Sui and Tang Dynasties: Awakening the Supreme Skills at the Beginning

Cui Wu had a beautiful idea. Based on Lin Feng's poetic talent, he could almost be said to be the best in the poetry world in today's occasion. The other party was just a fool. After comparing the two, Cui Wu would naturally win.

But who is Li Zhen?

He is a modern academic master. How could a mere poem be difficult for him?

As soon as Cui Wu finished speaking, Li Zhen grabbed his hand and high-fived him: "Deal!"

As if he was afraid that the two hundred taels of silver would run away, he smiled and said, "Please prepare the writing materials, Master Qian. I want to sign a document with Master Cui."

Cui Wu: “…”

This idiot either didn't understand or I didn't explain it clearly. He gambled his dignity and was actually having so much fun. It seems that it is really as the Zhang family said, they have run out of food.

Qian Shu was also stunned, staring at Li Zhen.

He knew Lin Feng's talent for poetry. It was almost impossible to defeat Lin Feng completely. If a scholar lost his dignity, it would be completely over in this era. At the very least, he would lose his fame, and at the worst, he would be fined and demoted to a slave. This person's official career would be completely over.

Just when he was struggling over whether to stop the bet, Li Zhen and Cui Wu had already borrowed the pen and ink from the counter, signed the document, and put their fingerprints on it.

Qian Shu was stern, and his eyes were full of sympathy when he looked at Li Zhen again.

As someone Qian Shu was optimistic about, he really didn't want Li Zhen to get into crisis as soon as he appeared on the stage.

"Please ask Dean Qian to give the questions."

While Qian Shu was stunned, some scholars had already stepped forward, eager to try. They all wanted to see Li Zhen make a fool of himself.

"Pi Lake is a representative landscape of our Daxing City. Over the past hundreds of years, countless literati and poets have written here. The sacred place of Pi Lake has also produced countless poems about the lake, many of which are famous works handed down from generation to generation. Therefore, the topic of this round is Pi Lake. Any poem or lyrics are welcome, with no limit on the meaning. The time limit is three sticks of incense. Everyone, please!"

As he spoke, a servant had already lit a stick of incense in the incense burner beside Qian Shu.

"Did you see that? That idiot actually sat down. This kid actually dared to bet with Young Master Cui San. He is so bold. How dare he challenge Young Master Lin Feng? He is really a toad wanting to eat swan meat. Ha! There is going to be a good show. Let's see how he ends it later!"

"Yes, yes!"

Li Zhen hadn't taken two steps when he saw several looks of disdain sweeping over him. However, he acted as if no one was around, smiled slightly, walked straight to his desk, and knelt down.

Qian Shu glanced at Li Zhen, shook his head and sighed.

"Young man, you are too impulsive!"

While thinking about it, I was trying to figure out how to save this doomed situation.

As for Cui Wu, Lin Feng couldn't help but burst out laughing when he heard the content of the bet between Cui Wu and Li Zhen.

"Third Young Master, this time I will definitely make you get what you want. Let's see how that fool kneels on the ground and calls you grandpa in a humble manner. Haha!"

"That's right. With Master Lin's talent, even a hundred fools tied together wouldn't be enough. When this round is over, we will definitely humiliate the fools to vent our anger. Haha!"

"He dares to challenge the Third Young Master's might, kill him!"

"Yes, yes!"

Li Zhen looked at them coldly and ignored them. Humph! The more proud you are now, the more painful it will be when you get slapped in the face later.

Li Zhen leaned over and took a piece of white paper.

Pohu? Lake?

He has many poems about lakes in his mind, but Lin Feng cannot be underestimated. To be on the safe side, he should write a few more!

Then he picked up the brush and began to write stroke by stroke.

When he was in college, in order to pursue a girl from the Faculty of Arts, he practiced calligraphy. His running script was majestic, yet also agile and elegant. Now, in this situation, it came in handy.

At this time, someone noticed Li Zhen and was puzzled to see that Li Zhen was writing frantically without thinking.

"This kid has really started writing. Maybe he's quite good at it?"

Someone nearby laughed.

"He just picked up the pen and wrote a poem. Who knows what he wrote? Maybe he just wrote it randomly. Let's look forward to Master Lin's masterpiece!"

On the other side, Lin Feng's mind was racing and he wrote quickly. Soon the whole poem was on the paper. To be honest, he did have some talent for poetry, otherwise he would not be worthy of the title of the number one poet in Daxing.

"All right."

Li Zhen stopped writing, bent down and blew a stream of air from his mouth to dry the paper. Then he took another look at the poem he had written, nodded with satisfaction, picked up the paper, and walked towards Qian Shu.

Seeing that Li Zhen was the first to hand in his paper, someone nearby started to mock him.

"See? This idiot was the first to finish. Even Master Lin hadn't finished yet. Guess what he wrote?"

"What kind of poetry can a fool write? At most, he can write a few doggerels!"

"Of course he is. Never mind. This idiot is probably crazy about being famous. He doesn't even care about being cursed. Well, as long as he is happy, let's pay more attention to Master Lin!"

Qian Shu looked at Li Zhen, who was the first to hand in his paper, and shook his head. He no longer had any expectations for Li Zhen.

No matter how talented Li Zhen is, it is impossible for him to produce excellent poems in such a short time. What's more, there is a poetic genius next to him - Lin Feng, who is eyeing him covetously. Alas, he can only wish him good luck!

