"Slender West Lake, Painting Boat Poetry Club?"

Wei Chen pondered for a moment when he heard this, and then nodded with a smile: "Naturally, I want to go, just in time to see the literary style of Yangzhou scholars!" ”

"Second brother, listen to it, the elder brother of the Wei family also wants to go, what else do you have to say now!" Hearing Wei Chen's agreement, Sheng Changfeng looked excited and looked at Sheng Changbai triumphantly.

Sheng Changbai smiled helplessly, and immediately beckoned his personal scholar to ask him to go to his father Sheng Hong for instructions, and then ordered someone to pass the order down and prepare the carriage and horse first.

After Wei Chen had breakfast, Sheng Changbai's scholar came back to deliver a message, saying that Sheng Hong had agreed to the three of them to participate in the poetry meeting, and also expressed the hope that they could all make achievements in the poetry meeting.

Wei Chen couldn't help but be a little puzzled when he heard this, as far as he knew, Sheng Hong had never liked Sheng Changfeng to mingle with his fox friends and singing poems, how could he be so tolerant of him participating in this painting boat poetry meeting, and even seemed to have encouragement in his tone?

Later, on the road, after the explanations of Sheng Changbai and Sheng Changfeng, Wei Chen realized that the three of them were not going to an ordinary poetry club this time, but a painting boat poetry meeting that would only be held once every six months in Slender West Lake.

This painting boat poetry meeting is a grand event in Yangzhou's literary circle, during which the literati of the whole Yangzhou will gather here, and even many scholars from neighboring houses will come to the meeting.

Many unknown scholars are holding back their strength and vowing to take the opportunity of this poetry meeting to become famous.

Hearing this, Wei Chen instantly understood, no wonder Sheng Hong would encourage his two sons to participate in the painting boat poetry meeting, in the final analysis, it was all for their future imperial examinations!

During the Tang Dynasty, Chen Ziang rushed to Chang'an to participate in the imperial examination, but the result was that he failed twice.

It just so happened that there was a Hu man in the city who sold pianos, asking for a million, and no one dared to ask.

Chen Ziang was arrogant, spent a lot of money to buy this huqin, and then widely announced it, and the next day there will be a banquet and a luxurious banquet, and this qin will be played in public.

The next day, the guests gathered, expecting Chen Ziang to play the elegant sound, but Chen Ziang actually smashed the piano on the ground in front of everyone.

Such a precious huqin, smashed when it was smashed, everyone in the audience sighed for it, only Chen Ziang didn't care, and took the opportunity to send his poems to everyone, and since then he has become famous all over the world, and then won the Jinshi in one fell swoop.

This is the allusion to the famous "Ziang Broken Qin" in history.

Savor this story carefully, and it is not difficult to find that the so-called smashing the piano is just a way for Chen Ziang to carry out personal marketing.

From falling twice in a row to being admitted to the Jinshi in one fell swoop, the effect of Chen Ziang's marketing this time is beyond saying.

Then the question arises, obviously Chen Ziang is still the same Chen Ziang, why can't he pass the test before he became famous, but once he became famous all over the world, he immediately passed the test?

Since the establishment of the imperial examination, no matter how the specific system has changed, there have been many scholars similar to Chen Ziang's experience.

It can be seen that in the long process of the imperial examination, if candidates want to get a good score, they must not be stupid and only know how to study hard, but also learn to properly hype themselves, so that they can be like Chen Ziang and Chinese in one fell swoop.

For ordinary candidates from ordinary families, if they want to promote their reputation, participating in poetry meetings is the most cost-effective way.

Especially in a grand event where scholars gather like the Yangzhou Painting Boat Poetry Club, if one or two outstanding talents are brought out, this person's reputation can soon spread to the ears of readers in the whole province and even the whole province.

It's called hype.

Don't underestimate this so-called momentum, many times, examiners can be not afraid of the powerful, but they often can't resist the power of public opinion in Shilin.

For example, a certain genius had a great reputation before the exam, and even the emperor had heard of it, but after the exam, he would try it, and this person actually fell off the list.

After the list is published, the scholars will inevitably question the unfairness of the examiner's selection of scholars, if the popularity of that talented man is good enough, and the scholars will unite to make things bigger, maybe even the Son of Heaven will ask: Why is there no name of so-and-so on the list?

When the time comes, the examiner will have to face both turbulent discussions and interrogations, so you can imagine how much pressure he will have!

