Chapter 22
The meal was extremely strange.
The incident of interrogation about family letters that Xie Ling had imagined did not happen, and it was not even mentioned. After the meal, the chief steward sent him back, and he also looked confused.
However, Eunuch Wang Bao had served in the imperial court for so many years that he had already developed a steady demeanor. At this moment, he waved his whisk, but nothing could be seen.
"Thank you, Master. Congratulations. His Majesty probably thinks highly of you and invited you to dinner."
Otherwise, why would they call Mr. Xie over instead of anyone else?
His Majesty had never been such an approachable person before, but perhaps because he had made exceptions so many times for Master Xie during this period, Wang Bao had gotten used to it and subconsciously congratulated him first.
He didn't think much about it.
Xie Ling was a little suspicious at first, thinking that something was wrong with today's dinner, and that none of the things he had guessed happened. When Emperor Wu waved him off, he looked at him with a shocked and complicated look, which made him have a bad feeling. But after hearing what Wang Bao said, Xie Ling was no longer sure.
Could it be that he was overthinking it, and it was just a simple meal without any other meaning?
After all, Xiao Huan was a very moody person.
The two looked at each other, and Xie Ling immediately showed great respect and was very happy about the emperor's appreciation.
"Thank you, Eunuch Wang, for your advice."
"Xie will work harder and live up to your majesty."
After saying this, the two went their separate ways. Xie Ling didn't feel relieved until he saw Wang Bao leave.
"I thought it was the Hongmen Banquet."
"I was scared to death."
System: Why can’t I tell that you are afraid?
The system, which was so exhausted that it could no longer speak, could only watch Xie Ling go back as if nothing had happened.
I began to think painfully about what to do tomorrow?
——Will Emperor Wu realize it tomorrow and kill the host?
…
Xiao Huan didn't have any intention of killing anyone.
It was very strange. In the past, he knew that it would be impossible to be so "calm" about such things. Even he was surprised that he did not feel any disgust when he guessed this.
Xiao Huan lowered his eyes slightly and listened to what Wang Bao told him about Xie Ling's words and deeds after he came back from sending the people away, especially when he heard the words: "I will never let Your Majesty down."
Perhaps because of his distorted thinking, very normal things sounded like homosexuality to Xiao Huan.
What does Xie Ling mean by "not letting down"?
Is it...pure?
As an emperor, what he cared about most was the loyalty of his subjects. However, when it came to Xie Ling, Xiao Huan even found himself beginning to distinguish - what was the reason for this loyalty?
This made him, who always hated these things, feel like something stuck in his throat, but he also felt a strange, inexplicable concern about it.
Xiao Huan did not sleep well for two consecutive nights thinking about these things. When Wang Bao woke up in the morning and saw that His Majesty had two dark circles under his eyes, he was stunned.
"Your Majesty, this..."
Why didn’t you get enough rest again?
Has the government become so busy recently?
Wang Bao was worried, and Xiao Huan closed his eyes. He was a little annoyed and angry at being stared at, but he didn't want anyone to know the reason for his troubles. After all, it was just a guess and had not been confirmed.
That guy is used to talking nonsense, who knows what he really thinks.
He pressed his forehead and frowned, "There have been mosquitoes outside the window lately, which has disturbed my sleep."
"Take someone and use the net to look for it today."
So this is the reason, this damn bug!
Wang Bao did not have the slightest doubt and immediately accepted the order: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will make sure the surroundings are quiet."
…
The next morning, when Xie Ling was walking through the Imperial Garden towards the library, he happened to meet a few palace servants holding net bags, and couldn't help feeling a little strange.
"What's going on?"
"Why did you suddenly bring the net bag?"
When the palace servants saw that it was Master Xie, they greeted him and explained, "Eunuch Wang asked for it. He said that there were mosquitoes near Yuanji Hall and His Majesty couldn't sleep, so he asked us to bring a few net bags over."
Um?
There are mosquitoes in Yuanji Hall? How come he didn't know? As a person who lives in the side hall, Xie Ling slept all night without hearing any insect sounds.
"System, did you hear that?"
Could it be that he was sleeping too soundly?
system:……
"No."
I replied fearfully, and the system went silent.
Xie Ling: …
He didn't know what was wrong with this guy. It was as if his battery had run out since he came back last night. It was weird.
After asking two questions and getting no answer, he was even more surprised to see that the system didn't hear Xie Ling. However, the Yuanji Hall is so big, and the side hall alone is more than a thousand square meters. It makes sense that he couldn't hear the bugs in the main hall.
After greeting the palace servants, Xie Ling was a little curious about how to catch insects with a net bag. Speaking of which, he had always lived in the city when he was a child and had never participated in such activities.
He was still thinking about it until the end of class, and was even discovered by Zheng Daru.
