Tiantang

Chapter 154 Li Bai's Engagement
Chapter 163

Cough!

Zhang Xuan stopped laughing suddenly, and couldn't help coughing twice.

He immediately looked at Cui Huan, with a strange smile on the corner of his mouth, "I'm laughing at him—"

For Cui Huan, because of Cui Ying's relationship, Zhang Xuan always called Cui Huan "second brother", but now he called him "he". Cui Huan and Li Xiuxiu didn't hear it, but the careful Cui Ying noticed it. this detail.

Cui Huan was surprised, "Why are you laughing at me?"

"I'm laughing at you..." Zhang Xuan laughed heartily again, "In a few days, you should call me brother!"

"I called you your second brother for a few months, but you want to call me your elder brother for the rest of your life. I want to laugh when I think of this."

Cui Huan was startled, and suddenly realized.But Li Xiuxiu blushed, stomped her feet shyly, and said angrily, "Brother!"

That's the reason.From Cui Ying's point of view, Cui Huan is Cui Ying's elder brother, and Zhang Xuan is Cui Huan's brother-in-law, so he must be called elder brother; but in turn, Cui Huan found Zhang Xuan's younger sister and became Zhang Xuan's brother-in-law. Don't you want to change your name to brother?
Cui Ying couldn't help laughing.However, thinking about it is also a problem. It is indeed a bit embarrassing for the two of them to be called by this name in the future, and it is difficult to really distinguish clearly.

At this time, Cui Ju's voice suddenly came from behind, "Zizhan is an important minister of the court and Xiuxiu's elder brother. From now on, Huan'er, you should treat him like a brother, and the etiquette cannot be broken!"

Zhang Xuan was originally joking to adjust the atmosphere.Now that Cui Ju took it seriously, he himself felt a little embarrassed.

Although Cui Huan was somewhat reluctant, but his father's order was like a mountain and he had to obey.He collected himself and had no choice but to bow and bow to Zhang Xuan, "Cui Huan pays homage to elder brother."

Zhang Xuan avoided it.

……

……

"Lang Jun, the second brother dare not disobey my father's life. I see, according to the father's intention, the second brother's future will still fall on you." Cui Ying smiled softly, "Back then you spoke for Xiuxiu. , but I made a promise in front of my father."

"Hehe. He is a well-known talent in Chang'an City. This year's Chunwei must be fine. If the big difference is not bad, Yang Guozhong will definitely look at me and take care of me."

The smile on the corner of Zhang Xuan's mouth looked a bit sly, "Actually, even if it's not for Xiuxiu - he's your second brother, why can't I help him? Haha!"

Cui Ying was taken aback, and then laughed lightly, "Mr. Lang is so cunning! My father fell for you..."

"Hush." ​​Zhang Xuan lightly covered his lips with his fingers, "Yinger, don't mention this matter in the future, I'm afraid Xiuxiu will feel uncomfortable if she finds out."

"Yes." Cui Ying nodded obediently.

The two continued walking, and the plum blossoms beside them were in full bloom and fragrant. Zhang Xuan smiled and picked one up, and passed it to Cui Ying, "Yinger, the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold, and it has a strong character!"

Cui Ying frowned and said angrily, "Your Majesty, what are you picking a beautiful flower for? If it hurts the branch, it will be difficult to germinate next year."

Zhang Xuan said with a chuckle, "A flower can be broken when it blooms, don't wait until there are no flowers to break the branches."

"Blooming flowers can be folded straight away, don't wait for no flowers to break branches." Cui Ying murmured, her eyes flashed with a different kind of brilliance.

"It's such a wonderful sentence, it's so wonderful! Zizhan's eloquence is so brilliant, I'm ashamed of myself." Cui Huan listened to it, and immediately applauded.

Li Xiuxiu's eyes were also shining, and she said softly, "Brother is quick-witted, which is rare in the world, and this is a good sentence."

Zhang Xuan blushed for a while, and quickly changed the subject with a smile.

……

……

Drinking in Cui's garden, it is natural to have a good time.

But when Zhang Xuan was still having a banquet with Cui's father and son at Cui's house, Zhang Li hurried into Cui's living room, and whispered something in Zhang Xuan's ear.

Zhang Xuan was very surprised when he heard this, and his expression became very strange.

Cui Ying was a little strange, so she asked softly, "Mr. Lang, is there something urgent at home? If there is something, Mr. Lang should go back to the mansion first."

Cui Ju also smiled, "Yes, my son-in-law, you are an important minister of the court and hold an important position. If you have a busy official business, you should do it first. We are a family and there is no need to be formal."

Zhang Xuan shook his head and smiled wryly.

For a moment, he looked back at Zhang Li, and said calmly, "Li Zhang, don't pay attention to him, just put that post in the study. If that person comes again, just say I don't have time to see him."

Tension nodded and led away.

Zhang Xuan looked back at Cui Ying and Cui Huan and heaved a sigh of relief, "Li Taibai came to visit and left me a post, asking me to meet on the night of Shangyuan, Yuzhen Temple will meet and fight poetry!"

Everyone was taken aback.

Although Li Bai's official career was unsatisfactory, he was "returned with money" by the old emperor a few years ago, which is equivalent to expelling him from Beijing.But this person is famous all over the world, and he is recognized as a poet fairy and the leader of scholars in the world.

Li Bai has been famous for a long time, but it is not comparable to Zhang Xuan who has just emerged.

Zhang Xuan didn't know why Li Bai came to him.In his opinion, with Li Bai's arrogance and talent, he shouldn't be jealous because of his little talent and reputation, would he take the initiative to come to him?
If Li Bai was such a person, Zhang Xuan really underestimated him.

