After organizing his language a little, Li Junxian briefly reported what happened at Li Ke's banquet.
After listening, Li Er pondered for a while, showed a thoughtful expression, and asked: "Why do you think those people want to cause trouble for that kid?"
"I don't know the end of the general!" Li Junxian replied quickly with his head lowered.
However, Li Er's focus now is on why these people want to embarrass Yang Fan.
Looking at Li Junxian who looked confused, Li Er sighed slightly in his heart.
Although my leader of the Hundred Cavalry is extremely brave, his sensitivity to intrigues is indeed a bit low.
These people actually dared to attack Yang Fan at their son's banquet. It was obvious that someone was behind the scenes.
What's more, this was a critical period for the reform of the imperial examination, and Li Er had to think too much.
Li Junxian said that this happened because of a bet, and His Majesty Li Er asked: "That bastard composed lyrics and made a bet, what exactly does he want?"
Now that Yang Fan is participating in the gambling, it means that Yang Fan cannot serve as the examiner.
For the sake of fairness, Yang Fan wanted to avoid suspicion and could not serve as an examiner and a candidate at the same time.
Li Er really hates the fact that iron cannot become steel.
This bastard is usually very clever, how could he not see the purpose of these people?
Could it be that this kid can't sleep if he doesn't get into trouble all day?
Thinking of this, Li Er asked: "Who is the person betting against Yang Fan?"
"Xu Zhang, son of Xu Jingzong from Zhongshushe." Li Junxian replied.
Li Er nodded: "Xu Zhang? Well, I know this person has some talent and learning, but he is impetuous and has a cold temperament, making it difficult for him to take on big responsibilities."
"Last time at Xinfeng Wangyue Tower, didn't Xu Zhang deliberately embarrass Yang Fan? Why isn't it over now?"
Li Junxian explained: "Xu Zhang is obviously relying on someone for trouble this time."
"Then Xu Zhang, on behalf of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, was invited to attend the banquet by His Highness King Wu. It was probably because of the incident at Wangyue Tower that he was very dissatisfied with Yang Fan. He made many provocations in his words, so he deliberately made things difficult. Marquis Zhongyi composed a poem
Word counterattack...even turned into a bet in the end."
Li Er sighed secretly when he heard that his eldest son actually asked Xu Zhang to go to the banquet on his behalf.
This eldest son has an indecisive temperament and his vision has always been shallow.
Xu Jingzong, as one of the eighteen bachelors of the Qin Dynasty, has never been famous, but he has always been hovering in the fifth rank of official and has never made any progress. It can be seen that his ability is limited and he is not a talented person.
However, the prince Li Chengqian asked Xu Jingzong's son to attend the banquet on his behalf, and even provoked Yang Fan in every possible way before the banquet. In the end, Yang Fan had to write a song to counterattack.
It can be seen that Xu Zhang's behavior must have been tacitly approved by Prince Li Chengqian.
What kind of person is Yang Fan?
Li Er believed that there were few people in the world who knew this bastard's temper and talent better than him.
Yang Fan is a guy who is proud to the core. For the sake of a breath, he can treat the prince as if he is nothing, and punch Li Tai until he cries for his mother and calls him his father.
In order to attack Changsun Chong, Yang Fan dared to write ambiguous poems like "Shuo Ai Lian".
Yang Fan even dared to break the legs of an envoy from a country in the street...
Li Chengqian actually asked a person like Xu Zhang to suppress Yang Fan. Isn't this nonsense?
When it comes to reciting poems and composing poems, Yang Fan is better than hitting people with his fists.
Kong Yingda once said that among the ten most talented people in the world, Yang Fan ranks eighth among them. Who dares to disagree with what this great Confucian said?
Thinking of "Journey into the Wine" which was still hanging in his study room, His Majesty Li Er asked with great interest: "What words did that boy write? Do you remember? Read it and listen!"
"I have to say, that boy is really a genius, especially in poetry. If he takes part in the Ming Jing imperial examination, he may not necessarily seek fame."
In the Tang Dynasty, examination subjects were divided into regular subjects and system subjects. The examinations held in stages every year were called regular subjects, and the examinations held temporarily by the emperor's decree were called system subjects.
