It's interesting to say, in Datang, the love of poetry has almost become a fashion. Being at the bottom of society naturally doesn't feel much, but in the upper class of bureaucrats and elites, being able to write poetry and write poetry well has almost become a symbol of whether a person is talented or not.

Since the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, the imperial court has increasingly regarded the level of poetry as the most important criterion for taking scholars, and it has made the poetry and songs of the Tang Dynasty all over the world, and everyone has a place in the literary world. The court officials and nobles are even more poetic and exchanged, which is extremely elegant. In Datang, if you want to say that you can't write poetry, you are embarrassed to go out and say hello to people.

Interestingly, the contradictions between the court officials were sometimes not limited to the contradictions of the struggle for power and profit, but often compared with each other to attack the level of poetry, and overwhelmed each other in this aspect to show that they were talented.

The fashion is like this, which has given birth to more than 10,000 large and small poetry meetings in various parts of Datang every year. From the beginning of the year to the end of the year, inside and outside Chang'an, from the north and south of the river, from the capital to the locality, from high-ranking officials to poor scholars, all kinds of poetry will emerge in endlessly, forming an enduring trend. The pear blossom poetry club in Chang'an City mentioned by Steward Liu is just one of these large and small poetry clubs.

Unlike all other poetry clubs, the organizer of the Ewha Poetry Club was Li Linfu, the powerful right minister of the dynasty. Li Linfu's purpose in organizing the Pear Blossom Poetry Club is naturally not to show his literary talent, in fact, his shortcomings are on top of this item.

Li Linfu has been the right minister for 12 years, and no one has shaken his position, but in fact, he has always faced provocations from political opponents, and Li Shizhi, the left minister, is his biggest enemy. Li Shizhi is not Li Linfu's opponent at all in terms of playing tricks and conspiracy, but the only thing that Li Shizhi and others have an advantage over Li Linfu is their status and achievements in the literary world.

Li Linfu was born in the military profession, and his first official position in his life was a direct commander of the Janissary Guard, and he was completely insensitive and incompetent about writing poems and endowing them. Although he tried his best to change this, he studied poetry carefully, wrote diligently, and wrote a lot of poetry. But these poems have all become his laughing stock.

When Li Linfu became prime minister, people immediately compared him with his predecessor Zhang Jiuling, and the corrupt Chang'an celebrities laughed at the difference between him and Zhang Jiuling behind their backs, and the most vicious statement was: Compared with Zhang Jiuling, Li Linfu is like a little guy who helps with stools and chores in the poetry club, and he can also make a few limerick poems under the influence of his ears and eyes, but he can only entertain himself, because no one wants to read his poems.

There are even ugly officials who make clumsy limericks and circulate in the name of Li Linfu, such as "A flock of geese in front of the door, one shot down the river." Poetry such as this is said to be Li Linfu's masterpiece, and the literati gathering will definitely use it as a joke program.

Li Linfu's anger can be imagined, and under the annoyance and anger, these people will do whatever they want, and all those who dare to openly ridicule themselves have been persecuted on various charges without exception. So, while establishing his authority as prime minister, he also succeeded in closing the ridiculous mouths of those arrogant literati. However, he knew in his heart that he was relying on his power to keep them from being open, and in the hearts of these self-proclaimed arrogant people, he must still regard himself as a failure who has achieved nothing in literature.

After Li Shizhi replaced Niu Xianke as the left minister, Li Linfu obviously felt Li Shizhi's disdain for him, Li Linfu knew that Li Shizhi wanted to challenge his power, but unfortunately Li Shizhi was an idiot in terms of power schemes, and Li Linfu could almost effortlessly play this person on applause. But Li Linfu was not satisfied with this, he wanted to completely destroy Li Shizhi's self-confidence and defeat Li Shizhi and them in all aspects.

So three years ago, at the suggestion of the staff in the government, Li Linfu held the Pear Blossom Poetry Club, and challenged Corporal Lixian to fight poetry in the name of selecting talents for the country. Li Shizhi and others were naturally not to be outdone, how could he let go of such an opportunity to publicly humiliate Li Linfu, so although the two sides were in the name of meeting friends with poetry, in fact, the Pear Blossom Poetry Club became another battlefield in the power struggle between the two sides.

What Li Shizhi didn't expect was that Li Linfu made full preparations, and for two consecutive years of the Spring Festival Poetry Meeting, Li Linfu entangled the famous poets from all over the Tang Dynasty under his command, and Li Shizhi also invited his friends in the poetry world to go, and the two sides turned the Poetry Club into a place for fighting; But the result was that Li Linfu had the upper hand, making Li Shizhi unbearable.

In the past two years, almost all the officials who followed Li Shizhi to participate in the Pear Blossom Poetry Club were investigated and prosecuted by Li Linfu on various charges, or raided their homes, dismissed or exiled. Clear-eyed people understand that this is Li Linfu's means of retaliation, and Li Shizhi undoubtedly fell for Li Linfu again, because the officials he invited to go revealed their identities as Li Shifu's party, and they were liquidated afterwards.

So when this year's Spring Festival poetry meeting was coming, many people declined Li Shizhi's invitation, they didn't want to blatantly oppose Li Linfu anymore, they were worried that they would be targeted by Li Linfu at the poetry meeting and become the next victim.

