Chapter 42 What is the Meaning of This Question?

There are tens of thousands of people gathered in the vast plaza of Lin'an Academy!

When the esteemed Elder Xu presented the first question, some people furrowed their brows in deep thought, while others whispered to one another.

Those scholars and literati seemed to have forgotten to fan themselves, racking their brains to figure out where to begin and where to end such a palindromic poem expressing lovesickness.

The students of Lin'an Academy standing behind the platform were no exception.

Sun Yue, affectionately known as Fatty Sun, scratched his head, wore a bitter expression, and let out a sigh while shaking his head:

"He truly deserves to be the foremost great Confucian scholar in the realm!"

"Elder Xu is certainly not following convention with this question!"

"A palindromic poem... Even for Grand Academician Zou Jiuzhang, he has only produced a mere six palindromic poems passed down through the world over the past twenty years!"

"Now they expect us to come up with something like this..." He glanced not far away at Li Sanqiu, who was deep in contemplation, and added:

"Today, for this first trial, our Lin'an Academy will likely have to rely on the performance of Senior Brother Li Sanqiu."

A thin student standing beside Sun Yue also let out a bitter laugh and nodded slightly:

"In this round, our Lin'an Academy will probably lose to those twelve scholars from the State of Qi once again. Since Elder Xu gave this prompt... they likely have a deep understanding of palindromic poems."

Sun Yue looked at the young man: "Aren't you worried that Chen Xiaofu might be able to compose this poem?"

The young man grinned broadly: "Him?"

"He probably doesn't even know what a palindromic poem is!"

The other students all smiled, deeply agreeing with this sentiment.

"Everyone, I actually quite admire this Young Master Chen. He is not cut out for scholarship, but he is absolute perfection at doing business!"

"Oh? What makes Brother Li say that?"

The young man feigned an air of mystery and beckoned the other students closer. As they gathered around, he lowered his voice and said:

"I heard that this entire spectacle was actually Young Master Chen's idea!"

Everyone was shocked!

"Chen Xiaofu's idea? I thought it was the Academy Chancellor's!"

"The Chancellor wanted to make some silver, so he reached a private profit-sharing agreement with Chen Xiaofu, which is how today came to be. Is that not the case?"

The young man surnamed Li smiled faintly: "Of course it's not like that!"

"It was Chen Xiaofu who proposed it!"

A student questioned: "But he is bound to lose! Won't he end up not getting a single coin from this fifty-fifty split?"

"You're mistaken there!"

The young Li continued: "Why hasn't Young Master Chen shown his face? Because he doesn't need to show his face at all!"

"Whatever kind of question Elder Xu comes up with has nothing to do with him!"

A student asked in surprise, "How so, Brother Li?"

"Haven't you figured it out yet?"

"The silver from all these people has already been collected. When the time comes, Chen Xiaofu will simply announce that he cannot compose today's poetry and gracefully admit defeat... Do you really think those people would dare ask for their silver back?"

"The Chancellor definitely has a secret arrangement with Chen Xiaofu!"

"I estimate... that of the more than three hundred thousand taels of silver collected this morning, the Chancellor will secretly give Chen Xiaofu at least thirty percent!"

All the students drew a sharp breath, and the young Li offered another unfathomable smile:

"Everyone in Lin'an knows that Chen Xiaofu barely recognizes a few characters; he has no fear of losing face over a defeat. The man is shrewder than you think!"

"He gets over a hundred thousand taels of silver for nothing!"

"This business... tsk tsk tsk,"

The young Li shook his head: "Pure profit without a single cent of capital!"

"Brother Shuyu, your family runs the largest silk shop in Lin'an. Brother Zhixian, your family runs the largest grain store in Lin'an... Tell me, isn't Young Master Chen's business far more lucrative than yours?"

"Therefore, do not underestimate Young Master Chen!"

"He may not be able to write poetry, but when it comes to making silver... I am now utterly and thoroughly in awe of him!"

Hearing the young Li's explanation, all the students suddenly saw the light—

"Chen Xiaofu's intention was never to make a name for himself through this affair! He simply wanted to rake in a massive pile of silver!"

"Right, let's all go and think about how to answer this question. Chen Xiaofu definitely can't write it!"

