The Sage of Confucianism and Taoism

Chapter 2338 The tenth day of the first lunar month

On the tenth day of the first lunar month, the Holy Apricot Literature Society officially begins.

Starting from early morning, a steady stream of scholars arrived from all directions outside Xiangzhou Literary Academy, and entered the venue one after another through the gate formed by the sky and earth shell.

Tiandibei completely replicates the scene of the Wenyuan, but the area is expanded dozens of times.

In the middle of the Wenyuan Square, there is a square apricot grove. In the center of the apricot grove, white mist fills the air.

Everyone knows that within the white mist are the legendary Little Apricot Altar, the two sacred apricot trees formed by Fang Yun's lectures.

To the north of the apricot grove is the solemn holy temple, with no seats in the open space between the two.

To the south of the Xinglin is the main entrance of the Academy of Literature, and the open space between the two is filled with seats.

The seats closest to Xinglin are all neatly arranged round tables, surrounded by well-made mahogany chairs. This is where the kings, great Confucians and bachelors of various countries sit.

After that, there is no round table, but many ordinary chairs. These are the seats where the Hanlins and Jinshi from various countries sit.

Further back, there are all brand new wooden benches, which are temporarily manufactured in large quantities by the master of engineering. All scholars can sit here.

Non-scholars are not allowed to enter the Shengxing Literary Society, which is more stringent than the previous Mid-Autumn Festival Literary Society.

The great Confucian scholars and academicians did not come, but many scholars were already sitting in other places, ranging from Tongsheng to Hanlin.

Scholars from all over came together, sat next to each other, placed food and drinks, talked about books and papers, and chatted about everything. It was quite like starting a small literary gathering before the start of the Shengxing Literary Society.

By afternoon, the entire Yueyang City seemed empty.

Those non-scholars in Yueyang City looked at the Academy of Literature with contradictions. They were envious of those scholars who could participate in the Shengxing Literary Society, but they were also glad that these people were about to leave. For the local residents of Yueyang City, foreign scholars are business opportunities, but too many of them become a burden.

In the evening, academicians, scholars and monarchs came to sit down one after another, and the originally noisy cultural gathering slowly calmed down.

Just the natural aura of each great scholar is enough to make all scholars dare not make any noise.

Not long after, a middle-aged man in purple robe walked up to where the scholar was sitting and under the apricot grove.

The middle-aged man's temples were as white as frost, his eyebrows were like two swords, and his eyes were as bright as stars.

He just glanced casually, and everyone under the great scholar instinctively lowered his head slightly, not daring to meet his eyes.

Everyone saw the sharp sword in his eyes.

Li Wenying's eyes seemed to stay on Qingguo's seat for a moment longer.

Many people, especially the scholars of the Qing Dynasty, looked at the famous Sword-Eyebrow Duke Li Wenying with complicated expressions. At that time, this man overwhelmed many scholars of his generation in the Qing Dynasty and could not hold their heads up. If it were not for the fact that Li Wenying was unparalleled in literary prowess but inferior in poetry, the scholars of the Qing Dynasty would not have been able to raise their heads. Those years were a nightmare.

However, in an area where Qingguo's great scholars and scholars gathered, all the Qingguo people there were smiling, and they did not hide the confidence in their smiles.

Because among them sat a great scholar who had repeatedly defeated Li Wenying in literary competitions.

Ji Anchang from the Ji family has three first prizes in one subject and four bachelor's degrees in his father's family.

Not as good as Li Zhan, but in terms of romantic poetry, Ji Anchang was better than Li Wenying that year.

Although Ji Anchang is a great scholar, he has been acting secretly these days and has not even gone to the Holy Academy to accept his new title. Even though he is wearing the old scholar's blue robe, not the great scholar's purple robe.

The people at his table were all bachelors.

