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

Chapter 383 Title (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Zhao Ti saw that the young woman had beautiful eyebrows, eyes like stars and the moon, skin like jade, and clothes as white as snow; it was Qin Luofu.

The girl looked slightly surprised, her brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of confusion flickered across her face.

Mo Xun then smiled and said, "That must be Miss Luo Fu. I'll take Brother Zhao over to meet her."

Zhao Ti nodded and followed Mo Xun. Along the way, the scholars behind the tables on both sides greeted Mo Xun, and Mo Xun clasped his hands in greeting.

Once inside, and standing before Luo Fu, Zhao Ti got a clearer view. He saw that the girl had a slender and graceful figure, as delicate as a willow branch, and her eyebrows and eyes seemed to hold the morning dew and peach blossoms, and her graceful movements seemed to conceal the Milky Way.

With bright, star-like eyes, a delicate, straight nose, and naturally beautiful lips, she possessed an unparalleled beauty that could topple cities and kingdoms.

Mo Xun raised his hand and said, "Miss Luo Fu, I greet you."

Luo Fu returned the greeting with a deep bow and turned to Zhao Ti: "Young Master Mo, you're too kind. This is..."

Mo Xun laughed and said, "Miss Luo Fu invited this guest herself, surely you know who he is?"

Luo Fu paused for a moment, then immediately said, "Could it be Zhao Ti...Young Master Zhao?"

Zhao Ti noticed something unusual in her voice, and his mind raced as he recalled the incident on the Jade Belt Bridge that day. He had seen her standing at the bow of the boat and, moved by the moment, recited the line, "A fair maiden is the object of a gentleman's affections," which she overheard.

Although I was simply moved by the scene and couldn't help but praise her without any other intentions, I couldn't guarantee what the other person would think or whether she would misunderstand that I was being disrespectful.

However, as long as one is upright and honest, there is no need to explain such things.

If the other party questions me, I will not have any contact or entanglement with them in the future, and I will simply stay away from them when things happen.

If the other party is considering their options, observe them carefully before speaking. If any misunderstanding arises, find an excuse to leave.

If there is no misinterpretation, then it proves that the other person is reasonable, thoughtful, and intelligent, and it is not unreasonable to befriend them.

Thinking of this, Zhao Ti raised his arm and said, "It is indeed I. I came here because of Miss Luofu's invitation, and I apologize for disturbing you."

Luo Fu's eyes were like water. She looked at Zhao Ti for a couple of breaths, then smiled sweetly and returned the greeting, saying, "I am grateful that you took the liberty of delivering the invitation, and I am deeply honored that you did not mind. Your presence today truly brings glory to this Yujiang Poetry Gathering. I am extremely happy and delighted."

Hmm? Zhao Ti was taken aback by this. It was too polite, even a bit too flattering.

He had only written a short five-character quatrain, which, although exquisite and beautiful, could hardly be considered a masterpiece. However, he had no other works to his name and relied entirely on Yang Jian's promotion based on this one poem.

In such a situation, it's understandable that the other party is being polite, but their words just now were a bit excessive. After all, they are from a prominent family and are well-informed; they wouldn't go to such lengths, and even if it's just for show, it's a bit too much.

Could it be that the other party is considering their actions that day, has not yet made a final decision, is unsure about their own character, and is still thinking about it?

However, this almost-praise-to-kill statement still leans slightly towards questioning his character, and probably also doubts his talent in poetry. If he can no longer produce good poetry, he will naturally be ashamed, and the other party has already taken the lead.

If one's poetry is good, it can actually prove that the other party is respectful, approachable, and has exceptional vision.

What a brilliant plan!

Thinking of this, Zhao Ti felt slightly displeased, but he didn't show it on his face.

After all, this kind of thing isn't a big problem if you consider it from the other person's perspective. It's just that they're a bit scheming. But which child of a prominent family isn't scheming?

When the Great Qian Dynasty was established, all eight great families worked together, producing outstanding talents in both literature and martial arts. Although years have passed and the family has become corrupt and decadent, they have not become useless or mere decorations. In fact, each of them is extremely shrewd.

Zhao Ti said, "Miss Luo Fu is too kind. I only have one short poem that has been passed down. How can I accept such words from Miss Luo Fu?"

"Is only one short poem still circulating?" Luo Fu nodded: "Young Master Zhao will surely have more masterpieces to come today, so there will be more than one. What Luo Fu just said will not be untrue."

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "Then I'll take Miss Luofu's auspicious words as a sign."

So it seems they're using the opportunity of composing poetry to determine someone's character flaws. But can good poetry cover up bad character, or can bad poetry erase a person's good character?
This isn't about judging character, but rather about judging people by their talent and learning. That's wrong, but it's the consistent style and method of making connections among aristocratic families.

They only consider ability and talent, not whether someone is good or bad, virtuous or wicked. Even if someone is utterly wicked, as long as they have something special, a noble family will still recruit them.

At this moment, Mo Xun noticed something amiss. He glanced at Zhao Ti, then at Luo Fu, his face thoughtful.

