Chapter 165

Wine overflowed the cups, snail meat piled on the plate.

At first, Wang Yang used chopsticks, but later he felt it wasn't satisfying enough, so he used a spoon to scoop it up, eating with great relish and enjoyment.

Beside Xie Xinghan, a mountain of snail shells piled up, her eyes filled with resentment.

Seeing Xie Xinghan's little expression, Wang Yang laughed: "We agreed on this beforehand, be a little happier."

"I can't be happy! You wrote two poems in a row to tease me, how can I be happy?! This time you are not allowed to write teasing words; you must write a sad tune that matches my current state of mind!"

"You're sad just from picking snail meat?"

"Sad, very sad!" Xie Xinghan emphasized her tone, her eyes rippling with grievance.

You little drama queen!

"But it's not appropriate to write a sad poem while facing such delicious food!"

"How is it not appropriate? In the Han and Wei dynasties, after a joyous banquet and wine, it was often followed by a funeral song. Cao Zijian's 'Yuanhui' poem says: 'Sad songs ring out, chewing on clear business.' The ancient poem 'Today's Good Banquet' and Wei Wendi's 'Big Wall Artemisia Line' are all of this type. Ancient people took sadness as beauty; whenever sad sounds are stimulated externally, they penetrate the liver and spleen, which is most moving. This is exactly what Fan Qin called 'sorrowful and beautiful'."

Xie Xinghan's words actually pointed out an important aspect of the literary fashion and aesthetic interest in the Han and Wei dynasties, which really touched Wang Yang's heart, so he couldn't help but praise:

"Well said! In ancient times, playing music was considered good if it could produce sadness, and listening to music was considered knowing the sound if it could make one sad. During the Later Han Dynasty, Liang Shang held a grand banquet for guests; when the wine was finished and the singing stopped, it was followed by the song of 'Xie Lu.' Those who heard it in the seats all covered their faces and wept. During the Jin Dynasty, Yuan Shansong went on outings and always liked to have his attendants sing funeral songs; Fan Weizong also drank heavily at night and opened the north window to listen to funeral songs for pleasure. These are all legacies of the Han and Wei dynasties. Music goes and sorrow comes; joy reaches its extreme and turns into sadness. This is human nature. Joyful words are hard to craft, while sorrowful words are easy to make good. This is naturally the logic of literature..."

Xie Xinghan slapped the table: "This statement is correct!! You truly know literature!! We should drink a big cup!!"

The two looked at each other and laughed, drinking a cup together.

Wang Yang, carried by the wine, said: "Since that's the case, I will compose a funeral song."

Xie Xinghan waved her palm: "It's not to compose a funeral song, but to use this dish to make a sad poem."

She uncovered the third food box.

"Stir-fried bamboo shoots?"

"This is called Fragrant Bud Tender Thousand Gold."

"..."

"What!"

"I suddenly thought, if one day you stewed some radishes, would you have to name it 'Gathering of Heroes'?"

Although Xie Xinghan hadn't seen a sketch comedy, how could she not hear Wang Yang's irony? She hummed and said: "Don't be ungrateful. These are bamboo shoots from Yongning Commandery, worth their weight in gold."

"Worth more than gold?" Hearing they were so expensive, Wang Yang immediately "shamelessly" took two more bites. Although they were fresh and delicious, he didn't feel there was anything too special about them. Perhaps it was because he didn't know how to eat them.

"Where is the poem?" Xie Xinghan reached out her pretty white palm.

Asking Wang Yang to compose a funeral song on the spot was a piece of cake; composing a "Ode to Bamboo Shoots" was also easy. But composing a poem about bamboo shoots in a sad tone was a bit difficult, especially since Wang Yang had ready-made masterpieces of the ages in his belly. Once this laziness came, it hindered his poetic thoughts even more.

In fact, having some poems in one's belly could increase poetic inspiration and arouse one's desire to create. But if there were too many, it often had the opposite effect on the passion for creation.

For example, when Wang Yang drank good tea, he originally wanted to write a poem about tea, but suddenly five or six masterpieces about tea and more than twenty superior poems flooded his heart, and suddenly he lost the desire to write.

Because, first, writing poetry is for expressing emotions, the so-called "emotions move within and are expressed in words," but these emotions had already been expressed by others, and very well at that, so composing one on the spot was not as good as reciting the existing ones; second, he felt that even if he wrote one, it wouldn't surpass those immortal masterpieces, so he simply put down his pen.

When it came to writing about stir-fried bamboo shoots in a sad tone, and then considering his current state of mind, what could be more appropriate than Li Shangyin's poetry?

Wang Yang drank another cup of wine and slowly recited:

"Tender sheaths and fragrant buds just out of the forest, in Yongning, their price is valued like gold! In the imperial capital, the land and sea should have countless, how can you bear to cut off the inch of heart that reaches the clouds!"

Li Shangyin had the talent to reach the clouds, but was hated by those in power, leading to a bumpy official career and unfulfilled ambitions, so he used bamboo shoots as a metaphor.

