The Demon Prince

The garden fell silent for a moment, then erupted in uproar.

"It matches up?"

"Go from ten to one, and then reverse the process."

"The cold window, the academy, the seven emotions and six desires, the five classics and four books."

"It's happened again and again, we must win today!"

"Not only did it match the original, it also satirized Xie Zhuangyuan."

Some people almost burst out laughing; the second line was too sarcastic.

On the surface, it describes the hard work and dedication of students, but in reality, it subtly mocks Xie Yuheng for failing the exam twice and still insisting on passing it today.

These words sound particularly harsh coming from someone who has just achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations.

Xie Yuheng's face immediately turned ugly, and Gu Linyuan trembled for no reason.

Li Wangshu's eyes sparkled. This bastard, how come he looks better and better the more I look at him?

Consort Shu's eyes also held more appreciation:

"Brilliant! It goes down with the numbers and then back up with them, concealing the hardships of studying hard."

Shen Yan looked at Xiao Xingyue with amazement in his eyes. He originally wanted to take over this game for Xiao Xingyue, but he didn't expect Xiao Xingyue to break it himself. Xiao Xingyue is indeed a man of great talent.

Shen Zhiming stood beside the painting, praising it sincerely:

"Your Highness's second line is clever, but it's more than just clever. The last line must pass today. It's interesting in its simplicity, and it's more lively than deliberately piling on elegance."

Xiao Xingyue cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards her: "Miss Shen understands me."

Li Wangshu's eyelids twitched, and she snorted.

Understand you? Understand what? She just praised you once and you're already done?

Xie Yuheng suppressed his anger:

"Young Master Xiao is indeed quite talented. In that case, why don't you also compose a couplet?"

Xiao Xingyue had been waiting for this sentence. He shifted his gaze to the pavilions outside the waterside terrace, then looked towards the ancient temple in the distance:

"Okay, I'll put one up too."

He spoke slowly:

"Poetry is found in every inch of land, and beyond the poetry lies a temple, whose bell tolls to the passenger boat at midnight."

As soon as he finished speaking, the garden fell silent again, this time for even longer.

Many people frowned and began to mentally analyze the characters.

Consort Shu was the first to react, her eyes lighting up:

"An inch of land can be combined to form a temple, words and temple can be combined to form a poem, there is a temple beyond the poem, and the temple bell tolls to the passenger boat at midnight."

She couldn't help but gently slap the table:

"This couplet is not just about wordplay; the last line also evokes poetic imagery: the sound of bells, an ancient temple, midnight, a passenger boat..."

Everyone gasped in shock at her suggestion.

"Good couplet."

"This is much more difficult than simply breaking down characters."

"It has both the rules of writing and the artistic conception."

"The temple bell tolls at midnight to the passenger boat; this line is truly brilliant."

Li Wangshu looked at Xiao Xingyue, feeling somewhat dazed.

He stood by the waterside pavilion, his sleeves billowing in the wind, showing no sign of stage fright, nor his usual irritating demeanor.

At that moment, he seemed to have truly suppressed all the scholars in the garden.

Li Wangshu's heart skipped a beat. Marrying him seemed like a really good deal.

Gu Linyuan's expression had changed. He had comforted himself in court last time, thinking that Xiao Xingyue might have prepared a few poems in advance.

Given the old grudges between the Gu and Xiao families, it wouldn't be impossible for him to memorize a few poems beforehand, but what about today?

He can appreciate paintings and discuss them, he can respond to couplets, and now he can even come up with such a difficult first line.

This isn't just luck; he's really good!

As this thought crossed Gu Linyuan's mind, a chill ran through him, and he felt a sense of powerlessness.

Xie Yuheng also fell silent, staring at the first line of the couplet, his mind racing.

An inch of land, a poem, a temple beyond the poem, requires wordplay, understanding of the imagery, and matching the temple bell tolling at midnight to the passenger boat—this is not something that can be done in a short time.

Xiao Xingyue asked:

"Can't figure it out? You two can discuss it together."

He glanced at Gu Linyuan:

"Anyway, it's plagiarism."

Then he looked at Xie Yuheng: "A fame-seeker."