Luo Fu smiled and said, "Let me introduce everyone here to Young Master Zhao. We'll visit each other often and become good friends."

Zhao Ti smiled slightly. This was adding weight to his position. If he failed to compose a poem, he would inevitably be discussed and even ridiculed by the public.

However, if one truly creates good poems, these people will promote them even more, further enhancing one's fame.

A sword has two edges; it can injure others, but it can also injure oneself. It all depends on the skill of the swordsman, whether it is superb, and whether one can use it freely.

He said, "In that case... thank you for your trouble, Miss Luofu."

Luo Fu said, "Young Master Zhao, there's no need to be so formal with my daughter."

As he spoke, he led the two people from the left and introduced them one by one. After a while, they went to the right. After going around in a circle, Zhao Ti had gotten to know almost everyone present.

These people can be roughly divided into two categories: one is from a better family, either a prominent family or an official family, and the other is a commoner, whose family members are ordinary people.

The former has more people, while the latter has fewer people.

Zhao Ti had never heard of most of these people, only a handful whose names he recognized.

The latter were all students with some reputation from various academies and schools, including some from the state school, but they were not in the same grade or class as him. After walking around, he understood the composition of the Yuzhou Poetry Gathering. It was mainly composed of sons of aristocratic families and officials, with the commoners serving as decorations to make the gathering not too embarrassing.

However, Luo Fu's proposal to compose poems on specific topics this time is bound to expose a veil of hypocrisy. Not to mention the sons of noble families, even among commoners, there may be some who are just pretending to be talented and who are trying to pass themselves off as superior.

But... why would a woman from a prominent family do such a thing? Not only would it offend people, but it also seems to bring no benefit. Is it just to distinguish between genuine and fake poetic talent? It is rather puzzling.

Thinking of this, Zhao Ti couldn't help but turn his head to look at Luo Fu. She had an excellent temperament, like a graceful orchid, or a serene white cloud, gentle yet strong, with a hint of otherworldly beauty, and especially a faint scholarly air that made her unforgettable.

At this moment, Luo Fu felt his gaze, turned her snow-white neck, and looked over with eyes as bright as peach blossoms and stars.

"Young Master Zhao and Brother Mo, please sit on this side."

She smiled and said that there were two empty tables on her left, right next to the central table in front of her.

The two exchanged a glance, nodded, and walked over to sit down.

On the table were not only tea and fresh fruit, but also some exquisite pastries with patterns and characters engraved on them, bearing the three characters "Dingfuzhai".

This is not a shop in Yuzhou City, but a long-established pastry shop in Qianjing City. The prices are quite expensive, and it is often bought and used by high-ranking officials and nobles. Ordinary people cannot afford to eat it, or even cannot afford it at all.

Mo Xun reached out and picked up a piece of almond honey cake, put it in his mouth and tasted it: "It's been a while since I've had Dingfuzhai, and I miss it a little."

Zhao Ti took a sip of tea and found it refreshing and pleasantly fragrant. He nodded. He usually kept some tea at home, but it was not good tea, and he wouldn't drink it every day like a wealthy family. So, although it was fragrant, he didn't know what kind it was.

Mo Xun, standing beside him, picked up his teacup, sipped it, and then smiled, "This pre-Qingming Longjing tea from Anzhou is indeed excellent; it's been a long time since I've had it."

Zhao Ti smiled, knowing that Mo Xun was talking to him, but he didn't expect that it was such a precious item as pre-Qingming Longjing tea, which was far more valuable than Dingfuzhai's pastries.

Longjing tea is a specialty of Anzhou. Pre-Qingming Longjing tea is made from tea leaves picked before the Qingming Festival. Moreover, not all Longjing tea trees in Anzhou can be used to make it; only 180 tea trees in one village under Anzhou can be used.

Half of them were tribute tea, offered to the imperial family of the Great Qian Dynasty. The other half were not sold on the market, but were divided up by aristocratic families and officials. Outsiders rarely saw them, let alone tasted them.

At this moment, Luo Fu looked at everyone from behind the table with a peaceful expression and said, "Fellow enthusiasts, now that everyone has arrived, why don't we begin the poetry gathering?"

The crowd applauded, but their voices were somewhat hesitant and lacked conviction.

Luo Fu's bright eyes darted around as she smiled and said, "You are all talented scholars from Yuzhou, renowned throughout the state. Some of you have even become famous in neighboring states. You are truly talented people, which is why I came up with the idea of ​​holding this poetry gathering and choosing a topic for you to compose poems on the spot."

The crowd looked at each other, and one of the scholars with a long face said with a wry smile, "What Miss Luofu said is true. We are indeed talented, but when it comes to impromptu poems on a given topic, I'm afraid none of us can do it well or compose an outstanding poem."

The scholar's name was Ma Wen. After he finished speaking, the people around him echoed his sentiments, saying that composing a poem on a given topic was too difficult, and even if one could write one, it would be hard to produce a masterpiece.

