After Master Zheng finished speaking, he assumed an attitude of eager anticipation. Seeing this, Lin Wanjun thought for a moment and reluctantly nodded in agreement, saying to Ye Yiming, "Ye Yiming, you can now present your question."
Seeing that Lin Wanjun had nodded and agreed, Ye Yiming no longer hesitated. He smiled at Master Zheng and said, "Then I shall present the question. Master Zheng, please listen carefully."
"Hmph!" Master Zheng snorted coldly without saying anything.
Ye Yiming didn't mind and began to tell a story.
"I once heard a story about a beautiful and exceptionally talented woman. Because of certain grievances, she chose to renounce the world and entered a monastery, ignoring worldly affairs. Later, she wrote a couplet on the wall outside the temple: 'In the lonely cold window, emptiness guards widowhood,' and declared that anyone who could match the couplet, regardless of appearance, would win her heart, and she would return to the secular world.
Due to her beauty and talent, many scholars and gentlemen came to respond, but none succeeded, and they all left disappointed. Eventually, seeing no one who could understand her, the woman lost hope and truly spent her life alone in the temple, dying in loneliness. Such a talented and beautiful woman ending up like this is truly regretful!
Today, I hope Master Zheng can come up with a matching couplet. Although it cannot fulfill the woman's dream, it can resolve my doubts. So, the couplet from the story is my challenge. Please, Master Zheng, provide your answer."
After finishing his story, Ye Yiming smiled and looked at Master Zheng.
The story Ye Yiming told was sorrowful, especially the woman's ending, which left everyone present feeling regretful.
Master Zheng had been attentive since Ye Yiming started speaking. However, upon realizing Ye Yiming was telling a story, he was displeased and wanted to interrupt. But when he heard that Ye Yiming's question was the couplet from the story, he stopped.
"In the lonely cold window, emptiness guards widowhood?"
Master Zheng furrowed his brow, deeply pondering the couplet. After a long time, he reached a shocking conclusion: he couldn't come up with a matching line!
It wasn't just Master Zheng; everyone in the hall, including Lin Wanjun, was also racking their brains but to no avail.
The couplet had no intricate traps or specific cryptic words, but Master Zheng couldn't find a line that matched the word "loneliness."
After pondering for a long time, Master Zheng realized he couldn't come up with an answer, and he began to feel frightened.
He was terrified that Ye Yiming would mock him for this and that his reputation would be affected.
What should I do?
Master Zheng was once again deep in thought, but this time he was not thinking about a matching line; he was devising a strategy to extricate himself from this predicament.
Got it!
A thought flashed in Master Zheng's mind, and he suddenly had an idea.
After a slight cough, Master Zheng began to speak.
"After hearing the story from the young Duke, I realize there was such an extraordinary woman in the world. Her tragic end fills me with regret, and I am amazed by her talent. She came up with such a brilliant couplet, truly astounding!"
Stolen story; please report.
There's a scheme here!
The moment Master Zheng spoke, expressing deep regret over the woman's tragic end and praising her talent, Ye Yiming sensed something amiss.
Astounding? Amazed?
It was just a story; why the exaggeration?
Master Zheng's actions made Ye Yiming suspicious.
And sure enough!
What Master Zheng said next confirmed Ye Yiming's suspicions.
Master Zheng, after expressing his emotions, looked at Ye Yiming and said, "Young Duke, you are putting me in a difficult position. How can an ordinary man like me match a couplet from such an extraordinary woman?"
What?
Ye Yiming had expected Master Zheng might struggle to answer and perhaps even ask for a new question. Or he might ask Ye Yiming to present a second question directly. But Master Zheng's response left Ye Yiming stunned.
But that wasn't the main point! The main point was that everyone around seemed to agree.
Ye Yiming hadn't expected this at all!
Finally, after a while, Lin Wanjun spoke up as Ye Yiming remained dumbfounded.
"Ye Yiming, what Master Zheng said is correct. Such an extraordinary woman's couplet is beyond us. How can you claim it as your own? Let's skip this question."
Ye Yiming was exasperated!
Is this even possible? Oh, heavens, can you be any more unreasonable?
Although Ye Yiming couldn't accept it, even the Emperor had spoken, so he had no choice but to change the question.
However, seeing the slight smugness in Master Zheng's eyes, Ye Yiming felt quite pleased.
Hmph, feeling smug, are you?
Fine, this time I'll present a couplet that will leave you utterly stumped.
After thinking for a moment, Ye Yiming raised his head, glared at Master Zheng coldly, and presented his second question.
"Master Zheng, my second couplet is: 'Water with worms is muddy, water with fish is for fishing, water water water, rivers, and lakes abound.'"
Upon hearing this, everyone’s eyes lit up, but then they furrowed their brows and began to ponder deeply.
Master Zheng was truly at a loss this time. He knew he couldn't come up with a matching couplet. But admitting defeat was something he couldn't do!
Admitting defeat this time would be different. Previously, he could rely on the Emperor's order to save face, but this time it was different. He had personally asked Ye Yiming to present a question, and now he couldn't come up with an answer. Admitting defeat would mean a complete loss to Ye Yiming.
How could a Grand Academician of the nation lose to a less than twenty-year-old playboy?
The thought of admitting defeat and its consequences filled Master Zheng with anxiety.
If only he had agreed to stop the competition earlier as the Emperor suggested, but now, what could he do?
Thinking about the consequences of admitting defeat, Master Zheng was sweating profusely.
At this moment, another Academician, who had been standing quietly nearby, walked over to Master Zheng. Leaning close, he whispered something in Master Zheng's ear.
Hearing the whispered suggestion, Master Zheng first looked stunned, then gradually became excited, and finally wore a look of joy.
"Got it! Got it!" Master Zheng, now almost incoherent with excitement, only calmed down after the nearby Academician patted him gently.
Gratefully looking at the Academician, Master Zheng turned back to Ye Yiming and said, "Young Duke, I have thought of a matching couplet."
"Oh!" Ye Yiming responded lightly, then said, "Please recite your couplet, Master Zheng."
Everyone present had clearly seen the exchange between Master Zheng and the other Academician. They knew exactly what had happened, but Ye Yiming said nothing and allowed Master Zheng to present his couplet.
Ye Yiming's actions made Master Zheng pause in appreciation. After a moment, he regained his composure and began to speak.
"Young Duke, my matching couplet is: 'Under the tree is the root, above the tree is the tip, tree tree tree, pine, cypress, camphor trees thrive.'"
Ye Yiming was so stunned by Master Zheng's apology and then his calm and respectful repetition of the couplet that he didn't catch the couplet itself at first.
Only when Master Zheng repeated it did Ye Yiming fully grasp it, realizing how unusual Master Zheng's behavior was.
Is he on medication? Or did a gust of wind cause him to lose his senses?
While Ye Yiming had these thoughts, he wisely kept them to himself.
Seeing the anticipation in Master Zheng's eyes, Ye Yiming nodded and said, "Not bad, it matches perfectly."
"Ah!" Master Zheng sighed in relief, but before he could fully relax, Ye Yiming spoke again.
"Since Master Zheng has answered this question, I will present a third."
"No, no need!" Master Zheng quickly interrupted, stopping Ye Yiming from continuing.
He then turned to Lin Wanjun and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, the young Duke's talent is extraordinary. I admit defeat. There is no need for a third question."
Admit defeat?
Master Zheng is admitting defeat?