Chapter 135: Palace Night Banquet
Chapter 135: Palace Night Banquet (Part )
Dozens of the emperor's grandsons and great-grandsons-in-law failed, and most of them couldn't even pull the bow, which made Emperor Yang Jian very disappointed.
At this moment, he glanced around and suddenly found Xiao Xia standing beside him and talking to Yuwen Chengdu. He immediately remembered the sword fight between Xiao Xia and Yuwen Chengdu, and how Xiao Xia was able to withstand Yuwen Chengdu's sword.
Yang Jian said to Yang Guang: "Second brother, let Qilang come over and try!"
Yang Guang quickly called his son over, and Xiao Xia stepped forward and bowed, "Father is looking for me?"
"I'm looking for you!"
Xiao Xia was startled and quickly bowed, "Please give me instructions, Grandfather!"
"They're all shooting arrows, why don't you give it a try?"
"Reporting to Grandfather, I have only been practicing archery for a short time and have never shot at night. I am not sure and I am afraid that I will disappoint Grandfather if I miss the target."
"This is just entertainment, not a battlefield. Go and give it a try. If you can hit the target, I will reward you with three hundred taels of gold!"
"Grandson obeys your order!"
No one was shooting arrows at this time, so Xiao Xia walked forward and picked up the hard bow. He pulled the bow twice with great force and drew the bow to its full length twice.
The guards cheered secretly. It must have taken at least 500 to 600 kilograms of strength to pull it apart so easily.
Xiao Xia picked up a wolf-tooth arrow, straightened his back, drew the bow and put the arrow on it. The bow was like a full moon, and he didn't even aim. He shot the arrow without thinking, and the fire of the incense three hundred steps away suddenly went out.
"it is good!"
Yang Xiong cheered loudly, "Great archery!"
Yuwen Chengdu also nodded secretly. I really can't believe this guy is so good! He is so low-key.
There was applause all around, and countless people looked at Xiao Xia with envy. Three hundred taels of gold were certainly tempting, but the most important thing was to shine in front of the emperor.
Yang Jian stroked his beard and said to Yang Guang with a smile: "Your son is a very capable person. I almost misjudged him."
Yang Guang said ashamedly: "I don't know much about him!"
Xiao Xia stepped forward and saluted, saying, "My grandson has benefited from my grandfather's good fortune. I actually hit the target on my first night shooting attempt."
Yang Jian smiled and said, "Qi Lang, don't be modest. You always surprise me, whether it's your military strategy or your literary talent. Others don't understand you, but I do. I believe you will become a pillar of the Sui Dynasty in the future."
The expressions of several princes varied. The crown prince had a gloomy face, and there was an undisguised jealousy in the eyes of Prince of Han Yang Liang. However, Yang Guang's eyes looked a little panicked, but more of flattered.
This was the first time that the emperor praised his grandson for becoming a pillar of the Sui Dynasty.
Yang Jian turned and walked towards the main hall, and everyone followed him.
Yuwen Chengdu called one of his confidants and whispered to him, "Go and inform Wang Xing to kill the scoundrel whose ear was cut off, and also his three companions. Try to use covert means."
"I'll obey your order!" The subordinate hurried away.
Yuwen Chengdu originally wanted to ask the emperor for instructions, but now there is no need.
Walking into the hall, Yang Zhao patted his brother on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Well done!"
"Brother, I don't want this to happen!"
"I know, I know, you want to keep a low profile!"
Yang Zhao smiled and said, "But when you can't keep a low profile, it's better to shine than to look bad."
Xiao Xia smiled awkwardly, "Brother, you are really good at talking!"
Everyone sat down, and Yang Jian said with a smile: "Where are the poems you wrote? I am going to collect them."
Everyone spread out paper and picked up their pens to write poems. Xiao Xia hesitated for a moment and wrote a poem about reunion. He thought of a poem that was very suitable for him. Although it was not suitable for the season, it could be used.
Xiao Xia picked up his pen and wrote it down.
Remembering Brothers
Being a stranger in a foreign land, I miss you more during every festive occasion.
