The Third Gambler
"What's wrong, Wan'er?" Shi Sheng rushed into Lin Wan'er's room and found her sitting on the bed with a tidy dress, two lines of clear tears hanging on her face, looking somewhat haggard.
"Ah Sheng, I dreamed of Father and Mother!" Lin Wan'er said, tears streaming down her face even more. Shi Sheng came to the bedside and held her in his arms.
"Wannier sister, don't be too sad, otherwise... Dad and Mom in heaven will also be heartbroken. And Ah Sheng is here, I will definitely protect you and not let you suffer any bullying!" Shi Sheng said with some sadness in his heart, patting Lin Wannier's back.
It's unclear whether Lin Wan'er was being strong and sensible or just feeling a bit embarrassed, but after a while she stopped crying, her face slightly red as she left Shi Sheng's arms. After they finished washing up, one of them drank a bowl of congee before heading to their neighbor Wu Ayi's house. Shi Sheng wanted to go alone, but Lin Wan'er insisted on following him.
"Huh, Wan'er and Shisheng have arrived." Wu Ayi, who was over fifty years old, had a face full of vicissitudes, wearing an old skirt with patches all over it, which made it impossible to see its original color. She smiled at Shisheng and the others: "Shisheng, I heard from Wang Bo that you were badly injured, how did you recover so quickly?"
"It's nothing much." Shi Sheng smiled at Wu Shu, naturally unable to mention his own treatment, lest he stir up unnecessary trouble.
"Wu Shu, Ah Sheng wants to go out and find some work today. Is there any lighter short-term job in the village? Can't let Ah Sheng get tired!" Lin Wan'er asked.
"Today, Wang Yuanwai's family in the village is demolishing their old house and needs some extra hands. You can go take a look!" Aunt Wu said after finishing her sentence, Shi Sheng and the others thanked her and then walked along the street.
The street is paved with bluestones, and the buildings on both sides are made of green bricks and tiles, with a classical charm. However, some buildings are somewhat dilapidated, except for the government office and some large households with spacious courtyards. On the edge of the village, there are also some thatched cottages that barely provide shelter from wind and rain.
"Fortunately, I still have Wan'er with me today, otherwise I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to find the way!" Shi Sheng said somewhat helplessly.
Lin Wan'er just smiled slightly, but her eyes showed a worried look, always feeling that Shi Sheng had changed, afraid that Shi Sheng's head injury would have some aftereffects.
Before long, the two of them arrived at a spacious bluestone path, and a fairly large courtyard appeared before their eyes. Just by looking at the gate, it was clear that this was a wealthy family's residence, only with some old-fashioned air to it.
At the entrance, there were two large stone lions. The gate was hung with two lanterns. Some servants went in and out, carrying things, some of which were placed on a horse-drawn carriage at the entrance, while others were thrown directly onto the roadside.
"Is this the old mansion of Wang's family?" Shi Sheng sighed, feeling that the gap between the rich and the poor was really huge. He lived in a small thatched cottage, while someone else's old mansion had such a large area. It seemed that the gap between the rich and the poor had always existed since ancient times to modern days.
Inside the gate, Shi Sheng suddenly discovered Bai Ming's figure, an old housekeeper with white hair, who seemed to be telling Bai Ming something. Shi Sheng's ears moved slightly, and his eyes narrowed, discovering that since last night's meditation, his hearing and vision had improved significantly.
"This old fellow is really greedy!" Shi Sheng said with some indignation, that old steward handed over the twenty copper coins that Wang Yuanwai had taken out to Bai Ming.
Normally, two coins can hire a person, but Bai Ming could only spend one coin to hire someone, and then keep the remaining two coins for himself. The remaining eight coins were finally handed over to the old steward. If something went wrong, the old steward could also shift the blame onto Bai Ming's shoulders. It seemed that this was not the first time Bai Ming had done such a thing.
"One coin per person, limited spots available!" Bai Ming arrived at the door and shouted in a low voice to the several young boys outside, most of whom were like small beggars, dressed in tattered and worn-out clothes.
"It's clearly two cents per person, but here you're being squeezed to one cent. Is this your idea or someone else's?" Shi Sheng raised his voice as much as possible, so that the people around would hear and naturally wouldn't do this volunteer work that had eaten into their pay.
What surprised Shi Sheng was that those people didn't know whether they didn't believe Shi Sheng's words or were just trying to make a quick buck, but they nodded in agreement without hesitation, took the money and went into the hospital to work. Lin Wan'er, on the other hand, looked at Bai Ming with a face full of anger.
"Hmph, what's with your big mouth? Honestly, even if it was just one cent, I wouldn't use you. Three days later, you can just wait and hand Lin Wan'er over to me personally, heh heh!" Bai Ming sneered with a smile.
Shi's face turned somewhat unsightly, his fists clenched involuntarily, he hadn't expected that there were also such despicable people in ancient times, and yet he was being troubled by this petty person for a mere piece of silver. Just thinking about it made him feel indignant. Lin Wan'er was also very angry, but she still pulled on Shi's arm, signaling him not to lose his temper.