Seeing that Xie Ling was looking outside the hall when he was resting, Zheng Wanyun understood.
"Did you see the eunuch holding the net in the palace?"
Xie Ling nodded, a little embarrassed: "Teacher, I want to go over and take a look."
Zheng Wanyun: ...Young people are so curious.
However, thinking about how Xie Ling had performed very well in the morning and evening classes these days, and how his handwriting had improved recently, Zheng Wanyun didn't want to restrict him, and thought of it as a reward for combining work and rest, so he said:
"You can go out after the random inspection at noon today, but you have to be back before the afternoon class."
OK, OK, OK.
"Thank you, teacher."
What Xie Ling liked most about Zheng Daru was that he never made excessive demands on his students and was very easy to talk to once the task was completed on the same day.
Xie Ling couldn't wait to finish his meal. He was afraid that if he arrived late, the event would have ended. So he reported to his teacher and immediately headed towards Yuanji Hall.
At this time, His Majesty usually handles government affairs in the Wannian Pavilion on the east side. In the Yuanji Hall, only Eunuch Wang is in charge. He was a little surprised when he saw Young Master Xie.
"Why is Mr. Xie here?"
Xie Ling certainly couldn't say that he was just curious about catching bugs, so he could only express his sincerity: "Your Majesty treats me so well, it's not an exaggeration to say that you have given me a second life."
"I heard that Your Majesty was troubled by mosquitoes and couldn't sleep, so I came here to help."
These words were spoken with great righteousness. I don’t know whether others were moved, but Wang Bao was truly moved.
I didn't expect that Master Xie would be so loyal to the emperor. It is worthy of Your Majesty's efforts in cultivating him.
Seeing that Master Xie came with the permission of Zheng Daru, Wang Bao didn't want to reject his kindness, so he asked someone to bring him a net bag and followed a few tall eunuchs.
"Then Master Xie, please follow the people entering the water."
"You are inexperienced, just don't get hurt."
"Thank you, Eunuch Wang."
Xie Ling thanked him skillfully, and boasted to the system:
"System, this is the ancient version of palace insect catching. Are you curious?"
Xie Ling was eager to try after getting the net bag. After practicing the Five Animal Exercises for a few days, he felt that he had endless energy. On the surface, he condemned these mosquitoes with concern, but in fact he was very excited.
The system has been tested and knows that there are probably only one or two mosquitoes nearby: …
It's too shameful to watch this. Someone come and take this crazy host away.
Without waiting for the system to reply, Xie Ling excitedly dived into the bushes, jumping up and down like a happy roe deer.
After a full hour, he came out covered in dust and spit out some grass.
"No, that's strange."
"Isn't this the closest to the window?"
If Emperor Wu could hear it, it should be here, how could it not be here? Xie Ling had a pile of leaves on his head, and he simply couldn't believe it.
The system remained silent, watching this guy frantically tossing around.
…
Xiao Huan had not planned to ask about the affairs of Yuanji Palace today. After all, the mosquitoes were just an excuse he made up. He knew whether there was an answer or not, and the group of palace servants would not blame him if they couldn't find him.
As a result, he acted as if nothing had happened, but he could not prepare for someone's interest. Just after he finished reviewing a memorial and reporting on the disaster relief situation in the suburbs of Beijing, Xiao Huan saw Wang Bao walking towards him cautiously.
"His Majesty."
"What's wrong?"
Normally, Wang Bao would not speak at this time. Seeing that he was hesitant to speak, Xiao Huan raised his eyelids.
Wang Bao lowered his head and said embarrassedly: "Your Majesty, Master Xie said that no suspicious mosquitoes have been found near the Yuanji Palace. Can you describe it in more detail?"
What?
Please describe it in more detail. What does it have to do with Xie Ling?
Xiao Huan didn't react for a moment and thought he had misheard. Recently, he felt that Xie Ling's name was everywhere in his auditory hallucinations.
Perhaps he was too tired from reviewing the memorials just now. The emperor at the top raised his hand and drank a cup of hot tea to calm down. He frowned and looked at Wang Bao who was grinning, and found speechlessly that he was indeed not hallucinating.
"Why is Xie Ling asking this?"
He had finally made up his mind to observe the other person today and temporarily put aside a day to read a novel, so why did this person come up to him again?
Xiao Huan's mood was indescribable, but it was not visible on the surface.
Wang Bao's expression was somewhat moved when he mentioned this matter, and he repeated what Xie Ling said at noon.
"Master Xie said that he would not be at peace if he did not get rid of the mosquitoes. He would not do anything else, but he also wanted to share His Majesty's worries on this matter."
What a good young man, grateful and repaying kindness, isn't he better than the other nobles in the capital? He eats the court salary and dares to have other little thoughts, he is no match for Master Xie.
