On New Year's Eve, Xu Xian and Fang Zhongyong spent together in He Liang's new house. Some classmates and friends gathered together to chat, but it didn't seem deserted.

However, on the Lantern Festival, I will not be at He Liang's house.

In the Dali Dynasty, the Lantern Festival is much more grand and lively than the New Year's Eve, and it is the most intense festival of the year. From the tenth to the seventh day of the first lunar month, no matter which city it is in, there will be a huge lantern festival on the streets every night, and the lights are brightly lit all night and there are many tourists.

From the people and the officials of the court, they would have cared about it. Even the emperor would not be free from the common people. When they were interested, they would have summoned civil and military officials to enjoy the Lantern Festival together and watch the lanterns together on the Lantern Festival night. When the emperor is young and strong today, he will do this every year, but since he got a serious illness six years ago, his condition has never been held again.

But the emperor did not hold another banquet, but asked his two princes, King Zhao Mai and King Duan Zhao Ji, to hold a "Shangyuan Banquet" together!

Zhao Jiao and Zhao Ji are both favored by today's son.

Needless to say, Duan Zhao Ji, the master of calligraphy and painting, is rare in the world. Xu Xian has dealt with him several times.

Among the people, Zhao Zhong is not as famous as Zhao Ji.

However, Zhao's political talent is far better than Zhao Ji. In addition to being named King Jun, he was also named the Chief of the Procuratorate by the emperor, and his grades were not bad, and he was awarded several times by the emperor.

So judging from the current situation, Zhao Zhong is actually more likely to be the crown prince of the East Palace. After all, being an emperor does not require you to be very talented in poetry and essays, but you need to govern the country.

The emperor is in poor health now, and the position of the crown prince cannot be suspended for too long. At the suggestion of the court officials, the position of the crown prince will be determined soon.

Of course, no matter how much the two princes were favored by the emperor, they were not sure after all. Both of them were just princes, so the banquet they held was naturally not qualified to invite officials openly.

Therefore, the main invitation for Shangyuan Banquet is a juren who has not yet passed the imperial examination and has not yet been admitted to the official position.

In this way, the importance of the "Shangyuan Banquet" can be seen. Almost no scholar in Yingtian Prefecture does not want to participate.

It is difficult to receive an invitation from the Shangyuan Banquet, and it is necessary to be a famous talented man. And nine out of ten talented men who can participate in the Shangyuan Banquet will eventually be awarded the Jinshi!

Therefore, the Shangyuan Banquet is also called the "Jinshi Banquet", which can be regarded as the barometer of the Spring Examination.

"Hanwen, Zhongyong, have you both received invitations to the Shangyuan Banquet?" He Liang looked at Xu Xian and Fang Zhongyong with some envy and asked.

Both of them nodded.

"It's so good!" He Liang curled his lips, took a sip of tea, and said to himself: "Why don't you give me an invitation? I heard that the Shangyuan Banquet is the most important banquet for scholars. I really want to go and see it."

Although his literary talent is not good, He Liang is still very affectionate about the identity of a scholar, so he feels that it is his greatest honor to know Xu Xian and Fang Zhongyong, two famous talents in the world.

Ruiyun couldn't help but cover her mouth and laughed, saying, "My husband, the guests invited by Shangyuan Banquet are at least famous for their reputation. If you want to participate, then work hard to take the imperial examination first."

"After the election..." He Liang muttered for a moment, and then gave up himself.

He hasn't even passed the scholar yet, so how can he talk about passing the exam?

If he really devoted himself to the imperial examination and would not give up until he passed the examination, he would likely have gray hair and not pass the exam.

"I don't have much interest in this Shangyuan Banquet." Xu Xian said.

Fang Zhongyong nodded and smiled and said, "So too."

"Why?" He Liang looked at the two of them in confusion.

Xu Xian shook his head and said, "Do you think this Shangyuan Banquet is just a banquet between ordinary literati? If this banquet was only held by one of Duan or King Jun, it would be a little bit good that the purpose would not be so strong and would be much more casual. But it would be completely different for two people to hold it together. The competition between King Jun and King Duan is already on the surface. By then, the banquet will definitely have lost its original meaning of watching lanterns, and it will become a battlefield that will win people's hearts."

He Liang glared and said, "Even so, what's wrong? King Jun, who is Duan? The two princes who have the most hope of being appointed as the prince of the Eastern Palace in the future. When today's journey to the west, one of them will be the emperor. Who wouldn't want to make friends at this time? No matter who they make friends, they will not suffer any losses!"

Xu Xian had nothing to say when he heard this.

Indeed, He Liang's idea is also the concept of most scholars.

For them, being able to meet the desperate Zhao Zhui is a huge opportunity for them. It is a big opportunity to attract the attention of Zhao Zhui or Zhao Ji. Being optimistic is profitable!

What is the purpose of scholars studying hard? Is it just to be able to sell to the imperial family?

Even if you are extremely talented and can finally get a title on the list, you will not be worth anything in front of the prince. If you make friends with them, you will be much easier to go after you become an official in the future.

That's why Shangyuan Banquet is so popular that it's so exciting that it's even more exciting to squeeze in.

...

...

All the palace.

Zhui Zhao was sitting in the study and looking at the desk. At this time, the eunuch who had been serving him in close service since childhood came in. Zhui Zhao asked without raising his head, "Have you found out clearly?"

Compared to Zhao Ji's handsome and elegant temperament, Zhao's appearance is much more ordinary, but there is a sense of heroism between his eyebrows, which makes him look much more stable and mature.

"Prince, I've found out clearly." The eunuch nodded and whispered: "Because after Xu Xian passed the imperial examination, Duan went to Suzhou to personally issue an imperial edict to him, so I met him early. It seems that Xu Xian and Duan have a good relationship. In the past few months he has entered Beijing, Duan has invited him twice. However, according to the news that the slave sent someone to inquire from Suzhou, Xu Xian should not have been attracted by Duan."

"Oh?" Hearing this, Master Zhao became interested, put down his things, raised his head and asked curiously, "Why do you say that? My sixteenth brother is still doing a good job in winning people's hearts. He went to Suzhou Prefecture to win over Xu Xian?"

The eunuch smiled and said softly: "If it were normal, King Duan would not do this. But when Xu Xian and Master Liang were placed together and choose one of them, it would not be necessary."

Soon, the eunuch told the news he had found, which was similar to what happened in Xuxian, Suzhou.

It was roughly because Xu Xian offended the Liang Palace and formed a mortal hatred. Zhao Ji wanted to win over both sides and became a peacemaker, but failed.

Finally, when he was standing in the team, in order to gain the favor of Master Liang, he obviously favored the Liang Palace and had a little unhappy relationship with Xu Xian.

When Xu Xian arrived in the capital, Zhao Ji did not give up and wanted to continue to win over Xu Xian and make up for the previous barriers.
Chapter completed!