(two-in-one) In general, the two sides are winless and lose a draw today, if you really want to divide the winner, it is Guo Xu who wins, but that is also because of Guo Chong's support.

The palace maid guided everyone to sit, and there were more than 50 male guests, filling five large round tables. As expected, Lin Jue, the prince of the county, could not be assigned to the number, and sat at the last round table. The seven elders and eight children at the same table also seem to be distant relatives of the royal family who are not too high-status. Being able to come in for the banquet is probably also a favor from the emperor. Lin Jue was a little resentful in his heart, he was also the prince's son-in-law, and he was not a distant relative, why did he treat himself like this? But if you think about it, you can do it. Thinking about the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet on August 15 that day, I didn't even have a chance to enter the palace. If it weren't for Cai Wei's absence this time, he wouldn't be qualified at all. If you can sit here, you can be content.

"You are all royal relatives and relatives, and we are all family. In the New Year, the people's homes reunite and celebrate, and our royal family should do the same. Therefore, the mourning family told the emperor that the emperor was filial and remembered it in his heart, so he invited everyone into the palace for a meal. Don't be inhibited, eat and drink as much as you want, have fun as much as you want, and don't worry about committing any taboos. Just have a good time. Did you hear it all? Empress Dowager Wei's voice sounded in front of her.

"Follow the Empress Dowager's decree!" Everyone stood up and shouted.

"Hey, why are you like that? I said that today is not formal, so there is no need to be so formal. Your Majesty, I see, let's open the banquet, it's almost noon. Empress Dowager Wei said with a smile.

Guo Chong said with a smile: "Okay, the queen mother said that the banquet will be opened." Open! ”

"Open the table!" The chamberlain's loud voice shouted again. The voice fell, and the sound of silk and bamboo drum music on the side of the corridor around suddenly rose, and in the midst of a joyful music, rows of palace maids came gracefully holding vegetable plates. Because it is winter, these dishes are cooked and simmered over a charcoal fire, so they are still steaming and fragrant. A moment later, the table was full of dishes. After the wine was poured, everyone got up to toast the Queen Mother and the Queen Mother with three glasses of wine, and then under the instructions of the Queen Mother, they toasted each other and ate and drank.

Lin Jue only ate some hot dishes and didn't drink much. It's not that I'm afraid that I'll lose my temper when I'm drunk, but this wine is light and tasteless, and Lin Jue doesn't like to drink it. Lin Jue likes to drink strong wine, but in the palace, all he drinks is light wine, so it is not interesting. The dishes are very delicious, and the chefs of the imperial diet really have some doorways, and the seasonings are not complete these years, such as the most basic monosodium glutamate, there is no substitute at all. There is no difference between chicken, duck and fish, after all, it is full of umami, but vegetarian dishes can also be fried deliciously, I am afraid that there is some secret, Lin Jue is very happy to eat.

Everyone on the seat stood up to toast each other, and the coming and going was very lively. After the wine is drunk, the atmosphere is also lively. In front of the Queen Mother and the Emperor, the toasters lined up, and Lin Jue had no such intention. The people at the fifth table, what are you going to do?

The eldest prince, King Guo Mian of Jin, drank a few glasses of wine on the seat, couldn't sit still, got up and came to the corridor to bow to Guo Chong. Guo Chong smiled: "Does Mian'er have anything to say?" ”

Guo Mian said with a smile: "Father, today's first day of the Lunar New Year, 10,000 people celebrate the New Year, and the whole world celebrates the same day. I want to dedicate it to my grandmother and my father, the queen mother. ”

Lin Jue listened from afar, his eyes rolling on the ground, this Guo Mian is really going to do something, and he is going to show himself again. But it's none of his business, he wants to show off, he has nothing to do with himself, just listen.

