The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 388: Poetry Contest (Part )

Sun Chengzong called Jia Huan to his seat and encouraged him. The prefect of Yingtian Prefecture, Jia Yucun, also praised him. The co-examiner Mei Yucheng echoed a few words absent-mindedly, feeling very conflicted. Originally, his father-in-law Wang Ziteng asked him to do something to prevent Jia Huan from passing the exam. However, he was worried about being punished if the plan failed, and his conscience couldn't live with it, so he finally gave up and handed Jia Huan's exam paper to the chief examiner Sun Chengzong. Based on the quality of Jia Huan's exam paper, Mei Yucheng had already predicted that he would get first place. As expected, Sun Chengzong really picked Jia Huan as the top scholar.

After the new candidates paid their respects to the chief examiner, the Deer Singing Banquet officially began. They first recited the "Deer Singing" from the Book of Songs, "Deer calling, eating wild duckweed", and then danced the Kuixing Dance, which immediately set the atmosphere into high gear.

"The emperor values ​​heroes, and he teaches you to write. All things are inferior, only reading is superior. You must study hard when you are young, and writing can establish you. The whole court is full of scholars, who learn knowledge through diligence, and read thousands of books by the window... Others carry swords, but I have a pen as sharp as a knife. In the morning, I am a farmer, and in the evening, I am in the emperor's palace..."

This poem "Poem of a Child Prodigy" which encourages diligent study is very familiar to everyone here. We have memorized it since elementary school. Reading it again now, the newly-appointed scholars here are all very excited, especially the poor students, who could not help but burst into tears and even cried bitterly. After more than ten years of hard study, they have finally paid off. They have become juren and achieved a class leap, which has changed their destiny from then on.

At this moment, in this situation, Jia Huan couldn't help but have tears in his eyes. Although he had traveled to this world of the Red Mansion for less than ten years, in order to get rid of the constraints of the Jia family and take control of his own destiny, he resolutely chose the path of imperial examinations and paid countless hardships, especially the three years of mourning, thousands of days and nights, studying hard in the thatched cottage in the deserted village regardless of the scorching heat or the cold winter. Those years of wind and rain are really unforgettable to this day.

"You see, a prime minister must employ scholars. Don't say that Confucian scholars are misleading, poetry and books will not let people down..." Jia Huan couldn't help but recite aloud, with a heart full of lofty sentiments.

This poem "Child Prodigy" is well written. It has inspired countless scholars to study hard for thousands of years. The imperial examination is undoubtedly a great measure, just like the current college entrance examination. You can criticize the rigid eight-part essay for restricting human nature, and you can criticize the college entrance examination for cultivating test-taking machines, but you cannot deny the greatness of this policy. At least it can ensure fair competition and build a bridge for children from the lower class of society to the upper class and achieve class crossing.

Studying is not the only way out, but it is undoubtedly the best way out, especially for children from poor families.

Let's get back to the topic. After everyone finished reciting "Poem of Child Prodigy" and sat down again, the atmosphere became more harmonious and the distance between them seemed to have shortened a lot. Everyone toasted each other and called each other the same age.

Zhang Pu raised his cup and said, "Now that we have some wine, I would like to offer a toast to all of you. I wish you all great success in the next spring exam, success in the imperial examination, and the honor of being honored by the emperor."

Everyone raised their glasses and drank it all.

"Drinking alone is boring, but good poetry is necessary. Why don't we all write some good poems?" Wu Weiye suggested.

"It's not limited to just writing poetry, good lyrics can also be used as an accompaniment to wine." Yang Tingshu added that he is more adept at writing lyrics.

Wu Changshi immediately echoed, "It doesn't matter if it's good poetry or good lyrics, let's just compose it, what do you think, Jia Jieyuan?"

