Wei Chen pondered for a moment after hearing this, then nodded with a smile and said: "Of course I want to go, just in time to see the literary talent of Yangzhou scholars!"
"Second brother, listen, brother Wei also wants to go, what else do you have to say now!" Sheng Changfeng looked excited when he heard Wei Chen agreed, and looked at Sheng Changbai triumphantly.
Sheng Changbai smiled helplessly, and then waved to his personal book boy, asking him to go to his father Sheng Hong for instructions, and then ordered someone to go down and prepare the carriage and horses first.
After Wei Chen had eaten breakfast, Sheng Changbai's book boy came back and sent a message, saying that Sheng Hong had agreed to the three people's participation in the poetry meeting, and also expressed the hope that they would all make achievements in the poetry meeting.
Wei Chen couldn't help but be a little confused when he heard this. As far as he knew, Sheng Hong had never liked Sheng Changfeng hanging out with his friends and reciting poems. How could he be so tolerant of his participation in this painting boat poetry meeting, and even seemed to be encouraging in his tone?
What does it mean?
Later on the road, after explanations from brothers Sheng Changbai and Sheng Changfeng, Wei Chen realized that the three of them were not going to an ordinary poetry gathering this time, but a painting boat poetry gathering held every six months at Slender West Lake. p>
This Boat Poetry Party is a grand event in Yangzhou's literary world. During this period, literati and poets from all over Yangzhou will gather here, and even many scholars from neighboring counties will come to attend the meeting.
Many unknown scholars are holding back their energy and vowing to take advantage of this poetry meeting to become famous.
Hearing this, Wei Chen immediately understood. No wonder Sheng Hong would encourage his two sons to participate in the Painting Boat Poetry Recital. In the final analysis, it is all to pave the way for their future imperial examinations!
In the Tang Dynasty, Chen Ziang rushed to Chang'an to take the imperial examination, but he failed twice. Chen Ziang learned his talents by himself, but no one appreciated him, and he felt depressed.
It happened that there was a barbarian in the city who was selling a piano for a million dollars, but no one dared to ask for it.
Chen Ziang was so arrogant that he spent a lot of money to buy the huqin, and then made it known widely that he would have a luxurious banquet and play the harp in public the next day.
On the next day, guests gathered, expecting Chen Ziang to play elegant music. Unexpectedly, Chen Ziang smashed the piano to the ground in front of everyone.
Such a precious Huqin was smashed at will, and everyone in the audience lamented it. Only Chen Ziang didn't care, and took the opportunity to distribute his poems to everyone. From then on, he became famous all over the world, and then he won the Jinshi in one fell swoop.
This is the allusion to the famous "Zi Ang Broken Qin" in history.
If you read this story carefully, it is not difficult to find that the so-called piano smashing is just a way for Chen Ziang to carry out personal marketing.
From failing twice in a row to becoming a Jinshi in one fell swoop, the effect of Chen Ziang’s marketing is needless to say.
So the question arises, Chen Ziang is obviously still the same Chen Ziang, why did he fail in the exam before he became famous, but once he became famous all over the world, he immediately passed the exam?
Since the beginning of the imperial examination, no matter how the specific system has changed, there have been many scholars similar to Chen Ziang's experience.
It can be seen that in the long process of the imperial examination, if candidates want to get good grades, they cannot just study hard in a cold window, but also learn to promote themselves appropriately, so that they can be like Chen Ziang and achieve Chinese style in one fell swoop.
For ordinary candidates with average family backgrounds, if they want to promote their reputation, participating in poetry performances is the most cost-effective way.
Especially in grand gatherings such as the Yangzhou Painted Boat Poetry Club, where scholars gather, if one or two outstanding talents are promoted, their reputation will soon spread to the ears of scholars in the whole government and even the whole province.
This is called building momentum.
Don’t underestimate this so-called momentum. Many times, examiners can do without fearing the powerful, but they often cannot resist the power of public opinion among scholars.
For example, a certain talented person had a great reputation before the exam, and even the emperor had heard about it. However, after the exam, when the exam was taken, this person actually failed.
After the list is published, the scholars will inevitably question the examiner's unfair selection of scholars. If the talented scholar is popular enough and the scholars join forces to make the matter bigger, maybe even the emperor will ask: Why is there not so-and-so on the list?
Someone’s name?
At that time, the examiner will not only have to face fierce criticism, but also have to deal with questioning from above. You can imagine how much pressure he will be under!
Of course, this is just a hypothesis. Neither Wei Chen nor the Sheng brothers’ reputations at this time have reached a level that could shock the world.