Guo Chong smiled and said, "Okay, come and listen?" Mian'er is very talented, and the masters and sons of the Hanlin Academy have praised each other, and the father and emperor have come to listen to it today. ”

"The son has the courage to sacrifice his ugliness." Guo Mian coughed, did enough to do his job, and said loudly: "The twilight view of the Xifang Palace, the gorgeous Qi Palace." The cold leaves the winter snow, and the warmth brings in the spring breeze. Step-rich Shumeisu, coiled flower roll candle red. Celebrate the new year and welcome and send off all night. ”

"Good! Good poetry, His Royal Highness the King of Jin is brilliant, such a talent, not the first in my big week, but at least the top three. Several horses applauded busily.

Guo Chong also nodded slightly, Yuan didn't understand poetry, seeing the emperor nodding, he was also happy in his heart, and said softly: "Congratulations to the emperor, congratulations to the emperor." The emperor is so literate, and it is not in vain that the emperor has taught him and painstakingly. ”

Although Empress Dowager Wei didn't understand it very well, when she heard this, she also smiled and said: "Good Guo Mian, give me a glass of wine for him to taste, he has a long face." ”

The chamberlain hurriedly stepped forward and gave a glass of wine to Guo Mian, who drank it all in one gulp with a red face. Proud.

"Second brother, do you also make a poem to help the fun? It's a rare good day, you can't just sit still. You make a song. Guo Mian shouted at Guo Xu.

Lin Jue almost squirted out a mouthful of food, Guo Mian is really excessive, is this to embarrass Guo Xu? Knowing that Guo Xu is not good at this, he still wants to do this, this is deliberately looking for Guo Xu's stubble and making him ugly.

Guo Xu was angry in his heart, but he couldn't attack it. The imperial brother called his name, and he had no choice but to get up and say: "Imperial brother, you know that I am average in literature, but without the talent of the imperial brother, I can't make poetry." ”

"Hey, the quality of the poem is secondary, the key is the heart, which is to make the Queen Mother and the Queen Mother happy. And no one says you're doing badly. Otherwise, you don't have to write poetry, don't you like to dance with guns and sticks? Here, I danced a set of swordsmanship for the Queen Mother's father, and I gave us a helping drink. It's all right. Guo Mian said with a smile.

Lin Jue almost squirted out a mouthful of food again, he didn't expect Guo Mian to be so bad, how could he dance with a sword on such an occasion? Isn't that a bad sight? If Guo Xu agreed, then he would have fallen for Guo Mian. Guo Xu shouldn't be fooled, he shouldn't be so stupid.

Guo Xu really didn't disappoint Lin Jue, and said in a deep voice: "Brother Huang, on such occasions, it is unlucky to use a murder weapon, so this will be avoided." Another day, I will go hunting with my father and brother, and I will dance my sword to cheer up. That's the way it is. ”

Guo Mian's trap was recognized, and he didn't care at all, and said with a smile: "That's what I said, but you can't chant poetry for fun, and you can't dance with a sword, and you can't become a martial artist, how can this be good?" ”

Guo Mian made a pun, pointing to Sang and scolding Huai, and still saying that Guo Xuwen would not succeed in martial arts. Guo Xu didn't understand. But Guo Xu was very calm, and said to Guo Chong: "Father, it's not that the sons and daughters don't want to be ugly, it's just that the sons think that whoever is good at what they do, they will do it." If you want to do something that you are not good at, that is not enough to do it. Just like his father, the emperor taught the officials of the court and the central government to appoint and appoint people, know how to make good use of people, and use their strengths. The so-called ruler is short and long, and everyone has their own strengths. The sons are not good at poetry, so the sons do not measure themselves. ”

"What Guo Xu said is very reasonable, and these words are very ear-catching." Guo Chong said with a smile.

Empress Yuan smiled and said: "It does make sense, but on such occasions, it is just to join in the fun, so there is no need to be so serious." ”

"Queen Mother, on such occasions, you have to listen to good poems and good words to be happy, father, at this moment, there is a leader in my Great Zhou literary world here, I want to appreciate the poems, why not let him compose a poem for the Queen Mother's father and queen mother?" Guo Xu said in a deep voice.

"Oh? Is there here? Who is it? Guo Chong asked.

Lin Jue listened from afar, his heart sank, and he secretly screamed badly. I heard Guo Xu's voice come clearly: "Did my father forget?" Lin Jue, the new champion, is the son-in-law of the emperor's uncle. He's at the banquet today. ”

"Poof!" Lin Jue almost squirted out the food in his mouth for the third time.

