Riding horseback with Zhou Ze on the official road, Zhou Jun asked: "What exactly is the Hongyan Poetry Society?"
Zhou Ze replied: "Brother, I heard that the Poetry Society was founded in the Jinglong period. It was formerly the Dragon Boat Poetry Society during the Dragon Boat Festival for the descendants of Chang'an officials. At its peak, there were more than 300 members."
"Then it gradually became quiet, and the number of people gradually decreased. After entering Kaiyuan, there was no one to take care of it for four or five years, and it declined."
“I don’t know when it started again, but it was renamed Hongyan Poetry Society.”
"Those who join the society are no longer limited to officials and officials, but those with literary talents, whether they are traders or soldiers or merchants and scholars, can join the society."
"As a result, the conditions have been relaxed a lot, and the number of people has increased."
Zhou Jun asked again: "How many people are there in the poetry club? And who are they?"
Zhou Ze: "Brother, I was not able to visit the poetry club. I just heard Luo Yingcai say that there are more than fifty people in the poetry club. They gather every ten days, but less than half of them are present."
"As for the poetry club directory... pseudonyms are allowed to be used in the meeting, and no one is allowed to inquire about each other's identities."
"That's why I don't know many people."
Zhou Jun nodded after listening.
The two of them followed the official road and headed towards Chang'an.
After entering Chunming Gate, under the guidance of Zhou Ze, the two riders headed all the way to Chongxianfang.
After entering the workshop and arriving at the place, Zhou Jun was a little dumbfounded.
The Hongyan Poetry Festival was held at a nunnery.
Zhou Jun held the horse, looked at the door of the nunnery, and looked at Zhou Ze with a puzzled look.
Zhou Ze quickly waved his hand, pointed to the small courtyard next to the nunnery gate and said, "There."
Zhou Jun breathed a sigh of relief and followed Zhou Ze to the archway of the small courtyard. He saw an incense altar set up at the door and an old nun looking at the two brothers with a smile.
Zhou Ze said something infinite, took some copper coins from his arms, put them into the merit box, and then walked into the courtyard with Zhou Jun.
Zhou Jun looked back at the incense altar and thought to himself, what is this? They only care about literary talent, not family background.
Just this pass alone will make those literati who live in poverty retreat when they see it.
I walked further in and came to the middle gate of the courtyard, where I saw Shao Chang and several other members of the poetry club standing at the door.
Zhou Ze hurriedly walked over and sang "O" to Shao Chang.
Zhou Jun also followed him, and while saluting, he also said: "Shao County Cheng."
After hearing this, Shao Chang waved his hand and said: "Hengcai, in this poetry club, people who are not qualified for official positions or origins can just call each other by their names."
After hearing this, Zhou Jun changed his name, but he once again wondered why Shao Chang had forced him to come here.
Shao Chang took the two Zhou brothers and walked towards the inner courtyard.
What surprised Zhou Jun was that there were actually several guards guarding the gate of the inner courtyard.
Zhou Jun looked at Shao Chang with doubts in his eyes.
The latter only said: "Don't ask, don't care, just move forward."
Entering the inner courtyard, Zhou Jun only saw the huge courtyard, with birds chirping and flowers fragrant, and pleasant scenery, just in line with the poem, with clear rivers, Hanyang trees, and luxuriant grasses and parrot islands.
The scenery is a good one.
But people are also complex.
There are the literati and poets, the young ladies and maids, and even the nuns and monks.
Zhou Jun felt dizzy and cursed in his heart. This battle looked a bit messy.
Shao Chang and his two brothers approached the crowd. Zhou Ze's classmate, Luo Yingcai, who liked to make noises, was the first to shout: "Here we come!"
Others heard the sound and looked over.
Zhou Jun noticed that his brother beside him was stiff, his expression was tense, but he was looking straight at one person.
Following this gaze, Zhou Jun discovered that what Zhou Ze was looking at was an invisible young lady wearing a curtain hat.
But beside the young lady, stood an old acquaintance of Zhou Jun's.
The man was dressed in white and had a handsome appearance. He was none other than Mr. Yin Yuyin.
Shao Chang said at this time: "I've disturbed Yaxing, so I invite you all to gather around me. Shao has something to say."
Seeing the members of the poetry club gathering, Shao Chang pointed at Zhou Ze and said, "A certain person once said that a new friend wants to join the poetry club, and it is this person, Zhou Ze and Zhou Changzhi."
A female voice came from the crowd: "As you know from reading the article, if you want to join the poetry club, you need to pass the three-level entrance examination."
Zhou Jun followed the voice and looked, but the person who made the voice was a beautiful woman in her thirties.
I saw that the female crown's Taoist robe was made of silk and satin, with light gauze embroidered on the arms. The mouth of the robe was wide, and the graceful movements of her hands and feet were looming.
Zhou Jun, who was lagging behind, originally thought that no one was paying attention, but he found that the beautiful Taoist nun actually gave him a wink when she came out.
Just when Zhou Jun was in shock and doubt, another cold snort came from behind the crowd.
Zhou Jun looked around and saw Yin Yu looking over coldly, obviously aware of the Taoist nun's actions.
Shao Chang said to the Taoist nun immeasurably, and then said: "Nie Xuanluan is the head of the rotation, so you will naturally come up with the questions for the school examination."
The female crown known as Nie Xuanluan smiled and nodded, and then said to Zhou Ze: "You must listen carefully. The first level is a duel."
The so-called course matching actually means pairing. The examiner will give the first couplet, and the person who responds will make the second couplet.
Nie Xuanluan first said: "The moon will be full only when it falls and lies flat against Chu."
Zhou Ze thought for a while and then said: "Ran Chongman Jingyun Queying."
After hearing this, Nie Xuanluan frowned and said, "The allusion is correct, but the work style is wrong. I can only barely pass it."
