A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 237 A Once-in-a-Century Event

Qian Weiyan attached great importance to this banquet.

Especially since Song Xuan is so talented, he might even be able to help him gain fame.

After all, both Yan Shu and Fan Zhongyan are very famous nowadays.

Everyone could have foreseen it.

They will both be given important responsibilities in the future.

Of all the students who came to study, Yan Shu singled out Song Xuan to talk about.

Song Xuan is undoubtedly the most outstanding among this group of students.

Qian Weiyan, who was trying to force his way into the central government, could not possibly misunderstand the meaning behind Yan Shu's words.

In addition, Song Xuan himself is also very capable!
If you pass the imperial examination and become the top scholar, the worst you can expect to become a Jinshi the following year.

What if I perform exceptionally well and become the top scorer in the exam? Where can I complain to them?

Qian Weiyan felt that she had gained even more.

Reputation is built up from each other.

Song Xuan was strong himself, his teacher was also strong, and his superior Yan Shu, who valued him, was even more powerful.

This person's connections are extremely strong.

It's a pity that she only has one daughter who married Sheng Du early on, otherwise she really wanted to marry Song Xuan.

Today, I'll give Yan Shu face and establish a good relationship with Song Xuan.

Wouldn't my chances of entering the central government in the future increase dramatically?
Based on the above ideas.

No matter what, Qian Weiyan had to liven up the atmosphere, help Song Xuan gain fame, and lend him a hand.

Therefore, Qian Weiyan arranged seats here.

Those from Yingtian Academy who were studying abroad sat together, while those from Taishi Academy sat opposite them.

We will also invite a few local officials to join us in this grand event.

Anyway, all students care about their reputation.

Moreover, the journey from being unknown to becoming famous throughout the world was mostly spread through the mouths of contemporary Confucian scholars.

This student truly has received "gold medal certification".

After all, it has the reputation of the previous generation of great Confucian scholars as its endorsement.

That's when people will start discussing it, and some might even want to go and explore with the person in question to see if he has real skills.

For example, Ouyang Xiu, a Hanlin scholar at the time, read the article sent by Su Xun.

Ouyang Xiu believed that his writing was comparable to that of Liu Xiang and Jia Yi.

With Ouyang Xiu's praise, the officials and ministers of Dongjing (Kaifeng) began to discuss it, making Su Xun famous throughout the city.

Ouyang Xiu now is nothing more than an old failure in the imperial examinations!

He couldn't even pass the decryption test.

However, through diligent study, Ouyang Xiu, like Song Xuan, passed the provincial examination in his hometown this year.

His name was recommended to the Ministry of Rites, and everyone could then compete with Song Xuan in the provincial examination.

"Be careful."

Although Qian Weiyan was not short of money, he still prepared a lot of gold and silver items to entertain his guests at this banquet.

Moreover, each one is extremely exquisite.

Even if someone takes it, Qian Weiyan can only pretend not to know.

However, students who produce such results are unlikely to achieve much.

He took it and looked at it, making sure there were no bumps or scratches.

Otherwise it won't look good.

Sima Chi is highly regarded by Qian Weiyan because of Sima Guang, even though they are currently at the same level.

However, Qian Weiyan was also very pleased to invite Sima Chi and his son to the banquet.

"Brother Xisheng, there's no need to worry so much."

Sima Chi stroked his beard and smiled:
"This isn't your first time driving; today you're just taking a quick look at their condition."

"Hey."

Qian Weiyan laughed and said:
"That's not how it works. Since it was Prime Minister Yan who specifically instructed me, I will do my best to test Song Twelve in public and see if he is really as talented as Prime Minister Yan said."

The young Sima Guang, however, discerned a different meaning in Qian Weiyan's words.

However, he did not remind his father who the main character of the banquet should be.

After Qian Wei finished speaking, he went on to greet the guests.

Sima Chi sat on the right with his son Sima Guang, and next to them was Song Xuan.

"Father, I think today's banquet was quite boring."

"Why?"

Sima Chi, who was smiling, was somewhat puzzled by his son's thinking.

But it doesn't matter; as long as the father is good at asking questions, that's enough.

Anyway, my son is a child prodigy.

No one else had a chance to ask.

"Because from my observation, Twelfth Brother isn't very enthusiastic about this kind of thing."

Sima Guang stated his judgment:
"And those top students from Taishi Academy aren't exactly flamboyant. On the contrary, the half-baked students are the most boastful, dreaming of making a name for themselves in this kind of setting."

"Shhh."