……

"Lin Jue? Is he here too? Today's occasion ......," Guo Chong frowned.

"Did you forget? Lin Jue is the son-in-law of the emperor's uncle. The county lord of Caiwei. Guo Xu said.

"Oh oh, I remember, I still allowed him to attack the banquet instead of Cai Wei, my memory is really bad." Guo Chong patted his forehead and said.

Lin Jue was so angry in his heart, obviously, his identity as a county horse was not remembered in Guo Chong's mind at all. said that the new champion may still know himself, and said that Guo Caiwei's husband is not impressed at all.

"I asked him to come to see me, why didn't I see him toast me?" Guo Chong said with a smile.

Guo Xu turned his head to look at Lin Jue, and someone immediately hurried to Lin Jue's side and reminded him that the emperor wanted him to step forward. Lin Jue had no choice but to walk through the crowd and salute in front of the steps.

"Weichen Lin Jue, give the Queen Mother, the Emperor, and the Queen Mother a salute and wish the New Year."

"Hehehe, get up, get up. Lin Jue, where are you sitting? Why didn't I see you? Guo Chong waved his hand and smiled.

"Returning to the emperor, Weichen sat on the fifth seat, far away, and the emperor probably didn't see it. Wechen is ready to come to toast, but the general order of the seats is coming, and it hasn't been my turn yet. Lin Jue replied.

"Oh, I see. That's not your fault. Guo Chong said with a smile, not feeling that there was anything wrong with arranging Lin Jue on the farthest seat.

Guo Xu smiled beside him: "Lin Jue, you heard me talking to my father." On this occasion today, as a leader in my Great Zhou literary circle, how can you not have good poems to help you enjoy? Brother Shicai made a song, now you can make a song. ”

Guo Chong nodded and smiled: "Yes, yes, Lin Jue, I like your poems very much, and I can memorize a few." But I really haven't seen you write poetry in person. How is it? What opened my eyes today? ”

Lin Jue wanted to say: Lao Tzu doesn't do it. But he said, "Yes." ”

Guo Chongxi said: "Okay, then make a song for the occasion." ”

Guo Xu said on the side: "My brother has made a poem about the New Year, I think it is very neat, you can make another poem, and it will be judged by people for a while." Let's see if it's my brother who writes it well, or if you Lin Jue writes it well. ”

Lin Jue's heart sank, and he said in his heart: You want to be beautiful, is this to make me offend people? So he smiled and said: "His Royal Highness King Huai, the so-called literature is the first, and the way of poetry is for appreciation and evaluation, not for comparison." ”

Guo Xu was stunned and said with a smile: "If you don't say it, I really don't know." ”

Guo Mian said lightly on the side: "You naturally don't know." Lin Jue, you don't have to scruple, it's nothing better than me. Thesis, I'm not as good as you, I know it in my heart, and I don't need to hide it. ”

Guo Chong nodded and said, "Mian'er is kind-hearted. Lin Jue, in this way, just writing a New Year's work for the occasion may not be difficult for you. I hope that you will write about the new atmosphere of my Great Zhou, not only for the occasion, but also for the new atmosphere of my Great Week in the new year. Can you? ”

Everyone was dumbfounded, the emperor's requirements were too high, and it was already difficult to occupy the situation, but so many gimmicks had to be added. It's embarrassing.

Guo Chong is indeed a little embarrassed, but in his opinion, Lin Jue was the new champion of last year, so naturally he can't write a poem casually. So he wants to increase the difficulty and test the quality of this champion. Although Lin Jue's poems, especially the "Treatise on the Six Kingdoms" and "Red Cliff Fu" written during the imperial examination, were already brilliant articles and had already proved their strength, Guo Chong still wanted to test him.

Lin Jue knew that there was no excuse, so he simply said aloud: "The minister obeys the order." ”

"Okay, let's get started." Guo Chong shouted.

