Unparalleled Talent

She probably wanted to take him down a peg or two.

Before coming, Bai Ling had repeatedly reminded him, so Luo Qingzhou was already mentally prepared.

At this moment, he fell silent for a bit. He lowered his head and said, "Madam, please set the question."

Song Ruyue seemed to be prepared for this.

She snorted coldly, and a contented look appeared on her face that was adorned with light makeup. "Jianjia and Weimo are both as beautiful as flowers. It's your blessing to be able to marry Jianjia. You have to be grateful. Now, you'll use the words 'as beautiful as flowers' to come up with a poem and praise Jianjia. However, none of these words are allowed to appear in the poem. You be given the duration it takes for one incense stick to burn finish."

With that, the maidservant beside her immediately went to light the incense.

Luo Qingzhou glanced at Song Ruyue and heard her inner thoughts again. "Hmph! Jianjia and Weimo are as beautiful as flowers because they inherited their beauty from me. If this kid can't compose a good poem to praise me, I'll teach him a lesson!"

Luo Qingzhou was at a loss for words.

At this moment, the hall was completely silent.

All eyes were on Luo Qingzhou, waiting for his response.

When Madam was angry, no one dared to say anything!

Luo Qingzhou pondered for a moment, then raised his head and said, "There's a beauty in the Qin residence. Her beauty has no comparison; it stands alone. One look can overturn a city, and another look can overturn a country."

"Good poem!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Ling immediately clapped her hands and praised, "Sir, you're incredible! Young Miss is as pretty as a flower, and her beauty can topple cities!"

Song Ruyue rolled her eyes at her. "Shut up!"

Bai Ling smiled and did not say anything else.

Luo Qingzhou glanced at the beautiful woman in front of him again and heard the words she was thinking. "Hmph, this kid is so bold. I clearly told him to create a poem for Jianjia, but he actually dared to stare straight at me as he recited that poem! One look can overturn a city, and another look can overturn a country… Hehe, he is a person of unquestioned talent and good taste!"

Luo Qingzhou was at a loss for words.

"Hmph. This poem is of marginally passable quality. You've overexaggerated. How can it be that one look can overturn a country? If that's the case, countries won't need to go to war, and there won't be any need for soldiers. Our country only needs to send some beauties over to the enemy country… You're such a boot-licker!"

Song Ruyue coldly snorted and rolled her eyes once more. She stared at him solemnly and said, "This poem isn't good. I want you to come up with another poem. This time, you must really come up with a good poem describing Jianjia's gorgeous looks. The poem must have the words 'countenance of a flower, face like the moon1'. Not a single word can be left out."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone had different expressions.

She was intentionally making things more difficult for him.

Right at this moment, the bead curtain at the entrance of the side hall suddenly sounded. A maidservant supported a delicate and beautiful person out.

This figure was the Second Young Miss of the Qin family, Qin Weimo.

Qin Weimo frowned and said, "Mother, you're making things too difficult for Brother-in-law. How can he come up with a poem containing all of your words? Even the most talented scholar in the capital, Wang Zhihuan, can't do it in such a short time."

When Song Ruyue saw Weimo come out without permission, a dark look came over her face. "Didn't I tell you to stay inside? Your body is so weak, yet you still want to get involved in this. I'm testing him to see if he's really as talented as you say! If he can't do it, then it means that you're wrong about him! In the future, don't meet him so often, I don't want you to be cheated by him!"

Qin Weimo's face turned a bright shade of red. She said gently, "Mother, don't make things difficult for Brother-in-law… He has already come up with a poem earlier, and it's a very good poem. Isn't that enough?"

"Of course not!" Song Ruyue yelled.

"He married a woman with such divine looks, and she's my precious darling! She's your elder sister! How can one poem be enough to describe her beauty?" Song Ruyue had a cold expression.

Qin Weimo frowned and wanted to persuade her, but Song Ruyue waved her hand and said sternly, "Go to the side and don't speak! If this kid doesn't pass my test today, he can forget about leaving this hall!"

After saying that, she glanced at the maidservant beside her and ordered coldly, "Light another incense stick immediately! Let the countdown begin!"

The maidservant immediately went to light another one.

Qin Weimo frowned. She did not dare to say anything else. She looked at the youth in the hall helplessly and apologetically.

Song Ruyue snorted. "I'll give you an incense stick's worth of time. If you can't do it…"

Before she could finish speaking, the young man, who was still kneeling in front of her with tea in his hands, suddenly said, "Madam, can I add another word to the poem title?"

Song Ruyue was a little caught off guard by Luo Qingzhou's words. She thought for a moment and said coldly, "Sure, but you can only add one word. You can't add more than that."

Luo Qingzhou lowered his head and said, "I've already thought of a poem."

Song Ruyue was stunned when she heard that. Then, she said expressionlessly, "If you don't come up with a good poem, I'll take it to mean that you're deliberately perfunctory about this and showing disrespect to Jianjia. Then you ought to know the consequences!"

Luo Qingzhou lowered his head and said, "The poem title is called 'Heavenly Beauty'."

When Song Ruyue heard this, she sneered. "How vulgar! You chose such a vulgar name because of my test. If the next poem is not done well, I'll see how you can quibble!"

Luo Qingzhou did not say anything else. He said, "Clouds remind me of her apparel, flowers remind me of her countenance, the spring breeze blows against the banister, and the dew is splendidly lush. If we cannot meet atop the Jade Mountain, then we will surely encounter one another on the jade terrace basked under the moonlight."

