It is true that he composed eight poems in a row on the boat, but what the hell is Shikui? He clearly remembered that he had not participated in the poetry competition at all, so why did he win the first prize?
These questions flashed through his mind, and then a bitter smile gradually appeared on his face.
At this moment, Su Shi thought about many things.
Nangong Jing’s plan and Zhou Xuan’s mysterious smile.
Although he became a pawn of Nangong Jing, he still had to admire Nangong Jing's plan.
Being able to think of a solution that had the best of both worlds in such a short period of time made Su Shi have to take a high look at Nangong Jing.
However, it was not a happy feeling to be used as a chess piece, and being forced into the position of Shikui by Nangong Jing was not a good thing for Su Shi.
Because Su Shi knew very well that winning Shikui would not bring any benefit at all, except for a slight improvement in his reputation. Instead, it would bring endless troubles.
Although Su Shi was not afraid of troubles, if he had to deal with these troubles every day, Su Shi might as well buy a piece of tofu and hit him to death.
"I remember that Yangzhou seems to be not far from the capital." Su Shi said with a bitter smile.
Su Zhou smiled and said, "It's indeed not far, but only two thousand miles."
"Since it's not far, please help me prepare a carriage and wait for me to have breakfast..." At this point, he thought for a while and continued: "I will set off immediately to Yangzhou for a month or two."
Su Shi calculated that after setting off today, it would be autumn when he returned to the capital. By that time, people would have already forgotten him as the top poet, and the troubles caused by winning the top poetry would naturally be gone.
"You want to run?" Su Zhou saw through his mind at a glance.
Su Shi sighed: "I can't run away now. If I'm asked to accompany those people every day to drink, discuss poetry, and talk about essays, you might as well kill me with a knife now."
Su Zhou also sighed at this time and said slowly: "But it's too late for you to think about running now."
If he hadn't been naked, Su Shi would have jumped out of the tub, got on the carriage and left.
"You're not going to come next, are you?"
Su Zhou said calmly: "What kind of place do you think our General's Mansion is? Not just anyone can send invitations."
Su Shi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"I only accepted three or five."
"Three or five pictures?" Su Shi was stunned, because this meant that he would be watched three or five times like a monkey in the zoo.
"Can you not go?"
Su Zhou sighed: "I said that not everyone can send an invitation to the general's mansion, but if you can send an invitation to the general's mansion, it is not an ordinary person."
Then, as if he was performing a magic trick, three gilded invitations suddenly appeared in his hand.
"Who is there?"
Su Zhou selected these three invitations from many invitations, which meant that these three invitations were special and could not be refused.
"Two days later, on March 12th, three great scholars, Sun Chengyi, Xie Ning'an and Li Han, were invited to Qingfeng Pavilion."
The three great Confucian scholars were full of praise for Su Shi's poems, so as soon as the poetry meeting was over, the three of them deliberately invited Su Shi to get together. However, Su Shi was still visiting the lake at that time, and the three of them could not wait, so they Will be formally invited.
The three great scholars of every Jinghu Poetry Society are like Bole to Shikui.
Many unknown literati soared into the sky at poetry fairs because they were appreciated by the three great Confucian scholars, and they spread their wings ever since.
And these people will definitely hold a banquet to thank the great Confucian for his appreciation and teachings, and some will even change their family and worship the great Confucian as their teacher.
The reason Su Zhou chose this one for Su Shi was because it was Shikui who was supposed to host a banquet to express his gratitude. It's good now. The three great scholars are going to host a banquet to invite Su Shi. This is against the rules. If Su Shi doesn't go, I'm afraid everyone will point fingers behind his back from now on.
Then Su Zhou pointed to the second invitation and continued: "This one is for the Fifth Prince, March 15th, at the Flower Garden."
"Fifth prince? Flower shop?"
Su Shi's face twitched, and finally he couldn't help but laugh: "A prince can also go to a brothel, and he does it so blatantly."
Su Zhou glanced at him and said slowly: "The fifth prince has a bohemian temperament, and he also likes poetry very much, so he set it up in the flower garden."
"The prince holds a banquet in a brothel. No matter how you look at it, it feels a bit strange." Su Shi murmured to himself.
But thinking about the possibility of meeting Zhou Xuan at the flower shop that day, Su Shi's melancholy mood improved a lot.
It was a very common thing to host banquets in brothels to entertain guests, and no one would make a fuss about it, but Su Shi just couldn't figure it out, so Su Shi ignored him and instead looked at the third invitation in trance.
Among all the invitations, this one gave Su Zhou the most headache.
For other invitations, Su Zhou could decide whether to go or not just by taking a look at them. Only this invitation, he hesitated for a long time and could not make a decision.
"What? Is there something wrong with this invitation?" Su Shi couldn't help but ask when he saw his elder brother's confused expression and seemed a little at a loss.
Su Zhou forced a smile, then shook his head and said: "It's nothing, it's just that it was too early to write this invitation. Even if I tell you now, I'm afraid you will turn around and forget."
As he spoke, he put the invitation back quietly, and continued: "So I will keep this invitation first, and I will inform you when the time comes."
Although Su Shi knew that his elder brother was telling lies, he was not in the mood to expose him because no matter who invited him, he had no interest.
However, Su Shi felt better when he thought that there were only two unavoidable banquets at the moment.
Su Zhou seemed to have read through his thoughts and sighed: "You'd better not go out these two days."
"Why?" Su Shi was stunned and immediately asked.
In his opinion, he was seizing the chief poet, but not his wife and daughter. But what Su Zhou said made Su Shi feel that he had made people so angry that he couldn't even leave the house.
"Because the most important invitation has not been sent out yet."
"The most important invitation? Is there anyone more noble than the fifth prince who wants to send an invitation?"
Su Zhou shook his head, and then admonished: "The most important invitation does not necessarily come from the most distinguished person."
His reasoning was very good, but Su Shi had no intention of listening to his reasoning and continued to ask, "Then who is the owner of this invitation?"
Su Zhou sighed: "Of course it's the Qin Mansion?"
"Qin Mansion? Will Qin Mansion send invitations?"
Hearing Su Zhou's words, Su Shi seemed both surprised and confused.
"I've done some calculations. Either today or tomorrow, there will definitely be a post from the Qin Mansion."
"How do you calculate it?" Su Shi asked curiously: "Is it based on astrology or palmistry or facial reading?"
"Looking at the face?" Su Zhou said calmly.
