Mi Qiong and Peng He smiled and gestured for Zhao Siku to sit down. The three old men, whose ages added up to almost two hundred years, sat around a stool. The two Beiliang calligraphers, who hadn't even had time to change their clothes, were still covered in the fragrance of ink. They each gulped down the wine in their cups and exhaled heavily. Their faces were somewhat gloomy. Zhao Siku was a senior eunuch who had once been in charge of the Directorate of Credentials in the Liyang Imperial Palace. Although he had taken off the red python gown that was still extremely eye-catching in the palace, his ability to read people's expressions was still as shrewd and ruthless. However, Zhao Siku didn't say anything. He took a small sip of wine and picked a relatively casual topic to start the conversation. "I just came back from the Green Deer Cave Academy. The Yellow Mountain Lord asked me to ask two old friends for a few calligraphy pieces. I didn't dare to carelessly agree to it and only said that I would pass on the message."
Mi Qiong shook his head. "Old Peng and I don't have the leisure to write calligraphy pieces these days. I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint Brother Zhao and the Yellow Mountain Lord."
How could Zhao Siku not see that Mi Qiong and Peng He, who had been inscribing tombstones all day long? At this moment, their wrists were still trembling as they raised their cups. Their mental and physical exertion was nothing more than this. So he smiled and said, "It's fine, it's fine. The Yellow Mountain Lord has already said that this matter isn't urgent. He can wait. He can wait a few years or even ten years."
Peng He smiled. "As long as His Highness chases away the Beimang barbarians, let alone three or four calligraphy pieces, even thirty or forty would be personally delivered to the Yellow Mountain Lord's Green Deer Cave Academy. But Brother Zhao, we're not outsiders, so I'll say the ugly words first. Old Mi and I have heard that many foreign scholars in the academy are not good people. They criticize our Beiliang's military and political affairs. They always think that if they come to the Prince's Mansion on Mount Qing Liang or the Huaiyang Pass Protectorate Manor, they can turn the tide. These little bastards don't think that it's easy to just stand there and talk. Just because His Highness is easy to talk to, they can take a mile after taking an inch. Is Huang Chang not going to do anything about it? "
He shook his head and said, "It's not that we can't do anything about it. It's just that if we don't do anything about it, we won't be able to do anything about it. Besides, the scholars in Beiliang have changed a lot compared to when they first came to Beiliang. Occasionally, there will still be some scholars who don't know the gravity of the situation. However, their original intention is for the good of Beiliang. Many of the young people who came to Beiliang with the mentality of moving trees and people alive in mind have unknowingly considered themselves to be Beiliang people. This is a great thing."
Mi, who had once smashed his precious inkstone in front of Hsu Fengnian, grunted in agreement. "The seeds of learning, the seeds of learning. These young people have truly taken root and sprouted in Beiliang. Sooner or later, our Beiliang will also have towering trees that the scholars of the Central Plains look up to. It will become a towering scholar forest."
Peng He raised his cup and paused for a moment. He couldn't help but sigh. "I'm just afraid that we won't be able to see that day."
Mi, who was more emotional, said angrily, "Let's not talk about Yao Baifeng, who went to the Imperial College in the capital. His morals and knowledge are the best in the world. He is indeed worthy of the title of Eminent Scholar. Even if he leaves Beiliang, I, Mi, still hope that Master Yao can make a name for himself in the imperial court. However, this Yan Jiexi is really a good-for-nothing. He relied on his connections to become a Grand Secretary and forgot his roots! After it was said that he had a chance to become one of the vice-presidents of the next examination, he spread the word that the number of people who are qualified to enter Beiliang for the examination in the capital is going to be cut in half from the usual 40 people in the past. Only 20 people are allowed to participate in the examination! To think that I wrote so many calligraphy pieces and birthday couplets for this old thing in the past. I wish I could chop off my own hands! "
Peng He sneered. "That Turtle Yan is just trying to avoid arousing suspicion. Let's count with our fingers. Master Yao of the older generation, Chen Wang and Sun Yin of the younger generation, are all top scholars in the imperial court. Even that assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites, Jin Lanting, who is also a vice-president, is also from Beiliang. Perhaps this time, the reduction of Beiliang's examination quota is a sinister scheme that Yan Jiexi and Jin Lanting, one old and one young, came from Beiliang."
Zhao Siku smiled playfully. "Don't worry, my two old friends. From my point of view, this time, Beiliang's quota isn't going to be reduced. It's the exact opposite. It's very simple. More and more scholars are entering Beiliang. How can the imperial court not panic? At this time, Yan Jiexi and Jin Lanting's suggestion is just for show. Those high-ranking officials in the center of the imperial court won't accept them. On the contrary, they will increase the quota. Not only that, of these Beiliang scholars coming to the capital for the examination, if nothing unexpected happens, there will be a good number of lucky ones who are doing well in Great peace City. The imperial court just wants to use this opportunity to tell us, the scholars of Beiliang, that if you learn both civil and martial arts, you can be of use to the imperial family. From now on, the imperial court will not give a low price. Flowers grow in the wall, fragrance grows outside the wall. "
Peng He paused and gritted his teeth. "This imperial court is too shameless!"
