“Bathed in the refreshing spring sunshine, the branches are adorned with vibrant blossoms. The warm season arrives early, and jade butterflies flutter and dance.” Wan Linyu gently waved his feather fan, reciting the poem with a smile.
“Excellent lines, excellent lines.”
“Jade butterflies fluttering and swaying, a wonderful use of the phrase.”
A chorus of praise sang Wan Linyu’s praises, completely overshadowing Zhang Danfeng.
Zhang Danfeng’s smile faltered slightly.
Seeing Zhang Danfeng being humiliated, Xiu Hong looked anxious, then heard Bei Yutang’s voice beside her.
“What’s the use of standing here anxiously? Go up and write a poem to put Wan Linyu in his place.”
“I can’t.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she heard a low voice beside her.
“Honeysuckle’s fragrance lingers, blooming from summer to autumn,
Butterflies dance among the blossoms, warbler chirps among the vines.
Sitting by the railing with wine in hand, its delicate fragrance dispels worldly worries,
My original heart remains unchanged, drunk and dreaming of Zhuangzi.”
Xiu Hong didn’t react immediately, then heard Bei Yutang’s urging voice.
“What are you standing there for? Speak quickly!”
Xiu Hong awkwardly responded, and under Bei Yutang’s urging, recited the poem aloud.
At first, her voice wasn’t loud, but as more talented men looked at them, Xiu Hong became increasingly calm, reciting each line of the poem clearly and distinctly.
“Drunk and dreaming of Zhuangzi… Wonderful, truly wonderful.”
“This poem is excellent.”
Wan Linyu and Zhang Danfeng stared at Xiu Hong simultaneously. The former frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed. The latter, however, wore a hint of excitement, his face beaming with undisguised joy.
Seeing Zhang Danfeng’s expression, Bei Yutang knew that their first step had succeeded.
The excellent poem had suppressed Zhang Danfeng’s rival, naturally winning his favor and attracting his attention.
Seeing her unfamiliar face, someone asked, “Brother, you look unfamiliar. May I ask your teacher?”
Xiu Hong recited her prepared lines, “I’m just traveling around. I happened to hear that this place is a gathering place for talented scholars from Linzhou Prefecture, so I came to take a look.”
“May I ask your name, Brother?” Someone pressed.
“My surname is Zhang, and my given name is Zilin.”
“Brother Zilin, greetings.”
Everyone stepped forward to introduce themselves. Xiu Hong was dizzy from the introductions. When Zhang Danfeng stepped forward, Xiu Hong’s body stiffened slightly with nervousness. With Bei Yutang’s secret help, Xiu Hong quickly integrated into their group.
Every time Wan Linyu subdued Zhang Danfeng, Bei Yutang would prompt Xiu Hong to intervene. After several such instances, Wan Linyu began to suspect that he had offended her, while the other person felt the exact opposite.
Zhang Danfeng took a liking to this suddenly appearing ‘Brother Zilin’.
As the party ended, Bei Yutang whispered, “Zhang Danfeng will be here later. You can’t be too enthusiastic, nor too distant.”
“He’ll be here?” Xiu Hong asked, surprised.
Bei Yutang didn’t speak because Zhang Danfeng’s slightly urgent voice sounded behind her.
“Brother Zilin, please wait.”
Xiu Hong looked at the approaching Zhang Danfeng, her eyes filled with surprise, and when she looked at Bei Yutang, her eyes were full of admiration.
“Brother Zilin, do you have time to have a few drinks with me?” Zhang Danfeng asked politely.
Xiu Hong instinctively wanted to nod, but at the last moment, Bei Yutang pinched her, bringing her back to her senses.
“Brother Jin’gui, I have other matters to attend to. I’m afraid I can’t have a few drinks with you.”
Zhang Danfeng said with some regret, “In that case, I’m sorry to have bothered you.”
Xiu Hong nodded slightly and turned to leave.
After walking a few steps, she heard Bei Yutang’s instruction and turned back to Zhang Danfeng, saying, “Brother Jin’gui, if not today, how about tomorrow?”
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Looking for fluff On [QTC] MBDT Chapter 1795