The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 371 Deeply Hidden
At this time, the river was calm and gentle, with fine ripples, looking like a green mirror, beautiful and wonderful, making people feel relaxed and happy.

Zhao Ti walked along the river, admiring the scenery. The riverbank was green with grass and red with flowers. There were children playing around, old men fishing, and young men and women walking side by side, their faces shy, exchanging glances, seemingly both welcoming and refusing.

There are also chess players who write in large characters on the board, "The grass grows tall by the river, and those who talk too much are like donkeys," yet there are always those who are willing to be scolded and act as teachers, pointing fingers and giving advice, completely oblivious to the angry glares of the chess players, preferring to be donkeys.

There were also vendors selling fruit, candied fruit, large bowls of herbal tea, and needles and thread. Their expressions varied. Some looked at the passersby with great enthusiasm, while others appeared tired and sighed. Some stared blankly at the river, expressionless and lifeless.

Zhao Ti walked slowly and saw the river bridge in the distance. He also noticed several painted boats in the middle of the river, motionless on the water. A maid was sitting on the side of the boat washing something, her sleeves rolled up, revealing her fair forearms, which looked very beautiful.

Zhao Ti couldn't help but think of Luo Fu, a peerless beauty, whose beauty could topple cities and kingdoms, a graceful and virtuous lady, whom gentlemen would pursue.

But what did it have to do with him? He chuckled self-deprecatingly, quickened his pace, and headed home.

Before long they arrived at Chunyu Street, and then entered Xinghua Lane, just in time to see Zhao's father returning from selling goods with his cart. The father and son went in together.

After dinner, nothing was said that night. The next day, Zhao Ti got up very early and arrived at the study hall a full half hour earlier than usual.

Li Meng lectured on "Tongxue" in the morning and "Minglun" in the afternoon. The students listened very attentively. Some were completely absorbed and looked on with admiration, while others looked puzzled, clearly having questions in their hearts, but since it was not the last day of the lectures, they could not ask them.

After school, Zhao Ti and Mo Xun walked together. Mo Xun did not take a car today, and Zhao Ti did not ask him. The two chatted as they walked.

Mo Xun's home is in Jiangbei. He has to cross a bridge. As he was about to step onto the Jade Belt Bridge, Mo Xun looked at the boats on the river and said with a smile, "Brother Zhao, the poetry gathering in five days will be held on the riverbank."

"Oh?" Zhao Ti said, "Not in places like Xiyuan or Qushangyuan?"

Although he had never participated in poetry gatherings or similar events, he knew that these events were often held in the garden, with elaborate decorations, fine wines and fresh fruits, flowers and sandalwood, reflecting on the past and present, all in a very proper manner.

“Miss Luo Fu’s poetry gathering is different from others. It cannot be confined to the garden. As the saying goes, a wall separates two worlds, and the true meaning is lost. It should be held on a painted boat on the river. There, one can enjoy the river view, watch the passersby, and feel the world’s affairs. Only then can one create truly good poems,” Mo Xun said.

"Looking at the river view, watching the passersby, feeling the world's affairs?" Zhao Ti thought for a moment: "If I had already prepared the draft at home, and it had been written for many years, how would I present it?"

Mo Xun smiled and said, "Miss Luo Fu has taken this into consideration, which is why this poetry gathering is different from the past, as the topic will be chosen on the spot."

"Provide a topic on the spot?" Zhao Ti nodded. Providing a topic on the spot is different from setting a topic. It's not just about being given a name and choosing a genre like seven-character quatrain or five-character quatrain, and then you can compose a poem. Instead, there will be a specific topic to refer to.

For example, the person giving the question might ask you to write a poem about chrysanthemums, in the form of a seven-character quatrain, but also to specify the season, the location of the chrysanthemums, whether they are potted or wild, the variety, and the number of flowers and clusters.

Within the Xiyuan Garden, in the flowerbed along the east wall, there are eighteen chrysanthemum trees, which remain standing through the cold winter months.

