At dawn, Xue Bai took Qing Lan and carried a basket of green dates. They first went to the Chang'an County Government Office. Seeing that Yan Zhenqing hadn't come to see what was going on, they transferred to Yan's house.
Anyway, the journey is not far, so it’s time to take a walk.
The servants of Yan House got up early and were cleaning outside the door. We were led into the front yard by the concierge. Looking around, we can see that although Yan's house is not big, it is elegantly and plainly decorated, with the characteristics of Shandong gardens being bright, clean and generous.
Yan Zhenqing was breathing and nourishing his energy in a courtyard. When he opened his eyes and saw Xue Bai coming, he sighed slightly.
"Students, please send greetings to the teacher."
"Why did you call me teacher again?"
Xue Bai Gongjin replied: "As the saying goes, 'Where the Tao exists, there exists the teacher.' Students who receive the teachings of Yan Gong regard Yan Gong as their teacher, and they treat Dr. Zheng and Su Siye in the same way."
Yan Zhenqing spoke again and said: "Where did you get the distortion...where did you get the truth?"
"Suddenly I recalled an ancient poem that I had recited when I was young, and I wanted to present it to the teacher."
Qing Lan obediently handed over a basket of green dates and said, "I would also like to present some spring fruits to Lieutenant Yan County."
Yan Zhenqing waved his hand and asked Qing Lan to be sent to the backyard, leaving his wife to deal with it.
He called over Xue Bai and said, "Follow me."
The two walked into the lobby.
"I heard that Du Zimei was here, and the "Song of the Eight Immortals in Drinking" was sung in Chang'an City one day... You entered the Imperial Academy, but you still refused to be idle."
"The students were indeed present and had the honor to see Mr. Du write down his pen."
Yan Zhenqing seemed to want to teach Xue Bai a few words, but when the words came to his lips, he said: "I am not your teacher. This matter must be explained clearly to others."
"Yes, students are ashamed."
The next moment, a copybook was handed to Xue Bai.
Yan Zhenqing took a deep breath and said helplessly: "Your handwriting is too ugly."
"Thank you very much, teacher." Xue Bai solemnly took the copybook, put it into his backpack, and took out a scroll. "Since I entered Taixue, I have been copying two hundred words every day. I feel I have made some progress. Please take a look at it, teacher."
Yan Zhenqing took it and saw that it was an exquisite long scroll. He thought that it was such a waste to cover this expensive good paper with these ugly words.
Look at that first sentence again.
"The ancient scholars must have a teacher. A teacher is the one who preaches the truth, learns from one's karma, and resolves doubts."
"No one is born knowing..."
Outside the hall, the flowers and trees under the courtyard wall stretched in the spring light, and a woman's voice could be heard faintly in the distance. It was very nice and added a bit of brightness to the spring day.
Yan Zhenqing held the scroll in his hand, chewed it over and over for a long time, and murmured: "Where did you get the article? This is not a parallel style of writing."
This kind of article is different from poetry. Xue Bai obviously couldn't write it. He said bluntly: "The student has lost his memory and only remembers that it was written by a gentleman named Han Yu."
"The writing style is simple and vigorous, with the ancient style of Qin and Han Dynasties. When read in one breath, it has profound meaning. If you think of it in the future, be sure to introduce Mr. Han to me."
"Yes." Xue Bai responded: "I still vaguely remember that Han Gong did not pay attention to rhythm and rhetoric, and did not like parallel prose. He believed that articles should not be too flashy... The student is thinking that if parallel prose can be simplified, it can be used for the imperial court every year. Saving a lot of paper money will definitely save much more than the right minister."
This is something he has learned deeply since he entered school.
At that time, even when writing official documents, people had to use parallel style. Often the whole scroll was written in a series of colorful couplets, with only the last sentence being the only one that was really useful.
This is his weakness. He can change it, but he wants to try to change the entire era.
"Too scheming."
Yan Zhenqing scolded him lightly at first and asked: "Is this the reason why your policy essay is so unsightly?"
"Students are ashamed."
"You should be ashamed." Yan Zhenqing shook his head, feeling that Xue Bai was really bad in all aspects. He felt like he had so many clues and nowhere to start, and finally said: "Let's talk about calligraphy first."
"yes."
"Sit down and hold the pen for me to see."
