The early autumn sunlight filtered through the sycamore leaves of the General's Mansion, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone pavement. Shen Weiwan was leaning on the bamboo couch in the Linshui Pavilion, chewing an apple. Chuntao squatted beside her, massaging her legs and humming the latest street jingle: "Shen, the talented woman, is truly amazing. Her doggerel hides mysteries. Even the sour scholars kowtow to them, and the Emperor smiles brightly..."

"Alright, alright," Shen Weiwan spat out the apple core, "if you keep singing, I'll be praised to the sky by you."

Chun Tao chuckled and said, "That's right. When Mr. Wang came yesterday with his letter of apprenticeship, the old housekeeper's beard stood up in surprise!"

Speaking of Wang Lang, Shen Weiwan wanted to laugh. The sour scholar who exposed Shen Ruorou's plagiarism at the Xiangfu banquet actually came to her with a letter of apprenticeship, saying that he wanted to learn from her to create a masterpiece like "Aunt's Abacus".

"Miss, Mr. Wang is still waiting outside the door," Chuntao pointed to the front yard, "Are you going to accept it or not?"

Shen Weiwan sat up straight, her eyes rolling: "Accept it! Why not? But first, let him go to the street and listen to the jingle for three days, otherwise how can he understand the suffering of the people?"

As he was speaking, the old butler hurried over, his goat beard trembling non-stop: "Miss, the Seventh Prince has arrived, and he has brought...with Mr. Wang!"

Shen Weiwan raised her eyebrows. What was Xiao Yu doing here at this time?

In the front yard, Xiao Yu was looking at the apprenticeship letter in Wang Lang's hand and laughing. Wang Lang, wearing a washed-out blue cloth gown and meticulously combed hair, immediately stepped forward when he saw Shen Weiwan coming out. "Mr. Shen! I, Wang Lang, sincerely request that you accept me as your apprentice!"

Chen Weiwan bit the candied haws that had just been handed to her and said vaguely, "Want to become my disciple? Answer me a question first."

"Sir, please speak!" Wang Lang bowed respectfully.

"You say," Shen Weiwan walked around him, "Auntie is very calculating, how should I continue the next sentence?"

Wang Lang was stunned, twirling his beard and thinking hard: "This... what rhyme should I use..."

Xiao Yu interjected, "I think 'all the family fortune is lost' is a good idea."

"Your Highness really has won my heart!" Shen Weiwan smiled so hard that her eyes curved into crescents. "Wang Xiucai, did you hear that? If you want to become my disciple, go to Zhuque Street and listen to the people scolding Liu for three days, then come find me!"

Although Wang Lang was pedantic, he was not stupid. He immediately understood what Shen Weiwan meant: "Teacher, are you letting students experience the suffering of the people?"

"That's about right," Shen Weiwan waved her hand, "and by the way, help me collect some new jokes. If you can come up with a better jingle than 'Aunt's Abacus', I'll consider taking you in."

Wang Lang was overjoyed: "As expected!" Then he left happily.

Xiao Yu looked at his back and couldn't help laughing: "Your disciple must have memorized all the rhymes in the capital."

"It would be better to write it down," Shen Weiwan raised an eyebrow, "so that I don't have to rack my brains to compose poems every day. By the way, Your Highness, how come you have time to come here today?"

Xiao Yu took a step closer and lowered his voice: "The emperor asked me to tell you that at the next palace banquet, he wants to listen to your "Palace Fun"

Shen Weiwan's eyes lit up: "The emperor really fell in love with my doggerel?"

"Why do you think," Xiao Yu knocked her head, "why would I help you?"

As they were talking, Chuntao rushed in in a panic: "Miss! Someone from the Liu Mansion has come to challenge you! They say they're holding a poetry gathering at Yanyu Tower in three days, and they want to compete with you in poetry!"

Shen Weiwan sneered: "Liu is at her wit's end, and actually wants to compete with me in poetry?"

"I'm afraid there's some trick going on," Xiao Yu frowned, "Do you want me to help you?"

"No need!" Shen Weiwan waved her hand, "When it comes to poetry competitions with them, I've never been afraid of anyone!"

Three days later, at Yanyu Tower.

Liu and Shen Ruorou sat in the best seats upstairs, looking at the crowd gradually gathering downstairs with smug smiles on their faces.

"Mother, the scholars we found this time are all famous talents," Shen Ruorou whispered, "We must make sure Shen Weiwan loses so badly that she can't get up!"

Liu nodded, looking at Shen Weiwan downstairs, a stern look flashed in her eyes: "She thinks she's great just because she can write a few vulgar doggerel poems? Today, let her know what true talent is!"

Shen Weiwan brought Chuntao downstairs and saw Wang Lang also squeezed in the crowd, holding a small notebook in his hand, obviously there to collect materials.

"Miss Shen!" A middle-aged man in a brocade robe stepped forward. He was one of the "talented scholars" invited by the Liu family. "I've heard that you are good at writing 'wonderful poems'. Today, please choose 'Autumn Rain' as the theme. Let us see it!"

Shen Weiwan looked up at the sky and saw that it was indeed raining, so she said, "Autumn rain is autumn rain, listen carefully——"

'With every autumn rain comes a chill, and Liu's abacus jingles.

I keep counting and counting, and I'm crying! '"

The whole place fell silent at first, then burst into laughter. Liu's face flushed crimson. "You...you're making insinuations again!"

"I'm just expressing my feelings based on the scenery," Shen Weiwan shrugged. "Why, Auntie, do you think this poem is about you?"

"You!" Liu was so angry that she couldn't speak.

At this time, another talented scholar stepped forward and said, "Miss Shen, why don't we write a seven-character poem and see who has the best literary talent?"

Shen Weiwan raised her eyebrows: "Seven rules? Okay, but I have a condition."

"What conditions?"

"I'll write one, and you have to write one too," Shen Weiwan said with a smile, "Let's title it 'Liu's Stinginess'!"

The scholars looked at each other, wondering how to answer this question. Liu's face turned even greener, and she coughed quickly, "Change the topic!"

"What? You don't dare anymore?" Shen Weiwan deliberately provoked them.

At this moment, Wang Lang squeezed to the front and said with a bow: "I am a humble student, but I am willing to work with Mr. Shen!"

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!