Chapter 10 of The Three Heroes of Shu in the First Volume Drinking under the Moon and Talking about Old Times

  For seven days, Ning An had been listening to Liu Yan's wailing and howling, and was used to his frantic behavior. Although she couldn't bear it a thousand times over, in order to help Liu Yan recover as soon as possible, Ning An could only stand firm in her resolve and ignore him.

  Seven days, not long or short. Yuan Haiyun also tried his best to help Liu Yan alleviate his suffering, guarding the medicine stove day and night, perhaps he was so focused that it was like when he first started learning medicine from his father ten years ago.

  On the seventh day, Zheng Yao and Zhang Cheng would come to visit him from time to time, asking about his recent situation. With these few close friends, Liu Yan felt that his life was not in vain.

  Finally, after enduring for seven days, Liu Yan thoroughly got rid of the constraints of Shen Liwan and became himself again, and everyone couldn't help but be excited.

  One night later, under the moonlight by the willow trees, at the Li's grand mansion.

  "Alright, now that everything has been settled, going to the capital for the exam is just a matter of time. However, what needs to be confirmed first is the quota for candidates. According to the imperial examination regulations, only those who have passed the provincial exams can participate in the metropolitan exam, and finally take the palace exam. But now, except for Zhang Cheng, none of us have taken the provincial exams, so it's definitely not possible to directly participate in the metropolitan exam."

  It's a matter of course. Although with Liu Yan's literary talent and his own innate ability, it was still easy to pass the imperial examination as a juren, but if he participated in the provincial examination again, he would have to wait another three years. This year is the 34th year of Jiajing, and waiting for another three years means waiting until the 37th year of Jiajing, which is not easy to wait at all.

  "There's no other way, it can only be like this now, otherwise...". Liu Yan was originally talented and had a good reputation, he could have participated in the imperial examination immediately, but because of taking banned drugs, the title of "Juren" was naturally stripped away, so everything had to start from scratch.

  "What's going on? You'd better tell me, Liu Gongzi!" Ning An looked even more anxious than Zheng Yao and the others, as if she was the one who was about to take an exam.

  "It won't be long before King Jing holds a poetry contest on the banks of the Yanjiang River, which takes place once every three years. Anyone who gains the king's recognition will be sent to the capital to take part in the imperial examination. Therefore, if you want to catch up with the exam as soon as possible, this is the only way to go." Liu Yan said seriously, as if he had made up his mind to participate in this contest.

  "King Jing? When did a King Jing appear during the Jiajing period of the Ming dynasty? Did I not study my history well?" Zheng Yao was somewhat puzzled, thinking that he had never heard of any notable King Jing during the Jiajing period. Could it be that his own historical knowledge was lacking? So Zheng Yao immediately asked, "King Jing? Who can tell me what this King Jing is all about!"

  "You're still an idiot, even Jing Wang doesn't know, I think you've really lived in vain!" Ning An's specialty was pouring cold water on Zheng Yao, it seemed that making Zheng Yao eat his words was a very delightful thing.

  "Let me tell you," said Liu Yan, taking a sip of tea. "This King Jing is the youngest brother of the late emperor and also the younger brother of the current emperor. His name is Zhu Houheng. When he was young, he was well-versed in both literature and martial arts. He had traveled to the East Ocean, engaged in trade, been to military camps, served as a commander, and was very low-key. He knew how to use people and had made great contributions in suppressing a rebellion, earning the emperor's trust. In recent years, he has recruited many talented officials and generals for the court, which is why Yan Song dares not act too recklessly, allowing the court to maintain a temporary balance. It is said that the late emperor had no sons of his own and originally intended to pass the throne to King Jing, but at the time, all the ministers opposed it, and since King Jing was still young, he did not ascend to the throne. However, this is just a rumor, so please don't go spreading it around carelessly, lest you bring disaster upon yourself."

  Liu Yan said very detailed, of course, when it came to the last sentence, he appeared particularly soft, but Ning An listened carefully and had a puzzled expression on her face, however she was very aware of the situation and didn't ask.

