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Li Shimin summoned Xu Zhen to Danxia Palace, and together with Li Mingda, the three engaged in a light-hearted conversation, enjoying themselves. Perhaps worried that such a pleasant time would not return, Li Shimin did not mention the matter of succession at all, and Xu Zhen had no intention of stirring up trouble, preferring to enjoy the moment. Thus, they parted ways happily.
The Brave Count's Mansion had gone through a lot due to Hou Polu's rampage. Although it had been repaired and tidied up in advance, it still felt desolate. The servants had all changed faces, but fortunately, Zhang Suling and Moya were out and about, not remaining in the mansion; otherwise, they might have suffered harm.
After Xu Zhen returned, the steward Zhang Jiunian sealed many invitations, among which two were noteworthy as they came from Prince Li Zhi and King Wei Li Tai.
This was not unexpected for Xu Zhen. After returning from quelling the rebellion in Qizhou, Li Zhi had grown closer to Li Jue and single-handedly persuaded Li You to surrender, gaining much credit. Had he not received a title before his campaign, he would likely have received another one now, which had already stirred jealousy among many military officials.
In the court, to absolve Tubo and give Sage a way out, he mentioned education matters, offending many civil officials in the process. Now Xu Zhen found herself isolated in the court; apart from old ministers like Li Jing and Wei Chi Jing De who were indifferent to power, only Li Zhi and his brother Li Chengqian dared to invite her to their residence.
Although Xu Zhen knew that Li Zhi would ultimately prevail, she did not harbor much fondness for him. Since returning from the Tuguhun, she had known him but had never formed a deep impression of him; she found him rather mediocre.
Instead, she was more intrigued by the talented and knowledgeable Li Chengqian. After pondering for a while, Xu Zhen decided to have Zhang Jiunian reply to the invitation. The next day, she took Caesar, Zhang Suling, Zhou Cang, and other relatives to visit Wei Wangfu.
King Wei resided at Yankang Square. As early as Year Fourteen of the Zhenguan Era, the Sovereign personally visited Wei Wangfu and granted amnesty to prisoners sentenced to death in Yongzhou and Chang'an. He also exempted the people of Yankang Square from rent for a year and rewarded officials of Wei Wangfu and elderly residents of the same neighborhood with many gifts.
Later on, he bestowed the former Sui Dynasty's Hibiscus Garden upon King Wei. This Hibiscus Garden was renowned as one of Chang'an's scenic spots, boasting an area of thirty acres with a circumference of seventeen li, showcasing Sage's favor towards King Wei.
To avoid suspicion, King Wei did not meet Xu Zhen at his main residence but instead set the meeting place in Hibiscus Garden.
Although Brave Duke's Mansion was not small, it could not compare to Hibiscus Garden. The brothers thought they were accustomed to the city's splendor; however, upon entering Hibiscus Garden, they realized they were merely frogs at the bottom of a well.
The garden featured grand halls and winding corridors that extended over vast areas with lush bamboo groves and green hills. There was a cool hall at the foot of the eastern slope and a waterside pavilion to the east. It was grand yet delicate, magnificent yet gentle.
Since this was an audience with the king, everyone dared not act recklessly. Even Zhou Cang, a rough man by nature, understood the need to be clean and tidy.
The steward of the palace guided them through beautiful maidens fluttering like butterflies along their path. After wandering through this deep courtyard for some time, they finally arrived at a scenic spot by the water called Colorful Clouds—a sight that resembled a fairy in the water and left them in awe.
King Wei had already set up a banquet in the building, featuring a variety of seafood and accompanied by cultured scholars and charming maidens, waiting for the arrival of Xu Zhen. As Xu Zhen and her entourage drew closer, King Wei smiled warmly, descending the stairs to greet them.
Xu Zhen, being well-mannered, quickly expressed her apologies, saying, "I am but a barbaric and humble person; how could I trouble the great king to welcome us? Please do not belittle us!"
Although King Wei had a large belly, his face was exceptionally handsome, creating a striking visual contrast. If it weren't for his round stomach, he would indeed be considered a charming and dashing man.
He greeted Xu Zhen with warmth and affection, holding her wrist as if they were brothers. He acknowledged that Xu Zhen had done great service to the royal family and had shown kindness to Sister Si, which he felt he had yet to repay; today was indeed an opportune moment.
The group of scholars in the hall were all dignified and sincere towards Xu Zhen without any flattery or pretense, making everyone feel quite at ease.
However, Zhou Cang and others were mostly warriors with little literary knowledge and had not interacted much with these scholars. King Wei was considerate and led Zhou Cang and his companions to another table.
At this table sat only an elderly man with a ruddy complexion. Upon seeing him, Zhou Cang and the others were greatly surprised and respectfully greeted him, asking, "Are you not the esteemed Henan Master Wei Wuchen?"
The old man noticed Zhou Cang's bright eyes and familiar face. He opened his eyes slightly and looked them over before exclaiming in delight, "This young friend has a very familiar face; are you perhaps the descendant of Luoyang Blade Saint Zhou Weiguang?"
Zhou Cang was overjoyed to hear the mention of his ancestor's name. He replied, "Old uncle, I am indeed Zhou Cang, the humble descendant of Zhou Weiguang! Many brothers here, this is the martial Daoism master Wei Wuchen whom I often speak of!"
Upon hearing this name, everyone took their seats, creating a lively atmosphere. King Wei Li Tai was indeed someone who accomplished great things; he had already gathered information about Xu Zhen's side and seemed genuinely interested in forming connections.
Xu Zhen took her place at the head table alongside King Wei. The lady from Wei Wangfu then came over to lead Caesar and Zhang Suling into the inner courtyard to enjoy the scenery and tea, attending to them well.
