Upon hearing this, An Ke smiled sweetly and quickly walked to the master's side.
“Uncle,” An Ke called out obediently.
“This Rainbow Bridge is quite beautiful,” the old man said, giving Anke a meaningful look. “An’an, what do you think?”
How could Anke not understand what her grandfather meant? He simply wanted her to compose a poem to praise him.
“After the rain, a rainbow lies across the sky, forming a long bridge.” Anke pondered for a moment before speaking.
Master Ji's eyes lit up immediately, and he clapped his hands. "Excellent, excellent!"
The old man nodded with relief, knowing full well his niece's literary talent.
Benjamin had just followed behind Anke, quietly hiding in the crowd. But hearing everyone's praise for Anke, Benjamin smiled knowingly.
"Alright, now that the rain has stopped and we've enjoyed the scenery, it's time to get going." With a wave of his hand, the master ordered them to set off.
Immediately afterwards, they reached the waterway.
There happened to be a boat moored nearby, along with some fishing rafts. These were all rafts used by the locals for fishing. Although they couldn't compare to the imperial boats in the palace, this wasn't a place for being picky. The master wasn't concerned with pomp and circumstance anymore, and the boat was quite large, enough for them all to sit comfortably.
Emin, riding on horseback, asked the boatman, "Boatman, boatman, we want to charter your boat. We have carts and horses. It will probably take several round trips. How much is your boat?"
The people in the car got off with the old man, who carefully helped Anke. Anke gave the old man a sweet smile.
Just then, two men dressed similarly approached. One was handsome, the other was of average appearance. "We've already chartered this boat for the two of us. We're about to depart, and we can't tolerate any extra people."
Little Swallow skipped over and said, "Hey, can the two of you fit in such a big boat? Can we all squeeze in?"
The slightly delicate-looking man waved his fan and shook his head in refusal, "No, no, we want to recite poems, compose couplets, cross the river, and enjoy the scenery all at the same time. Having you idle people around will spoil our fun."
Anke had never heard of someone being unable to recite poetry or appreciate scenery when others were present. She couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Both men looked up at the sound and saw a dignified and elegant woman in gorgeous clothes, beautiful and radiant, like a blooming peony. They were both stunned for a moment, somewhat dazed.
Another man spoke up directly, "What are you laughing at, young lady?"
"Do you two gentlemen know Li Bai and Du Fu?" An Ke asked.
The two men exchanged a glance, seemingly incredulous that this young woman had asked them such a simple question. "Yes, I know them. They were famous poets of the Tang Dynasty. What does that have to do with traveling by boat?"
"Everyone knows that Li Bai's poems are bold and unrestrained, while Du Fu's poems are melancholic," An Ke paused for a moment, "but these two men with such different personalities eventually became close friends. Do you two gentlemen know why?"
The handsome young man shook his fan. "I don't know. Please enlighten me, young lady."
“That’s because they both have a heart for making friends,” An Ke said with a smile. “Li Bai has many poems, but my favorite line is: ‘The water in Peach Blossom Pool is a thousand feet deep, but it cannot compare to the affection Wang Lun showed me.’”
The old man watched his niece's retreating figure with a look of satisfaction. Ertai was Anke's number one fan, and he thought everything Anke did was reasonable.
After hearing Anke's words, the two began to reflect on their own actions. But looking at the group of people, they shook their heads. "We understand what you mean, young lady, but with so many of you, it's rather noisy. We prefer quiet and enjoy associating with learned people."
The two men turned to look at Xiao Yanzi again. "A girl like this definitely has no knowledge of academics. We're bound to have nothing in common."
Little Swallow was immediately dissatisfied and started making a fuss, "Hey, what do you mean? Does that mean people without literary talent can't ride this boat? I insist on riding it! Whatever the boat owner pays, I'll pay double!" Little Swallow raised her head, like a fighting rooster ready to fight.
Anke rubbed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache. This person must be an undercover agent. Every time they're about to succeed, she jumps out and speaks, and everyone else rejects her.
The boat owner had his principles. If he accepted their money today, how could he ever continue to operate in this area? People would only remember his dishonesty. "No, no, these two gentlemen have already booked this boat. There's no reason to change owners."
"This is outrageous!" Little Swallow shouted again.