Yaozhi brothers climbed the heights, and one less cornel was inserted everywhere.
After everyone finished writing their poems, they stepped forward to present them to the emperor. Xiao Xia also stepped forward and presented the poem to Emperor Yang Jian. Yang Jian waved his hand, motioning him to wait a moment.
After reading the poem, Yang Jian smiled and said, "It's very well written, but it shouldn't have been written today!"
"Reporting to Grandfather Emperor, this is an old work!"
Yang Jian nodded. "It's about the Double Ninth Festival. Every festival makes me miss my family. It's well written. It reminds me of my youth."
At this time, Concubine Chen whispered a few words to Yang Jian.
Yang Jian smiled and said, "You wrote the Lantern Festival, didn't you? Thousands of flowers bloom in the night under the east wind?"
Xiao Xia Youming was confused. This poem was taken away by Xue Daoheng, so how did it end up in the hands of the emperor?
He could only nod slightly and admit that he had written the lyrics.
Yang Jian stroked his beard and praised: "It is indeed you who wrote it. You are both good at literature and martial arts. It is not simple. My beloved concubine likes this poem very much. I would like to ask you to write another poem for her. If you write well, I will reward you handsomely."
“But my grandson’s handwriting is terrible!”
Yang Jian smiled slightly, "Calligraphy can be practiced slowly, write the poem first."
"Grandson asks the Royal Grandmother for a question!"
Lady Xuanhua Chen Guiren was only thirty-six or thirty-seven years old, less than forty years old. Calling her the Imperial Grandmother was a bit old, but the generational relationship was there, so she had to address her like that, otherwise it would be a kind of treason. Chen Guiren said slowly: "I have always missed my homeland, and my dreams are of the palaces and towers of the past. Your mother was also from the Southern Dynasty, and I believe she felt the same way. You can write a poem to express my longing for my homeland."
Is it appropriate to write a poem expressing longing for the Chen Dynasty?
Xiao Xia turned to look at Emperor Yang Jian. Yang Jian understood his concerns, nodded and said with a smile: "I don't mind, you can write it!"
"Okay! Let me think about it."
Xiao Xia bowed to Concubine Chen and slowly stepped back.
Xiao Xia sat down, and Yang Zhao asked in a low voice: "What does Madam want you to do?"
Seeing countless eyes looking at him, Xiao Xia shook his head and said, "It's hard to say now. I'll tell my brother later."
At this time, everyone's poems were handed in, and Yang Jian and his three wives all chose Xiao Xia's poem "Every festive occasion makes me miss my family more."
Concubine Chen advised Yang Jian in a low voice, "The boy has already won the first prize in archery. If he wins the first prize in poetry, it will not be a good thing for him. Your Majesty should put the selection on hold for the time being."
Yang Jian understood the ways of the world and knew that it was not a good idea to promote the child too highly all of a sudden, as it would arouse the jealousy of other members of the royal family.
Yang Jian smiled at everyone and said, "I am a little tired. I will appreciate everyone's poems later. I believe they are all good. That's all for tonight! Everyone can go back. Xiao Qilang will stay to receive the reward."
Everyone stood up and left. Yang Zhao whispered to Xiao Xia, "I'll wait for you outside the palace gate!"
"No need, big brother. I still need to go look at the lanterns and eat something. You go back and accompany my sister-in-law!"
"Okay! Take care of yourself."
Yang Feiyan also smiled and said, "Third brother, I'm leaving first!"
"See you later, sis!"
Everyone left. Xiao Xia knew that Concubine Chen was still waiting for his poem. He sighed in his heart. There was a poem that once angered the Emperor of the Song Dynasty. Perhaps the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty was broad-minded enough!
Xiao Xia didn't care. He picked up his pen and wrote a poem that was very appropriate to express Concubine Chen's feelings of missing her homeland, but it was not very appropriate.
A River of Spring
When are the spring flowers and autumn moon? How much do you know about the past? There was an east wind in the small building last night, and the motherland could not bear to look back at the bright moon.
The carved columns and jade masonry should still be there, but Zhu Yanchang. How can you worry about me? Just like a river of spring water flowing eastward.