Wang Bao now really thinks that Mr. Xie is a good guy.
Xiao Huan's eyelids twitched. It was really hard to describe his current mood.
Logically speaking, no matter who it is, they would be moved by the sincere care and concern of their subjects. Xiao Huan was indeed stunned when he first heard it.
But the problem is - he made this up. And he made up an excuse to cover up the fact that he couldn't sleep because of Xie Ling's stimulation.
As a result, Xie Ling went to debunk the fraud for him again today, and now he came to ask him for a more detailed description.
What kind of development is this?
After going around in circles, we ended up back at the starting point?! Xiao Huan's forehead twitched.
Wang Bao was still waiting for the emperor's order. He took a deep breath. Although he wanted to curse, Xiao Huan was unpredictable, but he was not a tyrant who would get angry at his subordinates for no reason.
At this time, he said expressionlessly, "Tell Xie Ling that if he wants to repay the emperor's kindness, he doesn't need to go out and catch insects. Let him study hard with Zheng Daru, and strive to pass the autumn examination. That will be the greatest reward for me."
This passage was literally spoken by Xiao Huan, but Wang Bao didn't hear it. Perhaps it was because His Majesty was so good at cultivating his Qi that he could only hear that this was a pair of wise rulers and loyal ministers who had just emerged from the scene!
Your Majesty has a keen eye for talent and took a liking to Young Master Xie at his humble beginnings. Although Young Master Xie has not yet achieved great things, he has gradually shown the qualities of a loyal minister.
Wang Bao felt that he had witnessed this historical moment, and his heart was overwhelmed. He immediately left respectfully and passed the message to Master Xie.
It was not until the hall became quiet again that Xiao Huan pressed his forehead. After a long while, he laughed out of anger and said to himself: This is clearly my palace, and I can't even avoid someone if I want to?
…
When Xie Ling received the reply, he had already searched everywhere around him. As it turned out, there was nothing there. He suspected that Emperor Wu was deliberately making trouble because he had insomnia.
After all, he was not the only one who didn't find any. Several eunuchs he knew didn't have any bugs in their net bags. If it was just one person, Xie Ling would have suspected that his skills were not good enough, but with so many people... he would only suspect the emperor.
"Maybe he didn't sleep well and is hallucinating."
People with insomnia have this problem. They feel like there are noises everywhere at night. However, this situation is more common in older people. Xiao Huan looks so healthy, but I didn't expect him to be... weak.
"I take it back that he must be really good with that man-fish line thing."
"Maybe he can't do it at all."
Xie Ling put the net bag aside speechlessly and complained to the system quietly: "I almost forgot that he has an early death buff."
system:……
"God is watching what you do, so be careful with your words in the future, or you will be punished."
Xie Ling was stunned for a moment, puzzled: "What else can we watch if it's just the two of us?"
He paused and said earnestly: "System, you are also a creation of technology. Don't be so superstitious in the future, okay? Be careful, I will complain to you if there is a signal next time."
The system, which was hinting but choked back, said: ...Okay.
Never mind, never mind, let him go crazy, the worst that can happen is we die together.
Looking at its own low battery level, the system closed its mouth in pain.
After Xie Ling finished educating the system, he put away the net bag with regret. On the surface, he said that he understood the advice given by His Majesty, but he returned to the library unsatisfied.
Xiao Huan finally breathed a sigh of relief when he learned that Xie Ling had left Yuanji Palace. After a moment of silence, he looked at the Eagle Guard beside him and said, "Go quietly and ask Xia Changli to prepare a sleeping pill for me."
There was silence in the air for a moment, and the Eagle Guard Commander left quietly without expressing any objection, but no one knew what he was thinking.
Xie Ling went back dejectedly and almost scared Zheng Wanyun. When he learned that he was just hiding in the bushes like that, he couldn't help but shake his head.
"Go take a shower first and then go to class. There's no rush."
"Hehe, thank you sir." Xie Ling also felt a little prickly. He fumbled in the grass for a long time but found nothing. Instead, he disturbed the grass.
He brushed his sleeves twice and hurried to the rest area. He came back half an hour later after changing his clothes. Zheng Wanyun couldn't help laughing. Seeing how he was so busy today, he rarely assigned homework after school.
To be honest, Xie Ling's learning progress is really fast. When they first met, Zheng Wanyun almost thought that he had never read a book after a small test. But when he really started teaching, he found that although this student had a poor foundation, it was not an exaggeration to say that he was a genius. Not only was he easy to understand what he was taught, but he could also draw inferences from what he had learned. He was not the kind of person who only studied by rote. Moreover, some of his insights often made Zheng Wanyun, who had lived for more than 60 years, feel refreshed. Therefore, he did not rush to teach Xie Ling during this period.