The two young masters also began to make solemn vows, "We are different from you businessmen who act as judges; we are of a different class. You should find another boat."
Fu Erkang then stepped forward and asked, "Oh, so you mean you're of a higher social class than us?"
Anke wanted to say, "Isn't that just stating the obvious? Wasn't the social hierarchy in feudal society based on scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants?"
“Since you also want to compose poems, why don’t we all board the boat and join you in composing, just to appear cultured?” An Ke spoke again, giving Xingxing a wink as she did so. Xingxing immediately understood, nodded, and stood behind Xiao Yanzi, ready to cover her mouth the moment Xiao Yanzi opened her mouth.
"You can also compose poems?" The two young men exchanged a glance. They could believe that this woman could compose poems, but they couldn't agree with the rest.
At this moment, Fu Erkang chimed in, "Not only us, but also the master, the young lady, and our maids, even our foreign financial officer knows a little poetry."
The two young men were clearly embarrassed. "Oh, in that case, let's have a literary contest. Let's recite a four-line poem in eight characters. If you can recite it, we'll invite you to join us on the boat. If you can't, you should leave quickly and not spoil our enjoyment."
Fu Erkang said confidently, "Okay, please."
The handsome young man said, "Alright, let's rhyme with 'pointed, round, noisy with gongs and drums, and joyful celebration'."
Little Swallow, realizing she wasn't good at this, quietly returned. Star, meanwhile, observed Little Swallow from the side.
"Are they going to use the same test Master Ji used on me?" Little Swallow walked to the master's side and muttered softly.
"Judging from their demeanor, they might really be two talented scholars. If that's the case, then Master Ji has gained an unexpected windfall." Master Ji truly lived up to his reputation; he had a knack for speaking. Even his flattery came across as so natural.
The master raised an eyebrow slightly, remaining silent, but his eyes were fixed on the group discussing below. Judging from his expression, he didn't seem to object to what Master Ji had just said. Of course, the master valued talent!
At this point, the two young men below began to speak, “The pen is sharp, the inkstone is round. Entering the examination hall, gongs and drums resound. The first three essays make the examiner overjoyed, and the last three essays make the emperor overjoyed.”
The master simply chuckled softly and did nothing else.
Yongqi stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "So you are the top scholar in the imperial examination."
"Of course." The young master, fanning himself, also began to boast. An Ke, not wanting to hear any more of this shameless talk, slowly walked to the master's side with graceful steps.
"Have you ever seen the Emperor?" Benjamin asked deliberately from behind.
The man sneered, "You foreign devil, how dare you mention the Emperor to me? Of course I've met the Emperor; I was the top scholar appointed by the Emperor himself."
An Ke couldn't hold back any longer. She turned her back and laughed until her shoulders trembled slightly. The old man was also inexplicably burdened with a huge accusation. He had never even met this top scholar, yet he was still spouting nonsense and talking big.
Another began to speak of his masterpiece: "The arrow is sharp, the bow is round, enter the examination hall, and the drums and gongs are deafening. The first three arrows make the examiner overjoyed, and the last three arrows make the emperor overjoyed. Alright, it's your turn."
Yongqi was getting impatient, but he still asked, "Could this gentleman be the top martial arts scholar? He must have met the Emperor before?"
"Of course, of course, otherwise how could I be the top scholar?" Here comes another one who brags without thinking. Didn't you see Yongqi trying to suppress his laughter? His lips were even trembling.
The master said, "Quickly, celebrate joyfully and let them see what we've got."
Fu Erkang looked at the two women walking past him and said, "Pointy feet, round belly, they enter their husband's house with a commotion of gongs and drums. If they give birth to a top scholar in the first three years, their in-laws will be overjoyed; if they give birth to a top military scholar in the next three years, their in-laws will be overjoyed."
The two young men were clearly displeased and said with dissatisfaction, "This is outrageous! Doesn't what you're saying imply that we are both that woman's sons?"
Fu Erkang cupped his hands in apology. “Excuse me, excuse me. Since both of you top scholars in both civil and military fields were just bluffing, then bringing my parents here is just a joke.”
The master laughed heartily upon hearing this and said jokingly, "Who else wants something pointy and round?"
