Chapter 21: Yang Jia Protects His Shortcomings, Wonderful Questions and Intelligent Answers

  The ridicule of the crowd made the so-called High Gongzi unable to get off the stage, he stood up and stood upright with a blue face, looking at Liang Xin said: "A gentleman can be killed but not humiliated, my father is the current Taishi Gao Chong, today I was poisoned by your poisonous needle, but if you don't give me an antidote, I will die, but you won't be able to live a good life either."

  Liang Xin's heart skipped a beat, and he thought to himself: "So this guy is actually the famous Gao Ya Nei from history." After learning about Gao Ya Nei's identity, Liang Xin slightly restrained his smile. He was well aware that his current status and position were not enough for him to be on equal footing with Gao Ya Nei.

  Seeing Liang Xin's face change, the high official thought Liang Xin was afraid. With that, he straightened his waist and said in a commanding tone: "You're scared after knowing my identity? As long as you hand over the antidote, kneel down and call me 'grandfather' three times, I can consider sparing your dog life, just give me your two legs."

  "I wonder who's making such a ruckus here, turns out it's the renowned High Constable Gao, the esteemed Young Master Gao." A cold voice came forth, with no attempt to conceal his displeasure, and not leaving any face for High Constable Gao.

  "Yang Gonggong?" The high official turned his head to take a look, originally still prepared to scold him for a couple of sentences, but after seeing Yang Jian's icy face covered in frost, he immediately swallowed his words back.

  Yang Jian walked slowly to Gao Yaomen's side and slightly bowed his head, saying: "Young Master Gao, please don't be polite, this old slave can't take it."

  Yang Jian brushed his sleeve and said: "Who among us, as a slave, would put us in their eyes? Just like you, High Gongzi. You are the adopted son of High Taifu, while he is my adopted son. And yet you want my adopted son to kneel on the ground and call you Grandfather, and also take his two legs away. Oh... does High Yaomen want to be my father, Yang Jian? Then wouldn't that make High Guo your grandfather?"

  Yang Jia's last question had already revealed a sinister intention, and Gao Jue was so frightened that his heart and gall were split, and he swayed and almost fainted. Yang Jia continued to say: "This Gao Jue has also made progress recently, and a little rascal who understands a bit of martial arts actually became the Commander-in-Chief. It seems that I still need to find opportunities to recommend Gao Jue to the Emperor, and it's convenient for Gao Jue to take care of me more."

  "Bang!" Gao Ya Nei finally couldn't withstand Yang Jian's fierce gaze and knelt down to the ground, continuously knocking his head and saying: "Yang Gonggong forgive me, Yang Gonggong forgive me. I really didn't know this was your son. I have eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai, I deserve to die, I deserve to die..."

  Yang Jian slightly furrowed his brow, then somewhat impatiently waved his hand and said: "Alright alright, the view at Tian Xiang Lou is not bad, don't stay here any longer ruining the scenery, scram..."

  "Thank you, Lord Yang, thank you, Lord Yang..." The High Official was overjoyed and couldn't stop nodding his head, then he got up and bid farewell to the crowd of subordinates before leaving.

  After walking a few steps, Gao Ya Nei felt something was wrong again. He tiptoed back and looked at Liang Xin with a sad face: "Brother, it was the flood that destroyed the Dragon King Temple earlier, we had some misunderstanding. Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, look at the poison on my body?"

  Li Xue's heart secretly cheered "Uncle Righteous and Mighty", while her face remained calm as she said: "Detoxifying is no problem. It's just that my poisonous needles are difficult to refine, and the antidote has gathered all sorts of heavenly treasures and earthly riches... I..."

  The expression on Gaoye's face became somewhat strange, he had figured out that Liang Xin was clearly going to ask him for a bribe. Gaoye cupped his hands and said: "Unless elder brother you tell me a place, tomorrow I will definitely prepare a thick gift to come and apologize to you."

  "All right. Tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon, come to Yang's residence and look for me." Liang Xin said with a faint smile.

  The High Official nodded and bowed his hands, saying: "Alright, tomorrow at noon sharp, come prepared with a thick gift to apologize." After finishing speaking, the High Official turned around and left.

  Liang Xin turned to look at Yang Jia, slightly cupping his hands in preparation for thanking him. Yang Jia pressed down on Liang Xin's hand and said: "Between you and me as father and son, there is no need for these formalities. What kind of parents would not stand up for their child after they have been bullied?"

  Bully? Liang Xiao thought for a moment and thought to himself, it seemed like he was always the one bullying that dead fatty.

