Many people frowned. It was hard to say what the answer to this question was. There have always been such people throughout history.
He Ludong sneered and said, "Just don't let me hear it, otherwise I don't mind teaching this ignorant guy a lesson."
"Brother He is still used to teaching people a lesson in a military way. If it were me, the most I would do is to make his undeserved literary reputation disappear. As for how much it disappears, that has nothing to do with me." Ma Zhaoming laughed and continued drinking.
Qiao Juze smiled and raised his glass, saying, "Brother Zhibai, I offer you a toast. Fang Xusheng's literary reputation is at its peak, and those who value their reputation will definitely not embarrass him in public. Among those present, except Brother Zhibai, who dares to compete with Fang Xusheng for literary fame?"
Ji Zhibai raised his wine glass and said with a smile, "That's wrong. No matter how stupid I am, I won't compete with Fang Xusheng in public. Is it okay if I don't participate in the Early Spring Literary Gathering today? Come on, cheers."
They both drank it down in one gulp.
He Ludong glanced at Ji Zhibai, his eyes flashed, and he said, "Fang Xusheng, it is said that the county city for your palace examination is set in Ning'an County. Is this true?"
"Yes, it's Ning An." After Fang Yun said that, he put the braised beef in his mouth and chewed it slowly.
He Ludong nodded and said, "Ning'an County is the hub of the north. Now that the north is expanding its military, Ningyuan County is even more important. I will report to the Ministry of War and the Marshal's Office tomorrow. I am willing to be transferred to the army adjacent to Ning'an County to prevent the monsters from attacking Ning'an."
Ji Zhibai immediately smiled and said, "General He has a good vision. Ning'an County is becoming more and more important. The original joint defense by the county army and the Qingwu Prefecture's army is no longer in date. As far as I know, Ning'an County will disband the county army and transfer the Qingwu Prefecture's army."
"Oh, which army is responsible for this?"
Ji Zhibai said: "We are discussing it. However, the Yingyang Army is stationed at Yuyang Pass, which is closest to Ning'an County. It should be that the Yingyang Army sends a guard to station at Ning'an County."
The area suddenly became quiet, and people at dozens of tables stopped talking.
There were originally four armies in the north of Jing State, each with a strength ranging from 100,000 to 150,000. The Northwest Army was crippled, the Dingyuan Army in the north was commanded by Zhang Poyue, and the Zhengdong Army guarded the northeast of Jing State to recuperate.
The fourth army, the Yingyang Army, guards Yuyang Pass. Not counting civilians and auxiliary troops, it has a total of 150,000 combat soldiers. It is the strongest army in the north of Jing State, but it has not experienced as much war training as the previous three armies.
The leader of the Yingyang Army was the junior brother of the Zuo Xiang, who, like the Zuo Xiang, was a Grand Secretary and held a firm control over the army.
Now Jingguo has drawn soldiers from all over the country to the north. In February, there will be four more armies, and before May, there will definitely be another million new troops. After October, the second batch of one million new troops will also arrive in the war zone.
This means that after October this year, the number of combat soldiers, auxiliary soldiers and civilian laborers in the northern part of Jing State alone will exceed six million, and this number will continue to increase and will soon reach tens of millions.
Yuyang Pass can be said to be the last barrier of Jing State. Once Yuyang Pass is breached, Cao Man can march straight in and attack the capital.
If the Yingyang Army was put in charge of the defense of Ning'an County, then the Zuo Xiang faction would firmly control Fang Yun. After all, the civil and military officials of Mizhou, where Ning'an County was located, were all controlled by the Zuo Xiang, and only some officials of the Academy of Literature were barely not controlled by the Zuo Xiang faction.
Even if Cai He went to Qingwu Prefecture to serve as the prefect and became the immediate superior of the Ning'an County Magistrate, it might not have much effect.
What's more, the highest official in Ning'an County was not the seventh-rank Ning'an County Magistrate, but the fourth-rank Mizhou Transport Commissioner, who was responsible for the transportation of grain and military equipment throughout the north. In the Transport Department alone, there were two guards with a total of 6,000 combat soldiers and countless miscellaneous servants.
