Chapter 61: On the Road to Fame
Although there are not many people who can come up with couplets today, there are quite a few people in the Poetry Reciting Tower.
Those who top the daily test can be exempted from the exam and enter the building within a month.
Moreover, those who have made contributions to the Poetry Chanting Tower can enter the tower without taking an exam for life.
As the only woman, Ye Chutang was welcomed into the building by the master himself, and everyone's eyes were on her.
"Is this Miss Ye, who stole the title of the most talented lady from Miss Ye Er and the title of the most beautiful lady from Princess Anping?"
"Her temperament is as beautiful as an orchid, and her talent is as fragrant as a fairy. How can such a woman exist in the world?"
"I really want to know what Miss Ye's second line is."
"We'll know in a moment. It's an honor to see her write the inscription in person."
"I think the rumors may not be true..."
As soon as these words were spoken, the man in black brocade clothes was attacked by the crowd.
"Mr. Xu, it's not shameful to admit that women are better than men."
"It's because of people like you that people say 'literati look down on each other'!"
"Brother Xu, are you trying to vent Miss Ye's anger? You really can't afford to lose."
These words touched Xu Kang's sore spot.
"Stop talking nonsense! You are insulting a woman's reputation and you are not worthy of being a scholar!"
Ye Chutang chuckled, "Mr. Xu, you question me without knowing the truth, so you are worthy of being a scholar?"
Xu Kang's face turned pale and blue due to the ridicule.
"Miss Ye only wrote three poems and three pieces of calligraphy, but she is said to be the most talented woman in the capital. Is there anything wrong with my doubts?"
"If Master Xu can compose three poems in a quarter of an hour, and write one poem in a different font, there will be no problem."
These words were like a loud slap in the face to Xu Kang, making him extremely embarrassed.
Ye Chutang said again: "Let me give Master Xu a couplet. If you can answer it, I will give you the title of the most talented woman."
How could Xu Kang not hear the humiliation in those words?
But he agreed, "Okay!"
He has been studying for twenty years and became a juren five years ago. It is impossible for him to not be able to match the couplet given by a country woman!
"What if Master Xu can't answer?"
"If I can't get it right, I will kowtow to Miss Ye and admit my mistake!"
"OK."
The bet between the two attracted quite a few people upstairs.
Some people stood at the railing to watch, while others went downstairs to join in the fun.
At this time, the gentleman from the Poetry Chanting Tower came over with a banner, a thick brush and a bucket of ink.
The servant on the first floor had already told him what had just happened.
So, he also brought ordinary writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstone.
After arranging the things, he smiled and said, "I heard that Miss Ye wants to write the first couplet. Please."
After saying this, he ground the ink himself.
Ye Chutang was not polite and wrote the first couplet: Living in a Hakka family, lonely and widowed in the cold classroom.
[Note: From Li Qingzhao]
As soon as she put pen to paper, the teacher said, "Well, this first couplet is well-chosen! I wonder why Miss Ye came up with such a first couplet?"
Ye Chutang made up a story, "I happened to meet such a widowed sister-in-law when I was in the countryside before."
"I see."
The gentleman handed the first couplet to Xu Kang, "Mr. Xu, with your literary talent, you can come up with a couplet in just a cup of tea, right?"
Xu Kang felt uneasy when he heard the teacher praising Ye Chutang.
When he saw clearly what the first couplet said, his eyes went dark.
Not to mention giving him a stick of incense, even if you give him a month, he may not be able to get it right!
The people next to him saw it and shook their heads, "This is a difficult pair!"
"In the entire capital, and even in Beichen Country, I'm afraid that only Young Master Song can answer this question."
"Miss Ye, do you mind if I copy down the first couplet?"
Ye Chutang ignored Xu Kang's grim expression and nodded with a smile, "Of course I don't mind."
As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Kang slammed the paper with the first couplet on the table.
"There's no way to find the second line of this couplet!"
The gentleman looked at Xu Kang, who couldn't stand the loss, and shook his head, "How disgraceful."
Someone else echoed, "That's right, if you can't do it right, just admit defeat. It's really shameful to regret and not admit it."
Xu Kang was so angry that his chest heaved and he clenched his back teeth.
How could he, a seven-foot-tall man, kneel down to a woman!
"Miss Ye, please tell everyone if I am wrong."
Ye Chutang looked at Xu Kang who was questioning her and chuckled.
"You coward, let alone Ye Anling, even the bitches on the street would never fall for you."
After saying that, she picked up the pen again and wrote down three couplets in a row.
One of them was correct by herself, and the other two were seen on the Internet.
She threw the paper with wet ink on it at Xu Kang's face.
After Xu Kang read it, his hands shook like a sieve and the paper was almost torn.
Ye Chutang raised his eyebrows, "Now, are you convinced?"
The moment she finished speaking, she stood up and kicked Xu Kang in both knees.
“Boom boom!”
Xu Kang fell to his knees, screamed twice, and his face turned pale with pain.
He couldn't hold the paper in his hand and it fell to the ground.
Countless heads popped over and stared at the second line of the couplet on the paper.
Before I could see clearly what was written on it, it was taken away by the gentleman in the Poetry Chanting Tower.
"Everyone can try to write the couplet first. If no one can match it, I will publish the second couplet written by Miss Ye."
After saying that, he looked at Xu Kang, who wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into, and his eyes turned cold.
"Mr. Xu, you are no longer welcome in the Poetry Chanting Tower. Please leave."
These words were equivalent to cutting off Xu Kang's career as a scholar.
He was horrified.
"You can't do this to me!"
"I can. The Poetry Pavilion cannot tolerate people with poor moral character."
So, Xu Kang became the first scholar to be thrown out of the Poetry Tower.
After watching the show, Ye Chutang asked the servant beside the teacher to clear away the debris on the table and unfold the banner.
She picked up the brush as thick as her wrist, dipped it in the ink in the bucket, and wrote the second half of the couplet she had come up with before.
The pen moves like a dragon, and lines of running script fall on the banner.
"It floats like a cloud, and moves like a startled dragon. What a good word!"
As the applause rang out, Ye Chutang signed his name.
The teacher asked his servant to take the banner to the fifth floor and hang it outside the building.
Then he said to Ye Chutang, "Miss Ye, I wonder if I can ask you for a piece of calligraphy, write down the couplet just now in different characters, and hang it on the third floor?"
"If it's in the best position, I have no problem with that."
“It’s natural.”
The gentleman took out the best silk paper from the Yinshi Tower.
After Ye Chutang wrote the couplet, the food was served.
She finished her lunch amid everyone's praise.
Then he climbed the stairs and embarked on the road to fame.
The unsolvable endgame was broken.
Realistic charcoal sketch, painted.
Double-sided embroidery, so cool.
He wrote countless poems and left behind a lot of calligraphy.
He gives students advice with unique insights, comments on ancient poems with witty remarks, and is well-versed in astronomy and geography.
When she left the Poetry Chanting Tower, she had already obtained the qualification of lifetime exemption from examinations.
He also became a legendary figure among scholars and students, comparable to the No. 1 son Song Jingning.
Ye Chutang was very satisfied with today's results.
She planned to find a deserted place, disguise herself, and go to various restaurants to order some prepared delicious dishes to stock up.
As a result, as soon as she reached the entrance of the alley, a sack came towards her.
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