The revitalization of the Tang Dynasty began with the Ganlu Incident.

Everyone fell silent for a long time.

They subconsciously felt that Li Ang's statement was wrong, but they couldn't quite put their finger on what was wrong.

But if what Li Erlang said is true, does that mean that the righteous path they have always adhered to has been wrong?

Li Shangyin looked somewhat dejected. He slowly sat down, downed another cup of wine, and then looked up, his eyes filled with confusion.

"Does this mean we are wrong to hope for fairness in the imperial examinations and to reject the practice of bribery?"

It's clear that this great poet Li's beliefs are wavering at this moment, otherwise he wouldn't have asked such a naive question.

Li Ang shook his head and said, "Seeking fairness and prohibiting favors is certainly not wrong, but what is wrong is that you failed to recognize your own position."

"The problems with the imperial examination system did not arise overnight, nor can they be changed overnight. It is good to remain untainted by the mud, but if one wants to enter officialdom, there will always be compromises."

"As long as one maintains a heart dedicated to serving the country and its people, why be fixated on how one becomes an official, whether through hereditary privilege or the imperial examinations?"

"However, this is ultimately not the right path."

At this point, Li Shangyin understood Li Ang's meaning, but he still had some doubts.

Seeing this, Li Ang continued, "That's why I just asked Yishan, what you seek is not for the sake of the country and the people, but for the sake of leaving a name for yourself after death."

"If it's for the former, then you shouldn't hesitate. Although the practice of asking for favors is not the right way, if you want to change it, you'll have to wait until you enter officialdom."

"Admittedly, entering officialdom through this means will inevitably lead to being constrained by students and mentors, but even if it can change things a little, it's still better than you sitting in this restaurant complaining every day, isn't it?"

"Of course, if you just want to leave a good name, then disregard what I said. With your talent, Li Yishan, even if you never enter officialdom in your life, future generations will only say that you have excellent character and integrity."

"You should think carefully about how to make this decision, Yishan."

Light snow began to fall outside the window, and pedestrians in the streets quickened their pace, hurrying home.

In no time, the street was deserted.

After saying these words, Li Ang lost interest in staying any longer. He stood up, bowed to Duan Chengshi and the others to take his leave, and then left the restaurant.

The sounds of string and wind instruments still lingered nearby. Li Shangyin, Wen Tingyun, and Duan Chengshi stood in front of the restaurant, watching Li Ang get into the carriage, their expressions somewhat complicated.

"This Li Erlang is truly extraordinary!"

As the fine snowflakes fell, Duan Chengshi exhaled a breath of warm air and shook his head.

Stepping outside and taking a few breaths of fresh air, Wen Tingyun sobered up considerably. He nodded and said, "It's a pity I forgot to ask where he lives. I can visit him another day."

Upon hearing this, Duan Chengshi's eyes flickered slightly, and he said, "If we are destined to meet, we will meet again. Your reputation as a great talent, Wen, is quite considerable in the capital. If this Li Erlang is interested in making friends, it shouldn't be difficult for him to find out where you live."

Wen Tingyun nodded, but his face still showed a hint of regret.

However, he didn't take it too seriously, and quickly looked at Li Shangyin, who was still silent.

"Yishan, you..."

It was clear that Wen Tingyun was still somewhat worried; Li Shangyin couldn't quite accept Li Ang's overly blunt words.

However, his worries were clearly somewhat unnecessary.

Li Shangyin's expression had returned to calm. He exhaled a breath of stale air and began to speak.

"Brother Duan, Fei Qing, I've made up my mind. Tomorrow I will visit Lord Linghu and ask him to write a letter of recommendation for me. I am determined to pass the imperial examination this time!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Duan Chengshi and Wen Tingyun, who were standing to the side, immediately showed surprise and delight, and said one after another.

"Yishan, you've finally figured it out."

Li Shangyin gave a bitter smile and said, "Actually, thinking about it, the reason I rushed to the capital as soon as I saw Linghu Gong's letter was probably because I had this thought in mind. Perhaps even if I hadn't met Erlang today, I would have taken this path sooner or later."

