#93 - This kid
Literary Qi and fortune gathered and spread throughout the courtyard.
The fragrance of ink wafted out of the Xu residence. Within a ten-mile radius of the Xu and Qin residences, everyone smelled a rich fragrance of ink.
Wei Xun looked towards the study.
He didn't know what kind of memorial Xu Ming had written, but Wei Xun was very clear that an extraordinary piece of writing had been born.
Inside the study, Xu Ming put down his brush, the entire memorial already filled with writing.
Xu Shuiya and the other two stared at the flowing script on the memorial, completely stunned—
“Your subject, Ming, humbly states, receiving the imperial decree, should accept Princess Zhaowen as a concubine, glorifying her noble lineage, and bestowing upon her extraordinary favor, to serve the Holy Dynasty and be bathed in its benevolence. The Grand Secretary, Mr. Xiao, invited your subject to a banquet, where I composed a poem, earning a slight reputation, which reached Your Majesty's ears. Being summoned from the Floating Pagoda to attend Your Majesty is a privilege your subject could never repay, even with death.
The Princess's beauty is renowned far and wide, and her virtue is almost comparable to that of Empress Ke.”
This long passage mainly introduces some of his past deeds, expressing gratitude to His Majesty for his regard, and praising the Princess's beauty and virtue.
Anyway, he praised her as much as possible, elevating her, and stating, "It's not that I look down on Princess Zhaowen; in fact, Princess Zhaowen is truly excellent, but it's due to my own reasons."
Then, Xu Ming began to elaborate on his reasons.
“Beyond the borders of the Wu Kingdom, the Northern Mang are restless, stationed at Snow Peak, gazing south. The myriad demon kingdoms also desire to look north. The human race's literary world is united under its leaders. If the Wu use the Northern Wilderness as barbarians, what will Qi use against my Wu? Though your subject is untalented, I am grateful for Your Majesty's trust, allowing me to serve by your side. I am willing to serve the country to repay Your Majesty's kindness.
Though your subject was weak in martial arts since childhood, I do not grieve. I still think of defending the borders for the country. At night, I lie listening to the wind and rain, iron horses and frozen rivers entering my dreams.
Your subject knows deeply that love between a man and a woman is human nature, but at a time of national crisis, how dare I forget national concerns for personal feelings?”
Xu Ming spoke of his reasons for not marrying.
It's not that I don't want to marry the Princess; it's that I want to serve the country and have higher and greater ideals and goals!
Before my ideals and goals are achieved, how can I have the mind to get married?
“Your subject entered Zhi Xing at the age of six, heard of border affairs at the age of eight, admired the legacy of my ancestors, dreaming and thinking of nothing else, but drawing my sword while drunk, and seeing the sword, the cold wind blowing horns in the connected camps. I also hope to divide the roasted meat among my subordinates for eight hundred miles, and listen to the fifty strings playing border tunes, and review the troops on the autumn battlefield. Seeing the horse galloping like Lu Bu's Red Hare, hearing the bow like thunder, the string startling. Your subject secretly thinks that Your Majesty is wise and will surely understand your subject's difficulties. Your subject is willing to dedicate myself to the country, not daring to speak of personal feelings, so I earnestly request Your Majesty to withdraw the decree.
Allow your subject, though I have no other skills, to aspire to eat the flesh of the wilderness when hungry and laughingly drink the blood of myriad demons when thirsty, expanding our territory and establishing the Wu Kingdom at its peak.
On the battlefield, life and death are unpredictable. If something happens to your subject, how dare I, for my own selfish reasons, leave the Princess alone in the world?
May Your Majesty have mercy on my foolish sincerity, listen to my humble aspirations. Your subject will die serving, and even in death, I will repay your kindness. Your subject cannot express my fear and trepidation, and respectfully submits this memorial for your consideration.”
Finally, Xu Ming further elaborated on his reasons—
My refusal to marry the Princess is, to a large extent, truly for the Princess's sake.
On the battlefield, anyone could die there. I don't know when my body will be wrapped in horsehide and returned.
If I were to marry the Princess, I certainly wouldn't stay obediently in the court as an official. If I went out to fight and something happened to me, wouldn't the Princess have to live as a widow?
Your Majesty, you really need to consider this carefully.