Sima Chi immediately covered his mouth with his finger, afraid that Qian Weiyan would overhear his son's words.

After all, everyone knows who is only half-baked.

Although Qian Weiyan was erudite and a key poet of the Xikun School, he still lagged behind Yang Yi, Liu Yun, and others.

Through his son's words, Sima Chi recalled his conversation with Song Xuan and realized that Song Twelve was a pragmatic person.

Such literary gatherings are probably not very likely.

Sima Chi was initially pleased that the Song Dynasty had gained such a talented person as Song Xuan, but he was even more pleased that his son was so intelligent.

He will surely achieve great things in the future!

Song Xuan didn't put on airs. After taking a good bath in the bathhouse, he changed his mind and led everyone to the banquet.

"I have long heard that Magistrate Qian is a descendant of a royal family, a man of great talent and learning, and on good terms with the great Confucian scholars of our time. If we shine at the banquet, we will surely become famous when we enter the capital."

Lü Lejian was very excited.

If he hadn't come out to study with Song Xuan, he might never have had the chance to meet such a famous scholar!

Qian Weiyan has both a good family background and good connections.

Despite the fact that his sister's marriage to Liu Mei made many scholars look down on him, and his alliance with Ding Wei through marriage, which helped him to attack Kou Zhun.

After Ding Wei fell from power, he immediately began to publicly ostracize Ding Wei.

As a result, Qian Weiyan had no chance of gaining a foothold in the court.

They align themselves with whoever is most powerful, and immediately jump ship when trouble comes.

No one wants to be around such a two-faced person.

Or rather, the best way for everyone in the court is to watch over and help each other.

Who would want to bring someone like Qian Weiyan, who never stops taking advantage and then betrays you when things go wrong, into their own circle?

How could Qian Weiyan not be overjoyed to receive Yan Shu's letter?

Song Xuan glanced at Lü Lejian. "Your cousin Lü Yijian is an official in the court. He hasn't mentioned Qian Weiyan to you."
It was his father-in-law, Cao Yongli, who always informed Song Xuan of everything in advance.

The text specifically mentions Qian Weiyan, who is unlikely to achieve great things, yet claims to be a descendant of royalty and is particularly fond of "reputation."

"We've come to this banquet today to broaden our horizons. We need to know what to say and what not to say."

Song Xuan flicked open his folding fan and sized up the group of people who had followed him:

"Just eat and drink well then, don't do so much unnecessary stuff."

“Twelfth Brother is right, I will remember that.”

Zhang Fangping was actually a little nervous about attending this banquet.

After all, he had known Yan Shu for quite some time since the last time he attended a banquet hosted by Yan Shu, so they weren't exactly strangers.

This is the first time Zhang Fangping has ever been so far from home, traveling to another city.

Fortunately, all of them were in good physical condition and did not experience any problems due to the change in environment.

Because no matter what, they are still moving around the plains of Henan, except that there are mountains near Luoyang.

Yu Zhouxun and Wang Gongshou were newcomers to the gang, and at this time they naturally followed Song Xuan's lead.

Lü Lejian didn't understand why they should keep a low profile on such a good occasion.

"Twelfth Brother, I think this is the time for us to make a name for ourselves."

Lü Lejian continued to persuade him:
"Don't be fooled by Qian Weiyan's current official position in Luoyang; he might return to Tokyo at any time."

"When we both pass the imperial examination, we will be able to act more conveniently."

Although the Lü family wields considerable influence in the court, it is not necessarily the case that Lü Lejian will fall into their hands.

If you cultivate a relationship yourself, it will definitely benefit you; there's no doubt about that.

Wang Tai disregarded Lü Lejian's words.

Forget about taking shortcuts; let's all pass the imperial examinations first, then we can talk about that.

Otherwise, no matter how hard you try, you won't have much of a chance.

Especially Qian Weiyan, Wang Tai had heard his father's evaluation of him, that he wasn't very capable and couldn't even figure out how to scheme.

He was someone who craved fame and power.

He has the perfect image of a "prince".

He may not be very capable, but he feels that his talent has been buried and that he should be given a chance to show it.

"Get out, get out."

When Song Xuan arrived at the door, he saw someone pushing the monk Sang.

“If you want to beg for alms, wait until after the meal. How can you come before the meal has even started? Such a spoilsport! You, a monk, have no sense of propriety at all.”

An old monk was pushed forward.

"Oh, have you students arrived?"

After the butler finished pushing the person away, he saw Song Xuan arrive and quickly asked:
"May I ask whether it is Taishi Academy or Yingtian Academy?"