In fact, Xiao Xia was worrying too much. Whether the poem was appropriate or not depended on who it was written for. There was nothing wrong with writing it to Concubine Chen in the harem, but if it was written to Chen Houzhu, Emperor Yang Jian would also be furious.
.........
It was already late at night, but the city of Chang'an was still bustling with people. Xiao Xia walked alone on the street. When he came out of the palace, the cold eyes of the royal children were still vivid in his mind. This was within his expectations. He had won the favor of the emperor, and would inevitably encounter the jealousy of his own people. There is gain and loss.
He could ignore the cold eyes of the royal children, but this feeling was very uncomfortable. People have social attributes. Since he traveled through time to the Sui Dynasty, he had to do something, otherwise he would let down the arrangement given to him by God. What should he do?
But now, he is like a lone wolf walking on the street, feeling empty inside. He has money, but what does money mean?
Xiao Xia suddenly felt that studying was meaningless to him. If he was really fifteen or sixteen years old, he could go to school. But now, he was already thirty years old in his heart and could no longer concentrate on studying. He should find something to do.
At this moment, Xiao Xia felt someone pulling at the corner of his clothes. He lowered his head and saw a thin little girl, no more than three years old, with a pair of big black eyes, timidly stretching out her dirty little hands towards him.
Xiao Xia took out a handful of copper coins from his arms and put them in his hand. "Thank you!" The little girl held the copper coins, bowed to him, and ran to a corner.
Xiao Xia saw a woman in her twenties sitting in the corner. Next to her was an older girl kneeling, about seven or eight years old. She couldn't see her face clearly, but Xiao Xia could clearly see that there was a straw tag stuck in her hair, which meant she was selling her body.
Xiao Xia walked forward slowly, and saw the little girl who had just begged for money nestled in the woman's arms. There was a broken bowl on the ground with a few copper coins in it. Next to the broken bowl was a thin girl of about seven or eight years old kneeling upright. In front of her was a piece of paper with only four words on it: 'Sell yourself to save your sister'.
Xiao Xia's heart tightened. This must be the case with the mother and her two daughters. They couldn't survive, so they sold the eldest daughter to support the younger one.
The mother would rather sell her daughter to a passerby than to a brothel. Selling her daughter to a passerby might still give her a glimmer of hope, but selling her to a brothel would spell the end.
Xiao Xia squatted down and asked, "Where is your father?"
"Daddy died last year!" the girl whispered.
"Where is the house?"
"We no longer have a home. We were kicked out by our grandfather and uncle!"
If there is no man in the family, you will be bullied!
Xiao Xia sighed inwardly, took out ten taels of silver from his bosom, and stuffed it into the girl's pocket, "Take it, don't let anyone see it."
He shook his head, got up and left!
But after walking a dozen steps, he suddenly heard the crying of a little girl. He turned around and found that the girl was following him. Not far away, her sister was struggling desperately and trying to catch up with her sister, but was held tightly by her mother.
"Why are you following me?" Xiao Xia asked puzzled.
The girl lowered her head and said, "Sir, you have already sold me, so of course I have to follow you!"
"I'm not buying you, I'm helping you. Go back quickly. Your sister is crying like that."
The girl shook her head stubbornly. Xiao Xia felt sorry for the frail girl, so she squatted down and said softly, "I am just like the people who gave you a penny or two. I am just giving you a little help, not buying you. Do you understand?"
The girl nodded gently, "Young Master is a good man!"
Xiao Xia smiled and said, "When you really have no food to eat, you can come to me. I live in the northeast corner of Qinrenfang, close to the high wall of the metropolitan city. Maybe I can find a job for you to do so that you can support yourself. Xiao Xia thought of her own restaurant, so she can find a job for her in the restaurant."
"Sir, what's your name?"
"My last name is Xiao. Go ahead! Don't make your sister cry."
The girl knelt down and kowtowed three times to Xiao Xia, then turned around and ran away.
When her sister saw her sister coming back, she hugged her and burst into tears.
Xiao Xia felt sad and turned around and left quickly.
(End of this chapter)