After Jing Zhe finished reading, Lin Wan'er looked at him with a blush: "Zhe'er, was this poem really written for me?"

"Of course!"

After speaking, Jing Zhe leaned down and whispered in Lin Wan'er's ear, "The peach tree is young and tender, its leaves are lush and green. This maiden is going to her husband's home, she will bring harmony to her family. Seventh Sister thinks, besides Seventh Sister, what other woman in this world is as good as you?"

The gesture was quite intimate, but Jing Zhe had no choice but to do it. After all, his other two sisters, who were also women, were present. If he didn't say it like that, they might get jealous if they heard it—"Oh, so you're only this nice to your seventh sister? What are we then?"

He even imagined what the two women would look like talking...

Although Jing Zhe was her younger brother, the last time she was this intimate with him, he was still a little boy. Now he had suddenly become a handsome and refined man. Especially when his warm and moist breath was blowing on her earlobe, it was itchy and hot, making her feel intoxicated and blushing.

She quickly pulled her head back, but still felt a sweetness she hadn't felt in years: "What you said... is true?"

"It's true. When have I ever lied to Seventh Sister?"

Jing Zhe smiled.

"whispering sound!"

Lin Wan'er slapped him lightly, "You lied to me back in Yongzhou!"

Jing Zhe immediately understood. She must be referring to the time when she deliberately hid her real name and met her under the name "A-Kun". If she had shown her real name back then, the two of them would have recognized each other long ago.

Imagine if the two had recognized each other back then, would Jing Zhe have gone to Jingzhou later? Or would he have followed Lin Wan'er straight down to Jiangling? His trajectory after transmigrating would have been completely different.

All I can say is that everything happens for a reason.

Jing Zhe smiled and didn't explain further.

At that moment, someone in the crowd realized what was going on.

"President Jing, was this poem truly written for Miss Lin—your seventh sister?"

Jing Zhe glanced at the man. If he remembered correctly, this guy was one of the two who had framed Fatty Wei earlier, named Fellow Daoist Feng.

That bastard... he's fucking wicked!

Jing Zhe cursed inwardly, but his face wore a forced smile: "What, are your ears and eyes not working properly? I've been talking for so long, didn't you hear me?"

"..."

Fellow Daoist Feng was momentarily speechless, but quickly recovered and continued, "Everyone here, like myself, is a scholar, and naturally can understand the meaning of this poem. It's clearly written for lovers! Yet President Jing says that Miss Lin is your sister—isn't that against all moral principles?"

"Not only are your ears and eyes not working properly, but your brain must be full of water too, right? If this were my own sister, do you think I would be as brain-dead as you to write this kind of poem for her?"

Actually, this was the first time Jing Zhe had publicly revealed his and his seven sisters' identities to the world. He had been struggling with this before, but now he had to thank Fellow Daoist Feng for his divine assistance.

Then he smiled and said, "Lin Wan'er is indeed my sister, but she's not related to me by blood at all, so—you understand?"

"I understand...I understand!"

Everyone nodded hastily. In fact, even if Fellow Daoist Feng hadn't asked that unnecessary question, they would have guessed it. Lin Changjun only had one daughter, and Jing Zhe and Lin Wan'er had different surnames, so they couldn't possibly be siblings!

Furthermore, given that Jing Zhe dared to write such an explicit poem for Lin Wan'er in public, even a fool would know the relationship between the two. After all, such a relationship between a sister and a brother is not uncommon in this era.

"Oh, I see. I've learned something new!"

As if suddenly realizing something, Fellow Daoist Feng cupped his hands to Jing Zhe, then bowed and retreated. However, his lowered face carried a gloating expression.

Jing Zhe's thinking was correct. This Fellow Daoist Feng, like Ma Shibin, had no real skills, but was full of wicked ideas.

He knew that Feng Mubai liked Lin Wan'er, and as long as the relationship between Jing Zhe and Lin Wan'er was confirmed, Feng Mubai would definitely hate Jing Zhe to the bone—how dare you frame me with Fatty Wei, do you think I can let you off so easily?

Feng Daoyou was thinking happily when Jing Zhe glanced at him and said to Prefect Xu, "Prefect Xu, when you get back, please tell Master Xia that today's incident is not his fault. After all, it was Young Master Feng and Young Master Ma who placed Brother Wei's Xuan paper at the very bottom, so it's normal that Master Xia didn't see it!"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Xu nodded, indicating that he would pass on the message. At the same time, he glared fiercely at Fellow Daoist Feng and Ma Shibin, who trembled with fear as if they were sitting on wax.

Prefect Xu, not wanting to linger and watch Jing Zhe and Lin Wan'er being all lovey-dovey, took his leave first: "President Jing, congratulations on winning first place in this Peach Blossom Poetry Competition! The competition is now over, so I won't stay any longer!"

Jing Zhe nodded, not forgetting to add, "Prefect Xu, you'd better keep a close eye on those fake monks. I'll be questioning them later!"

"Oh, okay..."

Prefect Xu originally intended to say a few words on their behalf, since their money had been completely plundered by Jing Zhe. However, it seemed that Jing Zhe was not going to let them go. Moreover, if he were to question them, wouldn't he also be implicated?

Thinking of this, Prefect Xu felt a wave of fear. While agreeing to Jing Zhe's request, he began to think about how to deal with the situation.

Led by Prefect Xu, the other scholars and talented men also left Peach Blossom Temple and prepared to go down the mountain. Before long, only four people remained in the huge Peach Blossom Temple.

Jing Zhe, and his three older sisters.

...

One monk carries water to drink, two monks carry water together to drink, but three monks, naturally, have no water to drink.

The current situation is roughly like this: if only his older sister were with Jing Zhe, on this mountain, in this temple, amidst so many blooming peach blossoms, Jing Zhe would love to try the taste of a "flower battle." But now, let alone a battle, even normal communication seems to have become difficult.

As Jing Zhe's woman, and having only met Qing Qiu after more than a month apart, she had a lot to say to Jing Zhe. However, with Lin Wan'er and Pei Yunxi present, she decided to keep it to herself.

Lin Wan'er was in the same situation. Although she did not yet have the status of being Jing Zhe's woman, it had been more than ten years since she had recognized him. In addition, they had been the closest when they were young. She should have spoken to Jing Zhe without any reservations, but with her two older sisters watching her intently, she suddenly didn't know what to say.

Pei Yunxi was the most composed. After all, she had spent so many days with Jing Zhe and didn't have anything important to say. At this moment, she looked at Lin Wan'er and Qing Qiu with great interest, and then looked at Jing Zhe, with more gloating in her eyes.

————