The lights that lit up the entire night reflected the extreme prosperity of the prefectural city on the night of Mid-Autumn. No matter where one went, there was a bustling and noisy atmosphere. Somewhere in the bustling area of the city, there was a vast and luxurious manor.
Scholars and scholars with feather fans and silk handkerchiefs floated in the wind. As they chatted and laughed, new poems flowed out. After a few paper rafts were sent out, not long after, there were professional singers in the garden. Very quickly, they would sing the poem in a mellow voice and leave it for everyone to judge.
On the opposite side, there were all women. They were all the daughters of the large families in the prefectural city. Occasionally, they would sneak a glance across and cover their handkerchiefs with a light smile. They would sneak a glance at the scholars they liked. If a paper raft with a poem was sent over, a few of them would gather together and comment on it.
As the daughters of families with a bit of status in the city, they generally knew a bit of poetry.
At this time, in a pavilion in a remote corner of the garden, the atmosphere was slightly cold. A young girl of 16 or 17 sat at a stone table in the pavilion with one hand propping up her chin. She looked at the figures coming and going in front of her. Her expression was a bit bored. After a while, she turned her head and said to the women in the pavilion, "This Mid-Autumn Poetry Meet is not fun at all!"
Hearing this, the women looked at each other speechlessly.
Today, this garden was hosting the Mid-Autumn Poetry Meet, not the Mid-Autumn Temple Fair. Even if they randomly stopped anyone on the road, they could be a famous scholar in Qing 'an Prefecture. Everyone was here to exchange pointers and make friends through literature, not to have fun …
If a scholar was not famous enough, he wouldn't even have the right to participate in the poetry meet. This invitation from the Yunying Poetry Society had been obtained after many twists and turns.
"Sister Yun Rou, is the scholar you were talking about coming tonight?"
The young girl who spoke was not a member of the Yunying Poetry Society. She had only asked Zhao Yunrou to bring her to watch because there was an extra invitation. However, reality was different from what she had imagined. This Mid-Autumn Poetry Meet was not as fun as she had imagined. She asked Zhao Yunrou, still thinking about a certain scholar that her sisters could not forget.
Zhao Yunrou shook her head with a bitter smile. They never had much hope that they would be able to see Li Yi from the "Immortal Magpie Bridge" here. Participating in this kind of poetry gathering was probably just an opportunity to broaden their horizons.
"As expected, the young master from yesterday did not come today," one of the young girls in the pavilion said.
Putting aside the scholar who only existed in legends, the nameless scholar who had helped them qualify for the poetry meet yesterday was not seen either.
"That young master must really be indifferent to fame and fortune. He didn't even accept the invitation yesterday. It seems that he has no interest in this poetry meet," Wan Ruoqing said after thinking for a while.
Until now, she still felt a little regretful that she had forgotten to ask for the young master's name yesterday.
With the other's talent in poetry, he was definitely not a nameless person in Qing An Fu. However, after Wan Ruoqing investigated each and every one of the scholars who were worthy of that level of talent, she still did not find any.
He was like Li Yi of "Immortal Magpie Bridge". He had only left behind poems, but he was nowhere to be seen. This caused countless scholars to daydream.
If he could come, perhaps things would not be so boring right now. At least in name, he was still a member of the Yunying Poetry Society.
In today's poetry meet, the position of the Yunying Poetry Society was actually quite awkward.
Even though they all had the reputation of being talented, there was still a large gap between them and the upper class scholars. They had no way of fitting into their circle.
Even the prefectural magistrate of Qing An Prefecture would make a brief appearance at the poetry meet, much less the first and second scholars. In the past, they would never have had the chance to interact with these people.
Even the most famous of them all, Wan Ruoqing, only had the reputation of being a talented woman in a small circle. Tonight's Mid-Autumn Poetry Meet was of a much higher standard.
Even their seats were arranged to be in such a remote place.
And in the center of the garden was a waterside pavilion. Many famous scholars gathered there. This was the true heart of the poetry meet.
All the masterpieces that appeared in the poetry meet would eventually be gathered here. The people who commented here were all extremely important scholars, or people of virtue and prestige, or people of high status …
Of course, the poetry meet did not only consist of reciting poems. Singers and dancers could be seen everywhere. Their voices were melodious, and their movements were moving. Most of what they sang was the work that had appeared tonight. If there was a good piece, it would quickly be sent out of the garden. Before long, people in the brothels of the city would receive the news and sing out the new work.
Ordinary scholars who did not have the right to enter the meet would mostly gather at such a place. They would not miss out on the works of the meet. Poetry meets of all sizes were not rare in the prefectural city tonight. If there were a few outstanding works, they could be sent to the garden to be judged alongside the works of the scholars.
Of course, a masterpiece of this level was extremely rare and hard to come by every year.
An elegant atmosphere spread throughout the city. At this time, the Mid-Autumn Poetry Meet was already halfway through.
"Qin Yong's performance tonight was average. Even though it was average, there was not much that stood out."
"It is indeed surprising. Husband Qin's Mid-Autumn Poetry is not bad. Last year, it was in the top ten. I'm afraid it will be difficult to make it today."
"Chen Yuyi's poem is not bad. The idea is new and unexpected. It can be considered a rare piece of work."
"Not bad. With his standard in the past, to be able to write a poem of this level is already very rare."
…
…
In the middle of the waterside pavilion, in a much wider pavilion, a few scholars were evaluating the poems of the night. They were all scholars that were well known in Qing An Prefecture. Although their opinions did not represent authority, they still had great value as a reference.
Beside them, a slender figure leaned against the railing by the water. He held a wine cup in his hand and raised his head to look at the bright moon in the sky. He drank the wine in the cup in one gulp. He couldn't help but murmur, "I raise my cup to invite the bright moon, the shadow becomes three people …"
"What's wrong with brother Yanzhou today? Why isn't he saying anything?" One of the scholars raised his head and looked in a certain direction. A trace of confusion flashed across his face.
The other was publicly recognized as the number one scholar of Qing An. His poetry was flourishing, and few could compare. Other than Shen Zhao, who could compete with him for the title of champion of the meet, there was no one else who could rival him.
Even Shen Zhao could not compare to Yang Yanzhou in terms of Mid-Autumn Poetry. Although he had not yet produced a poem, he had more or less secured the title of champion. But looking at it now, he did not seem to be in high spirits.
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