The imperial capital refers to the capital city; the sea is where all things come from, and land and sea mean that the products are rich, like a sea on land.

So the meaning of the last sentence is: In the prosperous capital, there are countless precious ingredients! How can you bear to cut off the tip of the bamboo shoot just to eat it? This cut-off tip is not just a bamboo shoot tip, but the ambition of the bamboo shoot to reach an inch into the clouds!

Xie Xinghan was originally just listening quietly, but when she heard the last sentence, it was as if she had been struck straight into her heart by a thunderbolt!

On the surface, this poem is about bamboo shoots, but isn't it actually about himself?

With great talent, yet drifting in Jingzhou. A noble surname of Langya, yet reduced to a student of the commandery school.

Surface-level uninhibited and unrestrained, yet deep thoughts often reside in his heart; seemingly wandering in the fireworks of life, yet a sorrowful heart is always hidden in his belly.

What exactly is he worried about? What exactly is he thinking about?

In the imperial capital, the land and sea should have countless, how can you bear to cut off the inch of heart that reaches the clouds.

Xie Xinghan looked at Wang Yang in a daze, her thoughts rising and falling, unable to calm down for a long time, and she secretly vowed in her heart: No matter who is hindering him, no matter who is making things difficult for him, she must do her best to protect this "inch of heart that reaches the clouds" of his!

While Xie Xinghan was immersed in emotional agitation, Wang Yang was also immersed in emotion. He lamented Li Shangyin's lack of success, lamented his great talent but bumpy life, lamented his ambition to "turn the world around" but never being able to achieve it, lamented his useless hot blood and loyalty, but having no door to serve the country. It is lamentable that those in power are incompetent, but they are highly skilled at suppressing and bullying people; the newcomers are shameless, but they are highly skilled at flattering and stepping on others. They occupy positions and fight for profit, while talents sink into the lower ranks. If this continues, the younger generation will no longer have ambition or patriotic feelings. Climbing Mount Taihang, snow fills the mountains; wanting to cross the Yellow River, ice blocks the river. Showing one's talent is not gentle and kind, and being unrestrained is considered meddling, pointing out the country is considered big talk, and breaking the formation with one ride is considered frivolous and impatient! Therefore, soft, deceitful, and fragile words fill the ears, and towering and upright actions are rare! This is truly something to weep and cry over!

Xie Xinghan didn't know Wang Yang was sad for Li Shangyin. Seeing his sorrowful face, her pity grew, and she immediately diverted his attention, uncovered the last food box, and said: "Come, come, come, look here, this fourth dish is a dessert, guess what this is called?"

Wang Yang looked at the fine threads intertwined in the plate, which seemed a bit like dragon beard candy. It's just that these threads were all red, half-submerged in white-yellowish sugar powder. The red and white complemented each other, which was quite beautiful.

He was not the kind of person who indulged in sadness, and he was even less willing to bring sad emotions to Xie Xinghan, so he immediately took back his thoughts,

and smiled: "Dessert is good, I was just wanting to eat dessert. Is this dragon beard candy?"

Wang Yang thought he was smiling naturally, but he didn't know that this smile reflected in Xie Xinghan's eyes made her feel even more heartache.

Xie Xinghan said softly: "You got the two words 'Dragon Beard' right. This is called 'Bai Xue Red Jade Dragon Beard Roll.' Guess how many beards are here?"

"How can I guess that?"

"Just guess one! If you guess wrong, the difficulty of composing the poem will increase!"

Xie Xinghan smiled beautifully, and Wang Yang couldn't resist, so he said: "Then three hundred."

Xie Xinghan asked curiously: "Why guess this number?"

"Because it's just a number, if you don't believe me, count it."

Xie Xinghan was slightly startled, immediately guessed Wang Yang's intention, and smiled: "You guessed wrong! If it were another topic, this trick of yours might really work! But this dish has a characteristic, which is that one dragon beard evolves into a thousand ends. So from beginning to end, there is only one beard."

"One beard?!" Wang Yang was somewhat surprised. Being able to intertwine a single thread so intricately without breaking it, this is a bit impressive!

"Yes!"

"Admirable, admirable, Xie Niangzi is indeed extraordinary!"

Xie Xinghan smiled and didn't answer.

Wang Yang noticed Xie Xinghan's smile was a bit guilty, and suspected: "You aren't deceiving me, are you! What 'one dragon beard evolves into a thousand ends,' do you have such high culinary skills?"

Xie Xinghan's pretty face flushed slightly, her long eyelashes trembled gently, and after a slight pause, she said somewhat embarrassedly: "The first three dishes were all made by me, but I didn't make this 'Bai Xue Red Jade Dragon Beard Roll' well... so... I found a cook from Xiangxue Tower..."

Wang Yang couldn't help but laugh, teasing her: "Then you said before 'These are four small dishes I made, please give me your guidance, Young Master'..."

