There was a burst of discussion in the hall.
Up until now, Xu Xian, who had obtained two jade annulus, had surpassed all the other scholars in the banquet. He had the same number of zhuangyuan and bangyan added together. Furthermore, the poems that he had composed made everyone feel that he was worthy of such an honor.
Not only could they not compose a poem like that, it was something that they could not even think of.
The Empress suddenly smiled and said, "Tonight, Xu Tanhua's literary talent is like a spring. I wonder if he will be able to reach a higher level and surpass all the other heroes?" She had also drunk a few cups of wine and her face was flushed, making her look even more beautiful.
Xu Xian smiled bitterly in his heart. Do you think that copying poems is free? Even if I really have such talent, it is not something that can be done easily.
There were 300 poems in the Tang Dynasty and it was not so easy to find a poem that was suitable for the occasion.
Just as he was about to think of a way to reject, Emperor Jiayu followed up and said, "Xu Xian, if you have any good lines, why don't you say them? Other than the jade annulus, I have other rewards for you."
He had also drunk a lot of wine and his face was slightly drunk. Looking at all the talents in the hall, he seemed to have returned to his younger days. He was also young and energetic and full of spirit.
Xu Xian did not know that the other rewards were for them, but he was indeed feeling a little empty now, making him feel like he was trapped in a cocoon of his own making.
Other people could just casually drink wine and eat some dishes, but he wanted to compose a poem. He could only say, "Allow me to think for a moment!" Then he quickly searched through all the poems in his mind.
"Give me more wine!"
Xu Xian held the wine cup and paced in the hall. One step, two steps, the entire hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Only the sound of his pacing could be heard.
The bright moon hung high in the sky outside the hall and its light shone in all directions.
Unknowingly, a thin layer of fog had appeared and lingered outside the hall, making it look like a heavenly palace.
Xu Xian's footsteps suddenly stopped and he drank the wine in his cup in one gulp. He recited in a clear voice, "The White Jade Capital in the sky, the five floors and twelve cities.
The Immortal caressed my head, tying my hair and granting me immortality. "
The sound of applause rang out, but there were some who felt that although this poem was excellent, there was a feeling that it had not been fully expressed. It was slightly inferior to the previous two poems, and they felt that Xu Xian's thoughts had been exhausted tonight.
This was also a natural feeling. These four lines came from the first four lines of Li Bai's longest poem, and the name of this poem was also the longest. It was called "After the chaos and separation, the kindness flowed through Yelang's memory of the old days. You Shuhuai presented to Governor Wei of Jiang County, Liang Zai." But now it was borrowed to fit the occasion.
On the other hand, Emperor Jia Yu's eyes couldn't be any brighter. This made him even happier than the two poems that Xu Xian had just composed.
That sentence, "The Immortal caressed my head and bestowed me longevity!"
It was as if Xu Xian was declaring his position to him, as if he was expressing the possibility of immortality. He had really scratched an itch.
"He really is Daoist Wu Yazi's disciple!"
He immediately gave her a plate of golden pearls and a piece of jade.
As for the other rewards, Emperor Jia Yu said, "I'm sure you don't care about gold, silver, and silk. As for official positions in the country, they can't be easily awarded without merit.
How about this!
Your fame as a poet has already spread throughout the universe. There is no one who doesn't know about it. We will add flowers to brocade and confer you the title of 'Immortal Poet'. What do you think? "
Under the envious gazes of the crowd, Xu Xian said, "This subject thanks Your Majesty for his great kindness!" His title of Immortal Poet had been officially recognized, but he didn't have a certificate.
Just as Xu Xian thought of this, he heard Emperor Jia Yu say with a smile, "Then I will bestow upon you a gold medal. The words' Immortal Poet 'are engraved on the front, and on the back,' Wherever the Immortal Poet goes, anyone who disrespects him will be punished by the imperial edict. '"
Then he said meaningfully, "Although We are not an Immortal and cannot bestow you longevity, this medal is enough to be passed down through the ages." This certificate was personally written and issued by the highest leader of the country.
Xu Xian immediately understood His Majesty's meaning. He was trying to rope him in so that he could return the favor and help him obtain the two words' longevity '!
"This subject will do his best until his death to repay Your Majesty's great kindness!"
Even a Daoist Ancestor couldn't give him such a title. Only the emperor of the human world could do it.
Since he wanted to repay his master's kindness, helping this emperor was also convenient. Moreover, if he wanted to roam the world, it would be many times easier to obtain the emperor's support. Why wouldn't he do it?
This kind of favor made all the Jinshi's eyes red. That was a gold medal bestowed by the emperor. What did it mean by 'Wherever the Immortal Poet goes, anyone who disrespects him will be punished by the imperial edict?' meant that 'No matter how big or small an official is, if they don't respect Xu Xian, they are disobeying His Majesty's imperial edict.'
This kind of honor had the meaning of 'Shang Fang Sword'. Even the prefectural governor didn't have this kind of honor.
If they could get a piece of it and pass it on to the next generation as a family heirloom, how happy would that be?
The emperor's kindness was like the sea. With just a thought, and without spending much, the kindness could drown an ordinary person like the sea. The words' by the heavens' were not empty words.
If Xu Xian wasn't a time traveler, even if he was successful in his cultivation, he would probably be grateful to the emperor for his kindness.
The Empress frowned. The title of 'Immortal Poet' was just a title. It was fine, but this gold medal was a bit too much. However, seeing that Emperor Jiayu was in high spirits, she naturally wouldn't dampen his spirits.
