Gu Jingjun's straightforward words drew a few chuckles, and Qin Siyuan couldn't help but laugh as well, saying, "Let's walk around and we can exchange couplets. Maybe you can come up with a few different ones today."
Lin Ziqi was determined to win the championship, so he called Gu Jingjun over to make up the numbers and accompany the village. Upon hearing this, he said, "Then you can wander around. Siyuan, I'm leaving Sixth Master to you."
Sixth Master Gu and Qin Siyuan were impeccably dressed and had exceptionally good looks. As soon as they stood up, they attracted the attention of many people.
The two people sitting next to them naturally noticed it and couldn't help but ask about it.
Upon hearing that he was the sixth master of the Dingbei Marquis's mansion and the nephew of Qin Jijiu, they both smiled and nodded, saying, "A good appearance inherited from his ancestors."
Qin Siyuan led Sixth Master Gu to a small pavilion, where the two began to compose couplets, pointing to the water, sky, and clouds.
After starting their education, elementary school students begin to learn how to compose couplets. Master Gu was good at matching characters and words, but he couldn't do well at matching sentences.
Qin Siyuan could tell that Gu Jingjun's studies at the Imperial College Primary School were mediocre.
"Let's try matching couplets with tones and rhymes. Don't worry about the meaning of the lines yet, just make sure they sound good. How about that?"
Gu Jingjun immediately became interested.
Qin Siyuan gave Gu Jingjun a line and asked him to provide the matching line. If he could match it, he would break it down and analyze it carefully. If he couldn't match it, he would explain to him how to find words and phrases that corresponded to the matching line.
After several rounds, Gu Jingjun became more and more enthusiastic and couldn't help but laugh, "Why does writing poetry feel so much easier when I'm with you?"
Qin Siyuan said seriously, "Writing poetry is an easy thing. Bai Juyi of the Tang Dynasty would read his poems to illiterate old women to make sure they could understand them. If you use words and phrases that conform to the tones and rhymes, as long as they are neat and rhyming, even if it is just a doggerel, it is still a poem."
Gu Jingjun was greatly encouraged.
Qin Siyuan continued, "Once you've mastered it, you'll naturally be able to compose poetry. When our Qin family was at its peak, it was said that even the servants could compose poems on the spot. But now that we've declined, the clan has long lacked anyone with exceptional talent to lead the family. I'm considered lucky."
Gu Jingjun looked longingly at him and said, "I wonder when I will be able to speak eloquently."
Qin Siyuan said seriously, "If Master Gu really wants to learn, he can recite Tang and Song poems fluently and then speak eloquently."
"real?"
"Haha, of course it's true," someone stepped out from behind the two of them and interrupted Gu Jingjun before Qin Siyuan could finish speaking.
Gu Jingjun turned his head and saw the old man who was talking to Lin Ziqi. He couldn't help but wrinkle his nose and asked, "Is the old gentleman also an expert in poetry?"
The old man smiled and said, "I dare not call myself an expert, but I do write a few poems in my spare time. Seeing you two having so much fun just now, I also became interested. How about we recite some poems together?"
Qin Siyuan smiled and said, "Alright, I'll accept your offer."
The old man stroked his beard and said, "Let's try composing a couplet..." He glanced at the eager Gu Jingjun and said, "How about a five-character quatrain?"
A five-character quatrain has only four lines, each with five characters. It is short and concise, and the tones are relatively balanced, making it easy to create parallel structures. This was perfect for Gu Jingjun's level of skill.
Qin Siyuan felt a surge of emotion and smiled, "Alright, what do you think, Sixth Master?"
Gu Jingjun: "Okay, that's perfect."
He had just exchanged several couplets with Qin Siyuan and felt that he had improved a lot compared to before, and was eager to show off his skills.
The old man said, "I just saw the title of the poem written by Scholar Lin. This place is exactly the scenery of Fishing River Bend. Why don't we use fishing as the theme?"
Gu Jingjun said, "Okay."
Qin Siyuan nodded. He was well-prepared and had read Qin Yuan's example poems, so he was quite confident. Thinking of the method Qin Yuan had mentioned for enhancing the artistic conception, Qin Siyuan put aside his worldly thoughts and looked at the shimmering water. At this moment, a gentle breeze from the south blew into the pavilion, creating a rare coolness. His heart was suddenly moved.
He quickly replied, "I'm pregnant."
"Brother Siyuan, what have you acquired?"
Lin Ziqi, fanning himself with a folding fan, hurried into the pavilion and asked a question seemingly casually.
Gu Jingjun said, "The three of us are here composing poems on the theme of fishing."
Lin Ziqi quickly said, "How about counting me in too? I just managed to get four lines on the way here."
Qin Siyuan looked at the old man.
The old man smiled and said, "It is fate that we meet. Since you are here, let me tell you about yourself, Scholar Lin."
Lin Ziqi had been preparing for this day for a long time. Before leaving, he heard Qin Wan recite a superb five-character quatrain on the theme of fishing, which was much better than the one he had painstakingly crafted himself.
Qin Wan said it was something she dreamed about that night, and Lin Ziqi felt that it was God helping him.
If Heaven grants something and you don't take it, you will suffer the consequences.
He glanced at Qin Siyuan secretly, thinking that once he recited this poem, Qin Siyuan would really not need to do it anymore.
Although it may seem unethical, there is no room for hesitation when it comes to fame and fortune.
Lin Ziqi slowly recited the quatrain he knew by heart.
The expressions of the three people in front of them did indeed change.
Gu Jingjun may not be good at writing poetry, but he does have the ability to appreciate it. He immediately clapped and said, "Good poem, good poem."
The old man stroked his beard, nodded emphatically, and looked at him with a smile in his eyes.
Qin Siyuan was terrified, looking as if he had lost his mind.
It's all because this poem is too good.
Lin Ziqi thought smugly.
The old man looked at Qin Siyuan, whose face was full of surprise, and said, "Young friend Qin, it's your turn."
Qin Siyuan cleared his mind of distractions and recited his own five-character quatrain.
The old man exclaimed in astonishment, "Indeed, indeed! I never expected that you two are both talented individuals. One of you is a nephew of the Qin family, and the other is a son-in-law of the Qin family. Chief Minister Qin truly has an eye for talent and knows how to cultivate people."
Clearly, the old man appreciated Qin Siyuan's talent more.
Lin Ziqi's face darkened, and he looked at him suspiciously.
Qin Siyuan quickly asked, "Does the elder recognize my uncle?"
The old man laughed and said, "I recognize you, I recognize you. Today we are making friends through poetry. The young friends' talents are amazing. This old man is also quite proud."
As he spoke, he recited his own poem.
Qin Siyuan and Lin Ziqi naturally couldn't resist offering some flattery as well.
Gu Jingjun exclaimed, "The poems of the three of you are all excellent. I can only offer my own doggerel."
He tried his best and only managed to get this one poem, but it was a great improvement compared to the empty and meaningless poems he had written before.
The old man solemnly reviewed the poems of the three of them.
Qin Siyuan's poems are grand and majestic, with lofty ideals, making them excellent. Lin Ziqi's poems are elegant and refined, also excellent. As for Gu Jingjun, he still has a long way to go before he can write good poems, but he is making rapid progress. As long as he persists in practicing, he will soon be able to write good poems.
Finally, the old man said, "Young friends, farewell. I will come back to ask you about the other poems you wrote today after I go down the mountain."
After the others parted ways, only Gu Jingjun was overjoyed and inspired to write a few more poems.
Lin Ziqi and Qin Siyuan were both lost in thought, seemingly preoccupied with something.
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