(2-in-1) In general, it was a draw between the two sides today. If there was a real winner, Guo Xu had the upper hand, but that was also because of Guo Chong's support.
The palace maid guided everyone to sit down. There were more than fifty male guests, and the five large round tables were filled. As expected, Lin Jue, the prince and county horse, was not assigned, so he sat at the last round table. The seven elders at the same table
The eight children seemed to be distant relatives of the royal family with no high status. Being able to come to the banquet was probably a favor from the emperor. Lin Jue felt quite unhappy. After all, he was also the prince's son-in-law, so he was not a distant relative. Why?
Doing this to myself? But after thinking about it, I gave up. Thinking about the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet on August 15th that day, I didn’t even have a chance to enter the palace. If Caiwei hadn’t been here this time, I wouldn’t have been qualified to sit at the banquet.
Here, you can be content.
"You are all relatives of the royal family and the country. When it comes to it, we are all one family. During the New Year, ordinary people's families reunite and celebrate, and our royal family should do the same. So, the Ai family said this to the emperor,
The emperor keeps his filial piety in mind, and invites you all to come to the palace for a meal. Don't be restrained. Eat, drink, and be happy. Don't worry about violating any taboos. Just have a good time. I heard you all.
No?" Queen Mother Wei's voice sounded from the front.
"Follow the Queen Mother's decree!" Everyone stood up and shouted loudly.
"Hey, why are you like this again? I told you that today is informal and there is no need to be so formal. Your Majesty, let me have a banquet. It's almost noon." Empress Dowager Wei laughed.
Guo Chong said with a smile: "Okay, let's start the banquet when the Queen Mother says. Let's start the banquet!"
"Let the banquet begin!" the chamberlain's loud voice shouted again. After the words fell, the sound of silk and bamboo drums from the side of the corridor suddenly started. In the midst of the joyous music, rows of palace maids came gracefully holding dishes. Because
It was winter, and these dishes were all prepared and simmered over charcoal fire, so they were still steaming and fragrant. After a while, the tables were filled with dishes. After the drinks were poured, everyone stood up and offered three glasses of wine to the Queen Mother and the Queen.
Afterwards, under the instructions of the Queen Mother, they toasted each other and started eating and drinking.
Lin Jue only ate some hot dishes and did not drink much. It was not that he was afraid of losing his temper after getting drunk, but that the wine was bland and tasteless, and Lin Jue did not like to drink it. Lin Jue liked to drink strong wine, but in the palace, drinking
It's all light wine, so it's not interesting. However, the dishes are quite delicious. The chef of Yushan is really good at it. The seasonings are not complete these days. For example, the most basic MSG is not available at all, and there is no substitute. Chicken and duck
There is no difference between fish and meat, after all, they are full of umami flavor, but vegetarian dishes can also be fried deliciously. I am afraid there is some secret, but Lin Jue is very happy to eat.
Everyone at the table stood up to toast each other, and the coming and going was very lively. After the wine was drunk, the atmosphere became lively. In front of the Queen Mother and the Queen's seat, the toasters lined up, and Lin Jue had no intention of doing so.
Why are the people at the fifth table joining in the fun?
The eldest prince, Jin Wang Guo Mian, drank a few glasses of wine and couldn't sit still. He got up and went to the corridor to bow to Guo Chong. Guo Chong said with a smile: "Mian'er, what do you want to say?"
Guo Mian smiled and said: "Father, today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Thousands of people are celebrating the New Year. It is a day celebrated by the whole world. I feel this and just got a poem. I want to dedicate it to my grandmother, father, emperor and queen."
Lin Jue listened from a distance, his eyes rolling on the ground. This Guo Mian was really good at things and wanted to show off again. But it had nothing to do with him. If he wanted to show off, he would show off. It had nothing to do with him. He just listened.
Guo Chong chuckled and said, "Okay, come and listen to it? Mian'er's literary talent is very high, and all the masters in the Hanlin Academy praised it. My father is also here to listen to it today."
"My son has the audacity to show off his ugliness." Guo Mian coughed, and with full force, he chanted loudly: "The dusk scene is Xiefang Palace, the palace is gorgeous in years. The cold leaves the winter snow, and the warmth brings the spring breeze. The steps are fragrant and beautiful.