On second thought, it was Xu Xian who cured Rou Jia after all. This gold medal could be considered as a reward!
He was indeed worthy of such a title.
Cheng Cangjian was also puzzled. Emperor Jiayu was not the kind of 'literary emperor' who immersed himself in poetry. Instead, he was the kind of ruler who excelled in both literature and martial arts. He was smart and capable. Why would he suddenly give such a thing? He could only sigh at the emperor's unfathomable heart and wish Xu Xian good luck.
He was also very envious of the gold medal.
With such a medal, even a commoner could be "proud of the high officials and belittle the nobles".
Pan Yu was the only one who could guess the reason, but she didn't expect His Majesty to have such a strong obsession with the word 'longevity'. It was like how young people never thought about what would happen to them when they were old, and when they were in their forties or fifties, almost everyone would consider taking care of their health. This was because 'there is a great terror between life and death'!
At this moment, Emperor Jiayu suddenly said, "I wonder how Zhong Kui is now?"
Everyone was stunned when they heard this. Why would the emperor suddenly bring up a dead person on a day of celebration? Was he planning to settle the score after the autumn?
Zhong Kui's behavior could be said to be treacherous. If the emperor had a bad temper, it was possible that he would implicate his family.
Xu Xian, on the other hand, was delighted. The emperor was going to reward him in one go. He stepped forward and said, "Brother Zhong didn't recognize a wise emperor. In a moment of anger, he committed suicide. I'm sure he would regret it in the afterlife!
Your Majesty, please forgive him and bury him. The scholars of the world will surely praise Your Majesty's benevolence, and I am willing to be the master of ceremonies. "
Before Xu Xian's voice died away, a voice sounded, "Xu Xian, don't be arrogant because of the emperor's favor. A disobedient person like Zhong Kui should be implicated as a warning to others, but you want His Majesty to forgive him. You only care about your personal feelings and disregard the law of the country. Are you worthy of His Majesty's great kindness?"
Every word was sharp and immediately described Xu Xian as a person who abused the law for favoritism, attracting everyone's attention in the hall.
Xu Xian also looked over, but found an unfamiliar young man dressed in luxurious clothes. He was handsome and looked like a noble young master. At this moment, he was looking at him with a face full of indignation. His expression was extremely awe-inspiring.
He couldn't help but feel bewildered. On the surface, he was on good terms with Pan Yu and had a close relationship with Yin Hongxiu. Now that he had the emperor's favor, his backing was extremely strong!
In the Great Xia Dynasty, he couldn't walk sideways, but he could walk sideways. How could there be someone who dared to speak to him in such a loud voice and target him everywhere?
Pan Yu stood up and said, "Young Master Liang's words are wrong!
To assist the emperor, one should be benevolent and compassionate. That is why there is the saying of 'amnesty for the world'.
There is a saying that a prison is inauspicious.
On this day of celebration, you say implicating the three families, are you trying to frame the emperor for being unjust? "Pan Yu's words were as sharp as knives, no less than that of" Young Master Liang ".
One said that Xu Xian was unworthy of His Majesty's great kindness, and the other said that Young Master Liang was trying to frame the emperor for being unjust. No matter which one it was, it was a deadly reputation!
Xu Xian suddenly remembered who this young man was. Wasn't he the long-lost Young Master Liang?
It was no wonder that he would jump out at this time.
In the original plot, Liang Lian was the supervillain who had pierced Xu Xian's scapula, causing him to hover between life and death. At present, he had long since been thrown into a forgotten corner by Xu Xian, relying on drawing circles to curse Xu Xian for a living. This could be considered the greatest tragedy of a villain.
Liang Lian sneered, "Pan Mingyu, who doesn't know that you are on good terms with Xu Xian? Your current actions are probably favoritism and shielding him, yet you have forgotten the laws of the country and the rules of the family."
There was a saying that when enemies met, their eyes would blaze with hatred. Ever since the Liang Household had met with disaster and Prince Liang had fallen ill, the Pan family had taken the opportunity to regroup and fight with Prince Liang once more. Now, they had actually come out on top. How could he not be resentful? Furthermore, this Xu Xian had actually received such favor, which made him even more envious and resentful. He also felt a sense of danger, which was why he had spoken out to attack Xu Xian.
Pan Yu did not back down either, and the two of them began arguing in the hall.
The people in the hall were divided into two factions, discussing spiritedly. Some said that Zhong Kui should be pardoned and given a proper burial, while others said that a disobedient person like Zhong Kui deserved to die. There were still some who supported Liang Lian, but no one would stand out to express their opinion at this time. It was not fun to be sandwiched between these two noblemen.
Xu Xian did not speak either, lest he gave off the impression that he was being bullied by numbers, and going too far would be as bad as not going far enough.
He was not a fool, and he could sense that many people in the hall were jealous of him. If he continued to speak, it would only have the opposite effect. Moreover, it was no longer just a matter of Zhong Kui, but also a battle between the Pan and Liang factions. Perhaps the Emperor's schemes were also involved, so all he could do now was wait and see how the Emperor would decide.
Emperor Jiayu toyed with the jade cup in his hand, his face drunk, as if unmoved by the battle before him. No one could tell what he was really thinking. It was only when Pan Yu and Liang Lian were in a heated argument that he pressed his hand down.
The two immediately stopped arguing and said in unison, "Please make a decision, Your Majesty!"
Emperor Jiayu asked, "Hidden Sword, what do you think?"