Prime Minister

Chapter 60060 [The Jackpot]

It was a common sight for literati to drink, feast, and compose poetry, and many masterpieces have been passed down through the ages.

Today, dozens of well-read scholars gathered at Zhanxue Pavilion, so naturally, there was no shortage of impromptu singing and exchanging poems.

Although some have suggested that the format be flexible, including poetry and songs, generally no one would give a long speech on such an occasion; at most, it would be a poem or a short lyric.

Xue Huai was mentally prepared for this.

The original owner possessed a very profound foundation in poetry and literature. Although he was not known for his poetic talent in the past, it was sufficient to handle the current situation. If necessary, Xue Huai could also seek help from the ancient literary talents of his previous life, which should be enough to win over the proud and arrogant fellow scholars in the hall.

Therefore, Xue Huai sat firmly on the high platform, seemingly oblivious to Cui Yanqing's hostile gaze.

Gao Tingbi surveyed the scene and smiled, "Although today is not a literary gathering, simply composing poems would inevitably lack some interest. How about adding some festivities? After everyone has finished, we can all publicly judge who is the champion of the day, shall we?"

Everyone praised it as wonderful.

Gao Tingbi enjoyed the feeling of having so many people responding, so he said loudly, "Then I'll start by adding to the fun. I have a copy of 'Ode to Tiaoxi' by Lushan Jushi at home. Whoever wins the prize today, I will give him this masterpiece."

"The Ode to the Tiaoxi River? Brother Kuangshi, are you really willing to part with it?"

Wu Jing, sitting next to Xue Huai, could not hide his shock, as could the rest of the group.

Lushan Jushi was Huang Daozhou, a great calligrapher who passed away decades ago. He left behind countless works, among which "Ode to Tiaoxi" was ranked as one of the top ten works by Lushan Jushi by later generations.

Although this calligraphy may not be comparable to the masterpieces left by famous artists over thousands of years, it was enough to make the young officials in the hall envious and their hearts flutter.

Gao Tingbi felt a slight pang of regret, but his smile was warm and gentle: "If I were to give it to someone else, I would certainly be reluctant, but all of you fellow students are highly talented and magnanimous. No matter who hands this 'Ode to Tiaoxi' is given to, it will not be a hidden gem."

His words were witty and candid, winning unanimous praise from everyone.

On the other side, Cui Yanqing seemed to have recovered completely, except for a hint of wine on his face.

The Cui family was a prominent and powerful clan, so Cui Yanqing was naturally generous. The prize he offered was a famous painting from over two hundred years ago, "Autumn Mountain," created by the renowned artist Wu Yuhuai, which immediately drew praise from the audience.

Next, everyone's attention focused on Xue Huai.

As one of the top three scholars of the Gengchen examination, Xue Huai was well aware of the unspoken rules of such occasions. He immediately said without hesitation, "I have a Chengni inkstone called Shuyu at home. It can store ink without freezing, and it is especially suitable for winter. I will present this to the leader of today's gathering."

Chengni inkstone is one of the four famous inkstones, and its value is no less than that of the masterpieces presented by Gao Tingbi and Cui Yanqing.

Although the Xue family was not as wealthy as the Cui family, they were, after all, a close branch of the Xue family of Hedong, and had a rich family tradition of poetry and literature passed down for centuries.

"You are too modest, Xue Shidu."

Chen Guanyue, the principal of the Ministry of Rites, laughed heartily and said frankly, "The three of you are from wealthy families and your prizes are all extraordinary, which puts me in a difficult position. After much thought, I have no choice but to bring out two jars of Lan Ying wine that I have treasured for more than ten years. I hope you will not find them too much."

"Good wine paired with good poetry, that's the best combination."

Gao Tingbi nodded in approval, and then said, "These prizes should be enough. What do you all think?"

Naturally, no one objected.

