From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Yan Rugo looked at the talented Lin and couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

Lin Cai Nu was tall and slender, her plain-colored silk dress swaying gently in the wind, like a fairy who did not eat the food of this world.

Her steps were light, her eyes haughty, and her silk fan swayed gently, as if she possessed an aura of aloofness.

Yan Rugo knew that this would be a tough battle.

She took a deep breath, gripped the paperweight tightly, and felt the faint fragrance instantly refresh her mind.

She straightened her back, her eyes shining with determination.

"Yan Rugo, you're here to fight, not to sightsee!" she silently encouraged herself.

The surrounding poetry participants cast curious and expectant glances, as if waiting to see the climax of this contest.

As the poetry gathering began, Master Bai cleared his throat and announced the content of the first round of the competition: "Today, we will compose a poem based on an ancient musical piece. You have half an hour. After that time, I will judge the merits." As soon as he finished speaking, the talented Lin had already quickly unfolded her paper and brush, and the tip of her brush swiftly left neat lines of characters on the rice paper.

Before long, Lin Cai Nu finished her work first and handed the manuscript to Master Bai.

Master Bai took the poem and read it carefully, praising it highly: "Lady Lin, your poem is beautifully written and profound in its imagery. It is truly a rare masterpiece." The surrounding participants also nodded in agreement, and their exclamations of praise were endless.

Lin Cainu smiled gently, seemingly quite satisfied with her work, while Yan Rugo felt the pressure increase.

She frowned, but her eyes were unusually firm.

The system's voice rang in her mind: "Task prompt: Create a heartfelt poem that touches people's hearts." Yan Rugo took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and focused on feeling the ancient melody.

Her pen moved slowly across the paper, each word imbued with her emotions and efforts.

Time passed slowly, and the participants around them finished their creations and handed their poems to Master Bai.

Master Bai judged each one individually, occasionally shaking his head or nodding.

When it came to Lin Cai Nu's poem, he praised it highly.

Meanwhile, Yan Rugo's poem was finally completed.

She took a deep breath and slowly unfolded the manuscript, on which was written:

> The river flows long, and ancient melodies linger.

> The sound of the zither lingered, breaking one's heart.

> Amidst the mountains and waters, a small boat gently sways.

> Amidst the vast expanse of misty waters, I see her gazing eastward.

She handed the poem to Master Bai, and all eyes immediately turned to her.

Some people looked at him with doubt, while others looked at him with anticipation.

Master Bai took the poem and read it carefully, his eyes gradually brightening.

He looked up at Yan Rugo, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

"Let's wait and see," Master Bai's voice echoed through the crowd, "The real victory or defeat may lie in this poem." Yan Rugo slowly raised her head, her gaze sweeping over everyone present, a confident smile playing on her lips.

She cleared her throat and began to recite. Her voice was clear and melodious, with a unique charm, like a spring breeze brushing against the willow branches, gentle yet firm.

Every word was filled with her emotions, and every note struck the hearts of the listeners.

>The river flows long, and ancient melodies linger.

>The sound of the zither lingers, breaking one's heart.

Amidst the mountains and waters, a small boat gently sways.

>Amidst the vast expanse of misty waters, I see her gazing eastward.

After she finished reciting, the entire hall fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Master Bai stroked his beard, a pleased smile spreading across his face. He nodded repeatedly, "Excellent poem! Excellent poem! Every word is precious, the emotions are sincere and heartfelt, the imagery profound—truly a masterpiece!" He looked at Yan Rugo.

Miss Su's face turned ashen instantly. She couldn't believe that she had lost to this "cannon fodder villain" she had always looked down on. Her proud talent in poetry was like a firefly competing with the bright moon in front of Yan Rugo, utterly insignificant.

Young Master Hua looked as if he had swallowed a fly; his face was extremely pale. His eyes widened as if he had seen aliens invading Earth, and he could hardly believe it.

Even the usually aloof and reserved Lin Cai Nu opened her mouth slightly, her original haughty expression replaced by surprise.

