Traveling through Du He, Li Chengqian's rebellion begins

Your own failure is terrible, but your opponent's success is even more worrying.

This is what Fang Yiai is thinking now.

"It's over!"

"Du He is starting to ascend the stage!"

Fang Yiai's face looked extremely ugly and his heart sank.

Even the beautiful mood that made me write two good poems today no longer exists.

What does it matter if I lose to Du He, no matter how good my poetry is?

When I go back, Princess Gaoyang will still look down on me.

"Oh, forget it, let's go home and stay for a few days during this period."

Fang Yiai planned to return to Duke Liang's Mansion to avoid the limelight, and wait until Gao Yang had forgotten about the poetry meeting before going to Princess Gao Yang's Mansion.

At worst, you can bring more gifts to apologize.

When Du He walked up the stairs, he happened to come face to face with the woman in red, and a beautiful and generous face instantly came into his sight.

Especially those expressive peach blossom eyes, which add a touch of charm to the pure face.

Who would have thought that purity and charm could appear on the same face at the same time.

Du He couldn't help but take a few more glances.

"So this is the famous Wu Meiniang!"

"No wonder Li Zhi was so obsessed with her. With such a stunning beauty, who wouldn't be moved?"

While Du He was complaining in his heart, he gentlemanly gave way to her.

"Thank you."

The woman in red nodded and then, grasping the hems of her skirt on both sides, walked slowly onto the stage.

Du He was distracted for a moment, then quickly followed.

On the viewing platform.

When Li Zhi saw the beautiful girl he had been dreaming about coming towards him, his heart tightened and he was about to speak.

At this time, the woman in red took the lead in bowing to Li Shimin, speaking in a somewhat coquettish tone.

"Your Majesty, I feel the three poems I wrote are pretty good. I wonder where they will rank?

Concubine?

When Li Zhi heard the white moonlight in his heart call herself a concubine in front of his father, he was struck by lightning and stood there in a daze.

His eyes were filled with disbelief and deep pain.

"So she is my father's concubine!"

Li Zhi bit his lips tightly, and a bloody smell instantly entered his mouth.

Li Shimin smiled and said, "Mei Niang, come and sit down."

"I am also looking forward to seeing how talented you will rank in this grand poetry gathering."

Because there was only a wooden code on the poetry scroll and no signature was written on it, Li Shimin did not know Wu Meiniang's specific ranking.

"I thank your majesty."

Wu Meiniang bowed with a dignified posture.

As she walked over, her eyes met Li Zhi's.

Then she quickly withdrew her gaze and walked to the last seat in the row of concubines and sat down.

The distance between their sitting positions and Li Shimin represents their identities and their status in Li Shimin's mind.

Compared with several concubines of high status and position, such as Concubine Wei, Concubine Yang, Concubine Yan, and Concubine Xu, she, a talented woman, seemed very humble.

Du He took in all the little movements of Li Zhi and Wu Meiniang.

There was also some curiosity in my heart.

The current Li Zhi was not canonized as the crown prince by Li Shimin as in the original history.

The change is so huge, could it be that he and Wu Meiniang still have some connection?

Just as Du He was thinking about it, Li Yi said in a slightly excited tone: "Husband, you are really amazing. You can even make it into the top ten."

After saying this, she looked at Princess Gaoyang proudly.

You were just gossiping, but now it’s over. Her husband has made it into the top ten, and Fang Yiai is still in a daze down there.

Gao Yang's face turned pale and he clenched his hands hard.

He was so angry that he didn't know whether to vent his anger on Fang Yiai or to seek help from Monk Bian Ji to chant sutras and calm his mind.

There were many people at the scene, so Du He didn't say much, but nodded to Li Yi with a smile on his face.

On the podium, several other people whose names were called stood in a row respectfully.

When they saw that among the top ten people, there was actually a concubine and the current prince consort, they all looked a little nervous.

I don’t know whether His Majesty will favor them when giving scores because of their relationship.

Just as the people on the viewing stand were having different thoughts, the eunuch took out an imperial edict written on the spot and read it.

"The tenth place in this poetry competition is No. 38, and the scores of the three rounds of poetry are respectively B-class upper, B-class upper, and B-class middle."

"The Emperor of the Great Tang Dynasty has ordered that the tenth place winner of the poetry competition will be appointed as an assistant teacher at the Imperial College."

The eunuch glanced at everyone and said, "Please come out, No. 38, to receive your reward."

A young man came out and presented the wooden sign to the eunuch and said.

"No. 38 Gu Cong, accept the reward!"

Li Tai, who was sitting next to Li Shimin, pointed at Gu Cong, whose face was excited, and introduced him as if to take credit.

"Father, Gu Cong is the son of Gu Yin, a scholar of the Literary Institute of the Prince of Wei's Palace. Gu Yin was one of the core personnel involved in compiling the Comprehensive Geography."

Li Shimin smiled and said, "Qingque, your literary academy is full of talented people!"

I didn't expect that the son of a bachelor of literature would be so knowledgeable and talented.

The eunuch waited for Li Shimin to finish speaking before announcing the person with a higher ranking.

As one person after another accepted the reward, the top three were left with only Du He, Wu Meiniang and a middle-aged man.

Li Yi waved her fist excitedly: "Great, my husband made it into the top three!"

Li Shimin became even more curious.

Du He and the concubine both made it into the top three, and it is unknown who of them ranked the highest.

The eunuch's tone became much louder when he announced the top three.

"The third place in this poetry competition is No. 999. The scores of the three rounds of poetry are middle of A, lower of A, and upper of B."

From the previous 4th to 10th place, the highest rated poem was only lower than Grade A, but I didn’t expect that the third place would finally have a poem in Grade A.

When the eunuch was about to announce the reward, Wu Meiniang stood up holding the wooden sign and spoke.

"Your Majesty, the third place winner is me."

As a concubine, she couldn't just be rewarded with a small official position like others.

So she was smart enough to stand up early.

Li Shimin turned around in surprise: "I didn't expect that the third place in the poetry competition would be Mei Niang!"

Then he said to another eunuch, "Bring here to me the poem by Wu Cairen that won the first prize."

He was very curious about the level of poetry created by this talented person, about whom he knew little.

"promise."

The eunuch responded and quickly pulled out a piece of rice paper from a stack of poetry scrolls, then respectfully presented it to Li Shimin.

"'Ruyi Niang'?"

Li Shimin muttered something, then read aloud.

"Seeing the red turn into green, my thoughts are flooding, and I am haggard and emaciated because I miss you."

"If you don't believe me, I'll shed tears soon. Open the box and check the pomegranate skirt."

This poem "Ruyi Niang" was a love poem written by Wu Meiniang at a poetry gathering during the most frustrating period of her life when she became a nun in Ganye Temple after the death of Li Shimin.

Unexpectedly, this poem was published ten years earlier.

"What a poem!"

The princesses and concubines were deeply touched and nodded one after another.

Although those who live in the deep palace enjoy endless wealth and glory, they also suffer from loneliness like birds in a cage.

"It's not unfair to lose!"

Others who ranked lower than Wu Meiniang nodded in satisfaction.

This poem is indeed much better than theirs.

Li Zhi felt Wu Meiniang's inner loneliness from this poem.

He turned his head and looked deeply at the beauty in red.

However, Wu Meiniang's eyes were on her father at this time.

Li Zhi turned back reluctantly, a huge sense of loss lingering in his heart again.