Zong Xueyan, who was next to Ji Anchang, secretly sent a message: "Brother Anchang, although you keep a low profile these days, countries have long known that this will make it difficult for you to make a splash. However, it doesn't matter, ordinary scholars don't know. As long as After the literary conference is over, if we work a little, we will definitely make you the only winner of this cultural conference. But... are you really confident that we can defeat everyone, including Li Wenying?"

Ji Anchang smiled and said: "Ji has been practicing hard for many years just to suppress Li Wenying again! Unfortunately, Li Wenying is the host of this literary meeting and has an advantage. I still don't know whether he wrote the poem first or participated last , and may not even participate in the endowment Poetry. If he composes the poem first, I will take action immediately. If he composes the poem last, I will do it in two steps. First, I will write a poem to test it, and finally, when he finishes the poem, I will forcefully stand up and recite the poem to stabilize it. Pressure. Of course, if he doesn’t write poetry, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Zong Xueyan smiled and said: "Don't worry about this. Li Wenying and Fang Yun are close friends. Since this literary meeting is about chanting Fang Yun, there is no reason for him not to participate. What's more, we are already prepared. If Li Wenying doesn't compose a poem at the end , we will use provocation to force Li Wenying. If he does not compose poetry, it will definitely damage his literary reputation and alienate him from Fang Yun. Therefore, at that time, he can only bite the bullet and compose poetry."

"Okay, as long as Li Wenying can write poetry, I am sure to beat him." Ji Anchang looked proud. Although he had never won the literary battle with Li Wenying back then, he won seven or eight out of ten poems.

Zong Xueyan said: "That's good. But...in order to stimulate Li Wenying and Jingguo scholars, I want to reveal the news in advance, saying that you will defeat Li Wenying. Do you agree?"

"As long as we can force Li Wenying to write poetry, anything is possible!" Ji Anchang said.

Zong Xueyan nodded gently, but he sighed in his heart. The psychological trauma left by Li Wenying on Ji Anchang was too serious. Although Ji Anchang was promoted to a great scholar by virtue of his talent and hard work, if he did not completely defeat Li Wenying to wash away the shame, reaching the second level of Qijia was already the limit, and he would never be able to reach the level of governing the country. After all, he was scared away by Li Wenying before the literary war, which was a great stain.

Ji Anchang's return this time was not so much a glorious return to his hometown, but rather a forced return for a higher level.

While the two were chatting, Li Wenying had finished his opening speech. He turned sideways and saw that the apricot trees neatly arranged like a wall slowly moved to both sides, and finally revealed the complete small apricot altar in the apricot forest.

The small apricot altar was the place where Fang Yun gave lectures to the officials of Xiangzhou that day. There were still various cushions on the ground at that time. In addition, there were two particularly tall apricot trees.

Sixteen-zhang apricot trees.

Each apricot tree was hung with golden holy apricots.

At the moment when the altar was opened, the rich fragrance of the holy apricot spread throughout the venue.

Many scholars desperately inhaled, hoping to get more of the fragrance of the holy apricot.

Even though this fragrance is far inferior to the holy apricot itself, if ordinary people absorb it, their chances of being promoted to a student will be greatly increased.

Some of the scholars or officials of Jingguo present tried their best to absorb the holy apricot, but there was no joy on their faces.

At that time, Fang Yun was lecturing in the Academy of Literature. These people made their position clear and did not follow Fang Yun, but then the small altar was formed. Those officials who stood on Fang Yun's side directly absorbed a large amount of apricot pollen, and their strength was all improved, and their future prospects were limitless. Those who did not participate in the lectures lost the easiest opportunity to be promoted to a literary position in this life.

Since the formation of the small altar, Xiangzhou has been the iron sphere of influence of the Fang Party, even more than Mizhou. The imperial court tried several times to place non-Fang party officials in important government offices in Xiangzhou, but was met with resistance from Xiangzhou officials who joined forces with other Fang party officials. The imperial court did not dare to break off relations with Fang Yun and could only give up to avoid escalating conflicts, so it was unable to place any influence in Xiangzhou.