Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 10 Prodigy vs. Prodigy
After staying in the capital for five days, Fan Zhongyan was about to return to Dengzhou, and at the same time sent Fan Ning back to Pingjiang Mansion.

This afternoon, Fan Ning was practicing calligraphy in the room, and there were footsteps outside the door. The footsteps were somewhat familiar, and it was the owner Ouyang Xiu.

He hurriedly put down his pen and hid what he was writing underneath, when Ouyang Xiu appeared at the door and said with a smile: "Your grandfather happened to be unable to come back for a while, so he asked someone to send me a message, asking me to take you to a banquet. He'll be there when the time comes."

"Thank you senior, I'm ready to go anytime!"

Ouyang Xiu didn't have much contact with Fan Ning in the past few days, but on the first day he tested Fan Ning's amazing memory, which made him amazed.

In particular, Fan Ning revised "The Drunkard's Pavilion" for him, which made him look at him with admiration, and he even wanted to accept him as an apprentice.

Ouyang Xiu also just came to Beijing as a Hanlin Bachelor. He has many things to do and has little time at home. However, his daughter Xiaoqian has a good relationship with Fan Ning, and he has praised him twice in front of him.

Ouyang Xiu thought that Fan Ning would go back tomorrow, and his grandfather Fan Zhongyan asked him to teach Fan Ning's calligraphy, but he was not free all the time, so he couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

Seeing that Fan Ning seemed to be secretly covering up the writing on the case, Ouyang Xiu stepped forward and said with a smile, "What are you writing, let me have a look."

Fan Ning blushed, and had no choice but to hand him a stack of words full of words. Ouyang Xiu suddenly laughed. It was "Theory of Cliques" written by himself a few years ago.

"Calligraphy has improved a bit, but we still need to work hard for a long time!"

Ouyang Xiu also noticed that Fan Ning's handwriting was a little better than the day he first came, and more neat. This is the way Fan Zhongyan taught his grandson, first write neatly, and then slowly write well.

In fact, this method is also good, but the effect is relatively slow, so don't be impatient.

Fan Ning nodded, "Grandfather also said that without ten years of hard work, the juniors' handwriting will not be seen by others."

"Your grandfather is exaggerating too much. In my opinion, if you keep practicing for three or four years, your handwriting will be able to be mastered. However, it will take at least ten years to be called 'calligraphy' by your grandfather."

"The juniors will persevere, thanks to the seniors for their encouragement."

Ouyang Xiu flipped through another article, pointed to the half of the poem on the paper and asked with a smile, "You wrote this?"

Fan Ning was a little embarrassed. He only wrote one Cipai and one sentence.

He used Ouyang Xiu's works to practice calligraphy, in addition to "The Clique" and "The Drunkard's Pavilion", there is also "Lang Taosha", and he just wrote one of them.

The poem he wanted to write was actually the work of this senior Ouyang in his later years.

'Weeping Willow Zimo Luoyang East. ． ． ． ． '

When Ouyang Xiu read "Weeping Willow Purple Mo Luoyang East", his heart was faintly touched, and he seemed to have returned to his life in Luoyang with a group of friends.

He sorted out his emotions, and asked with a smile: "You probably haven't been to Luoyang, why did you write about Luoyang?"

Fan Ning bowed and said: "This junior has never been to Luoyang. This is not about the junior, but about the senior. These two days, the junior is reading the masterpiece of the senior. I feel that the senior misses the life of his youth, so he wants to imitate the graffiti of the senior. It's a pity that I can't imitate because of my lack of talent and learning."

Ouyang Xiu patted his head, feeling quite touched in his heart, this child is not only extremely smart, but more importantly, he has a kind heart, which is a virtue like gold.

This line of weeping willow purple mo Luoyang Dong also opened his mind, and he wrote the whole poem with a pen.

"Toast the east wind with wine, and let's be calm together."Weeping willows and purple flowers in the east of Luoyang, always hand in hand in those days, traveling all over the flowers.

Gathering and dispersing are in a hurry, this hatred is endless.This year's flowers are better than last year's, but it's a pity that next year's flowers will be even better. Who do you know? '

He handed the poem to Fanning and said with a gentle smile, "This poem is for you."

"Thank you senior!"

． ． ． ． ． ． ． ．
Today is September [-]th, the sky is drizzling with autumn rain, and an ox cart is moving slowly in the drizzle and slanting wind.

The banquet that Fan Ning is going to attend today is the 60th birthday banquet of Pang Ji, a friend of his grandfather Fan Zhongyan. Came from other places.

Ouyang Xiu brought Fan Ning and his student Zeng Bu to Pang's mansion in an ox cart. Various horse-drawn carts and ox carts were parked at the gate. Pang Ji personally led his two sons to greet the guests at the gate.

Perhaps because of Ouyang Qian's good words to Fan Ning, Zeng Bu's slight dissatisfaction with Fan Ning disappeared, talking and laughing with Fan Ning along the way.

"You two follow me, don't get lost!"

Ouyang Xiu greeted the two of them, and they quickly followed. Although Fan Ning had a mature mind, he had short legs and small hands, and he was still a child. He had to trot all the way with Zeng Bu, following the striding Ouyang Xiu.

