"Zero?" Yu Xiaoguang echoed with a raised eyebrow, "why would you give me zero marks when the scholar has just awarded me full marks." He challenged.
Shao Yŭxuān scoffed, "isn't everyone's judging criteria different? Your poem has no relevance to studies and is nothing but a folktale. So why should you get good marks for something haphazardly presented?"
Mei Deng didn't know whether to laugh or cry, he knew that his cousin would overstep his boundaries, but didn't think he'd go so far.
As though it were planned, the scholars all kept quiet on Shao Yŭxuān's unjust ruling, and in turn gave Yu Xiaoguang zero marks, insisting his poem had no academic relevance.
With the scores totalling up, Mei Deng ended up with twenty marks out of fifty and ultimately lost a point.
The spectators who were awe struck by his performance suddenly switched gears.
"Who knows if Yu Xiaoguang even composed that poem?"
"Perhaps he stole it from someone else?"