Do you know: I am Qi Heng

Zhuang Xuejiu was quite pragmatic; he knew very well that Qi Heng and the others all had the goal of passing the imperial examinations.

Therefore, poetry has not been mentioned at all in the past few months.

Mo Lan had no way of knowing what type of poetry Qi Heng liked.

However, Li Bai's poems are unparalleled among Tang Dynasty poets and have always been loved and admired by literati.

Therefore, on Lin Xiaoniang's advice, she chose to use Li Bai's poems as a starting point.

Unexpectedly, Qi Heng said that he did not like Li Bai's poems.

Mo Lan's face stiffened, and it took her a while to recover. She asked in confusion, "Li Bai's poems are unrestrained and elegant, loved by countless scholars. Why doesn't Brother Yuanruo like them?"

"That's too unrestrained and ethereal; I'm more of a practical person."

Qi Heng shook his head and said, "Comparatively speaking, I prefer Bai Juyi's poems."

"Forehead…"

Mo Lan was speechless for a moment. Although she had read a few of Bai Juyi's poems, she hadn't read many.

Because of Lin Xiaoniang's suggestion, she has been secretly studying and memorizing Li Bai's poems during this period.

But Li Bai wrote so many poems that she spent a lot of effort trying to impress Qi Heng with her own words and attract his attention.

While she can't recite every single one of Li Bai's poems, she can discuss his style and other aspects.

She only knew a few of Bai Juyi's poems, and knew even less about other aspects of Bai Juyi.

If we were to go along with Qi Heng's suggestion and talk to him about Bai Juyi, we would likely embarrass ourselves.

"Since Brother Yuanruo admires Bai Juyi so much, I'll have to read his poems carefully later. If there's anything I don't understand, I'll ask Brother Yuanruo for help," Mo Lan said with a smile.

"Um."

Qi Heng responded faintly and lowered his head to read his book.

The saying "a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent" does not mean that women cannot be talented, but rather that they do not need to deliberately display their talents.

Learning poetry and songs is about learning how to conduct oneself in society and cultivating one's character.

It is not something to show off, or to attract attention and win favor.

Lin Xiaoniang won Sheng Hong's favor by showing off her literary talent, and thought that all men were like that.

Indeed, most scholars appreciate talented women who provide companionship and companionship.

However, this is under the premise that they have a legal wife. The responsibilities and requirements of concubines and so-called confidantes are different.

If Sheng Hong hadn't had Lady Wang as his principal wife, he would have married someone like Lin Xiaoniang.

Doing nothing all day but studying poetry and books to please him, leaving the house in a mess, will eventually become tiresome.

It was precisely because she was a concubine that Sheng Hong did not have this feeling.

Marry a virtuous wife, and take a beautiful concubine.

The ancients were quite wise; they had already distinguished the roles of wives and concubines.

A wife should be virtuous and able to manage the household well, while a concubine only needs to be beautiful and do everything she can to please him.

Lin Xiaoniang never realized this, because of her own experience, she thought that this would win a man's favor.

He made Mo Lan do this to please him.

Let alone him, Qi Heng himself wasn't interested in this kind of thing at all.

However, Mo Lan didn't bother him again in the following days.

Even during breaks, he would sit in his seat and read.

Qi Heng had secretly taken a look and found that he was reading Bai Juyi's poetry collection.

He secretly pondered whose poem he should say he liked better when Mo Lan came to find him after reading it.

Perhaps in the future, because of him, Mo Lan will truly become a talented woman who has read all the Tang poems.

That noon, after school, Qi Heng and Minglan went to Shou'an Hall together, but neither of them spoke to each other on the way.

As we arrived outside Shou'an Hall and were about to enter, we heard Old Madam Sheng's hearty laughter coming from inside.

Upon entering the house, Qi Heng saw Old Madam Sheng and Old Madam He sitting at the head of the table, with He Hongwen sitting beside them.

