Jing Zhe also lit the long incense sticks, but he didn't foolishly throw in the incense money. The three monks gave him strange looks because of this. Perhaps in their eyes, people who can buy long incense sticks must be rich or noble, and must have a devout heart. Otherwise, why spend so much money to buy long incense sticks? Wouldn't it be better to just buy short incense sticks?
What they didn't know was that Jing Zhe hadn't spent any money on the incense, so why would he spend money to worship such an incongruous peach blossom Buddha?
After offering incense, Jing Zhe followed the crowd and walked out through the back door of the hall. Only then did Jing Zhe understand why the front courtyard of Peach Blossom Temple was not crowded despite so many people entering the temple.
Because the backyard of Peach Blossom Temple is larger than the frontyard!
At this time, a lot of people had gathered in the backyard of Peach Blossom Temple. In the middle of the backyard, there were two stone tables without stone benches. A stack of snow-white Xuan paper was laid on the stone tables, and brushes, inkstones and inkstones were also neatly arranged next to them, but no one dared to write on them.
It seems that only those with great fame, or those who won first place in today's poetry gathering, are qualified to leave their calligraphy here. Most of the other scholars are just there to observe, reciting a few lines of poetry and joining in the fun.
Many women attended the Peach Blossom Poetry Gathering today. The young ladies gathered together, chattering away. When they got excited, they would turn to look at the scholars around them, and when they turned back, a burst of laughter would break out.
It was early spring, a season of blooming wildflowers and blossoming peach blossoms. Which young girl wouldn't yearn for love?
Faced with so many young girls in the throes of first love, the scholars around them seemed particularly excited.
"Brother Lü is a man of great talent, why not leave your calligraphy on the stone table?"
At this moment, a scholar bowed to the scholar beside him and said...
Upon hearing this, the scholar blushed and waved his hand, laughing, "Brother Li, you flatter me! I am not talented enough to dare to embarrass myself in front of you."
"Brother Lü, you flatter me. I am truly unworthy of such praise!"
Upon hearing this, the others immediately perked up.
"Brother Feng's poem 'Peach blossoms bloom all over the mountains and gardens' yesterday was excellent. Why don't you leave a piece of your calligraphy?"
"Haha, Brother Ma is too modest! If you ask me, Brother Ma's poem yesterday, 'Peach blossoms do not obscure the willows,' was truly a masterpiece. Brother Ma didn't even leave his calligraphy on the stone table, so how could I dare to?"
"If you ask me, the best poem yesterday was Brother Zhang's 'Several red sleeves reflected against the jade wall.' Brother Zhang, hurry up and write it! Even if Young Master Feng and Miss Lin came, their poems would probably be no better than this!"
"Oh dear, Brother Liu, this is flattery to your detriment! I am but a nobody, how could I compare to Young Master Feng and Miss Lin? This is flattery to your detriment, absolutely flattery to your detriment!"
"..."
In an instant, the group of scholars and talented men began to flatter each other. It was considered boasting to praise oneself, but it was considered truly impressive to be praised by others. Their eloquent discussions also attracted the attention of the young women, which made them even more proud and their voices grew louder.
"Hey, Fatty Wei, what's with that expression?"
Just as the scholars were praising each other, a discordant sound suddenly rang out, drawing the attention of everyone in the backyard. Jing Zhe followed their gaze and discovered a familiar face.
Although they were acquaintances, they had only met once. But to Jing Zhe, who had just arrived in Jiangling City, this was already considered familiar. It was the fat scholar who had asked Jing Zhe questions earlier, and the words he had just heard were spoken by a scholar in a fine robe to the fat scholar.
Seeing that his words had attracted everyone's attention, the scholar in the fine robe nodded slightly, feeling quite pleased with himself.
"Look everyone, we're exchanging our favorite poems from the past two days, but this Fatty Wei is giving us a disdainful look. What does that mean? He's clearly looking down on us!"
The scholar in the fine robe's words instantly caused an uproar among the crowd, and the fat scholar rightfully became public enemy number one.
"Oh my, who do we have here? Isn't this Fatty Wei? Shouldn't Fatty Wei be eating at this hour?"
"What else does Fatty Wei do besides eat in a day? Did the sun rise in the west today and he still find time to come up the mountain?"
"Hahaha…"
After he finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter and pointed at the fat scholar's figure, which made the fat scholar blush.
"You're wrong about that. Fatty Wei is a talented man, after all. He came to Peach Blossom Temple to participate in the Peach Blossom Poetry Gathering!"
A shifty-eyed scholar winked at the other scholars beside him, and they, understanding his meaning, chimed in.
"That's right, I forgot. Fatty Wei is a scholar, I think he wrote a poem the day before yesterday?"
"I wrote it, I remember it!"
"Wow, Brother Yu doesn't write poetry himself, but he still remembers Fatty Wei's poems. That's impressive!"
"That's because their poetry is so good."
"A sea of peach blossoms, a vibrant red, delights visitors. Every year at this time, the peach blossoms are red, and farmers hope for a good harvest—how could we forget such a beautiful poem? Besides, even Fatty Wei, with his heart set on the world and concerned for the people, worries about the farmers' harvest. Can you ordinary people do that?"
"Hahaha…"
When the scholar surnamed Yu recited this doggerel, the whole audience burst into laughter again. Looking at the fat scholar, his face turned red and white, and he was extremely embarrassed.
"Such a fine poem should be preserved with calligraphy!"
"Come on, Fatty Wei, are you still waiting for me to grind the ink for you?"
"Grinding ink is something you don't need Brother Yu to do, I'll do it!"
As they were talking, someone actually walked up to the stone table, picked up the inkstone, and pretended to grind ink: "Fatty Wei, are you going to write or not?"
"I...don't want to write!"
The fat scholar clenched his fist and said through gritted teeth.
The scholar glanced at him and sneered, "Don't want to write? I'm afraid I wouldn't dare to write, would I? Don't you know your own limitations? If you don't have the ability, don't embarrass yourself here!"
"People should have self-awareness and know their place!"
"If you don't even dare to write, then don't put on that disdainful expression. What, who do you look down on?"
"..."
The fat scholar hesitated for a moment, then said, "If I dare not write it, then you dare not write it either, don't you?"
"..."
These words were like a bomb, instantly causing everyone to erupt in anger.
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
"Why wouldn't we dare to write it? We're just being modest, you understand?"
"Come on, you're so eloquent, why don't you write it down!"
As they were talking, someone came and grabbed the fat scholar's hand, intending to make him write on the stone table. The fat scholar struggled to break free and dared not write, which drew a burst of laughter.
"Fatty Wei, what else can you do besides eat? With that doggerel you wrote, don't embarrass yourself in public!"
"Hahaha…"
As the crowd burst into laughter again, the fat scholar clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he retreated.
————
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