Then, Nie Xuanluan said: "The second level is to test the couplets."
Looking at the wine glass on the table, Nie Xuanluan clapped his hands and said with a smile: "Yes."
"Utensils are used for shaping, and merit is used to create elements."
After Zhou Ze heard this, his forehead was sweating and his heart was uneasy.
After spending a long time, I finally added the couplet: "The flowing clouds are sluggish, and the sails are deflected by the catkins."
Nie Xuanluan shook his head and said with a smile: "That's wrong, that's wrong. Liuxia is covered with flowers. They are very different and cannot be what I want."
Shao Chang thought for a moment and said to Nie Xuanluan: "The Jurchen heard it wrong. The last sentence was not deflected by the catkins, but by the crane."
"Farewell to the Crane in the Flowing Clouds, it's just the right time for the occasion."
Nie Xuanluan glanced at Shao Chang, smiled slightly, and acknowledged Zhou Ze.
Finally reached the last level.
Nie Xuanluan turned around and looked around, then said: "This last test is about quick poetry."
"It's less than fifty steps from here to that little pavilion."
"After leaving and returning, within a hundred steps, there is no limit to quatrains and verses. The theme is falling flowers. The names of flowers are not allowed, and the characters for flowers are not allowed.
Shao Chang was quite surprised when he heard this, then frowned and said, "This question is too difficult. Nie Jurchen's question was biased."
Nie Xuanluan said: "There are all talented people in the poetry club. If we don't gain some real skills, how can we convince the public?"
Nie Xuanluan said this to Shao Chang, but Zhou Jun clearly saw her looking at him.
Moreover, there was a bit of resentment and resentment in his eyes.
Is it possible that the original owner of this body has a grudge against the female crown?
Thinking of this, Zhou Jun looked towards his elder brother Zhou Ze and saw that the latter's face was pale and his hands and feet were trembling.
When Nie Xuanluan saw this, he covered his teeth and chuckled, and urged: "Changzhi should go."
Zhou Jun reached out to support his shaky brother, thought for a moment, and said, "Brother, don't panic, just move forward."
To outsiders, the younger brother supports the older brother, and the two walk hand in hand.
As Zhou Ze walked away, he said in a trembling voice: "Hengcai, if you don't know your own abilities for your brother, I'm afraid you will bring shame on the Zhou family."
Zhou Jun frowned, supported Zhou Ze, and walked towards the small pavilion step by step.
The theme is falling flowers, and no flower names or the word "flower" should appear.
Zhou Jun pondered hard. Have you ever seen such a poem in your memory?
In the blink of an eye, twenty steps have been passed.
Zhou Ze said there sadly: "As a brother, I don't hide anything from Heng Cai. I joined this poetry club not to make friends through literature, but to meet Yu Junniang."
"Two years ago, in Pingkangfang, my brother accidentally saw Yu Jun's mother. That startling glance made me have no other thoughts in my heart except for her."
"Ordinary women are no longer attractive to me. Even the blind dates arranged by my parents are all rejected because of the heavy academic workload."
"Last year I heard that Yu Jun's mother had joined the Hongyan Poetry Society. I ignored her brother and wanted to join. Even if I just take a look at her from a distance, it would be good."
"I didn't expect today..."
While Zhou Ze was chattering, Zhou Jun and he had already reached the small pavilion and were about to turn around and walk the remaining half of the distance.
Zhou Jun lowered his head and interrupted Zhou Ze's self-pity: "Brother, I will read a sentence later, you memorize it, don't forget it."
Zhou Ze was stunned and looked at Zhou Jun beside him: "Huh?"
Zhou Jun said in a deep voice: "Lower your head and pretend to be thinking, don't reveal your secret!"
Zhou Ze quickly lowered his head and said, "Hey."
Zhou Jun: "Everyone is hurt when he falls and becomes red, but the smoke and rain in the brothel can't bear to forget each other."
When Zhou Ze heard this, he couldn't help but praise: "What a poem!"
Zhou Jun said angrily: "You don't care whether it's a bad thing or not, just hurry up and carry it!"
Zhou Ze responded quickly and memorized this sentence by force.
After walking another ten steps or so, seeing that the two of them were about to return to the crowd, Zhou Jun whispered again: "I will fly back and dance in the wind, but my face is still half-dressed."
Zhou Ze praised it again unconsciously, realized it, and hurriedly memorized it again.
The two brothers finally stood still in front of everyone.
Nie Xuanluan smiled and asked Zhou Ze, "Do you have any good words?"
Shao Chang stood up at this time and said in a deep voice: "This question is too difficult. I think it is unfair. This round of school examination will not count."
Nie Xuanluan raised his head and said: "Guanwen intended to protect him, but he didn't know..."
Before she could finish her words, Zhou Ze took a deep breath and chanted slowly: "We are all hurt when we fall, but we can't bear to forget each other in the mist of the brothel..."
As soon as this sentence came out, everyone in the poetry club was shocked.
Zhou Ze read again: "...it will fly back and dance in the wind, but it has fallen into half makeup."
After the words fell, the whole courtyard was quiet for a long time.
After a while, someone yelled: "Okay!"
Shao Chang let out a long breath: "Poetry is valuable for conveying meaning. It is rare to find something that says something here but means something else. This is the best work!"
Nie Xuanluan was stunned for a while, with complicated eyes, and forced a smile and said: "It is indeed a masterpiece."
Yin Yu and Yu Junniang, who were standing not far away, heard this poem. They first exclaimed and then started talking in a low voice, but they didn't know what they were discussing.
Shao Chang asked Nie Xuanluan: "Nie Jurchen, in this way, can Changzhi enter the poetry society?"
Nie Xuanluan gritted his silver teeth and said softly: "Enter."