Chapter 177: Linked Verses (Part III)

"Drinking horses at the Great Wall's crevice, the water is cold, wounding the horses' bones. At three years old, I learned to fence, at ten years old, I shot a swan.

In the courtyard, playing with toy carriages, pointing at generals, often standing on the roof. Not fond of reading the classics, forced by mother:

'You are a child of a great family, for generations, all have been famous scholars. Mastering the classics is the basic profession, a smooth flow to the Secretariat.

The Donggong selects its staff, with your family background, you can be selected. This morning, I fill the post of a horse-washer, next year, I transfer to the Secretariat.'"

Hmm... two Secretariats are repeated, it's better to change "A smooth flow to the Secretariat" to "A smooth flow to the pivot of power."

And this mother speaks a bit too much, is this meant to be a long poem? Concluding now would be top-heavy. And the five-character ancient poem laid out to this point already shows signs of dullness. It's really not easy to connect.

At this time, the first round of the bowl's sound had stopped, and Liu Cheng said happily: "Didn't make it! Penalty wine!"

Xie Xinghan said: "Since we need to connect four lines, naturally we should wait until the four sounds are finished before—"

Before Xie Xinghan finished speaking, Wang Yang patted the table and said: "I have it."

"A man should live in the far-off frontiers, to be enfeoffed as a marquis of ten Battalion Commander, a husband who breaks formations, why spend a long time with brush and inkstone?"

Everyone's expression changed!

Ancient-style songs are primarily five-character, interspersed with irregular long and short lines, but if these long and short lines are not added well, they become messy and cluttered, easily becoming a failure, so they are generally not attempted lightly. But Wang Yang started with a mixed-meter style, four-line structure, seven-four-four-seven, not a single five-character line, yet connected after so many five-character lines, it was perfectly appropriate!

Even more brilliant is that these four lines of mixed style are the son's words!

It is equivalent to the mother's instruction, and the son's response!

Using mixed style to respond not only makes the emotions rise and fall, and the momentum rise and fall, but as a whole response from the son, there is no abruptness or contradiction! It also connects the protagonist's childhood playfulness with his current ambition, which can be called natural! It swept away the previous redundant and depressing style!

At three years old, I learned to fence, at ten years old, I shot a swan, not seeking to read the classics, only seeking to be a marquis of ten Battalion Commander!

It can be called a stroke from heaven, opening up a brand new realm!

Wang Yang entered the game, struck the bowl once, and earned four flowers.

Everyone cheered, Liu Cheng was panicked, shouting in his heart: "I knew it!!!!"

He looked at Wei Kuang, wanting to see if Wei Kuang was still arrogant. But Wei Kuang was still indifferent, and without waiting for the bowl to be struck, he calmly chanted: "Not willing to toil over official documents."

In his panic, how could Liu Cheng have the heart to connect? He was penalized with wine for the first time. At the same time, he began to reflect, he was actually so afraid of Wang Yang, which could be considered extremely incompetent. Two mice fighting in a hole, the brave one wins, could it be that I, Liu Wenshen, met him, Wang Zhiyan, and even lost my original poetic talent? Defeat is not shameful, defeat without fighting is shameful!

Madam Le said with a bitter face: "This line is so hard, I can't connect, husband, let's drink a cup together!"

"Who wants to drink a cup with you! I have to earn a flower!"

Le Zhan was full of fighting spirit, racking his brain: "Willing to be... willing to be..."

Madam Le said: "Alright, alright, don't force it, come and drink a cup with me!"

At the very last moment before the bowl's sound disappeared, Le Zhan finally thought of the rhyme word: "Willing to be the Imperial Guard!"

Everyone applauded and congratulated.

The Imperial Guard was a military official in the Han Dynasty. The *Jinwu* is the name of a bird, which wards off bad omens. When the Son of Heaven traveled, the Imperial Guard led the army to clear the way, hence the name "Jinwu," which was extremely glorious. So Liu Xiu once said: "When serving as an official, one should be the Imperial Guard; when marrying a wife, one should get Yin Lihua."

Previously Wei Kuang said "Not willing to toil over official documents," and now Le Zhan connected "Willing to be the Imperial Guard." It meant abandoning literature for martial arts, becoming a military official. It was also quite appropriate.

However, the poem written to this point had become difficult. It's like riding a horse in the mountains; at first, the terrain is vast, so you can let the horse run freely; but the further you go, the more restrictions there are, the mountain roads become narrower, so you dare not run anymore, and can only walk slowly, moving forward carefully; in the end, it's rugged and steep, covered with thorns, so you have to hesitate and stop.

Now it was Xie Xinghan's turn to link verses, and it was truly a case of "Clouds cross the Qinling Mountains, where is the poem? Snow blocks the Blue Pass, the horse cannot move forward!" She really didn't know how to write.