  Upon hearing Liu Yan's words, Zheng Yao had a certain understanding of Jing Wang and nodded repeatedly, saying: "So to speak, this Jing Wang is indeed a character!"

  "What's with the personal attacks! You're being too presumptuous!" Ning An suddenly felt a surge of anger, how could he swallow this kind of tone from his own uncle? Fortunately, Xiaoxi was by her side and she gave him a warning glance, so Ning An restrained himself somewhat.

  "When does this conference start?" Zheng Yao didn't pay attention to Ning An at all, completely ignoring his existence, not even looking at him, and asked Liu Yan as if nothing was wrong.

  "March 28!"

  "March 28th! Isn't that still almost half a month away? That's too long!" Ning An immediately interrupted again, thinking that there was still such a long time, and since he couldn't stay here for too long, he said with some urgency and difficulty.

  "It won't be long, King Jing is not an ordinary person. If you don't prepare well, when the time comes and you don't perform well at the meeting, it will be too late to regret. 7Z?" Although I don't know much about King Jing, from the tone of the audience, I also know that King Jing must be a good background, at least better than Yan Song, so I took over the conversation and said.

  Ning An seemed to be disdainful of Zheng Yao's every word and deed, and gave him a cold glance: "The imperial examination originally belonged to the Hanlin Academy, is this King Jing also meddling too much? Doesn't he fear others saying he abuses his power and interferes with court affairs?"

  Abuse of power? ? ?

  Only Ning An would dare say such a thing. If it were someone else, they wouldn't even dare think about it. Offending the prince is punishable by beheading.

  "I'm telling you, little girl, why bother with so much? The king has a deep understanding of the people and does good things for them. Is he also to be blamed? Besides, the king is not doing this for himself. You should know that every year there are countless candidates who fail the exam, but among them, there are also many talented scholars who, due to some reason or other, directly or indirectly failed the exam. Now the king is giving everyone another chance, which is a second chance at life for the candidates. Who would still say that such a kind-hearted king is not good?"

  "You..." Ning An was once again left speechless by Zheng Yao, this wasn't the first time for Ning An, why did he always end up arguing with this idiot in front of him, and it seemed like every time he couldn't get the better of him?

  "Very well, now there is still half a month's time, you four can make good preparations here. Half a month later, we will go to the banks of the Wanjiang River together to participate in the so-called Poetry Talent Conference!" Li Chengfeng was also extremely excited, his son had recovered, and he had the opportunity to take the imperial examination in the capital again, and he had made many good friends, naturally he was overjoyed.

  "Ugh... forget it, don't count on me, you want me to study? You might as well kill me!" Yuan Haiyun said awkwardly, immediately triggering a burst of loud laughter.

  "Then we'll stay here for a few more days." Ning Anke didn't care about that, and without asking anyone's opinion, he proactively asked to stay for a few more days.

  She said that indeed nothing, but it made Zheng Yao and several others involuntarily surprised: this woman was really "generous" and sharp.

  "Miss......" Xiaoxi subconsciously tugged at Ning An's sleeve, hinting that what she was doing wasn't quite proper.

  Ning An felt a bit flustered after being reminded by Xiao Xi, and awkwardly lowered her head, stuttering: "Th-th-this... th-that..."

  "Alright! If Miss Ning'an wants to stay a few more days, she's welcome to do so. We don't often have female guests at our place." Li Chengfeng said with a half-joking tone. In his opinion, Ning'an was naturally good friends with Zhengyao and the others, but what he didn't know was that Ning'an was just an ultra-obsessive fan of Liu Yan, almost to the point of marrying him. As for Zhengyao? Not fighting with her was already a good thing.

  Everyone burst out laughing again, and the four of them suddenly seemed harmonious.

  In the dead of night, the crescent moon hangs loosely among the tung trees.

  Others went to rest one after another, while Zheng Yao, Liu Yan and Zhang Cheng moved their steps to sit in the famous scenic spot of Li's mansion - the pavilion, drinking under the moon.