Of course, this is just an assumption, whether it is Wei Chen or the Sheng family brothers, their reputation at this time is far from reaching the point where it is enough to shake the world.

It is precisely because of this that they need to participate more in positive social activities such as the Poetry Club, expand their network and promote their reputation.

"Phew—"

After about half an hour's drive, the handlebar let out a low cry and brought the carriage to a steady stop.

The scholar who was walking next to the car stepped forward quickly and lifted the curtain: "Young master, we are here." ”

Slender West Lake is located in the northwest suburbs of Yangzhou, and is named because of its slender surface and shaped like a ribbon.

In fact, Slender West Lake is not a lake in the traditional sense, but a ribbon landscape formed by several generations of cities, and maintains an interactive relationship with water sources in the Grand Canal.

Compared with the mighty West Lake of Hangzhou, Yangzhou Slender West Lake is more like a large water garden, with many places of interest such as Wuting Bridge, Xiaojin Mountain, 24 Bridge, and Lotus Pond.

At this time, it has entered winter, and the spring lake scenery is different from the graceful and graceful, the sky and lake on the slender West Lake in winter are all white, the sky and the clouds, the mountains and the water are integrated, a sparse atmosphere, people are open-minded.

Wei Chen and the three of them came to the lake, and finally found a ferry, but unfortunately, the boat was already full of scholars from all over the world, and they had just sailed off shore.

Wei Chen saw that the ferry was only a few feet away from the shore, and hurriedly shouted: "Boat family, we are also here to participate in the poetry meeting, please make it convenient, drive the boat back to the shore, and take us together!" ”

The old man stood in the cold wind, turned around and saw three well-mannered scholars standing on the shore, and said happily: "If the prince dares to come to the poetry meeting, he must be full of literary talent, if you can make a seven-character quatrain, and the poem contains ten [one] characters, the old man will immediately turn the bow of the boat and ferry you to the center of the lake." ”

"What poem can have ten words, you are clearly deliberately making things difficult!"

Sheng Changfeng was annoyed when he heard it, a little captain made things difficult for him, it was unreasonable!

At that moment, he shouted in the direction of the ferry, and said with a threat: "My father is a general judge in Yangzhou, if you dare not come back to cross us, be careful that Young Master Ben makes you look good!" ”

"Third brother, don't be rude to the elders, step back!"

Sheng Changbai heard Sheng Changfeng's wild words, worried that he would insult the reputation of the Sheng family in front of everyone, so he immediately reprimanded.

Sheng Changfeng was aggrieved, pointed to the old man and complained: "Second brother, it's obvious that he ...... first."

"Huh?"

Sheng Changbai opened his eyes and glared at his younger brother, Sheng Changfeng immediately admitted and obediently closed his mouth.

"Three little ministers, can you write this poem old man?"

At this time, the lazy voice of the old man in the distance came, he didn't seem to take the threat of Fang Cai Sheng Changfeng to heart at all, and said a little impatiently: "If you can't, then please wait patiently, wait for the old man to send this talented man into the center of the lake first, go to Xiaojin Mountain to drink two taels of old wine to warm up, and then come back to pick you up!" ”

"Second brother, he seems to be really planning to leave!"

Sheng Changfeng was so anxious that he stomped his feet and looked at his second brother, Sheng Changbai was also a little anxious in his heart, if he really wanted to let the ferry in front of him go, and wait for the next one, then he didn't know when it would be.

Even if they are young and can withstand the biting cold wind, if they miss the poetry meeting, it will be troublesome.

Just when the brothers were at a loss, Wei Chen suddenly stepped forward and shouted to the old man: "Don't worry, this poem has some clues, but the wind is strong by the lake, and the words can't be heard really, and I ask the virtuous man to hold the ferry back first, so I can write a poem, and the virtuous man can also hear it clearly and give guidance." ”

"It's fine."

The old man smiled, turned the bow of the boat, and pushed the boat back to the shore.

Wei Chen stepped forward with one foot, and the brothers Sheng Changbai and Sheng Changfeng followed Wei Chen on the boat.

As soon as he got on the boat, Sheng Changfeng stared at the old man angrily, if he hadn't been pulled by Sheng Changbai, he really wanted to jump up and swallow the old man.

The old man glanced at the impotent and furious Sheng Changfeng, smiled disappreciatively, and then turned his head to look at Wei Chen, his eyes were quite playful.

"Little Xianggong, you just claimed to be confident, the old man will turn around and take you on the boat, the talented people on this boat are all watching, you are dignified and talented, can you trick me into an old man!"