Shen Moyuan cleared his throat lightly as he stood up, smoothing his sleeves before slightly raising his head. He began pacing slowly with his hands clasped behind his back, adopting a thoughtful posture.
After taking exactly seven steps, he paused and recited the poem he had selected from his mind.
As the last verse faded, the audience who had been listening intently suddenly brightened.
“Marvelous! Minister Shen’s talent is truly exceptional!”
“Indeed, we can hardly compare to such brilliance!”
“Minister Shen has added another timeless masterpiece!”
“Comparing Minister Shen’s poem with Scholar Shao’s is like comparing heaven and earth!”
“Excellent poem! Truly excellent!”
“Absolutely! Minister Shen’s poetic genius is unmatched!”
“For such an extraordinary work to be composed in just seven steps—Minister Shen’s talent overflows and his wit is remarkably sharp!”
“Hearing Minister Shen’s poem today, I feel as if these aren’t verses meant for mortal ears, but rather compositions by the celestial God of Literature himself. Truly astonishing!”
Amid the chorus of praise, everyone’s gaze instinctively turned toward the source of such flattering words, revealing a scholar dressed in luxurious robes holding a folding fan, his face wearing an ingratiating expression. They immediately recognized him as Chen Yunhe, the son of a wealthy merchant.
In their hearts, the crowd couldn’t help but mutter: What a bootlicker!
Basking in the adulation, Shen Moyuan struggled to suppress the corners of his mouth from curling upward, forcing himself to maintain a humble appearance.
Meanwhile, Sun Heqing, seated in the host’s position, furrowed his brows in contemplation. Whether it was his imagination or not, he felt that Shao Yanzhe’s earlier poem bore an uncanny resemblance to Shen Moyuan’s current one. The phrasing and construction showed noticeable similarities, yet upon closer examination, Shao Yanzhe’s poem demonstrated greater maturity and sophistication, with a more profound and expansive artistic conception than Shen Moyuan’s.
Just as Shen Moyuan’s vanity was about to reach its peak, Shao Yanzhe stepped forward and spoke, interrupting the stream of compliments.
“Minister Shen’s poem is absolutely exquisite, particularly the final line which captures the essence perfectly. It not only conveys longing for family but also expresses boundless hope for future official prospects.”
Hearing these words, the other scholars felt goosebumps rising on their arms. This person was even more shameless than Chen Yunhe—actually offering on-the-spot interpretations!
Shen Moyuan finally failed to control his smile, allowing a somewhat self-satisfied grin to appear as he nodded slightly toward Shao Yanzhe. Just as he was about to offer some modest remarks, Shao Yanzhe interrupted him again.
Shen Moyuan’s brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of displeasure crossing his heart.
“However…” Shao Yanzhe raised his hands in a salute to the crowd, his face showing hesitation. “I once happened to acquire a poetry collection, and the poem Minister Shen just composed is included within it.”
The moment these words were spoken, the entire Luming Banquet fell into dead silence.
All the scholars turned to stare at Shao Yanzhe, their pupils trembling with shock at his revelation.
Shen Moyuan’s curled fingers twitched slightly before his face darkened. “What does Top Candidate Shao mean by this? Are you suggesting I plagiarized?”
Shao Yanzhe saluted him respectfully. “I wouldn’t dare make such an accusation. However, the poem you just recited is indeed one I’ve seen in a poetry collection. Coincidentally, I have this collection with me, allowing Minister Shen to verify whether it might have been inadvertently circulated by you.”
As he spoke, he retrieved a slightly yellowed book from his sleeve.
Shen Moyuan was about to reach for it when a hand snatched it away first.
“Let this lord have a look first!”
Zhou Jiming, acting like a typical spoiled noble, grabbed the poetry collection and began flipping through it.
When he reached the poem with identical content to the one Shen Moyuan had just composed, he looked up at Shen Moyuan with suspicion in his eyes.
Shen Moyuan’s breath hitched. That gaze made his scalp tingle all over.
Stay calm!
Yun Weiyue never left behind any poetry collection back then!
The collection in Shao Yanzhe’s hands must be fake!
Thinking this, he looked at Zhou Jiming with a cold gleam in his eyes: “Lord Zhou, are you and Top Candidate Shao conspiring to slander this official?”
Zhou Jiming rolled his eyes at him. “Minister Shen, you’re overthinking it!”
After saying this, he finished flipping through the poetry collection, then closed it and handed it to Shen Moyuan. “Here, take it. See for yourself!”
Shen Moyuan glanced at the collection, took it, and began reading. When he saw the first poem, his pupils constricted abruptly. His lips trembled slightly before he pressed them together to maintain composure.
The handwriting in the collection was strikingly familiar. Having grown up with Yun Weiyue since childhood, he knew her penmanship intimately.
He recognized every one of the dozens of poems collected here—they were all verses Yun Weiyue had recited to him during their time together.
How could this be!
Just as Shen Moyuan’s thoughts were in turmoil, Shao Yanzhe spoke again: “Minister Shen, have you confirmed it? Does this poetry collection belong to you?”
Shen Moyuan paused briefly, glanced at the collection, then held it in his hand as his expression softened. “Indeed, this collection does belong to this official. It must have been carelessly circulated by a servant from my household.”
Shao Yanzhe: “So, all the poems in this collection were composed by you, Minister Shen?”
Shen Moyuan stared at him with darkened eyes, a hint of impatience showing. “Correct!”
