On the tenth day of the first month, the Sheng Apricot Literary Gathering officially began.
Since early morning, a steady stream of scholars had arrived outside the Xiangzhou Literary Academy from all directions. Through the gate formed by the Heaven and Earth Shell, they entered the venue one after another.
The Heaven and Earth Shell completely replicated the scene of the Literary Academy, but the area was dozens of times larger.
In the middle of the Literary Academy square, there was a square apricot forest. In the center of the forest, white fog filled the air.
Everyone knew that within the white fog was the legendary Little Apricot Altar. It was formed by the two sacred apricots Fang Yun gave his lectures.
To the north of the apricot forest was the solemn Holy Temple. There were no seats in the empty space between the two.
To the south of the apricot forest was the main entrance of the Literary Academy. The empty space between the two was filled with seats.
The seats closest to the apricot forest were neat round tables. Around the round tables were well-made mahogany armchairs. This was where the monarchs, scholars, and scholars of various countries sat.
After that, there were no round tables. Instead, there were many ordinary chairs. This was where the scholars and scholars of various countries sat.
After that, there were brand-new long wooden benches. These were mass-produced by the scholars of the Gong Family. Any scholar could sit here.
Non-scholars were not allowed to enter the Sheng Apricot Literary Gathering. This was even stricter than the previous Mid-Autumn Literary Gathering.
Those scholars and scholars did not come, but there were many scholars sitting in other places. There were scholars from Tong Scholars to Hanlin Scholars.
Scholars from various countries came together and sat next to each other. They placed food and drinks, discussed books and papers, and chatted about everything. It was as if they were starting a small gathering before the Sheng Apricot Literary Gathering.
In the afternoon, the entire Yueyang City seemed to be empty.
Those non-scholars of Yueyang City looked at the Literary Academy with conflicted expressions. They were envious of those scholars who could participate in the Sheng Apricot Literary Gathering, but were also glad that these people were about to leave. To the local residents of Yueyang City, foreign scholars were a business opportunity. However, if there were too many of them, it would become a burden.
In the evening, the scholars, scholars, and monarchs came to their seats one after another. The noisy gathering slowly calmed down.
Just the aura that the scholars naturally emitted was enough to make all the scholars not dare to make a ruckus.
Not long after, a middle-aged man in a purple robe walked to the seats of the scholars, under the apricot forest.
The middle aged man's hair was white, his eyebrows were like two swords, and his eyes were as bright as the stars in the sky.
He just casually glanced around, and everyone below the level of Great Confucian instinctively lowered their heads slightly, not daring to meet his eyes.
Everyone could see the sharp longsword in his eyes.
Li Wenying's gaze seemed to linger on Gyeongo's seat for a moment.
Many people, especially the scholars of the Kingdom of Qing, looked at the famous Duke of Sword-Eyebrows, Li Wenying, with complicated expressions. In the past, this person had suppressed many of his peers in the Kingdom of Qing until they could not raise their heads. If it were not for the fact that Li Wenying was unparalleled in literature and battle but lacking in poetry, the scholars of the Kingdom of Qing would have been nightmares.
However, in an area where the great scholars and scholars of the Qing Kingdom were gathered, all of the Qing people had smiles on their faces. They did not hide the confidence in their smiles.
This was because one of them was a great Confucian scholar who had defeated Li Wenying in many literary competitions.
Three top scorers, father and son, four scholars, Ji Anchang of the Ji Family.
Li Wenying was not as good as Ji Anchang, but in terms of poetry, Ji Anchang was better than Li Wenying.
Although Ji Anchang was a great Confucian scholar, he had been working in secret these days. He did not even go to the Notre-Dame to accept a new position. Even his clothes were the old green robe of a scholar, not the purple robe of a great Confucian scholar.
The people sitting at the same table were all scholars.
Beside Ji Anchang, Zong Xueyan secretly transmitted his voice, "Brother Anchang, although you have been keeping a low profile these days, all the countries know that this will make it difficult for you to amaze the world. However, it doesn't matter. Those ordinary scholars don't know. As long as the literary competition ends, we can make you the only winner of this competition. But … are you really confident that you can suppress everyone, including Li Wenying? "
Ji Anchang smiled and transmitted his voice, "I have cultivated painstakingly for many years to suppress Li Wenying! Unfortunately, Li Wenying is the host of this competition and has the advantage. Until now, I don't know if he will compose a poem first or participate last. He might not even participate. If he composes a poem first, I will act immediately. If he composes a poem last, I will do it in two steps. I will first compose a poem to test him. When he finishes composing a poem, I will forcibly stand up and recite a poem to suppress him. Of course, if he doesn't compose a poem, I can't do anything. "
Zong Xueyan smiled and said, "Don't worry about this. Li Wenying and Fang Yun are close friends. Since this competition is to praise Fang Yun, he has no reason not to participate. Moreover, we have already made preparations. If Li Wenying doesn't compose a poem by the end of the competition, we will use reverse psychology to force him. If he doesn't compose a poem, his Literary Name will be damaged, and we can drive a wedge between him and Fang Yun. Therefore, at that time, he can only brace himself and compose a poem. "
"Okay, as long as Li Wenying composes a poem, I am confident that I can beat him." Ji Anchang's face was full of pride. Although he had never won a literary competition with Li Wenying, in terms of poems, he had won seven out of ten times.
Zong Xueyan said, "That's good. However … in order to provoke Li Wenying and the Jingguo scholars, I want to reveal the news in advance. I want to say that you want to suppress Li Wenying. I wonder if you will agree? "
"As long as I can force Li Wenying to compose a poem, anything is possible!" Ji Anchang said.
Zong Xueyan nodded slightly, but he sighed in his heart. Li Wenying had left Ji Anchang with severe psychological trauma. Although Ji Anchang had become a Great Confucian through his talent and hard work, if he did not completely defeat Li Wenying and wash away his humiliation, reaching the Second Realm was already his limit. He would definitely not be able to rule a country. After all, Wen Zhan had been scared away by Li Wenying, which was a huge stain on his record.
Ji Anchang's return this time was not so much to return to his hometown with glory, but to achieve a higher realm. He had no choice but to do so.
While the two of them were chatting, Li Wenying had finished his opening speech. He turned his body and saw the neatly arranged apricot trees slowly move to the sides, finally revealing a complete apricot altar in the middle of the apricot forest.
The apricot altar was the place where Fang Yun had lectured the officials of Xiangzhou. There were still various praying mats left on the ground. Other than that, there were two exceptionally tall apricot trees.
The apricot trees were sixty feet tall.
Every apricot tree was covered with golden sacred apricots.
The moment the apricot altar opened, the rich fragrance of the sacred apricots spread throughout the entire place.
Many scholars breathed in desperately, hoping to absorb more of the sacred apricot fragrance.
Even though the fragrance was far inferior to the sacred apricots themselves, if an ordinary person absorbed it, their chances of becoming a Scholar would be greatly increased.
Some of the Jingguo scholars and officials tried their best to absorb the sacred apricot fragrance, but there was no joy on their faces.
When Fang Yun was lecturing in the Academy of Literature, these people expressed their stand and did not follow Fang Yun. However, after the apricot altar was formed, those officials who stood on Fang Yun's side directly absorbed a large amount of apricot pollen. Their strength increased, and their future was limitless. Those who did not participate in the lecture lost the easiest chance of becoming a Scholar.
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