Chapter 19: Feeling of Living in the Shadow of Others
Coming back to his senses, Murong Ji said, "My name is Murong Ji, Brother Gao." Murong Ji clasped his fists and saluted simply.

Gao Qiu thought for a moment and said, "Murong? The Murong from Gusu?"

Murong Ji was startled again, not quite understanding what he meant. "That's right."

After getting the answer, Gao Qiu smiled even more, "Haha, my master has a very good relationship with your uncle Lord Wang (Wang Shen). In fact, we are still a family."

Murong Ji exhaled and looked at Gao Qiu carefully. This man was amazing. He had smoothed out all kinds of personal relationships in a short period of time. This was not something that could be achieved just by knowing a lot.

[This person was favored by Emperor Huizong of Song, so he must be very capable. ]

"Brother Gao is really capable!"

Gao Qiu smiled and said softly, "Let's get together when we have time." Seeing Murong Ji nod, he walked away with the teapot.

When Murong Ji was about to read a book, Su Shi suddenly sat in front of Murong Ji, drank a cup of tea, and asked, "Are you Wang Shen's nephew?"

Murong Ji replied respectfully: "That's right, Mr. Su, but..."

Su Shi waved his hand and said, "Nothing, just asking a question. Since you are a descendant of the younger generation, I have to test you."

Murong Ji knew clearly in his heart that the factional struggles in the Song Dynasty were serious. Why was it so serious?!

It was not just a problem for Wang Anshi and Sima Guang. There were also serious party struggles before them.

For example, Lü Yijian, Ouyang Xiu, and Fan Zhongyan. The new party and the old party, the reformers and the conservatives are constantly fighting.

It is the complicated human relationships in the Song Dynasty, the teacher-student relationships, backgrounds, positions, etc. of Confucian scholars that are intertwined with various factions.

For example, Su Shi, his father and his brother had a teacher named Ouyang Xiu. In Ouyang Xiu's faction, Wang Anshi (Ouyang and Wang had a bad relationship) was trained as the successor.

In other words, Su Shi was a member of Wang Anshi's faction and a political enemy of the old party including Sima Guang.

This is also why Wang Anshi was so angry when Su Shi opposed the new law and kept trying to mess with him. In their faction's view, Su Shi was just a traitor.

After Su Shi came back to power, he was not accepted by the old party. It was not only because of his stance, but also because neither the new party nor the old party would tolerate him.

Look at his younger brother, he is having a successful career.

Human relationships are complicated and difficult to discern. Murong Ji's background determined his political faction. After several tests, Su Shi roughly understood Murong Ji's level.

"With your knowledge, you can take the exam and enter the Imperial Academy. If you study hard, you can pass the exam and become a Jinshi before you are thirty."

Murong Ji smiled and said, "Sir, you have high hopes, but forget it. I just want to learn martial arts. I study to reach a higher level of martial arts."

Su Shi was a little disappointed, sighed, and said: "Well, I won't force it, being happy is the most important thing!"

As he spoke, he wrote a line of words on the paper with a big brush, "The courtyard is like a pool of water, clear and bright, with algae and water chestnuts crisscrossing in the water, which are probably the shadows of bamboo and cypress. What night is without the moon? What place is without bamboo and cypress..."

Murong Ji gently patted Zhang Huaimin beside him and asked softly, "Mr. Huaimin, he pulled you and didn't let you sleep. Is it because his brother is the prime minister? You don't dare to depose him?"

Zhang Huaimin glanced at Su Shi, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "You're right. If his brother is demoted now, I really want to demote him."

Murong Ji said secretly: [As expected. ]

I let out a breath and saw that Su Shi had also finished writing. Looking forward, I saw that "A Night Out at Chengtian Temple" was only half written.

Just went to drink.

Then Gao Qiu picked up a pen and helped to finish and polish the text. He then showed it to Su Shi, who changed a few words and the article was completed.

Murong was stunned. He couldn't imagine that there was someone who could write about Su Shi's articles... He looked at Gao Qiu again and thought, if he could stay with Su Shi for a long time, would he be another great poet? Instead of a treacherous minister?

However, there are no ifs in history.

He exhaled slowly and was about to say something when Su Shi grabbed his shoulders and said, "Can you write poetry, kid?"

Murong Ji was startled, and then a strange idea came to his mind, and he asked, "Mr. Su, how long will you stay in Chengtian Temple?"

Su Shi was slightly tipsy and glanced at Zhang Huaimin vaguely, "I'll only stay for a few days. Although I have a sinecure, I can't neglect my duties!"

Murong Ji smiled and said, "How about this, Mr. Su, if I can write good poems and lyrics, you can stay and teach me for three months?"

Su Shi flatly refused, "Impossible, I still have to go on duty..."

"Brother Su, don't be busy, don't be busy. You have to pay attention when teaching the younger generation. There is no rush for official business..."

Murong Ji looked at the strange atmosphere between Su and Zhang, and began to understand a little.

In history, Su Shi was not such a nasty person. He was bold and unrestrained. But why did he specifically torture Zhang Huaimin?
He seemed to understand. He remembered that Su Shi was under surveillance during the four years he was demoted. He glanced at Zhang Huaimin and understood a little.

Why, he deserves it.

"Little brother, come, come, write poems or lyrics as you like."

Zhang Huaimin affectionately pulled Murong Ji to the desk and put the pen in his hand. Murong Ji poked his hair with the pen, pretending to think.

"Mr. Su, have you been to Chibi?"

Su Shi was stunned. "Not yet. I'll go check it out in a few days."

[It’s good that you haven’t been there. If you had been there, I wouldn’t know what to copy. ]

"Cough cough."

Write on paper, Nian Nujiao: Remembering the Past at Chibi.

Then he wrote down the letter in one stroke, flowing smoothly without any pause. What a joke! The homework he copied five hundred times back then was not copied in vain, otherwise how could he greet the entire Su family?

Any pause for even a second would be disrespectful to the homework.

Su Shi was in a good mood. What made him write so excitedly? !

When I walked over, I saw, "The great river flows eastward, the waves wash away all the heroes of the ages..."

Su Shi frowned slightly, feeling somewhat familiar, and also somewhat familiar, "Ah this..."

Continue reading, "To the west of the old fortress, people say: Chibi of Zhou Lang in the Three Kingdoms. Rocks pierce the sky, waves crash against the shore, and thousands of piles of snow are rolled up. The mountains and rivers are picturesque, and there were so many heroes at that time."

Su Shi: "..." He sucked his teeth, this familiar feeling, this charm, this tune, why is it so familiar? !
After taking a look at Murong Ji, I realized that this kid's literary foundation is simply not up to this level and writing style.

Even if he is a naturally heroic character, his writing skills and realm cannot be faked.

It is nonsense to say that a teenager who is not yet an adult has sophisticated writing skills and rich experience.

After exchanging a glance with Zhang Huaimin, they both knew what the other was thinking.

"Boy, plagiarizing other people's poems will ruin your future," Su Shi reminded.

(End of this chapter)