"Yuan Ruo and Ming Ya Tou are here."

Grandma Sheng smiled and said, "Yuanruo, you already know Grandma He, so I won't introduce you. Ming'er, this is the Grandma He I mentioned before, and that's her grandson. Come and pay your respects!"

"Greetings, Madam He! May you be well!" Minglan bowed slightly to Madam He.

"No need for formalities!"

Grandma He smiled and waved her hand, looking you up and down, and said, "You're a well-behaved girl. No wonder your grandmother, at her age, still wants to raise you."

Qi Heng nodded to He Hongwen in greeting and stood aside watching Old Madam He and Minglan exchange pleasantries.

The husband that Old Madam Sheng painstakingly chose for Minglan was He Hongwen.

It didn't work out because of Gu Tingye's scheming.

When Minglan first met He Hongwen, she was almost of marriageable age.

Now that it's been brought forward by several years, it's hard to say that nothing will go wrong.

Because of him, Old Mrs. He came to Beijing ahead of schedule and is staying there for an extended period.

It's still too early for Gu Tingye to develop feelings for Minglan, and without his interference, their marriage is highly likely to go through.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Minglan bowed to He Hongwen and addressed him as "Brother."

After He Hongwen returned the greeting, Qi Heng greeted Old Madam He, and then Old Madam Sheng invited them to move to the flower hall for dinner.

During the casual conversation, Qi Heng learned that the reason why it took Old Madam He several months to return to Bianjing after returning to her hometown was because He Hongwen's mother fell ill and caused the delay.

He Hongwen's mother has always been in poor health, and when she has an attack of her illness, she certainly cannot withstand the arduous journey. She can only set off after she has recovered.

After the meal, Qi Heng and He Hongwen sat with him for a while before leaving Shou'an Hall together.

"Brother He, are you not leaving after arriving in Bianjing this time?" Qi Heng asked.

"I'm not leaving."

He Hongwen smiled and said, "Grandmother has taken up a post in the Imperial Medical Academy and will be staying in Bianjing from now on!"

"This is a good thing!"

Qi Heng laughed and said, "I don't have many friends. Brother He, since you're staying in Bianjing, I can ask you to join me for some fun in my spare time."

"I couldn't ask for more!"

He Hongwen said, "Last time I came to Beijing, I didn't have enough fun, and I didn't get to visit the market at Daxiangguo Temple. I must go and see it this time if I have the chance."

Upon hearing this, Qi Heng quickly calculated in his mind and said, "Perfect timing! This holiday coincides with the opening day of the Great Xiangguo Temple. Shall we go for a visit together?"

He Hongwen said somewhat embarrassedly, "I need to ask my grandmother."

…………

After Qi Heng and He Hongwen left, Old Madam Sheng sent Minglan to take a nap.

"You've raised your granddaughter so well," Grandma He praised.

Grandma Sheng shook her head with a smile: "She's shy, like a quiet person, and doesn't talk much when she meets people."

"Older sister, you can't fool me with that."

Grandma He said with a half-smile, "Although she doesn't talk much, she always responds when I talk to her, and she doesn't seem nervous or impatient at all."

And she kept serving you food, and you ate everything she put on your plate, which means she remembered your preferences.

"This isn't some quiet, reserved person at all; she's clearly beautiful inside and out."

"She's not as good as you make her out to be. She's just a little more sensible." Old Mrs. Sheng shook her head with a smile.

"I've seen too many girls her age when I treat patients."

Grandma He shook her head and said, "Sister, what do you think of my grandson?"

"Polite and handsome, he is sure to achieve great things in the future!" said Mrs. Sheng.

"I dare not hope for him to achieve great things, I just hope he can carry on the medical skills."

Grandma He said, "Since you're satisfied, elder sister, how about we arrange a marriage?"

"How come your personality hasn't changed at all after all these years?"

Grandma Sheng laughed and said, "So rushed, I don't know how one can be a good doctor."