Confucianism under Heaven

Chapter 8: A Battle of Wits with Hong Ban!

Chapter Eight: The Literary Battle Against Hong Ban!

A bright red handprint appeared on the face of the scholar in his fine clothes, making his face burn with embarrassment.

The gourd in his hand had also disappeared.

The surrounding area was completely silent, as if they were still searching for who had hit the student in the Chinese-style dress.

"Who! Who hit me!"

After a moment, the student finally realized what was happening and looked around. A boy dressed in coarse cloth short clothes was standing in front of Su Tongyao.

"Ye Ru? I didn't expect it to be you, you piece of trash!"

The scholar in fine clothes was furious. He, a student from a respectable aristocratic family, had actually been beaten by a student from a poor family.

"Yes, it's me."

Ye Ru coldly looked at the student in fine clothes. This guy was from the Hong class. Although he hadn't reached the level of a child scholar, he was still quite talented and much better than the students from the Huang class.

"You won't listen to reason, so get on the fight!"

Upon seeing this, the student in the fine clothes waved his hand, and the three people behind him rushed forward.

"Oh no, isn't Ye Ru courting death?!"

"As the saying goes, a gentleman takes revenge even after ten years. Ye Ru is probably going to suffer a loss this time."

Several talented scholars looked at the calm Ye Ru, sighed, and said regretfully.

"roll!"

However, what they did not know was that Ye Ru had already become a Saintly Child Scholar. He drew upon his talent from the book and, holding the Three Perfections Literary Heart Brush, made a single stroke in mid-air.

With a stroke of the brush, Wenxin drew three thick lines of ink, which landed on the chests of the three men. Under the horrified gazes of the crowd, the three men were sent flying backward as if struck by a heavy blow.

"Ye Ru has awakened his intelligence and become a student of the Imperial Academy? Otherwise, how could he possess such talent?"

"That can't be right."

Upon seeing the three people lying on the ground, a deathly silence fell over the surroundings, followed by shocked gazes directed at Ye Ru.

Only those who have reached the level of a child scholar can store their talent and activate literary treasures. Has the other party truly become a child scholar?

"You...you really are Ye Ru? Let me tell you, a gentleman uses words, not fists. If you act recklessly, I will report you to the Master for bullying the weak and fearing the strong, and you will be severely punished!"

The remaining student in fine clothes swallowed hard and took two steps back.

"I am not a gentleman. I believe in revenge. If you hurt my family, I will repay you a hundredfold. Why can't I take action? Are you, a noble family member, so precious? Or am I, a humble person, so lowly?"

Ye Ru walked step by step toward the scholar in fine clothes, his whole body radiating coldness.

"Don't you dare lay a hand on me! My older brother is Xu Ziyan. If you do, he won't let you get away with it!"

"Snapped!"

Before the student in his fancy clothes could finish speaking, a slap rang out clearly in the cafeteria.

The surrounding people were stunned into silence by Ye Ru's decisive action, and even the students in their fine clothes did not dare to step forward.

“Brother Ye, as the old saying goes, ‘To err is human, to forgive divine.’ Xu Zhong has already admitted his mistake, so why do you have to press him so hard?”

Just as Ye Ru made his move again, a faint laugh rang out, and then a handsome young man stepped out from the crowd.

"It's Xu Ziyan."

“Ye Ru hit his brother, Xu Ziyan will not let him get away with it.”

Those around him whispered among themselves upon seeing the handsome young man, their faces showing awe.

"You're Xu Ziyan?"

Ye Ru looked at Xu Ziyan and said.

"That's me. Could you please spare Xu Chong for my sake?"

"impossible."

Xu Ziyan smiled and cupped his hands in greeting to Ye Ru, but as soon as he finished speaking, the latter's words made his face freeze instantly.

The atmosphere around us became even stranger.

“Going against my Xu family is not a wise choice.”

Xu Ziyan narrowed his eyes and threatened.

"What? You want to have a contest with me? In terms of talent, you haven't even reached the level of a child scholar yet, so you have no talent at all."

Jiang Wei said.

Upon hearing this, Xu Ziyan's expression shifted between light and shadow. When had the other party reached the level of a Saintly Child Transformation? After a moment of contemplation, he raised his head:

"How about this, let's have a literary contest. You and I will each compose a poem. If I win, you will have to pay the price for hitting my cousin."