"We are students of Yingtian Academy."

The butler's eyes lit up, and he asked again:
"Are you Song Twelve, the top scholar from Yingtian Prefecture?"

“Exactly,” Song Xuan replied.

"Oh, oh, Young Master Song, please come in. My master has been looking forward to your arrival."

The butler invited Song Xuan and was extremely enthusiastic towards the students around him, showing no sign of looking down on them at all.

The White Horse Temple was quite popular, so Song Xuan glanced at the old monk a few more times. He was wearing patched clothes, which didn't seem like something from a large temple.

Because Song Xuan had visited the White Horse Temple, he had a deep impression of the monks there.

At least they all had rosy complexions and looked like they weren't hungry at all.

Song Xuan didn't bother with it and, at the butler's invitation, entered through the gate and walked into the reception room.

At this time, there were not many people in the reception room, but Sima Guang and his son arrived and sat there early.

Qian Weiyan was changing clothes in the back at this time and was not busy in the front hall.

"Mr. Sima."

Song Xuan first bowed, and Sima Chi stood up with a look of surprise, not expecting Song Xuan and the others to arrive so early.

It is clear that he is not arrogant at all and is a very peaceful person.

After all, Sima Chi had never encountered such social skills among the other students.

It feels like a gentle spring breeze!
Sima Chi was unaware, but Sima Guang, who stood up with him, knew perfectly well.

Song Xuan's interpersonal skills must be superior to his father's, otherwise his father wouldn't have had that feeling.

Sima Chi hosted him and pointed out that his seat was for students from Yingtian Academy and other traveling students.

After everyone sat down...

Yu Zhouxun and Wang Gongshou exchanged a glance, never expecting to find gold and silver wine pots and cups.

Moreover, a plate of melons and fruits had already been served to help them cool off in the sweltering summer heat.

It looked like it had just been taken out of the well; it was still slightly cool.

During the scholar-official era, fruit was an indispensable delicacy in tea snacks, banquets, festival celebrations, and ordinary welcoming ceremonies.

Sima Guang watched as Song Xuan picked up a peach, wiped it, and put it in his mouth.

As for the others, seeing that Song Xuan had started eating, they naturally didn't stop and all picked up the cool, fresh fruit and stuffed it into their mouths.

Song Xuan glanced at the young Sima Guang:
"Why don't you eat?"

“My father was afraid I would get an upset stomach from eating cold food, so he wouldn’t let me eat it.”

Sima Guang's eyes showed anticipation.

He really wanted Song Xuan to tell his father so that he could also try this cool and refreshing little fruit.

Even if he gets a stomachache from eating something cold, he's willing to accept it.

Song Xuan took a bite before responding:

"Then when I eat peaches, I'll try not to smack my lips, so as not to tempt you."

Sima Guang never expected Song Xuan to give such a reply.

He was immediately taken aback.

For a moment, I didn't know what to say.

After all, Song Xuan really doesn't speak according to common sense.

Even though Sima Guang was a child prodigy, he was still quite young.

Sima Guang lowered his head, looking quite aggrieved.

But the sound of him eating fresh fruit inevitably reached his ears.

This made Sima Guang subconsciously swallow.

No matter what, he couldn't eat it without his father's permission.

Song Xuan understood Sima Chi's thoughts.

After all, his son Sima Guang also showed the potential of a child prodigy.

只要稍加培养长到成人之后，自是能够做出一番事业，为司马家争光。

However, the reality was that many young children in the Song Dynasty were extremely prone to dying before they reached adulthood.

Even the emperor's descendants could not avoid it, let alone ordinary people?

Even adults can die easily from an illness.

Sima Chi is now taking great care of his son's diet, as it is an extremely important matter.

Song Xuan had also provided free medical consultations to the villagers, so he understood the concerns of those parents.

Living is better than indulging in momentary cravings.

It is important.

"You want to eat it?"

Song Xuan wiped the juice off his hands and asked in a low voice.

Sima Guang's eyes lit up immediately, and he blinked.

"Then wait until you're a bit older, otherwise your stomach and intestines won't be able to handle the cold, and you'll easily get a fever."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Sima Guang immediately became extremely disappointed and muttered under his breath:

"You're not a doctor, how could you make up a stomachache and fever to fool me?"

"hey-hey."

Song Xuan was about to tease the child again.

随即就听到钱惟演故作爽朗的笑声。

"Song Xuan."

"Song Twelve."

"Song Jieyuan?"

Qian Weiyan called out three times in a row, which surprised Song Xuan.

