Free Web NovelParticipating in the poetry gathering required a one-tael silver prize money. After paying, a servant would bring brushes and ink. Once the guest had finished writing, it would be sent to Zhuangyuan Building for literary figures to appraise.
If a poem was selected, it would be publicly displayed.
Zhuangyuan Building was famously discerning; even though many participated, it was rare for more than two or three poems to be displayed in the end.
It was the eve of Autumn, so the topic was obvious: 'Moon.'
"Bring the brush!"
Wu Chushu's chest nearly burst from his clothes. He confidently pulled out his silver, full of swagger.
He had prepared diligently for this day!
Xiao Wu believed his literary talent was good, although he hadn't written any new works recently.
But his Master, Elder Zeng, was a cultured man!
You could tell from how Elder Zeng always had a book in his hand.
This poem was one he copied from his Master. When his Master first wrote it, the literati and scholars showered it with praise, saying it was a poem only found in the Nine Heavens, rarely heard in the human world!
This was Xiao Wu's confidence!
"Is there wine?"
"Guest, you only paid one tael of silver. The lowest price for a pot of wine at our Zhuangyuan Building is three taels of silver..."
"I'll add more money!"
So Wu Chushu gulped down wine, and once his face was flushed red, he 'brewed' for a while before his brush danced like a Dragon.
Looking at his wild and unrestrained posture, it should be the work of a poetry immortal.
"I heard Elder Zeng is exceptionally talented in literature and is even known as a 'Poetry Maniac.'"
"Fortunately, there's more than one prize, otherwise I might not be able to get one."
Xiao Li stepped forward and took the brush handed to him by the servant, smiling shyly.
After all, it was plagiarism.
He felt embarrassed to make a big fuss about a plagiarized poem; he'd be content if he could just win a prize by borrowing the literary talent of a predecessor.
"Everyone has their specialty, Li Shaoxia cannot be proficient in everything."
Wu Chushu had his fill of being a wild poet, and his smile returned to his face.
Bai Jinghong and Cao Mu exchanged glances, both seeing the silence in each other's eyes.
Xiao Wu seemed to genuinely believe Elder Zeng was very talented in literature...
Had he forgotten that he had killed six bandits and was praised for 'wiping out the entire bandit stronghold'?
At this moment.
Li Mo also put down his brush and returned to his original spot.
"What did you write?"
Ying Bing saw the servant carrying two sheets of paper into Zhuangyuan Building and couldn't help but be curious.
He often spouted strange phrases and rhymes, but she had never seen him display any literary talent.
"Don't worry, getting a prize won't be a problem."
Li Mo raised his eyebrows.
Ying Bing vaguely remembered.
When Li Mo was little, Uncle Li had hired a tutor for him.
After only three days, Xiao Li was returned by the tutor, who simply said he couldn't teach this child.
The tutor had arrived with black circles drawn around his eyes with ink, a mustache, and his face covered in the character for 'correct'...
".......This red string, I've used it for a long time, and I'm quite used to it."
......
Inside Zhuangyuan Building.
Famous literary figures and scholars from the city were gathered, passing around the poems sent up from below, appraising and discussing them.
Sitting in the place of honor was none other than Elder Zeng.
It must be said, our Elder Zeng had an excellent appearance. Now, dressed in a scholar's robe and seated there, he truly possessed the dignified demeanor of a great Master.
He was looking at a book with a blue cover, and strangely, this book seemed quite large.
"Brother Zeng, what do you think of this poem?"
"Barely satisfactory." freewebnσvel.cøm
"And this one?"
"It fits the theme."
Elder Zeng put away the book, tucked it into his embrace, his expression indifferent.
Suddenly, someone exclaimed:
"There are poems of this level?"
"Has a masterpiece appeared?"
"Tsk tsk, to make Instructor Song react like that, it must be a work of outstanding talent."
Everyone gathered around.
However, Instructor Song's surprise was followed by a look of utter displeasure:
"This poem is incoherent, lacking in rhythm and antithesis, and the Concept is completely off-topic."
"To submit something of this level, isn't it a waste of silver!"
"Hiss..."
Everyone looked at the poem, their expressions quite remarkable.
"Hmm?" Elder Zeng walked forward, and suddenly his face twitched slightly, and black lines appeared on his forehead.
Isn't this his 'masterpiece'?!
