On this day, at an ancient ferry on the border of Jiande County, Fang Yingwu and more than a dozen local representatives and followers, including Zhu Zhifu, stood on the shore, waiting for Mr. Shang's boat.
It wasn't until after noon that I saw the handyman who had gone to the front to inquire about the news galloping towards me on horseback, shouting: "It's here, it's here, the ship is already five miles away!"
Immediately, everyone cheered up, straightened their clothes, and lined up neatly on the shore.
Mr. Shang Ge's return to his hometown this time was a simple one, with only three large ships and four or five small escort boats. When he appeared on the bow of the ship, Fang Yingwu finally saw what this legendary figure looked like.
All I could see was that this old man was slightly tall, with a high nose and a beard that was mostly white. His eyes were very gentle, and his brows were filled with a feeling of relaxation and joy.
He was wearing a dark green robe and a Confucian scarf on his head, which looked very simple. He also held an ancient wooden cane and walked leisurely.
After reading it, Fang Yingwu sighed with emotion, this is really the style of a retired veteran cadre. Indeed, as analyzed by some historical data, Mr. Shang stayed in the cabinet for a long time in his later years and became tired of the heavy government affairs. It seems that after he resigned after becoming famous, his mentality changed.
Very relaxing and pleasant.
Seeing the leader of the literary world and the assistants of the three heads of state appear, and after Governor Zhu paid homage on behalf of Yanzhou Prefecture, everyone, especially the scholars who came to greet him, rushed forward to greet the elders of Shangge one by one.
Fang Yingwu waited quietly at the back. When everyone else had finished their work and he was the only one left, he stepped forward to bow to him and said, "Fang Yingwu was born in Chun'an, and I have met Mr. Ge."
This claim attracted Shang Ren's attention. He was a little confused. How could a boy of fifteen or sixteen be invited to attend this scene? He couldn't help but look at Fang Yingwu a few times.
Magistrate Zhu hurriedly explained: "This is the son of Jinke Fang Jieyuan."
Shang Ren suddenly smiled and said: "Fortunately, there is someone who will follow the name of the department in my hometown!"
Dutou is located in an ancient town. There is a wealthy gentleman in the town, and his family also has officials. To entertain Mr. Shang this time, the government borrowed a garden house of his family.
The banquet was held in the main hall. But the seats were very particular. The guest of honor was of course Mr. Shangge, and the chief companions were Magistrate Zhu and the owner of the room, Squire Zhang, one on each side.
There are two rows of seats further down, one row is for the elders, and the other is for the scholars. The elders' seats are very easy to arrange, and they are sorted by age.
But it is very difficult to line up here for scholars. As the saying goes, there is no first place in literature, you know. And everyone wants to sit in the seat closest to the guest of honor and the host's companion, which is the seat of the second companion.
Because this seat is closest to Mr. Shangge and Magistrate Zhu, you have the opportunity to participate in a more intimate small-scale conversation at the table! This is a dream opportunity, who doesn’t want to sit there?
For a moment, everyone said they were being condescending to each other, but they all glanced at the seat, wishing they could give up their old face and rush up to occupy it.
As the host, Country Gentleman Zhang saw this and said: "It's still early for the banquet. We are not in a hurry. Why don't you offer poems to cheer for the guests? The best ones will take the second seat as a reward!"
Fang Yingwu can't wait impatiently for others to recite them one by one. Let's save those unknown passers-by in history, A, B, B, and D! Let's recite a quatrain first: "A visitor by the stream with green rain and misty rain, a minister with white hair and articles; born in the reign of the Taiping Emperor
, and use the silk in your empty palms.”
However, as soon as he said it, everyone in the hall burst into snickers. Because the words of this poem were not only mediocre, but also the meaning was fragmented and incomprehensible. The first two sentences still contrasted the situations, but the last two sentences were completely different.
The so-called silk fiber refers to the silk rope used for fishing. The sentence "I was born in the reign of the Taiping Emperor and had silk fiber in my hands", placed in the context of Prime Minister Shang becoming an official because of public outrage, is it a mockery that he only deserves to go fishing?
