"Lord Li, I do not appreciate your words. We are both officials in the same court, holding equal status. Even though I, Xue, am new to officialdom, His Majesty has been quite satisfied with my contributions to state affairs during these past days. How is it that I am found wanting in your eyes?"
Xue Jin said with a cold laugh. "Could it be that Lord Li believes he is more capable than His Majesty?"
Li Fengsheng’s face immediately turned cold, but he maintained his composure. "Lord Xue, your words are too severe! It is best we stick to the matter at hand!"
He cast a cold glance in Qin Yun's direction and said dismissively, "Since Lord Xue and I have differing opinions, let us hear Duke Qin's counter-couplet!"
Li Fengsheng did not believe Qin Yun could come up with a response. The opening couplet, in his opinion, was utter nonsense, a complete jumble!
Xue Jin also turned his gaze to Qin Yun!
If Qin Yun could not match the couplet he had presented, he would be unable to help him then!
"Duke Qin, this is the couplet you presented. Since no one present can compose a counter-couplet, you shall tell us your response! If you can, then the second round is yours!"
Li Fengsheng desperately wanted to object, but he had just confronted Xue Jin! If he were to find fault again, it would seem unreasonable. He could only hope that Qin Yun would fail to produce a response.
"Yes, Your Lordship!" Qin Yun replied respectfully, then turned, took two steps, and moved to the center of the venue.
"Are there any in the field who can complete this counter-couplet? Let it not be said that I, Qin Yun, did not give everyone a chance!"
All the scholars began to murmur, believing that Qin Yun was stalling for time.
"Qin Yun, hurry up and give your response! Don't dawdle!"
"Yes! You can't possibly have an answer, can you? This is the couplet you presented!"
"I think this person truly cannot answer, yet dares to boast!"
"Shameless! You can't answer now, can you? Don't expect us to lend a hand!"
Hearing the surrounding scholars speak ill of Qin Yun, Li Fengsheng's expression finally softened!
He turned to Xue Jin beside him and said, "Lord Xue, let us watch with anticipation!"
"..."
Xue Jin remained silent, his eyes fixed on Qin Yun, who was dressed in red that day, completely ignoring Li Fengsheng beside him!
Li Fengsheng, having been met with a cold shoulder, felt his already eased mood worsen considerably!
"Hmph."
He snorted and ceased to pay attention to Xue Jin.
Su Qingwen, seeing that Qin Yun had not yet responded and that the scholars around him were casting him disapproving glances, felt a flicker of balance in his heart.
"Since no one can match it, I shall not be modest!"
Then, Qin Yun calmly said, "Smell the wind, the wind stops, stops to smell the wind, carriages and boats stop to smell the wind, blowing and whistling, smelling, smelling, smelling."
As soon as the words fell!
Jie Jing'an, not far away, clapped his hands and shouted, "Excellent! Qin Yun, you are magnificent!"
He had initially thought Qin Yun was truly incapable, but he hadn't expected this thin and small young man to be so talented!
No wonder he was unfazed even when matched against a formidable opponent like Su Qingwen; it turned out he didn't even consider Su Qingwen a challenge!
At this moment, even Ouyang Siqing, who had looked worried among the scholars, slowly relaxed and joined Jie Jing'an in clapping and cheering!
"Duke Qin is indeed formidable!" Ouyang Siqing said with a smile. But as soon as he finished speaking, he saw Qin Yun look in his direction!
Seeing Qin Yun smile and nod at him, Ouyang Siqing returned the smile and nod.
This scene was observed by Jie Jing'an.
He would glance at Qin Yun for a moment!
Then he would turn his head to look at Ouyang Siqing!
Scratching his head, he wondered when these two had become so close!
He had just clapped and cheered so loudly, yet Qin Yun hadn't even acknowledged him, not even a glance in response. Jie Jing'an felt a pang of imbalance in his heart.
"Duke Qin has responded excellently! I did not expect Duke Qin's talent to be so profound. I, Xue, am impressed!" Xue Jin praised Qin Yun directly, giving him ample recognition!
"Thank you for your kind words, Lord Xue. This student has merely displayed his humble efforts!" Qin Yun replied respectfully.
Li Fengsheng sneered. "Duke Qin is quite the hidden talent! A person with such cunning and deep schemes, even if he enters officialdom in the future, will not win the Emperor's favor!"
Qin Yun smiled. "I shall not trouble Lord Li with such concerns!" Saying this, Qin Yun cast a devilish glance at Li Fengsheng, then turned to Su Qingwen in front of him and said, "Young Master Su, you have lost!"
Lost?
Su Qingwen stood frozen on the spot, as if struck by lightning!
His body swayed, and he took a step back!
He hadn't expected Qin Yun to actually produce a counter-couplet, and one that was flawless!
This time! Su Qingwen looked at Qin Yun with a serious gaze!
He had underestimated Qin Yun. He had thought Qin Yun was truly the good-for-nothing he was rumored to be, but the rumors were clearly not true!
He had lost in the second round, which was unprecedented!
How would he explain this to his father upon returning?
"I concede defeat!" Su Qingwen said, closing his eyes in shame.
The scholars in the field gasped, looking at the two people in the center with disbelieving eyes!
Especially those who had privately bet on Qin Yun to lose were now weeping uncontrollably!
The third round!
Impromptu poetry!
Due to the elimination in the second round, there were still over a hundred people participating in the third round!
These hundred-plus scholars stood in two neat rows!
Those facing each other would pose questions and test each other!
Only the victor could then proceed to challenge the next victor!
This continued until only thirty people remained on the field!
At this point, two adjudicators would pose the questions, Li Fengsheng and Xue Jin, each being allowed to contribute one question!
The remaining thirty scholars began composing poems, with each required to write two poems!
These thirty scholars were all renowned talents in the capital, naturally excluding Qin Yun, and a young boy, Wei Xiaochang, the illegitimate son of the Wei household! This was Wei Xiaochang's first time participating in a poetry competition. In previous years, due to the suppression from the main branch and Wei Maoran's constant need for attention, Wei Xiaochang had no standing in the Wei household.
It was only this time, because Wei Maoran was unable to participate, and Lord Wei did not want to miss the opportunity, that Wei Xiaochang was reluctantly allowed to enter and try his luck!
In the final competition of the third round, Wei Xiaochang composed his poems with great care!
He repeatedly thought in his heart, not to disappoint his mother and father! Not to shame the Wei family!
Because he was an illegitimate son, Wei Xiaochang had to work incredibly hard in his daily life to appear somewhat useful and to hopefully gain a sliver of attention from his father!
Madam Fang was able to enter the Wei mansion due to Wei Chengong's indiscretion while drunk, which resulted in Wei Xiaochang's birth.
It was also the old madam of the Wei family who, seeing the Wei mansion's lack of male heirs, allowed the pregnant Madam Fang to enter the estate.
Therefore, Wei Xiaochang's sudden arrival was not met with much importance!
Qin Yun, on the other hand, was different!
In the venue, each person had a table, a brush, ink, and an inkstone. Only two sheets of paper were allowed!
No modifications or redraws were permitted midway!
It had to be completed in one go!
Everyone was diligently lowering their heads to compose poetry, while Qin Yun unhurriedly played with the brush in his hand.
Li Fengsheng, seeing that Qin Yun had not yet picked up his brush to write, cast a disdainful look.
Only Xue Jin knew that Qin Yun already had the answer in his heart!
When half the time had passed, Qin Yun finally began to write his poems.