Storm is coming
"The word 'Confucian' can lead to so many discussions among the talented people in Yangzhou. Today's trip is worthwhile and we have gained a lot! Yangzhou is indeed a place of outstanding people and beautiful scenery."
The old man laughed heartily, and then commented on the previous whispers. When talking about Xia Shang, he asked two more questions: "What's your name?"
"Xia Shang."
"What does your family do?"
"Some small businesses."
"It's rare that such a talented person can come from a merchant family."
Xia Shang clasped his hands and bowed deeply to the other party, and did not answer any more.
The old man's move has already shown who stole the limelight in the previous policy paper.
He is not the first talent in Yangzhou, nor is he one of the "Seven Beauties of Jiangnan", nor is he a son of a prominent family, but an unknown merchant.
For a while, everyone looked at Xia Shang with their own thoughts. Those who hated him hated him more, and those who were angry with him were more angry. Those who had no emotions liked him a little more.
"Xia Shang...surnamed Xia...small business...could he be him?"
The most inconspicuous little girl was full of curiosity, holding back her shyness and secretly taking another look.
Xia Shang always felt that a pair of eyes were staring at him. When he looked sideways, he met Liu Ruyan's eyes. Liu Ruyan was so scared that she immediately lowered her head and her little face turned red to her neck.
Xia Shang didn't know what the other party was thinking. He touched his side face and thought to himself, am I that scary?
Just thinking about it, the old man said: "Okay, I'm tired. Let you handle it next."
While speaking, the kind-looking old man behind him walked to the front with a warm smile, helped the old man slowly out of the pavilion, and quietly disappeared from everyone's sight.
The old man left, and everyone in the pavilion breathed a sigh of relief.
Without the old man presiding, the prefect naturally took the main seat.
"It's a rare poetry gathering, what's the point without poetry? Do you have any suitable questions to test the young people who have come here?"
"Who will ask the second question?" Ouyang Teng asked.
The old man Bai, who had been talking to Ouyang Teng before, turned his eyes to the only woman sitting in the hall: "Miss Feng has come from a thousand miles away, and she is the only young man and woman among us. The second question should be asked by Miss Feng!"
Miss Feng?
Xia Shang turned to a corner, but didn't notice that there was a young woman there, about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, with a typical appearance, regular features, and simple and decent clothes. She was a typical beauty, but there were two beauties, Liu Ruyan and Liu Qin, and there were more beauties outside the pavilion, which reduced the beauty of Miss Feng.
Xia Shang didn't know Miss Feng's identity, but she could sit here and sit on an equal footing with many great scholars. She must have extraordinary talent and a great reputation.
Then look at the expressions of others.
Liu Ruyan and Liu Qin both had admiration on their faces, while Su Heng and Ouyang Changhao had longing faces.
This added a bit of mystery to this woman.
Miss Feng bowed and saluted: "Master Lu, you are joking. In such an occasion, how can a woman like me interrupt?"
"Ah! That's wrong. Today is a gathering of literati, and only talent and learning are considered, regardless of gender. And the old man personally selected you to accompany the south. This honor and appreciation is no less than ours, so how can you not interrupt? Miss Feng, just ask the question."
After some humility, Miss Feng stood up and said: "Let's take 'Rivers and Mountains' as the topic, no limit to poetry or rhythm."
...
The Liuzhuang Poetry Meeting is in full swing.
However, there are undercurrents in Yangzhou City.
The guards of the four barracks all noticed something wrong.
Since early this morning, people in white clothes and holding long swords have been leaving the city from time to time. Their expressions are cold and gloomy.
The city defense patrol has obtained intelligence that these people in white are all demons of the White Clothes Cult.
The White Clothes Cult, like the Red Flower Society, is a civilian organization.
But the White Clothes Cult is different from the Red Flower Society.
The Red Flower Society was identified as a traitor because of some disturbances in Kyoto and the report of the Supervisory Office.
The White Clothes Cult is relatively low-key. So far, nothing extraordinary has been heard by the emperor, so it is not taken seriously by the court.
In fact, the White Clothes Cult was established earlier than the Red Flower Society, and it seems that its origin is in Yangzhou City, so the White Clothes Cult can be regarded as deeply rooted in Yangzhou City. Officials in Yangzhou have more or less heard of it, and know what they have done behind the scenes, but without orders from above, they don't want to cause trouble.
In the past, the White Clothes Cult had only been making small moves in the city, and this was the first time they had seen such a large-scale outing.
There must be something fishy going on here.
Outside the west gate of Yangzhou City, a patrol camp of a thousand people was temporarily stationed recently. The patrol envoy was feeling uneasy, so he sent one person to report to the patrol camp, wanting to hear what the envoy from the capital had in mind.
The scouts left the city, leaving a long string of horse hoof prints on the official road.
The patrol camp was only two miles away from the city gate, and the scouts thought that the communication should be smooth and unimpeded, and they were distracted all the way.
Who knew that these short two miles would become his road to hell!
Suddenly, a silver light flashed, and a frightened expression appeared, and the next moment, his head fell to the ground.
Until the last moment, the sentry didn't know how he died. In the blink of an eye, the horse galloped away, leaving a corpse lying in the yellow sand of the official road. The donated blood slowly spread and turned black under the scorching sun...
The eyelids of the head were still open, and a pair of white clothes and white shirts came over quietly. From the lower body, there was no difference. Only someone was heard saying:
"The dog emperor came to Yangzhou in person. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Today's operation can only succeed and not fail. Each of you must guard every intersection and ensure that no mosquito can fly out of Liuzhuang."
"Yes!"
...
The storm is coming, but the sun is still shining inside Liuzhuang, and the talented scholars and beautiful women are in a happy mood.
With "Rivers and Mountains" as the theme, it has greatly satisfied the talented scholars in Yangzhou.
Isn't this a great opportunity to express your feelings?
For a time, various poems and ci tunes came out.
In Liuzhuang, some people were reciting loudly, while others were whispering, just like a hundred flowers competing for beauty and a hundred schools of thought contending.
Outside the pavilion, Jiangnan and Jiaqian, two enemies, met again and started arguing about the bet.
"Your teacher is inside, and my teacher is also inside."
"That's perfect. Without the emperor, we will ask our teachers to compete."
"Compete, why should I be afraid of you?"
The two women walked away as soon as they said they would, striding into the pavilion and interrupting everyone's chat.
"Jiangnan?"
"Jiaqian?"
Xia Shang and Miss Feng were both stunned.
Jiangnan and Jiaqian shouted in unison: "Teacher."
Then they each walked to their own teachers.
Jiangnan stood behind Xia Shang, while Jiaqian stood behind Miss Feng.
It turned out that Miss Feng was Princess Jiaqian's teacher.
Everyone was confused and curious.
Jia Qian then said to Miss Feng, "I made a bet with Jiangnan to see whose teacher is more knowledgeable. Jiangnan was not convinced of the teacher's knowledge and insisted that her teacher was better. So I asked the teacher to compete with her teacher to see who is better."