Chapter 25

Listening to Lu Zheng's flattering words, Pan Zhiwo did not agree, but he also did not show any modesty. He then leaned close to Lu Zheng's ear and whispered a few words.

Upon hearing this, Lu Zheng was instantly overjoyed, clapping his hands and exclaiming, "Brother Lu is indeed the top scholar of this county! This couplet is well-matched!"

With that, Lu Zheng hurriedly came to the table, rolled up his sleeves, and swiftly wrote down the second half of the couplet. As the second half slowly unfurled, everyone looked up to see the eleven characters written on the scroll:

"Rivers and seas surge, turbulent waves, floating and sinking!"

Ye Yu raised his eyes and was delighted, not because Pan Zhiwo's second half was poorly matched, but because he never expected this bumbling Lu Zheng to have such good handwriting, which was truly beyond his expectations.

Once Lu Zheng's second half was hung up, it immediately drew many praises. The first half of the couplet, with its eleven characters, all contained the radical 'door,' while the second half was all about the radical 'water.'

After reading Pan Zhiwo's second half, Ye Yu did not comment, remaining silent and drinking his wine.

Lu Zheng, feeling self-satisfied, bowed to the crowd with a smile, enjoying their praise.

Then they waited for the next person to come forward to match the second half, but after a long wait, no one else could match it. Even those who tried were far off the mark.

Finally, Lu Zheng, unable to contain his impatience, shouted at Xiao Huan, "Since no one can match the second half, I am the only winner today! Quickly go and bring out your young miss!"

Although the crowd could not match the second half and looked disappointed, Lu Zheng's words echoed their thoughts.

Even if they were not the winners, they could at least catch a glimpse of the courtesan, which was better than nothing. Thus, the crowd began to cheer, causing a commotion.

The madam, seeing this, was not at all nervous; instead, she was delighted. The more enthusiastic the crowd, the better her business would be.

She quickly signaled Xiao Huan to go upstairs and ask Liu Qianyu.

Thump, thump, thump!

Following the madam's instructions, Xiao Huan hurried upstairs to report.

At this moment, the most pleased person in the hall was Lu Zheng. Although this was just the first round and did not guarantee he would eventually meet Liu Qianyu, he had already taken the lead with no rivals. With Pan Zhiwo's support, winning the next two rounds would be a sure thing.

"Brother Pan, it seems I need to read more books. Not to mention the imperial exams, even in the pleasure quarters, literary skills are indispensable!"

Lu Zheng glanced around at the others and said with disdain, "Look at these so-called literati and scholars; they are far inferior to Brother Pan!"

Pan Zhiwo, however, disagreed and modestly replied, "Brother Lu, you are mistaken. Learning is endless, and one should not be arrogant. If Brother Ye were to participate, I would be the one who falls short!"

After saying this, Pan Zhiwo glanced at Ye Yu. Although his words were modest, he never looked down on Ye Yu.

Although he had never seen Ye Yu write poetry, after their conversation in the wine shop, discussing classics, philosophy, astronomy, and geography, Ye Yu had left a deep and unfathomable impression on him.

" Him? Just him?" Lu Zheng pointed at Ye Yu, looking surprised.

Then he laughed and continued, "Brother Pan, don't joke with me. I believe he can only talk big!"

"Even talking big is better than your clumsy attempts. Brother Ye is here to chat with Brother Pan, not to participate in your literary games. Please be more respectful, Lord Lu!"

Although Ye Yu did not want to provoke Lu Zheng, he was annoyed by his sarcastic remarks. Why couldn't he just speak nicely? Was it really true that a dog's mouth can't produce ivory?

However, Ye Yu's words were like a fuse, and with a few drinks in him, Lu Zheng sneered at Ye Yu, "Be more respectful? Did I say anything wrong? Everyone knows you, Ye Yu, are good at talking big. How have I wronged you? Saying you don't want to participate is just an excuse for your incompetence! Hmph!"

"Lord Lu, if I am incompetent, then you are even worse. At least I don't need someone to help me with my poetry!"

If it came to debating, Ye Yu had never feared anyone.

"You!..."

Feeling the crowd's attention, Lu Zheng, with a grim face, suppressed his anger and said, "Fine! Ye Yu, since you've said this much, let's have another round. If you win today, I will apologize and offer a thousand taels of silver. If you lose, the same applies. Do you dare?"