Most of the young officials present did not have the wealth of the top three scholars, nor could they be as carefree as Chen Guanyue, the one who passed the imperial examination. Since Gao Tingbi took the initiative to speak, they certainly would not make a fool of themselves.

If everyone initially only intended to write something to suit the occasion, now, faced with treasures such as Huang Daozhou's calligraphy, Wu Yuhuai's famous paintings, and the Shuyu inkstone, which scholar present could remain unmoved?

Most importantly, as the prizes increase, this gathering will surely become a legendary event. If someone wins the championship with their poetry, they will definitely become famous in the capital. The final winner will reap both fame and fortune.

Just as everyone was pondering in secret, a gentle voice came from behind the curtain on the north side of the hall: "Master Gao, may I ask if this humble woman may be so bold as to add a prize?"

Gao Tingbi was slightly taken aback, then clapped his hands and laughed, "Of course!"

Qu Zhaoyun, a courtesan skilled in all the arts, said slowly, “I have always admired learned people. Today, I am extremely happy and honored to be able to play for you all. I have nothing of value except for an ancient zither of extraordinary origin. This zither is named ‘Biwu’, which means ‘phoenix perches on the parasol tree’. Perhaps it is worthy of the host of today’s gathering.”

Her voice was soft and clear, like a refreshing mountain spring.

Xue Huai stroked the wine cup in his hand, calmly surveying his surroundings. He noticed the eager looks in the eyes of the group of talented men, clearly because of Qu Zhaoyun's saying about the phoenix perching on the parasol tree.

It's no wonder they're having wild speculations. It's said that this great musician is nearing twenty and might already be considering retirement. If they could receive the guqin she gave them today, they might develop a relationship and eventually become her close confidants.

Xue Huai smiled silently. He wouldn't look down on a woman who was not in control of her own destiny, but he also didn't want to get too involved with her.

On the other side, Gao Tingbi ordered people to burn incense and instructed the manager of Zhanxue Pavilion to prepare more than ten sets of writing implements, limiting the writing to one stick of incense, and then having everyone give their opinions.

Time passed quietly, and the atmosphere inside the hall gradually became tense.

In comparison, Cui Yanqing appeared the most relaxed. He seemed to have forgotten the humiliation Xue Huai had inflicted on him earlier. He picked up his wine cup, walked to Xue Huai's side, and said softly, "Xue, I didn't expect you to be willing to take out that famous inkstone left by your father. I have no choice but to accept it."

"..."

Xue Huai finally understood why this man dared to regard the emperor as a foolish ruler in history books and openly glorify the severe drought in Shandong as a time of peace and prosperity. It turned out that he had a kind of self-confidence that was difficult for ordinary people to understand.

"I'm glad Brother Cui is happy." Xue Huai really didn't want to get too close to him. If he were to be infected and assimilated by him, he might not even know how he died in the court in the future.

Seeing him turn and leave, Cui Yanqing snorted coldly, but did not persist in pursuing him.

When the incense stick burned out, most people had stopped writing, with only a few looking worried, clearly indicating that they had not prepared in advance or had not performed well.

Gao Tingbi didn't tease those people. He looked around the room and said, "Since I was the one who first proposed this, let me offer my suggestions as a starting point, shall I?"

Everyone nodded.

"It's embarrassing."

Gao Tingbi smiled and then read aloud: "The inscription reads: 'On the eve of the Lunar New Year in the year of Renyin, I attended a banquet at Zhanxue Pavilion.'"

"For twenty years, the cold lamp has illuminated the snow, and after the banquet in the Jade Forest, the sword has begun to sing."

"The top spot has already been claimed by the emperor, and his name will be inscribed on the Wild Goose Pagoda for all eternity."

"The jade axe has completed the draft of the fairy garden, and the golden palace awaits to display the loyalty of the loyal minister."

When will I borrow Kunlun Mountain dust again, to scatter it throughout the world, like the Jade Capital?

After reciting the poem, Gao Tingbi bowed to the crowd and said with great elegance, "I hope my fellow scholars will offer their corrections."

