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墨書 Inktalez
With the nation at peace, the noble house enjoys wealth and honor!
As the heavens age together, the family of scholars upholds virtue and morality!
This couplet was penned by Ji Xiaolan, a scholar of the Qing Dynasty, for the Qufu Kong Family, and it is truly exceptional. Jiang Han made slight modifications to the latter half and presented it to the Langya Wangfu, where military prowess meets literary virtue. The Qufu Kong Family is a sacred place for scholars and has been passed down through generations. In contrast, Langya Wangfu stands as the leader of military forces, also enjoying peace with the nation, thus perfectly matching the sentiment!
As for the phrase about wealth and honor, it aligns well with Langya Wangfu; there is no doubt about that. The term "noble house" refers not to a duke's residence but to a family of power and influence. This clever use of language ensures that this couplet resonates harmoniously from any perspective.
With the nation at peace, the noble house enjoys wealth and honor!
As the heavens age together, military prowess meets literary virtue!
Su Qianxue could not help but be astonished, her eyes wide in surprise as she looked at Jiang Han. " Shopkeeper Jiang, your literary talent is truly remarkable!" She had thought that Shopkeeper Jiang's poetry stemmed from some mysterious force behind him. Yet now, Shopkeeper Jiang had effortlessly composed such a timeless couplet; he was indeed a literary sage.
After pondering this, she turned to Ninth Princess and Mu Jinkun, smiling as she asked, "What about you two?"
The Ninth Princess shot a sharp glance, unwilling to acknowledge how excellent Jiang Han's couplet was, unable to utter a word. After all, she was a princess! She had to maintain her dignity! Thus, she could only look toward Mu Jinkun.
Mu Jinkun was left dumbfounded, thinking to himself, "You come out swinging with a killer move; what am I supposed to do?" Both couplets were based on Langya Wangfu as their theme. Just look at your couplet—while it matches with peace for the nation, it elevates Langya Prince to celestial heights! I can't even think of words that could possibly surpass yours!
Seeing Mu Jinkun in a daze, Jiang Han couldn't help but sneer. This couplet is hailed as the best in five hundred years from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. To this day, it still adorns the entrance of the Qufu Kong Family! Over these five hundred years, nearly a hundred Top Scholars have emerged who would not dare claim that their poetic talents could surpass this couplet.
Mu Jinkun! It's your turn!
Su Qianxue spoke without reservation, her eyes revealing an air of absolute clarity. The Ninth Princess also signaled to Mu Jinkun with her gaze, urging him on, "Aren't you the Top Scholar? Hurry up and make your move! If you don't act soon, you'll embarrass yourself."
"I am the Top Scholar!" Mu Jinkun thought, feeling overwhelmed. The couplet before him clearly exceeded his level! A thousand thoughts raced through his mind, but he found himself at a loss for words. Faced with the intimidating gaze of the Ninth Princess and the cold stare from Su Qianxue, not to mention Jiang Han's mocking expression, he was rendered speechless.
"Everyone, let's have something to eat first!" Hong Qianjun interjected, trying to ease the tension as the dishes were served. He could see that his disciple was struggling, but it was more than just Jiang Han.
However, no one paid attention to Hong Qianjun's words; Jiang Han, Su Qianxue, and Cen Ya all focused their attention on Mu Jinkun.
Yan Dong crossed her arms and complained, "Come on, this is the Xia Guo Wen Zhuang Yuan! How can he not even write a couplet?"
"Yan Dong, he's a Wen Zhuangyuan, not a reincarnated literary star," Piao Xue Princess chimed in with a sarcastic tone.
"Come on, sisters! Just look at this couplet by Shopkeeper Jiang; it's clearly of exceptional quality! Perhaps Mu Zhuangyuan just needs a bit more time. Let's give him two more minutes!" Ling Xue suggested, seemingly trying to help Mu Jinkun but actually pushing him further into a corner.
Under the table, the Ninth Princess kept pinching Mu Jinkun's thigh, her eyes brimming with urgency as she stared at him intently. "You need to write a couplet! Why are you just sitting there? Weren't you the one who wanted to challenge? If you don’t come up with something soon, I’ll be embarrassed too!"
Mu Jinkun felt a deep frustration; he realized that Jiang Han's couplet was beyond his capabilities. At this moment, the best strategy seemed to be silence—no words or answers. After all, any couplet he wrote would likely pale in comparison to Jiang Han's.
Yet that Langya Prince’s adopted daughter had given him a two-minute time limit—what an absurd situation! "Mu Zhuangyuan," she pressed on, "you are also a Wen Zhuangyuan! Why do you need so long to think?"
Su Qianxue applied further pressure with her words: "If you can't come up with something in two minutes, then it counts as your loss."
Upon hearing this, the Ninth Princess tightened her grip on Mu Jinkun's thigh even more. Hong Qianjun’s anxious expression mirrored the gravity of the situation; this was no longer just about personal revenge!
Five out of three wins!
The outcome could determine the status of the Xia Guo Literary Circle and also affect the Xia Kingdom's pressure on the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Mu Jinkun noticed that everyone at the table was looking at him, and he could no longer feel the pain in his thigh, likely due to being pinched by the Ninth Princess. He could only display a helpless expression.
Jiang Han crossed his arms and stared at Mu Jinkun, not giving him a chance to escape. "You are indeed a Wen Zhuangyuan, but my collection of poetry is filled with timeless classics. For a thousand years, so many Wen Zhuangyuan have failed to surpass poetry. You think you can compete with me alone?"
Soon, two minutes passed!
When the Ninth Princess looked at Mu Jinkun again, her eyes were filled with complex emotions—three parts disappointment, three parts hatred, and four parts confusion and unwillingness.
Mu Jinkun sighed and lowered his head, just as he was about to say something. Suddenly, a bottle of liquor appeared on the table in front of him, brought over by Jiang Han.
Jiang Han chuckled and said, "Drink up! One bottle, down in one go! If you stop halfway, it doesn’t count; you’ll have to drink again!"
"Can we take it easy?" Mu Jinkun hesitated. "This just started; let me eat some food first."
He looked at the bottle of over fifty-degree liquor and recalled the painful scene from when he had to down three bottles before.
Jiang Han smirked as he watched Mu Jinkun. "This bottle is seven hundred fifty milliliters—one and a half jin. A seasoned drinker can handle maybe two bottles at most; any more could be life-threatening! Last time I made you drink three bottles and didn’t kill you! This time, I’ll make sure you drink five; if you don’t die from that, it’ll be surprising!"
" Shopkeeper Jiang, take it easy!"
"I just saw that braised lion's head dish come out; let me eat a bit first to line my stomach."
Mu Jinkun forced a smile and reached for his chopsticks to grab some food, hoping to delay for a moment longer.
But Jiang Han directly took the chopsticks from him and said earnestly, "No, you drink first! Unless you think your Xia Kingdom's scholars can't handle it; then you can skip drinking, and we won’t need to discuss the Xia Guo Literary Circle exam anymore!"
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