Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 867 Jiangnan Academy
Ningrong Street,
The crowds of people passing by hurriedly,

Suddenly, there was a noise at the east end of the street.

It turned out that some days ago, most of the students from the three academies who came from Jiangnan lived here. It was only because of an accident that they gave up halfway during the last competition in Jiangnan. This time they came to the capital, they must win the first place in the world. The reason is that this time it was organized by the eldest princess, and people from Princess Yongcheng's mansion would also come. All the young talents in the world are here. As long as they win a place in the poetry meeting, they will become famous in the interior.

Therefore, quite a few students from various academies came, which could be considered a large number. No one knew what the intentions of the principals of the academies were, but this time they came without hiding their presence. Instead, they came with great fanfare and paraded through the streets, which attracted a lot of discussion among the people and students in the capital, including the children of aristocratic families, gentry, and wealthy merchants, all of whom became interested.

At Zuixianlou, after everyone had finished their meal,

Several heads of academies received the news. Yanchun Tower was already decorated with lights and everything was in good order. They had also spread the word that the poetry contest would begin after noon, and later on, the selection of the most beautiful woman would take place. In order to increase the stakes of the poetry contest, the top three would receive a generous reward. The details were still unknown.

So, in the restaurant,
The chief of Jiangnan Bailu Academy, Lan Xinwen, the chief of Yiyong Academy, Zhuang Xiaoyi, and the chief of Yuelin Academy, Xu Rentao, got together and thought of an idea. No one knew who first proposed it, but they wanted to have some fun. So, the three of them asked the shopkeeper to invite a flower drum team, rent more than a dozen carriages, and six red sedan chairs. They also asked the three academies to exchange a basket of copper coins and distribute them. They wanted to make a big show in the restaurant and walk to Yanchun Tower in a grand manner. The several mountain masters did not ask about this matter.

So, I prepared everything in one morning.
"Brother Lan, Brother Zhuang, the troops outside have arrived, and the carriages and horses are ready. Should we set off now or wait a while? I just sent someone to investigate. The door of Yanchun Tower is wide open, and silks and satins are hung out. Many gentry and wealthy merchants have begun to enter, and many students from the capital have also arrived one after another. However, there has been no movement from the three major academies in the capital."

The so-called no movement means that no one has gone there yet. After all, the capital is their home ground, and it's the same morning or night. It's close and they are familiar with the place. In addition, the capital is headed by Qinglian Academy, and its chief disciple is Gong Huaiyu, the eldest son of the West Palace family. And the chief disciple of Yunshan Academy is Lang Lin, the eldest son of the South Palace family. He is very arrogant. Only the chief of Yunshan Academy, Zhao Xuelun, is ranked first in this year's provincial examination. The disciples of Marquis Luo Yun are all very glorious.

"Rentao, you are thoughtful. As the saying goes, good wine needs a bush. No matter what, we must not lose momentum. We are Jiangnan students, and our literary style is flourishing. Our poems and songs are the best. As the heads of the three major academies, we must not lose face. I heard that the eldest princess and the princess of Yongcheng are coming, but I don't know how this poetry meeting will compare."

"How else can we compete? Since this is a poetry competition, we have to compete in poetry. We have to remember what we prepared earlier. This time, although we are all well prepared, if we want to determine who is better, it depends on how we compete. If we compose poems on the spot, then we will be safe."

Lan Xinwen waved his hand confidently. In the past, poems were prepared in advance for poetry gatherings. When the time came, those that could be used would be used, and those that could not be used would be used as references. After all, improvisation on the spot required quick wits, and the poems produced would probably not be of high quality.

"In this case, Brother Lan, Brother Xu, let's go ahead without further delay."

"it is good."

The three of them looked at each other and nodded in agreement. After all, it is easier to strike first than to strike first!

And inside the house,
The three deans were sitting around the table, sipping tea. The leader was Lian Yuming from Qinglian Academy, dressed in white, with a hairpin in his hair. He stroked his beard with one hand and played chess with a white piece in the other. He looked like a carefree wanderer. Opposite him was Si Yuanze, the dean of Yiyong Academy, playing with black pieces. He played against them as if he was strolling in a garden.
Cheng Yafu, the headmaster of Yuelin Academy, was sitting on the side watching. He saw the white pieces on the chessboard completely surrounding the black pieces and occupying the middle. Unexpectedly, the black piece killed itself with one move, and the whole game survived. It was a top-notch game. He smiled and said;

"As expected, we are evenly matched. This move was ingenious, bringing the dead back to life. Did you hear that? The disciples outside have thought of many ways to deal with it."