  At this moment, Liu Yan held half a jade pendant in his hand, with a worried expression on his face, and muttered to himself: "In the morning, I heard the rain, and in the evening, there was wind. On quiet nights, the moon is lonely and suspended in the air. In the midst of dazzling illusions, yet embracing the stars without a shadow. In summer, I listened to the insects chirping, and in winter, I welcomed the frost. In the misty white snow, the cold plum blossoms whispered to the blue sky. When recalling dreams, I especially miss this object's deep emotions."

  As Liu Yan finished singing this sentence, a wave of emotion surged up in his heart. He saw that the jade pendant in Liu Yan's hand was very old and worn out, but it still shone brightly in the dark night. Suddenly, he naturally understood what the last sentence referred to as "this thing". After some deliberation, he also realized that the other half of this jade pendant should be owned by a woman.

  "How wonderful! The poem's meaning is profound and far-reaching, with a hint of sadness. I think Brother Liu is also a romantic!" Zhang Cheng said with a smile after drinking a mouthful of wine, having sensed some emotional undertones in the poem that Liu Yan had just recited.

  "Haha, Zhang Cheng and I are on the same page! Looks like Brother Liu has someone he's interested in!" Zheng Yao was also excited, picking up his wine cup and downing it in one gulp.

  "You two are really extraordinary people, and I'm truly ashamed. Since you've already guessed it, I won't hide anything from you either. Let me tell you a story." As he spoke, Liu Yan also drank a cup like the other two.

  "Want to hear a story? Then you'd better clean your ears! Hehe." Zheng Yao said with a half-joking tone.

  "It happened in the year I was born..."

  Originally, this jade pendant was a legacy left by Liu Yan's adoptive parents to themselves. The jade pendant was originally intact and undamaged, but at the time of Liu Yan's birth, it was divided into two halves. One half was kept for himself, and the other half was given to a close friend of Liu Yan's adoptive father, whose daughter had been betrothed to Liu Yan since childhood. When they grew up, they could get married with this jade pendant as proof. However, who would have thought that Liu Yan's family encountered a disaster, and Liu Yan himself had lost all hope for the woman he was engaged to? But three years ago, when Liu Yan traveled to Jiangnan, he met a woman who turned out to be the very same woman he was betrothed to! Unfortunately, the woman was the daughter of a high-ranking official in the imperial court, and her parents required that Liu Yan must pass the imperial examination before they could marry.

  But as for who Liu Yan's biological parents were, he didn't even know that himself, only knowing that this jade pendant had something to do with it.

  Now, three years have passed, and Liu Yan has also experienced some twists and turns. Every time he sees this object, he naturally thinks of the past with emotion.

  "I didn't expect Brother Liu to have such a story, no wonder he had thoughts of seeking death that day." Zheng Yao said with emotion. Upon careful consideration, the reason why Liu Yan sought death was actually largely due to that woman; after all, if he couldn't obtain an official position, then wanting to marry her would naturally become a pipe dream.

  "Extremely passionate and sentimental, Brother Liu Yan is indeed a man of great passion! Zhang felt deeply moved and admired him." Zhang Cheng was also touched.

  "I'm afraid I've made a fool of myself in front of you two. But since we're all people of similar temperament, if you don't mind, why don't we make a pact under the moonlight?" Liu Yan said with an awkward smile, then looked at the two with a serious expression.

  "A bond of gold and orchid? What a wonderful idea!!" Zhang Cheng clapped his hands in agreement.

  "Ah, I've been waiting for you to say that, Brother Liu!" Zheng Yao chuckled and smiled, which was exactly what he had in mind.

  "Alright, let's make a vow from now on to become sworn brothers. Although we can't be born on the same year, month and day, I hope we can die on the same year, month and day! We'll share our joys and sorrows together, and our wealth and honors will be the same! If anyone breaks this vow, heaven and earth will punish him!" Liu Yan was the first to raise his cup, saying this in front of the clear sky and bright moon. Then, Zheng Yao and Zhang Cheng also repeated the oath with great enthusiasm.

  The three of them couldn't help but burst out laughing. Among the three, Liu Yan was 19 years old, Zheng Yao was 18 years old, and Zhang Cheng was 20 years old. Therefore, Zheng Yao was the youngest of the three brothers.

  The three of them drank heavily again, their joy was harmonious and filled with a peaceful atmosphere.