Le Zhan was just about to penalize her with wine when Wei Kuang said: "The poem has reached this point, following the previous linking method is too tiring, how about we speak when we have a line, without order. I'll take this line, and I won't penalize Lady Xie with wine, but the flower should be mine."

Le Zhan responded first; he originally felt that this poem had indeed reached its end, so it would be better to end it early and start a new round. Since Wei Kuang said so, he must have a plan, let's see how he concludes it.

Xie Xinghan and the others also expressed agreement, all curious about how Wei Kuang would end it, but who would have thought Wei Kuang would directly say: "Holding a halberd, five hundred and two."

Everyone at the table was stunned.

Shouldn't it be concluding? Why bring up holding a halberd again?! What's going on?!

This was as tricky as his previous line "The Donggong selects its staff," both creating complications and stirring up trouble!

Madam Le said: "I have to ask Young Master Wei, what does this 'five hundred and two' mean?"

Wei Kuang looked at Wang Yang and smiled without answering.

Wang Yang said: "In the *Han Official Rites*, the Imperial Guard has two hundred cavalrymen and five hundred and twenty halberd-bearers."

Everyone then understood that this Wei Kuang had directly sent the protagonist to be the Imperial Guard with one stroke!

Eh, no.

Le Zhan questioned: "The Imperial Guard is one of the Nine Ministers, how can one be promoted directly to Imperial Guard?"

Wei Kuang smiled: "Under the Imperial Guard, there are Feathered Forest officials, who can also be respectfully called 'Jinwu sons.' Have you not heard Xin Yannian's *Feathered Forest Official* say: 'Unexpectedly, the Jinwu son, gracefully passed by my hut'?"

Le Zhan nodded: "So that's it."

Wang Yang was most familiar with the Han history and most proficient in the Tang history. As soon as he heard it, he knew there was a loophole in Wei Kuang's words, but this was poetry, there was no need to verify facts, so he didn't raise any objections.

Madam Le praised: "Huo! I've really learned something today!"

Wei Kuang looked at Wang Yang again: "Brother Wang, since you understand this allusion, can you connect this line?"

Wang Yang pondered for a moment and connected: "Carriages and clothing guide the way."

This was following Wei Kuang's words about the life of the Imperial Guard; carriages are the vehicles, clothing is the attire; carriages and clothing together refer to the ceremonial guard. It means that as an Imperial Guard captain, he clears the way for the Son of Heaven's ceremonial guard.

Wei Kuang did not pause at all and produced the next line: "Fine wine with golden vessels."

Wang Yang responded immediately: "Skilled hands call for gambling."

Everyone cheered. Le Zhan was so excited that his face turned red, as if he had drunk fine wine, and said repeatedly: "Wonderful! Truly wonderful!"

Liu Cheng was silent, but his expression had calmed down, completely without the previous panic and loss of composure.

Wei Kuang said rapidly: "Delicious food, extreme joy."

Wang Yang did not connect immediately this time, looking at the wine cup, lost in thought. Xie Xinghan's gaze had been on Wang Yang's face, and seeing his expression sink and him remaining silent, she nervously clenched her small hands.

Wei Kuang had just revealed a victorious smile when he heard Wang Yang speak, his voice low: "Silent, the intention is uniquely different."

Everyone was startled.

This is drinking fine wine with golden cups, and calling for skilled hands at the gambling table, it is the moment of extreme joy at the banquet, why suddenly "Silent, the intention is uniquely different"?

Silent, quiet and still.

Intention is uniquely different, the thought is different from others.

Why suddenly say this?

Wei Kuang racked his brain for a line, Xie Xinghan frowned in thought, while Le Zhan suspected that this was Wang Yang deliberately using a turning point to set a trap for Wei Kuang. He didn't oppose the competition; the more they competed, the more wonderful the poem. But if it was for the sake of competition that the whole linked poem failed, then he didn't hope for that.

Madam Le looked at Wang Yang, her gaze profound.

At this moment, a steady voice broke the silence: "Softly chanting the *Outing Carriages* poem."

Everyone looked, and it was actually Liu Cheng!

Wei Kuang, Xie Xinghan, and Le Zhan thought about it, and all suddenly realized.

*Outing Carriages* is a poem in the *Classic of Poetry*, the so-called "The Son of Heaven ordered me to fortify the northern regions. Glorious is Nanzhong, pacifying the Xianyun." The three commentaries on the poem say: "King Xuan of Zhou ordered Nanzhong and Jifu to repel the Xianyun and awe the Jing barbarians."

This is a poem about going on an expedition for the country, defeating the enemy and facing difficulties!

Looking at the admiration in Wang Yang's eyes, this was actually acknowledging that Liu Cheng had guessed his true intention!

No wonder "Silent, the intention is uniquely different"!

Although the youth's life is currently glorious and decent, clearing the way and staying at stations, feasting and gambling, is nothing more than the behavior of hawks and hounds, just seeking wealth and honor, how can he be a true man!