This eliminates the possibility of preparing poems in advance, forcing poets to improvise on the spot to truly showcase their talent. Otherwise, if a single line is polished for months or a poem is studied for years, even the least talented person could produce a mediocre or even passable poem.

In ancient times, composing poetry was a slow process, taking seven steps to complete. People would sing along, their words flowing effortlessly, leaving no time for careful thought. This was the true display of their talent.

Poetry has always been something created to respond to the occasion. It is something that arises from observing scenery, encountering events, or expressing one's feelings. The feeling and the event must exist first before a poem is written, rather than thinking about writing a poem first, then being stuck in one place, picking up a pen and looking around blankly, searching for inspiration everywhere.

The practice of assigning a topic would prevent the preparation of drafts in advance. In fact, the poems in the imperial examinations were also assigned a topic, a specific subject, and a prompt to inspire thought, which was then used to compose the poem.

Mo Xun said, "Miss Luo Fu is very clever. She saw that in the past, many people had hidden their poems in their minds. They would guess the topic and then pretend to be quick-witted and eloquent, which made the poetry gathering lose its true meaning. That's why she held this poetry gathering by the Yujiang River and set the rule that they would write poems on the given topic."

"Indeed clever." Zhao Ti nodded, then suddenly said, "But wouldn't that offend a lot of people?"

Upon hearing this, Mo Xun chuckled twice: "Brother Zhao, you've thought of that too? It's true that you'll offend a lot of people. After all, your talent is mediocre. In the past, you relied on your mental drafts to make a name for yourself, but now you're probably going to be exposed and won't dare to speak."

Zhao Ti thought for a moment: "Even so, we still have to participate?"

“Exactly.” Mo Xun said, “If anyone doesn’t go, they will look foolish. It would be like trying to hide something obvious, making it seem like they cheated before. So even if someone is really sick or has other things to do these days, they should still go despite their illness.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ti looked at him thoughtfully: "Brother Mo, you didn't mention writing any more poems yourself, nor did you ask me for any. Instead, you invited me to the poetry gathering several times. Is this the reason?"

“Brother Zhao…” Mo Xun sighed, “Brother Zhao saw right through me. Miss Luo Fu’s move is really too clever. Going is not an option, and not going is even worse. Between two evils, we have to choose the lesser one. I think I have no choice but to go. I’ve thought about it and there’s only one way: I’ll drag Brother Zhao along. Then I’ll find an excuse to shirk my responsibility at the meeting and let Brother Zhao take the lead. This will help me avoid being exposed and also make a name for myself.”

Zhao Ti said sternly, "Brother Mo, this is not a fair thing to do."

"Yes, yes..." Mo Xun reached out and touched his forehead, saying with a guilty tone, "I was indeed wrong. I did not speak frankly with Brother Zhao and explain the reasons. Instead, I kept inviting Brother Zhao to come, which was selfish. I apologize to Brother Zhao."

Zhao Ti shook his head and said, "Brother Mo, it's nothing serious. You should go home quickly."

Mo Xun sighed again: "Brother Zhao, now that I've laid things out clear, and you know the intricacies, won't you lend me a hand?"

Zhao Ti, who had already taken a step, stopped upon hearing this and looked at Mo Xun: "Brother Mo..."

Mo Xun said with a worried look, "I can't miss Miss Luo Fu's poetry gathering, but if I go and they give me a topic, I won't be able to write a poem at all. If I force myself to write one, it will just be a doggerel, which will make me a laughing stock. It's the same whether I go or not, I'll just expose myself and be ridiculed. I won't be able to hold my head up in front of the scholars in Yuzhou. Even if I go to the state school, I will definitely be pointed at and talked about. Even if I transfer to another state, it will probably spread and become a stain on my future studies. I beg Brother Zhao to help me."

Zhao Ti frowned and said, "Brother Mo, aren't you exaggerating a bit? Even if I had prepared a poem in my mind before attending a poetry gathering, I doubt it would have led to this outcome. I think you're overthinking it. Besides, even if I went with you, how could we possibly conceal it?"