Xue Bai just picked up the pen, and Yan Zhenqing frowned slightly.
"Wrong. Eight-point regular script requires roundness and smoothness, and you cannot use a center. Lie the pen tip on its side and turn your wrist to write the word 'Yong'."
"yes."
Xue Bai was very attentive and did as he was told.
He knew that asking Yan Zhenqing for advice could easily annoy the other party, so he cherished this opportunity.
"When writing again, the writing must be arbitrary, and arbitrary is not arbitrary."
"When writing again, use the pen like a cone to draw sand, so that the edge is hidden and the painting becomes calm."
"..."
"fool."
Finally, Yan Zhenqing couldn't hold it back, shook his head, and said: "You can feel the word 'Zang Feng' when you go back, and come back after you learn to control it freely."
Xue Bai consciously realized a lot, responded seriously, and put the copybook away.
Yan Zhenqing looked at him twice and said with his hands behind his back: "Du Zimei's poem is very good, 'Zhang Xu's Three Cups of Grass Saint Biography, taking off his hat and uncovering his head in front of the prince, swiping paper like clouds of smoke'. Your coming today reminds me of my early years." Learn from Duke Zhang and understand the twelve meanings of brushwork..."
Xue Bai waited patiently.
Yan Zhenqing stopped talking, and there was a look of thought in his eyes. If the twelve meanings of the heart, Tao, and brushwork were passed down to this son alone, it would be better to pass them on to later generations, and just write an article in the Qin and Han style.
"As for calligraphy, you first learn how to use the pen today. Then let's talk about your articles and poems... Sigh."
Yan Zhenqing shook his head and took out Xue Bai's strategy from the shelf.
That day, after Fang Guan swore to protect Xue Bai, Yan Zhenqing still copied it and got the original manuscript back. Because he did not want to take credit, he had to let Fang Guan know who proposed the two tax laws and who should be protected. However, if Xue Bai's manuscript was handed over, it would be a source of leverage.
"Before learning articles, learn to avoid taboos first!"
The strategy was thrown in front of Xue Bai, and Yan Zhenqing was unusually harsh.
Xue Bai picked up the strategy and took a look. The first thing he saw was that there were a few more "patches" on the paper. However, it was Yan Zhenqing who cut the pieces of paper, pasted them on top of his original words, and wrote new ones in elegant Yan Kai. Character.
For example, the vertical part of "民" is missing by half. This is to avoid the name of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty.
When Li Shimin was still here, I didn't care about this, as long as I didn't connect the two words "Shimin" together, but now this taboo is written in the Tang Code.
Xue Bai actually paid attention to these, but the time in Datang was too short and there were too many things to pay attention to, so it was inevitable that he would be negligent.
A slight cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he realized that he had been too eager to get things done before, and even felt that waiting for the imperial examination next year was too late. In fact, it does take a period of settling.
Whether it's hard work or not, being an official in the Tang Dynasty requires talent, learning, and prestige. Li Linfu suffered a loss in this regard and spent his whole life making up for it. Learn from the past and learn from it.
In this early morning, even though there was only a moment of teaching, Xue Bai already felt that it was really worth it to shamelessly worship Yan Zhenqing as his teacher.
~~
"Mr. Lang."
Qinglan came out of the backyard of Yanzhai with a basket on her arm and a happy smile on her face.
Seeing that the basket was still there, Xue Bai asked, "Aren't you willing to accept it?"
"I accepted it. My wife, the Yan family, gave back the yellow rice, saying it was a New Year's gift from my relatives and friends from Weizhou. Let us try it. I don't know if I can accept it, but if I don't accept it, my wife will not want our green dates."
"It doesn't matter, just help each other with the teacher's family from now on."
Qinglan nodded repeatedly and said: "The lady of the Yan family is really nice. By the way, doesn't the husband want to send the young men to study? The second son of the Yan family is in the Weishi Private School in Changshou Fang. The lady of the Yan family is in charge of everything. I went to say hello. If you ladies want to learn music, chess, calligraphy and painting, you can go to Yan’s house every day at noon and learn with Sanniang of the Yan family.”
"Does the teacher have three daughters?"
"No. Because Sanniang was sick since she was born, she was adopted and raised by Lieutenant Yan's brother and sister-in-law, and she was not brought back until she grew up."