According to his estimation, as long as Xie Ling practiced his calligraphy well and attended classes on time every day, he would have no problem passing the autumn examination.
Xie Ling didn't know that Mr. Zheng thought so highly of him, but he did feel that his lectures had become more in-depth recently. However, this time he listened carefully and didn't have any homework before leaving, and he was allowed to rest well, which still surprised Xie Ling.
"Zheng Daru is such a nice person!"
He just caught a few bugs and didn't put in much effort, and he could get a free vacation?
System: ...For some reason I feel like he’s showing off, but I can’t tell the difference.
Although he watched the host committing suicide, he couldn't help but be surprised at the host's learning ability while struggling to death. It seems that there was a reason why the host could become a literary giant after 300 years of simulation. Otherwise, why didn't so many people in the world become literary giants after death? Instead, the host had a chance. It seemed that he had some talent.
But it would be better if he could stop making such outrageous remarks on the novel page. Unfortunately, the system was now running out of energy and could not restrict the novel page to be "tidy". It could only watch Xie Ling mess around.
He held it in until Xie Ling came back. After struggling for a long time, he finally reached out his hand in a cowardly manner to urge for more updates.
"Host, remember to update."
"Of course."
Xie Ling was a little confused. What else could he do if he didn't update? Xie Ling had not forgotten that his head was hanging by a thread, so he must update.
Thunder, lightning, rain and dew are all blessings from heaven. You have to know that his good life now does not mean that he will have a good life in the future. If the host can be repaired, Xie Ling will of course want to go back.
Seeing that the host was so clear-headed, the system finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, nothing serious happened.
Xie Ling did not deceive the system. He started updating seriously after taking a shower at night.
In the evening, a few candles were lit in the hall. With his hair half-dried, he sat on the couch and thought. It wasn't that there were no eunuchs who wanted to help, but Xie Ling was not used to others helping him to dry his hair, so he took a piece of silk and wiped it intermittently.
One cannot help but sigh that this is the imperial palace after all, even the hair dryers are not ordinary. Following the last time, he frowned and wrote quickly and fluently.
Because Zheng Daju didn't assign much homework today, Xie Ling was lucky enough to fall asleep at the hour of Xu for the first time after he finished writing his novel.
Qian Ming watched Mr. Xie dry his hair, read for a while and then take a rest. Worried that Mr. Xie would feel uncomfortable due to the dimming candlelight, he stepped forward and quietly cut off the candle.
Just as he was about to retreat quietly, he suddenly saw a figure behind him and was almost startled!
The scream that came out of his mouth was covered by a hand. When Wang Bao saw Qian Ming recognized him, he carefully put down his hand, pointed behind him, and made a mouth shape.
"Quiet."
Okay, I got it. Qian Mingwei nodded slightly, and when he looked up and saw that Steward Wang had followed His Majesty, he immediately knelt down and saluted silently.
But just as he was wondering why His Majesty had come, he was pulled out by Eunuch Wang.
"Don't ask any more questions."
Wang Bao didn't wave his whisk until he walked out of the hall, then stood up and reminded the eunuch.
Qian Ming was confused: "But why did His Majesty come here at this time?"
Mr. Xie is already asleep, so I can't check the homework even if I want to.
Wang Bao shook his head: "Who knows what His Majesty is thinking? We just need to do our part."
Of course, how could he know why His Majesty suddenly came here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping? At that time, His Majesty had just asked the eunuch to boil the medicine prescribed by the Imperial Hospital. He originally thought that His Majesty was about to sleep, but who knew that he came here at this time.
Xiao Huan was also a little annoyed. He had been avoiding Xie Ling for a whole day. He originally thought it would be easy to stop thinking about this guy. But in the evening, today's update reminded him that he hadn't read today's novel yet.
Logically speaking, if he doesn't want to watch it today, he won't have to watch it. He can just make it up tomorrow. However, Xiao Huan has obsessive-compulsive disorder and can't sleep when he thinks about this matter.
And to be honest, Xie Ling went to help him catch insects today, so his idea of avoiding the other party's news had already failed.
Xiao Huan struggled for a moment and had to come over with a gloomy face, thinking about... just finishing reading today's update. But when he walked to the side hall screen, he stopped again. It was fine before when he didn't think Xie Ling admired him. He was open and honest, without any worries. But now that he thought that Xie Ling might have other thoughts about him, he felt a little restrained when he entered the screen, just like entering a girl's boudoir.
Not suitable.
If this is just a misunderstanding, it would be fine if he doesn't have that kind of thought towards me.
If this were to happen, wouldn't it give people a misunderstanding?
Xiao Huan closed his eyes and stood outside the door for a while. Just when Wang Bao thought that His Majesty would go in, after a while His Majesty suddenly turned around.
"Go back."
He paused and looked at Qian Ming: "Don't disturb Xie Ling's rest, and don't tell him about this."
ah?