Taking the poem handed over by Li Zhen, Qian Shu glanced at it out of the corner of his eye as if it were a routine matter.

"Ok?"

Qian Shu became interested.

"This poem? Was this poem really written by Li Zhen?"

While reading the poem, he glanced at Li Zhen who was standing next to him.

Li Zhen's face was calm, as if he could remain calm even when faced with a catastrophe.

After reading the poems, Qian Shu was shocked.

This poem was really written by Li Zhen, what a genius!

Sure enough, I was not wrong about him.

Qian Shu read the poem carefully again and was even more surprised.

Putting aside his attainments in poetry, his elegant running script alone is enough to create a style of its own and has the demeanor of a great writer.

Anyone who can write such words is definitely not a mediocre poet.

Although his opponent is Lin Feng, who is known as the number one poet in Daxing, Qian Shu has full confidence in Li Zhen.

Thinking of this, Qian Shu whispered to Li Zhen.

"You go down first. I will make a judgment after I have seen the others."

Li Zhen bowed to Qian Shu, then returned to his desk and waited quietly.

Soon, three incense sticks passed by, and Qian Shu announced in public: "Time is up."

The people attending the poetry reading had different expressions. Some were a little proud, as if they were quite confident in their works; some shook their heads and sighed, because there were too many poems about lakes and they had been written so thoroughly that it was difficult to come up with new ideas. After thinking for a long time, they still found it difficult to start writing.

But no matter how they wrote, no one handed in a blank paper. Everyone wrote their own name and handed their work to Qian Shu in order.

Qian Shu is a great scholar of our time. He acts fairly and objectively, which will naturally convince everyone.

Qian Shu picked up the test paper and read it carefully. Sometimes he smiled and sometimes he shook his head.

At this moment, the private room where Lin Feng and others were staying was bustling with activity.

Several people picked up the wine jugs and clinked their glasses frequently.

It's almost like a celebration party has started.

Naturally, during the conversation, there was some ridicule and mockery of Li Zhen.

"Mr. Lin has put in a lot of effort to win the bet this time. I will report to my father later and give Mr. Lin a promotion."

Cui Wu said with a smile.

"Haha, of course, we all know that Master Lin is a talented person. It's just that Master Lin is just like the Third Master, and he usually keeps a low profile."

Suning raised his glass and echoed, silently flattering Cui Wu.

"Haha, after the poetry reading is over, let's wait and see how that fool makes a fool of himself. He is not even worthy enough to fight with us! Humph!"

"Come, Master Lin, I'll toast you a glass and wish you a bright future."

Cui Wu raised his wine glass, clinked it with Lin Feng, and drank it all in one gulp.

"Third Master has a good alcohol tolerance, come on, fill it up!"

Lin Feng quickly took the wine jug and filled Cui Wu's glass.

After a while, Qian Shu spoke to everyone.

"The results are out, but there is no first place in literature and no second place in martial arts. I will read your works to you according to the old rules."

Everyone in the audience looked at Qian Shu without blinking.

Qian Shu took the poems from everyone, looked around, and announced, "Okay, I'm going to start reading."

"Song Jieming, a student of Bailu Academy, has achieved academic success. He wrote a poem, "March in Beihu..."

……

As Qian Shu read out each poem one by one, the people in the audience began to appreciate them carefully.

"I personally think that Master Ma Mo's poem can win first prize. The artistic conception is elegant and vivid on paper. It is a rare masterpiece..."

"I feel that this poem by Zhang Mingzi of the Imperial College is a bit stiff and lacks some emotion. It can barely be considered a mid-level piece."

The audience was very enthusiastic and commented on their favorite poems.

"Okay, the next one is written by Master Lin Feng, and it's called Pihu."

"The lake light and the autumn moon are in harmony, the lake surface is calm and the mirror is unpolished. Looking at the mountains and waters of the lake from afar, there is a green snail in a silver plate."

The audience nodded, savoring the taste.

"Yes, comparing the two, Master Ma Mo's song seems too weak. It seems that Master Lin is the winner of this round!"

……

"Well done, Master Lin. Master Lin, I have confidence in you!"

The crowd in the audience shouted.

Lin Feng stood in the crowd, frequently bowing to the people around him, with a look of pride on his face.

Cui Wu glanced coldly at Li Zhen who was standing in an inconspicuous corner and snorted.

"Humph! You are such a blind fool, and you want to make money from me. I will first embarrass you, and then find a way to kill you, so that I can fulfill my father's order!"

"Ahem, everybody, be quiet!"

Qian Shu coughed and continued.

"There is one last person, Shenxing Town, Bai Shen, Li Zhen."

When everyone raised their eyelids, most of them showed mocking expressions.

"Did this idiot's head get caught in the door? How dare he read it out in public?"

"If you ask me, idiot Li Zhen should stop embarrassing himself and go back to Shenxing Town with your masterpiece!"

"That won't work! He hasn't even kowtowed to Master Cui and called him grandpa!"

"Yes, yes! Idiot Li Zhen, kneel down quickly and call Master Cui Sanye "Grandpa" three times!"

The onlookers burst into laughter.

Qian Shu cleared his throat and read aloud.

"In September, the lake is calm, and the emptiness is mixed with the great clarity. The steam rises from the lake, and the waves shake the city of Daxing. I want to cross the river but I have no boat, and I am ashamed of my sage. I sit and watch the fishermen, and I can only envy the fish."

After Qian Shu finished reading, everyone was stunned.

"Is this poem really written by that fool? Did I hear it right?"