Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 67 Accident
The time allotted for thinking was very short, only thirty breaths, so the person sitting at the front was still hesitating when they unknowingly exceeded the time limit and could only regretfully get up and leave.

Thanks to this respite, the second person was able to answer.

"The clouds are deep and the people are few."

The answer wasn't very good. Logically, the first line should start with a level tone and should be "oblique level level oblique level". But at least it managed to create a variant form of "level level level oblique level", which conforms to the principle of "the first, third and fifth lines are not considered" in regulated verse, and successfully got away with it.

He Cong, who was sitting in the third seat, blurted out his answer almost without thinking.

"The forest is quiet and the birdsong is still."

Then, He Cong looked at Ji Yun behind him with a cold smile.

A few drops of sweat appeared on Ji Yun's forehead. He Cong was sitting in front of him, which was very disadvantageous for him because He Cong was able to set traps for him under the rules of regulated verse.

He Cong's methods for setting traps are not complicated.

Normally, the first line of the second couplet should be "仄仄仄平仄", but there is also a special format, which is "平仄仄平仄", which is a variant of the "拗救" (irregularity and rescue) commonly used by poets of the early Tang Dynasty.

But this simple method is very effective.

This variation directly blocks the following couplet, which must be responded to using the pattern "level-level-level-oblique-level".

Composing regulated verse requires adhering to tonal patterns and rhymes, which is already quite laborious. Normally, composing poetry requires a lot of time to conceive, find words, and refine characters. Composing poetry under time constraints without making mistakes is truly a test of one's abilities.

Sweat dripped from Ji Yun's head, and finally, in the last two breaths, he spoke.

"—The rocks are secluded and the air is filled with the fragrance of flowers."

In fact, the test of the third stage is not about "whether you can write a good poem", but about "whether you can avoid making mistakes in the meter".

He Cong may not be able to write good poems, but having received years of training in exam-oriented poetry, he is indeed able to avoid making mistakes.

Next, the fifth person was eliminated due to time constraints, and it was the second person's turn to recite the poem. He persevered, but after a hasty response, he was eliminated because of major issues with the meter.

In the blink of an eye.

Only He Cong and Ji Yun remained.

He Cong was also under a lot of pressure at this time. He pondered for a while and came up with an idea in about twenty breaths.

"Leaning on my cane, I seek out secluded paths."

The pressure was once again placed on Ji Yun.

Ji Yun almost ran out of time again before managing to answer "wearing a straw raincoat and knocking on the bamboo door".

Although “扉” and the previously mentioned “霏” are homophones, they rhyme correctly. However, in terms of aesthetics, they are no longer considered good poetry.

This also shows that Ji Yun's response has begun to falter.

However, he couldn't care less about that at the moment. His poetry skills were just so-so, and he hadn't put any points into poetry. It was already good that he had managed to persevere.

He Cong also became serious. After pondering for a moment, he unleashed his killing move just one breath before the countdown ended.

"A chance encounter with a traveler from the misty mountains."

Upon hearing this final line of the couplet, Han Ziyu frowned deeply.

This line is too high-pitched, making it difficult for anyone to follow.

He couldn't even think of anything particularly suitable for the time being.

"Hand in hand, we stroll under the moonlight"

At that moment, Lu Beigu came up with the matching couplet in just a few breaths.

Unfortunately, he couldn't say it at this moment, but he noticed that Ji Yun's gaze had already become somewhat fixed.

"Just answer anything, as long as it fits the tonal pattern and rhymes." The final couplet should use the pattern "level-level-oblique-oblique-level". If Ji Yun can match it, then it will either be a new round or a draw.

Han San Niang silently counted down the time, her heart filled with anxiety, wishing she could shout it out.

It's impossible for anyone other than Ji Yun to understand the psychological pressure a young, immature child like Ji Yun feels, especially in such a challenging situation, while also consciously shouldering the heavy responsibility of the team.

The immense psychological pressure made Ji Yun feel suffocated. He didn't want to lose, but after the exhaustion from the previous two defeats, his brain was no longer functioning properly for the time being.

For Ji Yun in the pavilion.

If he were in a stress-free and time-constrained situation, he could certainly answer the question after thinking for a while, but not now.

His mind went blank.

However, just as he was about to think of something, the countdown ended.

"The Xianzhen team wins the third round!"

Ji Yun, being childlike, felt she had let her teammates down and almost cried when she returned.

"It's okay, there are still two more challenges ahead," Lu Beigu patted his shoulder to comfort him.

It's easy to say, but everyone knows that there are only five rounds in total, and with the score currently 1 to 2, the fourth round will determine the outcome.

If they lose the next round, they are destined to lose first place.

Seeing that He Cong had won another round, Xian Zhen cast a provocative glance at Han Ziyu.

Han Tzu-yu was starting to lose her composure.

Unlike the other members of the team, who don't really care too much about winning or losing.

But for Han Tzu-yu, losing would be a huge embarrassment in front of her arch-rival.

Therefore, Han Ziyu's complexion was even worse than Ji Yun's.

After all, Han Ziyu's team now only has him and Lu Beigu left, and Xian Zhen has not yet made a move. This means that Han Ziyu will have to take on two opponents by himself.

"well done!"

Xianzhen patted He Cong on the back with a smile.

According to the information Xianzhen received, although he did not know what the other levels were, he knew that the fourth level was still related to literature.

In terms of literature, how could he possibly lose to Han Tzu-yu?
Xian Zhen is different from Zhou Mingyuan. Although both are players who have been moving up and down between the upper and middle classes for many years, Xian Zhen is the kind of balanced player without any obvious weaknesses, while Zhou Mingyuan is more outstanding in other areas and is weaker in poetry.

As for the students from that county, there's no need to mention them. He had already heard from He Cong that Lu Beigu was not even ranked in Hejiang County School and was not worth worrying about at all.

As his lackey, He Cong probably wouldn't dare to lie to him.

"I really don't know how I can lose."

As the group continued on their way, when Xianzhen passed by Han Ziyu, he muttered something to himself.

Han Ziyu's face was ashen, but he still held onto a sliver of hope. However, he knew that the chances were slim, since the black-robed monk had previously said that Master Baoyue was the monk guarding the penultimate level, and the difficulty was destined to be high.

The mountain road became increasingly steep.

The moss on the edge of the stone steps has not been cleaned for many years, and you can easily slip if you are not careful.

Han Ziyu walked at the back of the group, mechanically lifting her legs to climb, her mind still preoccupied with what was to come.

Just then, Han San Niang's warning suddenly pierced my eardrums.

"Brother, be careful!"

An unexpected event occurred suddenly!
(End of this chapter)