  The commotion subsided, and the grand hall of Tianxiang Lou seemed a bit chilly. Gu Gong, standing on the stage, loudly called out: "This young master, you previously mentioned that you had already come up with two couplets to match this one. I wonder if you can recite them now for everyone's appreciation."

  "Have you figured out the next couplet? Or are there two?" Yang Jiaolong looked at Liang Xin with a smile, just now he also heard Wan Qiyun ask Zhao Ji about the next couplet of this couplet in the room, Zhao Ji thought for half a day and couldn't think of it, and even personally wrote a sentence: "The next couplet of this couplet is absolutely impossible to come up with unless one is a great talent." Now Liang Xin opened his mouth and said he had two next couplets, isn't this more talented than the great talents?

  Li Xiang nodded at Yang Jian and then bowed to the four directions, saying: "I have made a fool of myself. I don't know which of the two lower couplets Miss Qin Qing likes."

  "The first line is related to a temple called Dafo Temple that I once visited, so it's 'People pass by the Great Buddha Temple, but the Great Buddha surpasses people.'"

  "Good!" The crowd cheered. Liang Xin's couplet, from the literal meaning, says that people pass by the Great Buddha Temple, and both the temple and the Buddha are bigger than people. The meaning is smooth and also forms a counterpoint to the previous text, so the antithesis is also well done.

  The tortoise also applauded vigorously and urged: "Master is a great talent, please say the second couplet for us to appreciate."

  "Good." Liang Xin smiled slightly: "The Great Buddha Temple is on Mount San Tai, and next to the Great Buddha Temple is the Yun Yin Temple. So my second couplet is related to the Yun Yin Temple. The second couplet is 'Monks visit the Yun Yin Temple, the temple hides the monks in the clouds'."

  "Great! Too wonderful!" This time, the entire hall burst into applause, and everyone kept reciting this couplet: "Guests arrive at the Heavenly Abode, and the Heavenly Abode welcomes guests. Monks travel to the Cloud Hidden Temple, and the Cloud Hidden Temple conceals traveling monks. Wonderful, truly too wonderful..."

  Indeed, this second couplet is more exquisite than the first. The meaning is also closer. A monk travels to Yunyin Temple and finds that there is still a monk hiding in the temple who can ride on clouds. Isn't that cloud-riding monk Buddha? And isn't that heavenly guest an immortal? With Buddha and the immortal facing each other, how can one not applaud with delight at such a wonderful idea?

  "A young master of great talent! I am in awe!" A scholarly-looking young nobleman stood up and bowed to Liang Xin with his hands clasped together.

  Liang Xin immediately returned the courtesy and shook his head, saying: "It just so happened that I had something to gain, brother is being polite."

  "How can one not admire such absolute brotherly talent, coming up with two lower rhymes in such a short time? I say it's Brother's humility that's at play. Please continue to respond to Qin Qing's question, so us useless Confucian scholars can also gain some insight."

  "Yes, yes, young master continues to answer questions."

  Under everyone's cheers, the turtle official on the stage immediately saluted Liang Xing and said: "The young master's great talent is indeed admirable. Next, according to Qin Qing's topic, please ask the young master to come up with a question that she herself will never be able to answer."

  "What kind of question is this? If Miss Qin Qing says she might not be able to answer it today and needs to think about it, maybe she'll be able to answer it later, isn't that just forever unable to answer Miss Qin's question?"

  Liang Xin hadn't even started speaking, but the other onlookers in the hall had already begun to shout. Especially those young masters who had been driven away by High Official Wei with their tails between their legs, each and every one of them was stirred up like they had been injected with chicken blood, putting on a show as if they were determined to take up Liang Xin's cause.

  "This... " Gu Gong's face turned difficult as he said: "This matter has absolutely nothing to do with me, it was entirely Miss Qin Ying's idea, that's all."

  "Qin Qing, you're being too insincere."

  "It's just... it's purely scamming people."

  Liang Xian thought to himself, "Unbelievable, she's actually trying to play a game of wits with me. Does she think she can stump me? Let this Qin Qing girl see the prowess of a modern man like me."

  Liang Xin spread his hands and pressed down, the crowd gradually quieted down. Liang Xin smiled slightly and said to Gui Gong standing on the stage: "Please pass this question to Qin Qing."

  The tortoise bowed and said: "Please, young master, speak your verse."

  Li Xiang's smile spread across his face as he opened his mouth and said, "Can the all-powerful Buddha create a stone that even he himself cannot move?"

  The hall was silent for a moment, then suddenly erupted into applause that was more thunderous than any previous time.

  "Great! Wonderful, too wonderful.........."

  PS: Crying, how come none of them have increased in value?