Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 161 There is bound to be deep affection in the world.
It's only the end of the year and the Spring Festival is yet to come, so this poem "Lantern Festival" is naturally not very appropriate for the occasion. However, because the lyrics are so beautiful and moving, no one has delved into the details after listening to it. Instead, they are immersed in the wonderful artistic conception.

Even Consort Wu Hui's resentment faded considerably after hearing this poem, and she looked at the Emperor in the chief seat with a hint of sorrow, her heart filled with melancholy that lingered for a long time.

However, just as everyone was still immersed in the mood and lost in thought, a slightly abrupt voice suddenly rang out in the hall: "May I ask, Madam Wang, who composed the lyrics to this song you are singing?"

The one asking the question was Zhang Dai. He had considered other possibilities, but for him at the moment, the most important thing was to determine if it was the worst-case scenario.

If the other party is indeed a time traveler, or has access to other time travelers, then as one who has already been exposed, his situation is undoubtedly extremely dangerous. In such a situation, he cannot afford to speculate or test further; asking questions face-to-face is the most direct approach.

"Ah? This, this poem was given to me by one of my cousins."

This was the first time the young girl had performed her arts and skills in front of so many royal relatives. Especially since her father had been instilling in her the idea that this matter was of utmost importance, she was feeling quite uneasy. Upon hearing the question, she immediately stood up and answered, without even having time to figure out who was asking the question.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai frowned again, and then asked, "Is the cousin you mentioned Wang Yuanbao, the merchant from Chang'an?"

"Why does Mr. Zhang ask this? What my family does for business is none of your concern, isn't it?"

Wang Maozhong stood up from his seat again, looking at Zhang Dai with displeasure and speaking in a deep voice.

He saw that the boy's relationship with Consort Hui was much closer than he had thought. Hearing the boy's continuous questions, he suspected that the boy was deliberately trying to expose his marriage alliance with the merchant and mock him. He was furious.

"I have asked this abruptly and offended your virtuous lady. I beg Lord Huo to forgive my rudeness. If this statement is indeed from Wang Yuanbao, then I have something else to say."

Zhang Dai first apologized to Wang Maozhong, then looked back at the somewhat bewildered young woman surnamed Wang and said, "I humbly request that you, my lady, be kind and offer some advice. Did you obtain this phrase from Wang Yuanbao?"

"No, that's right. This is exactly what Wang Yuanbao gave me when he visited my home the other day. I love this poem very much, and I asked Li Guinian to compose music for it. I often sing it myself. May I ask, young master, young master Zhang, is there anything wrong with this?"

The girl was pressed for answers again, and she became even more flustered. Fearing that she would be disrespectful in front of the emperor, she quickly told him the truth.

"I am deeply grateful for your kindness, my lady!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai breathed a sigh of relief. However, he then noticed that everyone in the hall was looking at him. He quickly stepped aside, bowed to the emperor, and said, "The lyrics sung by Madam Wang were actually a playful piece I made at the beginning of the year. They were not dignified enough, and I was afraid that my elders would scold me for indulging in play and neglecting my studies. Therefore, I have never dared to show them to anyone."

"However, I had previously used the money exchange at the counter as a secret code, and now I have overheard it here. I am filled with shock and unease, and thus I lost my composure before Your Majesty. I humbly beg Your Majesty to forgive my indiscretion."

"This was actually written by Zhang Lang!"

"Is what you say true, young master?"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall showed expressions of surprise, especially the young woman surnamed Wang, who stared at Zhang Dai with wide eyes and asked urgently.

Upon hearing this, the emperor, seated high in the hall, couldn't help but laugh: "How interesting! When I first heard this poem, I felt that it was simple in language, sincere in sentiment, and elegant in style. I was just wondering which contemporary poet it was written when Zhang Dai appeared and claimed it."

Your talent is considerable, so it's not surprising that you have such an interesting interest. But how could Zhang Dai, a refined and elegant young nobleman, also have a story of heartbreak and unrequited love?

Zhang Dai was quite embarrassed when he heard the emperor's joke. It wasn't that he wanted to show off, but he was afraid he would be restless and unable to eat or sleep if he didn't find out the truth behind the matter.

