After Zhi Zhao sat down at the desk for a few days, his pretty face looked a little nervous.

I really don't know what the level of poetry written by Cui Wenqing is? Can you enter Ouyang Xiu's magic eye?

Nervous, she suddenly thought of the promise with Cui Wenqing again, and smiled a little shyly, and secretly said: Cui Wenqing, this girl has given you such a big benefit, it depends on whether you can do it today!

Shangshu Nan Zhengjie of the Ministry of Industry sat next to Zhe Zhao, seeing that she was alone and pouring herself a drink, he had the heart to talk to her and make friends, and said with a smile: "Zhe Dadudu, I don't know who you think is the best chance to win the first place among the scholars who participated in the poetry collection today?" ”

It was Cui Wenqing who was the one who was in his heart, but in order to show his modesty, it was not easy to say clearly, and he said with a faint smile: "As far as this official knows, these scholars are all elites in various states and counties, all of them are talented, and they are the best in the locality. ”

Nan Jie Haha laughed: "The governor only knows one and doesn't know the other, to collect papers, today's imperial examination is the chief talent of Jiangnan Road Decision Qingchen, the family is a famous family on Jiangnan Road, poetry and books are heirlooms, there are many talented people in the door, it can be said that the top Jiangnan area, this decision Qingchen is only twenty, but it has been famous in Jiangnan Road, and is respected as another literary talent after Su Shi, no need to ask, today's poetry collection is also the place where Decision Qingchen shows his talent, and it is also a hand to get the top spot. ”

"Can you chat?"

When Zhi Zhao heard him praise that decisive Qingchen so much, he was secretly angry, and he drank a cup of self-consumption without a look on his face, and his tone was not salty: "What can the chief talent of Jiangnan Province do?" When you come to Luoyang, my capital division, do you think that you can overwhelm the crowd and show your might? It's too much to underestimate our northern scholars. ”

"Northern Scholars?" Nan Zhengjie smiled, and sighed regretfully, "If it was last year, there were Sima Tang, Su Shi, and Zeng Gong, and the northern Shilin would indeed be superior to the southern Shilin. However, now, the three of them have entered the Shilin, and the young generation of the Northern Shilin can no longer find anyone to compete with Jiangnan. ”

These words completely angered Zhi Zhao, and she sneered and said: "Listening to the tone of Lord Nan, could it be a Jiangnan person?" Let me tell you, this year's Northern Wenlin, not only has a talented woman like Sima Wei, but also a talented person like my husband Cui Wenqing, both of them participated in the elegant collection today, and the official believes that the two of them will definitely get good results in the poetry collection. ”

Nan Zhengjie shook his hand and smiled: "Cui Gongzi's talent is known to the official, I heard that not long ago at the Mid-Autumn Festival Gathering of Guozijian, his Laoshizi Poetry Society also won the first place, but to be honest, this year's Guozijian is already lacking in talent, so Lingfu can get lucky to get the first place, if you face the chief talent of Jiangnan Road like Jue Qingchen, I am afraid that I will not be able to defeat it!" ”

Zhi Zhao sneered: "It seems that Nan Shangshu is full of confidence in Jiangnan Lu Shilin!" Why don't we take a gamble? ”

Since marrying Cui Wenqing, he has been exposed to Cui Wenqing's bad habits, and he especially likes to bet with people.

Nan Zhengjie said with a smile: "Naturally, the Metropolitan Governor has this meaning, and the official can only accompany him, what are we betting on?" ”

Zhi Zhao stretched out a finger and said, "Just bet 10,000 taels, I bet that Cui Wenqing and Sima Wei can win!" ”

Hearing that Zhe Zhao's opening was such an astronomical amount, Nan Zhengjie was really startled.

However, at this moment, the colleagues sitting around coaxed, and the object of the bet was still a woman like Zhe Zhao, so naturally he couldn't allow him to retreat, gritted his teeth and said stubbornly: "Okay, it's just 10,000 taels, the official and the governor of Zhe Dadu have gambled, and the winner will be determined in one game!" ”

"One game wins!" Zhe Zhao also nodded solemnly.

On the seat, Sima Tang and Su Shi, as well as another judge, cooperated with each other and looked through the poems of the talented people together.

It was the first time for Sima Tang to act as a judge on such a powerful scene, so he was naturally very attentive.

Especially in front of Qi Wang Chen Xuan and Xie Junhao, he wants to show himself well, if he can make these two people look at him with admiration, it will be even better.

Therefore, Sima Tang was particularly serious and attentive.

However, it is a pity that after looking at seven or eight sheets of rice paper one after another, the poems and essays written by these talents can only be regarded as ordinary, barely eye-catching, and they are still far from the standard in his mind.

For a moment, Sima Tang couldn't help but shake his head and sighed secretly.

After all, it has always been rare to see brilliant literary talents, and last year's imperial examination successively produced him, Su Shi, and Zeng Gong, and he came up with a few more this year, but I am afraid that it will be difficult.

Thinking of this, Sima Tang couldn't help but smile confidently.

However, at this moment, his smile suddenly froze on his face as if blown by the cold wind outside, and the smile ripples at the end of his eyes disappeared in an instant, his eyelids opened wide, and his eyes stared out, revealing a look of horror.

Su Shi next to him saw that his expression was different, so he hurriedly leaned over, and the glance he had just seen immediately changed into the same shocked expression as Sima Tang.

The two stared at the poem on the rice paper so stupidly, and after coming back to their senses, they glanced at each other, rarely achieved the same tacit understanding, and said: "Brother Su (Brother Sima), let's just do it!" ”

After a while, all three groups of judges reviewed the poems of all the talented people.

Ouyang Xiu looked around and asked with a smile: "Since each group has selected the best poems, let's read them out and judge them together, who will come first?" ”

Chen Ningmo smiled and hugged his fists and said, "The elders come first, Ouyang Shangshu is invited." ”

Ouyang Xiu nodded, picked up the rice paper on the table, and said with a smile: "The poem chosen by the old man is "Fortune Operator", and the full word is:

Acacia is like the sea deep, and old things are like the sky.

Thousands of teardrops are even more heartbreaking.

If you want to see without a cause, it will be difficult to end up.

If there is no fate in the previous life, wait for the reunion and wish in the next life. ”

The sound of groaning fell, and everyone in the main hall was refreshed, savored it, and suddenly felt the context of the words.

Ouyang Xiu didn't sell Guan Zi, and explained straightforwardly: "The author of this word is the genius of Jiangnan Road, according to the explanation of the prince on the rice paper, it is that he saw a pair of lovers separated by the war and made it, the man in the word said because he wanted to serve his family and country, went to the north to join the battlefield, and had to part with his childhood sweetheart, he knew that there was no return, so he ruthlessly let the lover choose another person to marry, don't delay Shaohua, this woman is indeed infatuated, waiting for him to return, and the son of the prince took this as a word, Singing about the relationship between the two is really touching. With that, he sighed softly.

(End of chapter)