Mi Qiong was even more direct. "If I were the prince, I would just stop these scholars and keep the goodies within the family."
Zhao Siku shook his head and smiled. "Beiliang has never done such a despicable thing since the time of the Great General. In the hands of the current prince, he probably still won't do it. Perhaps in the eyes of many Liyang officials, this is a stupid thing to do. However, from my point of view, justice is in the hearts of the people. That's enough. "
Mi Qiong nodded. "Yes, justice is in the hearts of the people."
Peng He finished the wine in his cup in one gulp. He gripped the empty cup tightly and said with a hoarse voice, "The governor of Tiger Head City, Liu Jinu, is dead. Lieutenant Chu Hanqing is dead. Lieutenant Ma Jili is dead. All the infantry and cavalry in Tiger Head City are dead. Hulukou of Youzhou, Crouching Bow City, Luanhe City, Xiaguang City, Qingcang City in Liuzhou. So many places, so many Beiliang Frontier Army, so many people have died! Does the Liyang imperial court know? Do the people of the Central Plains know? "
Peng He put down his cup and hammered his chest with his hand. He choked with sobs. "I don't care if they know or not. Mi Qiong and I, these two old farts, have personally engraved the names of so many young Beiliang men. Every day, the white-haired people have to send the black-haired people off. I'm so bored!"
Zhao Siku, who had once been a pawn of the Zhao family to watch over Deva Gao Shulu, was silent.
Young master, if you didn't die so young, if you could see this scene today, would you regret choosing Chen Zhibao back then and not helping Hsu Fengnian as much as Mr. Li Yishan did?
— —
It had not yet entered autumn, but Ji Zhou was already in a troubled and troubled state.
At this time, Cai Nan, the newly appointed Jiedushi of the Lianghuai Path, and Han Lin, who later became the Administrator, quickly became the focus of discussion in the capital. The officials of the capital were not willing to speak well of this general who had been Gu Jiantang's trusted aide in the past. However, the former Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Han Lin, was a well-known civil official in Great Peace City. Thus, most of the officials of the capital held a sympathetic attitude. They all felt that it was a pity that Sir Han's life was full of misfortune. For some reason, during this period of time, no one mentioned a person surnamed Zhao who had entered the Lianghuai Path earlier than Cai and Han. Even though he was the third son of the previous emperor, although he could not compare to the Great Prince Zhao Wu and the current Emperor, his mother was still the legitimate daughter of the Peng family, the leader of the Northern scholar group. However, after Zhao Xiong, who had been given the title of King of Han and had taken over Ji Zhou, left the capital, it was like a clay ox entering the ocean. There was no news of him. It had to be said that this Third Prince had once been a well-known figure in Great Peace City. He had never stopped being a romantic. When Zhao Xiong was at his peak, the Four Young Masters of the capital, led by Wang Yuanran, were still in some corner looking on with envy. Of the six sons of the previous emperor, the eldest, Zhao Wu, had taken over Liaodong. He was also the only prince who held the military power of the Tiger Seal. He was given the title of General of the North and assisted General Gu Jiantang and the old King of the Northern Vassal, Zhao Sui, to guard the north. The Second Prince, Zhao Wen, had gone to Gangnam-do in the misty rain and lush forests. The Fifth Prince, Zhao Hong, had been given the title of King of Yue and had taken over the old Dongyue. The Sixth Prince, Zhao Chun, was still young and had not left the capital yet.
There was a lake in the newly built King of Han's residence that Zhao Xiong named Hearing Wave Lake. Everyone knew that there was a Hearing Wave Lake in Beiliang Palace. There was a pavilion in the center of Hearing Wave Lake. It was surrounded by water and there was no bridge. One had to use a Lotus Picking Boat to cross. In the pavilion, there was a rattan bed and a bamboo table. There were several plump peonies in a vase. Smoke rose from an incense burner.
Zhao Xiong, dressed in plain white casual clothes, reclined on the bed with a wine cup in his hand. There was a female servant in front of the King of the Northern Vassal, holding an ancient book in her hand. There was also a servant girl standing behind Zhao Xiong, fanning him to get rid of the summer heat.
Zhao Xiong drank a cup of wine when he read a page of the book. He did not talk to anyone and enjoyed himself.
The afternoon passed slowly in the young King of Han's leisure.
Zhao Xiong glanced at the sky outside the window. Soon, a servant girl helped him put on his boots. She came to the window and squinted at the motionless figure on the shore of the lake. Zhao Xiong said, "No wonder you can be the youngest general of a province in my dynasty. You really work hard."
Zhao Xiong left the pavilion and took the lotus boat back to the shore. After going ashore, he walked to the Ji Zhou General who was in a precarious situation. When the King of the Northern Vassal approached, the latter cupped his fist and said in a deep voice, "This general, Yuan Tingshan, greets Your Royal Highness, King of Han!"
Zhao Xiong casually waved his hand and said with a smile, "General Yuan, if you have something to say, just say it."
Yuan Tingshan slowly raised his head. He stood on the shore for an entire afternoon, but his eyes were shining. There was no trace of depression on his face, and there was no flattery on his face, "I beg Your Royal Highness to write a few bad words on the secret memorial that can reach the Imperial Study."
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