Yesterday I learned that Zhang Dun was going to invite Su Shi to dinner.

Ning Fu had been looking forward to it so much that he even wanted to witness this historic moment with his own eyes while cooking.

But when he actually sat down between Zhang Dun and Su Shi, Ning Fu suddenly regretted it.

Because he thinks things too simply.

Imagine a scene like this: two elders who have conflicts sit together, and you, the younger one, are caught in the middle.

I want to leave, but I can't.

I want to persuade, but I don’t have the qualifications.

The three people looked at each other in silence, and the situation was extremely awkward.

"Sister Su, please try this beggar's chicken. Compared with roasted chicken, beggar's chicken is braised and has a more unique taste!"

Ning Fu finally broke through the awkwardness by introducing the dishes.

Su Shi tasted the Beggar's Chicken and immediately praised: "It's crispy, plump and tender in the mouth, and it really has a unique flavor!"

"Beggar's chicken? Why is it called such a name?"

Zhang Dun finally spoke.

"It is said that this was invented by a beggar. He was very hungry one day and stole someone else's chicken. Since he had no cooking utensils, he just wrapped the chicken body with yellow mud..."

Ning Fu briefly introduced the legend and practice of beggar's chicken, and both Zhang Dun and Su Shi were amazed.

Next, Ning Fu introduced other dishes. Although not every dish could have an allusion, it also broke the deadlock.

Su Shi and Zhang Dun seemed to have reached a tacit understanding, never mentioning their conflicts, and only talked about romance, literary allusions, etc.

Feeling that the scene was finally coming alive, Ning Fu breathed a sigh of relief, and then tried his best to persuade the two of them to drink.

After three rounds of drinking, Zhang Dun and Su Che also completely let go, telling each other some embarrassing things about each other when they were young.

For example, Zhang Dun said that Su Shi was timid and almost peeed when he encountered a tiger in the mountains.

Su Shi said that Zhang Dun was a romantic by nature and was kidnapped when he was young to borrow seeds.

The more Ning Fu listened, the more something was wrong. He seemed to know too much. He wouldn't be silenced by the two big guys in the future, right?

Just as he was getting excited from drinking, Zhang Dun suddenly pointed at Ning Fu.

“Boy, here’s a poem to go with the wine!”

"Good idea, I'll come up with the questions!"

Su Shi agreed, and after some thought he said again: "Let's take this situation as the title. If you don't do well, you will be punished with three drinks of wine!"

"Excuse me, Scholar Su. I have confessed to Mr. Zhang before that the poem "The Sapphire Case" in the Poetry Club was actually written by my wife!"

Ning Fu waved his hands repeatedly and said, these are his original words yesterday, and of course they cannot be overturned in front of Zhang Dun.

"I don't believe even a word of what you said, kid!"

Zhang Dun snorted coldly and then said again.

"A recent malfeasance case involves the people behind Wang Lou. Whether it is big or small, it all depends on your performance!"

"Um……"

Ning Fu thought about it for a moment, then smiled brightly and said: "I suddenly remembered another poem by my wife, which is quite suitable for the occasion!"

Ning Fu's lightning face change made Su Shi laugh.

If he had had a change like Ning Fu when he was young, he would not have ended up in jail or demoted.

I saw Ning Fu coming to the window, listening to the patter of rain, and looking out the window at the boats in the Bian River and the temple on the other side.

Finally, Ning Fu looked at Su Shi and Zhang Dun, who had gray temples, and finally said:

"The young man listens to Yuge upstairs, and the tent is dimly lit by red candles.

A middle-aged man listens to the rain in a boat, the river is wide and the clouds are low, and the wild geese are calling in the west wind.

Now, listening to the rain at the foot of the monk's house, there are already stars on the temples. The joys and sorrows are always ruthless, and every step of the way is dripping until dawn."

When Zhang Dun and Su Shi heard the first sentence, they didn't think anything of it.

But when they heard the second sentence, "Middle-aged people listen to the rain in the boat," the expressions of the two people had changed slightly, because they had both experienced frustration in middle age, and had to take a boat to travel far away due to being demoted.

As for the last sentence, "Sorrows and joys are always ruthless, every step of the way, until dawn", the two of them were silent for a long time.

Zhang Dun thought of the loneliness and loneliness during which he was demoted to Dongxiao Palace and guarded the palace.

How many times had he lost sleep on rainy nights, keeping his eyes open until dawn.

Su Shi picked up the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Although he is open-minded by nature, he was demoted to Jiangxi this time, a place with dangerous mountains and rivers. I don't know if he can come back alive after going there?