"I didn't think too much, I didn't think too much..." Mo Xun said, "If it were just circulating down there, it wouldn't be like this. But what is Miss Luo Fu's status? There must be other young masters and ladies from other families attending the poetry gathering, some of whom have powerful backgrounds. When they go back home and talk about it, it will probably spread far and wide, circulating among scholars and even in official circles. It's hard to say even if it reaches Qianjing."

"Is it really that impressive?" Zhao Ti knew that many students from official families participated in the Yuzhou Poetry Gathering. These people might not be particularly talented in literature, but they came from extraordinary backgrounds and were always invited to the poetry gathering.

“That’s right,” Mo Xun nodded.

Zhao Ti pondered for a moment, then said, "This matter is also my fault. If I hadn't given Brother Mo the poem back then, it wouldn't have caused such a big trouble."

"Brother Zhao, please don't blame yourself. I am grateful for your poem. One thing at a time, no one expected Miss Luofu to come up with such a scheme..." Mo Xun hurriedly waved his hand upon hearing this.

“But it was my oversight that I didn’t think things through. I knew it might cause some trouble, but I didn’t advise Brother Mo. I am ultimately responsible.” Zhao Ti said solemnly, “Let me go back and think about it before I give Brother Mo an answer. If the consequences are really that serious, how can I let Brother Mo bear the responsibility?”

"Well... thank you so much, Brother Zhao." Mo Xun's face lit up with joy upon hearing this, and he quickly bowed.

Zhao Ti returned the greeting and said with a wry smile, "I haven't made a final decision yet. Brother Mo, please don't thank me yet. There might be other compromises we can make. I don't necessarily have to attend the poetry gathering."

"I must thank Brother Zhao no matter what. Even though you ultimately decided not to attend the poetry gathering and couldn't come up with a solution, I still want to thank you for your concern and worry," Mo Xun said. Zhao Ti shook his head, took his leave again, and walked along the Jade River. Mo Xun watched his retreating figure with a meaningful expression.

After a while, Zhao Ti returned home. His mother was stewing fish, and the aroma filled the courtyard.

He had wanted to help with the firewood, but Zhao's mother stopped him, telling him to go inside and tidy up, and then rest.

Helpless, Zhao Ti put down the book box, washed his hands and face, and when he came out, the food was ready.

Just then, Zhao's father led Zhao Ling'er home from school. Zhao Ling'er couldn't carry her schoolbag, so she carried a small schoolbag that her mother had sewn by hand. She hopped and skipped around, very lively.

As Zhao Ti watched Zhao Ling'er's movements, a sudden feeling of familiarity arose within him, as if he too had once carried a schoolbag and walked home from school in this manner.

But when he thought about it carefully, he realized that he had never done it like that before. He had never carried a schoolbag when he was a child; his books were always carried by his father. Unlike Zhao Ling'er, who carried her own schoolbag.

What's going on? I've never actually had this experience, so why does it feel so familiar?

"Big Brother, what are you thinking about?" Zhao Ling'er ran over and tugged at his clothes.

Zhao Ti patted her head: "What did you learn today?"

Zhao Ling'er said, "I learned embroidery, traditional female virtues and speech, and how to write poetry."

"Want to compose a poem?" Zhao Ti asked with a smile. "How well would you do?"

Zhao Ling'er blinked upon hearing this: "I, I'm going to wash my hands..."

"Don't go, we haven't said how the poem turned out yet!" Zhao Ti frowned as he watched Zhao Ling'er turn and run away.

"Dinner's almost ready, we'll talk after we eat..." Zhao Ling'er rushed into the house and didn't come out again until the food was on the table.

After finishing his meal, Zhao Ti wanted to ask Zhao Ling'er about composing poetry, but he couldn't find her anywhere. He wondered where she had gone to play. He could only shake his head and go back to his room to read.

The next day was Li Meng's last day of teaching. Zhao Ti arrived at the state school early again and sat with Mo Xun. However, he noticed that Mo Xun was giving him a strange look and couldn't help but ask, "Brother Mo, what's wrong...?"