The subjects of the regular examination are generally divided into six subjects: Xiucai, Mingjing, Jinshi, Mingfa, Mingshu, and Mingshu.
Among them, the Xiucai subject was called the "unique subject" by people at the time. It was the earliest established subject among the six regular subjects in the Tang Dynasty, has the longest history, and has the highest legal status.
However, because the Xiucai subject was too difficult and demanding, there were only a few candidates, and it was abolished during the Yonghui reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty.
Among the remaining five subjects, Jinshi and Mingjing are the most important, and the most candidates take the exams for these two subjects.
Ming Jing Ke mainly tests the Four Books and Five Classics as well as poems and poems, so those who are good at poetry are very likely to take the lead.
In the early Tang Dynasty, the Ming Jing Department was higher than the Jin Shi Department, but after the middle Tang Dynasty, the status of the Jin Shi Department began to be higher than that of the Ming Jing Department.
Because people increasingly respect Jinshi, even Yu Jiao, a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty, was full of joy and high spirits and wrote "After Admission" after he passed the Jinshi at the age of 46.
In the past, the dirty deeds were not worthy of praise, but today, the dissolute thoughts have no limit.
The spring breeze brings joy to the horse's hoofs, and I can see all the flowers in Chang'an in one day.
I use this poem to express my elated and proud state of mind, as well as my elated and proud mood.
Compared with the selection systems of previous dynasties, selecting talents through the imperial examination system is undoubtedly a big improvement.
This attracted many talents for the political, economic, and cultural development of the Tang Dynasty.
However, with the continuous changes in the politics of the Tang Dynasty, the role of the imperial examination system was also affected, resulting in some drawbacks.
For example, the imperial examination in the Tang Dynasty not only had a small number of places, but also had obvious flaws in the system, and the examination procedures were not perfect enough.
In the middle and late Tang Dynasty, the imperial examination gradually evolved into a means for aristocratic families to maintain their own family status. During the imperial examination process, bribery, fraud and other corruption phenomena appeared.
Candidates did not hesitate to cheat and bribe examiners, which greatly reduced the ability and quality of successful candidates, while many truly knowledgeable people, celebrities, and intellectuals were excluded.
The reform of the imperial examination system formulated by Yang Fan can greatly reduce the chance of this happening, which is why Li Er attaches so much importance to it.
Regarding Li Er's words, Li Junxian could not deny it.
Of course, it is also because Yang Fan is really good at poetry.
It wasn't until Li Er asked that Li Junxian quietly picked out "White Lotus" and "Qing Jade Case: Yuan Xi" by Yang Fan.
After just one night, these two poems had spread throughout Chang'an City.
It can be seen that Yang Fan's literary talent is indeed recognized by most people.
"The crowd searched for him thousands of times, but when I suddenly looked back, I found that man in a dimly lit place..."
His Majesty Li Er recited it silently, nodded repeatedly, and praised: "In addition to the poem being a poem, it is very rare for the second son to write the poem to such a state of returning to nature. Another song "White Lotus" was also written for that girl Gao Yang.
of?"
Li Junxian hesitated for a moment and said, "Well, it doesn't seem to be the case... That poem is also the most controversial among the public, and it is this poem."
His Majesty Li Er asked curiously: "What's the dispute?"
"Everyone says this is a word that expresses love... Although Her Royal Highness Princess Gaoyang said that Marquis Zhongyi wrote it for her, this word seems to be related to Princess Changle!"
His Majesty Li Er was a little confused: "Isn't that boy the husband-in-law of Princess Gaoyang? How unbecoming is he to write ambiguous poems to Princess Changle?"
Li Junxian recounted Yang Fan's situation at that time.
His Majesty Li Er's eyes were widened and he couldn't believe his ears.
This kid actually dared to watch his favorite daughter write such ambiguous poems. It was so infuriating!
His Majesty Li Er was furious, gritted his teeth, and banged the table: "That bastard actually hides such dirty thoughts, I'm so angry!"