Xie Xinghan's star-like eyes widened slightly, as if she didn't expect there to be such a bad person in this world, actually repeating her original words! And even imitating her tone!!!

She really didn't mean to brag!!! She didn't know what happened at the time, it just blurted out!

And now she was exposed on the spot!

She was both ashamed and angry, her little face flushed even redder, and even her ears were dyed with a faint pink color: "You... how can you be like this! I kindly made food for you, but because my words were a bit off, you hold onto it and won't let go... I should have eaten it myself!"

Xie Xinghan angrily wanted to take the food box away, but Wang Yang hurriedly stopped her and apologized: "It's my fault! Niangzi, please spare me this once! Let me taste this dragon beard roll quickly, it's made so delicately, I've never eaten it before!"

"If you want to eat, compose a poem, using this dish as the topic! But every sentence must contain a number! Otherwise, I'll eat it myself and won't leave any for you!"

"Alright, alright, let me think."

Xie Xinghan said with a straight face: "Within three counts..."

"Cao Zhi only took seven steps!"

"That's an allusion, it's not necessarily true! Besides, in the allusion, Cao Zhi answered immediately, he didn't take seven steps at all! Giving you three counts is already being lenient."

"But—"

Xie Xinghan counted directly: "One, two—"

"Got it!" Wang Yang held his chopsticks and directly split the dragon beard roll in half, "Don't you like to eat it too? I'll give you half."

Xie Xinghan said angrily: "Who wants you to share! I want you to compose a poem—"

Wang Yang pointed his chopsticks at the dragon beard roll: "The poem is right here."

Xie Xinghan was stunned.

Wang Yang smiled and used his chopsticks to push half of the dragon beard roll in front of Xie Xinghan, reciting:

"Two chopsticks divide the cold snow, a thousand threads pile up jade red. If ten thousand things can be to one's liking, I will share half with you."

The meaning of the last two sentences is: No matter how many things I have, if there is anything that pleases you, I will share half with you.

Xie Xinghan felt as if her heart had suddenly skipped a beat.

——————

Note: ① Yongning Commandery belongs to Jingzhou, and the commandery seat is northwest of today's Jingmen City. In the Southern Dynasties, good bamboo shoots were produced there. "Yongjia Record" says: "Changze people all raise yellow bitter bamboo; Yongning and Nanhan have shoots that grow every year; the large ones are one circumference and five or six inches."

② There was cane sugar in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, called "sand sugar." Tao Hongjing's "Famous Doctor's Record" says: "Sugar cane produced in Jiangdong is the best, Guangling also has good ones, Guangdong has a kind that grows for several years, all as big as bamboo, more than a zhang long, take the juice to make sand sugar, very beneficial to people." "Book of Northern History: Truth La Biography": "Food and drink are mostly butter and cheese, sand sugar." But at this time, the color of cane sugar was red, and it could not yet be decolorized to white.

However, at that time, cane sugar could be made into "stone honey." "Essential Techniques for the Common People" cites "Strange Things Record" saying: "Sugar cane, far and near all have it... squeeze the juice like maltose, call it 'sugar,' even more precious. Also boil and expose it, it condenses like ice... people of the time call it 'stone honey'."

What color was that stone honey? The literature of the Northern and Southern Dynasties did not record it, but Sun Simiao's "Thousand Gold Wing Prescription" in the Tang Dynasty recorded "stone honey" saying: "Boil and refine sand sugar to make it, can be made into cake blocks, yellow and white." So unless there was some special filtering method in the Tang Dynasty that caused the color of stone honey to change greatly without being written down (for example, the "boiling sugar method" that Emperor Taizong of Tang sent envoys to India to learn, the specific process and color change were not explained, only saying that after learning it, "the color and taste are far better than the Western Regions" - "New Book of Tang: Western Regions Biography", and I don't know if what Sun Simiao recorded is this Western Regions improved version of stone honey), if it is not because of the new method that the color changed greatly, then the stone honey in the Northern and Southern Dynasties might also be yellow and white.

In summary, the whitish sugar powder in the dessert "Bai Xue Red Jade Dragon Beard Roll" is either sugar powder after crushing stone honey, or sugar powder after crushing maltose "white maltose."

③ The Seven-Step Poem has many loopholes and is a later attachment, which has long been a consensus in academia. In fact, there is no need for modern textual research to clarify it. Ancient people generally used this matter as an anecdote allusion. Before the Ming Dynasty, no version of the "Cao Zhi Collection" included this poem. Xie Xinghan said he didn't take seven steps, and composing a poem on the spot came from "A New Account of Tales of the World: Literature Chapter": "Wei Wendi once ordered the Prince of Dong'e to compose a poem in seven steps, and those who failed would be punished by the great law. He answered immediately and composed a poem saying..."

PS: If I cite the works of ancient people, I will definitely add the source in the text. For example, if I use Li Shangyin's poem in this chapter, if I don't add the source, it means I wrote it. Don't believe the AI's random sources.