The news that the imperial court held a Xinglin banquet to entertain new scholars had already spread throughout Chang'an.
In the past few days, many people have gone out of the city to visit Xinglin. They probably want to get acquainted with the culture of the Jinshi. Unfortunately, Xinglin has been surrounded by people from the government. Only those with noble status can still
Just go in and walk around, and ordinary people won't have to think about it.
After the Xinglin Banquet is over, it is estimated that this apricot forest will become a scene in Chang'an, comparable to the peach forest in the south of the city.
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Brother Li Yichen arrived early and was led to wander in the apricot grove.
In fact, there is not much to look at. The apricot blossoms have already passed their flowering period and have long since fallen into pieces, making them uninteresting to literati.
Moreover, the Xinglin Banquet was ahead, and the two brothers were worried about whether they could make a splash at the banquet with their talents. Well, as long as they didn't embarrass themselves.
The two brothers had not experienced the previous debates and did not know how powerful Jiangnan scribes were. They were just not confident enough because of their background.
But compared to before, they are much more confident now.
Meeting a master of Confucian classics like Kong Yingda, and Ma Zhou Ma Muxian next to him, although they only got along for a short time, it opened their eyes to the two brothers.
Moreover, Kong Yingda got very drunk in their small courtyard, so he stayed there.
The three brothers did not dare to neglect and served him all night long. So when Kong Yingda sobered up the next day, he felt that the three juniors were pretty good.
Ma Zhou said a few more words beside him, so Kong Yingda had three more disciples.
The talents and learning of the three young people are naturally not worth mentioning in Kong Yingda's eyes, but who knows that these young people are all from Hebei.
In addition, Kong Yingda devoted himself to writing for most of his life. He even neglected to discipline his own children, let alone teach his disciples. Therefore, this contemporary master of Confucian classics was in a state of neglect.
Now, by chance, he had accepted three disciples. Kong Yingda was also very happy. After returning, he sent over his writings and scriptures, and also ordered the three disciples not to run around, and to choose an auspicious day to have a formal ceremony.
The ceremony of apprenticeship.
Speaking of Kong Yingda, this man did not have a very happy life in the Imperial College.
Mainly because he adheres to the concept that friendship between gentlemen should be as light as water, and also because he once served for the King of Qin Li Shimin. Even if he is respected by people, once he encounters hard work, everyone will rush to avoid it, and he will fall into Kong Yingda's head.
superior.
Anyone who has ever been an official knows how unpleasant this situation is, so there is no need to say more.
Ma Zhou later learned about the situation in the Imperial College and felt that Kong Yingda's days in the Imperial College were numbered. It was a place for retirement, not a place for talented people to live.
Moreover, with the rise of Chang'an Academy, the clumsy and slow movements of the Imperial College could no longer adapt to the rapid changes in the early Tang Dynasty.
Perhaps the only function of the Imperial College now is to win over aristocratic families, and the effect is ineffective.
Otherwise, those at Chang'an Academy would not have thought of annexing the Imperial College, and now the new Chang'an Academy's wine minister, Gai Wenyi, was born in the Imperial College.
He and his brother Gai Wenda, the director of the Imperial Academy, were both well-known in the Kansai literary world and were famous for their talents.
Although they and Kong Yingda both came from the Tiance Mansion back then, their relationship with Kong Yingda was hard to say. Otherwise, how could their brothers turn a blind eye to Kong Yingda being ostracized and neglected in the Imperial College?
So Ma Zhou felt that he had to take action earlier. It would be great if someone like Kong Yingda could be invited to Chang'an Maritime Academy to take charge...
Ma Zhou looked at Kong Yingda with envy, but he also knew that Kong Yingda's arrival at Chang'an Maritime Academy was of little use, just like the mud tire sitting in the temple, which only served to promote his reputation.
Spending a thousand gold to buy bones is nothing more than this.
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The path between the apricot groves is winding and winding, and it looks like it was newly built.
After turning a corner and going out, the vision suddenly opened up. On a flat open space, there was a newly built house, with fresh tiles reflecting light in the sun.
Naturally, the Xinglin Banquet cannot be an open-air barbecue party, and the court is fully prepared.
In the eyes of some sentimental literati, perhaps the light rainy weather will be more atmospheric.
Like Li Yiyan, he looked up at the sky with a slight regret.
The person who led them here smiled politely and asked: "The two Jinshi came earlier. Do you want to take a seat right here, or do you want to take a look around first?"
Li Yichen smiled and replied: "The noble lady hasn't arrived yet, so it's not good to sit down first. Let's wait."
The man clasped his fists and said, "Then I'll trouble you two Jinshis to wait a moment. There are people taking care of you nearby. If you two need anything, I just give them instructions. I still have the responsibility of welcoming guests. I don't dare to stay any longer. Please invite the two of you."
Jinshi, don't blame me for being rude."
Li Yichen quickly returned the gift, "Thank you, Brother Wang."
After they left, the two brothers walked to the main entrance and took a look inside.
It is no different from the living room of a wealthy family. The ground is covered with thick floors, and the fresh wood aroma can be smelled outside the door. It is obvious that this place was built not long ago.
At this time, incense was already burning inside, and the two brothers twitched their noses and smelled it. They thought it smelled quite good, but they couldn't tell what the aroma was from.
Then I thought about where the two of them would sit in the future. They shouldn't be sitting at the bottom, right?
Someone inside saw them poking their heads and came over to greet them. The two brothers asked a few questions very politely, and the other party answered everything they knew.
The two brothers slowly relaxed a little. The imperial court gave them a good feeling. When they were in Hebei, they heard a lot about the people of Kansai. Now it seems that it is a bit exaggerated.
Chang'an is graceful and luxurious, and its atmosphere is incomparable to that of the big cities in Hebei. The ordinary people are also very kind and will not bully people from other places, and they are not as tough as imagined.
The people in the government they met were mostly polite and courteous, and they did not see the tyranny of the Kansai people.
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Scholars arrived one after another, some came together, some came alone. Everyone was very reserved when they met. Those who were familiar with each other would chat and laugh a few words, while those who were not familiar with each other would greet each other and tell each other their names and origins.
At this moment, the Li brothers felt the warmth of a big family.
Because everyone has won the Jinshi, they are in the same group, and they may be colleagues in the future. They are obviously much more tolerant than when the literati got together before.
It's just that there is still a gap between the scholars from the north and the south. Although the previous debate is over, it has planted a knot in their hearts, which is not easy to get rid of.
Moreover, young people are not well-educated and do not know that compromise is always more valuable than tit-for-tat. Therefore, when the number of people increases, distinctions become clear.
At this time, brother Li Yichen also heard some rumors, so he firmly stood on the side of the Northern Jinshi and shared the same hatred.