"How envious! Once you get into the palace examination, if the emperor takes a liking to you, you'll rise to the top in life."
"It's just jealousy. I should have studied harder back then. Now I can't even get into the interview stage. My dad said I'm a disgrace to my ancestors."
"This is nothing. My father almost lost his life trying to buy me a spot, and the Hundred Riders nearly ransacked our house. Apparently, the Emperor has declared that everything must be fair, or else heads will roll."
"Sigh, nothing more to say, the Emperor is awesome."
"I'm out of the running for the Imperial Examination exam this time. I'll try to learn some technical skills or practice martial arts; maybe I can achieve something!"
"Forget it, I'm quite wealthy, so I won't compete with them for food. I'll just focus on having fun."
These spoiled young men are human too, and naturally they have a competitive spirit. They don't want to admit that they are inferior to others, and they want to become the emperor's confidants.
Unfortunately, they didn't take it seriously when they were studying, and now they truly regret it.
Others didn't have the opportunity to study because they were poor, but we didn't cherish the opportunity; we brought it all on ourselves.
Of course, there are also some who are dismissive and say nothing, "They're rich."
"Why!"
Hearing their conversation from a short distance away, Li Yu couldn't help but sigh.
He murmured, "Youth knows no sorrow. I truly envy those carefree young people, able to squander their youth so recklessly. I feel old already!"
With countless unspoken worries in my heart and an irreversible sense of national subjugation, how could I compare to these people who act so carefree and recklessly?
If he could, he wouldn't even want to be born into royalty; he'd rather be an ordinary scion of a noble family.
To compose poems and enjoy life to the fullest every day – that's what life is all about!
Instead of spending my days drinking with my bad friends to relieve my boredom, I'm simply wasting my life.
Forehead!
Hearing his words, those around him couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines. It was eerie; there seemed to be a strange power surrounding this guy.
Everyone understood without saying a word and quietly distanced themselves from this person; he was rather frightening.
The man in blue beside Li Yu's companion had a strange expression on his face and sneered, "You're going a bit too far, kid. You were born surrounded by beauties and countless treasures, and you're telling me this?"
What's there to worry about? Do you have so much money you're worried?
Or is it that your current job is too easy, so you have time to worry?
This guy is absolutely asking for a lesson. He's got everything to back up his sleeve, and he still dares to say things like that. It's unbearable.
The burly man on the side nodded silently, gritting his teeth and saying, "The strategist is right. Old Li is now practically the freest person in Great Liang. He only needs to go to the Imperial Academy to report every day, and then he can just play around."
If I were still worried about this, wouldn't I, Xu Chu, be incredibly annoyed right now?
" Tiandu. I'd rather go back and be a bodyguard for the emperor."
Now that the Great Liang is becoming increasingly powerful, the surrounding tribes both hate and fear it. As a result, they have sent envoys to reside in the Great Liang Great Liang, hoping that the Great Liang will show leniency towards their own countries.
This involves various levels of strategic maneuvering, keeping him very busy.
"That's right, if you talk like that again, we'll beat you to death!"
"Not bad, this strategist has been working out lately, I'll have you, the Ci Emperor, figured out in no time!"
"Seriously, you two? We're brothers!"
"Snort!"
These three were none other than Li Yu, Xu Chu, and Guo Jia. Although they looked very different, they shared the same hobbies, so they got along very well and were quite compatible.
However, after hearing Li Yu's words, the two of them became unsettled.
Of all these people, Li Yu was the most carefree. And yet, he wasn't satisfied; that's simply going too far!
Li Yu waved his hand and said with a wry smile, "Let's not talk about these unhappy things. Let's continue drinking. Only wine can dispel sorrow. I, Li Yu, am willing to be a drunkard and ignore worldly affairs."
Even after being summoned to Great Liang, he still possessed a powerful aura—a sense of despondency!
This kind of momentum is indescribable, but there's always a strange feeling of listlessness, as if life has lost all hope, making one feel utterly desperate.
"Depend on!"
Guo Jia gulped down a cup of wine, gave him the middle finger, and said impatiently, "Since you're so worried and want to get drunk to death, are you still going to the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion or not?"
That guy's just being dramatic; he's used to it.
Upon hearing this, Li Yu's expression changed slightly, and he solemnly said, "I will go, of course I will go. Only fine wine and beautiful women cannot be missed. I, Li Yu, have already let down many people in my life, and I cannot let them down again!"
"Grass!"
Xu Chu couldn't help but spit out his wine. How could there be such a shameless person in the world? He was just worried to death, and now he's going to a brothel. This is simply outrageous.
He cursed and swore, "Scholars really are all about upholding chastity. I, a dignified warrior, am ashamed to be associated with you."
Humiliating intellectuals?
Guo Jia glanced at him, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I'm a scholar too, how dare you slander a scholar like this?"
He sneered, "So, you're not going to the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion this time?"
This idiot talks such big and arrogant words, but every time I went there, he was there without me. He even once shouted that he would fight ten of them, which became a laughing stock.
Now they pretend to be upright; what were they doing before?
Upon hearing his words, Xu Chu Chu's face flushed slightly, but he quickly recovered and said in a deep voice, "Why wouldn't I go? I'm merely responding to His Majesty's call to promote the economic development of Great Liang; I'm certainly not one of those shameless scoundrels!"
Shameless scoundrel?
Li Yu and Guo Jia exchanged a glance, then simultaneously raised their middle fingers and shouted angrily, "Get lost! This shameless bastard has the nerve to talk about others like that."
Forehead!
Stared at by the two frivolous men, Xu Chu's face stiffened, and he forced a dry laugh, "Fine, let's go. Anyway, Cao Cao is treating, might as well go."
"Hahaha, that makes sense! We might as well go!" Guo Jia and his companion burst into laughter. It would be a fool not to go when someone invites you to dinner.
Clearly, neither of them were stupid.
Li Yu glanced at the surrounding crowd and said in a deep voice, " Cao Cao has always been a man with a very clear purpose. This sudden invitation to a banquet probably means he needs something from someone, most likely related to the Imperial Examination!"
This imperial Imperial Examination was organized by the Ministry of Rites, which, to put it bluntly, meant Cao Cao was in charge. The fact that this guy summoned me meant there was definitely something he wanted to discuss.
"So, are you going or not?" Guo Jia asked with a smile.
"Go!"
Li Yu did not hesitate and gave his answer directly.
As Xu Chu said, how can you not go when someone invites you to dinner? Wouldn't that be letting down both the beauty and your brothers?
The three exchanged a glance; this unusual combination of three people was surprisingly in sync at this moment.
Go find Mengde!