Yan Rugo smiled slightly, secretly pleased. What should I call this move?

This move is called a "counter-attack"!

She finally proved herself with her strength, proving she wasn't some cannon fodder villain, but a shining female lead!

The surrounding gazes shifted from skepticism to amazement, envy, and even a touch of awe, burning like the blazing sun.

In the crowd, Xu, the male protagonist, stared nervously at Yan Rugo, his heart pounding in his chest.

When he saw Yan Rugo win, he was so excited he almost jumped up, his eyes sparkling with pride and love.

He strode up to Yan Rugo, grabbed her hand tightly, and felt his palm was warm and strong.

Yan Rugo looked up at Xu, her eyes filled with happiness and sweetness. Their eyes met, love mingled in the air, and pink bubbles filled the surroundings.

Those around them watched this scene with envious and jealous looks that could have pierced them to pieces. The two of them were practically blatantly showing off their affection; it was just too sweet!

The air was filled with the cloying, sweet smell of being in love.

Master Bai cleared his throat, interrupting the two's deep gaze. He slowly said, "Ahem, today's poetry gathering is over. Miss Yan's poem is indeed unique and refreshing." After speaking, he gave Yan Rugo a meaningful look, a mysterious smile on his lips, and then walked out with his hands behind his back.

As the poetry gathering progressed, round after round of competition unfolded in full swing.

With her wisdom and talent, Yan Rugo defeated Lin Cainu time and time again. Her poems are not only sincere but also full of originality, giving people a refreshing feeling.

In the second round of impromptu couplet writing, Yan Rugo's couplet, "Flower shadows sway under the moon, zither music murmurs in the wind," won applause from the entire audience, and even the talented Lin cast a glance of admiration at her.

In the third round of the assigned essay, Yan Rugo wrote the beautiful lines "The autumn waters blend with the sky, the sunset glows and the lone wild goose flies together" on the topic of "Autumn waters blend with the sky, the sunset glows and the lone wild goose flies together". Bai Fuzi praised her repeatedly, saying that "every word is a gem and her writing is wonderful".

In the fourth round of debate, Yan Rugo presented her views on the theme of "A gentleman is always at ease, while a petty person is always anxious," clearly and logically, leaving everyone present impressed.

Although Lin Cainu also performed well, she was never able to shake Yan Rugo's advantage.

Finally, Master Bai solemnly announced, "The highest honor of today's poetry gathering belongs to Yan Rugo!" Madam Qin also stood up, a kind smile on her face, walked up to Yan Rugo, gently patted her shoulder, and said, "Miss Yan, your talent is admirable. I intend to invite you to be an important partner in cultural exchanges, and I hope you will consider it."

As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted in the room.

Everyone congratulated Yan Rugo, whose face beamed with pride and happiness.

Those who had previously made things difficult for her, such as Miss Su and Young Master Hua, could only slink away in disgrace.

Miss Su's face was ashen, filled with resentment, while Young Master Hua kept his head down, barely daring to look Yan Rugo in the eye.

Like defeated generals, they lost their former arrogance and could only silently leave the venue.

As Yan Rugo watched their retreating figures, a sense of accomplishment and pride welled up within her.

She looked around and saw the admiring gazes of the crowd, as if she had already stood at the pinnacle of glory.

The male protagonist walked to her side and said softly, "You are truly my pride." Yan Rugo gave a bright smile, and the two looked into each other's eyes, as if they were the only two people around them.

However, just as she was basking in the joy of this victory, Madam Qin suddenly brought up the matter of praying for blessings at the temple.

She said casually, "Miss Yan, you will also come with me to the temple to pray for blessings tomorrow. It's a family tradition." Yan Rugo's smile froze slightly, and she felt a little uneasy.

She realized that this victory seemed to be just the beginning, and that temple prayers might hide unknown dangers.

Madam Qin continued calmly, "There are many stories there, worth exploring." Yan Rugo's heart tightened, and her gaze involuntarily swept towards the direction of the temple. She saw the little novice's eyes gleaming in the shadows, as if he were watching something.