My Demonic Cult's Holy Maiden

Because the private school was being expanded, there was no need to attend classes. All Qi Yu could do was stay in the small courtyard, sit under the eaves, lean against a pillar to read, and then daydream, missing Su Yue.

Two days after Su Yue left, three guests arrived at the courtyard.

Qin Shuhuai, Qin Xiyao, and Lin Ruoxi!

The three of them were slightly taken aback when they saw Qi Yu's expression.

Because Qi Yu looked very unkempt, with fine but dense stubble on his face and his hair disheveled.

This is somewhat different from the image of the elegant and handsome young men that Qi Yu had previously portrayed them as!

Qi Yu now appears to be a decadent lazybones, a salted fish without dreams.

"Please sit down!" Qi Yu invited the three of them in and then went to make tea.

Lin Ruoxi got up to help, and Qi Yu didn't refuse, since he didn't seem to know how to make tea.

Brewing tea also requires skill. Qi Yu simply throws the tea leaves into the teapot and then pours boiling water over them.

Qi Yu had never learned professional tea ceremony skills, nor was he interested in them, so he didn't put in the effort to study them.

"What brings you here today, Lord Marquis?" Qi Yu asked.

Qin Shuhuai picked up his teacup, took a sip, glanced at Lin Ruoxi, then looked at his daughter with a helpless expression.

I spoiled them all!

"Actually, I came here today to tell you that Yunyu Academy has been completed and you can start classes tomorrow!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Yu raised an eyebrow and his eyes brightened. Finally, he had something to do!

I'm so bored these past few days!

"Also, His Majesty will be sending a few children here to study. I'm letting you know in advance!" Qin Shuhuai said.

Qi Yu nodded, but didn't say anything.

Education should be provided to all without discrimination; it doesn't matter how many students come!

"One last thing, I will withdraw my troops tomorrow. You'd better take care of yourself!" Qin Shuhuai said.

Qi Yu tilted his head. Did this guy just say he was withdrawing troops?

"My lord, what you mean by withdrawing the troops is..."

Qin Shuhuai's lips curled up slightly, a mocking expression on his face, and he said, "The troops guarding outside Jiangting Village will be withdrawn tomorrow. This is His Majesty's decree!"

Qi Yu was speechless. After the troops withdrew, Jiangting Village would be unrestricted. Wouldn't those scholars and Confucianists from all over the country who came to challenge him kill him?

Li Muchen's intention was simple: to establish Qi Yu as the leading figure in the literary world of the Great Yun Dynasty, thereby attracting criticism from the literati and enabling reforms to be carried out to eliminate the influence of Confucianism.

That's how Wen Zun came to be!

If Li Muchen were to bestow this title upon Qi Yu without knowing his literary talent, then he would be purely trying to kill him with praise!

"Then I'll pack my things tonight and run away to hide in the mountains for a few days!" Qi Yu said helplessly.

Qin Shuhuai laughed and said, "You must be quite talented in literature, right? Are you really that afraid of those pedantic scholars?"

Qi Yu rolled her eyes and said, "With so many people, if each of them spat at me, they could drown me, okay? And who told you I'm so eloquent?"

Qin Shuhuai didn't speak; it was Lin Ruoxi, who was standing next to him, who spoke and recited a poem.

"What is love in this world that makes people willing to die for it?"

"Flying guests from all corners of the world, their old wings have weathered many winters and summers."

……

After Lin Ruohai finished reading, he smiled and looked at Qi Yu, saying, "This poem, was it written by you, young master?"

Qi Yu looked at Lin Ruoxi with a complicated expression. He had almost forgotten about her!

Back in the Su family courtyard, in order to win a kiss from Su Yue, he borrowed Yuan Haowen's poem "The Wild Goose's Lament".

Afterwards, Qi Yu took some time to burn two million bright ingots for the elder, but whether the elder received them or not, Qi Yu didn't know.

Lin Ruoxi was right next to me at the time and heard the poem!

Qi sighed helplessly and said, "No, I copied it. This poem was written by an old master named Yuan Haowen!"

Lin Ruoxi blinked and smiled, "But my father searched through all the ancient books and asked all the Confucian scholars in the Great Yun Dynasty, and there wasn't a single senior named Yuan Haowen!"

Qi Yu was speechless; there was no way to explain it!

Lin Ruoxi paused, then looked at Qi Yu and smiled, "And if I'm not mistaken, the poem 'Song of the Wanderer' by the recently famous poet Song Yuntao was also copied from you, Young Master Qi, wasn't it?"

A few months ago, Song Yuntao was a celebrity. With the help of the Chang family, he became the Poet Saint of the Dayun Dynasty, and was revered and regarded as a role model by many literati.

Qin Xiyao didn't pay much attention to literati, but she had heard of "The Wanderer's Song," and at that time she developed some goodwill and interest in this poet saint.

