Dou Zhao called Song Yan to be the gunman, and he did it so blatantly that Ji Yong and He Yu were dumbfounded.

"What? Is it not possible?" Dou Zhao ignored their reactions and said slowly, "It's ghostwriting anyway, it doesn't matter who you hire. Besides, Song Yan's handwriting is much better than mine."

Song Yan was already very excited to help the talented young scholar Jie Yuanji write Spring Festival couplets for Mr. Ji Yong. After hearing what Dou Zhao said, he could not help but look at Dou Zhao with gratitude and said loudly, "Ji Juren, although my handwriting is not as good as what the fourth lady said, I will write it seriously..."

Who knew that Ji Yong would say bluntly: "If it's not as good as the fourth lady said, what right do you have to help me write Spring Festival couplets?"

Song Yan froze there in embarrassment.

Dou Zhao was so angry that her face turned pale. She sneered, "I was just being humble and saying some polite words, but you took them seriously." She called Song Yan, "Since Mr. Ji doesn't need help here, let's go back first!"

He Yu squinted his eyes and smiled.

Ji Yong's face turned pale and he said to Song Yan, "Stop! Write two words for me first!"

Song Yan looked at Dou Zhao, then at Ji Yong, and seemed very embarrassed.

Dou Zhao couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

When a scholar sees a scholar, it's like a son seeing his father, let alone Song Yan, who has no official title.

I found this person myself, so I can't just leave him there, right?

Dou Zhao smiled and said to Song Yan, "Then write a few words for the recorder to see." Then he put on a competitive look and said, "Don't let the recorder look down on us!" He covered up the embarrassment just now.

He Yu's eyes lit up.

Song Yan responded with "OK" repeatedly and walked to the desk timidly.

Ji Yong saw that his face was slightly warm and followed him.

As soon as he picked up the pen, Song Yan calmed down completely, as if he had become a different person. A firm look appeared between his brows, and he wrote steadily and forcefully. His Yan-style calligraphy was dignified and upright, showing great skill. Even Ji Yong exclaimed "Huh", put away his expression of disapproval, and watched from the side with a serious expression.

He Yu glanced at Dou Zhao and walked over to watch.

Dou Zhao curled his lips at Ji Yong.

Song Yan put down his pen, stood aside respectfully, and asked Ji Yong to appreciate it.

Ji Yong stood there, with his hands behind his back, casually glancing at the desk, and asked him, "Can you make couplets?"

His expression was dignified and his tone was calm, revealing the superiority of a strong man. For the first time, Dou Zhao felt that the man in front of him had a bit of the look of a young man who was proud of himself.

"Please give me some advice, sir!" Song Yan waited anxiously.

Ji Yong said loudly: "The weather is cold but the plum blossoms are proud."

Everyone in the yard widened their eyes.

Such a... tacky couplet?

He Yu chuckled and said, "How about 'The snow has dried and the horse's hooves are light'?" There was a hint of teasing in his eyes.

Ji Yong glanced at He Yu coldly.

He Yu raised his eyebrows indifferently.

Song Yan lowered his head and thought carefully.

Dou Zhao couldn't help but wait with a dignified look.

What does Ji Yong mean?

He shouldn't have made such an obvious pair.

What kind of content would suit his taste?

The warm wind and fragrant grass?

This is too simple.

As Dou Zhao was guessing, he heard Song Yan timidly say "Spring brings life to all things."

"That's all!" Ji Yong said, "Just use this desk and write 200 Spring Festival couplets and you're done."

Song Yan let out a long sigh, replied "yes" with joy, walked quickly to the desk and started cutting paper, as if he was afraid that he would lose the job if he was a step slower.

Dou Zhao smiled bitterly.

He Yu was surprised and asked: "Isn't this couplet a little too plain?"

Ji Yong said bluntly: "This is not a royal palace interview. If I say 'Confucius, Mencius, and Laozi', will they understand? In the streets and alleys, it's enough to just wish for good luck and happiness during the New Year."

He Yu blushed slightly.

Song Yan nodded repeatedly, obviously delighted that he had guessed Ji Yong's thoughts correctly.

Ji Yong took the opportunity to say, "Why do many people who usually write brilliant essays fail the exam? I just don't know what the examiner wants to test them on... He is asked to write 800 words, but he insists on writing 8,000 words. So what if every word is a gem? So the easiest thing in the world is to write an art. If you write according to the routine, you will never make any mistakes..." He spoke in a very arrogant tone.

He Yu was embarrassed when he heard this.

Song Yan was extremely shocked, and the look in his eyes when he looked at Ji Yong was filled with naked admiration.

Seeing that she had nothing to do here, Dou Zhao said hello to Ji Yong, He Yu and others, and prepared to go sit with Ji for a while. Just after she took a few steps, she saw that the window of the east study was ajar, and Dou Dechang was waving at her from behind the window.

She went into the study without making a sound.

Dou Dechang slumped in his chair and said, "Fourth sister, you are such a smart person, how come you were tricked by Ji Jianming? If you hadn't asked Song Yan to help you, I would have had to go out and help you write Spring Festival couplets for him."

"What did the Ji Ju Ren do?" Dou Zhao asked jokingly, "Why do people seem to be avoiding him?"

"Nothing." Dou Dechang said dejectedly, "A few of us were writing couplets there, and Qi Guang jokingly wrote 'Bo Yu Zi Si Zi Shang, Kai Yuan Tian Shun Zhang He', but Ji Jianming sneered at him, saying it would be better to write 'Father, son, grandson'... Qi Guang was so angry that he ran away... We couldn't argue with him..."