Seeing that the Pear Blossom Poetry Conference is coming, Li Shizhi's subordinates have no other poetry masters except for a few desperate staff, Li Shizhi is unwilling to accept such a failure, so he came up with this strategy, and sent several of his subordinates to cast a net, hoping to get a few people to participate in the poetry meeting, even if they lose the competition, they can't lose their popularity.

This is what Steward Liu can't tell the inside story, and the battle between the court officials is stumbling in this way, which is also a unique scenery of the Tang Dynasty.

……

Seeing that Wang Yuan was silent, Steward Liu also lost interest, he had already decided that Wang Yuan had no real ability, on the premise of being able to submit to Li Zuoxiang and get a recommendation, who would hesitate for half a minute? This can only show that Wang Yuan's bronze mirror poem is either a plagiarized work, or it is an occasional flash of inspiration, and he is actually a mediocre person.

Steward Liu put away the smile on his face and said solemnly: "Prince Wang, it seems that you don't want to agree to this matter, so I won't force it, forgive the old man for still having affairs, so I will leave." ”

Steward Liu brushed his sleeves and left, but heard Wang Yuan shouting, "Who said I didn't agree?" You just said that you moved me, I don't want to be a fangding for the rest of my life. ”

Steward Liu stopped and said disdainfully: "Don't you don't believe that gold ingots fall from the sky? Aren't you worried about what's going on? ”

Wang Yuan shook his head and said: "Worrying is naturally worrying, but a person like me, who has nothing on all sides, except for one life, what is there to worry about?" It's one thing to be worried, it's another to agree or disagree. ”

Steward Liu sneered: "So you are willing to participate in the Pear Blossom Poetry Meeting?" ”

"Of course I do."

"But you haven't asked the old man if he wants you to participate, you can participate if you want to? Do you know if you have real skills? That bronze mirror poem alone is not enough to qualify you for the Ewha Poetry Club. ”

Wang Yuan scolded in his heart, and this old man began to drag up.

"According to the meaning of Steward Liu, how can I prove it?" Wang Yuan asked with a smile.

"It's very simple, I'll ask the question, and you can prove it to the old man on the spot." Steward Liu sneered: "Does the prince dare to do so?" ”

Wang Yuan laughed and said: "Come here again, why don't you dare?" I'm afraid that my verses will come out and scare your jaw off. ”

"What a madman. It's a neat mouth. Steward Liu turned his eyes and pointed to the northwest corner of the Zhao family's courtyard and said, "I will take the scenery over there as the theme, give you a stick of incense time, and make a poem." ”

Wang Yuan followed his gaze, and in the corner of the courtyard wall, a small patch of snow had not disappeared in the white clearing, a few plum trees stood quietly, and the small pale yellow flowers on the branches were hidden in the snow, and it was impossible to distinguish where the flowers were and where the snow was.

In this situation, a small poem poured into his mind, Wang Yuan did not think about it, and recited softly: "There are a few plums in the corner, Ling Han opens it alone, and he knows that it is not snow, because there is a dark fragrance." ”

Steward Liu was still stroking his beard and smiling at first, but Wang Yuan groaned, his body froze, and the smile on his face turned into a look of surprise, and his eyes were full of excitement.

"I know that it is not snow, because there is a dark fragrance...... Good poems, good poems, Wang Gongzi, the old man is really convinced, after the heavy snow this spring, there are more than a thousand sentences of singing snow and plums, and this poem today can be the leader. The old man apologizes to you, what he said just now is abrupt and rude. ”

Steward Liu bowed his hand to Wang Yuan respectfully, with a sincere expression and admiration from the heart.

Wang Yuan was a little embarrassed, and secretly apologized to the future Wang Anshi in his heart.

"Wang Gongzi, the old man dares to assert that at this year's Spring Festival Poetry Meeting, Wang Gongzi will be famous all over the world. You must participate in the Spring Festival poetry meeting, the old man will go back to report to the county prince, Wang Gongzi will go back to get ready, tomorrow morning, the old man will personally send a horse to pick you up. ”

Wang Yuan said with a smile: "Steward Liu's praise is false, I'll go tomorrow, it's too early." ”

Steward Liu shook his head and said, "Not early, not early, after reading today's poem, the county magistrate will be eager to see you immediately." Besides, are you still attached to this errand of the Yong'an Fang? ”

Wang Yuan said: "It's not attachment, I don't know when I can come back, there are still more than ten days before the pear blossom poetry meeting, I can't go home for more than ten days." ”

Steward Liu was stunned and said, "What are you doing when you come back?" The old man can be the master of the county, and from now on, Wang Gongzi will be one of the guests of the Zuo Prime Minister's Mansion, and the old man will arrange the Yajing Mansion for Wang Gongzi to recuperate and prepare for the poetry meeting. The son's family naturally moved away with him, so what is there to be nostalgic? ”

Wang Yuan thought for a while and said, "How about I go back and discuss with Neiko, and make a decision tomorrow?" ”

Steward Liu nodded and said, "Okay, the old man will go back and prepare a place for you to live, tomorrow morning the old man will still come to pick up the son, and Mrs. Zun should not object." ”