Chapter 373 Provocation, forcing Yun Zhaoxue to compose a poem
The familiar face was none other than Lu Tingzhi, who had been exiled with them and then returned to Lingnan with Zhao Xuan.
He had already passed the imperial examination before being exiled, and was exceptionally talented. Zhao Xuan reinstated Lu Wenyuan's father as the Vice Minister of Rites.
He entered the Hanlin Academy, and when the state organized literary gatherings to critique poems, he was one of the judges.
Because of his youth, handsome appearance, and talent, he became famous and befriended the young masters of prominent families in Jiangnan. When the daughters and talented women of these families learned that he was still unmarried, they took a liking to him.
When holding private gatherings such as poetry recitals or lake cruises, daughters of prominent families would have a familiar man invite them to participate.
The pleasure boat was occupied by young masters and ladies from wealthy families who were playing a drinking game, taking turns reciting poems about West Lake. The person who couldn't compose a poem lost and had to pay for the boat trip.
Poetry or lyrics are both acceptable, the emphasis is on improvisation, and perfect parallelism is not required.
They sat around the stove, taking turns composing poems. After half a round, it was Lu Tingzhi's turn.
"Lord Lu, it's your turn."
Lu Tingzhi was not in a good mood. He had been working on official business late into the night and had been unable to sleep due to worries.
I had a day off today and could have had a good rest, but I went out to a banquet and didn't get a proper rest.
They had invited him once before, but he declined due to being busy with official duties. It wouldn't be right to refuse again, so he had no choice but to come.
In his youth, he often studied late into the night, and during his exile, he was exposed to wind and sun, which caused him to develop headaches. If he didn't sleep well, his head would feel dizzy and he would have difficulty concentrating.
The people around him were laughing and joking, while he sat in his chair with his eyes down, dozing off.
When it was his turn, he didn't realize it until someone reminded him again.
"Lord Lu, it's your turn."
"I heard that you passed the imperial examination at the age of twenty-three and have outstanding literary talent. Everyone wants to see your writing."
"An impromptu poem, just recite a couple of lines, it's not for a competition today."
Lu Tingzhi nodded. "Alright, please allow me to think about it."
Of all those present, he was the only one with an official title. He could refer to himself as "this official" or "this lord," but he humbly referred to himself as "Lu Mou." This was why everyone liked to invite him; a humble and polite scholar like him was liked by everyone.
If he were like their old man, always with a serious face, they would definitely avoid him, let alone ask him to hang out.
Lu Tingzhi had a few poems about West Lake in his mind, but they were all written by predecessors. He wanted to write one himself. He wrote one line, but a word didn't rhyme well, so he pondered it repeatedly. A long string of words appeared in his mind, but none of them were suitable, which took him a while.
Some people were impatient and urged, "Lord Lu, if you can't finish this soon, the boat will be at the bridge."
Cui Yunxi glared at Xu Yao with displeasure.
"Xu Yao, why are you rushing me? Good poems require careful consideration of every word and phrase, unlike you who just copy others."
Xu Yao retorted defiantly, "Who said I couldn't do it?"
Cui Yunxi looked incredulous. "Oh~ when did you write a poem? Read it aloud and let everyone judge it."
They grew up together, and their families arranged a marriage between them when they were children. However, as they grew up, they disliked each other and couldn't stand each other. They secretly agreed that if the other had someone they liked, they would break off the engagement.
The others nodded. "That's right. We've known each other for many years, but I've never heard of your poetry before, Young Master Xu."
"Today is not like composing poetry, so I won't say anything, because someone doesn't understand how to appreciate the poems I write."
“Xu Yao, who are you saying doesn’t know how to appreciate poetry? I can even appreciate Lord Lu’s poems, unless they’re not good enough for public consumption.” Cui Yunxi winked at him.
Her intentions were so obvious that everyone present understood what she was thinking.
Everyone looked at Xu Yao again, only to see him staring into the distance, his eyes wide with disbelief. He clutched his chest and exclaimed, "Beautiful, such a beautiful woman!"
Tsk tsk~ This engaged couple really knows how to play games; they're already eyeing other people before they're even married.
Is this marriage still possible?
But their marriage is never a decision they can make themselves, so they'll probably still get married eventually.
Upon closer inspection, everyone spotted Yun Zhaoxue standing on the deck of the cruise ship.
"Ah Yao has good taste; he never makes a mistake when it comes to beautiful women."
"She is indeed a beauty, a beauty that seems to be a combination of the beauty of the south and the north."
"I've never seen her before. She can't be a woman from Jiangnan, can she?"
Lu Tingzhi also saw Yun Zhaoxue, but he looked away after just one glance and his eyes fell on another blue-clad figure beside her.
Has she arrived in Lin'an too?
The person on the other side saw it too, and she took half a step back to hide herself behind Yun Zhaoxue.
Lu Tingzhi hurriedly stood up and walked to the railing.
Cui Yunxi thought he was also looking at Yun Zhaoxue; that woman was indeed beautiful.