However, the Chang family was later destroyed, and Song Yuntao, who was a guest of the Chang family, disappeared without a trace, which can be described as a flash in the pan.

But now, Lin Ruoxi's words seem to indicate that Song Yuntao's famous poem "The Wanderer's Song" was written by Qi Yu.

This is quite unbelievable!

Qin Shuhuai was also somewhat surprised; it was clear that this was the first time he had heard this news.

He had met Song Yuntao once and did not have a good impression of him.

Because his intuition told him that Song Yuntao was a hypocrite and a petty person.

Song Yuntao's every move revealed an undeniable restraint and nervousness; he lacked any of the talent expected of a scholar.

I was wondering how someone like him could have written such a timeless poem as "Song of the Wanderer".

If he plagiarized, then that makes sense.

And if it's copied from Qi Yu...

Qin Shuhuai looked at Qi Yu with a strange expression.

That seems... plausible!

Qi Yu had mixed feelings about the poem "Song of the Wanderer" because it was this poem that indirectly harmed his two close friends, Song Yuntao and Wang Defa.

“I did not write ‘Song of the Wanderer’!” Qi Yu shook his head, his tone somewhat forlorn.

Lin Ruoxi's eyes darted around, and she asked, "But this poem, it was written by you, young master, wasn't it?"

Qi Yu did not answer, but looked at Lin Ruoxi with a calm and deep gaze.

This woman is no pushover either!

She was determined to roast herself over the fire!

Qi Yu didn't know how she learned that Song Yuntao had plagiarized, but from this glimpse, it was clear that this woman was no pushover.

Lin Ruoxi ignored Qi Yu's gaze, seemingly unconcerned, and smiled, "Ruoxi believes that the title of Poet Saint should belong to you, young master!"

"With your talent and learning, young master, you deserve the title of 'Scholar of Literature'."

The Sage of Poetry? The Venerable Scholar of Literature?

Wasn't Song Yuntao's fate so deserved because of those first two words?

Is it time for me to take charge?

"It's just an empty title, what does it really mean? While it brings glory, it also comes with heavy shackles. The higher you stand, the harder you fall."

"They seem to be high above, but in reality, they are like duckweed floating in the wind!"

"Isn't His Majesty trying to flatter me to my death? Fine! I'll do as he wishes!"

Mentioning Song Yuntao brought back some unpleasant memories, and a surge of anger welled up inside Qi Yu. Li Ming had made a fool of him, and now his father was making a fool of him too.

"Please inform the Marquis that tomorrow at noon, I will meet with all the great scholars at the academy gate, challenging them to a duel in astronomy, geography, poetry, and prose. Whoever can defeat me will be offered the title of Literary Master by both hands, and I promise never to lift a pen again!"

If you want to play, then play bigger!

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Chapter 128 The Next One

At this time, many literati and scholars gathered in Jiangzhou City. Since they could not enter Jiangting Village, they could only find inns and hotels in Jiangzhou City to stay in.

Some people have been waiting for almost ten days, but still haven't seen Qi Yu.

Many people felt dissatisfied with Qi Yu. They were already hostile towards Qi Yu, and now they were filled with even more malice towards him.

Privately, countless people criticized Qi Yu for feigning high-mindedness and acting like a courtesan.

Then, as more and more people started talking about him, many people began calling Qi Yu "Qi Guanren" in order to vent their dissatisfaction.

They believed that Qi Yu was pretentious and aloof, no different from a prostitute in a brothel.

This is a complete insult!

They were indignant that Qi Yu, a young man with little reputation, could receive the title of 'Wen Zun' personally bestowed by His Majesty.

If the recipient of this title is a highly respected Confucian scholar, they will have nothing to say, and even if they are extremely envious, they will not openly question it.

But they weren't convinced by Qi Yu, a kid who hadn't made any public statements before!

Those who arrived earlier had been waiting for more than ten days, while those who arrived later had been waiting for two or three days.

I thought Qi Yu would keep hiding forever, but this afternoon, Marquis Guanyong himself spoke up and revealed some news.

Tomorrow at noon, Qi Yu will discuss literature at the Yunyu Academy in Jiangting Village. Anyone who can surpass him will relinquish the title of Literary Master, and Qi Yu promises never to pick up a pen again.

When the news came out, everyone was stunned, and then they became indignant.

This is outrageous!

They wanted to see just how capable Qi Yu was.

Every scholar held their breath, waiting for noon the next day to arrive.

……

Early the next morning, hundreds of scholars from all over gathered in Jiangting Village and then assembled at the entrance of Yunyu Academy.

Among these people were many scholars with official titles, and the worst among them were all students who had only completed the preliminary examinations.

Most of these young students were very young and valued empty fame. They waited for Qi Yu in the snow with umbrellas.

Heavy snow was falling from the sky, but no matter how heavy the snow was, it couldn't stop ordinary people from watching the spectacle.