In the entire "Memorial of Declining Marriage," Xu Ming adapted Li Mi's "Memorial to Chen Qing" and Jiang Zeng's "Memorial of Declining Marriage," using several poems within.
The entire article filled the long memorial, even deliberately reducing the font size, reaching about four thousand words.
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If Xu Ming were still on Blue Star, he would never have been able to write something like this.
But the "talent" attribute Xu Ming had gained over the years allowed him to write it very smoothly. The entire article was sincere in emotion, clear in reasoning, and this "Memorial of Declining Marriage" also belonged to persuading superiors.
And according to Xu Ming's reward for passing the three highest imperial examinations—teamwork.
Xu Ming's success rate in persuading leaders could be increased by 30%.
Xu Ming let out a long breath, feeling that this "Memorial of Declining Marriage" should have given the royal family enough face and a way out. The problem of declining the marriage should not be a big one.
Gusts of wind rustled the pages of books, swirling around the words on the memorial.
Zhao Wenshan and Xu Pangda were very moved.
The impromptu poem in the Memorial of Declining Marriage, "Though your subject was weak in martial arts since childhood, I do not grieve. I still think of defending the borders for the country. At night, I lie listening to the wind and rain, iron horses and frozen rivers entering my dreams," would likely be recorded in poetry books.
The two lines, "Aspiring to eat the flesh of the wilderness when hungry and laughingly drink the blood of myriad demons when thirsty," even made Zhao Wenshan feel a surge of emotion.
The sentences, "Drawing my sword while drunk, and seeing the sword, the cold wind blowing horns in the connected camps. Dividing the roasted meat among my subordinates for eight hundred miles, and listening to the fifty strings playing border tunes, and reviewing the troops on the autumn battlefield. Seeing the horse galloping like Lu Bu's Red Hare, hearing the bow like thunder, the string startling," clearly belonged to a ci poem, but not written completely, also made Zhao Wenshan feel very itchy.
After the ink on the memorial dried, Xu Ming put the memorial away and walked out of the study.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Eunuch.”
Xu Ming came to the courtyard and handed the memorial, wrapped in Literary Qi, to Wei Xun.
Wei Xun glanced at the memorial, respectfully accepting it with both hands: “Then this humble servant will return to report.”
“Thank you, Eunuch.” Xu Ming smiled.
Wei Xun looked at Xu Ming with a complicated expression, and led the palace maids and eunuchs out of the Xu residence. Xu Shuiya reacted and quickly went to see them off personally.
“Your Majesty.”
In the imperial study, Wei Xun kowtowed to Emperor Wu.
“What is it? Is Xu Ming so happy that he can't suppress the corners of his mouth after learning about the imperial marriage?” Emperor Wu said with a smile, his eyes fixed on the memorials on the table, constantly reviewing them.
“Reporting to Your Majesty... the Number One Scholar... he... declined the marriage...” Wei Xun said in a low voice.
“What?” Emperor Wu raised his head, the ink in his hand splattering onto the memorial, staining it with a few ink dots.
Emperor Wu discovered that Wei Xun was indeed holding an imperial decree in his hands.
Emperor Wu frowned: “Did that kid say any reason?”
“Your Majesty, this is the memorial written by the Number One Scholar.” Wei Xun took out the memorial written by Xu Ming.
“Bring it here.” Emperor Wu nodded.
“Yes.” Wei Xun stepped forward and presented the memorial.
Emperor Wu opened the memorial, wanting to see what this kid wanted to say.
Wei Xun stood timidly to the side, waiting for His Majesty to get angry, but Wei Xun found that the corners of His Majesty's mouth were slightly raised.
“What's going on?” Wei Xun muttered in his heart, what was written in this memorial?
“Wei Xun ah.” Emperor Wu put down the memorial, raised his head, and called out.
“This servant is here.” Wei Xun quickly lowered his head.
“At the morning court tomorrow, let the officials take a look at this memorial.” Emperor Wu smiled, “This kid ah... really doesn't know what to do.”
【Sorry, sorry, I'm late, I didn't get home until 11 o'clock, I'll write a chapter first, then take a shower and continue writing.
Today is already Thursday
This chapter doesn't count, I'll update 10,000 words today.】
