Chapter Fifty On Poetry

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  While everyone was discussing below the stage, Fu Yang quietly sat down beside Xiangxiang with his head lowered.

  The little girl had already discovered him, casting a sideways glance at him while covering her mouth and secretly smiling.

  Wei Zhuo glanced at him and thought of the 'third daughter' who couldn't help but twitch her mouth, thinking it was no wonder he was so close to Yiyun.

  Fu Yan's face was red like a burning fire, and he wished he could burrow into the ground. However, he had to come, so he pretended as if nothing was wrong, but his face still couldn't help but flush bright red. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Wei Zhao hadn't said anything, and he secretly let out a sigh of relief.

  "The topic is out, it's out..."

  "Hurry, hurry, let's get it back..."

  "Everyone be quiet, everyone be quiet..."

  "Everyone listen..."

  "Don't worry, everyone..."

  "Discuss, discuss, discuss poetry..."

  "What's this topic about poetry..."

  "This is strange, I wonder if there's some hidden meaning inside..."

  "I don't know, this discussion about Buddha is quite strange, it's as if there's some hidden secret inside..."

  The news spread quickly and soon reached Wei Zhao's ears that there was no useless fool in the world.

  Wei Xiao slightly furrowed his brow, 'Discussing poetry', huh, that's quite interesting. He raised his head to look at the high platform, glancing around at Chu Han and the others. Although he didn't know what the Emperor's true intentions were for holding this Buddhist debate, Wei Xiao could tell that he seemed to be probing something.

  The three people on the stage were all silently writing something on paper, occasionally raising their heads and then frowning and lowering them again.

  Zhao Yuankui's face was cold and clear, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, and in his heart he was still guessing the emperor's intention.

  The fragrance of sandalwood wafted, and soon half a stick of incense had passed. The people below couldn't wait any longer, the first two rounds were completely invisible to the three men's strengths and weaknesses, and the final round was clearly the ultimate showdown. This year's Buddhist debate has already made people stunned, secretly criticizing, and eagerly looking forward to the final round being able to have a thrilling battle, with twists and turns, making it exciting to watch.

  "Ah, Lian Bu, Lian Bu has stood up..."

  "Look, look, Lian Yu is passing over the scroll..."

  "Woohoo, we're about to win the championship..."

  Lian Wei had just stood up when the crowd below erupted into a deafening commotion, with all sorts of voices rising and falling in chaotic disorder.

  With a calm smile on his face, he slowly left his seat, and now he was feeling calm and composed. Earlier, he was worried that people would laugh at him for intentionally challenging someone unknown and without any skills. But now that 'Wei Xiao had gone to the toilet', his confidence suddenly came back. Looking at Zhao Yuanke smiling as he took over his paper, his confidence grew even more.

  "Ah, the consecutive answers are out, they're out..."

  "Wah wah, champion, champion..."

  "Zhuangyuan, Zhuangyuan..."

  The answer has not been announced yet, but the crowd below is already excited beyond measure.

  Zhao Yuankui looked carefully and nodded from time to time, with a look of approval on his face.

  He cracked melon seeds and gazed at the northern curtain, his eyes seeming to hold a thought.

  "The way of poetry and literature cultivates human sentiment, is a minor path in reality, but the theory of saints, is the classic great way!"

  Soon, the answer that had been polished through thousands of hammerings reached Wei Zhao's ears. Upon hearing it, Wei Zhao couldn't help but shake his head and sigh with a bitter smile.

  Xianglian looked at Weizao and seemed to have subtly pursed her lips, her big eyes bewildered and asked "Young Master, is what he said not correct?" Although she didn't read much, she also knew that the classics of the sages were the great way that was proclaimed everywhere.

  Wei Zhao turned his head to glance at the little girl, then looked at Fu Yan who was still flushed but curious, and smiled calmly: "Poetry is indeed a minor path, those great paths on the court, each one is proficient."

  The little girl seemed to understand and yet not understand, but Fu Yang's eyes seemed to be thinking deeply. His father wasn't a great poet after all?

  Soon, Lian Bu took out the scroll and stood beside Wu Fangyuan, with a smile on his face, quietly waiting.

  Frankincense wafted through the air, and soon, less than a quarter of an hour had passed. At this moment, Zhou Shaoyang stood up.

  "Hah, people from the five states are indeed useless..."

  "The champion is already ours in Jinling..."

  "Go back to your five states..."

  Zhou Shaoyang had just taken a few steps when the crowd below burst into sarcastic cheers and shouts directed at him.

  Zhou Shaoyang's footsteps suddenly paused, his body swayed slightly, and then he continued walking towards Zhao Yuankui.

  Wei Xiao felt curious about 'Wu Zhou' again and watched as Zhao Yuan Kui took over the scroll, thinking to himself that he would have to thoroughly investigate when he got back.

  Although the crowd below all had a face of disdain and resentment, when Zhao Yuankui took over the volume, he still couldn't help but hold his breath.

  Zhao Yuankui was taken aback at first, then he began discussing with Wu Fangyuan in a low voice.

  Everyone became even more cautious, hardly daring to breathe.

  Not long after that, a surprising scene happened. Lian Wei, who had been smiling and composed all along, suddenly walked stiffly towards the stage below!

  Rumble rumble rumble

  Like a thunderclap exploding above everyone's heads, the crowd was shocked and burst into loud cries.

  "How is this possible? Why does Lian Yu want to step down..."

  "What's wrong with what Lian Yue answered? On what grounds should he step down?"

  "That's right, a consistent answer won't be wrong, why doesn't Zhou Shao Yang step down..."

  The people below were filled with indignation and uncontrollable anger. The emperor in the north, however, had a faint smile on his lips, his eyes gleaming coldly. Qin Yun stood behind the emperor, her heart racing with fear, her forehead beaded with cold sweat.

  "Amitabha Buddha!" Master Yin Kong joined his palms together, a look of unprecedented compassion appearing on his face.

  Wei Zuo's eyebrows slightly raised, as if he also sensed that someone was subtly stirring up the emotions of the scholars below.

  "Zhou Shaoyang's answer has been leaked out, it has been leaked out..."

  "Hmph, I'd like to see what he answers. If his answer doesn't meet my expectations, he won't be leaving this compound today..."

  "Indeed, the five barbarian tribes are uncivilized and unenlightened, how can they obtain the top scholar of our great Qi?"

  Everyone's heart was filled with indignation and resentment, their faces pale as they discussed it.

  "Poetry can be divided into three realms: implicit meaning, imagery and atmosphere. Accumulating the underlying connotation, transforming it into poetry, and extending to create an atmosphere."

  Zhou Shaoyang's answer was quickly passed down, and everyone whispered it to each other, still unable to conceal their anger.

  "Hum, what kind of answer is this? The topic was 'On Poetry', not asking him to distinguish boundaries!"

  "Not bad, and what a wonderful boundary, it's simply nonsense!"

  "A person like this can become a zhuangyuan? Only if there's no one else in all of Qi!"

  Wei Zuo listened with interest to everyone's comments and once again felt curious about the 'Five States'.

  On the high platform, sandalwood was about to burn out, and everyone focused their attention on Chu Han. Now that Lian Zhu had stepped down from the stage, Zhou Shao Yang stood beside Wu Fang Yuan, and the only one who could stop him from winning was Chu Han, who had been silent and deep in thought all along.

  For a moment, the entire venue fell silent, whether it was on stage or off stage, as well as the guards at the south and the officials at the north, all held their breath and focused their attention on the stage.

  This battle between dragons and tigers is already inevitable.