It is precisely because of this that they need to participate in more positive social activities such as the Boat Poetry Club to expand their contacts and promote their reputation.
"Call——"
After about half an hour of driving, the handlebar made a low sound and the carriage stopped steadily.
The book boy who was walking beside the car quickly stepped forward and opened the curtain: "Master, we are here."
Slender West Lake is located in the northwest suburbs of Yangzhou. It is named after its long and thin lake surface, which is shaped like a ribbon.
In fact, Slender West Lake is not a lake in the traditional sense, but a strip of landscape formed by several generations of cities, and maintains an interactive relationship with water sources connected to the Grand Canal.
Compared with the mighty West Lake in Hangzhou, Yangzhou Slender West Lake is more like a large water garden, with Wuting Bridge, Xiaojin Mountain, Twenty-four Bridges, Lotus Pond and many other places of interest.
It has already entered winter. Different from the graceful and graceful lake scenery in spring, the sky and lake on Slender West Lake in winter are all white. The sky and clouds, mountains and water are integrated into one, creating a sparse atmosphere that makes people look forward to it and open their minds.
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Wei Chen and the others came to the lake and finally found a ferry. Unfortunately, the boat was already filled with scholars who came from all over the country after hearing the news, and it had just sailed away from the shore.
When Wei Chen saw that the ferry was only a few feet away from the shore, he hurriedly shouted: "Boatman, we are also here to participate in the poetry meeting. Please do us a favor and drive the boat back to the shore and take us on board!" The old boatman stood in the cold wind. He turned around and saw three elegant scholars standing on the shore. He said happily: "My husband dares to come to the poetry meeting. You must be full of literary talent. If you can compose a seven-character quatrain,
And the poem contains ten words [one], I will immediately turn the bow of the boat to ferry you to the center of the lake."
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"How can there be ten one-character characters in a poem? You are clearly deliberately making things difficult!"
Sheng Changfeng was angry when he heard this. It is unreasonable for a small boatman to make things difficult for others!
At that moment, he used all his strength to shout in the direction of the ferry, with a threatening tone: "My father is the general magistrate of Yangzhou. If you dare not come back to ferry us, you old man, be careful that I call you good-looking!"
"Third brother, don't be rude to your elders, stand down!"
Sheng Changbai heard Sheng Changfeng's arrogant words and was worried that he would disgrace the Sheng family's reputation in front of everyone, so he immediately reprimanded her.
Sheng Changfeng felt aggrieved, pointed at the old boatman and complained: "Second brother, it was obviously him first..."
"Huh?"
Sheng Changbai opened his eyes and stared at his younger brother. Sheng Changfeng immediately gave in and closed his mouth obediently.
"You three little husbands, can you compose this poem?"
At this time, the old man's lazy voice came from a distance. He seemed not to have taken Sheng Changfeng's threat to heart at all, and said impatiently: "If you can't, then please wait patiently until I send this message first."
The talented man went into the middle of the lake, went up to Xiaojin Mountain and drank two ounces of old wine to warm himself up, and then came back to pick you up!"
"Second brother, he seems to be really planning to leave!"
Sheng Changfeng stamped his feet anxiously and looked at his second brother. Sheng Changbai was also a little anxious. He really wanted to let the ferry in front of him go and wait for the next one. Then he didn't know how long he would have to wait.
Even if they are young and can withstand the biting cold wind, they will be in trouble if they miss the poetry meeting.
Just when the two brothers were at a loss what to do, Wei Chen suddenly stepped forward and shouted to the old boatman: "Don't worry, wise man. I already have some clues about this poem, but it's windy by the lake and I can't hear what I'm saying. Please tell me, wise man."
Please push the ferry back first so that I can compose the poem and the wise man can hear it clearly and give me some advice."
"That's fine."
The old boatman stroked his beard and smiled, then turned the bow around and pushed the boat back to the shore.
Wei Chen stepped aboard, and brothers Sheng Changbai and Sheng Changfeng followed Wei Chen aboard.
As soon as he got on the boat, Sheng Changfeng stared at the old boatman angrily. If he hadn't been pulled by Sheng Changbai, he would have jumped on and swallowed the old boatman.
The old boatman glanced at the incompetent and furious Sheng Changfeng, smiled indifferently, and then turned to look at Wei Chen with a rather amused look.
"My young husband, you just claimed to be confident, so I will turn around and take you on the boat. All the talented people on this boat are watching. You, a talented gentleman, can't lie to me, an old man!"