Thinking of the unknown road ahead made Su Shi feel the desolation and numbness in the poem, but in this desolation and numbness, there is an indescribable open-mindedness.

I don’t know how long it took, but Zhang Dun finally raised his head and said, “You are a young man, why do you write such old words?”

"In just a few decades of life, in the blink of an eye, is there really such a big difference between being a teenager and being an old person?"

Ning Fu asked with a smile.

There are not many Song poems that impressed him deeply. Jiang Jie's "Poppy Poppy Listening to the Rain" is one of them, and it barely fits the occasion.

After hearing Ning Fu's answer, Zhang Dun was silent for a moment again.

"My parents gave birth to me, my wife and children accompany me, but no one understands me, and it is difficult to find close friends..."

Zhang Dun said this and glanced at Su Shi next to him.

"But in the end they went their separate ways. The only person who can accompany me in this life is myself!"

Zhang Dun said this and picked up the wine glass, only to find that it was empty.

At this time, a wine jug was handed to Zhang Dun and he filled up a glass.

The person pouring the wine was Su Shi, which made Zhang Dun stunned for a moment, and his expression became a little more complicated.

Su Shi poured wine for himself, then raised his glass with both hands to Zhang Dun and said: "Zihou, you are in power now, you can show your youthful ambitions. You can only walk on your own in the future!"

Zhang Dun's eyes turned red, he reached out to clink his glass with Su Shi and drank it all in one gulp.

"When do you plan to leave Beijing?" Zhang Dun asked in a low voice.

"Tomorrow morning!"

"I'm busy with government affairs, so I won't see you off!"

"It doesn't matter, the situation in the court is dangerous, please take care of yourself!"

When the banquet was over, Zhang Dun was the first to leave.

Ning Fu was about to leave when suddenly Su Shi asked him: "Ning Fu, you are very talented at a young age. Have you ever thought about your future plans?"

"In the future?"

Ning Fu pondered for a moment after hearing this, then raised his head and said, "I had set a goal for myself before and wanted to buy a house in the capital as soon as possible."

"It's not easy to live in Chang'an. House prices in Tokyo have already skyrocketed. This goal is not easy to achieve!"

Su Shi laughed and said.

But before Su Shi finished laughing, Ning Fu said distressedly: "I have already bought the house and can move in today, so I am also worried about what I should do next?"

Su Shi almost choked to death. He finally understood why Zhang Dun had no good feelings toward Ning Fu. This kid was really annoying sometimes!

"Well, if you don't have any ideas, you can ask your family for their opinions. When our brothers entered the official career, it was our parents who taught us."

"Family?"

Ning Fu thought about it seriously.

His damn father wanted him to rebel and overthrow the Song Dynasty. This was an impossible task!

As for Liu Qingxin, his wife who has not yet consummated their marriage, she has always hoped that he would be able to do the roll call at Donghua Gate.

The best one is ranked first and wins the top prize!

Huh? Now that I think about it, it seems that it is not that difficult to oppose Song Fuzhou!

If Su Shi knew what Ning Fu was thinking now, he might just push him down from the upstairs to prevent this rebellious minister from plotting to conquer the Song Dynasty.

"Based on my understanding of Zihou, he should think highly of you. Now that he is in power alone, it is the time to hire people. With your talent and learning, if you are willing to become an official in the court, you will definitely be reused!"

Su Shi spoke again.

Obviously he didn't know that Zhang Dun once wanted to recommend Ning Fu to go to the Imperial Academy, but was rejected by Ning Fu, otherwise he would definitely be angry to death.

"Thank you, Bachelor Su. I will consider it seriously!"

Ning Fu thanked Su Shi.

Although Su Shi had good intentions, he could not predict the future, and Zhang Dun could not serve as an independent prime minister for more than a few years.

…

The next morning, Su Shi left Beijing.

Su Che, Huang Tingjian, Li Gefei and others came to see him off.

Ning Fu also came, and he was looking around among the crowd.

Although Zhang Dun said yesterday that he would not come to see Su Shi off, Ning Fu always felt that the other party was duplicitous and might hide somewhere and silently see Su Shi off.

But the fact is that Ning Fu thought too much, and Zhang Dun never showed up from beginning to end.

After Su Shi said goodbye to everyone one by one, he glanced at the crowd again. His eyes seemed a little lonely?

Finally, Su Shi got on the car and waved goodbye to everyone.

Ning Fu and others also gave it away.
Chapter completed!