, the flowers and candles are red. Let’s celebrate the new year together and see you off all night long.”
"Good! What a poem. His Majesty the King of Jin is so talented and thoughtful. He is not ranked first in my Zhou Dynasty, but he is at least in the top three." Several princes consort clapped hurriedly.
Guo Chong also nodded slightly. Yuan didn't understand poetry, but when he saw the emperor nodding, he felt happy in his heart, and said softly: "Congratulations to the emperor, congratulations to the emperor. The emperor is so talented, and the emperor's teachings and painstaking efforts on him are not in vain."
Although the Empress Dowager Wei didn't understand much, she laughed when she heard this and said, "What a good Guo Mian, give me a glass of this wine and let him try it. He'll look good."
The chamberlain hurriedly came forward and brought a glass of wine specially drunk by the Queen Mother to Guo Mian. Guo Mian drank it all in one gulp with his face glowing red. He was extremely proud.
"Second brother, why don't you write a poem to cheer up the fun? It's a rare good day today, you can't just sit here. Write a poem." Guo Mian called to Guo Xu.
Lin Jue almost spit out a mouthful of food. Guo Mian really went too far. Was he trying to embarrass Guo Xu? He knew that Guo Xu was not good at it, but he still did it. This was to deliberately find fault with Guo Xu and make him
Made a fool of myself.
Guo Xu was angry in his heart, but he couldn't get angry. The emperor called his name, but he had no choice but to stand up and said: "Brother Huang, you know that my literary talent is average, but I don't have the talent of the emperor. I can't do it."
Write a poem."
"Hey, the quality of the poem is secondary. The key is the intention, which is to make the Queen Mother, father, queen and mother happy. No one said that you did not do well. Otherwise, you would be fine if you didn't write poetry. Don't you like to dance with guns and sticks?
What? You can dance a swordsmanship here for the Queen Mother and the Emperor, and help us here to enjoy the wine. This can be done." Guo Mian said with a smile.
Lin Jue almost spit out another mouthful of food. He didn't expect Guo Mian to be so sinister. How could he wield a sword in such an occasion? Isn't this a disgrace to the scenery? If Guo Xu agreed, then he would be fooled by Guo Mian. Guo Mian would be fooled.
Xu shouldn't be fooled, he shouldn't be that stupid.
Guo Xu did not disappoint Lin Jue, and said in a deep voice: "Brother, it is unlucky to use a weapon on such an occasion, so let's avoid it. I will go hunting with my father and brother someday, and I will dance with my sword to cheer up the occasion. It is only for that kind of occasion.
But so."
Guo Mian's trap was discovered, and he didn't take it seriously at all. He said with a smile: "That's true, but you can't recite poetry for fun, you can't dance a sword, and you can't be good at writing or martial arts. What should you do?"
Guo Mian made a pun, referring to mulberry and scolding Sophora japonica, as if Guo Xu was not good at writing or martial arts. Guo Xu couldn't understand. But Guo Xu was able to keep his composure, raised his hands and said to Guo Chong: "Father, it's not that I don't want to show my embarrassment, it's just that I don't want to be embarrassed."
I think that if a person is good at something, he will do it. If he insists on doing things that he is not good at, that is overestimating his ability. Just like my father always taught the officials in the court to appoint and employ people, know people and make good use of them.
Strengths. As the saying goes, everyone has his own strengths and weaknesses. If you are not good at poetry and prose, you will not be able to measure up to your own abilities."
"What Guo Xu said makes sense, and these words are very touching." Guo Chong said with a smile.
Empress Yuan smiled and said: "It does make sense, but on such occasions, if you are just joining in the fun, you don't need to be so serious."
"Mother, on such occasions, it is even more important to listen to good poems and lyrics to entertain. Father, here we have a leader in the literary world of the Great Zhou Dynasty here. Since we want to appreciate poetry, why not let him compose a poem for the Queen Mother's father?
The Queen Mother is adding to the fun?" Guo Xu said in a deep voice.
"Oh? There's one here? Who is it?" Guo Chong asked.
