Also due to his status as "the son of Zhongshu Ling", Shangguan Baifeng is respected by others in the literary world and can influence everything.
Nowadays, various literati have begun to talk about Shangguan Baifeng, saying that he is a strong candidate for this "Poetry and Essays Competition". If there are no accidents, he will definitely win the first place in this Poetry and Essays Competition.
In response, Shangguan Baifeng looked very humble and smiled lightly: "Thank you for your praise. Like everyone here, I love poetry and calligraphy. This time I participate in the competition on the same stage, and it is not necessarily me who will get the ranking."
Even though Shangguan Baifeng said that, there was still no shortage of flatterers around him, all of them flattering and praising him, as if Shangguan Baifeng had already been determined to be the first place in the poetry meeting before it even started.
At this moment, an inappropriate voice appeared.
"It is indeed unknown who will win the first place in this poetry competition... After all, Muchuan, the number one scholar in Chang'an City, is participating this time."
The speaker was a man of letters, and when he said this, everyone was shocked.
Muchuan?
No one knows his name. He is currently the Minister of Household Affairs and the youngest number one scholar!
"I didn't expect that Muchuan would actually participate. If he had participated, then this year's top spot would be on the line."
"It's just that Muchuan Gui is the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, so how can he participate in this small poetry gathering?
Could it be a rumor?
None of us can take it seriously."
"Oh, this is what you don't know. I heard that King Qin admired Muchuan very much, and this time he specially sent Mr. Yu to invite him! Many literati saw this yesterday, and there is no way it is false.
"
The literati discussed it a lot and had mixed emotions.
After all, Muchuan's reputation has skyrocketed. If he participates in this poetry and literary competition, there will be a lot of highlights, but it also basically declares that the first place in this poetry and literary competition must belong to him.
At this time, there were noisy voices and discussions around him. In contrast, Shangguan Baifeng seemed very quiet and had a handsome face.
In fact, Shangguan Baifeng is really so calm about changes?
Of course not, he is eagerly eyeing this "Poetry and Literature Conference" in Prince Qin's Mansion, and he must get a place in it.
After all, he is the son of Zhongshu Ling and has a distinguished status. If he did not cause a stir in the "Poetry and Prose Society", he would be disgraced to his family's reputation.
And Muchuan came to participate in the competition?
Wouldn't it be better?
If Shangguan Baifeng can defeat Muchuan in the poetry competition, from a side perspective, his literary attainments are higher than Muchuan's, and he is more qualified for court officials. It will be easy for him to enter the court and become an official in the future.
Muchuan, come on! I'm looking forward to you very much!
In the early morning of the next day, it was just dawning, and Muchuan himself was sitting on the seat in the lobby of the front hall.
In front of Muchuan is Mr. Yu Shinan, who is dancing and saying to Muchuan: "There is no problem. The emperor has agreed to postpone Master Mu's official affairs. Then you will have time to attend the poetry meeting."
"ha?
It can really be delayed..."
You know that Li Shimin has been following Muchuan every day, urging him to help with political affairs, and now he is so willing to give Muchuan a day off?
Isn't this realistic?
This is not like the style of "workaholic" Li Shimin who loves government and loves the people.
Later, Muchuan inquired carefully and found out that Li Shimin's so-called "delay in work" was just to give Muchuan a day off.
Before the holiday, Muchuan needed to deal with key matters in advance and leave non-key matters to his subordinates, the left and right prime ministers.
Shangshu Zuocheng and Youcheng are the fourth-rank official positions. A key position will be set up next to the six ministers to assist them in their work.
After Muchuan learned about Li Shimin's arrangement, he couldn't help but roll his eyes to the sky. He thought Li Shimin would be so easy to give him a holiday, but he couldn't help but think so.
But that's all, Muchuan has already understood the deep meaning behind Prince Qin's Mansion. Even if he refuses this time, Prince Qin's Mansion must still have thousands of ways to invite him.
So Muchuan nodded and agreed: "Thank you Master Yu for your kindness, but it is disrespectful. Then I will go to the meeting on time."
"That's very good. Then we are waiting for Master Mu at the 'Poem and Prose Meeting' in Prince Qin's Mansion."
Yu Shinan was about to leave after telling him the news. Seeing that the other party was about to leave, Muchuan quickly kept him.
Yu Shinan turned around: "Oh?
Could it be that Master Mu has something else to do?"
"Exactly... Mr. Yu rarely comes to Shangshu's mansion once. It would not be good if he returns empty-handed."
Muchuan clapped his palms, and a maid came over carrying a flower basket.
Yu Shinan was confused. After taking the flower basket, he opened it and found a plate of exquisite pastries in the basket.
"Master Mu, I don't know this is..."
"This thing is called sweet-scented osmanthus cake."
"Osmanthus cake?"
Yu Shinan was confused for a moment. Did he know about osmanthus cake? But the osmanthus cake in front of him was very different from the osmanthus cake he knew. The color alone was different.
Yu Shinan couldn't help but ask: "Is this really sweet-scented osmanthus cake?"
"Exactly, but this sweet-scented osmanthus cake is modified using the secret recipe from my hometown. It has a special taste. Please give it a try, Master Yu, if you don't mind it."
"I see."
Yu Shinan tasted a piece of sweet-scented osmanthus cake with suspicion, but as soon as he ate it, it was like a bomb exploding in his mind, opening up all kinds of sensory stimulation.
"So... so delicious!"
Yu Shinan's eyes widened and he said that even though he was old and didn't like sweets, he couldn't bear the sweet-scented osmanthus cake. He moved his index fingers and ate it happily.
After a while, the whole plate of three pieces of sweet-scented osmanthus cake was completely wiped out.
Yu Shinan's facial features were especially moved, and he asked in disbelief: "Master Mu, can you tell me how to make this osmanthus cake?"
If I go back to the mansion, I will also order my servants to make it."
"I'm afraid outsiders can't do this... This process is complicated to make, and it requires the use of a raw material called 'white sugar'. Without white sugar, this exquisite pastry cannot be made."
"Sugar?"
Yu Shinan was stunned for a moment, he really didn't know this.
In fact, the Osmanthus Cake was created during the Tang Dynasty. However, the production of this pastry was very rough and the taste was not sweet. Although it tasted like osmanthus, its texture was very poor.
The sweet-scented osmanthus cake made by Muchuan Mingren is more modern, using white sugar as a flavoring agent and adopting modern fermentation technology, so it has an outstanding taste.
The most troublesome one is the refining process of white sugar.
The earliest white sugar was not white sugar as everyone thought, but a kind of "brown sugar", which was accidentally discovered and made by a dutiful son in the Ming Dynasty.
The white sugar that everyone uses now was introduced to China from the West in modern times. It would take thousands of years for it to appear. It naturally disappeared in the Tang Dynasty today.
Muchuan didn't like hiding either. Since Yu Shinan wanted to make it, he should write the recipe to him.
