Gradually, everyone at the lantern festival gathered around the wooden platform at the last level.
There are not only talented men and scholars here, but also some young men and women from prominent families.
In this noisy environment, Li Shuyao stood at the front, oblivious to everything else.
Everyone around knew that the woman had just engaged in a debate with a group of scholars, so no one dared to criticize her for a while.
In the teahouse next to the wooden stage, there were several private rooms on the second floor where betting was already underway.
When these young men and women saw a woman standing at the front, they all started discussing whether she could win the jackpot tonight.
A girl with a heart-shaped bun and a veil took the lead in placing bets with several young ladies behind the screen.
"One hundred taels of silver. It seems Miss Wang has great confidence in that woman."
A man wearing a jade crown kindly reminded Wang Ruijia behind the screen that it would be fine if it was just a small fight, but if he bet one hundred taels of silver on a woman to win, he would definitely lose.
He now reminds everyone that there is still time to regret before the riddle guessing begins.
Otherwise, when the event starts, they will come back empty-handed and gain nothing.
Although one hundred taels is nothing to this group of people, they still want to gamble even though they know it is an impossible thing. The consequences are more serious than losing one hundred taels.
The woman behind the screen just smiled and didn't move.
She didn't move, and neither did the women accompanying her.
In previous years, no woman could make it to the final stage of the Lantern Festival. Now that she finally made it this year, they certainly wanted to support her.
It’s just a hundred taels, if they lose, they lose, they are happy with it.
As for whether he would lose face if he lost, that was not something the young man considered.
The man wearing the jade crown felt a little embarrassed when he saw that his persuasion had no effect, and immediately asked his servant to take out two silver notes worth one hundred taels and put them on the table.
"I'm betting on Li Weiming from Xuejun Academy. He'll definitely be the jackpot tonight."
"I'll bet on one too."
"I bet two hundred taels, too."
With him taking the lead, most people at the table bet on Li Weiming to win.
After these people had made their decision, they turned their attention to the only boy at the table who had not placed a bet.
The boy looked only about eight or nine years old, with baby fat on his face. He was holding a silver note in his hand and was hesitant to make a decision.
A man next to him who looked 60% like him noticed his dilemma, smiled, lowered his head and asked him softly, "Third brother, haven't you made up your mind yet?"
Wang Yangjia shook his head and said, "Brother, I've made up my mind, but I don't know whether I should place the bet or not."
Wang Yujia rubbed his head and said, "What's there to worry about? Just place your bet boldly. If you really lose, it's my fault."
"Oh well!"
With Wang Yujia's support, Wang Yangjia stopped worrying about it. He put the banknote on a name and walked to the window to look at the wooden platform below.
Several people at the table looked over curiously, and were stunned when they saw the name under the banknote.
This young master Wang San actually defeated the woman.
Wang Yujia turned his head to look at the boy by the window. After thinking for a moment, he asked the servant to put his share on Li Shuyao's name as well.
After they placed their bets, the final round of lantern riddle guessing began.
A man with a small goatee walked onto the stage and placed the wooden box on the table in front of him.
"My dear talents, this is the final puzzle for tonight. Whoever wins tonight will own this azure lotus four-cornered palace lantern."
After the man finished speaking, there was a commotion in the audience.
The students were eager to go and walked to the stairs to draw the slips on stage.
"Everyone, everyone, I have one more thing to say." The man on the stage opened his hands and pressed down in the air.
After he heard the voice become quiet, he slowly spoke: "This year our puzzle has changed. It's no longer the word puzzle of previous years, but a couplet of broken couplets."
"The first person to come up with the second half of the couplet will be the winner. Not only will the winner receive the palace lantern, but he or she will also receive two hundred taels of silver."
"Alright, without further ado, we invite the talented people who participated in the final round to come up and draw the first couplet."
The man asked someone to bring up an incense burner and put an unlit incense stick on it.
Seeing this, Li Shuyao walked onto the stage holding up her skirt.
Under the contemptuous gaze of the man on the stage, she calmly took out a small piece of paper from the box.
After everyone participating in the last level drew their slips of paper, the man asked the servant to light the incense in the stove.
A puff of smoke wafted out from the incense. Seeing this, Li Shuyao and several men opened the note together.
【Painting of lotus and monk】
Everyone who saw the note was stunned.
They had heard of this couplet in college, but they didn't expect to see it here tonight.
Sure enough, this palace lantern is not easy to hold.
Li Shuyao just glanced at the note and closed it, folding it repeatedly in both hands.
This is her usual way of thinking. This couplet is not difficult, but if she wants it to be coherent, she has to think about it carefully.
The incense on the stage slowly burned out halfway, but no one in the audience spoke.
Just as the audience was wondering whether no one would get the palace lantern tonight, Li Shuyao suddenly walked onto the wooden stage.
"Master, I have already thought of the second half of the couplet."
The goateed man frowned and glanced disdainfully at Li Shuyao standing in front of him. "Girl, have you really thought of the second half of the couplet?"
Li Shuyao opened the note and showed the contents to everyone in the audience.
"The first half of the couplet is about painting a lotus and a monk. My answer is to imitate the Chinese characters written by a Hanlin scholar."
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