Students: Uh... this first line is a bit long, we need to think about it for a while.
Those who hadn't heard the first line of the couplet were getting impatient, scratching their heads and grabbing the people in front of them to ask for the first line, so they could hear it too.
Wang Chuanzong stared intently at Shen Mingzhu.
No wonder she was so confident, having mortgaged her shop and a thousand taels of gold.
I see.
He frowned and began to think quickly.
Looking at the students following him, he said,
"You should think about it too."
Everyone nodded.
They've all bet a lot of money to support Young Master Wang. If they lose the first round, wouldn't that be a disastrous start?!
[Guagua, how's it going? I reckon they won't be able to figure it out anytime soon. I'm going to sit down and have some tea and snacks.]
[Host, hurry! The Crown Prince, your father, and your brothers are all waiting for you!]
At this moment, Su Huaiyuan was still savoring the first line of the couplet that Shen Mingzhu had given him, and he was still trying to come up with a matching second line...
The happiest person here was Prince An. He had bet a considerable sum of money, and thinking about the money that was about to be in his hands, he looked at Shen Mingzhu with increasing fondness.
If it weren't for the fact that his elder brother had already betrothed her to his nephew Yan Beichen, he would have wanted to request an imperial decree to let her marry his son, the heir of Prince An!
"Mingzhu, come sit down and rest for a while."
When Shen Changyuan saw his beloved daughter coming over, he quickly greeted her.
After speaking, he looked at his four sons.
"You brats, can't you see Mingzhu is here? Hurry up and take good care of Mingzhu."
The four men chuckled as they stood up and spoke.
"We know, Father."
Shen Qinglan and Shen Qingzhan have been back in the capital for several days now. They were only very affectionate at home for the first couple of days after they returned. Now, all they do is talk about the brats.
Crown Prince Yan Beichen and Shen Mingzhu sat down, and he quickly placed the tea that had just been poured next to her, and also picked out the jujube blossom pastry and walnut pastry that he usually liked to eat and placed them in front of her.
He's practically the perfect "fiancé" in every way.
The four sons of the Shen family:...
The four looked at Crown Prince Yan Beichen in shock. Did he have to be so diligent?
How can they behave if you do this?
You are the Crown Prince!
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: I'm still Mingzhu's fiancé!
Prince An looked at everything before him with a clear understanding of what was happening, smiled, picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and gently put the teacup down.
Brother, your son has really made something of himself!
Emperor Jingyuan: Received!
Half an hour later, Shen Mingzhu had eaten half a plate of pastries and admired the calligraphy of Crown Prince Yan Beichen.
[Guagua, look! Prince Yan Beichen's calligraphy is like dragons and snakes dancing, his powerful strokes revealing his heroic spirit. It's obvious he's been taught by many masters since childhood.]
[Host, Crown Prince Yan Beichen is Emperor Jingyuan's most beloved son, and the Crown Prince's tutor, Grand Tutor Yang, is renowned throughout the land and was personally selected by Emperor Jingyuan!]
I can tell!
Crown Prince Yan Beichen raised an eyebrow, looking at Shen Mingzhu with a half-smile.
Shen Mingzhu: What do you mean?
[Guagua, what kind of look was that from Crown Prince Yan Beichen? Was it a half-smile?]
[Host, he probably feels you're ignoring him. Just try to comfort him!]
Uh... there are too many people here, and I'm still in the competition. Let's talk about it when we get back.
"Young Master Wang, why haven't you come up with the answer yet? I'm getting so anxious!"
"What's the rush? This is a bit difficult!"
"Can't their fellow students help?"
"Sigh... Even Young Master Wang couldn't come up with a matching couplet, let alone them!"
"Isn't there Xiao Yanzhi? Isn't he quite capable?"
Xiao Yanzhi: ...I'm counting money, don't disturb me!!!
"Is this young master Wang any good or not? If not, he should just admit defeat. There's no shame in losing!"
"Exactly, back then, Xiao Yanzhi just admitted defeat, and he's doing just fine now, isn't he?"
Xiao Yanzhi: ...Are you guys ever going to stop?!
Is admitting defeat something to brag about?
These people are really something!
