yelling at him, the prostitute who was singing beside him was so frightened that he didn't know what to do and hugged each other and shed tears? In the end, several people tried to persuade him but still couldn't stop. Han Zhongyan kicked the table over and the vegetable juices spilled all over the floor.
In the end, Wen Jifu saw that Han Zhongyan was playing pretty well, so he came forward to persuade him, and the other party gave up.
Wen Ji just sat down and was about to say something else. Han Zhongyan suddenly said: "I heard you mention Zhang Duzhi last time..."
Wen Jifu was stunned and said: "Exactly, why did Shi Pu suddenly mention this person?"
Han Zhongyan said: "Last time, this person hated my father in Imperial College. I want to know the details of this person!"
Wen Jifu said: "Don't provoke him, otherwise my wife will look bad."
This time it was Han Zhongyan's turn to be surprised, and he pretended to be calm and said: "Brother Zhou Han said this for your sake, but I just don't know how this son is related to your in-law family? Could it be that they are all from the same hometown? ?”
Wen Jifu smiled slightly and said: "Shi Pu, I don't know how to explain this to you. I might as well be my little uncle in the future."
Han Zhongyan showed a bit of ridicule when he heard this and said: "Really the Wu family? I heard that although they are a commoner, they are not... Heh, didn't the Wu family only have relatives with the prime minister's family before? Could it be that this person is a grandson of Duke Xi? ? Even if he is a biological grandson, Duke Xi is gone now."
Wen Jifu smiled and did not answer. After Han Zhongyan finished speaking, he said: "Shi Pu, regardless of your background, who can predict the future?"
Han Zhongyan said: "Brother Zhou Han, you just met him once, how do you know what he will be like in the future?"
Wen Jifu laughed: "You can't trust me, and you can't trust my old Taishan, who often says, 'When an official reaches the third rank, he doesn't read photo books because he reads too much'."
Han Zhongyan thought to himself that this made sense, and he couldn't help but think of his father's words before, but he said unconvinced: "No matter how good you are, Taishan, there are times when you make mistakes."
Wen Jifu said with a smile: "That's true. Affection comes from the heart. Just like you, my father, Lao Taishan and the others, it's better to hear each other's words and watch their actions than you and me."
"Did you know that I, Taishan, asked an old Taoist priest from Zhongnan Mountain to meet his five daughters? Guess what he said? He said that the seventeenth daughter of the Wu family is destined to be the richest."
Han Zhongyan said: "Can you trust the words of the mountain alchemists? No matter how rich you are, can you still compare with your Wen family?"
Wen Jifu smiled and said: "It is better to believe that they have something than to believe that they have nothing. Besides, don't underestimate others. In the future, our officials in the Song Dynasty will use poor families, and people from the south will be officials and prime ministers."
"What's the point?"
Wen Jifu said calmly: "Only those who have no basis can be moved. Isn't this what it means to reuse scholars?"
Han Zhongyan nodded, this was what he always admired about Wen Jifu.
Be sober and never judge based on your own position. Such people will be good in the future.
"But people who have no qualifications at all can't get into the official ranks!"
Han Zhongyan finished speaking. They both laughed.
Wen Jifu said: "You can tell a fallacy in everything."
Han Zhongyan said: "Brother Zhou Han, when Zhang Duzhi is still in a humble state, you Taishan have taken a fancy to him now. He will be a Jinshi again one day. This is not a small favor."
"Not necessarily. I heard that it was this son who suggested getting married after becoming a Jinshi."
This time, it was Han Zhongyan's turn to be surprised again: "Why doesn't he accept this kindness? Doesn't he have his own opinions?"
Wen Jifu said with a smile: "After receiving this kindness, I can't speak arrogantly in front of the Wu family. I don't want to come here, so I won't accept it."
"But if he wants to be strong, he must pass the Jinshi exam first."
Although Han Zhongyan said this, he was still shocked in his heart. He had already looked up to Zhang Yue enough before, but then he realized that he had gone astray again.
