"The river bends and bends in the west; I'm shocked by the scenery in a foreign land. Hundreds of families gather in a county; there's no city on three sides; however, it's leaning against a mountain. The shadows of sails lean against the maple leaves; the sound of the beach gurgling. The rain cloak and smoke cloak near Yan Ling; the clear stream shines on the guest's face … Good poem, good poem. This poem could at least stay on the list of poems in the Talents' Pavilion for one year. It's said that the one who wrote this poem is a talented man surnamed Xu in Xintong City. Not bad, not bad … "
"I feel this one is more artistic. The wild wind blows against the white monk; I'm walking along the stream. The setting sun is in the flowing water; the green mountain is in the far. Flowers are chatting when they are cold; birds are singing when they are tired. Where the smoke of tea rises; the fishing boat is tied to Zhuxi … "
"Brother Ou, you're wrong. If this poem appeared in a rural restaurant or a hermit's residence in the deep mountains, it would be amazing. However, if the poem's artistic conception appeared in the Scholars' Pavilion, the writer would be suspected of selling his cleverness. Moreover, he's not what he looks like. His pursuit may not be as elegant as the poem's. Therefore, I won't vote for this poem and help it get on the list …"
"Brother Li, you're right; you're right …"
Translator: WQL Editor: Aleem In the afternoon, Zhang Tie was finally sent to the Talents' Pavilion in Datang City by a warm-hearted taxi driver after spending the whole morning in Datang City. In this morning, Zhang Tie took a small circle in Datang City and learned a lot of news from the taxi driver. As a result, Zhang Tie gained a lot of useful information about Datang City and Xuanyuan Wuji.
Xuanyuan Wuji's position in Datang City was like that of Zhang Tie in Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory. Each of Xuanyuan Wuji's movement would attract the attention of the public. Therefore, Zhang Tie knew that Xuanyuan Wuji was in Datang City these days.
The taxi driver said that at the end of each year, the beloved third prince would host many activities such as providing porridge, rice, money and grain to soldiers, commoners and students in Datang City. Therefore, Xuanyuan Wuji would basically stay in Datang City from December to the end of the new year. After hearing this news, Zhang Tie became not anxious anymore.
Zhang Tie had already made up his mind to visit the prince's mansion tonight and kill Xuanyuan Wuji when the opportunity was right. After having lunch in a boite, the taxi driver took him to the Talents' Pavilion in the afternoon. Zhang Tie then started to wander in the Talents' Pavilion with the mentality of making the best of it.
Talents' Pavilion was a vast octagonal traditional Chinese building. Talents' Pavilion was located in the west of Datang City, on a hill not far from the Tang Academy. It was surrounded by beautiful scenery. No entrance ticket was needed to enter Talents' Pavilion. Instead, each person could get a ticket at the gate. Many people came here. After getting their tickets, they could browse the policies and poems of those "talents" in Talents' Pavilion. If they met someone that they liked, they could vote their tickets into the ballot box under that work. After a period of time, the ballot box would be opened and the votes would be counted. The works with the highest votes would be placed in a higher position. Therefore, they would be on the top of various lists in Talents' Pavilion and have a chance to reach the sky in a single bound.
Zhang Tie had already known the rules of the Talents' Pavilion when he was in the taxi. After coming here, Zhang Tie felt it interesting to watch those literati's immersed look in the Talents' Pavilion.
As for Zhang Tie, the so-called Talents' Pavilion was just a trick that Xuanyuan Wuji used to bribe people at the bottom of society and manipulate public opinion. If he wanted to compete for the throne, of course, Xuanyuan Wuji had to pretend to be a "wise emperor". Such a trick would work more or less. However, the so-called celebrities in the Talents' Pavilion were actually low-level literati and scholars in Datang City and nearby provinces and prefectures. If these people were celebrities, what about knights in Taixia Country? Real knights would disdain the items here. Knights didn't need to show off these rotten things for fame and wealth.
These literati didn't have any other abilities; however, they had a great right of speech at the bottom of society and could influence many people. Perhaps, this was the reason why Xuanyuan Wuji played this trick.
