Chapter 55 Poetry and Words
Xiao Die couldn't persuade her otherwise, so she recounted the meeting between Chen Yi and Chen Yunfan at noon.
After listening.
Pei Guanli's eyes darted around a few times. "Would you like to go to the poetry gathering?"
Xiaodie glanced at the dim night outside the window, hesitated, and said, "Miss Pei, it's already past midnight..."
"Let's take a look at the academy and then go back."
"But if we go back too late, the young master and the second young lady will probably be unhappy."
"Don't worry, I'll talk to my brother-in-law and Sister Jinghong."
Pei Guanli patted her chest and assured her, making her pair of bells jingle and tinkle.
Xiaodie looked at her uncertainly, still somewhat hesitant.
"Really, just one look?"
"That's right, that's right."
"Are you sure you can go by yourself? I'll wait for you here."
Pei Guanli looked at her in surprise, "You're not going?"
Xiaodie shook her head. "Miss took me to a poetry gathering before."
During this time, she had witnessed her son-in-law's poetry and calligraphy, and her fascination with those talented men and beautiful women had faded; she no longer found such occasions particularly appealing.
Pei Guanli thought about it and then stopped insisting.
After Lao Luo parked the carriage by the roadside, she skipped and hopped toward Guiyun Academy, clutching the calligraphy copybook box.
Xiaodie sat in the carriage watching her leave, wondering what excuse she had used to enter the academy directly. She rested her chin on her hand and waited silently.
She wasn't afraid of being punished by the young lady and her husband, but she was worried that Miss Pei Guanli was too playful and would be late returning to the manor.
Unfortunately, she was too young.
If Chen Yi were here, he would definitely not let Pei Guanli act recklessly; he would drag her back to the manor no matter what.
At this moment, the Guiyun Academy is brightly lit.
Although it was a poetry gathering organized by the academy, other scholars with official titles in Shuzhou City, as well as daughters of scholarly families, were also welcome to attend.
This is also why Pei Guanli, a girl from a mountain tribe, was able to easily enter the academy.
The guards at the gate let her through without hesitation when they heard that she was going to deliver a calligraphy scroll to the top scholar.
The fact that the top scholar came to Guiyun Academy as soon as he arrived in Shuzhou was a well-known story.
Therefore, it was perfectly reasonable for the top scholar to send someone a piece of calligraphy to him when he arrived at the poetry gathering, which was already coming to an end.
Holding the brocade box, Pei Guanli went straight to the garden deep inside the academy.
As soon as they stepped through the porch, the faint murmurs turned into clear laughter.
In the spacious garden, four pavilions illuminated by lights were filled with people, all of them talented men and beautiful women dressed in long gowns and impeccably groomed.
Pei Guanli looked them over one by one, but couldn't find the top scholar dressed in a bright red robe.
With a quick glance, she sat down in the pavilion closest to the porch and waited silently.
Since we can't find him, we might as well stop looking. The only entrance is that porch, so we'll eventually meet that brother-in-law's older brother.
"I want to make fun of my brother-in-law. Hmph, I'll make sure you can't eat or sleep well, and your whole body is itchy... but that still doesn't feel good."
Pei Guanli touched the powder in her arms, eliminating them one by one, and finally decided to give him an unforgettable experience.
At this moment, a young scholar in a long gown saw her and his eyes lit up.
He approached her and said politely, "Young lady, are you interested in the poem I just recited?"
Pei Guanli looked up at him. "Not interested."
"Then, young lady, may I move aside...?"
Before she could finish speaking, Pei Guanli bared her two tiger teeth and said, "Get out of here, get out of here! If you dare say another word, believe me, I'll drag you back to the mountains!"
The scholar paused, then retreated with a sheepish smile.
The other scholars, overhearing the conversation between the two, teased the Confucian scholar.
"It's normal that the mountain girl doesn't recognize Brother Liu's talent."
"However, Brother Liu's initiative just now reminded me of a poem."
"What a coincidence, I thought of that too."
"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, for ye may ye have no flowers left to pluck, ha ha ha..."
Pei Guanli couldn't understand what they were saying, so she simply ignored them, turned around and stared straight at the doorway, thinking to herself:
I won't listen, I won't listen, you're just spouting nonsense.
What she didn't know was that Guiyun Academy had two venues for poetry gatherings.
Inside the wing room, separated from the garden by only one wall.
Originally, there were only a few teachers from the academy, Li Huaigu, and some students with exceptional knowledge.
However, Chen Yunfan's arrival added a touch of tension to the otherwise harmonious atmosphere.