Since Ouyang Xiu's "Drunkard's Pavilion" was officially published a few days ago, it has caused a sensation in the capital, and his reputation has reached a peak. He has faint signs of being a leader in the Song Dynasty literary circle.

He greeted people along the way, and came to the gate not long after. Pang Ji had seen him a long time ago, and said to everyone with a smile: "The drunkard is here, everyone, put away the wine!"

Everyone burst into laughter, Ouyang Xiu and Pang Ji exchanged greetings, then brought Fan Ning and Zeng Bra over to salute, Pang Ji laughed and said, "Xiao Zeng is here too, your brother is inside, with Sima Guang."

He turned his eyes to Fan Ning again, feeling a little strange, so he asked with a smile, "Uncle Yong, is this your nephew?"

Ouyang Xiu smiled slightly, "It's Xiwen's grandson, brought here from his hometown this time, he is a remarkable child prodigy!"

Surprised and delighted, Pang Ji smiled at Fan Ning: "So you are the grandson of Lao Fan's child prodigy, and my ears have been getting calloused by him for the past two days."

Fan Ning hurriedly bowed and said: "Grandfather loves grandson, and most of them will exaggerate. Juniors are very ordinary, old man must not exalt Fan Ning."

"Who said you're normal!"

Suddenly a voice came from behind, everyone turned their heads, but it was Wang Anshi who stepped forward, his eyes were flushed and his cheeks were slightly pale. "

He stepped forward and bowed deeply to Fan Ning, "Your words made Wang Anshi Sheng study for ten years, please accept my bow."

Fan Ning smiled faintly, "I just ask if you can accept it?"

Wang Anshi nodded, "I think it makes sense, and I would like to spend another ten years to practice and comprehend it!"

Everyone was amazed at once, Wang Anshi is a rookie who has risen to fame in recent years, recognized as having outstanding talents and learning, he actually saluted an eight-year-old boy, saying that he was taught, which really shocked everyone.

Everyone asked Wang Anshi whether Ouyang Xiu was demoted because he supported Fan Zhongyan's new policies, while Pang Ji sympathized with Fan Zhongyan and was basically not a conservative.

Wang Anshi pulled the two of them aside, and briefly explained Fan Ning's pie-sharing theory to them. Ouyang Xiu was speechless for a while, but he had a kind of epiphany like enlightenment.

Pang Ji slapped his hands, "This kid can see clearly! We have lived in vain for decades, yet we are not as good as a child."

After finishing speaking, Pang Ji sighed again, "Xiwen has such a grandson, so he is considered to be a successor!"

Fan Ning scratched his head, praised too much, his face was a bit uneasy.

． ． ． ． ． ． ．

After entering Pang's mansion, Ouyang Xiu went to socialize by himself and left Fan Ning to Zeng Bu. The mansion was full of people, and there were birthday guests everywhere.

Zeng Bu took Fan Ning to a place with few people, and said with a smile, "Why don't we try again!"

"What does Abu want to compare with?" Fanning asked with a slight smile.

"Our brothers like to play the ending of the poem most at home. I will say the last sentence, you will answer the next sentence, and we will take the last word."

Fanning was refreshed, and this was what he liked too, as long as it didn't make him write poetry.

"Let's start then! You say the first sentence."

Zeng Bu thought for a while and said, "Grape wine luminous glass!"

This is a bit difficult, Zeng Bu made a side question at the beginning, Zeng Bu was proud of it, but he stumped his elder brother with this sentence.

Fan Ning thought for a while, then suddenly blurted out, "The cup is deep and swirled with fragrant mash!"

"Okay!" Someone from behind cheered.

The two were startled, and looked back, only to see a 50-year-old official standing behind him, with dark skin, a slightly fat body, eyebrows like swords, and a pair of extremely sharp eyes, which can read people's hearts like an eagle.

Fan Ning didn't know this person, but Zeng Bu did, and he hurriedly saluted, "Your junior, Zeng Bu, sees Duke Bao!"

Fan Ning was startled. This black-faced official with sharp eyes is Bao Zheng?

He quickly looked at Bao Zheng's forehead, but there was nothing on it.

Bao Zheng smiled slightly and said, "I met Lao Fan just now, and he said that his prodigy grandson is here. I guess this little Fan is you!"

Fan Ning was really speechless. How could his grandfather preach it everywhere? Isn't this putting himself on fire?If everyone came here to test and teach themselves, would they still be alive?

In fact, Fan Zhongyan has worked hard, he is using his own resources to pave the way for Fan Ning!In the Song Dynasty, prestige was the most important thing, and prestige started from an early age. For example, Yan Shu was famous all over the world since he was a child, and he would naturally become a prime minister when he became an adult.

This is the real purpose of Fan Zhongyan bringing Fan Ning to Beijing. He is old and must pave the way for Fan Ning when he still has a little reputation and contacts, and he will struggle on his own in the future.

Bao Zheng looked at Zeng Bu again, "It seems very difficult for you to make a cup, but you are dismissed by others, what should you do?"

Zeng Bu could only smile wryly. He thought Fan Ning would accept the "no stopping the cup", but Fan Ning countered with a more uncommon word of his own, which is called shooting himself in the foot.

"I lost this game!" Zeng Bu couldn't help but admit defeat.

Bao Zheng laughed loudly, and gave a thumbs up, "Xiao Fan is really good, and my old Bao is also convinced!"

(End of this chapter)