“Wonderful…”
As the melody ended, thunderous applause erupted in the hall, with cheers rising one after another.
“Du Niang has outdone herself.” The courtesan stood up and gave a graceful bow to the guests around her.
Su Wencai said, “Du Niang’s zither skills are divine, the lingering notes circle the rafters and will not fade even after three days.”
Li Zihao said, “This melody should only exist in the heavens. How many times can we mortals be blessed to hear it?”
Wang Lun said, “Du Niang’s music is like sweet spring water and fine wine. I was completely intoxicated.”
The three young lords each offered praise, flattering Du Niang until she beamed with joy.
Bootlickers… Ji Huaian inwardly despised them.
However, Du Niang’s guqin skills were indeed impressive. Even though he did not understand much about music, he knew it was extremely difficult to play the guqin well. Without years of bitter practice, it would be impossible to produce such beautiful music.
“You gentlemen flatter me. It is Du Niang’s honor that my music was pleasing to your ears…”
With a charming smile, Du Niang turned to everyone and said, “Thank you all for your appreciation. Next, I will be hosting tonight’s poetry contest. Whoever wins the title of Poetry Champion, Du Niang will personally entertain him tonight. We shall drink and talk poetry together.”
“Great!”
Cheers rang out again.
Du Niang motioned with her hand, and two servants immediately removed the guqin and carried a desk onto the center of the stage. Several maids quickly arranged brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
“Du Niang, same rules as always?” a young lord asked.
Du Niang nodded. “Yes, the rules are the same as before.”
The rules of the poetry contest were simple. First, someone would set a topic. Normally, the host of the contest would set the first theme. After the topic was announced, everyone had a quarter-hour to compose a poem. Anyone who finished within the time could go on stage to write it down. After the incense burned out, all poems would be collected and judged, then the first place of the round would be chosen.
The first place winner was not yet the Poetry Champion, but simply qualified to set the topic for the second round.
The contest would last three rounds. The second round’s winner would set the third round’s topic. After three rounds, three first-place poems would appear. From those three, the best poem would be selected, and its author would become the Poetry Champion.
“Same as always, please let Du Niang give the first topic,” Su Wencai said.
“Yes, please let Du Niang decide.”
Everyone agreed.
“In that case, Du Niang will not refuse politely…”
Du Niang walked slowly, smiled, and said, “Today is the fifteenth. The full moon hangs in the sky. Let the first round theme be ‘Moon’.”
To avoid awkward silence, the first round topic was usually simple. After all, which Jiangnan scholar had not written at least a few poems about the moon?
Naturally, everyone agreed.
Maid Ping’er lit an incense stick and placed it into the incense burner to start timing.
“Haha, let me take the lead in this first round.”
In only a few breaths, a thin young lord stepped onto the stage and began writing. Du Niang stood beside him, watching.
“Young Lord Liu, what fine literary grace. Please return and wait,” Du Niang smiled.
As soon as Liu stepped down, another person went up.
Writing a poem about the moon was clearly not difficult for these scholars. One after another, young lords stepped up to write. Sun Xiucai also went up to write one.
Ji Huaian naturally had no interest in participating. He glanced at Qian Duoduo beside him, who was still racking his brain anxiously, scratching his head in frustration. Ji Huaian couldn’t help but find it amusing.
Before long, almost everyone who intended to participate had already written their poems. The incense was nearly burned out.
“Time is almost up. Is there anyone else who wishes to go up?”
Du Niang asked casually, glancing toward Ji Huaian’s table. Meeting the shining eyes of the Young Marquis, she gave him a charming smile.
Ji Huaian instantly felt a tingling numbness run through him, like being struck by electricity.
This woman’s gaze could steal a man’s soul.
Thinking of how the Poetry Champion tonight could share a spring night with Du Niang, Ji Huaian felt restless.
“Wait, I’ve thought of something!”
Under countless disdainful gazes, Qian Duoduo rushed onto the stage and hurriedly began writing.
This little fatty, huh?
Ji Huaian was surprised. But then he noticed Du Niang watching beside the desk, and her expression gradually became rather strange.
What in the world is this fatty writing? Ji Huaian became curious.
Soon, Qian Duoduo finished. At the exact same moment, the incense burned out.
“Du Niang, how is my poem?” Qian Duoduo grinned.
“Ahem… quite good, Young Lord Qian, please return.” Du Niang’s smile looked a bit awkward.
Qian Duoduo happily returned.
The evaluation then began. Sixteen young lords participated in the first round, producing sixteen poems. Maids displayed each poem one by one for everyone to read and critique.
“Bright moon over green mountains, slim sky above West Lake… this is good.”
“Poor moon in the heavens, refusing to descend to the mortal world… this one has great artistic imagery as well.”
The talented scholars commented one by one.
When they reached the last poem, a young lord suddenly spat out the wine he had just drunk.
The hall fell silent for a few seconds, then erupted into roaring laughter.
Ji Huaian couldn’t help but look over. On the paper was written: “The fifteenth moon is very round, Jiangnan girls are very sweet. At Zuìhuā Tower’s poetry contest, win the champion and hug the courtesan.”
“Vulgar, you call this a poem?”
“With this level, daring to come on stage to write poetry, utterly shameless!”
“I’m dying of laughter. Who wrote this? Come out and let us see you.”
Mockery filled the hall.
None of the poems were signed, mainly to avoid bias in voting. Ji Huaian tried his best not to laugh and looked toward Qian Duoduo, whose face had turned red with embarrassment.
No need to guess, it was definitely this little fatty.
What a talent! Ji Huaian nudged him and gave him a thumbs up.
“Annoying…” Qian Duoduo glared back. Ji Huaian instantly got goosebumps.
“Young Lord Qian, that poem wasn’t written by you, was it?” Wang Lun laughed.
As soon as he said that, everyone looked at Qian Duoduo. Since he was the last to go on stage and already had a reputation as useless, everyone immediately guessed.
“Haha, besides Young Lord Qian, who else could write such ridiculous nonsense?”
“Writing poetry is the work of scholars. Young Lord Qian should not join in and waste our time.”
They mocked endlessly. Qian Duoduo’s face turned green with humiliation. This little fatty really didn’t understand his limits. Ji Huaian shook his head.
“Gentlemen, please begin voting,” Du Niang spoke up to rescue him.
The results came out quickly. A poem titled “Stepping on the Moon” won unanimous approval and was chosen as first place.
The poem read: “By West Lake willows scatter like flowers, in the silent night crows perch on branches. A night traveler steps upon frost, lifting his head to see the bright moon shining upon homes.”
“Du Niang, who wrote this poem?” a scholar asked.
Du Niang smiled. “This ‘Stepping on the Moon’ was written by Young Lord Su. Since everyone approves, Du Niang announces Young Lord Su as the winner of the first round.”
Su Wencai proudly stood up, cupped his hands, and said, “Gentlemen, I accept your kindness… thank you all.”
“Young Lord Su truly has great poetic talent.”
“As expected from someone ranked top three among the young lords.”
“Well deserved victory!”
Praise echoed everywhere.
At that moment, Su Wencai suddenly turned toward Qian Duoduo and mocked, “Young Lord Qian, one must know their limits. Learn from the Young Marquis. If you don’t know how to write poetry, sit down and drink quietly instead of wasting our time.”
While speaking, he deliberately looked at Ji Huaian.
Damn it! When did I provoke you?
Seeing Su Wencai’s contemptuous gaze, the Young Marquis was instantly furious.