After my luck was stolen, I led my whole family to defy fate and change our destiny.

[Lu Li? Ugh... that bastard isn't a good person, is he?]

Of course he wasn't a good person. Like everyone else, he was afraid of being implicated, so he kept his distance. They already knew without his younger sister reminding him.

Gu Linglong clenched her small fists, her brows furrowed. [After my brother went blind, it was this bastard who sold him into that brothel.]

I really want to bite that bastard to death, my poor brother...

Gu Yu'an's lips turned pale instantly, and his hands trembled uncontrollably inside his sleeves.

His heart was cold, and his body was even colder. He thought Lu Li was just a sycophant, but he never expected him to be so ruthless.

Selling him to that kind of place would be an utter disgrace for a man, especially for a young master from a prominent family like Gu Yu'an. It would be worse than death.

What exactly did he do to wrong Lu Li?

Gu Yu'an stared coldly at Lu Li from a distance, as if trying to see through him, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Gu Liyao was also furious, his eyes blazing with anger. He wished he could rush up and kill Lu Li right now for doing such a heinous thing to his elder brother.

But when he looked at Gu Yu'an, he was startled by his older brother's murderous gaze, and he gently tugged at Gu Yu'an's sleeve.

"Big brother, are you...are you alright? Don't scare me!"

Gu Yu'an suddenly smiled: "It's alright, I want to participate in the competition."

Haha, Lu Li wants to become famous, so I'll give him a helping hand.

"what?"

Gu Yu'an's smile only made Gu Liyao more nervous. Although his elder brother had never participated in these competitions, he had secretly seen his brother's articles and policies on governing the country.

He dared to say that his elder brother was definitely hiding his talents; his writing was second to none. He had never known why his elder brother was so talented but didn't show it before, but now that the Gu family was in trouble, he could vaguely guess why.

The eldest brother didn't want to attract attention and diminish the family's presence; he's such a good brother.

"Go ahead, brother, I believe in you."

I'll beat that bastard who hurt you to a pulp.

Wow, big brother's going to the competition! Yay! Go for it!

I'm obsessed with my brother, I'm crazy about my brother, I'd bang my head against a wall for my brother.

Gu Yu'an walked to the registration desk

"I want to register, Class A, Gu Yu'an."

Upon hearing this, Instructor Yang raised his head, glanced at Gu Yu'an, and then turned to look at Jiang He.

He asked for his opinion with his eyes, and after seeing Jiang He nod slightly, he wrote down his name.

After registration closed, Jiang He glanced at the registration list and saw that forty students had signed up. He nodded in satisfaction, noting that almost all of those who had received an A grade in the last assessment had gone.

Tables and chairs were brought to the front yard, and the other students gathered around to watch the excitement.

"The first round of the competition involved matching couplets. The teachers would provide the first line of a couplet, and the students would provide the second line. After submitting their matching couplets, they would be judged on the spot."

The first line reads: "The sea rises and falls, rises and falls, rises and falls."

Upon hearing the first line of the couplet, the students watching gasped in surprise, thankful they hadn't participated, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to answer the first question.

Some students in their seats were scratching their heads, while others were biting their pens. Why did they have to start with something so difficult?

After a while, the students began to pick up their pens and write down their own second lines of the couplet.

The three instructors looked at the second line of the couplet they had collected and discussed it as they read it.

When Instructor Yang saw it, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly. He quickly handed it to the instructor next to him, not wanting him to be the only one suffering.

"The food is awful, so hard to eat, so hard to swallow."

"..."

He admitted the first question was a bit difficult, but was it really that hard? What kind of nonsense is this?

The instructor marked it with an "X" without any hesitation.

The gentlemen continued looking at the back.

"Reading is elegant, elegant, elegant music."

"Hmm, that's barely acceptable, but it's still not quite there."

The instructors looked at several more and shook their heads; they really wanted to jump up and yell at them.

"You guys are truly the worst class I've ever taught."

But they held back and kept watching.

"Floating on the water, growing longer and longer, growing longer and longer until it disappears."

Instructor Yang stroked his beard and nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent, excellent!"

He passed the couplet on to the other teachers, who all praised it, but their expressions were somewhat strange when they saw the name.

They continued reading, but none of the couplets matched this one as well.

Jiang He nodded repeatedly after reading it: "Gu Yu'an is the first place winner in the first round of the competition."

His matching couplet was: "Floating water grows longer and longer, growing and longer and longer until it disappears."

"The second place is..."

The students below were discussing, "Gu Yu'an's answer was really good!"

You really can't tell normally.

"Yes, my grades are usually just average, I didn't expect to do so well this time."

"I have to admit, Gu Yu'an's reply was truly brilliant."

"yes"

When Gu Liyao saw that his older brother had won first place, he was all smug. Hmph, doesn't he know whose older brother he is?

Jiang He shouted loudly, "Silence! Now we will begin the second round of the competition: compose a poem, using the atmosphere of the scene as your setting, for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

The students below picked up their pens one after another. Gu Yu'an looked around, then turned his gaze to the direction where Gu Linglong was, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

With her jade-like fingers, she slowly picked up the pen, her handwriting vigorous and powerful, as if divinely inspired.

Before an incense stick had burned out, Gu Yu'an put down his pen and gently blew on the ink on the paper, trying to make it dry faster.

Gu Yu'an handed it in ahead of time, and the instructor was stunned for a moment. So fast?

Most of the students below were still biting their pens.

But he still cleared his throat and asked routinely, "Aren't you going to do any more checks?"

Gu Yu'an shook his head slightly.

After a while, Instructor Yang shouted loudly.

Time's up.

Upon hearing the sound, the students had no choice but to put down their pens. Some looked on with great enthusiasm, while others looked around at the crumpled pieces of paper with frustration.

I should have known better than to think for so long; in the end, I still haven't finished writing.

The students' poems were collected and carefully reviewed by the instructors. Using the scene's atmosphere as the theme, the poems tested not only the students' knowledge but also their psychological resilience.

When the actual competition takes place, all the important figures in the city will come to watch. Some will go to make connections and befriend others in advance, while others will try to find a suitable husband.

If such a magnificent and spectacular scene were to be shown weakness, it would be a disgrace to Tianxing Academy.

The students' poems were passed around among the three instructors. Some described the spectacular scenes of the competition, some the tense atmosphere of the competition, and some expressed their feelings about winning glory for the college.

There were also compliments for the instructors, but the three teachers did not feel pleased; instead, they shook their heads.

I wonder what the students who wrote this poem were thinking, asking them to use the scene's atmosphere as their theme.

They started flattering him on the spot? They're supposed to be students, yet they've already mastered the ways of officialdom.

This is a competition to learn, not a competition to flatter. The three teachers showed no mercy in marking the answers with crosses.

The artistic conception or the feeling expressed always seems to be missing something. Is it because the questions are too difficult, or are this year's students just too bad?

With this level of skill, you think you can win a championship? You'd be more likely to embarrass yourself.

Jiang He's face was also very unpleasant as he looked at these poems, although there were a few that were passable.

But what he wanted was a masterpiece, a timeless classic that could win with overwhelming power, like his "Ode to a Beauty".

This way, he can solidify his position as dean and gain the respect of those above him.

Suddenly, an exam paper was handed to him, and Instructor Yang sounded somewhat excited.

"Vice Dean, take a look at this poem."

Jiang He looked down without much hope, but after a moment, his eyes widened in amazement...