Entering September, a few days later, it was the Double Ninth Festival, and at the same time, it was also Xue Lang's birthday.

In September last year, he went to Chang'an to offer auspicious rui, although it was lively, but lonely, and there was no one to tell him happy birthday. This year, not only did he have his own mansion in Chang'an City, but he also had friends as an official in Chang'an.

Although life is not perfect, there is progress, Xue Lang feels quite satisfied. Of course, what is more satisfying is that the Double Ninth Festival is going to be a holiday, and the imperial court will also give benefits to Beijing officials!

This year's benefits are quite interesting, in addition to the oil, salt, sauce and vinegar that will be sent in previous years, this year's holiday benefits have one more silk cotton cloth and two quilts.

There is no doubt that this trick was thought of by Xue Lang, and he deliberately pointed it out in the planning book, and there is no promotion method and promotion method that can compare to the power of the imperial court. Princess Pingyang, as an imperial daughter, has a natural advantage, and it would be a waste not to take advantage of it.

Then, on the day of the Double Ninth Festival, Xue Lang couldn't stay at home, with his current grade and identity, he wanted to enter the palace and climb high and look far with the saint. Then, there is also a shooting salute.

And the shooting salute, to put it bluntly, means that the emperor chooses a venue in the palace, and the monarchs and ministers show off their archery skills together, and those who shoot will be rewarded, and those who don't shoot will be ridiculed.

This is a bit apprehensive, because, until now, Xue Lang's archery skills are still not very good! Ninety steps away, the first five arrows are shot at the position of the arrow target, as for the hit, it all depends on the luck of the back five arrows, because of the lack of arm strength, one is closer than the other. In short, the level of archery is completely unremarkable. Although, in order to shoot a salute, Princess Pingyang specially sent him a bow suitable for him and let him practice archery. However, someone's level really stinks and wastes the princess's kindness.

Last year, Xue Lang was not qualified to participate, and he didn't know at all, but this year, after knowing that he was going to participate in this event, the whole person was not good. At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, the officials in the court, regardless of civil and military, could ride horses and bows, and it was strange that someone like Xue Lang had such a poor level!

Anyway, there will be no record in the official history of which minister missed an arrow when he shot the Chongyang salute, so it shouldn't be anything to lose face once, right? It's just a pity that Her Royal Highness the princess sent the bow!

When he set off from home to enter the palace in the morning, Xue Lang said this to himself.

Every year, the archery will choose a suitable place in the palace as a shooting range for the ministers to compete, and there is no fixed place, this year, the saint chose the square in front of the Lin De Hall, which is very spacious. The venue was set up yesterday

The distance of the archery target is 90 steps, and there are temporary walls on both sides of the archery target to avoid the occurrence of incidents that accidentally injure the audience.

According to the regulations, in the entire Chang'an City, the tallest building is the Imperial Palace, and the best place to climb high and look far away is naturally in the palace. People directly accept the worship of the ministers in the Lin De Palace, but whenever there is a festival in the palace, the ministers are involved, and then the princes and princesses. Xue Lang arrived neither early nor late, the people from the Li Tang royal family had not yet arrived, and the early arrivals were all ministers, among these people, Xue Lang was the youngest one, and he saluted and greeted people politely

"Gong Li, have a good holiday!"

"Youyang is here? Thank you for the crab you delivered yesterday, it tastes even better than last year. ”

"Last year's drunken time was not as long as this year, and the taste was not enough to taste, but this year's pickling time is longer, and it has already tasted, so it naturally tastes better than last year."

The first person to talk to him was Li Gang. Pei Ju stood next to him, and said with a smile after hearing this: "Li Gong tasted it last year?" The old man was lucky enough to taste it this year, and he couldn't imagine that crabs could do this, which was whimsical and delicious. ”

"Pei Gong has won the award, it's good to be able to meet your appetite."

This year, Xue Lang made a lot of drunken crabs in advance, and in addition to giving them to people he knew, he also asked Su Han to send some to the people in the Imperial Medical Department. Although Xue Lang has low emotional intelligence, he knows a profound truth, friendships are all made of friends, and if there are more contacts, others will naturally know what kind of person he is, and if he gets along, he will naturally become friends, and if he can't get along, he won't feel sorry.