"Ahahaha, it's not something new, it's just a helpless move. Although the literary style in Jiangnan is prosperous, it's not in the capital. What can we do? Elder Lu is not as strong as before, so we need to come out and create momentum, but we need to pretend to be deaf and dumb and let them make trouble outside."

Si Yuanze smiled bitterly and put down the black piece in his hand. In this game, he was already at a disadvantage. Only Lian Yuming smiled slightly;
"You are all just adding to our troubles. What should we do? The disputes among the civil servants in the court are not something we can participate in. It is better to follow the procedures and manage the academy well. Let the younger generation handle these things. We old guys can only serve as foils. The princess has clearly stated that the six deans are the judges, but I don't know who the seventh person is."

Lian Yuming didn't care about these. The disputes in the court were nothing more than infighting among the civil officials themselves. Now that the nobles were on the rise, it was important to suppress them. However, these were the thoughts of the cabinet elders, and they were just talking.

"Teacher, everything has been arranged. Please get on the sedan chair, three teachers."

Just talking,
Outside the room, a disciple passed on a message. The three of them looked at each other and replied,
"good,!"

Subsequently,

The students from the academy and the three headmasters in the restaurant all left the restaurant and got on sedan chairs and carriages.

The invited opera troupe was ready. In front of the restaurant, they lit firecrackers, beat gongs and drums, and began to head towards Yanchun Tower. The carriages following behind them opened their curtains and threw out copper coins, attracting a large number of people to follow. It was very lively.

Especially when crossing Ningrong Street, there were many people. People who were originally going to the buffet also joined in. People in the courtyard spread the news from one person to ten, and from ten to a hundred, and almost all the people followed blindly and went out to watch the fun.

This made Zhang Jinyu and his group feel a little puzzled, as there was quite a bit of commotion outside.

Zhang Jinyu curled his lips and gave an order.
"Ningbian, go see what's going on outside?"

"Yes, Lord Marquis."

Ning Bian nodded in agreement, stood up and quickly stepped out.
A table of people,
Wang Xifeng was a little uneasy, not knowing whether to sit or stand. She wanted to report to the old lady, but she didn't have the chance. She was also a little puzzled as to why the emperor and the empress came here. But when she saw the leftovers on the table, she couldn't help but feel worried. If the old lady knew about such a simple meal, she wouldn't know how to blame herself.

After thinking for a while, he said softly;
"My lady, it's windy here and the food is a bit simple. Why don't you go to the back hall to rest for a while? I'll go back and tell the old lady a message."

Pursing my lips, I wonder if what I said is appropriate.
Queen Jiang smiled slightly, looking at the lovely girl in front of her. Not only was she pretty, she was indeed dazzling among ordinary women. It was a pity that her personality was not suitable for the royal family. It was rumored that Marquis Luo Yun's biological mother was also a woman with the surname Wang. The old general of the Zhang family did not seem to have a concubine. The reputation of the Wang family's daughter being jealous was true. Thinking of the fact that His Majesty had few children and the three princes had no other brothers and sisters, this was not acceptable. So she secretly made up her mind that the Wang family's daughter would give up the idea of ​​entering the palace.

"That's not necessary. Although the food is simple, it is a gift from the Rongguo Mansion. I haven't eaten this in all these years. It tastes fresh. What happened today must not be spread to anyone. But you can tell the old lady that Yuanchun has been with me in the palace for so many years. I will take care of her."

The words were clear, and Wang Xifeng blushed with joy. She wanted to kneel down to thank him again, but she remembered what the nanny beside her said, so she endured the pain, sat on the stool, and bowed slightly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, and Your Majesty for your grace. I will definitely pass on your message."

at this time,
Ning Bian came back from outside, came to the side of the Marquis, and whispered;

"My Lord, the poetry gathering at Yanchun Tower has been brought forward, and people from the three major academies in Jiangnan are beating gongs and drums as they head towards Yanchun Tower, saying that the literary style of the world is rising in Jiangnan, and the poetry and literature gathering is returning to Jiangnan. They are beating gongs and drums and scattering copper coins along the way, and the people are following them blindly."