"Seems fair! Brother Pan, you heard everything, right? This is not my provocation!"

"Since that's the case, Brother Ye, there's no need to decline!"

Pan Zhiwo did not expect the situation to escalate to this point. He wanted to mediate, but seeing the two really at odds, he decided to let it be.

Moreover, he wanted to test Ye Yu's true abilities.

"Alright! I'll give it a try!" Ye Yu said, calling over a nearby dancer.

"Miss, please write down the second half for me..." Ye Yu intended to finish his sentence, but he was interrupted by the dancer's soft hands, which made him shiver.

"Little master, if you wish, I'll do more than just write for you..." The delicate woman leaned close to Ye Yu, her lips near his ear, whispering softly.

These words made Ye Yu, who usually kept his emotions in check, blush slightly. He glanced away, thinking, "This place is truly a sea of temptation, where one can easily lose oneself."

The dancer, dressed in a light, seductive robe, especially the red rose embroidered on her chest, tightly wrapped around her prominent curves, made even the composed Ye Yu feel a bit dry-mouthed.

He cleared his throat and told the dancer the second half of the couplet.

"Mai'er has noted it down. Little master, I'll visit you to make clothes. You must measure me carefully and let me enjoy your craftsmanship..."

Her voice was sweet and captivating, making Ye Yu quickly turn his face away.

Ye Yu's intention in having Mai'er write for him was to avoid showing his poor handwriting. Although he had practiced calligraphy for the past half year, it was not something that could be mastered quickly.

Before his calligraphy improved, it was better not to embarrass himself. Moreover, with Lu Zheng's well-written couplet, if he wrote poorly, it would only make him lose face.

Since he did not want to embarrass himself, and Guo Xiaotian outside the door was not literate, and having Pan Zhiwo write it might make Lu Zheng不服 (unconvinced), he decided to find a random dancer in the hall to write for him.

He thought that in a pleasure quarter, while not all women were talented, most could at least read and write.

However, what Ye Yu did not expect was that this dancer named Mai'er not only knew how to write but was also very seductive. After writing the second half, she returned and sat close to Ye Yu, unwilling to leave.

Ye Yu tried to persuade her to leave multiple times, but her persistence made him feel helpless.

Meanwhile, the second half written by Mai'er was slowly hung up, and everyone's attention was drawn to it. When Pan Zhiwo saw Ye Yu's second half, his eyes never left it.

The scroll read:

"Guests lodge, lonely windows, guarding the inn in peace."

These eleven characters were repeated by the crowd, and the hall fell into a brief silence. Initially, some did not think much of the couplet.

However, the more they pondered, the more they realized how well the second half matched the first.

Even Pan Zhiwo, an expert in the field, was stunned. He immediately recognized the brilliance of the second half.

"The first half describes a woman in her chamber, hearing noise outside and opening the door to inquire.

The second half continues this beautifully, describing a woman lodging at a guesthouse, though lonely and isolated, she should remain within to avoid trouble and stay safe. Ingenious!"

"Yes! The two halves are seamlessly connected, capturing the woman's curiosity and the wisdom of staying safe. Truly remarkable, blending emotion and scenery!"

"..."

Although the crowd could not match the couplet, they could still appreciate its quality. The second half received unanimous praise, with everyone agreeing it was the perfect match.

"Brother Ye's second half is truly remarkable! If Brother Pan's was only similar in form, Brother Ye's has both form and spirit..."

Pan Zhiwo shook his head, his expression complex, "Impressive, impressive!"

"Yes, the two halves tell a story, with the second half surpassing the first in depth!"

"Indeed! This couplet is both form and spirit, truly rare!"

"..."

Following Pan Zhiwo's praise, the crowd's admiration grew louder. The most sullen face belonged to Lu Zheng.

He did not expect Ye Yu to match the second half so perfectly, which greatly diminished his confidence. He drank his wine in frustration.

"Ye Yu, don't get too cocky. This first round only required matching the second half, not determining a winner. So this round is a tie!"

Ye Yu gave a cold smile, tapping the table rhythmically, and said softly, "Lord Lu, I will take that thousand taels! The best is yet to come!"