Qian Ming was stunned for a moment, and although he didn't understand why, he still nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Xiao Huan came inexplicably and left inexplicably. Even though His Majesty's behavior was somewhat unpredictable recently, Wang Bao still couldn't figure it out, but just like he taught Qian Ming, the most important thing for a eunuch is to not be curious when you shouldn't be.
So the whole journey was silent, and it was not until he returned to the bedroom that Xiao Huan frowned and drank a bowl of calming soup.
…
No one knew what happened that night, not even Xie Ling. The system was exhausted and went offline last night. It didn't detect anyone nearby, and just put a pain shield on him and left. As a result, everyone was at a loss the next morning.
Xie Ling rubbed his neck and felt that he had slept very comfortably. He had not gone to bed so early in a long time.
"Tongzi, what time is it?"
The system glanced at the time: "It's Mao time."
It was rare that Xie Ling woke up naturally this time, and got up on his own without anyone calling him. He stretched and opened the quilt, thinking that it was still early today, and wanted to go to Zheng Daru to finish his class early after washing up, but he was suddenly stopped by Qian Ming.
"Thank you, Master. The great scholar said that we don't need to go to the library today."
"Today's teaching will be outside the palace."
"When you have packed up, I will take you to the carriage."
Um?
Outside the palace?
I don’t think you mentioned this yesterday. Why did you suddenly think of leaving the palace?
"Um, does His Majesty agree?"
He did not forget his current embarrassing status and he could not leave the palace without the emperor's consent.
Qian Ming looked unnatural for a moment when Master Xie mentioned His Majesty, but he still nodded.
"Thank you, Master. Don't worry. His Majesty has agreed."
"Today is the day when the students of the Imperial College hold a poetry gathering. Your Majesty also hopes that Master Xie will gain some insights."
Xie Ling: …
Wait, what is that?
Poetry reading?
This thing...actually there's no need to call him.
He is really not interested in this thing. Although he is a novelist, he really knows nothing about poetry. The most he can do is write a doggerel, and he can't do anything else.
Xie Ling hesitated: "Actually, we don't have to go out of the palace. I think it's good to have classes in the library."
Qian Ming: ...
"But Zheng Daru has already reported it."
It means that nothing can be changed.
He wiped his face and looked at Qian Ming seriously.
“I can’t write poetry.”
Qian Ming couldn't help but laugh when he saw Master Xie's look: "Master Xie, don't worry, His Majesty also knows about this matter. This time, Zheng Daru is taking you there just to broaden your horizons."
The students in the Imperial College are either geniuses from poor families or sons of noble families. They have been working hard to build their reputations since they were young, so they must have good talent in poetry. Neither Your Majesty nor Zheng Da Ru prepared for Young Master Xie to be in the limelight. They are more interested in helping him adapt to the official life in the capital.
It seems that His Majesty is interested in letting Mr. Xie be an official in the capital, of course, if he can pass the autumn examination.
There was nothing more to say after discussing this. Since everyone said they were just going there to broaden their horizons, Xie Ling had no choice but to take a deep breath and go for it.
Just go, at worst he will just sit there in a daze, and no one should be so blind as to look for him... right?
When Xie Ling was brought to the palace gate by Qian Ming, Zheng Daru was already waiting for him in the carriage. When he saw him coming, he waved slightly.
"Eunuch Qian must have told you about today's events. Don't feel stressed. Just go and take a look. If you feel uncomfortable, you can follow me closely."
With Zheng Daru's words as a reassurance, Xie Ling felt relieved.
"Don't worry sir, I understand."
Since there were only two of them this time, they naturally rode in a normal-sized carriage. However, after Xie Ling got in the carriage, he discovered that there were cushions and pillows on his and Zheng Daru's seats.
Xie Ling: "Tsk, the person who prepared the carriage is so considerate, he even knew to do this. I'm ready to be shaken to death today."
He thought it was prepared by the palace servants, and looked at Qian Ming with implicit gratitude.
Qian Ming: ...
He doesn't deserve this thanks, this was prepared by His Majesty, not by him.
The carriages of ordinary scholars were of this specification and should not be ostentatious. But remembering that Xie Ling turned pale and almost fell ill the last time he sat in the imperial carriage, Xiao Huan pressed his eyebrows after leaving the court in the morning and asked the eunuchs to prepare some more in the carriage frame, so that the elderly like Zheng Wanyun and the fragile people like Xie Ling would feel more comfortable.
Not to mention that Zheng Daru was moved by the emperor's intention, Xie Ling was also shocked when he learned that this was the emperor's intention.
"Your Majesty is so attentive?"
As soon as he said this, he felt something was wrong and immediately changed his words: "Your Majesty is truly wise and enlightened. You can even notice such a trivial matter. You are worthy of being Your Majesty."
