Isolated town in northern border region

The marriage proposal event was held as scheduled one day later.

The marriage proposal event was held at the "Wenhua Terrace" in the East Garden of the Jing Kingdom Royal Palace.

A three-zhang-high white marble platform was covered with a vermilion brocade carpet, and twelve banners embroidered with cloud patterns stood on both sides.

The new ruler of Jing, Jiang Jun, sat upright in the main seat, with Xiao Lie on his left and Princess Zhaoyang on his right.

The audience below was packed with people, a veritable sea of ​​elegantly dressed officials. Almost every civil and military official of the Jing Kingdom who was known by name was present today.

Besides Xiao Lie and Sima Chunfeng, four other young men from prominent families of the Jing Kingdom participated in the competition.

Some people were whispering among themselves.

"Why is the King of Northern Frontier of Chu here too?"

"Didn't they say that the engagement was invalid?"

Jiang Min sat on a pavilion on the east side, near the stage. The beaded curtain was half-rolled up, allowing her to see the movements of everyone on the stage.

The Bureau of Folklore has been taken back, and she is left with only two personal maids, who don't even have the freedom to go downstairs.

They were called "VIPs," but in reality, they were under house arrest in disguise.

She looked at the back of the person sitting upright below the stage. Xiao Lie turned around and blinked. He was as unserious as ever, but he was also exceptionally reassuring.

She gently clenched her sleeve.

Jiang Jun stood up, raised his hand to signal, and the room fell silent.

"Today is the day to find a husband for Princess Minyue, and we will set up three tests: literary, martial, and strategic."

"Only those who pass all three tests can be considered a suitable match for the princess."

He glanced at Sima Chunfeng, then at Xiao Lie.

"The first hurdle is the written test."

"Please, Grand Master, set the question."

The Grand Chancellor—the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy of the Great Jing Kingdom, whose surname was Chen and given name was Yan, was over seventy years old, with white hair and beard, and held an extremely high position in the literary world of the Jing Kingdom.

He was a guest of honor in the Sima family, and his grandson was serving as a military advisor under Sima Yuanchen.

He pulled a roll of paper from his sleeve, unfolded it, and spoke in a long, steady voice.

"Today's test question: Write a seven-character regulated poem on the theme of 'March in Jiangnan' within the time limit of one incense stick."

"The scenery of Jingguo shall be limited to that of the northern regions and shall not be mixed in."

A low chuckle rippled through the audience.

The scenery of Jingguo, the misty rain of Jiangnan, the apricot blossoms and willows, the small bridges and flowing water—Xiao Lie has lived in the northern frontier for a long time, and he probably has never even seen what rice in Jiangnan looks like.

Xiao Lie poured himself a drink without a care, showing no anger at such blatant harassment.

Jiang Min looked through the beaded curtain at Xiao Lie's nonchalant expression and felt a slight tremor in her heart.

"As expected, without the Bureau of Folklore, I am nothing but an empty shell."

Several scions of prominent families had already picked up their pens. Sima Chunfeng's pen-holding posture was extremely standard. When he put pen to paper, his wrist was suspended in the air, and the pen tip moved across the paper like a fish swimming in water.

The other four also had their own excellent works, some depicting apricot blossoms and spring rain, others describing misty willows and painted bridges. Although they were not as good as Sima Chunfeng, they were still quite decent.

Before half a cup of tea had passed, Sima Chunfeng put down his pen.

Grand Master Chen Yan picked up his answer sheet, squinted and read it through, his voice filled with undisguised praise.

"Jiangnan Spring"

"In March, the rain in Jiangnan has not yet stopped, and apricot blossoms fill the white duckweed islet."

"Whose swallows return early, carrying the spring breeze past the small building?"

"What a wonderful poem! What a wonderful poem! It captures both the scenery and the emotions, the movement and the stillness—truly befitting a top scholar!"

A chorus of applause rose from the audience. Several senior officials stroked their beards and nodded, and one of them whispered to the person next to him.

"The poem written by the top scholar is probably no better than that of the famous poets of the previous dynasty."