Lin Jue paced slowly, and after only taking two or three steps, Lin Jue arched his hand and said, "The minister has it." ”

"Oh? So fast? Guo Chong smiled: "Read it and listen to it." ”

Lin Jue groaned slowly: "In the sound of firecrackers, the spring breeze sends warmth into Tusu. Thousands of households always replace the new peach with the old one. ”

Everyone was silent and silent, but the Empress Dowager Wei applauded: "Good poems, good poems, the mourners all understand, and it is very appropriate for the situation, isn't this just saying that firecrackers are set off in the New Year, and couplets are pasted?" Festive, lively! ”

"Yes, what the Queen Mother said is very true, and the concubine body also heard it, and this is exactly what she said. Festive indeed. Empress Yuan echoed.

Guo Chong was a little disappointed, this poem is very simple, although it is suitable for the occasion, but it is too far from his own requirements. The best talent, do you only have these four poems?

"Lin Jue, gone? Just these four sentences? ”

"Enlighten the saint, just these four sentences." Lin Jue bowed and said.

"Good is good, and the writing is vivid, but ...... It's too superficial. You don't seem to have fulfilled what I asked. Guo Chong stroked his beard and said.

Lin Jue bowed down and said: "The minister has done it, this poem seems to be a farewell to the old and welcome the new, but it is actually written for the grand cause that His Majesty is doing." His Majesty is entrusting the Department of Regulations to change the law and reform the old and the new. This is like a thunderclap that resounded across the earth, the dilapidated ones were removed, and the new law was replaced, and in the new year, not only thousands of households would take on a new look, but the government would also take on a new look because of the change of the law. This is the meaning of 'new peach for old charm'. It seems to be saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new, but what the minister wrote was a matter of changing the law, reforming the old and making the new, and the meaning of the new year and the new atmosphere of the Great Zhou Dynasty. ”

"Ah, I see." The crowd made a sound of sudden realization.

Guo Chong also looked abrupt, silently recited these four sentences several times, and laughed loudly: "If that's the case, I didn't taste it." Hahaha, good poetry, good poetry, it does have this meaning. I'm wrong to blame you, it looks like I should read more, isn't this a joke? ”

Guo Mian said with a smile: "Father, it's not that my father doesn't read much, it's just that Lin Jue's poem is too obscure." These four sentences are all realistic, without emotion, how to teach people to interpret them? He doesn't say it, and no one understands. Even if the saint is alive, he can't associate it with fear. ”

Lin Jue also smiled: "What the eldest prince said is that it is indeed too realistic. This is the minister's fault, if you can continue four more sentences to express the meaning of extension, it will not be like this. ”

Guo Chong waved his hand and smiled: "Don't add, don't add, these four sentences are just right." It's not good to add it. Now that I know what it means, I like it more and more. In a few days, I have to show this poem to Yan Zhengsu and Fang Dunru, and they will like it too. Lin Jue, you really didn't disappoint. I will reward you with a glass of wine and drink with me. ”

The waiter took a glass of wine and came down, Lin Jue hurriedly took it and drank it with Guo Chong. Guo Chong put down the wine cup and said, "Adjust Lin Jue's seat to the chief, how can you speak so far?" Next time, you can't arrange a seat after that. This is a champion. ”

……

In another courtyard on the west side, another New Year's feast is also going on. It's just that here are all royal ladies, concubines and princesses, princesses and princesses, and some royal relatives brought into the palace.

Presiding over this women's banquet were two concubines, one of whom was the much-honored Concubine Mei. She is the biological mother of the second prince Huai Wang Guo Xu, and the daughter of the current prime minister Lu Zhongtian. The other is Concubine Rong, who is also one of Guo Chong's favorite concubines. It can be said that, to a certain extent, Concubine Rong has a higher position in Guo Chong's mind than Concubine Mei. Because this Concubine Rong is the niece of the Empress Dowager Wei. In a certain period of time, Concubine Rong even had the momentum to replace Empress Yuan.

