"Half an incense stick has burned out, it's time to hand in the paper." Xie Jing glanced at Jiang Shi who had just stopped writing and spoke.
The servants carefully picked up their papers one by one with both hands and placed them on a clean and spacious long table.
Xie Jing said, "Now, please throw a flower to the poem that you think is the best. Each person can take two flowers."
The servants brought in a few more plates filled with flowers.
Yu Tanqi picked two pure white pear blossoms, stood beside the long table, browsed quickly, and soon found Jiang Shi's poems.
She was glad that they had communicated through letters before and she remembered Jiang Shi's handwriting.
——
The snow piles up and the jade branches lean forward, the elegant fragrance of Yichun.
I have no intention of competing for the beauty of spring every year, I think it is the auspicious snow that brings me new clothes.
——
Both the original owner and Yu Tanqi had read quite a few books, and they felt that this four-line, seven-character poem about pear blossoms might not be the best, but it was not much inferior.
She placed the two pear blossoms in her hand in front of the poem.
All the grandchildren of the Xie family are born of legitimate parents, and the relationship between brothers and sisters is very good.
There are ten young masters in the Xie family, and six of them are able to come to compete in poetry today. Together with Jiang Shi’s poem, there are a total of seven poems.
There are only five girls in the Xie family, and including Yu Tanqi, there are only six people who can throw flowers.
Each person gets two flowers, a total of twelve flowers, so that every poem has the possibility of getting a flower.
The girls of the Xie family rarely participated in their brothers' literary examinations. Even if they were their own brothers, they might not be able to recognize their handwriting.
Therefore, the method of flower throwing is fair.
Seeing Yu Tanqi placing both flowers in front of a poem without hesitation, Xie Shishan couldn't help but walk over to take a look. "Sister Tanqi, why don't you look at a few more poems before making a decision?"
Yu Tanqi smiled and said, "No, I think this poem is very well written. Sister Shishan, come and take a look. Isn't it well written?"
She tried to canvass votes for Jiang Shi.
Xie Shishan looked at it carefully and nodded, "It's indeed well written, but I still need to look at other poems. After all, there are only two flowers, so I can't just throw them away casually."
Yu Tanqi didn't say anything else. She was introverted and was too embarrassed to directly say that she would give the flowers to Jiang Shi.
Xie Shishan quickly walked to a poem, and after confirming that it was Xie Jing's handwriting, she threw the two cherry blossoms in her hand without hesitation.
I'm sorry, sister Tanqi.
As Xie Jing's biological sister, Xie Jing was the strictest with Xie Shishan. When Xie Shishan was very young, Xie Jing watched her practice calligraphy. Xie Shishan was very familiar with Xie Jing's handwriting.
She could see that Yu Tanqi also recognized Jiang Shi's handwriting. Although she was a little confused, she didn't dare to ask now.
Although Xie Shishan did not quite agree with Xie Jing using his best writing to compete with Wu'an Hou's son Jiang Shi in poetry, she had to help Xie Jing no matter what because of their close relationship.
Helping Xie Jing is also helping Yu Tanqi.
Xie Shishan looked at Yu Tanqi who was talking quietly with other sisters and shook her head helplessly.
Her introverted and weak cousin will try her best to give for someone she cares about once she meets him. She is so cute that it makes people soften their hearts.
"Sister Shiqing, look at this poem. Isn't it well written? Comparing the pure white pear blossoms to snow and jade makes it look very beautiful."
The girl's voice was as sweet as honey, and her body was filled with a faint sweet fragrance. Xie Shiqing, the second eldest daughter of the Xie family, was instantly persuaded and placed the two pink and white peach blossoms in her hand next to the two pear blossoms.
“Well, it’s very well written.”
She is the legitimate daughter of the second house. Although she also respects the eldest brother of the first house, Yu Tanqi has helped her many times, and this time it is her turn to help her.
As for who wrote this poem, Xie Shiqing didn't think too much about it. Anyway, she couldn't even recognize her own brother's handwriting, so why bother about who it was.
Seeing this, the young masters of the Xie family sighed sadly, worried that it would be embarrassing if they didn't get a flower.
Xie Jing frowned slightly, but now it was the time to choose, so he couldn't go over and talk to them. He could only keep a calm face.
Jiang Shi looked at Yu Tanqi's efforts to lobby, and couldn't help but curl his lips, with a smile in his black eyes, like rippling spring water.
Xie Shishan also began to lobby other sisters, trying to get them to throw the flowers in their hands to Xie Jing's poems.
——
Cherry blossoms welcome the early spring, and thousands of petals are green.
After the rain in the South Garden yesterday, the trees were filled with deep affection.
——
"Sister Shiyue, look at this poem. It's about Qingying..."
Xie Shiyue is the legitimate daughter of the third house. She looked at the two peonies in her hands and was very hesitant.
Finally, she threw them separately, one for Xie Jing and one for her biological brother Xie Heng.
Today's so-called "welcoming banquet" turned into a "poetry competition", with the four of them as the protagonists.
Soon, all the flowers in the girls' hands were thrown out.
The servants came forward to count the flowers and finally announced the number of flowers each poem received.
Of the twelve flowers that could be thrown, Jiang Shi got six, Xie Jing only got five, and the other one was with Xie Heng, the eldest son of the third room.
Jiang Shi actually won over Xie Jing with an extra flower.
When the results were announced, everyone was very surprised.
Xie Jing controlled his emotions. He first looked at Jiang Shi's poem and had to admit that it was indeed well written. Then he looked at Jiang Shi and said, "Congratulations to Prince Jiang for winning the first prize and winning the jackpot."
Jiang Shi bowed and said modestly, "It was just luck that I won the prize."
It wasn't luck. If Yu Tanqi hadn't recognized his handwriting and helped him lobby others, and if Xie Shiyue hadn't made a sudden decision and given a flower away, the two of them would have been tied.
Xie Jing was also an open and honest gentleman. He was more relieved when he was sure that Jiang Shi was not a fool. He picked up the teacup and said, "I will use tea instead of wine to toast Master Jiang."
Jiang Shi also raised his wine glass and toasted Xie Jing from a slightly lower position.
The poetry competition was over and the welcoming banquet could finally proceed as normal.
The servants brought tea and snacks, and everyone laughed and talked happily. Finally, they all stood up and walked towards the colorful garden.
Jiang Shi and Xie Jing walked together, Yu Tanqi and Xie Shishan walked together, and the others also walked together.
Xie Jing said to Jiang Shi, "Although this is the first time that Crown Prince Jiang has come to Chen County, I have a good friend who has long admired your great name and would like to meet you. Would you be so kind as to have a meeting with him?"
Jiang Shi smiled and said, "Master Xie, there's no need to be so polite. Since he's your good friend, I naturally want to meet him and get to know him."
"Then it's settled. I'll make an appointment with him and we'll meet."
The atmosphere between the two seemed to be one of good conversation, but in fact there was a subtle confrontation.
Xie Jing has a cold face, giving people a sense of distance and inaccessibility.
Although Jiang Shi had a smile on his face and looked as handsome as jade, it was difficult to see what he was really thinking.
Yu Tanqi walked behind, looking at their figures, thoughtful.
I hope they can really get along well.
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