Host, the poetry gatherings held by Tianxiang Pavilion always ended with a prize. Their poetry-based gatherings also have prizes, but each recitation comes with a prize to encourage students, especially those who are poor or short of money.
This perfectly illustrates that books hold a wealth of knowledge and true talent!
[Guagua, if that's the case, then if I've memorized all 300 Tang poems and 300 Song lyrics, wouldn't I be invincible?]
[Host, hehe~~~ It's lonely at the top, and invincibility is so desolate! But you can win back the Golden House and let everyone know you're a true talent, so that those scholars won't gossip behind your back about you being a hen crowing at dawn!]
[Guagua, you're really not afraid at all!]
Using the poems and songs of the ancients as one's own is simply being a plagiarist in ancient times!
[Host, don't put so much pressure on yourself. Are you going to rescue your fourth brother? His servant will be back soon to get the silver notes from your beautiful mother!]
Students who live nearby have already gone to Beijing; we can't break our promise!
Thinking of the five thousand taels of silver notes that Shen's father had just given her.
[Let's go, take our feline overlord with us, change into the light purple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) that Jinlu Pavilion sent yesterday, and go take a look!]
[Host, you're off to wreak havoc!]
Before Shen Changyuan could react to the "Three Hundred Tang Poems" and "Three Hundred Song Lyrics," Shen Mingzhu, carrying her cat, followed by Shaoyao, and Shen Weiming and the others swaggered out.
"Father, you haven't gone back yet?"
"I'm going to go with you."
"Father, I need to go find Fourth Brother."
Shen Changyuan thought for a moment,
"I haven't checked on that brat's studies in a long time. I'll go with you to take a look."
[Guagua, Fourth Brother is in big trouble!]
[Host, it's alright. At most, he'll get a beating and kneel in the ancestral hall for a few days. After a while, he'll be a hero again!]
Shen Changyuan's lips twitched.
He's going to break the hero's legs, slap his mouth shut, and lock him up at home to give him a good beating!
Shen Changyuan's dark eyes narrowed, and he took long strides to catch up with Shen Mingzhu.
Tianxiang Tower was filled with distinguished guests. A special area in the main hall was set aside for students from all over to compose poems, exchange verses, and discuss academic topics.
As soon as Shen Mingzhu and Shen Changyuan entered, the place was bustling with noise and activity.
"Wonderful, wonderful!"
"Brother Shen, come and fight!"
Shen Mingzhu and her group wanted to go in, but they were stuck on the outside and couldn't get in at all.
Just then, the father and daughter exchanged a glance and were about to ask Shen Weiming to clear the way when they were stopped by the smiling head steward, Wang Defu.
"Lord Marquis, Miss Shen, Fourth Master Huang requests your presence."
Upon seeing this, the two immediately followed Wang Defu upstairs.
Shen Weiming immediately tensed up when he saw Wang Defu.
He went from being Long Er to becoming Shen Weiming, and he's had a really comfortable time!
Not only did he enjoy the finest food and drinks, but he could also go out and have fun, chatting with the servants of the Marquis's mansion. It is incredibly enjoyable.
Tianxianglou is owned by Prince An, who is obsessed with his brother. Everyone know that Wang Defu is a close associate of Emperor Jingyuan. The journey was very smooth. When they arrived at the private room on the top floor, Wang Defu stopped and knocked on the door. After receiving permission from the people inside, he led Shen Changyuan and Shen Mingzhu into the room.
Seeing Qin Zhao, the commander of the Imperial Guards, and the eunuch standing guard at the door, Shen Mingzhu understood: Emperor Jingyuan had left the palace!
Shen Changyuan glanced at him and lowered his head.
"Your subject, Shen Changyuan, pays his respects to Your Majesty."
"Your subject Shen Mingzhu greets Your Majesty."
"Get up."
With permission granted, Shen Changyuan and his daughter Shen Mingzhu stood up.
"Don't be so serious, be casual. Today I am Master Huang."
He then pointed to Prince An beside him.
"This is Master Huang."
"We can relax, chat about everyday things, and see what the future pillars of our Great Yan are all about. Why not join us?"
He glanced at the father and daughter.
"Mingzhu, come and sit down."
"Okay."