Lin Jue listened from a distance, his heart sank, and he screamed inwardly. Then he heard Guo Xu's voice coming clearly: "Has the father forgotten? Lin Jue, the new champion, is the son-in-law of the emperor's uncle. He is also at the banquet today.
Up."
"Pfft!" Lin Jue almost spit out the food in his mouth for the third time.
…
"Lin Jue? Is he here too? Today's occasion..." Guo Chong frowned.
"Father, have you forgotten? Lin Jue is the son-in-law of the emperor's uncle. He is the princess of Princess Caiwei." Guo Xu said.
"Oh oh oh, I remember, I allowed him to take Caiwei's place at the banquet before. My memory is really bad." Guo Chong said, slapping his forehead.
Lin Jue was extremely angry. Obviously, Guo Chong had no impression of his identity as a county horse. When it came to the new champion, maybe he knew about him, and when it came to Guo Caiwei's husband, he had no impression at all.
"I asked him to come to see me, but why didn't he come to propose a toast to me?" Guo Chong said with a smile.
Guo Xu turned his head and looked towards Lin Jue. Someone immediately hurried to Lin Jue's side and reminded him that the emperor wanted him to come forward. Lin Jue had no choice but to go through the crowd and come to the steps to salute.
"Lin Jue, a humble minister, would like to pay homage to the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, and the Empress, and wish you a happy New Year."
"Hehehe, get up, get up. Lin Jue, where are you sitting? Why haven't I seen you?" Guo Chong waved his hand and smiled.
"Reporting to the Emperor, Wei Chen is sitting on the fifth seat. It is far away and the Emperor may not have seen it. Wei Chen is going to come to propose a toast, but in general, according to the order of seats, it is not my turn yet." Lin Jue replied.
.
"Oh, that's it. I can't blame you." Guo Chong said with a smile. He didn't think there was anything wrong with arranging Lin Jue at the farthest seat.
Guo Xu laughed at the side and said: "Lin Jue, you heard what I said to my father just now. On today's occasion, as a leader in the literary world of our great Zhou Dynasty, how can you not have a good poem to add to the fun? Just now, the emperor's brother composed one
, now you compose one."
Guo Chong nodded and smiled: "Yes, yes, yes, Lin Jue, I like your poems very much. I can memorize a few of them. But I have never seen you write poems in person. How about it? Let me ask you to write poems today.
Can I open my eyes?"
Lin Jue wanted to say: I won't do it. But he said: "I obey the order."
Guo Chong said happily: "Okay, then I will write a song to suit the occasion."
Guo Xu said from the side: "Just now, my brother wrote a poem to say goodbye to the New Year. I think it is very neat. You can write another one and let people judge it later. Let's see which one is better written by my brother or you.
Lin Jue writes well."
Lin Jue felt a shiver in his heart and thought: You want to be beautiful, are you trying to make me offend others? So he smiled and said: "His Royal Highness, the so-called literature is not the best, the way of poetry is for appreciation and criticism, not
Used for competition."
Guo Xu was stunned and said with a smile: "If you don't tell me, I really don't know."
Guo Mian said calmly: "Of course you don't know. Lin Jue, you don't have to worry. It doesn't matter if you write better than me. I am not as good as you in terms of essay writing skills. I know it in my heart, and there is no need to hide it."
Guo Chong nodded and said: "Mian'er has a good heart. Lin Jue, if you look at it this way, it won't be very difficult for you just to write something to suit the New Year. I hope you will write something to suit the new atmosphere of our great week, not only to suit the occasion, but also to be appropriate."
I hope you can have a new look in the new year."
Everyone was dumbfounded. The emperor's request was too high. It was already difficult to adapt to the situation, but he had to add so many gimmicks. This was really embarrassing.
Guo Chong is indeed a bit embarrassed, but in his opinion, Lin Jue is the top scholar in the new science class last year, so naturally he can't just write a song casually. So he wants to increase the difficulty and test the quality of the top scholar.
.Although Lin Jue's poems and essays, especially "On the Six Kingdoms" and "Red Cliff Ode" written during the imperial examination, were already brilliant articles and had already proven his strength, Guo Chong still wanted to test him.
Lin Jue knew that he had no choice but to refuse, so he simply said loudly: "I obey your order."