Jia Huan knew that these guys were still unconvinced and were just trying to change their poems to find a place to fight. Hey, since you are asking for humiliation, I will grant your wish. However, he pretended to be embarrassed and said, "I am not good at poetry, so I won't embarrass myself. Enjoy, classmates."

Wu Changshi's eyes lit up when he heard that. Since you are not good at poetry, that's great. How can I let you get away? I will avenge that arrow. So he immediately said, "Student Jia is too modest. As the first place winner, how can you not be good at poetry? The first round of the provincial examination tests a five-character eight-rhyme poem. If Student Jia is not good at it, how can you get the first place?"

"Yes, Mr. Jia, stop hiding your abilities and show us your true abilities."

"Yes, yes, yes. It's okay if Mr. Jia doesn't do it. Just drink up this jar of wine, and then act as a waiter and serve us wine." Zhang Pu and others urged him.

Under the strong request of everyone, Jia Huan had to "reluctantly" agree. Wu Changshi and others saw that Jia Huan was finally forced to Liangshan, and they could not help but rub their hands secretly, ready to get back at the place, only Lu Xiangsheng once again mourned for them.

Sun Chengzong and others on the chairman's side seemed to have noticed the commotion here as well, and they all stopped drinking and chopsticks and looked over here.

Zhang Pu and others obviously noticed that they had attracted the attention of the bigwigs, so they became even more excited and were eager to show their talents in front of the bigwigs and become famous.

Jia Yucun, however, said to the officials at the same table with a smile: "Zhang Pu and others will probably suffer in their poetry contest with Jia Ziming."

"Oh? Why does the prefect say that? Could it be that Jia Huan is particularly good at writing poetry?" Someone immediately raised the question.

Jia Yucun stroked his beard and chanted: "The mountain is near and the moon is far away, so the moon seems small, and people say that the mountain is bigger than the moon. If someone had eyes as big as the sky, he would see that the mountain is high and the moon is wider. What do you think of this poem?"

"This... is OK. It's not particularly outstanding, but the angle is novel," one person replied.

Jia Yucun smiled and said, "This poem was written by Jia Ziming about four or five years ago. He was probably less than eight years old at that time."

As soon as these words were spoken, there was a burst of exclamations from everyone present. It was truly extraordinary that an eight-year-old child could have such vision.

At this time, Jia Yucun chanted again: "A straw raincoat, a straw hat, a small boat, a ten-foot-long silk line, an inch-long hook. A song, a bottle of wine. A man fishing alone in the autumn river. This poem was also written by Jia Ziming. What do you think?"

Sun Chengzong's eyes lit up and he asked, "Could this be Jia Ziming's old work from four or five years ago?"

Jia Yucun smiled and said, "About three years ago, I heard this from Yingtian Patrol Officer Lin Ruhai. I heard that at that time, Brother Ruhai was fishing with his friends on the river, and Jia Ziming was also there. So he asked him about it, and Jia Ziming wrote this poem on the spot."

Everyone suddenly realized that it was a poem written on the spot. This is very demanding and quick-witted. What's more, this poem is so well written. "A man fishing alone in the autumn river" is the finishing touch, and the artistic conception is fully expressed, as if people are in the scene, wonderful! Mei Yucheng couldn't help but say: "It seems that Jia Ziming is indeed a great poet."

Sun Chengzong smiled and said, "Hearing is believing, seeing is believing, let's wait and see what happens!"

Everyone smiled and turned to look at Jia Huan's table, eating melons and watching the show with great interest.

Zhang Pu and others over there were trying their best to get Jia Huan drunk, and they didn't hear the discussion of Sun Tianzong and others at all, otherwise they would not be as confident as they are now.

It is said that at this time Zhang Pu had already set the rules. When a topic of poetry was given, everyone rushed to write one. There was no limit to the type of poetry. The first person to come up with one would be exempted from punishment, while the rest of the people at the table would be fined a bowl of wine each. To show fairness, the topic was set by someone outside the table.

