There was no fee to join the couplet contest. Anyone who wanted to take part could join at any time.
Thus, when someone offered, "Swaying branches and birdsong drift into sweet dreams," someone quickly answered, "The wind carries plum blossom fragrance into the emerald tower."
"Outside, the spring breeze urges willows to green."
"In the garden, flower buds bloom with poetry's red."
"The moon wanes and waxes beneath the stars' eyes."
"Flowers bloom and fall within the trees' hearts."
"Green mountains paint a thousand autumns without ink."
"Clear waters play an eternal melody without strings."
"A thousand lotus flowers in three feet of water."
"A crescent moon and half a pavilion of breeze."
... (All of the above were found through Baidu searches.)
Shen Shixu won the calligraphy and arranged for an attendant to deliver it to Prince Jing's Residence. Only then did the people who had traded couplets with him learn that this young yet remarkably talented man was Lord Qian'an, Shen Shixu, who had married into Prince Jing's Residence just yesterday.
Their eyes immediately lit up. As it happened, they had many scholarly questions they wanted someone to help them with.
As the Top Scholar, Shen Shixu would surely be able to answer their questions and resolve their difficulties. Before they could summon the nerve to approach him, Xiao Jinyi whisked Shen Shixu away.
As if! Xiao Jinyi was neither blind nor a fool. He could see the way those people stared at Shen Shixu with shining eyes, and he understood perfectly well what they wanted.
He would have to be mad to stay there and let them steal his husband away. They had come out to spend time alone together, and no one was going to interrupt them!
"A-Xu, neither of these activities is much fun. Let's