"It is indeed you, young man."

Song Xuan stood up.

He looked at the richly dressed man, who was probably Qian Weiyan, and asked:

"But, Mr. Qian?"

"Hey."

Qian Weiyan was very satisfied with this title.

Although the title "Xianggong" was no longer exclusive to the prime minister in the Song Dynasty, it was still a title used by ordinary high-ranking officials.

However, it is quite normal for this title to be misused.

Which official wouldn't want to be a prime minister of the Song Dynasty?
"Yan Tongshu wrote to me saying that a great talent had come to Luoyang to study, and asked me to evaluate his abilities."

Qian Weiyan couldn't stop praising himself:

"Now, just by seeing Song Twelve, I feel that what Yan Tongshu said was true."

After all, Song Xuan was standing here.

Not to mention their outstanding individual qualities, their appearance is also quite good.

Not to mention being an official in the Song Dynasty, even in other dynasties, appearance was one of the standards for being an official.

After all, he will be representing the emperor and herding the people in the future, so how can he be ugly?
Wouldn't that damage the dignity of the imperial court?

Someone like Wang Qinruo, how could he have become prime minister if he hadn't gained the trust of Emperor Zhenzong?

"Mr. Qian, you flatter me."

Song Xuan was extremely polite.

At the same time, he understood the reason why Qian Weiyan organized the gathering: it was because Yan Shu had written a letter.

It wasn't because of Cao's use of it.

Song Xuan thought about it and realized it made sense.

Since Qian Weiyan is not the chief official in Luoyang, Cao Liyong should write to Li You instead of writing to him to offer some assistance.

Both of them are from the same military system, so it will be easy to repay this favor in the future.

It's highly likely that Yan Shu left so that Song Xuan could travel and gain some fame in Luoyang more quickly.

There's no need to take it slow here.

"Ah, Twelfth Brother is such a handsome man."

Qian Weiyan was naturally generous with his praise:
"If I didn't only have one daughter, I might really want to take you as my son-in-law."

Song Xuan chuckled a few times in agreement:
"That's what they all say."

they?

Qian Weiyan quickly grasped the key point, but he didn't know if "they" included Yan Shu.

"Haha, a young talent like him is a rare find."

Qian Weiyan found Song Xuan's words so interesting that he appreciated them even more.

Because what follows will allow us to better probe the situation.

"How are you feeling now that you've arrived in Luoyang, Twelfth Brother? Are you enjoying the food?"

"It was great. Fu Bi led a group of us to tour the eight scenic spots of Luoyang."

"Oh?"

Fu Bi hadn't expected Song Xuan to bring this up, especially since it was Song Xuan who suggested the eight scenic spots; he was just leading the way.

"That's unheard of."

Qian Weiyan hadn't been in Luoyang for very long, and he'd never heard of the name Fu Bi.

They must be students of Taishi Academy.

As for the eight scenic spots mentioned by Song Xuan, they were completely unheard of.

"I hope you can enlighten me, Twelfth Master, as I am also new to Luoyang."

Song Xuan then explained it to Qian Weiyan, who was quite surprised.

So these are the eight scenic spots of Luoyang!

"Hahaha."

Qian Weiyan stroked his beard repeatedly:

"This Fu Bi is quite interesting; he's a local, after all." Fu Bi was already sweating profusely.

He wanted to step forward and explain that even he, a local, didn't know what the Eight Scenic Spots of Luoyang were; it was all something that Twelfth Brother had come up with himself.

However, Qian Weiyan did not call him over, so Fu Bi could only suppress his temper and not get up.

In a flash, Fu Bi realized that Song Xuan was trying to make him famous.

Otherwise, based solely on that conversation at the academy, who would know the name Fu Bi?

Now that Song Xuan has mentioned it to Qian Weiyan, once the fame of the Eight Scenic Spots of Luoyang spreads, the origin of it will surely be attributed to Fu Bi.

Thinking of this, Fu Bi felt extremely grateful to Song Xuan.

Even if he is talented, who would be willing to make him famous?
"Yes," Song Xuan said with a smile, following Qian Weiyan's lead.

“Fu Bi is a man of great vision and wisdom. I have had many conversations with him these past few days and I have gained a lot of insights. He will surely become a pillar of the court in the future.”

"Ok?"

Qian Weiyan couldn't quite decipher the meaning behind Song Xuan's words for a moment.

This whole setup is entirely for Song Xuan. Why did he bring up the local scholar Fu Bi?
Qian Weiyan had never heard of it, but he still followed Song Xuan's lead and wanted to see what he was up to.