Song Ruyue's smirk froze on her lips when she heard the poem. Then, it gradually faded and she became serious.

Luo Qingzhou looked up at Song Ruyue. There was a glint in her eyes. She was staring at him, looking stunned and absentminded.

At the same time, he heard her thoughts. "This kid… Could it be that he's the reincarnation of an immortal? This poem… The poetry can evoke a mystical feeling that transcends life and death… He's indeed worthy of Jianjia."

At this moment, the girl who had the best understanding of poems among all others in the hall—Qin Weimo—also had a dazed expression. She muttered repeatedly, "Clouds remind me of her apparel… Flowers remind me of her countenance… The spring breeze blows against the banister, the dew is splendidly lush… If we cannot meet atop the Jade Mountain, then we will surely encounter one another on the jade terrace basked under the moonlight…"

There was pin-drop silence in the hall.

Everyone seemed to be musing over the poetry. At the same time, they looked at the beautiful girl in white.

The title of the poem was "Heavenly Beauty". It did sound a little vulgar, but after hearing the poetry and looking at the woman of peerless beauty, everyone felt that it was perfect. The poetry did not seem exaggerated at all.

Such divine poetry was a perfect match for a woman with such divine looks!

"Ahem!"

Bai Ling suddenly broke the silence and said with a smile, "Madam, the incense is almost done burning. Are you satisfied with the second poem composed by Sir?"

Song Ruyue came back to her senses. She glanced at the young man in front of her and snorted coldly. She said with a straight face, "It's so-so only. Though it's slightly better than the previous poem, it's still not up to my standard. For Weimo and Jianjia's sake, I will pass you today. However, don't be smug and think that you have peerless talent. There are many people in this world who are more talented than you! In the future, you have to keep a low profile and be humble, do you understand?"

After saying that, she finally stretched out her hands and took the tea from Luo Qingzhou. She took a sip with a cold expression before placing it on the coffee table beside her.

Luo Qingzhou stood up and glanced at her.

Then, he heard the words Song Ruyue was thinking. "What a pity. This kid is so talented. If he was born into an influential family in the capital, he would probably be world-renowned by now. But this is good too. Chengguo Residence is filled with a bunch of stupid pigs who look down on others. They're shortsighted and lack the ability to discern real talent… That's okay… Our family has benefited from this."

"You may leave. Stay in your room and focus on your studies. Don't go out and fool around with others. When you have achieved glory and honors through imperial exams, you'll be able to acquire a status for your mother and increase your status. Currently, you're still not worthy of Jianjia."

Song Ruyue shot a disdainful, sideways glance at Luo Qingzhou.

Luo Qingzhou bowed and left.

He took one glance at First Young Miss Qin, but he did not greet her. When he passed by Second Young Miss Qin, he noticed that she was staring at him with a gentle gaze and smiling at him. He had no choice but to lower his head and say, "Thank you, Second Young Miss."

Qin Weimo smiled gently. "Your talent is unparalleled. In the future, I believe that you will stand out among your peers and excel in life. Best of luck."

"Hmph! Jianjia and I are still here, but the two of you are already secretly flirting with one another! You're siblings-in-law, how outrageous!"

Song Ruyue shouted coldly, interrupting their conversation.

A blush fanned over Qin Weimo's cheeks. She hurriedly looked away and said shyly, "Mother, I'm just talking to Brother-in-law…"

Luo Qingzhou did not dare to stay any longer. He cupped his hands toward them and quickly left.

He came with three other women, but he left the hall alone.

After leaving the hall.

Luo Qingzhou returned to his courtyard the way he came.

Xiao Die was standing at the door, waiting for him with a worried expression.

Everyone said that Madam had a bad temper and was against this marriage, so she was worried that she would make things difficult for Young Master.

Xiao Tao came over, wanting to get Xiao Die to learn how to play the flute, but Xiao Die did not dare to leave the courtyard. She stood at the door and waited anxiously for the entire morning.

Seeing that Luo Qingzhou had returned safely, she approached him happily and asked, "Young Master, did you serve tea to Madam? Did Madam make things difficult for you?"

Luo Qingzhou said in a relaxed tone, "Yes. I've served her tea. She tried to make things difficult for me, but everything is all right now."

Just as Xiao Die was about to press him for more details, Luo Qingzhou held her hand and said, "Let's go shopping. I want to see something and buy you a few sticks of candied hawthorn."

Xiao Die heard this and immediately cheered happily.

Ever since they came to the Qin residence, the master-servant duo had not gone out yet.

"Sir, you're so good to me. Every time you go out, you'll remember to buy candied hawthorn for me."

Xiao Die was so touched that her eyes turned red.

No maidservant was like her and could be pampered by her master every day.

"Young Master, you're the best person in the world, and also the person who treats me the best. I will follow you for the rest of my life… No, a lifetime is not enough. I want to follow you for eternity and serve you forever…"

"An eternity is too long. I'll get sick of it," Luo Qingzhou said.

Xiao Die whimpered, "Young Master, I was feeling touched. Can you not be such a spoilsport?"

"Then take off your shoes and socks," Luo Qingzhou said.

"Ah? What do you want to do?"

"Let me touch your little feet and I'll talk nicely to you," Luo Qingzhou said.

In response, Xiao Die whimpered once more. "Young Master…"

Outside the Qin residence.

At the corner of the alley.

A young shoemaker was sitting in the corner, basking relaxedly in the sun. From time to time, he would turn his head to look at the gate of the Qin residence.