Fan Zhongyan sat in the lobby, chatting with Sima Guang, Wang Anshi, Zeng Gong, Feng Jing and a group of young talents, this time Fan Zhongyan entered Beijing, mainly to do two things, one is to congratulate Pang Ji on his birthday, and the second is to persuade his friend Yin Zhu to resign and go to Dengzhou to recuperate.

These two things have been done at present, especially Yin Zhu, today, the Ministry of Officials has done a special thing for him, and he has gone through the formalities for him, and he will be able to go on the road with him tomorrow, which makes Fan Zhongyan breathe a long sigh of relief.

At this time, Ouyang Xiu slowly walked over and said with a smile: "Xiwen, give me Fanning!" I took him as an apprentice, and ten years later I will return you to a jinshi and a rank. ”

Fan Zhongyan pointed at Ouyang Xiu and smiled at everyone: "Look, this person is good at skinning, I am just a grandson with a little talent, he still wants to snatch it!" ”

Everyone laughed, but Ouyang Xiu put away his smile, looked at Fan Zhongyan and said: "I mean seriously, the child who can impress me is no longer available, he is the first one I have met in ten years, I really want to accept him under the door." ”

Fan Zhongyan smiled faintly, turned around and asked Wang Anshi, "How is the prodigy Fang Zhongyong in your hometown?" ”

Wang Anshi shook his head, "It's not like ordinary people!" ”

Ouyang Xiu understood what Fan Zhongyan meant, and hurriedly said: "I will concentrate on teaching him, strictly demand him, carefully carve him, let him eventually become a beautiful jade, and never let him be burdened by false fame!" ”

Fan Zhongyan was silent for a moment, and said to everyone: "My original intention is to let him return to his hometown to study, let him grow up in adversity, and when he becomes an adult, I implore everyone to look at the face of the old Fan, and help him more, I can also be blind." ”

He said it very sincerely, and everyone thought that he was old, and there seemed to be a sense of loneliness in his words, and everyone felt a little sad in their hearts.

After a pause, Fan Zhongyan said to Ouyang Xiu again: "I went all the way north to observe him, he is a very independent, different child, the more adversity, the more he will treasure the light and be introverted, hidden deeply, but once the time comes, he will spread his wings like a big peng, soaring in the nine days, I entered Beijing this time, is to entrust him to Uncle Yong ten years later, but now what I want to give him is plain and adversity, please forgive Uncle Yong!" ”

Ouyang Xiu was helpless, so he nodded silently, and today's Fan Ning wrote, 'Weeping Willow Zimo Luoyang Dong, always hand in hand back then' deeply moved him.

Anyway, just wait for him for a few more years, Ouyang Xiu secretly made up his mind.

At this moment, someone suddenly shouted: "The Son of Heaven has arrived!" ”

Everyone was shocked, they stood up one after another, only to see two teams of guards rushing quickly, standing guard around the lobby, today is the 60th birthday of Prime Minister Pang, and Zhao Zhen, the son of heaven, personally came to congratulate him on his birthday.

After a while, I saw a group of guards surrounded by a middle-aged man dressed in regular clothes and wearing a black gauze hat walked in, only to see that he had a long face, fair skin, and a graceful temperament, and there was a kind of temperament that reigned over the world between his gestures, and the person who came was Zhao Zhen, the son of heaven, that is, Song Renzong in history.

During his reign of more than 40 years, social stability and economic development promoted the Northern Song Dynasty to gradually move towards prosperity.

Behind Zhao Zhen, there was also a man in his fifties, who looked upright, but his eyes always revealed a little yin owl, and the smile on his face was also a little wrong, looking yin and yang.

This person is the national abbot Zhang Yaozuo, in the traditional opera novel, it is said that Bao Zheng's rival is Pang Taishi, that is, the protagonist of today's birthday celebration Pang Ji, in fact, it is not, the prototype of Pang Taishi should be this national abbot Zhang Yaozuo, Zhang Guifei's father.

Zhang Yaozuo is also holding a boy about ten years old in his hand, he looks smart, and his eyes are also very smart, his name is Zhang Chun, and he is Zhang Yaozuo's grandson.

Ouyang Xiu whispered to Fan Zhongyan: "That Zhang Chun is said to be able to read books and never forget, and he is also a rare prodigy in the capital. ”

This is a custom in the Northern Song Dynasty, the elderly have a birthday, there must be a smart and clever boy to come forward to offer longevity peach, indicating that the descendants are extended, and for the noble family, the smart and clever boy offering longevity peach becomes a prodigy offering poems, indicating that there are successors in the family.

Pang Ji himself has a smart grandson who doesn't need others to do much, so Fan Zhongyan didn't personally bring Fan Ning to the banquet, because he was afraid that Pang Ji would be too careful.

But this kind of celebrity and celebrity occasion is a godsend opportunity for the child to make a name for himself, Zhang Yaozuo of course didn't want to let go, so he brought his grandson.

Pang Ji hurriedly stepped forward to greet the official family, he saw Zhang Chun at a glance, and suddenly felt a little unhappy in his heart, did Zhang Yaozuo come to steal the limelight from his grandson?