She couldn't take her eyes off him, even though she was a woman, and worried that Lu Tingzhi would be attracted to her.
"Let's continue composing poems, Lord Lu. It's your turn. Write a poem about West Lake."
Her words failed to bring everyone back to their senses; they all stared curiously at the beautiful, elegantly dressed woman opposite them.
Lu Tingzhi bowed respectfully to Chao Yun Zhaoxue from afar.
Yun Zhaoxue nodded slightly.
Seeing the interaction between the two, Xu Yao's gaze swept back and forth between them. "Lord Lu, do you know each other?"
Lu Tingzhi asked in confusion, "What, you don't recognize Young Master Xu?"
The Xu family and the Pei family are related by marriage. Yun Zhaoxue's true identity is that of a young lady from the Pei family. Xu Yao didn't know Yun Zhaoxue, which is why he found it strange.
"Does Young Master Xu think I should get to know this beauty? Then please introduce us quickly. Lord Lu's friend is my friend, Xu Yao's friend. Someone, tell the boatman to row the boat over there."
Xu Yao nervously rubbed his hands together, straightened his embroidered robe, stood up straight, subtly adjusted his posture, raised his chin slightly, and turned his left cheek, which he considered the most handsome, towards Yun Zhaoxue.
With one hand placed in front of his chest and the other behind his back, a wicked smile curled at the corner of his lips, he struck the pose of a noble young master.
The other young noblemen also straightened their posture.
I can't be as lazy as I used to be in front of a beautiful woman.
Suddenly someone took the lead in composing a poem.
"Graceful as a startled swan, lithe as a swimming dragon."
"The woman by the hearth is like the moon, her fair wrists like frost and snow."
Xu Yao: "A graceful gentleman is sought after by a virtuous lady."
Someone couldn't help but burst out laughing, "Pfft~"
"What are you laughing at? What's so funny? I'm using concise and easy-to-understand language."
He gets nervous when he sees a beautiful woman, and in a moment of impulsiveness, he makes mistakes that others laugh at, without even realizing it.
"A graceful gentleman is sought after by a virtuous lady; who is the graceful gentleman?"
A young man in a blue robe chimed in, "Then their young master Xu is the true gentleman, haha!!"
Xu Yao stamped his feet in frustration, "Shut up, shut up, you're not allowed to laugh, you're not allowed to laugh at all."
The beauty might not have even noticed the mistake, but their reminder made everyone aware of it. How embarrassing!
He was so anxious that he scratched at the ship's planks with his toes, wishing he could dig a hole and hide himself.
If he had known he would meet a beautiful woman, he would have memorized a few poems before leaving home.
For the first time ever, Lu Tingzhi added, "The moon rises bright, and the beautiful woman is lovely. Her figure is graceful and charming, and my heart is troubled."
Upon closer inspection, one would notice that his gaze was not fixed on Yun Zhaoxue, but rather on the figure behind her.
Xiao Mingshu noticed Lu Tingzhi's gaze, and instead of looking away, she stepped forward and looked back. What are you looking at?
What's with all this talk about liking her? He'll wait for her.
It was all fake. In less than a year, she had a confidante. Luckily, she hadn't agreed to the engagement, otherwise she would have had to break it off.
There's a saying that's true: all men are fickle!
Lu Tingzhi smiled slightly and nodded.
When Cui Yunxi saw Lu Tingzhi, he seemed like a different person, like those vulgar men who lose their minds when they see a beautiful woman. A hint of hurt flashed in his eyes. It turned out that he had someone he liked.
That woman was so beautiful, she lost.
A friend whispered something in her ear.
Cui Yunxi's eyes suddenly lit up. That's right, how come she didn't think of that?
She nodded, then called out to Yun Zhaoxue, "Miss, since you are Lord Lu's friend, you are our friend too. We are playing a drinking game, why don't you also compose a poem about West Lake, with no restrictions on the style or length?"
If she can't answer, it proves that she's just a pretty face with no real talent or skills.
She was the legitimate daughter of the Minister of Personnel and knew almost all the noble ladies, but she had never met that one. She was definitely not a daughter of a prominent family. Judging from her attire, she was not ordinary. Perhaps she was a concubine of a minister or a merchant's daughter.
As long as she backs down, she won't make things difficult for her.
Xiao Mingshu sensed that the other party had ill intentions and was about to persuade Yun Zhaoxue to return to the cabin when she heard the other party seeming to be deliberately picking a fight.
Who are they friends with? They really know how to pat themselves on the back.
Just as he was about to retort, he heard Yun Zhaoxue say, "Okay!"
They can't back down now that she's provoked them.
She can't write poetry, but she can recite it from memory.
Throughout China's five thousand years of history, there have been dozens, if not hundreds, of poems about West Lake.
She saw Cui Yunxi deliberately standing beside Lu Tingzhi, raised her eyebrows slightly, and a look of understanding flashed in her eyes. So that's how it is.
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