Chapter 1020 Appreciation
"...Under the moon, the fragrance of osmanthus speaks of the first test, and the ancestors wished that new bamboos would surround the Phoenix Pond..." Zhang Hui, the Minister of Rites, read it back and forth twice and then smiled and said, "Do you think this poem is the best?"
Everyone put down their poems and came over to look at them, then nodded slightly and said, "The wording is a little lacking, but the poem shows his ambition. It's a good story to carry on the legacy of my father."
Zhang Hui nodded at the signature and said with a smile, "Not only that, who can you guess who wrote this poem?"
Some people didn't want to guess and just leaned over to look at the signature. "Bai Shan? Never heard of it."
Zhang Hui said: "I have heard of it. Not only have I heard of it, I have also seen it once."
"Oh, the post he submitted to Master Zhang?"
"Not really. As far as I know, he hasn't submitted a single poem to anyone since arriving in the capital." He smiled and said, "He was one of the children granted permission by Your Majesty to study in the capital this year. He was admitted to the Imperial Academy. Interestingly, he's the youngest of the three, only thirteen years old."
The judges were surprised and gathered around him to read his poem again. Then they stroked their beards and smiled, saying, "It's really rare."
"I wonder why his father..."
"I heard that when he was a county magistrate, he sacrificed his life while going up the mountain to suppress bandits in order to protect people's property." In order for these students to enroll, the Imperial College needed to communicate with the Ministry of Rites. After all, that was what they did, and Zhang Hui happened to be in charge of this matter at the time.
Therefore, he was most familiar with this group of new students enrolled in the Imperial College.
It was he who gave Peng Zhiru the post.
I originally thought that Peng Zhiru and Lu Xiaofo would be the most outstanding this time, but I didn’t expect that Bai Shan, who has always been low-key and seems not to like socializing, also came and made a good poem.
There were many people attending the poetry reading this time. Some came with their classmates like Peng Zhiru and Lu Xiaofo, while others came with their teachers like Bai Shan.
The former will compose poems directly in the poetry reading in the courtyard. The judges invited by the poetry reading will then select the top three best ones. It is said that there will be prizes for them.
As for what the prize is, not many people care.
Even if the organizers picked up a stone from the flower bed and gave it to them, they would like it. After all, they came here not for the prize, but for fame.
Once their fame spreads, they will be able to obtain both fame and fortune in the future.
The latter was divided into two parts. Mr. Zhuang left a few disciples and went to the side garden to participate in literary gatherings, which was actually just chatting and debating with a bunch of middle-aged and elderly people, and occasionally appreciating the poems written by the younger generations next door.
After Manbao and the others submitted their poems, they became bored. They saw that many people wrote and submitted several poems in a row, obviously to prevent someone from surpassing them.
If you can't win with quality, then win with quantity.
So no one paid any attention to those who only wrote one song or had given up struggling and didn't even submit one.
Bai Shan looked around and said simply, "Why don't we go next door to see the master? I'm still curious about what the master and his friends talk about at the literary gathering."
Manbao: "Well, knowing this in advance will help you prepare in advance. When you are older and want to attend such poetry gatherings, you will have experience."
"...I won't attend poetry readings until I'm old," Bai Shan said. "I'd rather go hiking or enjoy the flowers and grass than attend poetry readings."
Peng Zhiru and Lu Xiaofo couldn't help laughing when they heard him say that. Just as they were about to tease him, they heard Bai Erlang say, "Don't worry. You may not even survive until then."
Peng Zhiru's face froze for a moment, and he turned to look at Bai Shan. He thought he would be angry, after all, it was such an unlucky thing to say, but Bai Shan's expression didn't change at all, and he said directly: "So we are just going to join in the fun this time. Haven't you noticed that since coming to the capital, Mr. has not liked to go out."
"Yes, yes," Manbao said, "When we were in Yizhou, Mr. Keai was out, and people often invited him out for dinner and drinks. Sometimes we couldn't even make an appointment with him."
Peng Zhiru shut his mouth silently. He felt that he had no say in what the three people were saying.
Lu Xiaofu was also planning to find an excuse to leave.
Just as they were thinking about it, Manbao turned around and asked them, "Mr. Peng, Mr. Lu, does your teacher like to participate in literary gatherings?"
The two of them paused and then said, "We didn't become disciples."
There were quite a few teachers teaching them, but not a single one of them came to offer tea and pay homage to them.
Before, it was because the time was not right, but now that I am in the capital, I can indeed find a teacher for myself.
The side garden was much more lively than theirs. A group of middle-aged and elderly people were sitting or standing in groups of three or four. They didn't have any fixed topics to discuss. They would debate face to face if they disagreed with each other, or get together to talk with like-minded people.
So here three or two people were arguing loudly face to face with red faces and necks, wishing they could roll up their sleeves and fight each other, while over there came joyful laughter, and then two or three heads came together and talked about something happily.
Four boys and one girl entered a new world: ...
The five of them blinked, feeling that this was different from what they had imagined the gentlemen's literary gathering would be like.
So the five people didn't dare to disturb the group of people. They slowly moved forward and slipped in from the side, looking for their husband as they slipped.
Finally, they found Mr. Zhuang behind a clump of flowers.
Mr. Zhuang was sitting with the two of them, drinking tea with a pleasant smile on his face.
The person sitting across from him saw the five young men approaching and couldn't help but ask with a smile, "Whose descendants are these? Why are they not playing in the courtyard? Why are they here?"
Mr. Zhuang turned his head slightly, waved to Bai Shan and the others, and said with a smile, "Come over and meet Mr. Jiang and Mr. Chen."
Manbao immediately led his two fellow apprentices forward and saluted in a circle, and Peng Zhiru and Lu Xiaofo also followed suit.
Mr. Zhuang first introduced Peng Zhiru and Lu Xiaofo, then pointed at Manbao and said, "This is my eldest disciple, this is my second disciple, and this is my third disciple."
Mr. Jiang looked at the three of them arranged from shortest to tallest and couldn't help laughing. He said happily, "The ranking of your disciples is quite regular."
Mr. Zhuang smiled and explained, "It's calculated based on the time they started, and it was something the kids discussed among themselves."
Bai Erlang muttered softly, "It's not a discussion at all..."
Mr. Chen looked at Manbao curiously and asked, "Why did Mr. Zhuang accept a girl as his disciple?"
Mr. Zhuang smiled faintly and said, "Confucius said that there is no distinction between people in education. I can't do anything else, but I can try hard at this one thing and barely make it to the next level."
Mr. Chen stopped talking.
Mr. Jiang nodded approvingly. Seeing Manbao and the other two standing so obediently, he liked them even more. He felt around but found nothing. He smiled and said, "I was in a hurry today and I don't have anything to give you. How about writing a few words for you as a greeting?"
Before Manbao and the others could react, Peng Zhiru and Lu Xiaofo's eyes lit up and they bowed respectfully, "Thank you, Mr. Jiang."
Too difficult
The next update will be around 4:00 PM
(End of this chapter)
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