Chapter 256 Poetry Gathering

After the imperial examinations concluded and a period of rest was completed, the candidates regained their former vitality and began to relax, actively participating in banquets organized by others.

As the young master of the Marquis of Yongyi's mansion and the most popular candidate for the top scholar in this year's imperial examination, Song Zhihang, at the suggestion of his classmates and friends, held a poetry gathering in one of his villas.

Therefore, Song Zhihang specially sent someone to find out where Xu Jinnian was staying and personally wrote an invitation to invite him to the poetry gathering.

Tan Zhenlin, Fang Qingzhou, and Ye Yunhua were just incidental.

On this day, the weather was fine and the sky was clear.

The invited scholars, dressed in their finest attire and full of vigor, arrived at the villa with their invitations to attend the poetry gathering.

For a time, the entrance to the villa was bustling with activity, with cars and people coming and going in great numbers.

Inside the room, Song Zhihang was drinking tea and chatting with a group of classmates and friends.

Seeing that the other candidates had arrived one after another, but the person Song Zhihang had specially invited was nowhere to be seen, someone complained, "That Xu Mingyu is so arrogant, Brother Yuanli (Song Zhihang) has been waiting for him for so long!"

Upon hearing this, the others quickly joined the expeditionary force:

"That's right, he's just a top scholar from Dongjiang Prefecture. He really thinks he's some kind of literary genius descended from heaven and doesn't respect Brother Yuanli at all."

“Every provincial examination produces thirty or forty top scholars. Yuanli is the second young master of the Marquis of Yongyi’s mansion. Just his background alone is enough to make him feel ashamed.”

"He's really too arrogant. I'll have to give him a good talking to at the poetry gathering later."

"..."

Xu Huaining was among them, but he listened silently without saying a word.

Seeing that everyone's words were getting increasingly absurd, Song Zhihang frowned slightly and interrupted:

“You have never met Xu Mingyu, and you don’t know what kind of person he is. How can you criticize him without reason? Is it wrong for him to be delayed by an emergency?”

Given Song Zhihang's status, he doesn't need to consider these people's feelings when he speaks.

Sure enough, as soon as he spoke, those who had criticized Xu Jinnian looked embarrassed.

Some felt ashamed, while others harbored resentment, but they didn't show it in front of Song Zhihang.

Song Zhihang ignored them and turned to look at Xu Huaining, who had not spoken, his expression softening considerably: "Brother Xu, you know Xu Mingyu. I wonder what Xu Mingyu's temperament is like?"

Xu Huaining was recommended to the Imperial Academy two years ago, but he was not in the same lecture hall as Song Zhihang.

By chance, Song Zhihang was moved by one of Xu Huaining's policy essays and learned that there was such a person in the Imperial Academy. Thus, he became acquainted with Xu Huaining.

After several conversations, Song Zhihang felt that Xu Huaining was down-to-earth and hardworking, and did not look down on him because of his humble background, so they became friends who could talk to each other.

Song Zhihang had at least five hundred, if not a thousand, friends like this at the Imperial Academy.

At every poetry gathering hosted by Song Zhihang, he would generously send Xu Huaining an invitation.

Upon hearing Song Zhihang's question, Xu Huaining paused slightly, his hand holding the teacup still for a moment, before he thoughtfully organized his thoughts and replied:

"Xu Mingyu came from a humble background and became a disciple of Master Jiang at the age of twelve. In just nine years, he became the top scholar in Dongjiang Prefecture, which shows his talent and learning... It is naturally very good that he can be valued by someone as talented as Master Jiang."

None of the people present, including Song Zhihang, knew about Xu Jinnian's past.

They were all shocked to learn that he had only become a disciple of Master Jiang at the age of twelve, and had not been taught by the master before that.

It should be noted that they often begin their education at the age of three, or as late as five, and study diligently for more than twenty years before they have the opportunity to participate in the imperial examinations.