Sima Chunfeng bowed slightly to the surroundings, his posture elegant, his gaze subtly sweeping over Xiao Lie's direction.

Xiao Lie sat there without picking up his pen.

Jiang Min saw him slightly turn his head through the beaded curtain, and felt inexplicably uneasy.

"Xiao Lie! What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Even though your literary talent is inferior to Sima Chunfeng's, you shouldn't give up like this!"

The answers from the other four contestants were also read out one by one. Although each had its highlights, none of them could compare with Sima Chunfeng's poem.

The examiners exchanged opinions in hushed tones, and Chen Yan concluded in closing.

"Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this poem should be the best in today's written exam!"

He then turned to Xiao Lie.

"King of the Northern Frontier, please."

Xiao Lie stood up, walked to the desk, picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, wrote a sentence on the paper, then put down the brush and returned to his seat.

Chen Yan walked to the desk and looked down at it. His expression was first puzzled, then completely frozen.

"This is an insult to scholarship! An insult to scholarship!"

"How can this be considered poetry? It's barely passable in terms of calligraphy!"

Some people in the audience started whispering.

"What did the King of the Northern Frontier write?"

"Why is the High Priest so agitated?"

Jiang Min clenched her sleeves tightly through the beaded curtain; she had never seen Xiao Lie write a complete poem.

"Xiao Lie! Even if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have brought this upon yourself!"

Chen Yan finally spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse.

"The poem by the King of the Northern Frontier...doesn't quite fit the title..."

He paused.

"According to the rules, the verdict should be..."

Xiao Lie reached out to stop Chen Yan, and waved the wine pot at Sima Yuanchen.

"Lord Sima, would you like a horse?"

Sima Yuanchen suddenly stood up, and the entire room fell silent the moment he did.

He was close by and could vaguely see what Xiao Lie had written, but he wasn't sure.

He walked to the desk, glanced at the paper, remained silent for a moment, and then turned to nod at Chen Yan.

"In this round, the King of the Northern Frontier wins."

The audience erupted in uproar!

Even Sima Chunfeng turned to look at his father, as if he hadn't expected him to say those words.

Chen Yan was stunned.

"Grand Marshal, this..."

Sima Yuanchen did not explain, but simply picked up the rolled-up paper and unfolded it towards the audience.

The paper contained only one sentence: "I am giving you 30,000 warhorses."

There was a moment of silence in the audience, then, as if a pot of water had been boiled, various voices of discussion surged up at the same time.

Thirty thousand warhorses!

When did the Jing Kingdom, which has lived in the south for generations, ever see so many warhorses?

Moreover, they are high-quality warhorses from the northern frontier!

With 30,000 warhorses, let alone marrying a disgraced Princess Minyue, it would be enough to send all the princesses to the northern frontier!

An imperial censor whispered to the person next to him.

"This move... is more ruthless than any poem."

The official next to him nodded.

"The Sima family controls the military; if we could acquire these 30,000 warhorses..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what it meant.

Sima Yuanchen rolled up the paper again and faced the assembled officials.

"Although the Northern Frontier King's move is somewhat frivolous... if it could give my Great Jing an additional 30,000 Northern Frontier warhorses..."

"In this first match, the Sima family willingly concedes defeat!"

The examiners, who had initially favored Sima Chunfeng, looked at each other in bewilderment, but none dared to stand up and refute him.

Sima Yuanchen's words made sense; the Jing Kingdom was indeed short of horses.

The value of 30,000 warhorses far exceeds that of a poem.

Sima Chunfeng's expression froze for a moment, but he quickly regained his smile.

"The King of the Northern Frontier is indeed generous. I admire him."

Xiao Lie didn't look at him, but just smiled in Jiang Jun's direction.

Jiang Jun sat in the main seat, holding a teacup. His gaze lingered on Sima Yuanchen for a moment before shifting away.

Jiang Min loosened the sleeve she had been clutching in the attic.

"You bastard!"

"Still so unreliable!"

"With so many innate talents in your mind, how come you can't write poetry?"