In the courtyard, a 17 or 18-year-old girl with an outstanding appearance, wearing a white dress, seemed to have discovered the quarrel here, but only frowned and didn't say anything. This girl was none other than Wang family's second miss, Moon Spirit!
"What? You dare to move your hands here? Hehe, today you won't even earn a single penny, go home and enjoy the northwest wind! Just like Liu Gongzi's poem, how does it go? 'Tattered clothes, self-satisfied, no blessing, relying on luck, deceived by everyone...' " White Mingzheng muttered to himself, suddenly interrupted by Shi Sheng.
"Tattered clothes, self-satisfied poverty, no blessing to rely on, deceived by the misfortune of ten thousand people! Hmph, didn't expect you'd still write poetry. Alright, Shi Mou will represent the poor and give you a poem, your next two lines are unnecessary!" Shi said with a cold smile, shaking his patched sleeve, but somehow he didn't look like a scholar.
"Ting Ting rushes back to the late evening, pecking at the courtyard's Chinese scholar tree but refusing to return. All day long, I work for you to eliminate pests and troubles, don't think that I'm idle and have nothing to do with frequent flying!" Shi Sheng said with a burst of words, and the people around couldn't help but show a look of surprise.
This poem was originally written by Chen Biao, a poet of the Tang Dynasty. It describes how the woodpecker works hard all day but fails to gain its master's favor, illustrating that those who work diligently will ultimately be outdone by sycophants and flatterers, thus satirizing both the petty person Bai Ming and the old steward who employs him.
Bai Ming's face turned ugly, and he had a heart attack, but he didn't know how to refute it. After all, those two poems by Bai Ming were still learned from others, and he couldn't make one on the spot even if he wanted to. Even the old housekeeper couldn't help but frown, his expression somewhat unnatural.
Clap! Clap! Clap! The sound of applause is heard!
"What a great poem!" A clear and melodious female voice rang out, and the crowd followed the sound, revealing a solemn expression, hastily nodding and bowing to say: "We've seen the second young lady!" Bai Ming's eyes were somewhat gloomy, but he forced a smile on his face.
The second young lady of the Wang family ignored everyone and walked towards Shi Sheng, all the way to Lin Wan'er's side, and Shi Sheng could even smell the fragrance coming from her body.
As he gazed at the girl's beauty, her snow-white skin and porcelain doll-like face, Shi Sheng was slightly dazed, but Lin Wan'er pinched his hand, bringing him back to reality.
"It's too much, I was just talking nonsense!" Shi Sheng said with some embarrassment, when had he ever seen such a stunning woman in the city?
Second Miss Moon Spirit smiled: "Can you come up with such a good poem off the top of your head? Then aren't you a genius? Why don't you compose another poem on the spot and let's take a look?"
Shi Sheng shrugged: "Sorry, not interested!" After finishing speaking, he pulled Lin Wan'er and turned to leave. Originally came to earn some copper coins to exchange for rice, didn't expect that in the end not even a single coin was earned, it seems that surviving here is really not easy.
"Aren't you trying to make some silver?" Second Miss's eyes rolled, and indeed, Shi Sheng heard the words "make money" and immediately pulled Lin Wan'er to a stop.
"Second Miss, what makes you say this?" Shi Sheng asked.
The second young lady smiled slyly: "Compare the poem couplets, whoever loses gives ten cents to the other party. If you don't have it, then find the real author of that poem and let me meet him." Yu Ling obviously didn't believe that this poem was written by Shi Sheng.
"Good, but we should increase the stakes a bit, one hundred coins per round!" Shi Sheng secretly smiled to himself, comparing poetry couplets with himself was like looking for death, although he didn't have this skill, but the things left behind by his ancestors from ancient China were simply effortless.
"Hmph, ten cents is all you're worth, a hundred cents and you can't even take it out? Fine, don't blame me for bullying you. The couplet goes like this: Laughing at the past, laughing at the present, laughing east, west, south, north, laughing coming and going, laughing at myself for being ignorant and foolish!" Second Miss smiled slightly.
A young passerby shook his hand-held fan and sincerely praised: "This couple looks simple, but it's a great combination of heaven and earth, the scene is not small, good rhyme! Miss Moon Spirit II is indeed a talented woman!"
The couplet obviously has a sarcastic tone, Shi Sheng naturally heard it, and it was clearly hinting that he was ignorant and unknowledgeable. Shi Sheng's face looked somewhat unusual.
"What? I'll give you a little more time, no need to rush. This couplet, as long as you can match it neatly, it's considered your win." Yuelin saw that Shisheng's face didn't look too good, so she smiled slightly. Lin Wan'er may not be able to match the couplet, but she could still tell what was being said and looked at Yuelin with some displeasure.
