Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 74 Little Barbarian Slave, Jade Feet! (Second Update)

Zhao Zilu swished open his folding fan and laughed loudly, "Since this is a poetry gathering, how can we forget the prizes?"

He glanced at the crowd and gently waved his fan: "Since Miss Xiaomannu is willing to offer a thousand taels of silver for a poem, then I, Zhao, will also add another thousand taels, making a total of two thousand taels of silver, as a prize for the champion of today's poetry gathering."

Before he could finish speaking, the entire room erupted in uproar.

"Excellent!"

"Brother Zhao is indeed generous, spending five thousand taels to host a poetry banquet and another thousand taels of silver to reward the winner!"

"A prize of two thousand taels of silver, that's truly a generous offer!"

The students applauded enthusiastically, their eyes revealing a eagerness to try it themselves.

Some were even more impatient, having their maids grind ink and moisten their brushes, ready to display their talents as soon as the topic was presented.

"Gentlemen, let's begin with the subject of this servant."

The little wild girl said.

"Wait a minute!"

Lu Ming suddenly stood up, his clear voice echoing in the pavilion.

He gazed intently at the little barbarian, a meaningful smile playing on his lips:

"Since you all wish to compose poems for Miss Xiaomannu, do you know what extraordinary talents she possesses—music, chess, calligraphy, painting, or perhaps exceptional singing and dancing skills—that would make us, the top students, worthy of your efforts?"

He stood with his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering lightly, but his gaze seemed to sweep over Zhao Zilu almost imperceptibly.

He knew that Zhao Zilu must have been prepared in advance, and probably had carefully crafted a magnificent article months ago before daring to specially invite Xiaomannu to set the question.

It seems he will be able to manipulate this poetry banquet, thus securing first place in the impromptu poetry writing competition and surpassing the top five students from the prefecture and five counties.

Lu Ming's eyes gleamed.

He was very displeased with Zhao Zilu, the top scholar in the prefectural city examination. Why should Zhao Zilu's success be achieved by using the Lu family's name?

He deliberately disrupted the proceedings, forcing the courtesan to change her essay topic, rendering Zhao Zilu's prepared poem useless.

"Exceptional strengths?"

Xiao Mannu was taken aback upon hearing this, and her slender fingers unconsciously tightened around her silk sleeves.

She had originally intended to ask for a poem praising her talent and beauty, but unexpectedly, this young man pressed her for details about her strengths.

The problem is, music, chess, poetry, and painting!

She's not good at these things either!

As for singing and dancing, she wasn't top-tier in Jiangzhou Prefecture. All the courtesans in the prefecture could do it, so it wasn't exactly her forte.

She gently bit her cherry lips with her pearly teeth.

She lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment.

Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she raised her head with a charming smile: "I am unsophisticated, and I am not good at any of the arts, such as music, chess, calligraphy, or painting."

The voice has not fallen,

She suddenly lifted her skirt lightly, revealing a section of her fair and jade-like ankle, which she placed on the table for the young masters and students of the Zhaixing Pavilion to see.

Her slender feet were as delicate as a crescent moon, and her skin shone with a pearly luster in the candlelight.

"Only these two feet"

Her eyes sparkled, and she said shyly, "I am confident that my jade feet are the most exquisite in Jiangzhou Prefecture, and there is no one else who can compare to them!"

The pavilion fell silent instantly.

All the students were stunned by her bold move, and a chorus of exclamations of shock rang out.

Her slender, jade-like legs were faintly visible through the light gauze.

Just as she said, she was absolutely stunning.

Inside the Zhaixing Pavilion, around the six large round tables, the students from one prefecture and five counties all gasped in unison, their eyes fixed on the tables.

"Jade Yuzu?"

Lu Ming's pupils dilated slightly, and the wine cup in his hand almost tilted.

He had originally thought that this courtesan from Jiangzhou would say that she was stunningly beautiful, had amazing dancing skills, or had a melodious voice!
Unexpectedly, she lightly lifted her skirt, revealing her slender, snow-white feet to the students.

"Thank you for your guidance, young master."

The little barbarian parted her lips slightly, her toes touching the red felt of the table, forming a crescent moon-like arc that was captivating.

"My proudest asset is these jade-like feet."

If that's the case,

Tonight's poetry banquet will be themed around [Foot]!

"Gentlemen of talent, may you compose poems, lyrics, and essays?"

She was overjoyed, her eyes sparkling, and her jade ankle, adorned with a golden bell, made a clear, melodious sound.

This is indeed what she is proud of.

If one could obtain a brilliant essay by the top scholar from one of the five counties in a prefecture, and compose a fine poem for these jade feet, then surely the name of the new little barbarian slave would be sung throughout the teahouses and taverns of Jiangzhou City tomorrow.

But when she looked around shyly, she saw the expressions of all the students in the room suddenly change.

Many students even unconsciously took a half step back and overturned the inkstone, paper, and ink on the table.

Romantic themes, easy to write about!
A peerless beauty is easy to write about!

After all, composing poems and couplets is a skill that scholars excel at, and they can easily produce a beautiful article with a single stroke of their pen.

However, it would be extremely difficult to turn a part of a woman's body into a separate poem or article.