Upon hearing this answer, Shao Yanzhe immediately smiled.
Seeing that smile, Shen Moyuan felt uneasy, sensing that the situation was slipping out of his control, making him want to flee immediately.
But Shao Yanzhe’s presence felt threatening and had cost him face at this Luming Banquet.
“Very well. In that case, this official must advise Scholar Shao not to speak recklessly without solid evidence, lest you bring trouble upon yourself.”
Having said this, Shen Moyuan prepared to leave, thinking that once he returned, he would find a way to eliminate Shao Yanzhe.
Unexpectedly, Shao Yanzhe said leisurely, “I never thought Minister Shen would admit to plagiarism!”
Shen Moyuan’s face turned livid with rage as he glared back. “When did this official admit to plagiarism? Top Candidate Shao, do not spew baseless accusations!”
Shao Yanzhe calmly pointed to the poetry collection in his hand. “Minister Shen, you may not have looked closely enough. The author of this poetry collection is Yunshang Jushi—Yun Weiyue, the nearly Six-time Champion and the first Nvzhuangyuan of Dayong’s first year.”
The first to object was none other than Chen Yunhe, who pointed at him with a folding fan. “What nonsense are you spouting! The Six-time Champion Zhuangyuan of Dayong’s first year was clearly Minister Shen!”
“That’s right, I remember distinctly—the first Six-time Champion Zhuangyuan in Dayong’s first year was Minister Shen!”
“Exactly! I also remember it was Minister Shen! Who is Yun Weiyue? Does anyone know her?”
“I don’t know her! Never even heard of her. Judging by the name, it should be a woman’s private name. I never expected Scholar Shao to expose it like this – he’s simply ruining her reputation!”
“A female Zhuangyuan? Has Scholar Shao gone mad? The laws of the Dayong Dynasty explicitly forbid women from taking the Imperial Exam. How could any woman have taken the exam and nearly become Zhuangyuan?”
“I’m well-versed in history, and I’ve never heard of the Dayong Dynasty ever permitting women to take the Imperial Exam!”
“What would women do taking exams? Women should uphold feminine virtues of gentleness and abide by female precepts of tranquility, honestly staying home to marry and bear children!”
“Exactly! Women without talent are virtuous – they don’t need imperial examinations at all!”
“I think Scholar Shao must be possessed by something, to be spouting such nonsense here!”
“Perhaps Scholar Shao’s memory has been altered by some ghostly entity, that’s why he speaks like this!”
Listening to the surrounding condemnation, Shao Yanzhe remained unmoved. He paid no attention to these people, instead keeping his gaze fixed on Shen Moyuan.
Seeing that Shen Moyuan remained silent, Shao Yanzhe chuckled lightly and said, “Could it be that Lord Shen has already forgotten your childhood sweetheart and wedded wife, Yun Weiyue?”
“Has your memory failed you?” Chen Yunhe interjected. “Lord Shen’s wife is the legitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue, not Yun Weiyue.”
“Correct! Lord Shen only has one wife. What relationship could there be between Yun Weiyue and Lord Shen?”
“Exactly! I think Scholar Shao’s mind must be damaged, otherwise why would everything he says today be so strange?”
“First a female Zhuangyuan, then accusing Lord Shen of plagiarism, and now claiming that this so-called Yun Weiyue was Lord Shen’s childhood sweetheart and wife – what utter nonsense!”
“If this Yun Weiyue was truly so remarkable, how could we not have heard of her literary reputation?”
“Exactly! I’ve never heard of her either!”
Shen Moyuan’s lips curved slightly. This was the work of that esteemed personage himself – erasing Yun Weiyue from everyone’s memories.
His fingertips brushed against the spider carving on his forearm. The uneven texture actually brought him great comfort. As long as it remained, no one could remember Yun Weiyue!
After a long pause, he finally spoke: “Scholar Shao, I don’t know who put you up to slandering me at this Luming Banquet, but I can tell you that I don’t know any Yun Weiyue, and the Dayong Dynasty has never permitted women to take the Imperial Exam!”
Shao Yanzhe smiled and once again drew from his sleeve a yellowed booklet. On its indigo blue cover was a square red seal bearing the words “Gaoyuan County Seal.”
“It’s the County Annals!”
The scholars present immediately recognized what he held in his hand – they had all consulted it before and were quite familiar with it.
Shao Yanzhe opened the County Annals, found the section recording Yun Weiyue from that year, and showed it to the crowd.
“Perhaps everyone should see for themselves. This clearly records information about Yun Weiyue, including mention of Shen Moyuan of the Shen family.”
Those standing close to him instinctively drew nearer. With a single glance, they saw that it indeed recorded the deeds of someone named Yun Weiyue, just as he had said.
[Yun family’s legitimate daughter, named Weiyue, could read characters at age three, compose poetry at five, and was skilled in writing essays by nine – her literary fame unparalleled in her time. At seventeen, she took the Imperial Exam, repeatedly achieving top scores. At eighteen, she married Moyuan of the Shen family. During the Metropolitan Exam, she again ranked first, astonishing contemporaries.]
Shao Yanzhe held the County Annals toward Shen Moyuan’s direction and said with a serious expression, “Lord Shen, I have not slandered you. The County Annals indeed record Yun Weiyue. Would you care to verify it yourself?”
Shen Moyuan’s face turned ashen. That wretched Mo Ying had dared to deceive him—she clearly claimed to have killed the person who stole the County Annals.
Could it be that she had betrayed him?