Thinking of last year's song "Ai Lian Shuo", the impact on my daughter Li Lizhi has not been eliminated.
Now that boy wrote another song "White Lotus", although it made Princess Gaoyang happy.
But a discerning person can tell at a glance that this word is actually written to Princess Changle.
Could it be that that boy really wanted to spy on his daughter?
The more Li Er thought about it, the angrier he became. He really wanted to ask that boy to rush into the palace and explain to him.
If it is true as Li Junxian said, the rumors are getting more and more intense now!
Especially the censor in the imperial court, will he definitely catch this matter?
If these people try to impeach Yang Fan, it will even have a certain impact on the reputation of the royal family.
Of course, Li Er, who is of Hu descent, would not care about these rumors. After all, he even dared to bring his sister-in-law into the palace.
But once Yang Fan's envoys attacked him, it was impossible for Li Er, as the emperor, not to deal with it.
You must know that this is a critical period, and Yang Fan is still needed to preside over various matters of the imperial examination.
Now Yang Fan actually makes a bet regardless of the consequences. How can this not make Li Er angry?
These people obviously wanted Yang Fan to fail miserably in the imperial examination, thereby hindering the smooth progress of the imperial examination.
Thinking of this, His Majesty Li Er almost broke his teeth!
Although Princess Changle has been divorced, she cannot marry just anyone, not to mention that she is still the husband-in-law of Princess Gaoyang!
…
In the spring of March, there are occasional cold springs.
The willows along the Weishui River have sprouted buds, and thousands of green strips appear on the bare trunks.
Inside the palace walls, the flowers are blooming and gradually come to life, and green grass sprouts and is covered with a shallow layer, adding a sense of vitality to this solemn palace.
Princess Gaoyang opened the curtains and looked out the window at the spring-filled pavilion. Her charming eyes as bright as stars were a little confused.
Her hair is as dark as a bun, and she is dressed in a magenta palace dress that tightly wraps her delicate and slender figure, making her slender neck even more white.
Princess Changle put on a white skirt, looking elegant and as calm as water.
Standing next to sister Gao Yang, Princess Changle stretched out her slender hands to pick up a lock of hair at her sister's temples, and chuckled:
"What's on my sister's mind these days? She's worried and distracted all day long. It's really worrying!"
"Alas..." Princess Gao Yang looked away, turned around and held Chang Le's slender hand, feeling the faint warmth and softness, and frowned lightly.
Her bright big eyes looked pitifully at Princess Changle's beautiful face, bit her lip, and said, "Sister Li Zhi, I'm worried..."
Princess Changle was slightly stunned and asked, "What are you worried about?"
Princess Gaoyang hesitated and asked: "What if Marquis Zhongyi loses the bet?"
Princess Changle said in confusion: "What's there to worry about? Kong Yingda, a great scholar, said that the loyal and righteous marquis has unparalleled talent and love. Why should my sister have to worry about others?"
Princess Changle knew very well that this younger sister seemed arrogant and had a hot and straightforward temperament.
Once you fall into it, you will be very infatuated. Ever since you were a child, you have rarely been so confused and at a loss.
Princess Gaoyang's pretty face twitched into a ball, and she said coquettishly: "Sister Li Zhi, I'm just worried!"
Princess Changle touches her forehead with her hand!
This younger sister is about to get married and become a grown-up woman. Why is she still acting like a little girl?
He could only comfort him softly: "Marquis Zhongyi never fights an uncertain battle, it's just a bet. What's there to worry about? Have you ever seen Marquis Zhongyi fail?"
This sister is obviously concerned and confused!
In fact, Princess Gaoyang was of course not just because of the bet, but because as the wedding day got closer, she felt a little irritable.
In ancient times, the practice of "parents' orders and matchmaking" was practiced. Countless young men and women had never even met each other before they got married.
But just because he was familiar with Yang Fan, he was a little concerned about gains and losses.
Princess Gaoyang felt uneasy. When she thought about leaving the palace where she grew up, she became extremely depressed.
Gently holding Chang Le's hand and leaning against Princess Chang Le, Princess Gao Yang asked softly: "Sister, aren't you worried at all?"
