Jun Moyan, after forcing himself to wake up, was ready in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you've probably heard quite a few poems on the theme of plum blossoms, but you should definitely remember this one today, it might be quite wonderful."
The distinguished guests listened attentively, for this top talent does indeed do a lot, but he rarely does anything serious; most of his work is rather quirky.
Jun Moyan cleared his throat and recited loudly: "I am dressed in ice and snow in the forest, unlike peach and plum blossoms mingling in the dust. Suddenly, one night, a pure fragrance arises, spreading spring across the vast universe."
At this moment, the entire building fell into a brief silence as everyone savored the poetic beauty within.
It wasn't until Shen Yunhe started clapping and cheering that thunderous applause erupted throughout the small building. After all, the poem was truly wonderful, and could be described as wonderful beyond words.
Jiang Yuxing nodded in satisfaction, "Not bad, not bad. When we get back, I'll reward you with a few more jars of good wine so you can drink to your heart's content."
After finishing the poem, Jun Moyan, you immediately reverted to your drunken state, becoming like a hopeless lump of mud, completely unconcerned about what others thought of you.
Hua Yingyue said anxiously, "Young Master Ning, if I plead for you now, there might still be a chance."
Only Xiaoqing remained confident, "Young master, don't worry, we can think about it slowly. Anyway, they didn't say how long it would take, we will definitely win."
Ning Ye ruffled Xiao Qing's hair. "What are you going to do if your young master really tries to climb out of here?"
Xiaoqing was taken aback for a moment, then reluctantly said, "If you really manage to climb out, I will follow behind you and promise not to pretend I don't know you."
Jiang Yuxing immediately launched into a taunt, "With this poem already written, even if you write another one, you'll only be humiliating yourself. You might as well just crawl out and stop wasting everyone's time here."
"Young Master Jiang, I don't know if you've ever heard the saying, 'Pride comes before a fall.' Don't think you have victory in your grasp."
"Oh, really? Then come up with a poem that can rival this one. If you say you don't have one, then just crawl out here obediently. I told you, you're guaranteed to lose today."
Ning Ye looked at Jiang Yuxing as if he were an idiot, "Then please listen carefully to my poem."
"Beside the broken bridge outside the post station, a lonely flower blooms, unclaimed."
"It is already dusk, and I am alone in sorrow, further burdened by wind and rain."
"I have no intention of vying for spring's favor, let all the flowers be jealous."
"Scattered into mud and crushed into dust, only the fragrance remains."
Just moments ago, Jun Moyan was dazed and confused, but suddenly he became serious.
Both poems have their own merits. The first poem is written with a sense of grandeur, while the second poem, though written amidst the dust of the world, has a feeling of serene solitude.
Shen Yunhe couldn't help but ask, "Whose young master is this? He actually possesses such talent. How come I've never heard of him before? Could it be that he's deliberately hiding it?"
Ning Ye clasped his hands and said, "My lord, I am merely a commoner who has come here. My humble poem is hardly worthy of being considered refined. I wonder if it will meet your esteemed opinion."
"This young master is far too modest. This poem is already quite good, but if we really want to compare them, it's hard to say which is better. What do you all think?"
Everyone was so engrossed in the two poems that it was indeed difficult to make a real comparison between them. After all, the difference between the two was so small that it was almost negligible. At such a level, how could they be easily distinguished?
Jun Moyan stood up and walked to Ning Ye. "I wonder if you composed this poem on the spot or if you already had it before?"
Ning Ye shrugged and said, "It just came to mind, so I just picked it up on a whim. What's wrong with that?"
"This poem is indeed quite good. I wonder what kind of bet you have with my young master, but I have something to say. I wonder if you would like to hear it."
Ning Ye raised an eyebrow and said, "Seeing a poem is like seeing a person. I believe you are not a bad person either, so it's alright to say something."
"Since we are evenly matched today, your bet with my young master is hereby voided. Let's pretend nothing happened, how about that?"
Jiang Yuxing immediately became anxious, "Mo Yan, what do you mean by this? Your poem is exactly the same. Does this kid really have a sure win?"
Jun Moyan smiled wryly and said, "The poem you just wrote was something I composed downstairs, while this young master came up with it on the spot. There is already a difference between the two, so you should know who won and who lost."
Shen Yunhe laughed heartily, “I think the two of you are kindred spirits. Let’s do as Mo Yan suggested today. Regardless of who wins or loses, let’s end this here.”
Since the prefect had already said so, Jiang Yuxing couldn't pursue the matter any further. After all, it was hard to say who would win or lose, and if he really lost, he would lose face big time. It was better to stop here for now and deal with it later.
Jun Moyan bowed and said, "My name is Jun Moyan. May I ask your name, young master?"
Ning Ye returned the greeting, saying, "My name is Ning Ye, and I come from Qingyuan County. I am a genuine country bumpkin."
"In this world, literature doesn't care about one's background, only about the quality of one's writing. So Young Master Ning, there's no need to say such things. However, I never expected that such a small county could have such a talented person as you."
Ning Ye waved his hand and said, "I can only write a couple of poems. Don't underestimate the heroes of the world. I'm afraid I'm still far from being good enough."
With Jiang Yuxing's interference gone, the banquet could continue. Shen Yunhe even added two more tables for Ning Ye and Jun Moyan, since he was in charge of the place.
Everyone inside the small building was curious about who wrote the poem they had just read. The first one must be Jun Moyan, but who wrote the second one?
Of course, no matter how curious they were, they didn't dare to go up and take a look. After all, daring to step into the top floor would be tantamount to committing a capital offense for them.
Shen Yunhe was overjoyed to have two such outstanding talents at his banquet, and he had clearly drunk quite a bit of fine wine.
But Ning Ye wasn't here to drink today; he was here to resolve the Su family's issues. He could only give Hua Yingyue, who was standing next to him, a meaningful look.
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