HLnovel Chapter 136 Thrilling!
Chapter 136 Thrilling!
Chapter 136 Thrilling!
As Kong Delin finished speaking, the entire audience erupted in cheers.
The audience below the stage were also watching the contestants with great interest.
Kong Hexuan and the others were all handsome and talented, which aroused the admiration of some young ladies.
The phrase "a talented man and a beautiful woman" was not just a saying in ancient times.
Ye Ru, dressed in a Zhuge-style robe, was not particularly outstanding; in fact, he appeared rather shabby.
After all, they were from humble backgrounds, so their silks and brocades couldn't compare to those of aristocratic and wealthy families, which sparked a lot of discussion.
"Who is that poor student? Doesn't he know to change his clothes before attending such an important event?"
"It's probably just a formality. Judging from their clothes and appearance, they must have come from somewhere else. They probably used all their savings for travel expenses."
"The poor families, alas, have never achieved good results in such national competitions over the years. This time it will probably be the same as always, after all, the learning resources of the poor families cannot compare with those of the powerful and wealthy families."
"Such a prestigious position is wasted. It's given to a student from a poor family. Maybe it's to save face for him."
Countless people whispered among themselves, their words filled with mockery and sarcasm.
"Brother Ye, keep up the good work."
Kong Hexuan smiled slightly at him.
"mutual encouragement."
Ye Ru looked at the Xuan paper and ink in front of him, took a deep breath, and waited for the Kong family elder to explain the rules of this trip.
"Literary contests are inseparable from poetry and prose. Therefore, this first round is a competition of poetry. You have two chances. In ancient times, Cao Zhi composed a poem in seven steps. Today, you have ten minutes to compose a poem. The theme is not limited. If you pass the imperial examination, you will advance. The poem will be judged based on its seal. The best poem will be the winner."
After a short while, once all the scholars were in place, Kong Delin looked around at the contestants and then said:
"The match is now officially underway!"
Upon hearing the rules of the competition, all the scholars began to think carefully, and some even changed their expressions.
The competition lasts ten minutes, and you need four or five minutes to come up with the idea. Then you have to write the poem in neat handwriting, so ten minutes is a bit of a stretch.
Writing poetry is not difficult; the difficulty lies in establishing the theme. To write poetry with artistic conception requires transcending the primordial chaos, which is even more challenging.
Ye Ru was also deep in thought. This time there were only two chances, so he had to choose the best theme in order to outshine everyone else. Although the first round seemed simple, it was actually quite difficult. If the theme was not limited, it would allow him to better demonstrate his poetic talent, but it would also lead him into a trap.
That's going off-topic.
The others were also racking their brains, clearly aware of the importance of this topic.
After three or four minutes, everyone began to write, and the sound of ink swishing through the paper made many people feel an invisible pressure.
Fan Ziling, Kong Hexuan, and the others also picked up their pens and began to write, with rays of light brewing at the tips of their pens, seemingly spreading outwards in a thousand directions.
"Although the noble families and powerful clans are arrogant, they do have the right to be arrogant."
Ye Ru looked around at Kong Hexuan and found that the other party had already started writing.
Shifting her gaze to the left, Fan Ziling seemed to notice Ye Ru's look and gave the latter a mocking sneer:
"You absolutely cannot pass the first round!"
Ye Ru ignored him, then picked up the brush given to him by the authorities and began to write.
"The morning rain in Weicheng dampens the light dust, and the willows by the inn are fresh and green..."
"Crack!"
However, at this moment, Ye Ru's expression changed. The brush suddenly broke in half, and then the ink from the tip of the brush poured out like water, directly turning the Xuan paper black!
"boom!"
The broken calligraphy brush startled everyone, but Fan Ziling smiled mockingly.
"what happened?"
Chen Tianjian and Wen Xiang were naturally keeping a close eye on Ye Ru. When they saw that Ye Ru's brush had broken, their expressions changed immediately.
The brush broke, and it will take some time to send it back and forth, and only official ink and brushes can be used.
Seven minutes had already passed, so Ye Ru had to hurry.
"The calligraphy brush broke off, what happened?"