Qian Ming: ...
Although it was a compliment to His Majesty, it sounded weird.
Xie Ling also felt that his choice of words had become more and more precise since he entered the palace. This was not a result of his practice of writing novels, but rather a result of his flattery.
Upon learning that Xie Ling praised him as "holy and wise", Xiao Huan's expression, which had been gloomy all day, improved slightly and he curled the corners of his lips in amusement.
Just arranging a better carriage frame is considered a saintly and wise emperor? If every court official praised him like this, he would be a saintly emperor unprecedented in the history.
But although the court seems calm on the surface, ever since he unified Great Yan and launched a large-scale military campaign, countless court officials have privately scolded him for his excessive military spending.
Xiao Huan shook his head, thinking that although Xie Ling's mind was "impure", his words were very nice. Of course, it was impossible for me to tolerate him just because he was good at flattering.
The emperor's expression was moved for only a moment before returning to its coldness.
Seeing this, Wang Bao skipped the topic, bowed and started talking about business.
"Your Majesty, the Imperial College's chief priest is already outside the palace."
According to the procedures of previous years, His Majesty would attend the students' poetry meeting before the Autumn Examination in disguise, so the chief academician of the Imperial College came to the palace to ask for instructions in advance.
Speaking of which, because we knew that His Majesty would come to check out the good candidates before the autumn examination, this poetry meeting was particularly grand.
After all, the disaster in Dayan has been resolved and the country is at peace. Isn't it time for the civil officials to come to the fore?
Therefore, although it was a small competition held among students, after arriving outside the palace, Xie Ling discovered that... it seemed that everyone knew about the poetry gathering, even the street vendors knew about today's competition.
"Sir, bring me some osmanthus flowers."
"The fragrance of osmanthus can also add to the beauty of the painting."
Xie Ling was stunned: "How did they know that?"
However, in order not to show his ignorance, Xie Ling quickly adjusted his expression.
Knowing that this student was just an ordinary dude who rarely participated in these activities, Zheng Daru explained: "These vendors also know the convention. Some of them are distant relatives of some officials in the Imperial College, so they can set up stalls here."
To sum up, they are all well-informed.
So that's how it is. Indeed, there are social conventions everywhere. However, these minor matters did not reach the level of corruption, so Emperor Wu did not investigate them in detail.
Xie Ling lifted the curtain and looked at it with great interest. After all, the last time he and Emperor Wu left the palace was the last time, and that time they went to inspect the camp outside the capital and did not go into the city at all. All Xie Ling remembered were the dusty official roads and patches of lush green woods.
Now that we are in the city, there are so many things to see.
The capital city is indeed the most prosperous place. The market street from the palace to the Imperial College alone is bustling with people, selling all kinds of things.
Others thought that Master Xie had been in the palace for too long and was so stifled that he couldn't even take his eyes off ordinary scenery. Only Xie Ling knew that this was his first time seeing such a thing.
"Sugar-fried fruit, three cents each, five cents for two."
As soon as the carriage turned the corner, Xie Ling smelled something.
Sugar-coated fruit, this thing is not in the imperial court's meals. He quickly and politely looked at Zheng Daru, expressing his needs with his eyes: "Sir, I want to go downstairs to buy some things for the poetry meeting. Can I stop the carriage for a while?"
Although he didn't have to attend directly, Zheng Daru thought that Xie Ling was going to buy some pens, ink, paper and inkstone to record the scene, so he didn't refuse.
However, when the carriage stopped at the corner and Xie Ling opened the curtain and jumped out, Zheng Daru found that things seemed slightly different from what he had expected.
Xie Ling did prepare things for the poetry reading, but they were different from the school supplies he had imagined. After getting off the car, Xie went straight to the place selling sugar-coated fruits, and after bargaining with the other party, he bought five for ten cents.
Zheng Wanyun: ...
I thought I just bought some sugar-coated fruits, but Xie Ling went to another shop and bought some fried cherries.
After a while, he looked at the time with regret and returned as if he had lost something.
"Mr. Zheng."
"I bought some sugar-coated fruits and fried cherries. Please try them." Xie Ling stuffed two oil-skin bags to Zheng Daru, his eyes full of anticipation.
Zheng Daru was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect that his disciple would give it to him first. He couldn't help feeling warm in his heart. Although Xiao Xie was a little unreliable on weekdays, he still had a childlike heart.
Xie Ling was completely unaware of Zheng Daru's feelings.
He bought things for himself, his teacher, Qian Ming and others. After all, it would not be right to favor one over the other when they were traveling together.
After sharing the food, Xie Ling sat back gracefully, but in fact he couldn't wait to take a bite.
Tsk, the sugar-coated fruit is so crispy right out of the frying pan, and when you take a bite you get a rich and satisfying taste of pure natural white sugar.
