Imperial study.
"This wood is from the mountain of firewood."
"Smoke locks the willows in the pond."
“Interesting!”
After listening to Dao Nu's report, Empress Jiang Li couldn't help but put down the memorial from her minister and repeated it with a smile.
Jiang Li would only show this kind of smile at times like this.
Although Dao Nu was also a woman, she felt dazed when she saw the empress's smile, as if she was about to fall into it.
She couldn't help but lower her head quickly, not daring to look any longer.
Jiang Li continued to sigh, "Isn't this Lin Che afraid of exposing himself to the world? How dare he humiliate Confucian scholars like this? If tomorrow, his poetry and songs can't surpass those of the other students, he will be ridiculed by the world."
Dao Nu was puzzled and said, "Jing'an Bo, a hostage for ten years. I heard that in the hostage house, even reading and writing are not allowed. How can he win over these students with his poetry and songs?"
"Who knows? But these two couplets are enough to shut up all the students. He came prepared... Now, I'm afraid countless students won't dare to underestimate him."
Jiang Li seemed to be happy about this. Suddenly, she seemed to remember something and asked:
"What was his reaction after receiving the secret order?"
"He didn't overreact. At first, I placed the secret decree on his bed, and he shook it out and threw it under the bed. It was almost dawn when he finally read it. After reading it, he didn't cry or make a fuss. Before leaving the room, he burned the secret decree."
Jiang Li stretched out his white hand and picked up the brush, and a gleam of light seemed to flash in his bright eyes.
She did not respond to Dao Nu's words.
Instead, he started writing quickly on the paper.
"This wood is for firewood and the mountain comes out... Every inch of land is for the temple and we worship it hand in hand!"
Then she wrote "Smoke locks the willows in the pond", put the pen tip on the paper, paused, and finally shook her head slightly.
She couldn't think of the second line for a moment.
"It seems that this Zuiyue Tower will be quite lively tomorrow."
…
The next day, it was not until noon.
Zuiyuelou, which has always been famous for its nightlife, was already crowded at the entrance.
Students from the Confucian Academy flocked in, each of them full of high spirits and enthusiasm.
They all wanted to tear the arrogant Lin Che apart with their bare hands and rescue Zhou Xianchun, which would surely make them famous. Of course, it would be even better if they could obtain the imperial Xuan-level sword in the end.
No matter which idea it was, it drove them to Zuiyue Tower.
Lin Che was sitting on the second floor of Zuiyue Tower at the moment. Looking out the window, he saw a sea of people.
He smiled with satisfaction. If he wanted these students to pay money, he must have a legitimate reason, and Zhou Xianchun was the reason.
Of course, in addition to face, you also need substance. With the sword as the prize, who wouldn’t want to come and become famous?
As for poetry and songs, Lin Che had a lot in his head, but he couldn't just sell them outright.
Even if it is sold, how much can it sell for?
These scholars are also very proud. Even if it is a quatrain that has been passed down through the ages, they would not bother to buy it for their own use.
Because once they deceive themselves, they will feel guilty, which will definitely affect their cultivation of righteousness and integrity, and ruin their future.
"Master, there are so many people outside. Do we really not have to run?" Xiaoqing followed Lin Che, her hands already sweating.
"Why are you running? Didn't I tell you? We're here to make money. Just wait and see." Lin Che smiled.
The show is about to begin.
Ding ding ding——
Outside Zuiyue Tower, gongs and drums sounded again.
Sheng Huainan volunteered to stand guard outside the door and shouted:
"Everyone, Earl Jing'an said that whoever can match this couplet will be able to enter Zuiyue Tower."
"Of course, many students are good at poetry and songs, and they haven't come up with the second line after a day and a night. In that case, you can spend 300 taels of silver to buy a ticket to enter."
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole audience was in an uproar.
The people in front of me are students, not fools.
Three hundred taels of silver was enough for a family in Tiandu to spend a month, and they could eat delicious food. Even many people only had a monthly salary of twenty or thirty taels of silver.
Now it costs 300 taels to enter Zuiyue Tower to watch the fun?
"Hmph. What kind of place needs three hundred taels? It's a rip-off, isn't it?"
"So he's here to make money. We mustn't be fooled."
Sheng Huainan waved his hand and said, "Brothers, you are completely wrong to say that. Today, many students in Zuiyue Tower came to the rescue of Zhou Xianchun. If they really wanted to save people, who would care about these three hundred taels?"
"Besides, this threshold will only filter out a group of people who come to watch the fun and make up the numbers. You swear solemnly that you will rescue your fellow disciples, but your words are not backed up by evidence. You are not even willing to spend three hundred taels to take a chance. This is just a fake fellow disciple relationship."
"These three hundred taels are really not expensive. To be honest, my Zuiyue Tower has eight floors and can accommodate eight hundred people. More than half of them were already booked yesterday. If you're any slower, there really won't be any room left."
When Sheng Huainan said this, he struck the gong again with a clang sound.
He pointed to a nearby corner and said, "You have no talent, are broke, and yet you still want to watch the fun. That's fine. There—Jing'an Bo dug a dog hole specifically for this. He said it, not me. He said: Just imitate the sound of a dog barking three times. Then crawl through the dog hole and you'll be fine."
The densely packed students were suddenly annoyed again.
The sentence "Scholars are good for nothing" has not yet extinguished the anger in their hearts, and now they are asking them to hide in a dog hole?
Do you really think that we scholars only talk and don't act?
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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