Preface
Under the rendering of film and television works, the political enemies of He Shen and Ji Xiaolan have become the most interesting pair in the hearts of many people. The two had a fierce argument over their differences in political philosophy, which became a legend in history. However, in fact, there are not many real conflicts between He Shen and Ji Xiaolan, and many of the stories that later people are familiar with are mostly derived from widely circulated folk history.
Once, He Shen once gave Ji Xiaolan a couplet: "Three catties, four taels and five belly". This uplink may seem prosaic, but in fact it has far-reaching implications, encompassing many political metaphors. However, unexpectedly, Ji Xiaolan replied with a ridiculous link on the spot, but He Shen was so frightened that he fell to his knees, what was going on?
An extraordinary recipe for an ordinary banquet
At that time, it was during the Qianlong period, the country was peaceful and the Qing Dynasty was in its heyday. In the court, grand banquets were not uncommon. The banquet on this day was even more grand, hundreds of civil and military officials gathered, and the scene was very lively.
It was supposed to be a regular gathering, but the involvement of two people made it the starting point for a legend. These two people, one is the chief administrator of the government and the opposition, and the other is the famous Wenchen Ji Xiaolan.
He Shen was at the peak of his power and prestige at this time, and he was deeply favored by the emperor, and his well-known exploits and means made him important in the court. He is especially good at the operation of power, and has never backed down even in the face of imperial power. He Shen is extremely ambitious, and no one in the court is in his eyes. He even showed off in private, wanting to surpass the predecessors who made the emperor jealous and dominate one side.
And Ji Xiaolan is completely different. He is not good at power and scheming, and he does not have too high official positions, but he is famous for his outstanding literary talents. His poems and songs all reflect amazing artistic attainments and profound connotations. Even the emperor summoned him to the palace many times and praised his talent. But even so, Ji Xiaolan is still only a famous talent, far inferior to a powerful person like He Shen at the pinnacle.
The two have never met, but they have heard of it. He Shen naturally looked down on a literati like Ji Xiaolan who could only wave. And Ji Xiaolan also despises traitors like He Shen who rely on power to get to power.
So this gathering will undoubtedly further deepen the prejudice and hostility between the two like-minded. What's more, He Heng has always been Xi to being held by the stars and has never met any real opponents.
On the day of the banquet, He Shen dressed neatly and appeared at the venue proudly. He looked in high spirits, as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time. In his eyes, today was destined to be an opportunity to show off his skills and show his prestige in this empire of martial arts.
Soon, he found Ji Xiaolan's figure. "Master Ji has admired his name for a long time, and he is very fortunate to see it today. He Shen smiled and spoke, but there was a sharp cold light in his eyes.
The two exchanged pleasantries and quickly cut to the chase. He Shen asked proudly, "I wonder if Lord Ji is willing to compete with me to relieve the silence of the party?"
"Tell me, sir. Ji Xiaolan accepted it calmly, but her tone was filled with a fighting intent not to be outdone.
So both sides took a step back, and the guests were in an uproar. I saw that He Shen was in high spirits, and immediately threw out the upper link - "three catties, four taels and five flowers".
As soon as this link came out, it was well received by the audience. People gave a thumbs up for the deep meaning hidden in the Heshen Alliance, and they speculated about how the next association would respond.
Indeed, this couplet is very cleverly written. Three catties and four taels means that He Shen's heavyweight status and influence in the court, as he often says, the emperor has him and Shen in front of him, and those traitors and villains in the court are really not worthy of confronting him head-on. The pork belly is a symbol of his control over the wealth of the court, and He Shen has countless wealth in his hands, enjoying all the glory and wealth.
So this kind of uplink undoubtedly shows the proud and arrogant side of Heshen. He seems to be declaring that he can do whatever he wants in terms of literary talent, just like the breathtaking power play, and there is no one in the literary world who deserves his own attention.
He Shen looked proud, as if this victory was already in his own hands. Even the emperor couldn't help but smile slightly, as if to imply that He Shen was worthy of being his important confidant.
But at this moment, Ji Xiaolan, who has always been taciturn, unexpectedly spoke:
"Five taels and six dollars and seven handfuls of green onions. This short sentence seems to wake up the dreamer.
It not only cleverly echoes the upper couplet, but also reveals the mediocrity of the imperial court between the lines!
Five taels or six dollars can only buy seven handfuls of green onions. The palace is extravagant, the prices are ridiculously high, and the generation gap between the people and the people is huge, which is a metaphor for the decay of the officialdom of the current dynasty!
It seems to be a small couplet, but it exhausts the ills of the government and the suffering of the people. The palace is dedicated to Fei Bo, and the people of the old country are worried about their lives. This is not only an economic problem, but also a reflection of the crisis of the rulers and the common people. Even the emperor could not know the truth about the suffering of the people. But a dueling couplet reveals the truth in the stroke of the pen and points out the absurd and ridiculous status quo of those in power.
This subtle criticism is undoubtedly poking at the sore spot of He Shen. As the person in charge of the palace's finances, he should examine the people's livelihood and hardships for the benefit of the people. However, Ji Xiaolan's couplet revealed the truth that he was hedonistic and extravagant and ignored the people. The face of the critic was like ashes, and the emperor, who heard the truth on the sidelines, couldn't help but show consternation.