"What disease is it?"
"I don't dare to ask in detail. I don't even understand why he was adopted by his brother and sister-in-law because of his illness."
"What can you say..."
While talking, I had already arrived from Yanzhaidu to Xuezhai. There was only one street between the two places, so they were indeed very close.
Xue Bai took the horse and went to the Imperial College.
At present, he is living quite comfortably with Yan Zhenqing, Du Fu, Zheng Qian, and Su Yuanming.
The suffocating years of struggling to survive between the battles between the Right Prime Minister's Mansion and the East Palace seemed to be far away from him.
~~
Qing Lan stood on the steps and watched Xue Bai go away, then turned to find Liu Xiangjun to discuss how to steam the yellow rice to make it delicious.
Suddenly, Xue Bogeng, who was sitting by the side door basking in the sun and acting as the concierge, let out an "ouch".
"This girl, you seem to be with Rokuro..."
Qing Lan turned her head and looked around, frowning.
"What are you doing here?"
Jiaonu didn't answer. He walked into the inner courtyard with a cold face, looked around, kicked down a bucket on the ground, and said, "Is this what Xue Bai said about 'you will have your own house soon'? It's really bad."
"You don't live here anyway, so you can't control it." Qinglan stared at her nervously.
Jiaonu sneered slightly, turned to Liu Xiangjun, and asked, "Is Xue Bai really your son?"
"Who are you……"
"I'm asking you something."
"Liu Lang is naturally my son."
"You were pregnant in ten months and gave birth to a baby?"
"good."
"How to prove it?"
Liu Xiangjun was slightly startled by the question, but then regained his momentum and said calmly: "The son that today's saint has found for me, what do I need to prove to you?"
Jiao Nu asked: "Where is Xue Ling?"
"I went to hide from debt with my friends."
"Which friend?"
"I don't know who I am."
"Tell Xue Ling that the Right Prime Minister wants to see him." Jiao Nu said: "Also, at the time of application tomorrow, ask Xue Bai to come to the northeast corner of Dongshi. I have something to say to him."
After saying that, she looked at the courtyard again and shook her head in disgust.
This place is smaller and more dilapidated than Du's house.
~~
Pingkangfang, Youxiang Mansion.
In the backyard, Jiaonu walked through the winding path and climbed up to the small pavilion.
There were two women sitting by the window talking. The atmosphere was a little tense, and it seemed like a quarrel had occurred.
One of them had his hair pulled up and was dressed as a woman; the other wore a lotus crown and had not yet opened his face. It was Li Tengkong.
"Eleventh Mother, Seventeenth Mother." Jiao Nu saluted, "I have sent a message to Xue Bai to arrive at Dongshi tomorrow at Shen time."
Li Shiniang then turned to Li Tengkong and asked, "Not satisfied yet?"
"Sister, you shouldn't do this. Things are not as simple as sister thinks. Why can't you let me practice?"
"Why do you want to become a monk? There are so many good men in the world..."
"I won't tell you anymore, it's always these words."
"Okay, let's not talk about this." Li Shiniang said: "Since you are only willing to marry Xue Bai, isn't it enough that my sister will arrange it for you?"
"My grandpa and brother don't agree to something, so what's the use of you messing around? Can't you just go home?"
Li Shiniang smiled and said: "Since I asked you to persuade me, there is still room. It is nothing more than bringing him back to marry you..."
"He doesn't want to get a son-in-law, and I don't want to force him." Li Tengkong said: "Why do you force others to do so?"
"Because you are my grandpa's daughter, you can get whatever the Prime Minister wants." Li Shiniang said, "If you become a monk now, you will be unhappy for the rest of your life."
"Am I happy if he marries me?"
"It's to make you let go." Li Shiniang said: "Whatever you want, brother and sister will give it to you. Hasn't it always been like this since childhood? Bring him back and you will be tired of him in less than two years." After knowing him, you know that men are just like this. The important thing is that you can understand your mind, but you know that peace cannot be achieved by practicing Taoism. Peace can only be obtained by getting tired of playing. You are the daughter of the Right Prime Minister, and the only thing you need to consider is your mood. Understand?"
Li Tengkong looked at his sister blankly, feeling that all this was so ridiculous.