"You impetuous young man, lacking in magnanimity. When your love affairs are fraught with trouble, it is inevitable that you will be looked down upon. I am ashamed to speak of the past, but now that I cannot hide it, I will offer you a smile, which is an honor for me."

He quickly bowed his head and acknowledged the story of a heartbroken love affair.

"Who says my nephew lacks the necessary qualities? It's just that ordinary people are blind and don't recognize true talent! My son is now famous and about to succeed in his studies. Those who missed out or let him down are not worth regretting. They are simply not worthy of such an outstanding son!"

Consort Wu Hui was well aware of Zhang Dai's past neglect in the Zhang family, and had no doubt that his youthful, innocent feelings had been rejected by snobbish and cold-hearted people.

Even she herself was deeply moved after hearing the poem, which shows how heartbroken the poet must have been. So she offered some words of comfort, and was especially pleased to shift the attention of everyone in the hall from Wang Maozhong's daughter to this nephew.

She was secretly glad that she had summoned Zhang Dai to the palace earlier. Who would have thought that the performance that Wang Maozhong and his daughter had prepared for so long before the emperor was actually a song that their own nephew had secretly composed in the past!

Wang Maozhong's face also turned extremely ugly at this moment. He had been planning for a long time and had spent a considerable amount of money to persuade Fan An, who was also the director of the Imperial Music Academy, to arrange for his daughter to perform at this banquet, hoping to secure his daughter's entry into the palace in one fell swoop. However, he did not expect that Zhang Dai would suddenly appear and attract the attention of everyone present, even the emperor, making them forget all the efforts he and his daughter had made.

However, the young woman surnamed Wang felt little disappointed. She had been forced by her father to perform before the emperor, but she never expected to discover the author of the poem "Lantern Festival" that she had loved for so long. She was very excited.

She had practiced singing this song many times before, and had also carefully savored the author's sorrowful thoughts. Now that she saw that the author was a handsome and elegant young man, she was deeply moved.

After hesitating for a moment, she mustered her courage and said, "Young Master Zhang is a man of exceptional talent, and there are many who admire his abilities. Even if you are temporarily unlucky in love and have been betrayed by a heartless woman, it is only a temporary misfortune. There will surely be others elsewhere in the world who will admire your deep affection and cherish you forever!"

"Thank you for your wise words, my lady!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai was both amused and exasperated, as if he had truly become a heartbroken man abandoned by a fickle woman, desperately needing everyone's care and comfort.

While responding to others' comfort, he was also secretly planning to be more careful about plagiarism in the future, not to plagiarize any subject matter, and especially not to do anything risky again.

Recalling his earlier suspicions, his heart was still pounding with fear. He was determined to teach that old bastard a lesson when Wang Yuanbao returned!
The emperor then said with a smile, “Youth is often impetuous and it is difficult to avoid such behavior. When I was young, I also indulged in play and was not valued by my relatives and friends. Zhang Dai was heartbroken at the time, but he added a wonderful poem to the world and was loved by the listeners. It can be said that he lost one thing but gained another.”

After saying this, he sighed and said, "Scholars of ci poetry express their feelings in a unique, fresh, profound, and enduring way. While the Lantern Festival is a time for celebration, it is also inevitable for those who feel sorrow and disappointment. Zhang Dai's work is enough to dispel such melancholy. The Yan family's scholarship has truly been passed down; there should be a place for him among future ci poets!"

Although Zhang Dai harbored some resentment towards the emperor, he had to admit that cultivating the emperor's favor was the most rewarding thing to do at the moment. Upon hearing the emperor's approval and praise, he quickly kowtowed to express his gratitude.

"Zhang Lang's banquet doesn't need to be a gift from anyone of the time; he earned it himself through his own hard work!"

At this moment, someone suddenly spoke up: "I recently heard that Zhang Lang has written a new admonition, which has startled all the scholars from the capital prefecture, and for a time no one dared to speak. I was informed by a fellow scholar from the capital, and thus I learned of this saying. Now I will recite it, and I also have something to ask Zhang Lang, and I hope that Zhang Lang can answer me."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai frowned. Looking in the direction of the voice, he discovered that it came from a handsome young man in the Prince of Ning's seat, none other than Li Jin, the eldest son of the Prince of Ning and the Prince of Ruyang.