Zhang Jiunian sat down with Zhou Cang and others. Moya, being older, graciously yielded his seat to sit with Xu Zhen.
With hosts and guests comfortably settled, King Wei raised his cup for a toast, and everyone drank heartily without further ado.
Xu Zhen, although coming from a military background, possesses an understanding of literature and history thanks to her knowledge of the modern world. Her eloquence and references make many scholars regard her with newfound respect, leading to lively gatherings.
Taking advantage of the festive atmosphere, King Wei had a beautifully crafted wooden box presented to Moya, smiling as he said, "I have always enjoyed collecting classics. I heard that the esteemed Master is an elder of Zoroastrianism. Here is a sacred text from the Western Regions, which I would like to present to you, hoping that you will not find it unworthy."
Moya repeatedly declined but was unable to refuse, so he accepted it. Upon opening the box, he was immediately astonished. Inside was a personal item belonging to Alasor, the messenger of Zoroastrianism. The intrinsic value aside, just the authenticity of Alasor's relic was worth a fortune!
Given this situation, Moya dared not accept it and hurriedly tried to decline again, but King Wei insisted. Another talented individual from the royal court, well-versed in Zoroastrianism history, engaged in pleasant conversation with Moya, leading him into the royal collection hall where there were many treasures.
During the banquet, scholars also found excuses to leave, making way for King Wei and Xu Zhen to converse.
How could Xu Zhen not realize that King Wei intended to befriend her? However, she understood the course of history; King Wei was destined for failure. Despite his immense favor and prestige, he would ultimately fall to Li Zhi's forces, which was indeed lamentable.
In truth, King Wei's talents far surpassed those of the mediocre Li Zhi. Yet, with seasoned advisors like Changsun Wuji by Li Zhi's side, it was exceedingly difficult for anyone to compete. Even if Xu Zhen wished to assist him, she could not alter the course of history.
Li Chengqian, avoiding sensitive topics, smiled and sought advice from Xu Zhen: "The other day, General Xu mentioned matters of scholarship in court. I resonate deeply with this and wish to engage in some literary affairs. I would like to hear your esteemed thoughts on this matter."
Xu Zhen, though hesitant to accept such praise, felt somewhat compelled. The demeanor of King Wei was indeed impressive; having received so many benefits from him without reciprocating would be inappropriate. Thus, she smiled and replied, "I dare not offer my teachings. Although I come from a rough background and lack formal education, I do have some small thoughts on literary matters. Perhaps I could share them for your consideration—please don’t laugh."
Li Chengqian, being a highly educated scholar himself, would not genuinely value the literary insights of a military figure like Xu Zhen. He merely sought to use this topic as a means to draw her closer.
However, upon hearing Xu Zhen ’s words, he became intrigued and praised her ideas.
With a calm demeanor, Xu Zhen slowly suggested: "It is often said that there is no second in martial arts and no first in literature; however, there are indeed renowned masters throughout history. Therefore, literary matters should be categorized for public admiration. Why not utilize the resources of the literary academy to establish rankings for Literary Masters? Any great scholar from the common people or any court elder with sufficient knowledge could be included on this list. Historically, many scholars have been unruly; having such a ranking would encourage competition among various regions and surely invigorate literary culture across the land!"
"Establishing a ranking?" King Wei Li Tai initially frowned but soon felt a surge of excitement. After pondering for a moment, his eyes suddenly sparkled as if he had opened the door to another world and glimpsed unprecedented vistas!
The Imperial Examination also emphasizes rankings, and the list of names is nothing new. However, what Xu Zhen mentioned is an additional pathway for recruiting talent beyond the Imperial Examination!
Since King Wei was intrigued, he pressed Xu Zhen for details, and she became interested as well, sharing her entire plan.
According to Xu Zhen, a model could be created after the Sovereign's Lingyan Pavilion and the Twenty-Four Meritorious Officials to evaluate the Literary Masters of the realm. This would involve skilled artists depicting these Literary Masters on paper, with publishing houses distributing them for public evaluation by scholars across the land!
Xu Zhen effectively utilized the principle of contemporary card games, illustrating these ranked Literary Masters on cards that are small, exquisite, and unique. This would surely resonate among scholars and even spark a nationwide literary craze!
King Wei Li Tai was indeed enamored with literature. After sending off Xu Zhen and her entourage, he summoned many talented individuals overnight to refine and improve upon Xu Zhen's ideas, proposing numerous supplements and enhancements, ultimately putting them into action!
Li Chengqian shared this idea with Cen Wenben, receiving high praise from this esteemed scholar. He quickly presented the proposal to the Sage, who already favored King Wei. Seeing that this suggestion was innovative and borrowed inspiration from the Twenty-Four Meritorious Officials, the Sage was greatly pleased and approved for Wei Wangfu's villa to begin implementation. This quickly caused a sensation and became a significant event in the literary world!
Li Chengqian did not forget Xu Zhen's contributions; in front of the Sage, he humbly spoke on her behalf. The Sage appreciated his honesty and lack of greed for credit, growing even fonder of King Wei and considering having Xu Zhen assist Li Chengqian.
Many court officials noticed the Sage's attitude and realized they had underestimated Xu Zhen. They regretted having neglected her initially; now that she was gaining more influence, jealousy and covert struggles were no longer appropriate. Instead, they should actively seek to befriend her!
This matter quickly reached Li Zhi's ears. He believed he had not slighted Xu Zhen; why then had she gone to King Wei?
Feeling uncertain, he approached his uncle Changsun Wuji, who was a cunning old fox. Upon hearing this news, he felt resentment towards Xu Zhen!
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