"Fu Bi must be a capable person to earn Twelve Lang's approval. We should invite him to meet."

“He is already there. We have already agreed that after I finish my studies abroad, he will come with us to Yingtian Academy to broaden his horizons.”

"Hahaha."

Qian Weiyan laughed again, stroking his beard and looking at Song Xuan's direction.

Fu Bi was also quite handsome; otherwise, Yan Shu wouldn't have immediately married his daughter to him based solely on his literary talent.

"Good good."

Fu Bi then rose and bowed.

Qian Weiyan nodded and gestured for him to sit down, so as not to steal the spotlight from today's main character.

Qian Weiyan patted Song Xuan on the shoulder and said:
"I am delighted that there are more and more talented young people in my Great Song Dynasty, because only in this way can the Great Song Dynasty become more and more prosperous."

"What Master Qian said is absolutely right."

Qian Weiyan continued to ask, "Of the eight scenic spots of Luoyang, which one do you think is the most beautiful?"

"They're all beautiful."

After giving his answer, Song Xuan noticed a strange look in Qian Weiyan's eyes, and then smiled again:

"But it was the scenery of Beiman Mountain that left a deep impression on me."

"it is good."

Qian Weiyan smiled and gestured for Song Xuan to sit down before continuing to greet the others.

Liu Ye, the prefect of Henan Prefecture, walked in with an unpleasant expression. He exchanged a few pleasantries with Qian Weiyan and then glanced at Song Xuan, who was sitting next to Sima Guang.

He took a closer look. Song Xuan was a renowned scholar, and now that he saw him, he was indeed quite good-looking.

At least we won't be at a disadvantage in the palace examination!
Even if a man passed the imperial examination with flying colors and was snatched up by a family in the capital to be their son-in-law, those young ladies would still accept it.

These days, people rarely see each other before marriage.

As for whether it's suitable or not, we'll talk about that after we get married.

The Song Dynasty did not prohibit divorce, allowing couples to remarry or take a new wife.

"what happened?"

"It's just a small matter."

Liu Ye waved his hand and then sat down in the main seat.

All the students of Taishi Academy were present, led by the dean.

Although it was Qian Weiyan who organized the event, Liu Ye was ultimately the one who hosted it.

Therefore, Liu Ye delivered a speech, encouraging the students of Taishi Academy in the area, and also gave a grand introduction to the students of Yingtian Academy.

In short, everyone is extremely outstanding, and it's just polite talk to let everyone get to know each other so that they can work together for the housekeeper in the future.

Liu Ye already knew from Sima Chi that Song Xuan was capable.

If Henan Prefecture can benefit from the war between the Liao Kingdom and the Ganzhou Uyghurs, this year's tax revenue will surely rise to a new level.

Perhaps it wouldn't be impossible to squeeze into the top ten.

Liu Ye understood Qian Weiyan's little scheme, but it was harmless.

As long as he doesn't commit any crimes or illegal acts under his jurisdiction, that's fine.

For someone born into royalty to be able to stay true to their place and refrain from misbehaving is already an achievement that sets them apart from the crowd.

It's quite normal for him to crave some empty fame and power.

Looking across the entire world, how many people are like a saint?

As the servants began serving the dishes, Zhang Fangping took the opportunity to point to Mei Yaochen, who was standing opposite Song Xuan.

He wasn't eligible to participate, and he didn't have a seat.

He was only able to attend this banquet because of his uncle, Mei Xun.

"what happened?"

“He is the Mei Yaochen that I mentioned to my twelfth brother. I think he is one of us and will not detach himself from the common people.”

Listening to Zhang Fangping repeat himself again, he said that his family was poor when he was young. Because he failed the provincial examination, he could only follow his uncle to other places to make a living as an official.

Song Xuan glanced at Mei Yaochen, who was described as "eighteen years old that year, standing like a lackey."

He had heard of this person's name; he was the founder of Song poetry, as famous as Ouyang Xiu, and influenced the transformation of Song poetry.

Ouyang Xiu said that Mei Yaochen had not held an official position for thirty years, and that the masterpiece praised by contemporary Confucian scholars as a rare gem that was only seen once in two hundred years was also written by Mei Yaochen.

"I'll ask him later if he'd like to study at Yingtian Academy."

Song Xuan didn't force him to go, just in case Mei Yaochen had his own ideas.

“It would be good if Twelfth Brother took action. I have advised him many times that there is no need to give up his studies and his life just because his family is poor, especially since Yingtian Academy is now offering very good benefits.”