As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Princess Gao Yang was shocked and reached out to cover her mouth.
She looked at Princess Changle apologetically and cursed herself for being stupid, why did she mention this matter again?
Nowadays, the rumors about Yang Fan and his sister are spreading all over the city.
Sure enough, when Princess Changle heard this, the color on her pretty face faded away in an instant, making her look extremely pale.
Princess Gao Yang was a little panicked: "Sister Li Zhi, I'm sorry, Gao Yang didn't mean that!"
"What are you saying you're sorry for?" Princess Changle smiled sadly, her pretty face showing a slightly sad smile.
Princess Changle stretched out her arm, gently hugged Princess Gaoyang's thin shoulders, and said softly: "Don't worry, sister, even if my sister's marriage is not satisfactory, what's the big deal? My sister will never steal your husband... From now on, my sister will become a monk.
Cultivation..."
Princess Gaoyang was full of apologies and did not feel relieved because of Princess Changle's assurance.
This sister has always been like this, virtuous, dignified, knowledgeable, and considerate...
His daily words and deeds are always guided by his mother. He imitates her mother's way of doing things and never competes with others...
Princess Gao Yang felt a little guilty, and gently held her soft waist, feeling the pain and suffering endured by her sister's thin and delicate body, and her heart was full of pity.
"Sister, Gao Yang doesn't mean that. You don't need to care about other people's opinions. You and I are of the same mind, so what if I give you half of my husband?" Princess Gao Yang persuaded.
Princess Changle was stunned for a moment, then she smiled, the corners of her rosy lips raised slightly, she was very lucky to have such a sister.
However, her clear eyes moved toward the window, and her voice was as soft as water: "Sister has already seen through this mortal world, and also seen through men."
"All men in the world are actually the same, always so hypocritical and cold..."
Princess Gao Yang's heart skipped a beat. Feeling her sister's misery and despair, she subconsciously hugged her tighter and retorted: "Why did the emperor say this? Isn't it a bit biased?"
"At least Yang Fan is not what you said. Although that guy is usually aloof, he is pretty good."
Having said this, Princess Gaoyang paused, her pretty face turned red and a little shy. How had she ever praised a man?
Even though this man was about to become her husband, in order to dissuade Princess Changle from becoming a monk, she felt it was necessary to set an example for Yang Fan.
So, after feeling a little shy, she continued: "Although Yang Fan is a bit clumsy, he is really bloody and can really fight for his woman..."
It seems to be saying that men are not all hypocritical and cold-hearted. At least there are people like Yang Fan who treat others sincerely and get angry for beauty.
Princess Changle pinched Gao Yang's cheek and teased: "Yes, he also wrote poems for you. People searched for him thousands of times, but when he suddenly looked back, he was there in the dim light... It's really a good poem that can be passed down through the ages.
It’s so touching...is my sister’s heart completely lost?”
Princess Gaoyang was teased by Princess Changle, and she suddenly looked shy. Although she was extremely embarrassed, she still counterattacked: "Didn't Yang Fan also write poems for my sister?"
Princess Changle's smile condensed, and her pretty face as white as jade turned rosy at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"I only love the lotus that emerges from the mud but remains unsullied; it touches the clear ripples without being demonic; it is straight from the inside to the outside..."
Princess Gao Yang raised her lips and recited triumphantly. Looking at her sister's pretty face, she teased, "Sister, do you think your husband is really attracted to you?"
Princess Changle finally couldn't hold it any longer, she was ashamed and angry, she stretched out her fingers and pinched the soft flesh of Princess Gaoyang's waist, and said angrily: "You are talking nonsense..."
Princess Gao Yang twisted her body and cried out in pain, but still laughed and said: "Oh, sister, is it possible that you have a guilty conscience?"
"Ah...sister, please forgive me, but my little sister doesn't dare to say anything anymore..."
Princess Changle scolded coquettishly: "If you dare to talk nonsense again, I will tickle you..."
"I don't dare anymore, sister, please spare Gao Yang..."
In the palace in March, laughter like silver bells filled the embroidered building, and the spring breeze blew in from the windowsill, dispelling the late spring chill.