The Prize Was Simply Too Tempting

All eyes turned to Xie Cheng'en, who waved his hand, and a servant immediately presented a brocade box.

When the box is opened, an ivory-carved pen is revealed, its handle inlaid with gold and jewels.

The entire audience gasped in astonishment. "It's an ivory pen inlaid with gold! With such quality, it must be incredibly valuable!"

"The young master of the Xie Family is indeed extraordinary!"

"This prize is far too valuable!"

The head of the Lu Family also spoke up, "Since everyone is here at the Lu Family today, Lu Family cannot be impolite. Let's add another prize."

An ancient inkstone was brought out; the Chengni Jingxin Inkstone is quite rare.

Marchioness of Loyalty and Valor stepped forward with a smile and said, "Since everyone is having such a good time today, I'll also put up a prize to add to the festivities."

Her maidservant then presented a large box inlaid with jewels and pure gold. The box was gently opened, revealing a set of peony headdresses inlaid with pearls and filigree in pure gold.

It was a complete set of headdress and jewelry, all in the style of peonies, inlaid with pigeon blood rubies and Blue Treasure, and adorned with dozens of pearls, exuding an air of nobility.

Even noble ladies in the capital were dumbfounded when they saw such a wonderful item.

The prize is far too tempting.

The prefect standing nearby slowly rose and said, "Since everyone is so enthusiastic, I will also offer one last prize to add some excitement to this competition."

Actually, the prefect was unwilling to give it up, but he had no choice. Since the Marchioness of Loyalty and Valor had already given it up, he couldn't very well not give it up either! So he had someone bring him a jade pendant.

Upon seeing this, everyone nodded in approval. "The Prefect is indeed very thoughtful; this jade pendant looks extremely valuable!"

"With this grand finale, the competition is going to be even more exciting!"

Zhou Wanwan smiled faintly and said, "Oh my! This headdress is really beautiful, I like it very much."

Lu Lan sneered:

"Just because you like it doesn't mean it's yours. What are you dreaming about?"

"You'd be lucky to even pass the lowest level of the imperial examinations. Someone like you probably hasn't even seen a zither before!"

Zhou Wanwan was too lazy to argue with her.

Everyone waited quietly for the question to be asked. After discussing with the people beside him, the prefect finally spoke:

"Since today is a contest of talent, let's start with poetry in the first round."

"Write three poems on the theme of spring, with only half an incense stick's time."

The room fell silent instantly upon hearing this.

Many talented men and women had a slight change in expression, their brows furrowed, and they were all somewhat flustered. One poem was already difficult enough, but three in a row was simply too challenging.

Many talented men and women gazed at the courtyard before them, deep in thought.

Zhou Wanwan chuckled. This is too easy. It's just writing about spring, isn't it?

She didn't even consider it.

After half an incense stick's time, everyone had handed in their exam questions.

Shangguan Wan'er chuckled and said, "This is too easy. I used to see questions like this all the time in the capital."

Lu Xuening glanced at Zhou Wanwan indifferently and said:

"It is indeed quite simple, but for people here, the questions should be quite difficult."

After all, not everyone here can write poetry.

Lu Lan sighed and said, "I can only manage to write it with difficulty. Writing three poems in half an incense stick's time is really asking too much of anyone."

Lu Xuening looked at her and said, "You've already done very well, okay? Others might not be able to write this!"

Zhou Wanwan ignored them and looked at her brother and Gu Sinian.

Gu Sinian smiled faintly at her, and her brother nodded back.

Zhou Wanwan raised an eyebrow. It seemed that both her brother and Gu Sinian had written quite well!

A scholar from the Hanlin Academy, who had come from the capital, said with a hint of pride, "Gentlemen, look at this! The poems of these young gentlemen and ladies from the capital are indeed refined and elegant; their spirit is truly different."

The prefect nodded and said:

"Sigh, people from the capital are different; their background speaks for itself."

Students from our small town can't compare.

Another examiner from the capital stroked his beard and said:

"Oh, that's natural. This is a remote place, so the literary style can't compare with that of the capital."

I don't mean to look down on anyone, but if we really compare, the difference in quality is immediately apparent.

The two men, in a back-and-forth exchange, openly praised the young men of the capital, while secretly belittling the people of Yunxi County as worthless.

The local students present all looked grim, yet dared not refute.

But as he flipped through the pages, the Hanlin Academy scholar's smile suddenly froze.

He exclaimed in surprise:

"Who... who wrote this poem?"

The poems possess a lofty artistic conception and a natural flow of language; all three were composed in one breath.

Everyone crowded around, and someone read aloud:

In the second month of spring, when the grass grows and orioles fly, the willows along the dike are intoxicated by the spring mist.

Children return home early from school, eager to take advantage of the east wind to fly kites.

What a wonderful poem!

The Hanlin Academy scholar immediately read out the second poem:

"A tall tree adorned with jade, its ten thousand green silk ribbons hanging down."

Who cut out these delicate leaves? It seems the spring breeze of February is like a pair of scissors.

What a wonderful February breeze, like a pair of scissors!

Another judge nodded and said:

"Spring slumber is so sweet, I don't even notice the dawn; everywhere I hear birds singing."

The sound of wind and rain last night, how many flowers have fallen?

Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!

They opened the names, Hanlin Academy scholar looked at the names on the list and asked, "Which one is Zhou Wanwan?"

Zhou Wanwan quickly stepped forward and said, "I, I am Zhou Wanwan, sir, may I accept the award?"

Everyone around laughed, but the prefect, his face dark, said, "Zhou Wanwan, do you have any manners at all?"

The Hanlin Academy scholar quickly waved his hand and said:

"Such a young girl, and she can write such good poems? It's truly remarkable."

In Yunxi County, other people's poems are also very good, but compared with Zhou Wanwan's, they are still far inferior.

"Little girl, come up here, this ivory-inlaid gold pen is yours."

Now it was Xie Cheng'en's turn to have a dark expression. He couldn't help but frown and say, "She can write such good poems? I don't believe it. Zhou Wanwan, you didn't plagiarize them, did you?"

Zhou Wanwan rolled her eyes and said, "Do you think I copied yours? You couldn't write such a good poem!"

Xie Cheng'en was furious and couldn't be bothered to talk to her anymore.

Zhou Wanwan looked at the ivory pen with great affection.

Lu Lan, pulling at her handkerchief, said, "It's just good luck, what's so great about it?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at her and said, "Then let's see if you're lucky enough to have one!"

Wen Zhiyu muttered under her breath, "We still don't know if it's plagiarized!"

Zhou Wanwan glared at her and said, "Then why don't you copy one and let me see!"

Wen Zhiyu glared at her and said, "This is purely plagiarism. I want to see if you can keep plagiarizing."

The noble ladies of the capital whispered among themselves, "Losing is one thing, but we didn't expect this little girl to be so dishonest, cheating for some good stuff."

"Coming from the countryside, how much manners and upbringing can you expect from her?"

"Stop mentioning her. I saw a few young gentlemen across the way; they were quite handsome and wrote well. I've never seen them in the capital before."

"That's the top scholar, Gu Sinian. He used to be a fool, but now he's suddenly become clever. He's actually quite handsome."