Mo Xun said, "Brother Zhao, you've been hiding your true abilities very well."

Zhao Ti asked in bewilderment, "Brother Mo, what makes you say that? What am I hiding?"

Mo Xun shook his head and said, "I didn't expect Brother Zhao's family to be so extraordinary, actually able to..."

He paused here, looked around, and saw some eager students tilting their heads to look at him. Mo Xun said, "We'll talk about it after school, we'll talk about it after school."

Zhao Ti was puzzled, but he didn't dare to press the matter further. The other party's words were incoherent, and even if he asked, he wouldn't know where to begin.

The morning passed quickly, and before we knew it, it was time for the afternoon Q&A session. Li Meng looked at the students behind his desk and said, "Anyone who has a question, please ask. I will answer them one by one."

Immediately, students began to ask questions, raising their doubts. Li Meng responded to each question with a smile and patiently explained.

At this moment, Mo Xun wrote on the paper: "Brother Zhao, do you have any questions?"

Zhao Ti nodded at him, but he did have a question in his mind. This question was not only about Li Meng's Tongming doctrine, but also about a kind of confusion in the doctrine of the sage. But how many people could answer the question about the doctrine of the sage?

He had been puzzled by this question for a long time and had nowhere to ask for advice. Now was the perfect opportunity to ask Li Meng.

After several students asked questions, Zhao Ti raised his hand. Li Meng, who was in front of him, saw this and smiled, "This student, what is it that you don't understand?"

Zhao Ti stood up, took a deep breath, and said, "Mr. Li, there is something I am unsure about. Please enlighten me."

Li Meng said, "Tell me about it."

Zhao Ti nodded: "Sir, your teachings are to educate all people in the world to be fully enlightened, to know cause and effect, to understand right and wrong, to comprehend reason, and to comprehend good and evil. If one day, all people in the world, whether kings and generals, peddlers and laborers, or ordinary people, reach the state of full enlightenment and their knowledge and learning reach a certain height, then... will there still be distinctions of high and low, big and small, noble and lowly among them?"

As soon as he said this, the hall fell silent. This was a difficult question to answer, similar to the question posed by a hero in ancient times during a chaotic era: "Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?"
Li Meng raised his eyebrows slightly, looked at Zhao Ti for a few moments, and slowly said, "The matter of rank and status resides in the heart. One should judge it by one's heart. If one's heart is humble, one will be humble; if one's heart is noble, one will be noble. If one's heart is like a gentle breeze and a bright moon, then one will be like a gentle breeze and a bright moon; if one's heart is like a vast sea and a sky, then one will be like a vast sea and a sky. One should not judge by outward appearance."

Zhao Ti was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, not expecting the other party to respond in this way.

Li Meng meant that the distinction between superior and inferior, high and low, actually resides in one's heart and is not swayed by external positions or status; it all depends on one's own thoughts.

In other words, if my heart is venerable, then it is as high as a mountain to be admired. Even if the other party is an emperor or a general, I will not be inferior to him in the slightest.

If my heart is humble, it is a deep abyss of mud. Even if the other party is a criminal prisoner or a filthy person, I will be half a head shorter and dare not compare myself to them.

"Not elated by external gains, nor saddened by personal losses..." Zhao Ti suddenly realized something and murmured.

"Not elated by external gains, nor saddened by personal losses?" Li Meng nodded in front: "This poem is excellent, excellent, and the understanding is correct."

"I understand," Zhao Ti said, bowing respectfully before sitting down.

Li Meng glanced at him, reached out and stroked his beard, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Then more than a dozen students asked questions, which Li Meng answered one by one until no one else asked any more questions, at which point he ended his lecture.

After the education commissioner accompanied Li Meng out of the hall, the professors and others also left, and the students began to leave one after another.

Zhao Ti, carrying his book box, walked outside with Mo Xun, saying as they went, "Brother Mo, what you said this morning..."

Mo Xun smiled and said, "Let's talk about it after we leave the state school."

(End of this chapter)