Upon hearing this, the emperor chuckled with interest and said, "What new witty remarks has Zhang Dai produced that have been picked up by the flower-wielding maid?"

The Prince of Ruyang rose from his seat, still sporting a handsome smile, and recited to Zhang Dai: "I know not what rotten rats taste like, yet your suspicions of the phoenix chicks never cease. You and your names will perish, but the rivers will flow on forever. I would like to ask you, Zhang Lang, what is the meaning of the 'rotten rat' you recited?"

After saying this, he glanced again at the young woman surnamed Wang who had performed earlier. This young woman was exceptionally beautiful and talented, and he, being at the age where he was attracted to young women, was also one of those who had been captivated by her beauty in the hall earlier. He also harbored a secret resentment towards Zhang Dai for stealing the spotlight.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai's expression changed immediately. He stared at the Prince of Ruyang, his mind racing as he tried to figure out what he had done to offend this guy and why he was being targeted so maliciously.

The emperor in the hall, who had been smiling broadly, suddenly turned grim upon hearing this. He remained silent, but his gaze toward Zhang Dai turned cold.

The poem alludes to the "Autumn Floods" chapter of the Zhuangzi, meaning that an owl, having obtained a rotten rat, fears that a flying phoenix will land and snatch it. The reason Zhang Dai had a dispute with the local officials of Jingzhao Prefecture was that he had taken the position of head of the prefecture's examinations. What exactly this rotten rat refers to is worth discussing.

Especially in this situation, if Zhang Dai were to utter any more arrogant remarks about regarding fame and fortune as worthless, he would be asking for trouble. But if he were to deny it outright or offer further sophistry, he would undoubtedly give the impression of being a treacherous and two-faced person.

As Zhang Dai pondered, he turned his gaze back to Prince Ning, noticing that the prince made no attempt to stop his son's highly aggressive questioning. A thought inevitably crossed his mind: could the powerful figure Li Xia had mentioned earlier, the one who displeased him, be referring to Prince Ning?
What he could be certain of was that he and his family had no conflicts or disputes with the Prince of Ning's family. Even when his grandfather was still the prime minister, they were not on the same level at all.

Prince Ning holds a transcendent position. As long as he has no ambition for the throne, he is invincible in the Tang Dynasty. Even the emperor must treat him with great respect and dare not easily criticize him.

Prince Ning himself had no political ambitions, so his decision to allow his son to question him at this time was probably out of a desire to stand up for the wronged and to defend the scholars he knew in the capital.

It might be a trivial matter to him, but it could directly impact Zhang Dai's political life. So what? Having made such arrogant remarks, he should be prepared to be targeted. After all, the Prince of Ning and his son are the true heirs, while Zhang Dai is the laughable owl.

However, Zhang Dai was never the kind of person who would be manipulated without daring to resist. Even towards the emperor, he harbored treacherous thoughts, let alone the mere Prince Ning and his son. It was difficult to deal with, but he could handle it!
"Since you have already presented your report to the king, why do you only mention one aspect and not the other? Since the king has asked, I will dare to answer. The so-called rotten rat refers to a treacherous and petty person who only dares to slander behind people's backs and dares not question them to their face."

He stood up, looked directly at the Prince of Ruyang, and said in a deep voice: "Every matter has a cause, and every word has a reason. To take things out of context and to distort them with wicked words is the despicable behavior of a rotten rat! Recently, I saw that many of the candidates from the local area of ​​Jingzhao Prefecture were very disrespectful. I went straight into their hall and recited this in front of them. The crowd of people fell silent and dared not ask any questions."

Whoever brings a matter to Your Majesty's attention, but whose account is incomplete and who then uses Your Majesty's words to later seek retribution, such a rotten rat should be kept at a distance. Although Your Majesty possesses an ethereal and noble bearing, and is naturally immune to all evils, your family boasts a virtuous ruler and father worthy of emulation, and numerous close brothers and sisters. Why should Your Majesty stoop to the level of such vile creatures?

(End of this chapter)