Little Swallow quickly raised her hand and jumped out, "I'll do it, I'll do it. Pointy beak, round head, I'll enter the opera troupe, amidst the deafening gongs and drums. The first three jumps will make the host overjoyed, and the last three jumps will make the guests overjoyed."
The man who claimed to be the top martial arts champion had reached his limit. He pointed angrily at Xiao Yanzi in front of him. "What are you talking about?"
"A monkey show, what else could it be?" Little Swallow said, pouting as she tugged at her two little braids.
The "Martial Arts Champion" immediately became dissatisfied. "Are you looking for death, you little brat? Do you know how high my martial arts skills are? I can knock you down with one punch." He clenched his fist and threatened her.
Although he and Xiao Yanzi didn't get along usually, this "martial arts champion" simply couldn't understand An Ke's point of view. An Ke looked down on him, giving him a disdainful once-over. Anyone who dared to speak to a young lady like that wasn't a good person. At least when it came to respecting women, he was completely inadequate.
How could Little Swallow tolerate someone speaking ill of her like that in front of her? She immediately prepared to pick up her slingshot and teach him a lesson.
Benjamin quickly intervened, after all, so many people needed to take the ferry, and they had all paid first; he understood the principle of first come, first served. "So many of us need to take the ferry, let's not make this a big deal."
Little Swallow, out of respect for Benjamin, could only pout and grip the slingshot. Then, remembering her master was still there, she scurried over. "Master," she said, "why don't you try shooting two birds with one stone from a hundred paces, and show them what you've got?"
The old man found it somewhat unbelievable; when did Little Swallow become so adept at using idioms? "Where did you learn these two idioms?"
"Oh dear, it was when you killed two birds with one stone last time, Master, that the young master told me about it," Little Swallow said nonchalantly, waving her hand.
"Master, hurry up and teach them a lesson!" Little Swallow said coquettishly, shaking the master's arm as he pondered.
The old man didn't say anything, but smiled and turned to look at Anke beside him. "An'an, it's time to test what your uncle taught you last time." After saying that, he handed Xiaoyanzi's slingshot to Anke.
Anke knew that standing next to the master was never a good thing. But these two really needed to learn a lesson. He narrowed his eyes, took the slingshot from the master's hand, and casually picked up a pebble from the ground.
Little Swallow muttered from the side, "Master, you gave the slingshot to Anke. Is Anke capable of handling it?" Little Swallow didn't know why, but she always liked to mutter a few words when it came to Anke. Even though she knew Anke was both literate and skilled in martial arts, she still couldn't help but step forward and say a few words.
"Haha, you don't know this, do you? Anke could read books at three and practice martial arts at five. Not to mention slingshots, even his bow and arrow were taught by the Emperor and the Prince. How could he not even kill two birds with one stone?" Master Ji smiled and stroked his goatee, ready to be amazed.
Anke pulled the slingshot, checking its resilience. Then he pulled up the pebble, and with a whoosh, the beads on the hats of the two top scholars (both civil and military) disappeared.
"Good, it seems you've learned everything I taught you last time." The master nodded with satisfaction at Anke's performance, but what he didn't know was that Anke could now fire five arrows in a row, making the so-called "killing two birds with one stone" a piece of cake.
The two top scholars, one in the civil service and one in the military, began to look down at the beads on their hats.
Those skilled in light-footed kung fu had already begun flipping onto the boat before the boat owner could react. Fu Erkang handed the money bag to the boat owner, saying, "Boss, quickly bring the boat ashore and let our ladies and those two young masters board."
The boat owner had never seen such a generous purse before, so naturally he readily agreed, nodding repeatedly, "Okay, okay."
After that, Benjamin, Fu Ertai, Yongqi, and Fuheng all boarded the ship directly.
The rest will gradually come down later.
An Ke had also considered getting on the boat, but considering Qing'er's foot problem, she gave up the idea. Accompanying them along the way wasn't out of the question.
Qing'er asked from the side, "Is Master Ji the chief examiner this year?"
"Yes," Master Ji stroked his beard, his pride evident. Being appreciated by the emperor was a testament to Ji Xiaolan's abilities.
“Master Ji, what about me? What about me?” Little Swallow chimed in, not to be outdone.
Master Ji laughed loudly, "You are the best of the best."
The two young masters had already found the beads, but they were now dumbfounded. They probably already guessed the identities of this group of people!
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