When the news came that a new nobleman had been sealed in the palace, Shen Xingwan was combing his hair and getting ready to go out.
"I heard that newly appointed talents are even favored." Banxia told her the gossip in the palace.
Shen Xingwan dressed up very elegantly today. Today she is going to Fusang Guan, which is the most popular place among literati.
It was too conspicuous for her to be a girl, so she specially attracted Shen Mochen.
Shen Mochen happened to have an appointment with a friend there, so he agreed.
"Guan Fusang recently invited a famous opera troupe from Jiangnan, so it's very lively." Shen Mochen said, "Compared with the operas in Beijing, the operas in Jiangnan have a different flavor."
Shen Xingwan glanced at Shen Mochen, "So you like going to the theater?"
"Let's join in the fun." Shen Mochen shook his fan, "The environment there is good, and there are many nobles and powerful people coming and going, so there are naturally many scholars."
There were several literati who rose to fame from Fusang Hall and then joined the powerful.
The two of them passed the time by discussing the gossip of Fusang Hall, and it happened to be noon when they arrived at Fusang Hall.
The entire Fuso Pavilion is very large and is divided into several areas according to the theme.
The two carriages entered through the south gate.
As soon as I entered, there was a maid waiting for me, "Young Master and Miss, please come with me."
The two walked in the winding corridor for a while, then they met Lu Chuan at the corner.
Both sides were startled for a moment.
Lu Chuan quickly greeted Shen Mochen with a smile, "I didn't expect to meet you here."
The two of them can be regarded as related by marriage. Shen Mochen is the number one scholar who has recently entered the officialdom, and Lu Chuan is the younger brother of a powerful man. They don't have many interactions with each other.
Shen Mochen smiled lightly and said, "Your Majesty, will you come over for dinner?"
"Come and watch the show in the south." Lu Chuan said calmly.
Shen Xingwan was a girl, and Lu Chuan was too polite to talk to her casually.
Shen Xingwan listened to the conversation between the two and looked at Lang Jun beside him without trace.
We met at the pier that day.
It was not an accident that they would meet here when Shen Xing came to the party.
The boss behind Fusang Pavilion is Qin Xuejian. Shen Xingwan knew that Lu Chuan had reserved a seat here, so he specially chose to come today.
The man in green had a face as bright as a spring flower and stood there with a cold look. It was hard not to attract attention.
Shen Mochen and Lu Chuan exchanged pleasantries and glanced at each other casually.
Then he was stunned and didn't look back for a long time.
Lu Chuan frowned in displeasure and subconsciously wanted to step aside to block the man in green.
Shen Mochen said uncertainly, "You are Ji Li, right?"
The man in green probably didn't expect Shen Mochen to call out his name, so he looked at him with surprise.
"It seems Brother Ji really doesn't remember me." Shen Mochen said with a smile.
"Do you know each other?" Lu Chuan asked.
"About three or four years ago, Brother Lu accompanied Qin Daru to visit friends in the south of the Yangtze River." Shen Mochen said.
It was his mentor who was visiting. At that time, Shen Mochen accompanied Ji Li to play in Jiangnan for a few days.
So even though time has changed and people have changed, he still recognized Ji Li at a glance.
The expression on Ji Li's face was dazed for a moment, and he murmured, "So it's you..."
He was not happy to see his old friend, and his face became a bit paler.
The scene was a little quiet for a while.
Shen Xingwan coughed slightly and glanced at Shen Mochen.
Shen Mochen immediately said, "Meeting is fate. Brother Ji, let's go have a drink together."
When they first met in Jiangnan, they were both high-spirited young men.
Later, Chen Chen's mother, who was dependent on him, passed away, and he remained silent for three years.
Ji Li's mentor Qin Daru died suddenly, and Shen Mochen no longer heard from him.
Lu Chuan glanced at Ji Li's really ugly face and said, "We've finished eating, so don't bother us until next time..."
"It doesn't matter. If it's Brother Shen, of course I want a drink." Ji Li said in a cold yet firm tone.
Lu Chuan said nothing in front of them, although a look of displeasure clearly flashed across his face.
The four of them walked into the small private room they had reserved in advance. From this location, they could look down from upstairs and watch the stage in the courtyard.
Shen Xingwan reached out and pushed open the window, and the delicate and moving sound of opera came out.
Shen Xingwan sat by the window and ate quietly, hardly talking.
Shen Mochen had already poured wine for Lu Chuan and Ji Li with his own hands.
"The teacher once said that everyone said that I was a young genius, but compared to Brother Ji, I was a little less spiritual." Shen Mochen raised his glass, "Why didn't Brother Ji take the imperial examination?"
His teacher once said that when they met in the examination room one night, they really couldn't tell who would win.
It's a pity that in that spring boudoir session, one of them was Jiangnan Jieyuan and the other Jiangling Jieyuan, so no one participated.
Ji Li raised his head and drank all the wine in the glass, his eyes full of bitterness.
Those past events seemed far away to him, as if they were events from his previous life.
"My hands are useless and I can't write anymore." Ji Li chuckled, "I will never be able to pass the exam in this life."
Lu Chuan took the wine glass from his hand and said, "You are not in good health, drink less."
Ji Li sneered, "I don't even have the freedom to drink a glass of wine now?"
Lu Chuan's eyes immediately filled with anger, but because Shen Xingwan and Shen Mochen were looking at them in surprise, he had no choice but to hold it back.
Shen Xingwan kicked Shen Mochen with his foot under the table.
Shen Mochen immediately said, "The prince and Brother Ji look very familiar."
Lu Chuan said, "When I went to Jiangling for business, I was attacked. Mr. Ji saved my life."
Shen Mochen showed his original expression, "This is really fate."
Ji Li on the side lowered his eyes with irony.
Shen Xingwan smiled and came to the rescue, and asked the maid to pour some poison into the soup to save him. "I didn't know that Mr. Ji was not feeling well. Drinking this soup will make you feel much better."
Ji Li said softly, "I'm fine. It's rare to meet an old friend, so of course I have to drink enough."
As he spoke, he took another wine glass and drank.
Lu Chuan didn't stop him in the end and watched him drink with a cold face.
By the end of the drink, Ji Li was drunk and passed out on the table. Shen Mochen was still sober except for blushing a little.
"Brother Ji seems to be in a bad mood."
Lu Chuan didn't answer, but just put a windbreaker on Ji Li.
I poured a cup of rescue soup and tried to feed it to Ji Li, but Ji Li knocked it over with his hand.
Shen Xingwan clearly saw the veins on Lu Chuan's forehead twitching, but he didn't get angry after all.
In the dim light, Shen Xingwan looked at Ji Li, with a face that was half cold and half drunk.
I remembered the investigation materials sent from Gangneung.
"Jiangling Master Ji Li was born in a scholarly family. He became famous at a young age. He is as beautiful as a spring flower. Everyone knows that the Master is really stunning..."
In just a few words, it is not difficult to tell that Ji Li was a young man with a bright future and high spirits.
When he finally walked out of the private room, Ji Li had already sobered up a bit and stubbornly refused to be supported by Lu Chuan.
I struggled to walk for a short distance and almost fell down.
Shen Xingwan quickly supported him and said, "Master, be careful."
Covered by his wide sleeves, Shen Xingwan stuffed the note into his palm.
Ji Li froze for a moment, then quickly took it as if nothing had happened.
Lu Chuan immediately supported him forcefully, "I'll do it."
Shen Xingwan let go.
In the night, we each got on the carriage, said goodbye and went home.