Many people also thought to themselves that it was a good thing that he was the son of the Jie Yuan family. He had a noble attitude and few reasonable people along the way. As a result, he didn't even understand the basic poetry style.
With such a level, he still dares to be the first to show his ugliness. He is really a person who is sitting in a well and looking at the sky!
Fang Yingwu remained calm and composed, glanced at everyone calmly, and when the laughter gradually died down, he seemed to be saying to himself: "The one who laughs doesn't know the Five Classics? Don't you hear the "Book of Rites" says: The king's words are like silk, and his words are like silk.
Out of Rulun."
The king's words are like silk, and their coming out is like fiber? Everyone gradually woke up and remembered this allusion one after another!
According to this code, silk fiber can also refer to the emperor's speech. Shang Xianggong assists the emperor as the first assistant and regulates the emperor's words and deeds. Isn't it "zhang silk fiber"!
Thinking of this allusion, the whole poem suddenly changed, like an ugly duckling turning into a white swan in an instant.
The more carefully you taste it, the more interesting it becomes. Visitors by the misty rain stream with green raindrops can practice silk fiber, and you, the white-haired minister, can also practice silk fiber. One word is a pun, one sentence is double-sided, and it exudes two artistic conceptions at the same time, which is very memorable.
Thinking about it further, especially when it comes to Mr. Shang in his current state, it is even more exquisite! It also has a touch of irony.
The "Emperor of Taiping" asked "Your Majesty the White-haired Minister" to go fishing... The irony here cannot be expressed in words, it can only be understood.
Just four sentences, the wording is still ordinary, but it has a lot of profound meaning, just like the effect of "looking at the side, it looks like a ridge and the side looks like a peak". I can only say that the beauty of words depends on each person's mind.
Shang Ren recited "I will use my empty hand to make silk" several times in his mind, and sighed: "I have only been able to read and never learn to fish in my life. But with this poem, little friend, I have to go to the stream in my hometown to learn it.
It’s a fisherman!”
The Shangge elders said such words, and everyone had to be convinced. They were speechless for a moment. The drafts they had made before coming here were all kept in their stomachs. If they were to be brought out at this time, it would really be a shame.
Fang Yingwu's quatrain overwhelmed the audience, but he didn't care at all and just bowed his hand to Shangge Lao Gong.
Shang Ren looked at the expressions of everyone in the hall, then pointed to the seat for the first time and said to Fang Yingwu: "My fellow countryman, sit down!"
The old man in Shangge was considerate of other people's face when he said that Fang Yingwu was a "little friend from the same hometown".
At least on the surface, it was because Fang Yingwu was from the same county and had a closer relationship than others that he was invited to join the group. It did not mean that he was better than others.
The other scholars looked at him with envy and sighed. This young master of the Jie Yuan family had been silent all the way and was not outstanding. But now he has been silent all the way and has become a blockbuster. He is really a dark horse.
Fang Yingwu glanced around, with a smile on his face, and took the table happily, sitting directly on the seat of the second companion under Magistrate Zhu, and then nodded casually to the people around him.
His natural behavior made everyone unhappy. Even if he is the winner, he should at least be humble. Such blatant complacency will eventually lead to inferiority, which is not the way of a gentleman.
I was unhappy, but there was nothing I could do. There was nothing to fight over for the other seats, so they all took their seats one after another.
Fang Yingwu didn't care what the people on the road thought. He certainly had his reasons for being calm and composed.
While others were sitting at the table, Fang Yingwu pretended to turn his head and said to Magistrate Zhu: "The foolish student sitting here is also daring to imitate the sages of his hometown."
Is there any sage who can teach you how to fight for seats? Everyone who heard this sentence murmured in their hearts.
Fang Yingwu then said: "I have heard a story. In the capital, there was a respected old man who was traveling alone in private. He happened to meet a friend's house for a banquet for a happy event. At this time, the chief position was still vacant, and there was no one.