But Zhang Xuan didn't plan to pay attention to Li Bai.

Firstly, he has too many affairs and doesn’t have the energy to fight for poetry; secondly, he also has self-knowledge. Although he has the golden finger of a traveler, it is almost impossible to overwhelm Li Bai, a poetic fairy; thirdly, he is now Already in a high position, there is no need to gain fame and limelight anymore.

With the power in his hands, there are many things to do. This kind of boring poetry competition can no longer arouse his interest.

"My son-in-law, Li Taibai is famous all over the world, and I am afraid that no one can match his poetic sentiments. How will my son-in-law plan to deal with it?" Cui Ju asked with a frown.

Before Zhang Xuan could speak, Cui Ying laughed and said, "Father, Li Bai is certainly a poetic fairy, but Zhang Lang's talent is not inferior to him... Sir, what are you afraid of him? Let's compete with him. It doesn't matter if you lose a little bit."

Cui Huan repeatedly nodded in agreement, "Of course. My brother speaks eloquently and has a superb literary talent, so don't be too stage-frightened. Just fight Li Bai and let the world see your brother's talent!"

Zhang Xuan smiled lightly, shook his head and said, "No, I'm not going to respond to him."

"It's not that I'm afraid of him, it's just that there are too many things to do now, and I don't have the time or energy to deal with such things."

************************************
Li Bai went to the General's Mansion to post a post on poetry, which was equivalent to a letter of war, but Zhang Xuan did not respond.

However, Li Bai went again the next day, and although he didn't see Zhang Xuan, he still stubbornly sent a second Dou Poetry Post.

For several days, no matter how persistent Li Bai was, Zhang Xuan did not respond at all.

However, the news quickly spread throughout Chang'an City, causing a lot of gossip.

Some people say that Zhang Xuan was afraid of Li Bai's talent and name, and he did not dare to compete with Li Bai face to face;So many kinds, and so on.

In short, public opinion is overwhelmingly one-sided.

It's no wonder that Li Bai's fame is really too great, so great that it is not controversial.Compared with Li Bai, Zhang Xuan is at best a rising star, nothing more.

It's just that no matter how many discussions there are in and out of the city, and in and out of the palace, Zhang Xuan always sits firmly on the Diaoyutai, does not make any response, and maintains a strange silence.

Before the Shangyuan Festival, he would still enter the palace in the morning to assist the prince in governing, and sit in the general's mansion in the afternoon to handle the military affairs of the two guards.Occasionally go to the Yamen of Jingzhao Mansion to make inspections to perform their duties.

Zhang Xuan remained silent and did not respond, but Yang Yuhuan in the palace was a little annoyed.

Yang Yuhuan admits that Li Bai has great talent, but she also firmly believes that Zhang Xuan's talent will never lose to Li Bai.What's more, Li Bai is just a scholar in common clothes, and he has nothing to do except reciting poems, but Zhang Xuan is almost omniscient in literary and martial arts.

……

……

Yang Yuhuan's bedroom.

Wan Chun giggled, "Your Majesty, how about we organize a Shangyuan Poetry Contest with Your Majesty and Wan Chun, and invite both Zhang Xuan and Li Bai, and let them fight face to face and decide the winner?"

Wan Chun likes this lively occasion the most, she wished she could immediately call Li Bai and Zhang Xuan into the palace and let them compete.

Yang Yuhuan hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a smile, "Okay. I will come forward to hold the Shangyuan Poetry Contest on the night of the Shangyuan Festival above the Suzaku gate tower in the imperial city. It can be regarded as having fun with the people and spending a good night together."

Wan Chun clapped his hands joyfully and said, "Your Majesty, Wan Chun is going to Zhang Luo now..."

Jade Zhenguan.study.

Li Chiying put down the scroll in his hand, looked at Li Bai who was slowly walking in with a gloomy expression, and said with a smile, "Qing Lang, are you looking for Zhang Xuan to post again?"

Li Bai nodded, but sneered, "It's a pity that this guy didn't respond——Heng, if he didn't respond, I'll wait until he responds. I must vent my anger on you, Ying'er. Isn't it the name of the No. 1 in Chang'an City?" .[-] Scholar, the number one talented scholar in the Tang Dynasty, why don’t you even have the courage to meet me?”

Li Chiying shook his head and sighed softly, "Qing Lang, this guy is indeed talented, and it's not a lie. It's just that he may have self-knowledge, and he is unwilling to respond to you, which is also a smart move. Forget it, Qing Lang, don't mess with him." This kind of trouble-"

When Li Chiying said this, there was a flash of light in his eyes suddenly, he stared deeply at Li Bai, and said quietly, "Qing Lang, do you still have the heart to become an official?"

Li Chiying guessed right.Li Bai invited Zhang Xuan to fight, on the one hand to vent his anger for Li Chiying, on the other hand to gain fame again, to see if there is a chance to become an official again.If the old emperor was in good health, he would not have such thoughts, but now that the crown prince is in court, his heart is alive again.

Li Bai's eyes flickered for a while.He nodded silently, and said softly, "Ying'er, I was exiled from Beijing to travel around the world. I have experienced many hardships in these years. I still can't let go of why I have the ambition to serve the country and the talent to stabilize the country, but I still do nothing. Door! I am not reconciled!"

"I returned to Chang'an this time because I wanted to find an opportunity. However, since something like this happened to you, Ying'er, my heart has faded. Whether it succeeds or fails, I will stay by your side. From now on In the future, regardless of life, old age, sickness and death, I will never leave you half a step."

(End of this chapter)