The King of Nanyang sat down above Cui Xian and said with a smile, "I believe you have all seen the theme of today's couplet poem. I am not talented enough, so I wrote the first line myself."
"There is only one rule. It takes one cup of tea. If you can't answer, you will be considered as admitting defeat."
"How about you all roll the dice, starting with the one with the smallest number?"
Dice were invented during the Three Kingdoms period and seemed to have been used for divination at first.
Later, when it came to the dinner table, it became unstoppable and has been passed down from generation to generation to this day.
Everyone naturally agreed and started rolling the dice one after another.
Prefect Song had the worst luck and rolled a one.
But he was very happy because starting first meant the lowest difficulty.
The King of Nanyang recited the first line of his poem: "The tall trees bring cool breezes."
As expected, the first sentence was unremarkable. It meant something like this: tall trees were swaying in the wind, and cool breezes were blowing through.
But because it was a poem written by a prince, no one dared to laugh at it.
The highlight is yet to come!
For a moment, everyone looked at Prefect Song.
Prefect Song coughed lightly and strategically raised the teacup. He seemed calm and composed, but in fact, his hand holding the teacup was shaking slightly.
Dead brain, think fast!!
This sentence of his is actually very important because it sets the tone for the poem.
And it’s best to clarify the topic.
After all, the first line of the poem by King Nanyang did not mention the chirping of cicadas, but it set the scene on the trees, which is quite elegant.
Prefect Song's mind raced, but he still couldn't think of a suitable one. He was so anxious that he took a big gulp of tea.
Unexpectedly, the tea was too hot and scalded him so much that he shuddered.
But he relied on his perseverance to swallow the hot tea without changing his expression, thus avoiding making a fool of himself.
Finally, because he was so energized by the burn, he actually came up with a line, and said with a forced smile: "Got it, I'll continue: The cicada's feet are sparse and the sound is broken!"
This sentence is also quite general.
It means that the sound of cicadas is intermittent.
But at least the topic is mentioned, and it is the second sentence. Although it is a bit simple and straightforward, it does not seem too abrupt.
So no one questioned it.
Prefect Song knew that he had passed this hurdle, so he sat there and silently wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Below him is Ye Huaifeng.
County Magistrate Ye may have just graduated, so he hasn't forgotten all the knowledge in his head.
He paused for half a cup of tea to save face for his superior, then he pretended to smile bitterly and said, "I am not talented, so I will continue: I have urged the guests to feel better."
This sentence is not bad.
What it means is that the sound of cicadas chirping makes people living here feel sad.
The poem gradually gets better from here.
From talking about things on the surface to starting to talk about emotions.
The pressure was put on Pei Chongqing below.
Pei Jian outside began to shout: "Grandfather, answer it quickly!"
Pei Chongqing: “…”
Just wait and see, when I get home, I will beat you, this unfortunate child, to death!
But that would be after he returned home. Now Pei Chongqing had to accept the poem unless he beat himself to death.
He also began drinking tea strategically.
But he couldn't think of anything even after drinking tea. Finally, he was at his wit's end and stood up amid the boos, saying that he wanted to find some inspiration.
The booing outside grew louder.
Of course the one who booed the loudest was definitely Pei Jian, who seemed to be afraid that he would not be able to survive the night.
It seems that the time for a cup of tea is about to come.
Pei Chongqing kept track of the time and replied with a shy face: "The Gengshi people were shocked."
This... probably means to make others feel frightened?
To be honest, it's a bit reluctant.
The little atmosphere that Ye Huaifeng's previous sentence "I'm already feeling a bit anxious" was ruined.
A group of literati who were watching the fun pointed fingers and made mockery, not giving the scholar the slightest bit of face.
Because this is a literary gathering, if you are not as skilled as others, you can only endure being laughed at.
Some people even shouted that Pei Chongqing had lost.
But this is only the first round after all, so we don't want to make things too embarrassing.
The Nanyang King, the host, smiled and said, "The high trees are filled with cool breezes, and the cicadas' chirping has stopped. This has already made the residents feel uncomfortable, and it has also startled others."
"It seems that the cicadas' chirping in my palace is really annoying. It makes people sad and frightened."
After saying that.
Prince Nanyang looked at Cui Xian with a smile: "Young Master Cui, it's your turn."
For a moment, everyone looked at Cui Xian.
The young prodigy Cui Xian made his debut in the poetry world of the Daliang Dynasty with "Ode to the Goose" and "Two Poems of Pity the Peasants".
As soon as he made his debut, he became a hotshot. Not only were his poems circulated among scholars, but they were also heard by the emperor.
Therefore, everyone has high expectations for him.
Or rather... have doubts.
If he finishes today's couplet poem, the little child prodigy will be able to firmly secure his title as a child prodigy.
But if he fails to do well, he will probably face many doubts.
Facing everyone's different looks.
Cui Xian said calmly, "Don't think too much, Your Majesty. You have treated us to delicious food and wine today. Even though the sound of cicadas is annoying, we are sitting together and enjoying the feast. The purpose is to make both the host and the guests happy and to express our friendship."
After saying that.
He smiled and said, "My sentence is: Late summer still knows the urgency!"
As soon as these words came out, everyone's eyes at the table lit up.
Mr. Donglai even praised: "Wonderful, wonderful."
The writers who were watching also applauded and cheered, their eyes filled with amazement.
Pei Jian, Li Heyu and others had no idea why, but that didn't stop them from clapping their hands until they were swollen and praising loudly.
Because Pei Chongqing's previous line of poetry washed away the emotions.
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