"But it is still different." Wen Tingyun shook his head and continued, "Whether you are an official or a person, the most important thing is to have a clear mind. If it weren't for Erlang's words today, even if you entered the officialdom, you would still have resentment in your heart. If your mind is not pure, it will be difficult to achieve anything. You will just be trapped in fame and ambition and live a mundane life."

Li Shangyin turned his head and looked Wen Tingyun up and down, as if he had gained a new understanding of his friend.

"You're right. If it were me before today, even if I entered officialdom, I would eventually be troubled by the so-called righteous path and would hardly achieve anything in my life. In this respect, Erlang and I, though we only had one meeting, can be considered my benefactor in this life."

"It's a pity that I was too emotional to understand what he meant, I'm really ashamed. If we have the chance to meet again in the future, I will definitely thank him with great courtesy."

"Don't worry, we'll definitely have a chance to meet again," Duan Chengshi patted Li Shangyin on the shoulder and comforted him.

The three of them stood in the snow for a long time. Instead of taking a carriage, they walked on the thin snow until they disappeared into the alley.

…………

On the other side, Li Ang, who was sitting in the carriage, held a hand warmer in his hands and slowly drank the hangover soup that Liu Hongyi had asked the shopkeeper to prepare. His originally hazy drunkenness became more sober.

Leaning back on the soft couch, recalling the scene just now, a smile couldn't help but appear on his face.

Sure enough, people are prone to impulsiveness when they are drunk.

He definitely wouldn't have said those words in the restaurant under normal circumstances.

However, after drinking some wine, and with Li Shangyin and the others unaware of his identity, Li Ang became less restrained and his words and actions inevitably became much bolder.

Looking back now, I still feel that it was a bit reckless.

If the court officials were to hear the emperor utter such words, they would be utterly astonished.

But... it was quite satisfying!

After savoring the taste of the hangover soup in his mouth, Li Ang felt his mood improve considerably.

Although it wasn't outwardly apparent, Li Ang's emotions had been constantly on edge since he transmigrated.

First, there was the life-or-death threat posed by Qiu Shiliang and others. After that was resolved, the relationship between the eunuchs and the court had to be balanced.

While trying to appease Liu Hongyi and others, he also had to figure out how to deal with Li Xun's faction. Whenever he had a spare moment, he had to read various documents to increase his understanding of the era...

All of this, while mentally taxing, is secondary; the most significant issue is the psychological pressure.

Although today's encounter with Li Shangyin and others was by chance, it was truly relaxing, so the trip was not in vain.

Seeing that Li Ang seemed to be in a good mood, Liu Hongyi cautiously asked, "It's getting late today, it's snowing outside, and everyone has been drinking. Perhaps this old servant should escort you back to the palace first..."

Li Ang frowned, but before he could speak, the carriage outside suddenly stopped. A moment later, Liu Xingshen's voice rang out.

"Your Excellency, Lieutenant Xue Jiling of the Shence Army requests an audience."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Ang glanced at Liu Hongyi and asked, "Why is he here?"

Liu Hongyi bowed his head and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, this old servant does not know. Perhaps there is some urgent matter?"

Li Ang snorted, leaned back on the couch, and then said, "Let him come over."

A moment later, Xue Jiling came to the carriage and bowed slightly: "This old servant, Xue Jiling, greets everyone."

"What is it?" Li Ang's calm voice came from behind him.

Xue Jiling replied, "Reporting to everyone, news has come from Xingqing Palace that Princess Qiyang has returned to the capital, and the Empress Dowager requests that everyone go there."

There was a moment of silence in the carriage. The cold wind blew the curtains, and the person inside could be vaguely seen with an inscrutable expression. Then, Li Ang's voice rang out, still revealing no trace of joy or anger.

"Now that my aunt has returned to the capital, I should naturally pay her a visit. Now, let's go back..."