They were already considered exceptionally gifted, but then suddenly someone started learning at the age of twelve and became the top scholar in the prefecture in just nine years.

Compared to them, they instantly became nothing.

Song Zhihang took a deep breath, feeling defeated by Xu Jinnian, which only strengthened his resolve to get to know her.

Well, it's okay if he has a bad temper. If he had such talent, he would only look down on a bunch of idiots.

At this moment, a servant came in to announce, "Young master, Young Master Xu has arrived at the door."

Song Zhihang's eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up and strode out: "I'll go greet him myself!"

Others couldn't sit still either, and they all got up and followed suit.

Looking at the house that had suddenly become empty, Xu Huaining, who was a step behind, slowly got up, and no one noticed how terrible his face looked.

Song Zhihang and his group encountered Xu Jinnian and his group of four at the second gate.

Upon seeing Xu Jinnian's incomparably handsome face, everyone was stunned.

They had only heard of Xu Mingyu's talent, but they had never heard that he was so handsome!

For a moment, many people had the same thought:

We should keep the good stuff in our own family; my own sister (niece & niece) is in the prime of her life and they're a perfect match!

The simultaneous appearance of Xu Jinnian and Song Zhihang sparked the first climax of the poetry gathering.

Looking at Xu Jinnian, who was standing next to Song Zhihang and surrounded by the other candidates, Xu Huaining, who was left on the periphery of the crowd, had a stiff expression. No one knew what he was thinking.

Song Zhihang's face was beaming with joy. He put his arm around Xu Jinnian's shoulder in a very familiar manner and personally introduced him to the scholars he knew present, even pointing out their hometowns and family backgrounds one by one.

Seeing this, Tan Zhenlin whispered to Fang Qingzhou and Ye Yunhua:

"I never expected that this Song Jieyuan would have such a temperament. He was not like this when I first saw him."

During the first month of this year, he accompanied Lord Tan to a wedding banquet and saw Song Zhihang from afar at the host's house.

At that time, Song Zhihang was aloof and ignored anyone who tried to talk to him, maintaining the airs of the second young master of the Marquis of Yongyi's mansion, making him seem unapproachable.

Who would have thought that this person would be even more outgoing than I am?

He doesn't seem to get warm towards people he's just met.

Song Zhihang's enthusiasm for Xu Huli was no different from that of a butterfly fluttering around a flower.

After hearing this, Ye Yunhua struck a chord with his junior brother: "Song Jieyuan hasn't changed. He treats us just as you did when you first met him."

Tan Zhenlin rolled his eyes: "Just say we're mediocre and don't meet Song Jieyuan's standards!"

Fang Qingzhou nodded, patted him on the shoulder, and praised, "You have a good sense of self-awareness."

Tan Zhenlin rolled his eyes even more.

Looking at his senior brother, who stood calmly and composedly in the crowd, Tan Zhenlin muttered to himself:

"The Marquis of Yongyi's mansion is highly regarded by the Emperor, and Song Zhihang is very likely to become the next Marquis. Xu Huli is on good terms with him, which will be an advantage for him in the future when he enters officialdom through the imperial examination."

The current heir of the Marquis of Yongyi's mansion is frail and sickly. He has been married for many years but has no children. It is said that he has been bedridden since last winter. There have long been rumors that Zhihang is the true heir of the Marquis's mansion.

When Fang Qingzhou and Ye Yunhua first learned about this, and seeing how enthusiastic Song Zhihang was towards Xu Jinnian, they greatly approved of Tan Zhenlin's character.

Mingyu comes from a humble background, so if he could become close friends with Song Zhihang, it would certainly benefit his future.

Xu Jinnian, who was being pulled into the circle by Song Zhihang, had no idea what his three senior and junior brothers were thinking. He only felt that Song Zhihang was talking too much, and it was the first time he had ever seen a man be so long-winded.

He couldn't get a word in edgewise.