Given the current situation, otherwise I would definitely go up and confront that person.
Xiao Yanzhi: I'll endure it! I'll endure it!! I'll endure it all!!
Wang Chuanzong: Are you a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?
Xiao Yanzhi: I know you lost and are in a bad mood, so I won't argue with you.
...
Looking at Shen Mingzhu chatting and laughing across from him, Wang Chuanzong felt his head buzzing. The noise of everyone's discussion felt like slaps to his face.
Are we going to admit defeat?
This idea infuriated him!
He is the young master of the Langya Wang clan, educated by a great Confucian scholar from a young age, and has traveled extensively throughout the land since childhood. How could he possibly, how could he possibly!!
He looked at Shen Mingzhu, his expression growing increasingly grim.
After a short while, he spoke in a deep voice.
"Miss Shen, I am not talented enough to come up with a matching couplet! Please enlighten me."
Upon hearing this, Shen Mingzhu smiled and stood up.
"Brother Crown Prince, I'll have to trouble you again."
Crown Prince Yan Beichen felt as if he were bathed in a spring breeze and spoke with a smile.
"It would be my greatest honor!!!"
Then Shen Mingzhu spoke softly.
"The second line of this couplet is: 'Nine heavens above the summit, caves with clouds, cliffs with springs, pines with rustling waves, flowers, birds, forests and valleys with affection. Recalling eight years of hardship, traveling through passes and rivers, it is rare to find a place to rest in my hometown. Come and laugh at the golden and beautiful lakes and mountains.'"
Upon hearing the second line, Su Huaiyuan's eyes immediately lit up!
"Wonderful, wonderful!"
He studied it for a while, but it still felt like something was missing!
This time, it's finally complete!
Thinking of this, he quickly wrote it down.
Wang Chuanzong's lips trembled as he listened to Shen Mingzhu's second line of the couplet. He seemed to have been stimulated by something and stood there frozen without saying a word.
She actually got it right!
He really lost!
No, he still has a chance!
After a moment, he looked up at Shen Mingzhu and spoke with a smile.
"Miss Chen, here's what I'll do: I'll give you another first line of a couplet. If you can match it, you win this round!"
"Okay?"
Shen Mingzhu nodded with a smile.
Wang Chuanzong: "Miss Shen, take this!"
My first line is: Five hundred miles of Dianchi Lake rush into view, with my robe open and headband hanging down, I am filled with joy, the vastness is boundless!
Behold the majestic steeds soaring in the east, the auspicious phoenixes fluttering in the west, the winding dragons running north, and the white cranes flying south; why not choose a scenic spot to ascend and admire them, esteemed scholars and refined gentlemen?
Taking advantage of the crab-shaped islets and snail-shaped sandbars, they combed their hair and tresses like wind-blown hair and misty tresses, and further adorned the duckweed-covered sky and reed-covered land with emerald feathers and crimson clouds.
Let us not waste the fragrant rice fields all around, the vast expanse of sunny sand, the lotus blossoms of summer, and the willows of spring.
This is a couplet in parallel prose. Parallel prose usually consists of four or six characters per line, with perfect antithesis and harmonious rhythm.
Wang Chuanzong gently shook his folding fan. This must be the longest and most difficult couplet in the Great Yan Dynasty.
Doesn't Shen Mingzhu like to write long couplets?
He gave her the longest couplet ever, and even he doesn't know what the second line is to this day.
Not only did he not know, but his master didn't know either. Haha, he was certain that Shen Mingzhu wouldn't be able to match it up, and he was sure to win this round!
As soon as Wang Chuanzong uttered the first line of the couplet, the entire hall of Tianxiang Tower fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.
Huh?
[Guagua, this couplet seems a bit difficult!]
[Host, you can do it!]
When Crown Prince Yan Beichen heard Shen Mingzhu say it was difficult, his brows immediately furrowed.
He quickly came up with the matching line in his mind, hoping to help her win this round.
Shen Changyuan also gave his four sons a look, urging them to think of something quickly.
Especially Shen Qinghong, as the eldest son, who is going to take the imperial examination this year, must come up with a matching couplet!
Otherwise, you'll be punished according to family rules when you get back home!