Although Ning Bian spoke in a low voice, they were close to each other, so not only the emperor, but even Wang Xifeng could hear it clearly.

Zhang Jinyu's eyes widened. It was said that scholars in Jiangnan were elegant and refined. Was this kind of ostentatious behavior true or false? However, the noise of gongs and drums coming from the street outside was so harsh that it must be true.

Emperor Wu snorted coldly.
"Huh, this is really interesting. The literary style of the world started from the south of the Yangtze River, and the poetry and prose festivals returned to the south of the Yangtze River. Could it be that Dawu's literary style can only be compared to the south of the Yangtze River?"

The tone was unfriendly. In recent years, the literary style of Jiangnan has flourished, which is a good thing. However, the literary style of Jiangnan students is a little different. Last year's student riot was led by those scholars in Jiangnan. It was a big uproar. Not only did the court lose face, but they also killed several civil officials to take the blame. "Mr. Huang, please calm down. They are just a group of students from the academy talking nonsense. The so-called Jiangnan literary style is just self-boasting in my opinion. Although those people in Jiangnan have the ability, they are good at boasting. No one in the world can compare with them. That's why they have a reputation."

Zhang Jinyu was not satisfied with what he said, so he turned the bowl of noodles upside down, covered it with the mouth facing down, and said;
"They know how to brag. The more people they know, the more famous they will be. Students from all over the capital are no worse than them, but they are all like a bunch of taciturn people, just like this bowl that has been turned over and covered. Who can know? The reason why the princess held the poetry meeting earlier today is to give everyone time to prepare. If you want to win the first prize and write a good article, you need more time. In addition, the six academy presidents will serve as judges. I don't know how to arrange the specific arrangements."

Zhang Jinyu really disdained these things. It was just a competition between two gangs, or between the North and South academies. With more people participating and widespread publicity, it would become famous. However, for those scholars, it was a good opportunity to show off, so as long as there was a way, they would get an invitation to get in.

Outside, ordinary invitations to Yanchun Tower have been sold for ten taels of silver each, and are still in short supply. Luo Yunhou's explanation also made Emperor Wu feel relieved. He suddenly remembered that Luo Yunhou was an excellent poet and lyricist, and he would know whether the invitation was good or not at a glance.

I have a plan in mind.

"In that case, it's better to be lucky than to be late. Let's follow them and take a look. Yuqing, what do you think?"

"What the master said is naturally good. When you pass by the Marquis's Mansion, call Keqing out. We can sit together and have company."

Empress Jiang didn't want to stay here either. She looked at Wang Xifeng and patted Feng's hand. A group of people quickly stood up and protected them, and then walked out of the mansion.

Wang Xifeng was a little overwhelmed and wanted to see him off, but was stopped by Zhang Jinyu.

"Sister Feng, don't follow me. You can only tell the old lady about what happened today."

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After explaining,
He led his men out of the mansion, got on the carriage, and followed the team in front, driving slowly. Zhang Jinyu ordered Ning Bian to go back to the mansion to inform his wife and prepare the carriage.

Rongguo Mansion Courtyard,
After Luo Yunhou and his party left,

Wang Xifeng felt her legs go weak and she almost fell down. Ping'er behind her was quick to step forward and support her grandmother.

Lai Wang and his group saw this and quickly called for someone to come over.

"Grandma, are you okay?"

At this time, Wang Xifeng was still in shock. Seeing someone sitting down at the table where the empress had just sat, she quickly shouted:

"Quick, tell those people to get out of the way, and move the table and everything on it, including the stools, back to Rongqing Hall intact. Remember, nothing can be damaged."

"Uh, yes, grandma,"

Lai Wang was confused. This shabby table and stool were not rented from a tavern outside the street. What good could they be? But Lai Wang was obedient.
Seeing that the Second Madam was anxious, he dared not neglect her and immediately called the servant behind him. Seeing that he was still standing there stupidly, he immediately scolded him;
"You are blind. You didn't hear grandma's instructions. Take this table and the stools. Oh, and take all the plates, bowls and chopsticks. Don't leave any behind. Move them to the old lady in Rongqing Hall."