Luo Fu shook her head and said, "My fellow brothers are underestimating themselves too much. In the past, you could compose poems on the spot, no matter the topic. Let alone composing a poem in seven steps, you could probably compose a good poem in three or five steps. Especially Brother Mo, your two poems last time really amazed me. How can you say that you can't compose a good poem now?"

Mo Xun looked embarrassed and coughed, saying, "Miss Luo Fu, writing poetry requires inspiration. Last time at the poetry gathering, I suddenly had an inspiration and wrote a good poem, but today... today I don't feel much inspiration."

Luo Fu smiled and said, "It's not like everyone is without inspiration. You don't need to question my method of composing poems on a given topic. There are actually some reasons behind it, and you will understand once I explain."

Upon hearing this, everyone asked in unison, "What is the reason?"

Luo Fu glanced at both sides and said, "The Ministry of Rites of Qianjing will hold a grand poetry gathering at the end of this autumn, a month after the autumn examination. Talented scholars from all over the country will be invited to participate, and Yuzhou will naturally be among them. In addition to the invitations sent by Qianjing itself, each prefecture will be given three recommendation slots, which will be determined by the Prefectural Governor's Office after examining the scholars within the prefecture."

"What?!" Everyone was stunned upon hearing this. Qianjing was going to hold a poetry gathering for the whole country? In addition to the person designated by the Ministry of Rites, each prefecture also had three recommended candidates?
Three recommendation slots are already quite a lot. You have to know that there are ninety-nine prefectures in the Great Qian Dynasty. If each prefecture has three slots, that's nearly three hundred people. If you include the famous scholars and poets designated by the Ministry of Rites, the number is probably close to a thousand.

Ma Wen hurriedly asked, "Miss Luo Fu, I wonder what the benefits of this World Poetry Gathering are?"

Luo Fu nodded: "The greatest benefit is naturally fame, but in addition to fame, the court will give generous rewards to those who win the prizes. Moreover, if these scholars who win prizes become officials in the future, their rankings in this poetry competition will be included in their official appointment assessments."

The crowd grew increasingly surprised, their expressions shifting. Luo Fu continued, "Of course, there are also some hidden benefits. At that time, all the powerful families, princes and generals, and local officials will be watching this poetry gathering. Those who win prizes, or others who excel, may be sought after and won over by these forces, who will support them from behind the scenes... You all understand what this means, so I won't elaborate further."

The crowd fell silent, their faces filled with longing. They knew that even though many of them came from distinguished backgrounds, having another powerful force take notice of them was equivalent to gaining a significant boost to their careers. This was not a simple matter of one plus one; each force had its own intricate network of connections, and the benefits they could bring far exceeded their imagination, far beyond a simple doubling or tripling of their wealth.

Luo Fu smiled and said, "This is also why I took the lead in organizing this poetry gathering. After all, even the Prefectural Governor's Office is not sure of the true level of poetic talent among the scholars in the prefecture. As for those famous scholars and poets, the Ministry of Rites can naturally invite them directly. But we still need to examine the scholars in the prefecture. How can we examine them? Naturally, we can only hold a poetry gathering."

"I see..." Everyone nodded in agreement.

Luo Fu said, “There are too many schools in the prefecture. In addition to the prefectural school, there are more than ten universities and hundreds of primary schools. How can the Prefectural Governor’s Office know the situation of the students? This is why I asked you to bring your friends who are good at writing poetry.”

Everyone now understood why Luo Fu had asked them to compose poems on a given topic: to prevent them from cheating, because if they cheated now, they wouldn't be able to cheat in Qianjing.

If someone is selected for a recommendation by cheating, it will be a disgrace when they go to Qianjing. They will be a disgrace in the eyes of the court, the literary circles, and the people of the world.

At that time, it will not only be our own people who will be lost, but also the Prefect of Yuzhou, the Governor of Yuzhou, and the entire population of Yuzhou.

Luo Fu smiled and said, "So, my brothers, there's no need to be too nervous. If you can do it, then do it. If you can't, that's fine too. Just ask someone who's interested to help."

Everyone relaxed upon hearing this, and they smiled at each other. Such things are something that should be done if possible, but one shouldn't force it if one can't. Although they all wanted to go to Qianjing to make a name for themselves and gain favor from other forces, they had to consider their own abilities first, lest they end up making a fool of themselves and becoming a laughingstock instead of making a name for themselves.

Luo Fu clapped her hands lightly, and immediately a maid went to add incense to the animal-shaped incense burners on both sides. Then, the clear and melodious sound of the zither rang out, plucking the strings one by one, which suddenly brightened one's mind.

She smiled and said, "Since everyone understands, let the poetry gathering begin. I will give you the first topic, which is to write a poem in my daughter's name. The poem must also contain my daughter's name."

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback. Using Luo Fu's name as the topic was a subject that no matter how much one guessed or prepared, it was impossible to come up with a coherent answer.

Luo Fu continued, “In my name, but not necessarily related to me, you may compose a poem, whether it is a five-character quatrain, a seven-character quatrain, a five-character regulated verse, a seven-character regulated verse, or a Yuefu or ancient style poem. Gentlemen… please.”

(End of this chapter)