Just then, someone asked him:
"Brother Zeng, what do you think?"
"As a pure bystander, honestly speaking... at least the courage is commendable, and the yearning for poetry is worthy of affirmation..." Elder Zeng's fist tightened in his sleeve.
Everyone looked at each other.
Given Elder Zeng's usual assertiveness, he shouldn't have commented so gently...
Suddenly, they noticed the signature in the corner:
"Wu Chushu."
So that's how it was.
"Hahahaha, if this poem wasn't bad, then it would actually be quite good."
"Commendable courage, commendable courage!"
"I think even though it's not good enough to display, a prize should still be given as a slight encouragement."
Looking at Elder Zeng's Sword City Elder token, the literati at this moment were not at all dismissive.
"Let's first find a poem that can represent the literary spirit of Zhuangyuan Building."
"If we really can't find one, then we'll just have to put our heads together."
Elder Zeng smiled kindly, recalling the rules of his sect, wondering how to punish Wu Chushu.
Forget it, no excuses, he'll just punish him for entering with his left foot first.
Suddenly.
Another exclamation came from the side.
"Wait! This one!"
Instructor Song's face once again showed surprise, his expression incredibly vivid.
"What's wrong?"
"Show it to Brother Zeng."
The scholar next to him was startled, but then he leaned over and took a look, and his expression immediately froze.
Elder Zeng frowned, feeling that they had no scholarly demeanor at all.
However, as soon as he took it, his expression immediately turned to stone.
After seeing the signature in the corner, his body even began to tremble slightly.
He immediately rushed to the edge of the building and looked down.
"Hehehe... it really is them..."
"Good, ah, I've found the real thing, hehehe..."
Elder Zeng chuckled foolishly.
Everyone felt that Brother Zeng was truly a man of passion, so engrossed upon seeing such a good poem.
"Quickly, frame this for display!"
"I'll write it myself! Find a larger piece of paper... Forget it, just use cloud brocade!"
Although Elder Zeng had no poetic talent, he had excellent calligraphy.
.....
In front of Zhuangyuan Building.
The servant brought a green jade hairpin and handed it to Wu Chushu.
Wu Chushu raised his chin and casually gave the hairpin to Miss She, who was beside him.
"Brother Wu is the best." Miss She's voice was very nasal, as if she had a cold.
In front of everyone, Miss She gave Wu Chushu a loud, smacking kiss on the cheek.
"Haha."
Wu Chushu was so delighted he almost couldn't maintain his image as a dashing scholar, his mouth harder to suppress than an AK.
It was unclear if he would still be able to smile when he returned to Sword City.
Ying Bing's eyes moved slightly.
She saw the pig running and couldn't help but glance at Li Mo's cheek.
"That shouldn't be."
Li Mo stroked his chin.
Could it be that the aesthetics of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were different from his previous life?
At this moment, the servant who had just left returned, bringing with him an exquisite zitan wood box.
"Young Master, your prize."
"Why is it different from Wu Chushu's..."
Li Mo opened it and found a lotus-shaped hairpin inside, but its material was translucent clear-bottom jadeite, clearly much more valuable.
"Congratulations, Young Master, you won the grand prize!"
Whoosh—
Fine cloud brocade unfurled like waves from Zhuangyuan Building, displaying beautifully ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) written characters.
"Before the Bright Moon Pavilion, on a night of bright moon, still the moonlight is like silver.
The clear, clear moon was my former self. Turning back with a smile, chilling for thousands of springs.
Illuminating the vast world, clear as water, it once illuminated even specks of dust.
Do not exchange the full moon for a furrowed brow. On the fifteenth night in the human world, the person in the mirror is misled."
A girl's voice, slowly read it aloud.
Her beautiful eyelashes trembled gently, her eyes, after a moment of recollection, became complex, then cleared like the clouds dispersing after rain, like the moon emerging from behind the clouds.
.....
PS: The poem is "Linjiang Immortal," written by Chen Zengshou in the late Qing dynasty/modern era.
Everyone doesn't need to worry that Ice Cube and Xiao Li will be separated for long. As everyone knows, there are many Yao Race in Southern Xinjiang, and Xiao Li has received the Legacy of the Seventy-Two Transformations Divine Ability......
Please, noble audience, charge and support me. This is very important for a small struggling writer. Mwah!
