Chapter Thirty-Three: Making Trouble

  This old man is indeed quite talented, and even Zhu Ziming couldn't think of a matching couplet for the time being. It's truly an exquisite pair.

  "The sound of pines, the sound of bamboos, the sound of bells, every sound is free," Yan Yinyi muttered to himself, his main focus on martial arts since childhood had made his literary skills slightly weaker, and he was thinking hard about coming up with a matching couplet, shaking his head in bitter laughter, unsure if Zhu would be able to come up with one.

  Although he had never seen Zhu's brother's skills in couplets, Zhu Zi Ming was simply omniscient in Yan Yun Li's heart, and Yan Yun Li still had great confidence in him.

  The little girl looked at the two newcomers who didn't immediately figure it out, and secretly laughed to herself. She didn't expect that today no one would get it right, but it's not that they weren't clever enough, it's just that Grandpa was too clever! Hehe!

  "Take your time, gentlemen," the little girl giggled and said: "If you can't figure it out, don't be too stubborn, it's getting dark, I don't have time to keep you company all night."

  Xiao Yatou means she wants to go to sleep, you guys shouldn't waste time here anymore. Indeed, some people have been thinking about this pair since morning and haven't left yet, they've been thinking for a whole day already.

  Zhu Ziming noticed that some brothers were trembling with both feet, this persistence is indeed precious, but also too ignorant to know when to retreat.

  "Brother, you've come to see Old Man Kong, what's the matter?" Zhu Ziming walked up to a refined-looking young man with a pale face and asked in a low voice.

  This young master with a pale face was thinking of a couplet, and some didn't like to bother him, so they casually replied: "I am here to ask Mr. Kong to be my teacher."

  This kid's got a big heart, Zhu Ziming thought to himself. If you successfully become an apprentice, wouldn't that also make you the emperor's junior brother? With this relationship, your career path would be smooth sailing, but now it's being held up at the first hurdle, and all these grand ambitions are going to come to nothing.

  "Brother, what about you?" Zhu Ziming asked the young master next to him.

  "Below is an invitation for Mr. Kong to be the teacher of our young master."

  "And you, brother?"

  "I am looking for Mr. Kong to be the chief advisor of our family."

  ........

  He asked several people, but they all gave very perfunctory answers. Zhu Ziming was tongue-tied for a moment. Although they were unwilling to reveal the identity of their young master, Zhu Ziming had already guessed a few points and was certain that he was a member of the royal family or nobility who came to ask Mr. Kong to come out of retirement and help them.

  "This kid, is he intentionally coming to stir up trouble!" Zhu Ziming's words from east to west, provoked a wave of disgust among the crowd, this guy obviously couldn't come up with a matching couplet and didn't want others to either.

  A young master with a bad temper couldn't help but say: "This brother, if you can't afford it, then don't mess around here."

  Zhu Ziming narrowed his eyes and said: "How do you know I won't be able to get out of this?"

  Yan Yilie smiled wryly, this Zhu brother was indeed a man of virtue, with a curious mind about everything, even wondering what others came to do. However, Yan Yilie didn't know that Zhu Ziming just wanted to know the details of his competitor.

  So many princes and nobles have emerged, it's really a lot of pressure, but the capable ones will take their place. Now that I know Yan Yinxin is the son of the emperor, I'm not afraid of offending anyone.

  "You're probably not even capable of coming up with it!" The crowd looked at his dark face and sneered, saying that he didn't look like a scholar at all.

  "Ha ha, what if I'm right?" said Zhu Zi Ming with a smile.

  Several young masters sneered: "If you can take us out, we will leave immediately!"

  "Little sister, come here," Zhu Ziming beckoned to Mr. Kong's granddaughter.

  When she heard someone calling her, the little girl looked around and saw Zhu Ziming shouting at her. She quickly walked to his front: "Young master, do you need me for something?"

  Look at this young master's smiling eyes, his gaze is very bad, this thick-skinned person will definitely not be able to get away with it, could he be thinking of taking a shortcut?

  Under everyone's gaze, Zhu Ziming said with a straight face: "I've figured out this riddle."

  "Impossible!" The crowd shook their heads in disbelief. They had been thinking about it for a whole day and still couldn't figure it out, yet this kid had just arrived and was wandering around asking questions left and right, how could he have suddenly come up with the next line?

  This kid must be up to some mischief again!

  Under the gaze of contempt from the crowd, Zhu Ziming said calmly: "The color of mountains, water, mist and clouds are all empty!"

  Everyone's eyes widened in shock, their mouths agape, and they were all left speechless...

  The sound of pines, the sound of bamboos, the sound of bells, all sounds are free and easy. The color of mountains, the color of water, the color of misty clouds, all colors are empty. This couplet is matched so cleverly, it's really a perfect match, people can't help but believe it, yet they can't believe it either.

  They thought for a whole day, but were unexpectedly solved by this dark-faced young master in an instant. If their hearts weren't stronger, they would have been stimulated to faint on the ground long ago.

  Those dozen or so young masters who had been coldly ridiculing and hotly mocking, their faces alternately pale and flushed, smoothed out their sleeves and left in shame.

  The little girl stared blankly for a moment, then burst out laughing: "Young master has great literary talent, you've passed the first test, you can go in!"

  "It's so easy to get in, huh!" Zhu Ziming scratched his head and smiled foolishly, but immediately provoked countless killing intent, and everyone's anger raged in their hearts. This kid's words weren't scolding himself for being stupid, were they?!

  I felt a chill on the back, and Yan Yining didn't want to easily offend these royal nobles, so he coughed: "My brother has no literary talent, it's just a coincidence."

  What a coincidence! It must be a coincidence. Everyone found a balance point and immediately comforted themselves.

  Yan Yunli quickly pulled Zhu Ziming, who was causing trouble, into the mansion. He couldn't help but sigh in admiration, thinking that this Zhu brother was indeed capable of anything, and his couplets were so high-level that they inspired reverence.

  "The sound of wind, the sound of rain, the sound of reading, all sounds enter my ears!"

  "Domestic affairs, national affairs, and world affairs; everything is of concern!"

  “.......”

  After Zhu Ziming broke through the pass first, several knowledgeable young masters immediately found the cleverness of this couplet and made a match, of course, they were self-satisfied with their high status and would not attribute this achievement to Zhu Ziming, relying on real ability.

  Five people, including Zhu Ziming, who passed the first test, while those who failed had to leave dejectedly and couldn't stay overnight. After they entered the mansion, what caught their eyes was a small, elegant garden with a two-room pavilion in front of it.

  At this moment, a voice suddenly came from a side room: "All of you who have passed the test, come in."

  This voice was old and thick, it should be Mr. Kong Lao's, the crowd rushed to this attic, among them a young master gently pushed open the door: "Mr. Kong, I..."

  Kong sat back on his haunches behind a chessboard, waving his hand: "No need to report your name, it's not too late to talk after passing the three passes!"

  He didn't pass three tests and could only pat his butt and leave. The young master was embarrassed and speechless, he just hugged his fist and didn't say anything else.

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  Sorry about that, I can only update once today, work has been a bit busy these past few days... when things calm down, I'll definitely make up for it with a big update.

  ;