Therefore, this is clearly wrestling with each other with open guns and secret arrows! He Shen thought that this was an opportunity to show off his talents, but Ji Xiaolan countered the army and hit the key point with a literary weapon.
He Shen realized that the general trend had gone, and his face was difficult to look at. And Emperor Qianlong, who was watching the battle from the sidelines, also frowned slightly. The situation seemed to be out of his control.
In the end, what role does power play when it bows its head in the face of wisdom?
In the face of such a situation, He Shen also had to accept his fate. It is a great shame that a powerful minister in the world was actually refuted by the couplets in such a literati collection!
What's more, such an insult still happened in front of the three sects and nine streams. This sense of shame was undoubtedly more unbearable for him than the emperor's angry reprimand. He never imagined that he would fall into such a situation, being attacked by a grass literati and being powerless and discredited.
And Ji Xiaolan was leisurely watching the change of He Shen's face from the sidelines. His calmness and composure are more like a victor who dominates the overall situation. This undoubtedly made everyone present look sideways. Originally, it was just a contest of talented scholars, but now it has evolved into ups and downs of power.
The so-called not to fight an unprepared battle, Ji Xiaolan is clearly ready to go, just waiting for the powerful to throw themselves into the net. He used his literary style as a weapon to counter the North Korean and Chinese giants with alternative forces. This undoubtedly shows the unique charm of another kind of intelligence - it can penetrate every weakness of power, and the single blow can make the whole edifice crumble.
And in the face of such a situation, He Shen had to bow his head and admit defeat. This is out of his control, and the only way out is to back down, hoping to uncover this humiliation as soon as possible.
So, He Shen, who was leaning towards the government and the opposition, slowly knelt down to show his submission. Everyone present was shocked - such an eye-catching symbol of power would actually bow to a literati! The moment He Shen knelt on the ground, as if symbolizing the fragility of power in the face of the prosperous literary talents. And Ji Xiaolan's calm posture indicates that he is gradually controlling the overall situation of this contest.
"And my lord, your bearing is truly admirable. Ji Xiaolan smiled and spoke, but there was a hint of sarcasm in her words. This goes beyond a mere appreciation of talent and learning, but an explicit mockery of the defeat of power.
Emperor Qianlong also softly praised Ji Xiaolan's talent, with a faint warning in his tone. As a counterweight to supreme power, he will not allow a power vacuum. This undoubtedly put great pressure on He Shen, and also made him more vigilant against Ji Xiaolan, an unknown literati.
He Shen's face was ugly, but he could only beat his spirit and barely support this scene. He couldn't wait to find a crack in the ground immediately, or return to the court to bring rescue troops to balance the situation. However, at this moment, he had nothing to do but watch the situation change. This was undoubtedly the most embarrassing situation in his life.
And Ji Xiaolan acquiesced in this victory. At this moment, power retreats in the face of talent, wisdom overwhelms power, and it becomes an eternal picture in the hearts of everyone present.
But we also have to think about what kind of power game is being staged in this polite couplet contest?
may have regarded Wen Cai as child's play, but Ji Xiaolan clearly used it as a weapon to resist power. In this seemingly apolitical contest of talents, Wencai has become a sharp blade for him to compete for the right to speak, awakening the suffering of the people in one sentence, doing what he likes, and pointing directly to the key points of power.
This is not the first time in Chinese history that the use of talented weapons to counter power. As early as the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Sima Qian's "Book of Reporting to Ren'an" is a typical case. He used the power of history books to insinuate the government and finally persuaded Emperor Wu to change his course. In the recent Kangxi period, Gu Yanwu and others also influenced the court with their literary talents.
It can be seen that the power of talent and learning is not inferior to Bingge, and it can also influence the world. Therefore, Ji Xiaolan, as a leader in the world's literary world, it is reasonable to choose such a way.
Times have changed, and now is not what it used to be. Traitors like He Shen are in power, which makes Ji Xiaolan even more convinced that only by using talent and weapons to prevent traitors and disasters to the country can literati play their due role. And this debate is the perfect opportunity. It not only shows Ji Xiaolan's rhetorical attainments, but also spreads his political ideas in literary form, striving for greater influence for him.
Such a literary whip made He Shen surrender in convincing. And the emperor also noticed the hidden danger and was wary of Heshen's power. Ji Xiaolan successfully set up a model in the literary world and won the opportunity for herself to a higher status.
So in essence, it's a power game and wrestling. Ji Xiaolan may not have the same high political status as He Shen, but he successfully used literary weapons to fight back and suppress power in the field of public opinion. This undoubtedly shows the great deterrence of another force.
So how will it end?
This matchup undoubtedly gave both sides a new understanding. He Shen realized that it was not enough to rely on power alone, and the power of Wencai also impressed him and made him deeply jealous. He also had to wonder if the power he had gained was too reckless and negligent in the survival of the fittest. And Ji Xiaolan also understands better that her literary style can balance political forces and even influence the situation. The influence he has shown in this contest has exceeded his expectations, which will undoubtedly make him even more politically ambitious.
So after this, He Shen began to curry favor with the literati, hoping to get the support of public opinion.