Gu Linyuan's face flushed red, and Xie Yuheng could no longer contain his anger and roared:

"Xiao Xingyue! How can such an absolute couplet be matched? Perhaps you only have the first line and no second line?"

Upon hearing this, many people in the park began to hesitate.

Indeed, this first line is too difficult. If Xiao Xingyue himself doesn't have a second line and is just using it to embarrass others, then it doesn't count as real skill.

Gu Linyuan immediately continued:

"At a poetry gathering, one should naturally be able to solve the questions posed. What kind of talent is it if one only knows how to make things difficult for others?"

Li Wangshu looked nervous as she glanced at Xiao Xingyue.

Xiao Xingyue felt a chill run down his spine and immediately wanted to retaliate.

result……

"I believe that Your Highness already has a matching couplet," Consort Shu said, looking at Xiao Xingyue with admiration and anticipation. "Your Highness, let them see your talent, so that everyone will be convinced."

"Thank you so much..." Xiao Xingyue was speechless.

He picked up a cup of tea and waved it in front of Xie Yuheng and Gu Linyuan, buying himself time to think.

"Since you two are both here, I gave you a chance, but you failed!"

Xiao Xingyue's mind raced. "Fine, I'll just pick one randomly and make you admit defeat."

He looked at Shen Zhiming, still thinking of the second line of the couplet.

Shen Zhiming felt nervous subconsciously, thinking that Xiao Xingyue was going to ask her for help, but she didn't know how to match the couplet!

Xiao Xingyue's eyes lit up when he saw her painting. "I will use Miss Shen's painting as the second line of the couplet. Listen carefully!"

A painting by Yu Tian, ​​with Yu standing on it, Yu's brush dances across the paper, conveying his lover's sentiments.

boom!

This time, the garden was filled with the rumble of thunder, causing everyone to feel uneasy.

"Excellent! Not only do the characters match, but the artistic conception is also there. '聿' means brush, and '田' means boundary! The brush defines the painting, and the painting only has value because of the brush!"

"The painting originates from the brush, and the brush gives the painting its value; the two complement each other… But the second half of the sentence, 'The brush dances on the paper, conveying its message to my lover,' implies that this painting was created for my lover. Who is my lover?"

As everyone was talking, no one noticed that Shen Zhiming's delicate, fair face was already flushed red.

"The prince is too wicked. It's one thing to use my painting as a couplet, but he also claims she's my lover. How shameful..." Shen Zhiming murmured to himself.

Only Xiao Xingyue breathed a sigh of relief.

He only intended to stump Xie Yuheng with the first line of the couplet, but he almost got himself killed instead. Fortunately, he managed to come up with a nonsensical matching line.

Shen Yan felt a surge of emotion welling up inside him, and he looked at Xiao Xingyue with a newfound respect in his eyes.

"This, how is this possible..." Xie Yuheng's face turned pale in an instant.

Xiao Xingyue answered correctly, which means Xie Yuheng lost!

In front of a garden full of powerful figures, scholars, poets, Consort Shu, and the Ninth Princess, he lost to a prince who came from a military background.

No, I can't lose!

I have just obtained my official position. If Xiao Xingyue tramples me down today, my future career will definitely be damaged!

A ruthless glint was surging in Xie Yuheng's eyes:

"Your Highness is very talented, but I have another couplet here."

Xie Yuheng, fearing Xiao Xingyue's rebuttal, spoke directly:

"Two trees make a forest, and a prohibition is posted under the forest, which says: Old trees that have just sprouted new branches will not last long."

Many people in the park changed color again.

"Two trees make a forest; adding '示' under a forest makes a prohibition."

"The disassembly and reassembly were so seamless! Who knew Scholar Xie had such a backup plan!"

"That's right, the prestige of being the top scholar goes without saying, but this old wood hasn't been reborn for long..."

Someone stopped halfway through, not daring to continue, but everyone understood.

The old wood sprouted anew in no time; this was a veiled criticism of the Xiao family.

The old prince of the Xiao family died in battle, and the Xiao family was depleted. Now, Xiao Xingyue has reappeared, which, in Xie Yuheng's words, is like old wood sprouting anew.