Soon, the "mischievous ghost" at the next table volunteered: "My name is He Wensheng, courtesy name Wenhong. I would like to set a question for you classmates. What do you think?"

Zhang Pu and others expressed no objection, Jia Huan also nodded, and Lu Xiangsheng bowed and said: "I am not good at poetry, but I am willing to serve you all." After saying that, he stood up and left.

Wu Changshi and others mainly wanted to punish Jia Huan, so when they saw Lu Xiangsheng leaving, they did not stop him and tacitly agreed.

He Wensheng rubbed his hands and said with a smile, "Listen carefully, students. Write a poem or lyrics on the theme of poetry, wine, flowers, and the moon. The first one to finish will win. But I have to make it clear in advance that you can't write anything random. If you use doggerel to get away with it, or if your work is too mediocre, you will be fined a jar of wine. Let's start now!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Jia Huan said, "I'm pregnant!"

Everyone was stunned. Cao Zhi could compose a poem in seven steps. Can you compose a poem with just your breath?
He Wensheng said doubtfully, "Does Jia really have it? If you don't do it well, it won't count. You will be fined a pot instead. Have you thought about it?"

Jia Huan smiled and said, "It's just about poetry, wine, flowers and the moon, why bother thinking about it? I'll just say it, and listen to me chanting: The bright moon on the high platform shines on the flower branches, and I look at the flowers with thoughts. Tonight the moon is full and the flowers are beautiful, but last year the flowers were sick and the moon was waning. I drink a cup of wine to the moon and water the flowers, and write a poem to comment on the flowers and praise the moon. I get drunk and want to sleep under the flowers and the moon, but I'm worried that the flowers and the moon will laugh at my stupidity."

As soon as Jia Huan finished reciting the poem, the surroundings became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Zhang Pu and others were stunned and looked at Jia Huan as if he were a monster.

Jia Huan coughed lightly and asked shyly, "Mr. He, is this poem of mine okay?"

He Wensheng came back to his senses at this moment, raised his thumb and blurted out: "It's more than good, it can be said to be an excellent work. Jia Jieyuan's quick thinking is amazing!"

Jia Huan was sweating inwardly. It was not Jia Jieyuan, but Tang Jieyuan. Tang Bohu was a god. Thank you, Brother Bohu, and thank you for the twelve poems of Flower and Moon.

Zhang Pu, Yang Tingshu and others could not help but smile bitterly at each other. The poem topic posed by He Wensheng was very difficult, as it had to include poetry, wine, flowers and the moon. However, Jia Huan could finish it in a short breath and did it so well. It was really unbelievable. If they were not familiar with He Wensheng, they would have suspected that He Wensheng and Jia Huan were in collusion to fool everyone with their old work.

"I admire you!" Zhang Pu raised the bowl in front of him and drank it all in one gulp.

"I'm convinced!" Yang Tingshu drank a bowl.

"I bow down to you!" Wu Weiye also drank a bowl.

Wu Changshi hesitated for a moment, then drank the entire bowl in silence.

Lu Xiangsheng secretly thanked his luck that he escaped quickly, otherwise he would have been injured by Jia Huan and his group. He picked up the wine jar and happily refilled the empty bowls in front of Zhang Pu and the other three.

He Wensheng coughed lightly and said, "Student Jia won the first round, the second round..."

"Wait a minute, let someone else ask the questions!" Wu Changshi shouted.

He Wensheng frowned and asked, "Why?"

Wu Changshi snorted coldly, "I suspect that you and Jia Ziming had colluded and gave the question to Su Gou, otherwise Jia Ziming would not have been able to do it so quickly and well."

He Wensheng was furious and said, "Bullshit, Jia Jieyuan and I have never had any contact before. It is obviously you who are inferior to others, but you slander me. I will wake you up and beat you up."

He Wensheng also had a hot temper. He rolled up his sleeves and was about to go forward and beat Wu Changshi.

(End of this chapter)