The so-called literary contest is to compose poems, while the literary battle is a duel using talent.

But most scholars would choose to engage in literary debates.

"If you win, Xu Zhong will be at your disposal."

"It will be February, let's compose a seasonal poem."

"how?"

Upon hearing this, countless people gasped. Although Xu Ziyan was only of average standing in the Hong class, he held the title of a talented scholar in the Hong class, and his ability to compose poetry was truly exceptional.

His poems were even published in the Wenxing Journal, which was published within the Wenxing Private School.

Although Ye Ru became a student of the Imperial Academy by accident, no one has ever seen him compose poetry.

Because the members of the Huangzi Class have been silenced, the three poems, Hongmeng and Jingsheng, are of great significance and cannot be made public without obtaining a literary rank.

"How about we add a little more prize? Let's bet one tael of silver."

Ye Ru smiled.

One tael of silver is enough for an ordinary poor student to study at school for a year.

"No way, Ye Ru really wants to have a literary contest with Fang Ziyan?"

"He even gambled one or two taels of silver. This time, Ye Ru is probably going to lose badly."

The aristocratic students all looked at Ye Ru with pity, while the students from poor families also looked at Ye Ru with worry.

"One tael of silver? Can you afford that?"

Xu Ziyan thought to himself with disdain:

"If you can't come up with even a tael of silver, hand Tong Yao over to me, and I'll marry her."

"it is good."

Ye Ru nodded, and Su Tongyao was also very uneasy.

However, she believed in Ye Ru.

"Under the watchful eyes of everyone, no one can renege on their promise, or their literary reputation will be ruined. Brother Xu, please."

Ye Ru extended his palm and said.

"Then I'll bring you pen and ink."

Xu Ziyan took the brush and ink, dipped it in the ink, and wrote:

"The snow has just melted in the second month of the lunar calendar."

"The spring breeze does not change the old days of sleep."

"The ice breaks and the snow melts, bringing forth a vibrant scene."

'Love is intoxicated in the apricot garden.'

Once a poem is finished, the poet's talent shines forth, and the Xuan paper releases a primordial light.

"It's actually the Primordial Poem!"

A student stared wide-eyed.

"Truly a talented poet of Hong Ban's caliber!"

Another student exclaimed in surprise.

"Creating a Primordial Poem is quite difficult. If Ye Ru could create one, it would at best be a draw. However, I'm afraid Ye Ru is unlikely to be able to create a Primordial Poem..."

"Impossible. In the entire Wenxing Private School, apart from Han Dingsheng, the senior from the Huang class, who could have composed such a poem?"

"Ye Ru is going to lose this time."

Countless people whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with disappointment as they looked at Ye Ru.

Su Tongyao also looked at Ye Ru, feeling nervous, her fists clenched tightly.

"It's your turn. The Analects says: 'A person without integrity cannot stand.' Brother Ye, you must not break your promise."

Xu Ziyan looked at Ye Ru triumphantly, uttering sacred words. A beam of light enveloped Ye Ru, making it impossible for Ye Ru to regret his actions.

If Ye Ru hadn't agreed, the sacred words wouldn't have hindered him, but now, he could only write them down.

Without changing his expression, Ye Ru stepped to the table, took the Three Perfections Writing Brush, and dipped it in ink:

"A tall tree adorned with jade-green leaves,"

He wrote a single sentence, and his talent remained completely unaffected.

"So he's all bark and no bite. He's all talk and no action, no real learning. How can he be considered a scholar?"

Xu Ziyan thought disdainfully to himself, then looked at Su Tongyao with even more fervent eyes.

Those around Ye Ru were also worried for him.

This is just ordinary poetry; it's still a long way from the primordial poetry.

"Ten thousand green silk ribbons hang down."

"Who cut out these delicate leaves?"

The three lines were written down, and the two feet of poetry emerged from the primordial chaos.

This made Xu Ziyan even more disdainful.

"The spring breeze in February is like a pair of scissors."

The last word was written, the ink fell, and the brush stopped!

"Why is there still no sign of talent emerging?"

Someone said something that sparked a discussion throughout the room.

However, before the noise could fully rise, a two-foot-long stream of talent surged forth like a spring, its orange light dazzling and blinding, as if everyone's heart stopped beating for a moment.

A poem about cultivating virtue!