Zhang Fangping truly hoped that the promising students of the Song Dynasty would not give up simply because of poverty.

Otherwise, it would truly be a loss for the imperial court!
After another round of eating and drinking, everyone understood the process.

Anyway, after we've had our fill of food and drink, we'll be composing poems to test our knowledge.

During the banquet, Song Xuan first toasted the presiding official, and then drank with the outstanding students of Taishi Academy.

Compared to his aggressive demeanor on the debate stage, Song Xuan showed great goodwill at this moment, which made Liu Ji look at him with new respect.

Indeed, when judging a person, one should not only listen to what others say, but also see for oneself to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Now, Song Xuan gives him the feeling of being bathed in a spring breeze.

When Song Xuan saw Mei Yaochen leave, he also said he had drunk too much and was going to the restroom, and stopped Mei Yaochen outside.

"My name is Song Xuan, the twelfth in my family. My good friend Zhang Fangping has repeatedly told me that you are a great talent."

Mei Yaochen knew Zhang Fangping and understood that he had been moved by compassion, which was why he wanted to help him.

But he didn't want to trouble others with this kind of thing.

Just as Mei Yaochen was about to refuse, Song Xuan said:
"I'm not one to easily trust other people's judgments. Zhang Dalang is young and doesn't have much experience to see through many people."

"So when Prefect Liu and the others set a topic for composing poems later, I will think carefully about one, and I hope you will participate as well."

“If your writing is also good, I’m willing to trust my friend’s judgment this time and recommend you to Dean Fan.”

Song Xuan's few words, spoken quickly, were indeed not pleasant to hear at all.

However, Song Xuan felt that he was right.

Because some people just won't budge no matter how you push them, and will back down no matter how you push them. If you don't give them a friendly look, they might get stubborn and go against you, wanting to prove that they have the ability.

"Well, give me a straight answer!"

Song Xuan looked at Mei Yaochen, and seeing that he still didn't speak, he chuckled:

"I knew Zhang Dalang was young and wouldn't have the eye to judge people. He kept mentioning you to me, it's so annoying I'm sick of hearing it."

After Song Xuan finished speaking, he left directly and went to the restroom, giving Mei Yaochen a chance.

Mei Yaochen was still young, and he was used to being humiliated. But when he heard that Song Xuan looked down on Zhang Fangping, he was shocked.

He recalled Zhang Fangping's repeated attempts to persuade him, and finally clenched his fist:

"Alright, I agree."

Song Xuan didn't linger, but simply gestured that he understood, leaving Mei Yaochen with a backdrop.

When Song Xuan returned, Zhang Fangping had already noticed that Mei Yaochen's complexion was not very good.

After all, everyone was the same age and sitting in the banquet eating and drinking, while he stood at the back like a servant.

Even if you appear indifferent on the surface, the bitterness in your heart is something you only truly know how much it hurts when the night is quiet!
That's about it for the food and drink segment.

Qian Weiyan had the food taken away and replaced with fruit platters and refreshments to help everyone sober up.

Let's start by bringing out a pitch-pot game to entertain everyone.

Sima Chi was the first to step forward, but unfortunately, he missed three out of ten arrows.

Qian Weiyan burst into laughter.

Once you throw in five sticks, you can advance to the next round. The final prize is a fine Duan stone inkstone displayed by Qian Weiyan, which is extremely valuable.

Sima Guang was very sorry to see his father eliminated in the first round.

Sima Guang was particularly fond of playing the game of pitch-pot. When he lived in seclusion in Luoyang, he often played pitch-pot for entertainment and even wrote a book called "New Rules of Pitch-pot".

Most of the students come from farming families, and very few play this game.

Many people either fail to get the answer or are "obsessed".

When Song Xuan had ten arrows in his hand, he casually tossed them away.

"Okay, there's a beginning."

Qian Weiyan shouted loudly, indicating that the first arrow had entered the pot.

Many people are hearing this term for the first time.

"Success in a row!"

"it is good."

After hitting seven arrows in a row, Qian Weiyan kept his eyes on Song Xuan's movements, because he also hit eight arrows, but not in a row.

"Do you think Song Twelve could have hit the bullseye with every single arrow?"

"No."

Liu Ye waved his hand: "I was just lucky just now. I've been playing with pots for so many years and I've never seen a complete pot."

He was confident in his son Liu Ji's ability to play pitch-pot; if he performed well, he would hit the target eight or nine times out of ten.

Sima Guang also held his breath and stared at Song Xuan.