"Perhaps this poor student felt ashamed that the calligraphy was written on by him, so he committed suicide."
The audience fell silent, but then began to whisper and mock.
Kong Hexuan and the others also saw Ye Ru, and their expressions changed slightly. Such a small mistake had never occurred before. If Ye Ru failed this time, he would probably be immersed in this failure for the rest of his life.
Writing a poem takes three minutes, and Ye Ru no longer has time.
Moreover, they did not bring any books, so they could not provide Ye Ru with any assistance.
"Quickly, someone bring me a pen!"
Chen Tianjian's face was gloomy. He then waved his hand, clearly indicating that someone was deliberately trying to harm Ye Ru and frame him.
"General Chen... General Chen, all the writing brushes have broken."
At this moment, a voice rang out, instantly enraging Chen Tianjian and Wen Xiang:
"You idiot! Investigate who framed you! Whoever it is, show no mercy!"
"What do we do now? Time is almost up."
Chen Tianjian looked at Wen Xiang with a anxious expression.
"It seems Chief Ye's mission has failed this time... Who is doing this on purpose?"
The Left Prime Minister stroked his beard, a smile on his face.
"It's not that the troops are incompetent, but rather that some treacherous person is secretly plotting something. Could it be that the Left Prime Minister is crying wolf?"
The Prime Minister looked at the Left Prime Minister with a cold expression and said in a deep voice.
"Really?"
The Left Prime Minister smiled but did not speak.
As the match continued, Ye Ru's expression turned somewhat grim. This situation was simply impossible; anyone who could cause this to happen would definitely have done it intentionally.
A flash of light appeared in his hand, and an ancient-looking brush appeared. He then began to grind ink and continue writing.
"Why does this pen feel so familiar?"
Wen Xiang paused for a moment, then spoke.
"Stop getting familiar with him! Ye Ru only has two minutes left. What are we going to do now?!"
Seeing Wen Xiang like this, Chen Tianjian said anxiously.
"Take it easy, didn't you see the protagonist isn't in a hurry?"
Wen Xiang said with a smile, but he was still a little uneasy.
creak!
At this moment, Kong Hexuan had already finished writing his poem, and the sound of him putting down his pen could be heard.
creak!
Not only Kong Hexuan, but also the other members of the various sage families wrote their poems. The sound of pens being put down rose and fell, some with anxious expressions, and others with confidence.
"Time is almost up..."
Chen Tianjian stared intently at Ye Ru, his hands clenched tightly.
Countless people watched the hourglass held high in the distance with bated breath, all wondering if this only student from a poor family could pass the first test.
Time passed quickly, and only one minute remained.
Ye Ru calmed his mind:
"My hair stands on end in fury! Leaning on the railing, the rain has just stopped. I raise my eyes, look up to the sky and roar, my heart filled with fierce ambition. Thirty years of fame and glory are but dust and dirt, eight thousand miles of road are but clouds and moon. Do not idly let your youthful head turn white, only to be filled with empty sorrow!"
"Hurry, there are only about ten breaths left!"
Chen Tianjian swallowed hard, his heart filled with anxiety. If Ye Ru failed in the first round, the Book Palace's courage would surely be in jeopardy!
"Looks like it's all over..."
Kong Hexuan also sighed, but as soon as he finished speaking, a dazzling light, like that of stars, shone out, startling them.
"The essence of writing? Composed in one stroke?"
Not only Kong Hexuan, but Chen Tianjian and Wen Xiang also showed slight changes:
"Although this method of appreciating books can reduce the time spent writing poems, time is still a bit tight."
"rustle……"
Ye Ru wrote swiftly: "The shame of the Yan and Huang Emperors remains unavenged; the hatred of the subjects, when will it be extinguished? I will drive my chariot and shatter the Demon Mountain! With lofty ambition, I will feast on the flesh of demons and drink the blood of treacherous officials with laughter and gusto..."
At that moment, as the last few grains of sand in the hourglass were about to fall, everyone present sighed.
As the last grain of sand fell completely, Ye Ru quickly wrote down the last word, and the ink stopped flowing as soon as the pen touched the paper!
"Let us rebuild our lost lands and return to the imperial palace!"