However, things in the world often seem to have a certain number in the dark. Empress Yuan gave birth to a great prince, who was virtuous and virtuous, and was respected by hundreds of officials. Even though she came from an average background and was only the daughter of an official eunuch, after Guo Chong ascended the throne, she was promoted as the queen by hundreds of officials. Lu Zhongtian's daughter Lu Mei is the side princess, and she gave birth to the second prince Guo Mian and was named Mei Guifei. And the side princess Concubine Rong also gave birth to a son. said that she once had a chance to replace the queen, which was based on the fact that Concubine Rong's son was still alive. If the three princes born to Concubine Rong can live to the day when Guo Chong ascends the throne, then the position of queen may be Wei Yourong. It's a pity that the third prince Guo Hao died young, which completely cut off her possibility of becoming the queen. Even with the queen mother as the backing, an unchanging iron law in the harem is that the mother is more expensive than the son. All those who didn't give birth to princes had to stand back. Giving birth to a child for the emperor is equivalent to the merit of the soldiers on the battlefield attacking the city and plundering the land and killing the enemy, and the battlefield of the harem is often the battlefield of the womb.

Of course, the emperor is filial to the Queen Mother, and naturally he will not be too cold to the Queen Mother's niece Concubine Rong. Even if she has no children under her knees, she is still canonized as a concubine after ascending the throne, and she is still one of the two concubines second only to the queen, and she still has a prominent position in the harem.

At this moment, Concubine Mei and Concubine Rong were sitting on the soft couch at the top, and there were all kinds of fruits, wines and dishes on the table in front of them. The two are of similar age, and their appearance is also very standard. Concubine Mei is the kind of graceful body, graceful posture, and delicate voice. This kind of woman is actually liked by many men. It is this kind of feminine woman that men like, which can arouse their male desire and possessiveness. Concubine Rong is different, she looks dignified and does not smile, giving people a feeling of rejecting people thousands of miles away. Perhaps because she is the niece of the Queen Mother, she has a noble status since she was a child, and naturally gives birth to a commanding temperament. Or maybe you're in a bad mood at the moment, so there's no smile on your face.

Like Lin Jue, Green Dance's seat was in a far corner. She didn't complain, preferring to sit in this corner where it didn't attract attention. Even so, she still bowed her head the whole time, not daring to raise her head and make any superfluous movements, for fear of doing the wrong thing and saying the wrong thing. This is understandable, after all, she was just a maid, and it was put in such a big scene all of a sudden, and it was an occasion with many rules, so it was good not to collapse. What Green Dance thought about was to get through this banquet and go out of the palace with his son.

However, how can you sit there all the time at such a banquet, and when the two noble concubines entered, Green Dance almost made a mistake when they bowed. The etiquette in the palace is different from the etiquette outside, and the women in the palace have to bow down on one knee. When Green Dance lay on the ground and kowtowed, several women around him let out a sneaky laugh. A female officer stepped forward and said a few words about Green Dance. The palace people all know the identities of these people, Green Dance is the side room of the county Ma Linjue, but they just came to make up the number, and the county Ma Ye is not an important royal relative, these palace people are like a mirror in their hearts. So he dared to reprimand Green Dance.

Green Dance is not such a caring person, and it is just a matter of being said a few words when she is wrong, but in this way, her psychological pressure is even greater.

However, what should come is always coming. arrived at the part where the ladies stepped forward to toast the two concubines. Green Dance has been playing drums all the time in her heart. Groups of people stepped forward, and groups came down, seeing that it was their turn, and Green Dance's heart was beating hard. Finally, the two palace people ordered a few female dependents of the rear chief position to step forward, and Green Dance was also among them. Holding the wine glass, she trembled and followed several women forward, and knelt down in front of the two concubines to salute and toast. Originally, when everything was almost over, when he got up, because he was too nervous, Lu Wu's foot stepped on his skirt, and the whole person suddenly lost his center of gravity, screaming and falling on the wine table in front of Rong Guifei.

At this moment, the table full of drinks and dishes splashed up, clattering and scattered all over the ground. That's not all, the wine and vegetable soup splashed up, the luxurious robe on Concubine Rong's body was beaten, and even Concubine Mei, who was on the side of the head, splashed a few soups and wines on her face.