After Han Zhongyan returned home, he took out a book and read it in a hurry. He read in it a sentence: "Don't work with people who are not blessed" and "Those who are blessed must be magnanimous." Seeing this, Han Zhongyan said: "Now I just start to believe it."
The next day Han Zhongyan came to the Chonghua Hall of Taixue to listen to a class, and looked at Zhang Yue who was reciting a three-character poem in the hall.
Nowadays, everyone in Taixue knows that the three-character poem was written by Zhang Yue.
Now looking at Zhang Yue teaching all the sentient beings in the classroom as if he were speaking directly, Han Zhongyan was even more impressed by Zhang Yue.
Seeing Han Zhongyan repeatedly staring at Zhang Yue, He Qi couldn't help but know something in his heart.
After the class ended, He Qi found Han Zhongyan.
Han Zhongyan glanced at He Qi and thought of what he mentioned last night, "Unfortunate people cannot be worked with." He felt that although He Qi was a very shrewd person, his mind worked very fast and he had a motive behind everything. I used to appreciate it somewhat, but now I feel that such people are wasting their time.
"What's the matter?"
Han Zhongyan's words were a little cold.
He Qi couldn't help but be stunned. How could Han Zhongyan, who had called him brother and sister a few days ago, be so moody?
He Qi didn't show any anger at all, but smiled and said: "There must be something unpleasant in the office today. Let's talk about it another day."
After saying this, He Qi saluted and turned around to leave without stopping.
"Stop!" Han Zhongyan thought to himself that this person was very quick at observing words and expressions, so he softened his tone and said, "Yesterday, I felt unhappy after being reprimanded by my father. Qilang, what do you have to say?"
He Qi heard Han Zhongyan call him "Qi Lang" and turned around with a smile: "I see, didn't Shi Pu say last time that Zhang Duzhi repeatedly warned you through the Zhai rules during the fast?"
Han Zhongyan said: "It's true, how about it?"
He Qi smiled and said: "I learned today that this person wants to give Shi Pu a clue. After I keep it..."
He Qi knew that for a person like him, he had to think about what others wanted and plan what others planned.
Unexpectedly, Han Zhongyan smiled and said: "Wait a minute, I don't want to embarrass him now..."
"Are you not embarrassed?" He Qi asked in surprise.
Han Zhongyan said: "That's right. Not only is it not difficult, but it also makes you a friend."
He Qi was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said: "Ya Nei is right, friends gather for profit and leave for profit. As long as there is something useful for everyone, they are friends. Ya Nei, I don't know if what I said is right or not. ?”
Han Zhongyan laughed when he heard this.
He just appreciated this about He Qi.
But Han Zhongyan said: "Who do I value and look down on, and I still want you to teach me?"
He Qi was choked by Han Zhongyan and was speechless for a moment.
He certainly knew what position He Qi held in Han Zhongyan's heart. He didn't know how much effort and effort he put into it, but he just couldn't get into Han Zhongyan's circle.
But what about Zhang Yue?
He didn't know where he got his luck, but He Qi felt unbearably jealous in his heart.
He also thought that he had a very good relationship with Wu Anzhi when he was in Pucheng. This time when he came to Beijing, he also brought gifts to meet Wu Anzhi.
He felt that since he had become a royal student and brought generous gifts to the family, the Wu family would look at him more favorably than before.
Wu Anshi was enthusiastic about him and even introduced his mother, Li Taijun. But Li Taijun only met once and left without saying a few words, not even leaving any food.
This made He Qi feel deeply humiliated.
He Qi thought bitterly in his heart at that time, the Wu family is really a snobbish family! Ms. Li is such a short-sighted woman! However, He Qi didn't look angry when he came out, and even thanked Wu Anshi in return.
At the end of the fourth year of Jiayou's reign.
But there was another unexpected happy event.
On this day, Zhang Yue, who was studying in Taixue, received the imperial edict. Because of his contribution to compiling three-character poems, the officials gave him the same family background as Sanzhuan.
As soon as this incident came out, it immediately caused a sensation in the Imperial Academy.