Besides reading, he loved this game very much, but unfortunately he never had the chance to play.

Snapped.

The eighth arrow fell into the pot.

"it is good!"

Immediately following the shouts of the crowd.

The ninth one has been hit.

The tenth one was thrown in by Song Xuan in the blink of an eye.

Before anyone could react, Song Xuan bowed to Liu Ye, who was sitting in the main seat and had plucked out two of his graying beard hairs.

"The whole pot!"

The first to react was little Sima Guang, who couldn't help but jump up and shout, "Twelfth Brother got them all right!"

Sima Chi clapped his hands and laughed, ignoring his son's shouting and yelling.

Since I started playing this pitch-pot game, it's been really rare to see someone hit all the targets.

Qian Weiyan was stunned. The students behind Song Xuan all gave up. How could they continue playing like this?
Liu Ji looked at the few arrows in his hand. He had prepared himself and stood three steps behind Song Xuan.

However, Song Xuan blocked his view completely, and he didn't see his movements at all.

Only after Song Xuan left, amidst the cheers of the crowd, did he realize that he had thrown all ten arrows in.

"How are we supposed to play like this?"

Liu Ji chuckled and returned the arrow shaft to the servant beside him.

Qian Weiyan praised him without reservation: "He is indeed a young prodigy, he can get all of these right."

"Yes."

Prefect Liu Ye glanced at his son, who was standing behind Song Xuan. He had originally intended for his son to be ahead of Song Xuan in this arrangement, but this was the result.

He could see the embarrassment on his son's face.

Qian Weiyan also stood up and shouted, "Is there anyone else who wants to try?"

Everyone was discouraged after Song Xuan threw ten out of ten. Although the inkstone was precious, more valuable than gold, not everyone could throw the arrow into the pot and get a perfect score.

Song Xuan didn't give anyone a chance at all.

So Qian Weiyan happily presented Song Xuan with the finest inkstone as a prize.

Because when he was thinking about poetry, he took out a jade pendant as a prize to give to Song Xuan.

This is truly a double celebration!

Song Xuan immediately expressed his gratitude.

With Song Xuan's perfect score, the atmosphere of the banquet naturally reached its climax.

After things quieted down for a while, Qian Weiyan asked someone to bring out writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. He said that a topic would be given soon, and everyone could write something if they wanted to, within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Let's use Beiman Mountain as the theme.

When Qian Weiyan uttered those words, Song Xuan was taken aback for a moment, then quickly composed himself.

To become famous.

Besides, this doesn't count as leaking the exam questions.

However, during his conversation with Qian Weiyan, he revealed that he had a lot of feelings about the scenery of Beiman Mountain, so he took the opportunity to ask a question.

Prefect Liu Ye was not to be outdone, so he took out another jade pendant as a reward.

He placed the students from Taishi Academy on his side, while Qian Weiyan placed the students from Yingtian Academy who were here to study.

Then each person chooses one that catches their eye, and they compare them to determine the best one.

Qian Weiyan readily agreed, as Liu Ye's participation would be excellent for this grand event.

So a stick of incense was lit in front of the main table.

"This is too difficult."

"Yeah, who has nothing better to do than go and look at that hundred-foot-high Beiman Mountain? It's all just mounds of graves. What's so interesting about it?"

Beiman Mountain is not high, only about 300 meters above sea level, but it has 33 peaks.

However, this place embodies nearly half of China's civilization history.

Many students began grinding ink and fell into deep thought.

Song Xuan thought for a moment, then picked up a brush and wrote on the paper:
"Partridge Sky - Reminiscing about the Past at Beiman Mountain"

“A mournful wind blows, desolate smoke buries resentment, and the inscription on the monument is so broken that it is hard to recognize.”

"Do you know he was a ruler of the Han Dynasty and a minister of the Jin Dynasty?"

"Let the grand celebrations fade away, and all become dust beneath Mount Beiman."

"Even if it were the ruler, he would not answer; even if it were the subject, he would not answer!"

Qian Weiyan was overjoyed when he saw Song Xuan finish writing the poem.

Song Xuan had indeed prepared a draft long ago, but he hadn't revealed it to the public yet.

Qian Weiyan felt that the assist he had given was excellent, and he was very proud of it.

Because he saw that many students were deep in thought and hadn't even put pen to paper.

At this moment, the incense stick had only been lit for a short time.

Liu Ye, the prefect of Henan, was also dumbfounded when he saw that Song Xuan had finished writing it in just a few strokes.