"Huh? Listening to the words of the two, Xue Juma seems to have given the two of them food? Why did Xue Juma forget the old man? ”

Pei Lin next to him also came over to make fun, and asked Xue Lang as if it was true or false, but he had a smile on his face. Xue Lang arched his hand and said: "Happy festival for Duke Pei!" It's just a homemade crab, if Pei Gong doesn't give up, I'll send it to Pei Gong later? ”

Pei Lin smiled: "It should have been like this a long time ago! Even if the old man has to ask for it with a cheeky face, the newcomer has not yet married into the house, will Xue Juma throw the old man, the matchmaker, over the wall? ”

The old men present all laughed, Xue Lang was directly blushed with laughter, and hurriedly surrendered his hand to beg for mercy: "Add another jar of wine brewed by the officials, and beg Pei Gong to let it go!" ”

Pei Lin had an expression of "count you kid acquaintance" and nodded with satisfaction. After a few jokes, the saint finally arrived with the princes and princesses, and Princess Pingyang was naturally among them.

Xue Lang followed the ministers to meet the saint, although it was not easy to look up, but he felt that Princess Pingyang was looking at him, lowered his head and smiled secretly, and silently said in his heart, Your Highness, happy holidays!

After meeting the saint, it is to give feasts, drink, poems, and chrysanthemums as usual. Xue Lang didn't know how to write poems, except for drinking, he had to dance a dance, and he had the right to entertain his relatives in colorful clothes.

Eating and drinking enough is a salute. The first one to shoot was the saint, stepping on the rhythm of the band, the saint shot four arrows, and after shooting, the general of Qianniuwei brought the arrows that were shot

At this time, people are still more disciplined, and they will not deceive to please the emperor, and they will give a few to the saint when they shoot a few. His Majesty Li Yuan's archery skills are good, and all four of them are in the middle.

Next is the crown prince, the king of Qin, the king of Qi, the princesses also went up to shoot a round, the princes are all good, the princesses are also successful, and few are off target.

After that, it was the ministers who appeared one by one. The saint was in the first place, and smiled happily: "This year, I have already chosen a reward, the first place will be awarded a horse, and the second will be rewarded with silk silk, if you miss the target, you will not be missed...... Then I also have dogwood wine, so the Qing family will consciously go to receive the punishment! Haha......"

"The minister will thank the saint in advance!"

The ministers also had fun, and most of them were eager to try, and the saint stroked his beard happily and laughed.

Xue Lang made a bitter face

Dogwood wine is not good, Dogwood that thing, it's spicy! Coupled with the brewing technology, the wine is a little pantothenic, and the taste is really sour!

"This arrow is caught!"

It's a shot at the bull's-eye!

"This arrow stays!"

This is the shot from the bull's-eye to the downward and upward, left and right, needless to say.

The minister of the early Tang Dynasty, that is the real army that can be marched on the horse, and the country can be governed when dismounted. Even old men like Pei Ju and Li Gang have mostly been shot, but they are old and weak, and there are not many who hit the bull's-eye.

It was Xue Lang's turn, Xue Lang stood in front of the line, drew his bow, and aimed

Princess Pingyang picked up the wine glass and took a sip gently, and the princess of Xiangyang next to her commented with a smile: "The posture is good, Xue Shilang is so tall, I want to come to the bow is good?" ”

The last person to ask was Princess Pingyang next to her. Princess Pingyang held the wine glass in her hand, a smile crossed her eyes, and she pondered: "In a way, it is difficult for ordinary people to reach!" ”

Princess Xiangyang was stunned: "It's so powerful?" Look at it carefully. ”

Then, watching Xue Lang let go of his hand, with a "boom", the arrow shot out

The first one, grazing the head of the arrow target, flew over and shot high!

The second one, shot directly under the target, shot low!

The third, the fourth shot to the nearby wall...... Shoot into the chrysanthemum pot in front of the temple!

Princess Xiangyang was dumbfounded, and Princess Pingyang chuckled: "Sister, look, is this one unsuccessful, is it difficult for ordinary people to reach?" ”

It turns out that this is what it means that ordinary people of Ah Mei are hard to reach!

Princess Xiangyang smiled "poof" and gently patted Princess Pingyang's hand: "Just you promote narrowness!" buried his future colt like this, and he was not afraid of Xue Shilang's sadness. ”

Princess Pingyang smiled and looked at Xue Lang's embarrassed touch on the back of her head after all four arrows were missed, and replied with a smile: "Youyang's strength is not in the bowery, Xu will be ashamed, and he will never be sad, Youyang is not such a fragile person." ”

"Yo, Ah Mei knows him so well?"

Princess Xiangyang teased, Princess Pingyang smiled slightly, her face flushed with a faint flush, but she generously admitted: "I have known him for a long time, of course." ”

Princess Xiangyang looked at the deep sister in the past and smiled so beautifully, and she had a tacit understanding with Xue Lang between her words, but for some reason, the feeling in her heart was a little complicated

A sister is such a deep and introverted person, but she unexpectedly recruited such a deed...... Thinking of the hardships of her and her own horse after marriage, she was a little envious. Ah Mei is really blessed!