“Absolutely!”
Xie Ling and the system nodded: "The boss of this restaurant is very capable, but it's a pity that you can't eat it."
The system was just about to ask about the taste out of curiosity: ...
"Shut up."
Xie Ling shook his head and sighed that he was so petty.
"I was going to test this cherry pancake for you."
"If you don't appreciate it, forget it."
System: Are you evaluating it for me? It's obviously you who want to eat it!
Xie Ling: "You don't understand, system, I'm preparing for our future food writing. This is called preparing for a rainy day."
The system recalled Xie Ling's current novels and found it hard to imagine how he could write about food.
"You should finish writing the current one first." After reading the latest chapter, Emperor Wu's system didn't know how furious he was.
But he should be used to it by now, right?
Since Xie Ling's nonsense "confession" that day, Emperor Wu still did not deal with Xie Ling, and the system lay flat. Anyway, this guy has his own good fortune, and he is not a mortal ruler like him.
…
Wang Bao, who arrived before Emperor Wu to maintain order at the poetry gathering, knew that His Majesty had said that Master Xie did not need to step forward and that he just needed to come and gain some experience, but he did not expect that Master Xie could be so relaxed.
Wouldn't it be too relaxed to bring candied fruits to a poetry reading?
Wang Bao's face twitched, but it was difficult for him to walk over because of the other adults. Xie Ling, on the other hand, looked at Eunuch Wang from a distance, his eyes lit up, and then... he ran behind Zheng Daru very cautiously.
Xie Ling: Are you kidding? He just came here to learn from Zheng Daru today. How could he walk next to Wang Baogong? Doesn't this tell everyone that he is related to the palace?
How to waste time then?
Xie Ling could already imagine how other students would challenge him if they knew about this.
No, no, just pretend you don’t know him. Anyway, no one except the eunuchs in the palace knows who he is.
Xie Ling behaved naturally, and Wang Bao choked on a mouthful of blood. It was rare for him to understand how His Majesty felt in the past. He winked at Master Xie, but Master Xie didn't look away. What the hell was he doing?
Seeing that he could not stop Master Xie from "relaxing", Wang Bao had to smile and look away, then greet the Director of the Imperial College who organized the poetry meeting.
"Thank you for your hard work, Lord Chen. This poetry gathering looks quite grand."
Chen Shengbo was naturally very proud. After all, he was the one who organized this poetry meeting. He had put a lot of effort into it since he was promoted to the position of Director of the Imperial College this year. Most of the participants in today's poetry meeting were his disciples or students of the Dongshan School. Chen Shengbo was naturally very clear about their strength. Although he could not say that all of them would leave their names in front of His Majesty, at least the children of the Chen family would definitely not remain unknown.
However, no matter what he thought in his heart, Chen Shengbo did not dare to offend the Imperial Chief Steward, so he smiled and said a few polite words to Eunuch Wang.
"Your Excellency is too kind. It is the Lord Jijiu who gave me this opportunity."
Cao Yongsong, the chief academic officer of the Imperial College, and Chen Shengbo, the deputy academic officer, were not of the same kind. The chief academic officer was a child of a poor family and had worked his way up through the ranks to be promoted, while Chen Shengbo, the deputy academic officer, had a background of his own.
The Chen family of Jinyang is a famous and aristocratic family. Chen Shengbo is a descendant of the Chen family. Although Your Majesty has been suppressing the aristocratic families since he ascended the throne, there are always countermeasures to every policy. The Chen family and several other aristocratic families in the capital secretly formed the Dongshan School, which did not influence the court as a family, but as a school of thought.
In the Imperial College, students could enter the Dongshan School even if they were not descendants of the Chen family, which resulted in the Dongshan school having deep roots in the Imperial College.
His Majesty's visit to the poetry meeting this time might have been intended as a warning, but looking at Chen Shengbo's expression, it was obvious that he did not sense the crisis.
Wang Bao shook his head silently, but didn't show anything on the surface.
Zheng Daru held a doctoral position in the Imperial Academy, which was neither high nor low, so his participation in such poetry gatherings did not attract attention. It was only because he had been summoned to the palace recently that people paid more attention to him.
Upon seeing this, they found that Zheng Daru was not accompanied by his usual disciples this time, but a young man they did not know. Everyone did not think that this person was the mysterious person left behind by His Majesty in the palace, but just wondered who this person was and why he came with Zheng Daru.
Xie Ling was hesitant before coming, but relaxed after coming. After all, although he was a lazy person, he had seen big scenes before. Not to mention in modern times, after traveling through time, he had trained his mentality a little bit by seeing the Emperor Wu every day. Although he didn't know anything, he was not afraid of the stage at all. When he saw someone looking at him, he looked back without hesitation.
