The Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir

Chapter 37: Half of five gold taels

Ning Mingjie didn't express an opinion to her words. When they reached the fifth floor, he found seats in the tearoom and sat down with Nie Sangyu. Muxu stood at their side.

On the fifth floor, there was an impressive painting and calligraphy exhibition and many scholars. There were people writing poems and bursts of cheers came from other people from time to time. There were also several clusters of two or three scholars that were discussing the paintings and calligraphy that were hanging on the walls.

A person that looked like a ceremonial official was standing in the center of the fifth floor. He announced to surrounding people, "The fifth floor is still missing one more poem for today. Is there any young master or lady that's willing to contribute a poem?"

Ning Mingjie turned his head to briefly look and seemed quite interested. But, the woman sitting across from him was only quietly eating snacks. Her eyes hadn't even flickered in that direction.

Ning Mingjie asked, "I heard that you're pretty good at all four arts of the scholar.* Are you not interested in going up to try?"

*(T/N: The Four Arts are guqin (ancient musical instrument), Go, calligraphy, and painting.)

Nie Sangyu was from an aristocratic family. She would've had lessons in these areas since she was a child and should be pretty good in these arts.

Ji Man had been focused on eating the snacks. Hearing his words, she very indifferently and simply replied, "Poetry comes from the heart. Wouldn't it be going against the core foundation of poetry to a compose a poem in order to seek fame?"

Ning Mingjie was stunned. He hadn't expected that she would be able to say words like these. He immediately didn't want to try anymore either.

In the center of the room, there were already a few scholars that had gone up to try writing poems. Ji Man didn't even look at them. She was only thinking about how to continue promoting the relationship between her older brother and Errong later on.

Ning Mingjie was watching the scholars and couldn't resist saying, "The person on the left wrote a pretty good poem."

Ji Man finally turned around to look. A scholar had written a poem about how wonderful the country was. She twitched her mouth and objected, "I've read so many books and my favorite poems are Li Bai*'s unrestrained ones and Li Qingzhao*'s euphemistically ones. The poems up there aren't up to par."

* (T/N: Names of two very famous Chinese poets.)

"Oh?" Ning Mingjie was slightly interested. "Who are Li Bai and Li Qingzhao?"

Ji Man, "..."

How could she have forgotten? This was a made-up era. There were many areas where this world was different from history. Naturally, Li Bai, Du Fu, and Li Qingzhao didn't exist in this world.

"The two of them are poets that live in the countryside. I was fortunate in being able to read a few of their poems and I thought they were pretty good." Ji Man loudly laughed and skirted around his question.

Ning Mingjie slightly nodded. Looking at the crumb on the corner of her mouth, there was finally a hint of a smile in his eyes. But, he didn't point this out to her.

"Are there any other young master or lady that's willing to write a poem?" The ceremonial official called out. "If there's no one else, we'll start judging these poems. The winner will be awarded five gold taels by Louyan Pagoda and his or her poem will be hanged on the wall for others to admire."

This was the oft referred to literary competition. Because of this tradition, Luoyan Pagoda attracted countless literati. For people with real talent, but had repeatedly failed their exams, they were able to come here and earn enough for food.