Jing Xingzhi’s Daily Life in Ancient Times - Chapter 81
Then Steward Tang heard that the old master had accepted a disciple and would take the imperial examination, Steward Tang thought to himself this young master would definitely come here to take a test. If the young master lived in the capital in the future, wouldn’t he lose the chance to make money?
For the sake of money, Steward Tang decided to do something big in the last year and then wash his hands of it.
He didn’t expect the old master would actually send the young disciple to give gifts to the emperor.
He also didn’t expect Jing Xingzhi and his team would arrive in such a hurry, and he still had one or two balances unfinished.
For example, the young man’s brother was planning to spend money to buy a good piece of jade from Steward Tang, but Steward Tang went crazy selling things and forgot about this one transaction, so the young man came to ask for it.
Steward Tang was mentally blaming Fang Qichen for his old age and for sending a disciple to deliver the gift. This delivery costed him his life.
It was just a small accident that happened to Steward Tang. Jing Xingzhi rested for a day and then received a summons from the emperor, asking him to go into the palace and sit down.
The person who came to invite Jing Xingzhi was his old acquaintance Zhang Tong.
Zhang Tong was different from the past. He was the most favored among his group of eunuchs. He had been rewarded by Li Yunxi one after another. He was a famous figure both inside and outside the palace. He was already a bit like the former great eunuch Wang Dexi.
However, Zhang Tong now looked even more low-key and restrained than when he was in Huanshui County. He smiled amiably, as if he were a good old man with a good temper.
Ever since he saw Wang Dexi being beaten to death with his own eyes, Zhang Tong had slowly become what he was now.
Jing Xingzhi looked at him, remembering Zhang Tong calmly giving him eye drops in front of the Li family’s mother and son, and suddenly realized the days had gone from early spring to late autumn in the blink of an eye.
The two had some old grudges, but it was just a verbal dispute, and the methods Zhang Tong used at the time were clear-cut, so Jing Xingzhi didn’t feel they had to attack each other.
Jing Xingzhi changed his clothes and smiled at Zhang Tong: “I’m a student here. I hope Master Zhang can give me some advice.”
Zhang Tong smiled gently: “It doesn’t count as advice. I’m just here to guide Young Master Jing. Your Majesty has mentioned you several times. He has always wanted to see what you look like!”
“I wonder what the emperor mentioned?” Jing Xingzhi asked.
Zhang Tong shook his head and said with a smile, “I can’t tell you this. Just ask the Holy One.”
Jing Xingzhi thought to himself: ‘If I dare to ask this to the emperor, why should I ask you?’
‘If you don’t say it, don’t say it. I’ll go back and ask Brother Zhuang.’
.
Jing Xingzhi followed Zhang Tong into the palace, then walked around and arrived at Kaiyang Hall where Li Yunxi was.
Under the setting sun, the golden palace was filled with golden light.
Jing Xingzhi stood in the palace, raised his head, and secretly glanced at Li Yunxi, who was still reviewing the memorial.
Li Yunxi didn’t seem to notice, so Jing Xingzhi took another look and imprinted the heroic Li Yunxi’s face in his memory. Otherwise, if he met someone he didn’t recognize outside, it would be very embarrassing for him to not know the emperor.
Just as Jing Xingzhi took a look and was about to lower his head, Li Yunxi pulled his head up from the memorial.
Li Yunxi asked with a smile: “I heard from the teacher that you have an excellent memory. You took a peek a few times, do you remember what I look like?”
Jing Xingzhi paused and nodded honestly: “I remember.”
“Oh?” Li Yunxi put down his pen, and his smile became brighter, as if his whole body was warmed by the sunset. He asked, “Have you read the collection of poems I gave you?”
Jing Xingzhi, one of the poor poets, was stunned, thinking about how to answer.
If he said he read it, but the emperor suddenly tested him while he only knew one piece, two pieces, three or four pieces, five pieces, six pieces, seven- or eight-pieces poems.
How embarrassing would that be?!
If he said he hadn’t finish reading it, he was afraid this meeting opportunity would be taken away in a wave.
Jing Xingzhi nodded hesitantly: “I’ve read it, but Xingzhi is very dull in poetry.”
However, Jing Xingzhi did not expect that Li Yunxi would be very satisfied with his answer.
Li Yunxi looked at him and suddenly praised: “Not bad!”
Jing Xingzhi: “???”
Jing Xingzhi wanted to arrest Fang Qichen and ask him, ‘is the emperor really sober? Why couldn’t I follow his thinking?’
Li Yunxi saw the confusion in Jing Xingzhi’s expression and explained to him directly: “The teacher has said that your poems are not as good as those of your teachers. If you dare to recognize your poems as good, I will kick you out!”
Jing Xingzhi was suddenly a little worried: “What else did the teacher say?”
Li Yunxi waved his hand and motioned for Zhang Tong to move a sitting post, and replied happily: “He said a lot. He has eaten all the dishes of the bitter melon feast; how much do you think I know?”
Jing Xingzhi: “…”
Fang Qichen’s smiling face appeared in front of the silent Jing Xingzhi.
He seemed to hear the old man asking: “Xingzhi, are you surprised? Happy?”
‘Fang Qichen! You bad old man, you are so bad!’
‘Is winter coming soon and no bitter melons will grow in the ground?’
‘Old man, do you feel so comfortable of not seeing it for months? Do you know what a greenhouse is? When I get back, you will know soon!’