Describing a pair of delicate feet beneath a skirt is especially difficult, as it is said that a woman's slender feet are a private matter, traditionally hidden deep within her skirt, and only her closest relatives can see them.

Tonight, Xiao Mannu actually took off her embroidered shoes in public and placed her pair of beautiful feet on the table for all the students from the five counties of the prefecture to see.

Such an action requires immense courage.

That's not even the hardest part!
some of,
The most difficult thing is that if your poems and essays lack talent, they will be embarrassing and only make you a laughing stock.

However, if the writing is too good, making people excited and excited, and is "vulgar and obscene", it will probably spread throughout the entire Jiangzhou Prefecture in less than a night, and be cursed by countless "gentlemen" and stigmatized from then on.

Poetry banquets are public occasions; no one will keep them a secret!

My writing is terrible, and I got criticized!
The writing was too provocative, and I got criticized!
Dilemma!

"This question from the little barbarian is truly extremely tricky!"

"Jade feet, jade feet!"

A woman's private matters!
If it's just a private play in the bedroom, that's fine too; it's quite amusing.

Born in this prefecture of five counties, a place where top scholars and talented young men gather, who would dare to write such vulgar and obscene articles?

Inside the Star-Picking Pavilion, the young students looked at each other, all showing signs of difficulty.

Zhao Zilu's face turned pale and he was secretly annoyed when Lu Ming interfered and ruined the situation.

He had prepared a poem praising the stunning beauty, but now it was useless; it seemed all his efforts had been in vain!

but,

He thought about it again and realized that the question was actually quite good.

Jade feet!

Absolutely wonderful!

He himself found it difficult to put pen to paper.

But the top scholars from the other five counties probably couldn't answer that either. Who could write such an elegant and refined masterpiece in such a short time?

This stumped all the top students.
Doesn't this essentially level him off from Jiang Xingzhou and all the other top-scoring students in the preliminary examination?!
even,

If the top candidates from the other five counties rashly put pen to paper and inadvertently write vulgar or erotic poems, they will be branded with the stigma of writing erotic poetry!
"This essay topic is extremely difficult!"

Zhao Zilu feigned a sigh, cupped his hands, looked around at everyone, and said, "I, the top scholar of Jiangzhou Prefecture, am humbled and admit defeat!"
I wonder if any of you top students dare to take on this question?
The winner will receive two thousand taels of silver!
We, the top students, are all willing to acknowledge him as the leading student of the five counties in this prefecture!

"I can't write it!"

Lin Haizhou, the top official in Taicang County, sighed deeply and shook his head repeatedly.

"Disaster!"

Zhou Wenyuan remained silent as the chief judge of Liangfeng County.

"I don't know where to begin!"

At the top of the list of officials in Jiyang County, Shen Zhiyun looked up at the beam, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, but he remained silent.

Inside the pavilion, only the Kunshan County official's desk remained. Du Qingyin dipped her fingertip in wine and made a few cursory strokes on the sandalwood desk, as if deep in thought.

He had always had a good impression of Xiaomannu, the most beautiful courtesan in the flower shop, and was happy to write poems and articles to praise her.

"Let me compose a poem!"

[Beneath the red silk curtains, her silk stockings have come off; her jade-like breasts lie across the slanting candlelight. Each step leaves a lingering fragrance.]

Du Qingyin pondered for a moment, her clear voice carrying a hint of alcohol.

But after reading just one sentence, he suddenly felt his ears burning and quickly covered his face with his sleeve.

The undried wine stains on the table, reflected in the candlelight, vaguely hinted at what would happen next.

[Every step exudes fragrance, attracting butterflies and waves; the bow-shaped curtains tremble, stirring the moon.]

If a king could understand the allure of a captivating beauty, he would not favor a slender waist but rather this flower.

Most enchanting are the feet beneath her skirt, a crescent of new snow setting off the crimson clouds.
He simply couldn't bring himself to say the next three sentences.

"Wonderful!!"

"Brother Du's poems are truly fragrant with every word!"

The assembled students tapped their chopsticks on their cups, slapped the table in approval, and urged each other to quickly write the essay.

Some even brought over brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and the vermilion ink spread out on the Xuan paper to create a vibrant poem.

The crowd was so enthusiastic,

"Never mind, never mind!"

I give up too!

Du Qingyin finally lost her nerve. She abruptly stood up, pressed down on the Xuan paper, wiped away the still-wet wine stains on the table, and dared not continue.

I'm scared!

If this erotic poem were to appear in the world, it would likely spread throughout Jiangzhou Prefecture tomorrow, carried by the mouths of countless young students.

At that moment, Prefect Xue's vermilion-ink comments and the ruler of the Prefectural Governor Zhou Shanzhang would come rushing towards him.

And then there were the spittle and curses of those Confucian scholars in this prefecture, who called him a madman.

In that case, my literary reputation will be tarnished.

The chief and deputy examiners all avoided his essay, which was submitted during the prefectural examination.

Let alone vying for the top spot in the Jiangzhou Prefecture examination for the title of Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examination), he fears that even the Xiucai degree itself will vanish.

You'll regret it to the core!
(End of this chapter)