"Our opponents are still those twelve scholars from the State of Qi across the way!"

Those twelve scholars from the State of Qi appeared somewhat more composed at the moment than the students of Lin'an Academy.

Yet, in truth...

Shang Qianwen wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked in bewilderment:

"What does the Master mean by posing this question?"

Mo Zhiqiang smiled slightly: "It's not as if you don't know the story of the Master's youth!"

"Lovesickness... More than forty years have passed since the Master left Jiqing at the age of nineteen."

"Over a decade ago, the Master did bring some of our senior schoolmates to the Great Zhou's imperial capital, Jicheng, yet he failed to meet Zhuang Qingdie..."

"This has been the Master's lovesickness all these years. Therefore, where there is lovesickness, there is bound to be regret."

"If lovers can be together, why endure lovesickness?"

"This is roughly the intention behind the Master's question."

Shang Qianwen let out a long sigh: "Yet none of us have someone we pine for, so how can we know the agony of lovesickness?"

"Without the sentiment of lovesickness, how can one write a poem of lovesickness?"

Mo Zhiqiang smiled: "Then... force the lovesickness."

So-called forced lovesickness means conjuring something out of nothing.

"There are four great beauties in the realm, and that younger junior sister of ours from Falling Flower Creek in the State of Qi is one of them. Haven't you all held a deep admiration for her on ordinary days? Just consider it lovesickness."

"I reckon not many people will be able to compose this poem within the time of the hourglass. That Young Master Chen... he definitely won't be able to write it!"

Yu Fu pondered for three breaths: "What if Xiao Wei helps him write it?"

"Well... Miss An is only sixteen years old; she should not yet comprehend the true essence of lovesickness."

"However, the Sixth Young Master can certainly take this time to brew his emotions well. In this trial, you should be able to claim the crown."

The twelve scholars of the State of Qi also lowered their heads in deep thought.

Not a single person believed that scoundrel Chen Xiaofu could compose this poem.

Liang Jingru believed the exact same thing!

After carefully pondering the question, she felt that Chen Xiaofu was destined to lose!

In the end, he would simply be making wedding clothes for someone else at Lin'an Academy.

She squeezed out of the crowd and headed toward the Library Pavilion.

Chen Xiaofu remained inside the Library Pavilion.

However, he was no longer reading books; instead, he was gazing at An Xiaowei.

Liang Jingru had gone to the plaza to listen to the prompt, and A'lai was guarding the entrance of the Library Pavilion, leaving only the two of them inside the building.

An Xiaowei blinked her pretty, large eyes:

"Isn't this perhaps a bit improper?"

"Nothing improper about it. The sun is far too fierce; we mustn't let you get tanned."

An Xiaowei blushed, casting a glance at Chen Xiaofu:

"Am I really that delicate?"

"Elder Xu is up on the stage, and Old Master Jiang is there as well. Won't you lose etiquette if you don't go?"

Chen Xiaofu curved the corner of his mouth:

"Isn't it just writing poetry? It's the same wherever one writes it."

"Besides, Elder Xu and Old Master Jiang are old men in their sixties and seventies; they aren't afraid of the sun or getting tanned, but you are different."

He reached out and grabbed An Xiaowei's hand: "I won't allow you to get darker!"

Liang Jingru strode furiously toward the Library Pavilion. As she stepped inside, she caught sight of Chen Xiaofu holding An Xiaowei's hand right then and there!

She happened to hear that scoundrel Chen Xiaofu utter words that made her skin crawl all over:

"From now on, I'll take responsibility for earning money to support the family, and as for you... your only responsibility is to look gorgeous and flawless!"

An Xiaowei lowered her head shyly.

Liang Jingru took a deep breath and glared fiercely at Chen Xiaofu.

Such a despicable pair of scoundrels!

She stepped forward.

Her footsteps fell rather heavily.

Thus producing a series of "thud, thud, thud..." sounds.

Chen Xiaofu turned his head, still without letting go of her hand.

Liang Jingru approached, her gaze falling upon An Xiaowei's slightly flushed cheeks.

Her tone carried a heavy grievance:

"Xiao Wei, you've changed!"