Although they were all in the capital, those who came to participate in the poetry meeting were all talented and learned people, and they did not overlap with the original owner's previous circle of friends. Therefore, no one recognized that this person was the illegitimate son of Marquis Dingyi who was fond of flirting with cats and dogs.
After bringing Xie Ling into the garden, Zheng Wanyun did not get involved in the affairs of the Dongshan School. He went straight to greet his old friends with his new disciples.
"Huaishan, who is this?"
Teacher's name is Huaishan? It was the first time Xie Ling heard the name of a great scholar. He couldn't help but look up curiously, and saw a thin old man opposite him who had a temperament very similar to Zheng Daru, and looked very leisurely.
Just now Xie Ling had been standing at the back and Sun Wencheng hadn't seen him. It was only when he looked up that he was surprised. He felt that the young man brought by his old friend had a stunning appearance and demeanor.
The red robe set off her fair complexion, like a peony in full bloom, with a radiant glow between her eyebrows and eyes. Especially since Xie Ling smiled without hesitation, it made people unable to help but look at her more.
Sun Wencheng: With this appearance, he should not be Huaishan's relative. He is not belittling, but none of the descendants of Old Zheng that he knows look so... outstanding.
Because His Majesty did not announce Xie Ling's identity to the public, thinking that he would be officially appointed after he passed the autumn examination, Zheng Wanyun did not say much, but just looked at little Xie and said, "This is my new disciple, I brought him here today to let you have more experience."
Seeing that he didn't talk much, Sun Wencheng was a little surprised, but then he thought of something and nodded without hesitation. Seeing Xie Ling looking at him curiously, he introduced the two to each other.
"Today's poetry will be interesting, but I don't think the result will be good. Let's find a quiet place to hide from the limelight."
Anyone with a discerning eye knows that the Dongshan School's factionalism is an eyesore to His Majesty, but they themselves don't know that, and this poetry gathering was held so ostentatiously... Tsk.
It seemed that the smart people were not involved in the vortex. They just stayed away from it for fear of being affected. Those of them who had no status or background were no exception.
Xie Ling listened to what the two said and seemed to be thinking about something.
Hmm, I seem to have some impression of the Dongshan School.
As far as I remember, it appeared during the reign of Emperor Wu, but there has been no news since the tenth year of Qianyuan. Could something have happened?
He recalled something in his mind and looked at the man opposite him who was called Dr. Sun. He felt that this man was just like his teacher. He could see things clearly even at his age.
Xie Ling came here to "broaden his horizons", so it didn't matter where he went. After being led, he simply hid beside the stone table and squatted. Seeing that the teacher and Dr. Sun had sat down, he took out the unfinished cherry pancake.
"Let's eat together. Let's eat together."
Sun Wencheng: …
"You are interesting, kid."
He originally thought that this guy came here because he wanted to become famous, but now it seems that he is just here for a spring outing. Among all the students in the garden, whether they are from Dongshan School or not, he is the only one who is so relaxed.
Zheng Wanyun held his forehead helplessly. Seeing Xie Ling letting himself go, he said, "I don't ask you to play this time, but you have to listen and watch more."
"Be careful what you say and do."
"Teacher, rest assured, I will keep it in mind."
“Study hard.”
After Xie Ling made the guarantee, he immediately looked around with great interest.
…
The Imperial College's chief priest had finished reporting today's schedule, and Xiao Huan sent his men away without rushing to the poetry gathering. The atmosphere had to be heated up before they could start to act, and it would be inappropriate for them to jump around now.
After reviewing the memorials for a while, he paused for a moment, feeling as if something was missing. At first he thought it was because Wang Bao had been sent out and the other eunuchs were not doing well with the work, but after a while he thought of Xie Ling.
According to the route they traveled, that guy and Zheng Wanyun should have arrived at the poetry reading, right?
He looked at Liang Chun beside him.
The leader of the Eagle Guard waited until the Imperial College's chief priest left and thought that His Majesty was still paying attention to the poetry meeting, so he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the arrangement of the poetry meeting is exactly the same as what Lord Cao said just now."
Xiao Huan: ...
He nodded slightly, read a few memorials and then stopped.
Liang Chun was confused and thought for a long time: "Have Zheng Daru and Mr. Xie arrived?"
Um.
Then what?
Xiao Huan thought that the guy had only studied the Four Books and Five Classics for more than a month. Would he be unable to adapt to such an occasion? Should he send another person to follow him?
He looked at Liang Chun, and saw Liang Chun hesitated for a moment before saying, "Mr. Xie bought three bags of sugar-coated fruits and cherry pancakes in the market. He is eating cherry pancakes with Zheng Daru now. He said that the cherry pancakes in Dongfang are really delicious. Will you buy some next time you go back?"
Xiao Huan:……?
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