"Okay, let's start." Guo Chong shouted.
Lin Jue walked slowly and only took two or three steps before Lin Jue cupped his hands and said, "I have it."
"Oh? So fast?" Guo Chong said with a smile: "Read it and listen."
Lin Jue chanted slowly: "With the sound of firecrackers, the year is gone, and the spring breeze brings warmth to Tusu. Thousands of households always replace the old talisman with new peaches."
Everyone remained silent, but Queen Mother Wei applauded and said: "Good poem, good poem, the Ai family understands it, and it is very suitable for the occasion. Doesn't this mean setting off firecrackers and posting couplets in the New Year? Festive and lively!"
"Yes, what the Queen Mother said is very true, and I also heard it. It is exactly what she said. It is indeed festive." Empress Yuan agreed.
Guo Chong was a little disappointed. This poem was very simple. Although it suited the situation, it was far from what he wanted. Does the top scholar only have these four lines of poems?
"Lin Jue, gone? Just these four sentences?"
"To your Majesty, these are the four sentences." Lin Jue bowed and said.
"It's good, and the writing is vivid and appropriate to the situation, but... it's too simple. It seems you didn't do what I asked you to do." Guo Chong said, stroking his beard.
Lin Jue bowed and said: "I have done it. This poem seems to be a farewell to the old and usher in the new. In fact, it is written for the grand cause that your majesty is undertaking. Your majesty is ordering the Ordinance Department to work hard to reform the old and usher in the new. This is like
A thunder resounded throughout the earth, and the old laws were removed and replaced with new laws. In the new year, not only thousands of households will have a new look, but the government will also have a new look because of the reform. This is the meaning of 'New peach for old charm'. It seems to be
Saying farewell to the old and welcoming the new, what I wrote is about reform, reforming the old and bringing in the new, and the new atmosphere of the Great Week and New Year."
"Ah, that's it." Everyone made a sound of sudden realization.
Guo Chong also had a look of astonishment on his face, silently recited these four sentences several times, and laughed loudly: "It's true, I didn't appreciate it. Hahaha, good poem, good poem, it does have this meaning. I
I wrongly blamed you, it seems I should study more, isn’t this a joke?”
Guo Mian said with a smile: "Father, it's not that my father is not well-educated, it's just that Lin Jue's poem is too obscure. These four sentences are all realistic and have no emotions. How should I interpret them? He didn't say it, he didn't
People understand. Even if the saint is alive, he will not be able to relate to it."
Lin Jue also smiled and said: "What the eldest prince said is indeed too realistic. This is my fault. If I could add four more sentences to express an extended meaning, it would not be like this."
Guo Chong waved his hand and said with a smile: "Don't add it, don't add it. These four sentences are just right. If you add them, it would be bad. Now I know the meaning, and I like this poem more and more. I'll get it in a few days."
Show this poem to Yan Zhengsheng and Fang Dunru, they will also like it. Lin Jue, you really did not disappoint. I will reward you with a glass of wine and drink with me."
The chamberlain brought down a glass of wine. Lin Jue quickly took it and drank it with Guo Chong. Guo Chong put down the wine cup and said, "Let Lin Jue's seat be transferred to the chief executive. How can we talk so far away? Can we arrange seats next time?"
After all the arrangements, this is the number one scholar."
…
In another courtyard on the west side, another New Year's banquet is also going on lively. However, here are the royal family members, concubines, princesses, princesses, princesses, and some family members brought into the palace by the royal relatives.
.
Presiding over the banquet were two noble concubines. One was the highly favored Concubine Mei. She was the biological mother of the second prince Huai Wang Guo Xu and the daughter of the current prime minister Lu Zhongtian. The other was Concubine Rong, who was also Guo Chong's favorite.
One of the concubines. It can be said that to a certain extent, Concubine Rong's status in Guo Chong's mind is even higher than that of Concubine Mei. Because Concubine Rong is the niece of the old Queen Mother Wei. At a certain time
, Concubine Rong even has the momentum to replace Queen Yuan.