Then what is a true man?

Wang Yang had already made it clear in the linked verses: "A man should live in the far-off frontiers, to be enfeoffed as a marquis of ten Battalion Commander, a husband who breaks formations!"

The protagonist does not want to be a dissolute person feasting and drinking, but truly wants to go to the battlefield and build a career!

Wang Yang looked at Liu Cheng and praised: "Not bad."

Liu Cheng raised the corner of his mouth, then realized it was wrong, immediately suppressed the corner of his mouth, and straightened his face.

Xie Xinghan imagined the scene of the youth in the poem softly chanting *Outing Carriages* at a banquet full of laughter, and for some reason, suddenly remembered the expression on Wang Yang's face after he chanted about bamboo shoots on the boat that day. At this moment, in Xie Xinghan's heart, the image of this youth gradually overlapped with Wang Yang, and she blurted out: "The four seats are just noisy."

Wang Yang clapped his hands and said: "Good line!"

The caps and carriages fill the capital, this person is alone and haggard. There is no need to write about how lonely and desolate the youth is; nor is there a need to write about how others are uncomprehending or muddled. Just one line, "The four seats are just noisy," vividly writes out the youth's incompatibility and lack of understanding!

Xie Xinghan received Wang Yang's praise and smiled brightly, as bright as snow.

As if to prove something, Wei Kuang immediately connected: "Suddenly heard the feathered letter come!"

Everyone was not surprised this time, knowing that this Wei Kuang had swung out again, opening new branches. If it were before, they would inevitably worry that the poem would collapse, but now with Wang Yang here, he should be able to support these newly opened branches.

Wang Yang looked at Liu Cheng: "Beacon fires spread to Luodu."

Liu Cheng glared at Wang Yang, feigning intimidation: "The Xiongnu are invading the border!"

Wei Kuang also glared at Wang Yang, his eyes wide open: "Controlling the bow, three hundred thousand!"

As if infected by the atmosphere of the scene, Le Zhan patted the table, his brows furrowed, his voice urgent: "The city of surrender is already isolated!"

Wang Yang looked around at the three, smiled faintly: "The whole court is pale."

Xie Xinghan and Madam Le both burst into laughter.

Liu Cheng and the other three couldn't help but laugh.

Even Le Pang followed suit, though he didn't know what they were laughing at. But seeing his father, Liu Cheng, and Wei Kuang, first startled, then unable to hold back their laughter, he felt it was quite interesting.

Amidst the laughter of the four seats, Wang Yang casually took a yellow flower from the table, threw it out, and chanted calmly: "The edict issues for the soldiers of the world to strike the Hu."

Everyone cheered, even Liu Cheng couldn't help but pat the table.

Madam Le observed Wang Yang's behavior and pondered his choice of words, secretly shocked: This person has a strange spirit, seems not to be bound by common methods, and his will is unrestrained, his heroic posture is vibrant, I fear he is not a thing that will stay in a pond...

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Note: ① Wang Yang throwing the yellow flower and chanting poetry, and the poem also mentions the issuance of an edict. Although based on the official position of "Imperial Guard," it clearly refers to Han Dynasty affairs, and Wang Yang is just playing a game in the linked verses, but if it were in an era as autocratic and severe as the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it might not necessarily avoid trouble.

And the reason why Wang Yang dares to play so easily now is precisely because the atmosphere at this time is more open and casual than in the Tang and Song Dynasties and later, which is why things like the word "Long live" not being exclusively used for the Son of Heaven, and monarchs and ministers throwing dates and chestnuts at each other appear. Since the Song Dynasty, autocracy has gradually solidified, and imperial power has gradually become unique. For example, Bai Juyi wrote *Song of Everlasting Regret* and directly stated the anecdotes of the Ming Emperor. Although he used the Han Emperor as a pretext, the other joints were not avoided, and the words were extremely clear. If this were born in the Qing Dynasty, he would never dare to write like this.

② Su Yijian's *Four Records of the Study* says "The *Book of Jin* uses blue paper and purple mud for edicts. In the Zhenguan period, yellow paper began to be used to write imperial edicts." The first half of this sentence is correct, but the second half is inaccurate. In the Southern Dynasties, there were already examples of using yellow paper for edicts, such as the *Book of Song, Biography of Wang Shaozhi*: "All edicts on yellow paper are his words." Earlier examples include Emperor Ming of Wei "giving yellow paper to Fang to write edicts" (*Records of the Three Kingdoms, Biography of Sun Zi*). The gradual strictness and fixation of a series of related rituals from using paper, transmitting edicts, worshiping edicts, to reading edicts all represent the construction and deepening of imperial power. This is what Randall Collins calls "respect for the process of issuing orders itself." (*Interaction Ritual Chains*, Chapter 3) ===== CHAPTER 178 =====