Li Shiniang always said in a matter-of-fact tone, "I have told my grandpa that Xue Ling will step forward to nod and let Xue Bai enter the Prime Minister's Mansion. This will not only fulfill the saint's story of Shangyuan, but also break him." The relationship with third sister-in-law Yang. If I can spare his life, you will be happy, so what's wrong with that?"
"Stop talking! If you don't let me be a nun, I will be a nun."
Li Teng was so angry that he picked up a dagger and tried to cut his hair.
"Don't!" Li Shiniang quickly raised her hand and urged: "Seventeen, why do you do this for a man?"
"This is no longer about Xue Bai, it has nothing to do with him." Li Tengkong's voice was filled with tears, "I can't stay in this house anymore, because all of you are crazy!"
"We're not good enough for you?"
"The devil has captured your hearts!"
Li Tengkong shook his head, tears rolling down his face.
"Sister, do you know what kind of nonsense you are saying? You treat everyone as a plaything. Is the Right Prime Minister's Mansion so great? I was born in such a family... I am really guilty, and I should not get married! "
Cut with a dagger.
A strand of black hair fell to the ground, and Li Tengkong did not hesitate to cut it again.
"Don't cut it off... Okay, female crown, you want to be a female crown, that's up to you." Li Shiniang raised her hand and said, "I'm meddling in other people's business. You've had enough trouble. Put down the dagger. It has nothing to do with me, okay?"
Li Tengkong shed tears and threw away the dagger in his hand, looking extremely stubborn.
"If I interfere with you any more from now on, my husband will suffer a thousand blows." Li Shiniang was also unhappy, swore, and turned around to leave.
Li Tengkong wiped her eyes, stopped crying, and went to pack her books to prepare for leaving home.
Jiaonu immediately knelt down and said: "I am wrong. I should not listen to the eleventh mother's instructions."
"Get up, go tell him, it's all a mistake..."
A piece of paper fell from the scroll.
Li Tengkong leaned over to pick it up, but what caught his eyes was the poem he had read countless times on the paper.
~~
The next day, Shen Shi.
After looking at the teahouse for a long time, he saw the girl's figure standing alone under the pear tree. Xue Bai thought about it and got up.
"Miss Zong?"
Li Tengkong's fingers trembled, he turned around and didn't speak for a long time.
Xue Bai said: "Someone asked me to come, but it seems I broke the appointment. I didn't expect to meet Mrs. Zong."
"I...I happened to be passing by."
"I have recently made friends with a great poet, Du Fu, have you heard of him? He told me that in the third year of Tianbao, Li Bai married a Zong family from the prime minister's family, but was he a relative of yours?"
"Well, in terms of seniority, I'm still a generation above you."
"Then even Li Bai wants to call you aunt?"
Li Tengkong couldn't help but smile, turned to look at Xue Bai, and stared at him boldly for a while, as if he wanted to keep him in mind.
"Huh?" Xue Bai asked, "By the way, is your friend okay?"
"She... is very good. Yesterday she became a female crown prince under the disciple of Master Qi Xuan."
"A monk?" Xue Bai turned back to look at her.
"It's not for anything else. She just likes to practice Taoism and medicine since she was a child. Let me tell you, Master Qixuan is not someone who accepts disciples easily. He has superb medical skills and has added twenty-four volumes of annotations to "Suwen". In short, my It’s not easy for my friend to become a disciple…”
As Li Tengkong was talking, he accidentally met Xue Bai's eyes.
She saw some guilt and regret in his eyes, and suddenly felt like she was being stung.
Then she thought that she should make him feel guilty and regretful, so that he could remember her.
"I am leaving."
Li Tengkong smiled, walked away a few steps, looked back at Xue Bai again, and quickly ran away with a cruel heart.
…
The evening drums sounded, and lanterns were lit on the upper floors of Dongshi.
In the evening when there is a curfew, the lights are far less beautiful than those on the Lantern Festival night.
The girl looked up and felt empty inside.
Although Shangyuan Ye, who was in the sixth year of Tianbao, was also very happy, she originally thought that in the seventh year of Tianbao, she could hold hands with him and visit the lantern market.
Today I finally published it at the normal time, with more than 8,800 words, and new characters are still being reviewed~~ Please vote for me, please subscribe~~ Thank you everyone~~