Several gentlemen showed humility to each other, but the old man took the seat directly without saying a word.
Others were dissatisfied when they saw this. They saw that the old man was simply dressed in nothing more than a dark blue robe and did not look like a high-ranking official. They sarcastically said: You old man, have you ever sat in the chief position in your life?
The old man stretched out his fingers and counted: "I have only served as chief executive about five times in my life for decades. The first time I sat as chief executive was when I went to my father-in-law's house for a drink after getting married. As a son-in-law, I became the chief executive."
Several gentlemen laughed, thinking that this old man had never seen much of the world..."
At this point, Fang Yingwu paused intentionally. No one in the hall understood what Fang Yingwu wanted to express. Did he just want to say that a few scholars would laugh at an old man who had never seen the world?
Fang Yingwu continued to preach: "When everyone had finished laughing, the old man was still saying: The second time I sat in the chief position was when I won the title of Jieyuan of this province and took the chief position at the Luming Banquet.
The third time I sat in the chief position was after I won the Huiyuan title and took the chief position at the Enrong Banquet. The fourth time I sat in the chief position was after I won the number one scholar and took the chief position at the Qionglin Banquet.
The fifth time I sat at the head of the table was when the emperor held a banquet for the ministers during the New Year. As the leading minister, I took the chief position in the Fengtian Hall. So after counting, I have only sat on the head of the table these five times in my life, which is a bit rare!
As soon as the old man finished speaking, the faces of the gentlemen changed drastically, and they all prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to take any more offense!"
After hearing this, everyone in the hall laughed together and looked at Mr. Shang Ge.
Although Fang Yingwu told this story without naming the old man from beginning to end, everyone could tell that the protagonist of this story was clearly Mr. Shang Ge!
Zhongjieyuan, Huiyuan, Zhuangyuan, the three chief ministers of the world, Sanyuan, are the only one who can also sit in the position of chief minister.
This story is really interesting. In just a few paragraphs, it embeds the life glory of Shangge Lao Sanyuan and the first assistant. Moreover, it is an extremely funny story about pretending to be a pig and eating a tiger, which has been the favorite of the people since ancient times.
Fang Yingwu concluded with a sigh: "That's why today's young man is bold. There is a world of difference in his achievements, which is really incomparable, but he must imitate the sages in his words and deeds."
Shang Ren didn't pay attention at first, but as he listened, he became the protagonist of the story in the end. And he was also the protagonist who had a great time pretending to be a pig and a tiger. When it comes to the sense of substitution, who can be more authentic than him?
empathy?
He was stunned for a moment. The calm skills he had developed over decades of ups and downs in officialdom and cultivating his mind completely collapsed in front of this story, and he could not suppress the feeling of pride and pleasure in his heart.
In the end, Mr. Shangge couldn't help but laughed and cursed, "You kid, you're talking nonsense! How could I be so incoherent in my words and deeds! Who made such a random arrangement!"
Fang Yingwu hurriedly left the table and apologized: "I am young and have little education. I like to listen to rumors and stories, and there are many inappropriate things. Thank you, Mr. Ge, for correcting me."
Mr. Shang Ge waved his hand: "For the sake of my fellow countrymen, I'll spare you this life. Let's go back to the table for now. I'll teach you a lesson later if I get the chance!"
Magistrate Zhu looked sideways at it. This strange peak protruded and stole the limelight. It should not be underestimated!
He seized the opportunity that Mr. Shang was very relaxed and would not put on airs after he returned home in fine clothes. As a junior fellow countryman, he easily broke through Mr. Shang's defenses!
The story he told was a thousand times better than just flattering him! If Shang Xianggong could really "turn around and get it in vain" and teach him a lesson, that would be his blessing!
Magistrate Zhu secretly rejoiced. Fortunately, Fang Yingwu was young and had not been an official, so he could only recite poems and lyrics during the banquet and make jokes. Otherwise, he would have stolen the limelight from him as a magistrate...