Bo Yu, Zi Si and Zi Shang were the son, grandson and great-great-grandson of Sun Zi respectively. Kaiyuan, Tianshun and Zhanghe were the reign titles of the founding emperor Taizu, the second emperor Taizong and the third emperor Renzong.

Dou Qiguang's couplet was just to flatter the royal family's intention to protect the country forever, but Ji Yong mocked him mercilessly, so he naturally couldn't stand it. No wonder Ji Yong just said "Confucius, Mencius, and Laozi", it turns out there is such an allusion.

"This Ji Jianming is really mean." Dou Zhao said, "When he gave a couplet to test Song Yan just now, he also laughed at Master He. Fortunately, Master He didn't argue with him, otherwise he would have quarreled with him on the spot." He added, "When I saw Master He wearing fur coat and brocade belt, I thought he was just a dandy boy. I didn't expect him to be so calm."

"Don't think he's a good guy!" Dou Dechang said impatiently, "Do you know how he found me?"

Dou Zhao was surprised: "Didn't you say you met him on the road?"

"What?" Dou Dechang leaned weakly on the big pillow behind him, "That's what he said to the elders. He was the guy who performed a big show in the Dafang Temple in the middle of the night, and later I won 500 taels of silver in a chicken fight. For the sake of the 500 taels of silver, he told both the black and white worlds. If I hadn't been studying at home for those few months, I would have been caught by him. So I was followed as soon as I left the house, otherwise he wouldn't have set out with us."

Dou Zhao thought about the first time he met him and was not too surprised.

However, this situation was inconsistent with her own speculation. She had previously thought that her fifth uncle wanted to curry favor with the He family, so He Yu, Dou Dechang and other talents traveled together.

She couldn't help but ask, "Why did he come to you? It can't be for the five hundred taels of silver, right? I don't think he is such a stingy person!"

"He doesn't care about the five hundred taels of silver, but he can't afford to lose face!" Dou Dechang said angrily, "He feels ashamed to lose to me, and he wants to win again to wash away the shame. But I don't fight chickens anymore... I want to take part in the provincial examination next year! He didn't believe it at first, but later he believed it reluctantly, but he insisted that I sell him the Iron General that I used to fight chickens with. I gave it away a long time ago, so what can I sell him? He pestered me and insisted that I help him raise a chicken as good as the Iron General... But I can't let my father and mother know about this - if they know that I fight chickens to win prizes, they will make me kneel in the north building of the ancestral hall!"

"That's true." Dou Zhao said, "Then what are you going to do?"

Dou Dechang sighed, "It's a pity that Wu Shan is not here, otherwise if I put the blame on him, my father and mother would never blame me!"

Wu Shan!

Their relationship has always been good.

I guess Dou Dechang wouldn't care if he got blamed for his misfortune.

I don’t know how he is now?

But after not seeing him for a few months, that person seems like a distant memory.

Dou Zhao drank his tea silently.

Dou Dechang said awkwardly: "I, I didn't mean to mention him..."

"It's okay." Dou Zhao said, "Even if the marriage fails, it doesn't mean we will become enemies. Wu Shan is a very good person and treats you very well..." In the previous life, he helped you find a wife and admitted all the bad things. She couldn't help but persuade him, "Twelfth brother shouldn't alienate himself from Fourth brother Wu because of these things."

"No wonder Wu Shan thinks highly of you." Dou Dechang was moved and said, "Fourth sister has an open mind and is as capable as any man."

Dou Zhao laughed and said, "I love to hear nice words the most. No matter whether what Twelve Brother said is true or false, I will happily accept it." He was very frank.

Dou Dechang's mood suddenly improved a lot. He stood up and said, "Let's go and help them write Spring Festival couplets. We can't let Song Yan stay there alone to support Ji Jianming. He is still a little weak."

I'm afraid Song Yan feels it is enjoyment rather than suffering.

Dou Zhao smiled and stood up as well: "Then I'll go talk to Sixth Aunt. I haven't seen her for a while."

Dou Dechang shook his head: "You girls, you sent someone to bring a few pots of plums to your mother yesterday, have you forgotten?"

"I didn't come!" Dou Zhao cherishes the time he can spend close to Ji.

The two of them left the house, chatting and laughing.

In the evening, Dou Zhao and Chen Qushui discussed the matter: "... I'm afraid we have made a wrong judgment. Perhaps He Wendao doesn't want to get involved in the dispute between the elders too early at this time."

"That's possible." Chen Qushui also took this news very seriously. "Although He Wendao was recommended by Zeng Yifen, the He family has always been independent and never interferes in other people's affairs. This is why the He family has been able to stand firm for so many years."

Dou Zhao nodded and said, "We should also investigate the He family's affairs. He Yu is the youngest son, why would He Wendao send him back to his hometown to worship his ancestors?"

"I understand." Chen Qushui responded and went downstairs to arrange people to investigate the He family.

After the Laba Festival, news came from the capital: "He Wendao passed the imperial examination at a young age and married the daughter of his teacher. He respected this lady very much, and they had six sons and three daughters, but no illegitimate children. He Yu is a pearl born from an old clam, 22 years younger than the eldest master of the He family. Master He and Madam He love him like the apple of their eyes. This time when they returned to their hometown to worship their ancestors, the eldest master of the He family was originally scheduled to come, but because He Yu insisted on coming, they temporarily changed him to the eldest master."