However, things in the world often seem to have a certain destiny. Empress Yuan gave birth to the eldest prince, who was virtuous and courteous, and was respected by all officials. Even though she was of ordinary origin and was just the daughter of an official, after Guo Chong ascended the throne, she was
All officials recommended her as the queen. Lu Zhongtian's daughter Lu Mei was the side princess. She had merit in giving birth to the second prince Guo Mian and was named Mei Guifei. The side princess Rong Fei also gave birth to a son. It is said that she once had the opportunity to replace the queen.
, that is based on what Concubine Rong’s son said when he was still alive. If the third prince born to Concubine Rong could live to the day when Guo Chong ascended the throne, then the position of queen would probably have to be Wei Yourong. It is a pity that the third prince Guo Hao died at a young age.
This completely eliminated her possibility of becoming a queen. Even with the support of the Queen Mother, one unchanging iron rule in the harem is that the mother is more valuable than the son. Those who have not given birth to a prince have to stand back to give birth to children for the emperor.
That is equivalent to the contribution of the soldiers on the battlefield to siege the city and kill the enemy. The battlefield of the harem is often the battlefield of the womb.
Of course, the Emperor was filial to the Queen Mother, and naturally he would not be too indifferent to the Queen Mother's niece, Concubine Rong. Even though she had no children, she was still named a concubine after she ascended the throne. She was still one of the two concubines second only to the Queen. In the harem,
Still in a prominent position.
At this moment, Concubine Mei and Concubine Rong were sitting on the soft couch at the top, one on the left and the other on the right. There were various fruits, wines and dishes on the table in front of them. The two were similar in age and both looked pretty. Concubine Mei
She is the kind of woman with a graceful figure, graceful appearance and soft voice. In fact, many men like this kind of woman. What men like is this kind of charming woman, which can arouse their male desire and possessiveness. Concubine Rong is different.
, she has a dignified appearance and a serious smile, which gives people a feeling of being repelled thousands of miles away. Perhaps because she is the niece of the Queen Mother, she has been of high status since she was a child, so she naturally develops a bossy temperament. Or maybe she is in a bad situation at the moment and is in a bad mood.
OK, so there is no smile on the face.
Like Lin Jue, Lu Wu's seat was in a far corner. She didn't complain at all. She would rather sit in this corner where it didn't attract attention. Even so, she kept her head down the whole time, not daring to raise her head in any unnecessary way.
She was afraid of doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing. After all, she was just a maid, and she was suddenly put into such a big scene with many rules. It was good not to collapse.
What Lu Wu was thinking about was to get through the banquet quickly and follow the young master out of the palace.
However, how can you sit there peacefully at such a banquet? When the two noble concubines entered, the green dance almost went wrong when they bowed. The etiquette in the palace is different from the etiquette outside. Women in the palace have to do it
The ceremony of kneeling down on one knee. When Lu Wu was lying on the ground and kowtowing, several women around him secretly laughed. A female official came up and said a few words to Lu Wu. The palace people knew the identities of these people.
Yes, Lu Wu is the concubine of Jun Ma Lin Jue. He just came to gather the number of people. The Jun Ma Ye is not an important relative of the emperor. These palace people are all aware of it. So they dare to rebuke Lu Wu.
.
Lu Wu was not a carefree person. If she did something wrong, it would be fine if someone said a few words to her. But this way, her psychological pressure would be even greater.
However, what is supposed to come will always come. When it came time for the female relatives to come forward to toast the two noble concubines, Lu Wu kept beating the drum in her heart. Groups of people came forward, batches came down, and it was their turn before they saw it.
It was her turn, and Lu Wu's heart was beating fiercely. Finally, the two palace officials ordered a few female family members in the first rank to come forward, and Lu Wu was among them. She held the wine glass and followed the few women forward with trepidation.
, before the two concubines, they knelt down to salute and toast. When everything was almost over, Lu Wu stepped on her skirt because she was too nervous when she stood up. She suddenly lost her center of gravity and fell down with a scream.
On the wine table in front of Concubine Rong.
At this moment, the drinks and dishes all over the table flew up and clattered all over the floor. That's all, the drinks and vegetable soup flew up, and Concubine Rong's luxurious robe was damaged. Even Concubine Mei, who was looking sideways, had a scratch on her face.
