Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

"A gentleman should ask what gold is, and be well-read and knowledgeable. After studying hard, he returns home with glory, first winning the gold medal and then his name... It's a bit vulgar, but the meaning is good. Students should focus on learning!" Tan Jiaoyu stroked his beard, nodded, and praised.

Although it's unremarkable and lacks any allusions, it at least hits the point. The previous mentions of gold and silver were too vulgar! This poem is not bad.

Zhang Jingwei laughed. This is not about emphasizing knowledge, but about emphasizing fame and honor.

Then, Tan Jiaoyu opened another poem and a silver note fell out.

The madam's eyes lit up as she picked it up in one gulp. It was a full one hundred taels!

"As soon as the East Courtyard opens, firecrackers go off, and red skins are everywhere, and there are thousands of taels of gold... Tsk tsk tsk, but this must have been written by a businessman. This is equivalent to cheating in our official school. May I ask who wrote this poem?" Tan Jiaoyu asked with a frown.

The tea girl had been bribed and would definitely not reveal Ma Tianmao's name, so she reported Zhu Banshan's name, "This is written by Master Zhu from Room 2, Xuanzi, on the second floor!"

Tan Jiaoyu snorted coldly and said, "Humph, if he were a student of my official school, I would make him copy the book ten times."

Hearing this, Ma Tianmao felt scared. The texts that this old guy usually punished him to copy were either "Ancient Governance" or "General History", both of which were extremely long.

Tan Jiaoyu turned to the next poem, which was also collected from that private room. Thinking it must not be a good poem, he recited it casually.

"Have you not seen..." But when he saw the following words, he paused and became solemn and serious. "Have you not seen the water of the great river coming from the sky, rushing to the sea and never returning? Have you not seen the white hair reflected in the mirror in the hall, which was as black as silk in the morning and turned to snow in the evening..."

When this part was read, the audience fell silent and listened quietly.

Even the courtesan, who had originally looked uninterested, became attentive.

"When life is good, you should enjoy it to the fullest, and don't let the golden cup face the moon in vain. I was born with talent and it will be useful, even if I lose all my money, it will come back." After Tan Jiaoyu finished reading it, he thought about it several times over.

The people in the audience have already started to praise.

"What a wonderful poem! What a wild poem!"

"Who on earth could write a poem like this?!"

However, some people raised doubts. A student from the official school asked: "Teacher, this poem is good, but it is a bit off topic."

Another student also began to question, "Yes, teacher, there is no mention of treasure here."

"No, every line of this poem is a treasure!" She shook her head slightly and continued, "External possessions are mundane. A boundless ocean of knowledge is indeed precious, but it never considers the peasants who work diligently on the loess. They work hard just to earn a living, while we, so-called scholars, only pursue fame and fortune, ignoring the little pleasures of life."

Tan Jiaoyu nodded in agreement. "Yes, this poem emphasizes 'cherishing the present moment.' Life is short, fleeting like a fleeting moment. It's true that 'enjoy life to the fullest!'"

However, the official student retorted, "I object. We study to make our name known to future generations. An attitude like 'living in the present' is truly beneath the spirit of a gentleman."

Just then, a burst of laughter came from the second floor.

Zhang Jingwei laughed heartily and said, "This brother is too small, too narrow-minded!"

The tea girl beside him gently reminded him, "This poem was written by him, Master Zhang."

The official student said unconvincedly, "Why are you scolding me for being narrow-minded? Shouldn't we students put our studies first? How can we prioritize pleasure?"

Zhang Jingwei shook his head and explained, "You haven't quite grasped it yet. You only see pleasure, but what Tan Jiaoyu is really trying to tell us is something more. 'Enjoy life to the fullest when it's good' doesn't mean we should indulge in pleasure, but rather that we should cherish the people and things in front of us."

The courtesan looked at Zhang Jingwei lovingly and said, "As expected, Mr. Zhang understands me the best, since he can decipher the true meaning of my poem."

Zhang Jingwei said, "This isn't difficult. You've already reminded us many times." He then looked at the courtesan and said, "Although your lyrics are a mess, referring to children, husbands, parents..."

As he spoke, he walked downstairs, and the focus of the whole audience was on him.

"But what you're really saying is that the greatest treasure of childhood is the joy of play, the greatest treasure of youth is the unwavering love, the greatest treasure of middle age is the health of one's parents, and the greatest treasure of old age is the birth of a new child."

"Repeated several times, like an endless cycle."

The audience in the audience suddenly understood.

"So this is the treasure!"

"As expected of the talented Young Master Zhang!"

"Anyway, my pig brain would never think of it."

When they reached the first floor, everyone made way for Zhang Jingwei, allowing him to walk straight towards the courtesan.

Walking up to the courtesan, Zhang Jingwei couldn't help but sigh, "They look exactly alike."

The courtesan asked, "What do you think I look like, Zhang Lang?" with tenderness in her eyes.

Zhang Jingwei said, "He looks like an old friend of mine."

The courtesan, with her charming charm, asked again, "Your old friend? Is she as pretty as me?"

Zhang Jingwei chuckled and said, "As pretty as you." His eyes never left the courtesan. Although his face looked calm, his heart was in turmoil.

This kind of beauty is even more alluring than the borderline female anchors on some live broadcast platforms!

Every look and every word is captivating.

Upon hearing this, the courtesan's eyes flashed with a subtle sense of disappointment, but she quickly recovered and said to Zhang Jingwei with a smile, "Mr. Zhang, you are too kind. I am just a prostitute, how can I compare with your old friend?"

Zhang Jingwei quickly explained, "Please don't misunderstand me, Miss Oiran. I just think that you are elegant and charming, and that you bear some resemblance to an old friend of mine. I have no other intentions."

The courtesan smiled slightly and said, "Does Zhang Lang really forget me?"

Zhang Jingwei bowed and said, "Something happened to me, I really can't remember."

The courtesan said gently, "It's okay. Zhang Lang said that we should cherish the person in front of us, but Ningxiang is right in front of us."

"Cherish the people in front of you..." Zhang Jingwei muttered, and couldn't help but fall into memories.

Yes, when seeing this face, Zhang Jingwei recalled the past events with his ex-girlfriend. They saved money for a semester to travel together. He never wanted to buy new clothes, but he never felt sorry for spending money on his ex-girlfriend.

Seeing that Zhang Jingwei didn't say anything, the courtesan turned around and announced to the audience, "Master Zhang has won first place in this poetry competition. I will offer fine wine to the other talented poets as a token of my gratitude."

This was the result Zhang Jingwei had expected. Using the poems of the Immortal Poet to bully others was something he could do in a matter of minutes, wasn't it?