Chen Yunfan sat at the lower end of the table, bowed and said, "Mr. Yue Ming, I have come uninvited, please forgive me."
Mr. Yue Ming smiled and said, "It's alright. The top scholar of this year's imperial examination is visiting the academy. I would be honored to welcome him."
"But now that the poetry gathering is coming to an end...why don't you, the top scholar, appreciate the excellent works of my academy's students?"
Chen Yunfan paused, glanced at Li Huaigu and the others, and shook his head, saying, "This student has come only to visit you gentlemen."
He seems to have been a bit reckless.
These bookworms, who've gone mad from reading too much, actually want to test his knowledge and embarrass him.
Thinking it over, Chen Yunfan continued, "You guys continue, I'll just listen from the sidelines."
Mr. Yue Ming and the other elderly men exchanged glances, hesitated slightly, and then instructed Li Huaigu to accompany him.
Li Huaigu naturally did not refuse and took the initiative to sit next to Chen Yunfan and start a conversation with him.
"Brother Yunfan, it's been over a month since we parted in Kyoto. I never imagined we'd meet again."
"I never expected that His Majesty would exile me to Shu Prefecture."
"..."
Li Huaigu looked displeased; using the word "exile" in the context of appointing or dismissing officials was not appropriate.
But he had already witnessed Chen Yunfan's wealthy upbringing in Kyoto Prefecture, so he wasn't surprised.
Chen Yunfan glanced around and asked, "What were you guys talking about just now?"
Although he didn't participate in many poetry gatherings, he was still familiar with the general process.
The poetry gathering is now drawing to a close, and the gentlemen should select the winner of the day as a commendation.
But judging from the way Mr. Yue Ming and the others were huddled together and talking quietly, it didn't seem like they were discussing the top-ranked poem of the poetry competition.
I couldn't help but feel a bit curious.
Li Huaigu glanced at him and said, "The teachers are discussing going to Dingyuan Marquis's birthday celebration tomorrow."
"oh?"
Chen Yunfan looked strange. Before he came, he had heard that several teachers from Guiyun Academy were at odds with the Xiao family.
The reason is simple—these great scholars couldn't stand the military men.
Why do we still need to go and celebrate Lord Xiao's birthday?
Seeing his curiosity, Li Huaigu thought for a moment and asked, "Brother Yunfan, what is your relationship with Brother Qingzhou?"
This is probably not a good thing.
He had recently heard that Chen Yi had been kept at home for several years by Miss Cui before marrying into the Xiao family.
Therefore, Chen Yunfan, as the eldest son of Miss Cui, and Chen Yiying were not close.
Chen Yunfan, unaware of his intentions, casually replied, "It's alright. I've studied with Yi since we were little, eaten from the same pot, and shared a bed... but that's not really true."
"What? Is Mr. Yue Ming and the others' birthday celebration for the old Marquis related to Brother Yi?"
Li Huaigu shook his head inwardly and said calmly, "Teacher went to offer birthday greetings only to see the calligraphy works written by Brother Qingzhou."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yunfan froze, not even putting the pastry he was holding into his mouth.
"Yi Di's courtesy name?"
“Brother Huaigu, I know that Brother Yi has practiced calligraphy diligently since childhood and has been praised by Mr. Juyi, but to say that his calligraphy would make Mr. Yueming go to the Marquis's mansion is probably…”
Li Huaigu didn't speak again, but simply gestured to Mr. Yue Ming and the others.
Chen Yunfan looked over and heard Mr. Yue Ming say:
“My mind is made up. If you are unwilling to go, I will risk my old face and go alone.”
An old man beside him frowned: "It's not that we are unwilling, but the Xiao family is a military and noble family. If we go there, the students of Shu Prefecture might misunderstand."
"Yes, Brother Yueming, besides, based on what you just said, we still don't believe that the son-in-law of the Xiao family could have such calligraphy."
"I don't believe it either. How old is he? How could he possibly write calligraphy like this? And in a modern style?"
At this moment, Mr. Yue Ming's expression turned serious: "Whether it's true or not, you'll know tomorrow when you come with me!"
"If I am wrong, I will bear all the consequences alone!"
The other gentlemen paused, exchanged glances, and then shook their heads helplessly.
"Guiyun Academy is a unified institution; how can we let you go alone?"
"Well, let's go and see, maybe it's true."
"Hmph, I'll go back to my old ways, but I absolutely do not believe that son-in-law has such ability!"
"..."
Hearing their conversation, Chen Yunfan blinked, looking bewildered.
Does Yi Di's calligraphy possess the elegant beauty and artistic conception of traditional calligraphy? Or is it written in a modern style?
No way...no way!
(End of this chapter)
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