"Yes, come and take care of things."

A group of servants were gathered around, and they lowered their heads in fear. They all reached out to move stools and plates. Some even picked up the jar of uneaten meat. In this way, a group of people strangely carried away a table.

Lai Wang noticed that his grandmother was still a little frightened, so he asked carefully;

"Grandma, everything has been moved away. Did the Marquis just say something? I saw that Grandma is a little bit embarrassed."

Lai Wang just wanted to remind her that grandma had lost her composure, but before he could finish his words, Ping'er glared at him fiercely.
"Why are you talking so much nonsense? Do you even want to ask about grandma's affairs? Let Qian take care of this place. Go and follow those people first and make sure to keep an eye on the things."

Ping'er, who had always been docile, unexpectedly spoke in a stern tone. Lai Wang was a little surprised by being yelled at, but seeing Ping'er and the Second Mistress's expressions, it didn't seem like they were deliberately teasing him and the others. What was so strange about these things? They were just broken bowls and plates, and a few old tables and chairs. If he couldn't figure it out, he would just stop thinking about it. He yawned and started to go.
"Yes, grandma, I will go and keep an eye on them right away."

After getting up and leaving, only Ping Er and Wang Xifeng were left. Sister Feng calmed herself down and looked behind her. The Marquis and the others were no longer there.

"Ping'er, let's go to the old lady. Don't tell anyone about what happened just now."

"Yes, grandma, I know."

Ping'er looked a little dazed at this moment. The gentle and handsome young man just now was actually the queen in disguise. She actually met her with her grandmother, and in such a place. Why didn't the Tian family go to the inner courtyard?
Seeing that there were so many people here and it was not a good idea to stay any longer, I supported my grandmother and went back through the small path.

In Rongqing Hall,
The women of the Jia family were all here. Madam You and the eldest sister-in-law Li Wan were all here to accompany them. The two of them sat carefully at the bottom, and others were not surprised. Opposite them, Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai, and the three girls were all there, whispering. Jia Baoyu was also dressed in bright red, sitting next to the second wife. Only the eldest wife, Madam Xing, looked reluctant and ate snacks with her head down.

Next to the old lady, Aunt Xue was sitting, smiling and talking to her in a good way.

"The old lady is really overjoyed. This is a step to heaven. Last night, when I heard about the happy event, I was so excited that I couldn't sleep well. My sister has been worried about this matter. As a younger sister, I don't have any ability and can't help. Now, after all the hardships, I have received the blessing of the old lady. It's all I wanted."

Aunt Xue heard about this last night and really couldn't sleep all night. She thought her daughter had found a good place to go, but who knew that her sister's eldest daughter had risen to the top in one step. Not only was she made a concubine, but she was also made a noble concubine. There could be several noble concubines in the palace, and Rongguo Mansion became more and more wealthy.

I originally wanted to move back home, but as soon as the idea came to my mind, I put it out of my mind. I can't bear to share in the joy of the residence of the royal family.

"Look, the concubine is still the most pleasing to the ear. I am still dreaming about what happened last night. I have not slept for half the night, thinking about that girl. After so many years, she has finally made it. Have you gone to do what the second brother asked you to do?"

The old lady was in high spirits, and her voice was full of confidence, especially when she saw that Baoyu had grown taller. With the care of his sisters in the palace, his future would surely be smooth. And what she had told him last night, had she implemented it?
"Madam, I explained everything you mentioned last night, but I haven't arranged how to send it yet. When I was in a hurry, I asked Lai Da to go to the palace to send a letter to Xia Zongguan, saying that I wanted to send some things and offered two thousand taels of silver. This morning, he replied that it could be sent. At noon, a young eunuch will meet at Chongwenmen. Now I have arranged for someone to prepare the package and send it in. I think it should be here by now."

The Second Wife rarely smiled. Ever since Jia Zhu left, she had been fasting and chanting Buddhist scriptures every day, and she smiled less often. Now, she cared more about Yuanchun than anyone else. She watched Baoyu write the banknotes and letters, and she packed the packages herself. I think when Yuanchun received the package, she would understand.

The old lady nodded with satisfaction.
It’s all good as long as it’s done. It’s difficult in the palace!
(End of this chapter)