Shi Sheng smiled and said, "Observe things, observe objects, observe the sky, the earth, the sun, and the moon. Observe above and below, observing others is always high and low!" Shi Sheng immediately retorted back, this couplet can also be used to include all things, and the last high and low obviously has a counterattack meaning. Of course, this couplet was not made by Shi Sheng, it's purely borrowed.
"Excellent!" The young pedestrian's eyes lit up, while Second Miss Moon Spirit was somewhat moved, not expecting Shi Sheng to come up with such a well-crafted couplet so quickly. However, she was also slightly angry at Shi Sheng's final counterattack.
Yuelin handed over the 100 Wen copper coins with a hint of anger, and the people around couldn't help but envy. Bai Ming's face turned even more unsightly. Shi Sheng told Lin Wan'er to put away the 100 Wen copper coins, and Lin Wan'er widened her eyes, almost disbelieving that making money could be so easy?
But Lin Wan'er immediately took out ten copper coins and handed them to Bai Ming, who had a wooden expression. A big stone in her heart finally fell off, and at the same time, she felt proud of Shi Sheng. In the past, it was herself who earned copper coins to take care of Shi Sheng, but unknowingly, Shi Sheng could protect and take care of herself now.
"Hmph, you win this round, let's make a bet on poetry, two hundred coins! Do you dare?" Yue Ling asked with confidence.
"Please!" Shi Sheng nodded, but his heart was blooming with joy!
"Listen well, when the wind blows, one knows that the swallow flies south. The swallow's return is the most beautiful, and the most beautiful thing to wait for is the swallow's return with the wind!"
The young pedestrian's eyes lit up, and he applauded: "Wonderful! Not only are the sentences symmetrical and rhyming, but the last sentence also returns to the beginning. Moon Spirit, it seems your literary talent hasn't declined!" The young pedestrian was apparently acquainted with Second Miss, while Moon Spirit smiled complacently, and more people gathered around to watch.
Shi Sheng thought for a moment, this kind of poem was best done by Su Dongpo in the past. Yue Ling's own creation is exquisite, but compared to several generations of great poets, it still lacks some spark. Shi Sheng's mouth slowly curved up.
"A sliver of autumn moon, curved like a hook, the hooked moon above the painted tower, the tower's curtains half rolled up, the half-rolled curtains with a sliver of autumn!" As Shi Sheng finished reciting this poem, the people around him were immediately shocked.
The entire poem has only thirteen words, but it is a perfect composition of seven-character quatrains. Not only does it have harmonious rhymes and tones, but also its structure is flawless. Each sentence has four characters that form a palindrome. Although Moon Spirit's poems are exquisite, they can't compare to this one; even Lin Wan'er could hear the difference.
"Two hundred wen, willing to bet and admit defeat! Sister Wan'er collects money!" Shi Sheng smiled.
Yuè Líng's face looked a bit unsightly: "Hmph, I'll give it to you, who knows where you might have memorized it, with your kind of poor kid still able to compose poetry? Let's continue, the upper line..." Yuè Líng handed over two hundred coins, which were received by Lín Wǎn'ér in a somewhat stunned state. Just as she was about to come up with an upper line, Shí Shēng interrupted her.
"Miss, isn't this unfair? You've been continuously coming up with poems and couplets. Shouldn't it be Shi's turn to come up with a upper line?" said Shi Sheng with a raised corner of his mouth.
"Yuè Líng, I think this kid is not ordinary, let's not compare anymore!" The young pedestrian shook his hand-held fan and frowned to advise.
But Yuè Líng's competitive spirit was greatly aroused, and she waved her hand: "I don't believe he can write poetry, he must have plagiarized from someone else. I'll see how many poems he can recite, besides, how can the title of number one talented woman be lost to him? Give out the questions!"
Shi's heart moved slightly and he suddenly had an idea, smiling: "This time, I'll bet ten cents on a couplet. If you can match it, the ten cents are yours."
"Alright, you speak!" Yue Ling said with a bit of force, at this point it was no longer about the amount of money, but about face.
Shi Sheng revealed a meaningful smile and slowly said: "The upper rhyme, in the upper is not south or north!"
Yuè Líng pū dì yī shēng jiù xiào le, chōng zhe qīng nián lǚ rén xiào dào: "Nǐ kàn, wǒ jiù shuō tā shān qióng shuǐ jìn le, zhème bái chī de shàng lián dōu néng chū, jiǎn zhí zhang kǒu jiù lái, sān suì hái zi dū huì.
"Listen up, the top is not north-south, I'm connected to the bottom, and the bottom is not east-west!" After finishing speaking, Yuè Líng had a smug expression, but the faces of the people around her were somewhat strange. Lín Wǎn'ér finally couldn't help but burst out laughing. Yuè Líng, on the other hand, looked bewildered, could it be that my couplet wasn't well-crafted? (End of this chapter, next chapter will be even more exciting!)
(Cough, cough, who will match the following couplet? Go to the book review area and post a study, haha, asking for collection, recommendation, all kinds of support, I want to put you to sleep and vote for me!!!)