Not many days passed; these were the last few good days in the King's Palace of Curse Town.

Li Wangshu's face turned cold: "Xie Yuheng, how dare you!"

Xie Yuheng cupped his hands in greeting:

"Princess Ninth, you misunderstand. It's just a couplet; I had no other intention."

Gu Linyuan felt a surge of satisfaction and immediately added insult to injury:

"A literary contest is inherently a battle of wits, so Ninth Princess, shall we simply watch the show?"

"Who's talking to you, you disgusting eunuch!" Li Wangshu's face was full of disgust as she turned her gaze from Gu Linyuan to Xiao Xingyue expectantly. "Xiao Xingyue, go after him, go after both of them to death for this princess!"

Gu Linyuan's mind was buzzing. Oh no, sister, if you hadn't made me be a bed double to humiliate Xiao Xingyue, would I be like this now?

Gu Linyuan roared inwardly, realizing that Li Wangshu had completely abandoned him!

Is this the cruelty of women?!

As Xiao Xingyue pondered the first line of the couplet, his brows finally furrowed. This kind of turn-based dialogue was indeed difficult to memorize from textbooks.

Two trees make a forest; under the forest is a prohibition; and to still have to curse back is quite difficult.

Seeing his silence, Gu Linyuan immediately shifted his hatred to him:

"Xiao Xingyue, weren't you quick-witted just now? Why are you silent now?"

Could it be that Scholar Xie's couplet truly stumped you?

Xie Yuheng also raised his face:

"If Your Highness cannot answer, simply say you concede defeat."

Shen Yan suddenly stood up, his slender figure blocking Xiao Xingyue's side:

"Thank you, Scholar Xie. The young master has already faced you, and you have lost."

To present another couplet now, still mocking the Xiao family, is nothing short of sophistry and unreasonable.

"It's not your place to tell me what to do!" Xie Yuheng said angrily.

But this time Shen Yan didn't back down. "Today I'll take the liberty of teaching you!"

He looked at Xiao Xingyue: "Your Highness, please allow me to pair up with him?"

Xiao Xingyue glanced at Shen Yan, whose eyes held confidence.

Xiao Xingyue sat back down and picked up his wine glass:

"Okay, you go ahead."

Shen Yan turned around and stared at Xie Yuheng:

"The Great One is Heaven, Heaven points to the husband, the husband says: Before fishing for fame, first ask about virtue."

The garden was deathly silent, but in the next instant, exclamations of praise arose from all sides.

"good!"

"The character '大' represents the sky, and the character '夫' (husband) is placed on top of the sky. The character '夫' is higher than the sky, making for a perfect couplet."

"He even countered by accusing Xie Zhuangyuan of being a fraud and unethical—brilliant!"

"This second-place scholar, Shen, is just as talented as the top scholar!"

Shen Zhiming also looked at Shen Yan. She was also a member of the Shen family, but her branch was far removed from Shen Yan's. She had only heard that this second-place scholar came from a humble background and was not valued in the clan.

Meeting him today, I realize the rumors were unfounded; this man is truly remarkable.

Li Wangshu breathed a sigh of relief, and Consort Shu's eyes showed a hint of approval.

Xie Yuheng's face turned completely ugly. The saying "To gain fame, one must first consider one's virtue" was like a slap in the face.

He could barely accept losing to Xiao Xingyue, after all, Xiao Xingyue was the heir of the Zhenguo Kingdom's mansion, with status, a marriage contract, and royal connections.

He could say he deliberately conceded defeat to avoid offending the royal family... But who is Shen Yan? A second-place finisher, a poor scholar from a humble background, dares to publicly humiliate him?

Xie Yuheng suddenly stepped forward and said in a sinister tone:

"Shen Yan, do you know who you are talking to?"

Your elderly mother is still in the suburbs of Beijing, and your relatives are waiting for you to take a chance after you enter officialdom.

Today, for the sake of momentary pleasure, you have offended the top scholar of this year's imperial examination and the Hanlin Academy. Tomorrow, I will ask Scholar Cui to report to His Majesty that you are of improper character and arrogant and rude.

How will you face your family then?!