The Mizhou Transport Commissioner was also a subordinate of the Left Prime Minister.
Everyone realized that Fang Yun was like a turtle in a jar when he arrived in Ning'an, completely under the control of the Left Prime Minister.
He Ludong snorted coldly and said, "It is enough for the Yingyang Army to guard Yuyang Pass. It would be unwise to divide the troops to Ning'an. Of course, if the Yingyang Army does not like to defend Yuyang Pass, it would be good for the army to go straight into Ning'an City."
"General He, you are joking. The importance of Yuyang Pass is even greater than that of Ning'an County. The Yingyang Army will never give up." said Tong Luan, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.
Chen Jing smiled and said, "Minister Tong, as far as I know, in May, every five armies will be combined into one guard army. The one who is now in charge of the Yingyang Army will be promoted to the rear guard general, and you may leave the Ministry of War and go north to take over the Yingyang Army. Congratulations."
When Fang Yun heard this, he couldn't help but look at the Left Vice Minister Tong Luan.
Fang Yun clearly remembered that Tong Luan's grandson Tong Li died because of his bet with him on Shushan. Tong Luan wanted to go to Yuhai City to argue with him but was stopped by Li Wenying. Finally, he had to return to the capital and soon after, he defected to Zuo Xiang.
Tong Luan was famous in the army for his good fighting skills and for his love for his soldiers. His prestige was extremely high. Although his reputation was damaged after he defected to Zuo Xiang, most of the generals under his command still stayed with him.
This person once said something when he was drunk.
"As long as I am in Jing Country, Fang Yun will never be able to show his face! Unless, he steps on my dead body!"
At that time, Fang Yun was just a scholar and could only write a few poems.
But now, Fang Yun is a virtual saint.
Fang Yun could tell what Chen Jing meant. In order to avenge his grandson, Tong Luan made a deal with Zuo Xiang, took over the Yingyang Army, and then used the power of the Yingyang Army to curb his actions in Ning'an County.
Fang Yun felt that a storm was about to come and the situation was in an unprecedented crisis.
The atmosphere at the table also changed, and it looked like it might turn into a court dispute at any moment.
"Well, it's almost time. Please ask Fang Xusheng to represent the thirty Jinshi scholars and write the first poem for this year's Jingguo Early Spring Literary Festival." Sai, the Minister of Rites, said.
Fang Yun glanced at Minister Sai and knew that he was helping him. It was obviously not appropriate to discuss military and national affairs at this time.
Fang Yun nodded, stood up, slowly stepped onto the white marble steps, and walked to the platform in front of the Fengtian Hall. The empress dowager and the king were sitting on the dragon throne, and next to the stairs, there was a table.
Fang Yun didn't say much. He walked to the desk, picked up the prepared medium-sized wolf-hair brush, and looked around.
It was already night, and a drizzle was still falling over the capital, shining brightly under the lights. In the night, the grass and trees were obscured, and the faint green of spring was faintly visible.
After a moment, Fang Yun said, "I'm sorry to show off my ugliness."
After saying this, Fang Yun picked up the pen and started writing and reciting at the same time.
"The rain on the streets is as soft as butter, the grass looks green from a distance but not near."
After hearing these two sentences, countless scholars cheered in a low voice, and even the left prime minister nodded slightly.
"Fang Zhenguo's eyes are like the light of the sun and the moon, with the ability to see through everything! They are as smooth as butter. When I reach out to touch the drizzle, it feels as smooth and delicate as the grease on my face. Has anyone ever written about this before? It's a stroke of genius!"
"The last sentence, 'the grass looks green from a distance but not up close' is even more witty. Spring is like this. From a distance it looks green but up close it is not clear. Seeing the big picture from the small details is a flawless eye!"
"He is truly unpredictable. At such a young age, he has such terrifying insight and can put it into the most appropriate words. He deserves the title of the ancestor of poetry!"
"I don't know what to say next."
Fang Yun continued writing.
"The best time of the year is spring, far better than the willows and mist in the imperial capital."
After Fang Yun finished speaking, except for a few dozen people who instinctively blurted out "good things", most people kept their mouths shut and looked at the person in the field.
Left Prime Minister Liu Shan.
.(To be continued..)