Shen Changyuan: Good heavens, your dad is standing while you're sitting.
I don't sense anything is wrong?
Shen Mingzhu sat down with her cat in her arms, saying nothing, just quietly petting the cat.
"Did you get the news? Your fourth son was planning to go all the way, but he turned back halfway!"
"Fourth Master, my children are disappointing and have made you laugh at them."
Emperor Jingyuan said, "It's alright, we'll watch it together."
"Qingbo's opponent is Xiao Mingli, a famous scholar from Jinling. His courtesy name is Yanzhi. He comes from the Xiao family of Lanling and is a student of the renowned scholar Xie. He is one of the strong candidates to become the top scholar in this special imperial examination."
[Guagua, my fourth brother is really something! He went straight into a battle against a top contender for the top scorer right off the bat. His courage is commendable!]
[Host, you don't care at all about your fourth brother's life or death. He's surrounded by students now, losing face and money. Your parents will be disciplining him when he gets back!]
Upon hearing this, Shen Changyuan's lips twitched and his brows furrowed slightly.
Just then, they heard shouts coming from downstairs.
"They're here! They're here!"
Emperor Jingyuan stood up, and the group left the private room to look downstairs.
Shen Qinghong, dressed in white like snow, arrived at Tianxiang Tower with the air of a refined gentleman.
Yes, he went to rescue his little brother!
[Host, your older brother is here!]
[Yes, my eldest brother and fourth brother have a very good relationship. Hearing that fourth brother was in trouble, it was only natural for the elder brother to come!]
Shen Mingzhu: Save my brother.
What a touching display of brotherhood.
Shen Changyuan's brows did not relax after hearing this.
[Guagua, I feel like even my older brother isn't a match for Xiao Yanzhi!]
[Haha, host, you have way too little faith in your two older brothers! But you're here! You'll fight in their place, dominate the battlefield, and become famous throughout Shengjing! Ta-da! My host is the best!]
Emperor Jingyuan's lips twitched.
It's good for children to be confident, but overconfidence isn't necessarily a good thing!
He looked at Shen Changyuan with some sympathy; none of the children in his family were easy to deal with!
He knew nothing about Shen Mingzhu's scholarship; he only knew that she had spent the first twelve years of her life in the countryside and had not made any achievements in the past three years since returning to the capital.
It's going to be difficult to stand up against the successors carefully cultivated by powerful families!
Minister Shen's second son is likely to make a fool of himself at Tianxiang Tower today!
[By the way, Guagua, what do you think of this Xiao Yanzhi?]
[Host, Xiao Yanzhi comes from the Lanling Xiao Clan. His father is currently the head of the clan. From a young age, he was carefully nurtured by renowned teachers within the clan. He lived up to expectations and is now the leading figure of his generation in the Xiao Clan. He is exceptionally talented and was once the youngest prodigy in Jinling. He is arrogant and unmatched. For the past year, he has been traveling and studying. When Emperor Jingyuan issued an edict to hold an additional imperial examination, he was visiting friends in Yangcheng Prefecture, not far from Shengjing. Now he has come directly to Shengjing and, upon hearing of the poetry gathering today, has come immediately!]
[However, this poetry gathering was something Prince An arranged deliberately. He knew the national treasury is empty, so he wanted to help his brother and raise more money. After much thought, he came up with the idea that "there are houses of gold in books." Little did he expect that the first person to contribute such a "house of gold" would be your brother.]
Shen Mingzhu glanced at Prince An beside Emperor Jingyuan, who looked away guiltily.
Looking back, he had no guilty conscience at all!
Isn't it because your brother is less skilled?
What's it to him!
He meant well!
[Guagua, how does Prince An profit from this?]
[Host! A 50/50 split, tell me, isn't Prince An ruthless?! He's found a path to wealth!]
Prince An was about to retort, but after glancing at Emperor Jingyuan, he shut his mouth.
He's doing this for the country and the people, how is he heartless!
Shen Changyuan's daughter is someone you can both love and hate!
[Guagua, our path to wealth has begun!]
Emperor Jingyuan: ?
Prince An was puzzled.
Shen Changyuan: What is the little ancestor trying to do now?
Oh, his poor heart!
[Host, what do you want to do?]