He knew that Yan Shu had written a poem in the letter that he had been thinking about for a long time, but had not been able to come up with a suitable one.

But when I met Song Xuan, I had an idea.

He had just finished reciting the first line and was about to take a sip of wine when Song Xuan, as if he could read his mind, immediately picked up the next line.

Liu Ye felt that Yan Shu was making Song Xuan famous, which was why he deliberately belittled himself.

But seeing the poems that Song Xuan wrote with a flourish of his pen, compared to the other students, even his own son was still racking his brains.

Such surprise flashed across his face.

Liu Ye and Qian Weiyan exchanged a glance, and Liu Ye saw a flash of shock on Qian Weiyan's face, which was then overjoyed.

He became increasingly certain that it was definitely not Qian Weiyan who had leaked the questions to Song Xuan in advance.

He probably wouldn't stoop to doing that.

Liu Ye lowered his voice and said, "I'm afraid all of these prizes have been taken by Song Twelve alone."

"Alas, we mustn't praise Twelfth Brother so much that it will ruin him."

Qian Weiyan couldn't stop smiling:
"My students from Luoyang are also excellent."

Liu Ye didn't say much, he just waited quietly.

Half an incense stick's time has passed, and no one has yet put pen to paper.

"Hey."

Liu Ye noticed that the servant behind Mei Xun had stood up from the low table. Was he grinding ink or writing for him?
"It must be grinding ink."

Liu Ye didn't think that the servants were any better than most of the students present.

After an incense stick has burned out.

All the poems handed in by the left and right were placed in front of Liu Ye and Qian Weiyan.

Liu Ye's expression was solemn. There wasn't a single one that caught his eye. He checked his son's writing again and again, and it was barely acceptable. He decided to leave it as is for now.

Qian Weiyan wasn't in a hurry, since Song Xuan's poems were at the very bottom, so there was no rush to find them.

He first checked the quality of the other students.

They can't even use classical allusions properly.

As a key poet of the Xikun School, Qian Weiyan was quite competent in grading their papers.

Looking at it all, there's nothing to praise.

They still need more experience!

How can one rank high in the imperial examinations in the future?

Let me take a look at Song Twelve's masterpiece.

Qian Weiyan finally found Song Xuan's poems and lyrics and looked at them carefully.

The emperors and their ministers buried on Mount Beiman enjoyed wealth and glory in life, but after death they were nothing more than a mound of earth at the foot of Mount Beiman.

Qian Weiyan was so shocked by Song Xuan's audacity that he was speechless for a moment.

That's a bit too blunt.

Who doesn't want fame both before and after death?

But Song Xuan said that everyone eventually turned into a handful of dust, and some graves were so small that no one even knew who the person was.

Emperors and famous ministers alike were all doomed.

Qian Weiyan fell into deep thought, but then heard Liu Ye beside him say with delight:

"Which one from Taishi Academy is Mei Yaochen?"

When Liu Ye inquired, the academy's dean immediately shook his head:

"Reporting to Prefect Liu, there is no one named Mei Yaochen at the academy."

Because these students were all brought by him, unlike Song Xuan who brought a group of students who were traveling for study to attend the banquet.

"So that Prefect Liu may know that Mei Yaochen is my nephew."

Mei Xun's words left Liu Ye somewhat bewildered.

Are you saying the servant behind you is your nephew?
"Oh dear, such a talented person, how can he stand at the back all this time? Please take a seat."

Once the prefect spoke, people naturally began to take action.

Mei Yaochen quickly stepped forward and bowed to the prefect.

"Good, good, good." Liu Ye finally found a poem that was presentable and quickly asked:

"Let me ask you, have you just arrived in Luoyang and not yet entered the Taishi Academy to study?"

Mei Yaochen is an honest person by nature:

"In reply to Prefect Liu, I came here with my uncle to take up my post and learn how to handle government affairs because I failed the preliminary examination. I did not intend to study at Taishi Academy."

Liu Ye was shocked. Such a talented person did not want to take the imperial examination, but instead wanted to enter the Song Dynasty's officialdom through hereditary privilege. How could this be allowed?
But at this moment, he wouldn't say much, instead addressing the crowd:
"Of all the poems and lyrics written by the students of Taishi Academy, only Mei Yaochen's poems stand out. They are a rare sight, one that appears only once every thirty years. I wonder if Magistrate Qian has any idea about them?"

Somewhat dazed, Qian Weiyan snapped out of it and subconsciously said:

"Only Song Xuan's lyrics can win; such a talent is a once-in-a-century find!"

"Ok?"

(End of this chapter)