In the world where knights were respected, those pure literati who only focused on reading and didn't make any achievements in battle arts and cultivation didn't have a high position. Even though they had made achievements in reading, most of them could only be low-level scribes. Very few literati could become the right-hand men and trusted subordinates of His Majesty like Fang Xuanming. Perhaps, it was because of this that so many scholars were so enthusiastic about the so-called tricks in the Hall of Fame, which gave them the illusion that they had become famous scholars who could guide the country in a single bound.
Zhang Tie was not interested in these poems at all; instead, he had already known the function of the Talents' Pavilion. Standing behind those literati and listening to their comments on those poems, Zhang Tie couldn't help but reveal a casual look like watching a bunch of kids playing castle games in a sandpit …
"Brother, I wonder what's your opinion on these poems in the Talents' Pavilion …" When Zhang Tie was going to turn around and leave, one of the literati in front of him noticed Zhang Tie's disapproving look. As a result, those literati in front of him turned around and watched Zhang Tie at once.
"Haha, you don't have a brilliant opinion; you don't have a brilliant opinion. Of course, the poems that could be exhibited here are not bad …" Zhang Tie burst out into laughter as he cupped his hands towards them and intended to leave.
"Brother, you're really arrogant!" Just now, Zhang Tie felt that he had said something nice; however, when those literati heard his "nice" words, they felt that Zhang Tie was too arrogant. They all glared at Zhang Tie as if Zhang Tie had insulted their belief. "All the poems that could be hung here are top works among hundreds of millions of people in provinces and prefectures. Brother, perhaps you have a lot of poems. How about showing them to us …"
"When I watched the falling snow last year, I got a poem called" Falling Snow ". If you don't dislike it, I will show it to you …"
"Fine, go ahead. We will appreciate your masterpiece …" A literati said with a sneer.
After looking around, Zhang Tie cleared his throat. Under the gaze of those literati, he recited the poem solemnly, "What's flying in the sky? Piles of them in the east and in the west. Is it the Jade Emperor's golden palace sifting lime? Sifting lime!"
After Zhang Tie recited the poem, all the scholars around him had been dumbfounded as their faces turned purple and their bodies quivered like cramps …
Zhang Tie seemed to be interested in it. Before those literati uttered, he had continued, "When I saw the lightning bolt in the sky, I got a beautiful poem called" Singing Lightning Bolt ". Please comment it for me. Ahem ahem, listen carefully — — I suddenly saw a fiery chain in the sky. It seemed that the Jade Emperor wanted to smoke. If the Jade Emperor didn't smoke, why was there a fiery chain … Alas, brothers, don't run away. I've got some more poems … "
Those literati who wanted to "embarrass" Zhang Tie had been deeply injured by his two poems. Soon after Zhang Tie finished the second poem, all the literati had covered their faces and flung their sleeves away. They didn't want to talk to Zhang Tie anymore.
Zhang Tie pretended to urge them to stay. However, those scholars ran away faster as they were afraid that they would be covered with bad luck the moment they touched Zhang Tie. Therefore, they ran faster after hearing Zhang Tie's words.
Zhang Tie shook his head with a smile. The moment he was going to leave, he heard applause from behind.
"Pah, pah, pah, good poem, good poem …"
Zhang Tie turned around as he saw a scholarly middle-aged literati in white robe watching him with a smile and applauding for him.
"Little brother, the two lines of your poems seem to be crude, but they are very bold. In terms of boldness, many poems in the Talents' Pavilion are much inferior to yours, not to mention the style of writing …"
After hearing the middle-aged literati's words, Zhang Tie realized that he was not making fun of him; instead, he was really commenting on his poems. However, Zhang Tie had a good impression on this literati.
"Haha, honestly, I'm not the one who made the two lines. I just read it in a book by chance. The one who made the two lines was a rude Hua warrior before the Catastrophe …"
"No wonder!" The literati in white robe understood it right away, "Now that young brother could admit it frankly, you must be an upright person. I think it's your first time to come to Datang City. If you don't mind, how about traveling around Datang City with me today …"
"Fine …" Zhang Tie replied with a smile.
(To be continued.)
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