"What a wonderful poem! It has a grand vision and is full of heroic spirit!"

"Brother Kuangshi's talent is beyond my humble praise!"

"The poem is excellent, the calligraphy is excellent, and this compassionate heart is especially commendable! Let's raise a toast!"

Everyone praised it highly.

This is not because they were overly flattering; even if Gao Tingbi's work was prepared in advance, the grandeur of the poem is indeed worthy of praise.

Gao Tingbi repeatedly expressed his modesty, raised his glass to drink with everyone, and could not hide the joy and pride in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, many young officials secretly sighed, thinking that Gao Tingbi truly deserved his title as the top scholar, and that they were probably no match for him today.

However, some people are straightforward and unpretentious, and they took turns presenting their poems for everyone to comment on.

For example, Wu Jing, a compiler at the Hanlin Academy, smiled and said, "Gentlemen, please listen to my humble work."

"The incense of seal script melts into the snow, moistening the frosty brush; in my drunken state, I still trace the burial of the crane. Suddenly, I hear a loud shout that the poem is finished; laughing, I throw down my jade brush and tread upon the jade."

Another scholar from the Imperial Academy, Zheng Xuanming, wrote: "When students ask me about the difficulty of studying the classics, I laugh and point to the three-foot-deep waves in the courtyard. Only when the ice-cold soul is thoroughly cleared and the water is pure to the bone do I realize that every word is worth reading."

Wu Qingyue, a junior compiler in the Hanlin Academy, followed closely behind: "My frozen pen often pauses, forgetting the years; the old dream of Shiqu still lingers. Tonight, I suddenly transform into a boat on the Shanxi River, carrying my pure heart to the wine."

Yang Sixiu, an assistant instructor at the Imperial Academy, was not to be outdone: "A jade ruler hangs from the icy eaves, a man of humble talent. Do not envy the towering tree, for spring comes from the branches at the bottom of the ravine."

The atmosphere at the banquet was incredibly lively.

As everyone tasted and drank, they came to agree that Gao Tingbi's poem was the best, and no one disagreed.

When Chen Guanyue recited his steady seven-character poem, Gao Tingbi felt much more at ease. He then joined the others in turning their attention to the last two who had not yet shown their talents.

Xue Huai and Cui Yanqing.

As fellow graduates of the imperial examination, the people were familiar with their abilities. They were both known for their talent. Xue Huai focused on classics, history, philosophy, and literature, while Cui Yanqing's poetry and prose were quite famous in his time.

In short, although Xue Huai gave Cui Yanqing a hard time today, he is probably no match for Cui Yanqing in the art of poetry.

Cui Yanqing was absolutely certain of this. He picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and pointed to the few winter plum blossoms in the porcelain vase on the table by the wall. He said leisurely, "Today, thanks to Xue Shidu's wise words of advice, I have gained a clear understanding and composed a short poem to share with you all. The poem goes like this—"

“The jade fragments from the celestial palace fall into the carved window; the inkstone is still warm, the game of chess is not yet over.”

Upon hearing these two sentences, Gao Tingbi felt a sinking feeling in his heart.

Everyone present was knowledgeable; how could they not appreciate the profound meaning behind Cui Yanqing's two sentences?
Without a doubt, his two lines alone reveal a remarkable artistic conception. The imagery of Xuanxiao, shattered jade, and carved windows vividly depicts the winter scene, while the following three words, "unfinished chessboard," metaphorically represent the difficulties of his official career, subtly echoing Xue Huai's sharp words that had previously made him almost feel ashamed.

Cui Yanqing turned to look at Xue Huai, who had a calm expression, and slowly recited the last two lines.

"Suddenly I realize the stars have shifted, and the plum blossoms' shadows slant across the sword's edge."

He put down his teacup, raised an eyebrow slightly, and said, "Please have Xue Shidu comment."

The whole hall was silent.

(End of this chapter)