Zhao Zhen smiled and exchanged a few words with Pang Ji, his eyes turned, and he saw Fan Zhongyan, he was a little sorry in his heart, the new deal was he asked Fan Zhongyan to preside, the new deal failed, and he had to drive Fan Zhongyan, Fu Bi and others out of the capital, so that they were scapegoats.

"Fan Aiqing, we haven't seen each other for a long time!"

Fan Zhongyan hurriedly stepped forward and saluted, "Wechen thanks the official family for approving Master Yin's gift." ”

Zhao Zhen nodded, "I heard that Fan Aiqing is deeply loved by the people in Dengzhou, and the school is impressive, I am also grateful." ”

"Let Your Majesty worry, I hope Your Majesty will take care of the dragon body, work hard, and make my Great Song Dynasty more prosperous and powerful!"

At this time, Zhang Yaozuo said in a strange manner: "Tell Governor Fan a good news, the financial income of the imperial court in the past two years is far more than the five years of Qingli!" ”

The implication is that without the New Deal, the imperial court would have been better in the past two years.

Fan Zhongyan said lightly: "This is indeed good news, which makes Guozhang bother." ”

Fan Zhong hid the needle in his mian, and stabbed back silently, and Zhang Yaozuo was speechless for a moment.

Zhang Yaozuo's many events made Zhao Zhen a little unhappy, and the Qingli New Deal was carried out at his strong request, doesn't this mean that he Zhao Zhen's decision-making was wrong?

Zhao Zhen waved his hand and said to Zhang Yaozuo: "Doesn't the national lord have something to ask Pang Xianggong?" ”

Zhang Yaozuo was so shrewd, he immediately understood that he had said the wrong thing, and the official family didn't want to mention the new deal, so he immediately threw Fan Zhongyan aside, pulled his grandson forward and said to Pang Ji with a smile: "Today is a good day for Pang Gong, in order to express a little bit of my heart, I specially brought my grandson to Pang Gong's birthday." ”

Pang Ji was furious in his heart, if it weren't for the presence of the official family, he would have turned his face with Zhang Yaozuo today, and he would have his own birthday, and it would be his turn to have the surname Zhang come to offer his birthday? I want to use my birthday to make a name for his grandson, and my wishful thinking is good!

It's just that the official family was present, and he held back his anger and said: "Thank you for the good intentions of the national abbot, I have arranged for my grandson Pang Bo to celebrate my birthday today, but unfortunately, the national abbot said that he was a step late." ”

"It's okay, wouldn't it be a good thing for two children to sacrifice their lives together?"

Zhang Yaozuo hit this idea, he knew that Pang Ji would not give the opportunity to his grandson, so he wanted to force his foot and insert his grandson into it.

Pang Ji was a little embarrassed, he would offend Zhang Yaozuo if he didn't agree, and he was unwilling to agree.

At this time, Bao Zheng stood up and said with a smile: "Pang Xianggong, the two prodigies are indeed more in line with the double intention of the sixtieth birthday, but which two prodigies should be sacrificed, I think it is worth discussing." ”

Zhang Yaozuo and Bao Zheng have always been at odds, he didn't expect Bao Zheng to find his own fault in this matter, he suddenly said angrily: "Bao Shilang, what do you mean by this?" ”

Bao Zheng still smiled and said: "What I mean is very clear, one of the two prodigies must be surnamed Pang, and the other does not have to be surnamed Zhang, I think Pang Xianggong will prefer a real talented prodigy to give him his birthday, Pang Xianggong, are you right?" ”

Pang Ji understood what Bao Zheng meant, this is called making a wedding dress for people, Zhang Yaozuo borrowed the name of the official family to forcibly arrange the birthday celebration of the two children, and arranged it, but in the end it was not his turn, which is very interesting.

"Makes sense!"

Pang Ji nodded, and saluted Zhao Zhen again: "Your Majesty, Weichen, as a longevity man, really hopes that there will be a real talented prodigy to celebrate Weichen's birthday and take auspiciousness!" ”

Zhao Zhen smiled slightly, "The master of this matter is in charge, and I am also a guest today!" ”

With that, he walked briskly up to the lobby and sat down in the guest seats.

Zhang Yaozuo was secretly annoyed in his heart, but he also investigated, and there were seven or eight children here today, and I am afraid that only Zeng Bu could be called a prodigy.

He said coldly: "My grandson is only ten years old, if Bao Shilang finds a thirteen-year-old prodigy to compare with my grandson, then I can only admit defeat." ”

Bao Zheng shook his head, "I'm not looking for Zeng Bu, I recommend another child, two years younger than your grandson, are you willing to accept the challenge?" ”

"Oh? I don't know who Bao Shilang wants to recommend? Zhang Yaozuo breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, as long as it wasn't Zeng Bu, he wasn't afraid.

At this time, everyone looked at Fan Ning, Fan Ning was full of regret in his heart, he knew that Bao Zheng was going to drag himself into the water, and he came to see what Emperor Laoshizi was!

But now it is impossible for him to escape, Wang Anshi grabbed his wrist tightly, for fear that he would escape.

Bao Zheng glanced at Fan Zhongyan, Fan Zhongyan nodded slightly, Bao Zheng beckoned to Fan Ning and smiled: "Xiao Fan, come to me!" ”