The 30th section of the lower part

  On the one hand, he wanted to avoid embarrassment, on the other hand, he couldn't let others take advantage of him, so he had to eat what was on the table. To solve this dilemma, he used Tai Chi moves to push the problem back to County Magistrate Li, no matter how Li answered yes or no, he could easily respond according to his own wishes. From start to finish, he never said "want" or "don't want", but clearly expressed his intentions, rendering all of Li's subsequent moves ineffective.

  Magistrate Li was taken aback at first, then burst out laughing: "What a wonderful case of using someone else's spear to attack their own shield!" He pointed to the food on the table and said: "Enjoy it to your heart's content."

  Shen remained silent and still, for the county magistrate had not yet given permission to sit down. Was he supposed to hold his bowl and eat standing up?

  "Want to sit?" Magistrate Li chuckled and said: "I'll give you a riddle, if you answer correctly, you can eat sitting down, otherwise, you can only stand and gnaw."

  "This... student will listen to the elder's upper rhyme." Shen Mo said with a stiff upper lip, his heart somewhat apprehensive. Although he had always liked couplets and guessing lantern riddles, and now he had added many years of hard study, he should be able to handle a few rounds. But before, it was all just for fun, if they didn't match, no harm done, this time however, it concerned the fate of his eldest son, how could he not be nervous?

  But this guy has one advantage, no matter how deceitful he is in his heart, he can always keep a straight face and give people the feeling of being intelligent.

  Seeing him full of confidence, County Master thought: 'I have to come up with something difficult.' His eyes wandered around, hoping to find some inspiration. Seeing the "Zuo Zhuan" on the table, he subconsciously picked it up and flipped through a few pages, and suddenly Li County Commander had an epiphany: "Got it."

  Saying that, he excitedly rubbed his hands together and said: "Listen to my upper rhyme... read the Zuo Zhuan from top to bottom, turning the pages to the right." Although it's not very elegant, but in order to include all four directions of up, down, left, and right, Shen Mo also had to use such words as spring, summer, autumn, winter, east, west, south, north, Kan, Li, Gen, Dui, etc.

  To use all four characters in a sentence, with the third character having different meanings, such as "left" in "Zuo Zhuan", which doesn't refer to left side but means Zuo Qiuming. With layers of cleverness piled up, how can one easily respond?

  Unexpectedly, the first pair of rhyming couplets I came across were so stubborn, and I had to rack my brains to think about it. My eyes were like those of Magistrate Li, constantly searching everywhere for some inspiration.

  As he saw him deep in thought, County Magistrate Li couldn't help but feel a little pleased with himself. He casually picked up a slice of watermelon and started crunching on it, until he had eaten the whole thing down to the rind. Still, Shen remained silent. County Magistrate Li's face fell once again, and he carelessly tossed the rind to the side, preparing to ask another simple question. If Shen still couldn't answer, he would change his expression and send him away, no longer wasting his time.

  Seeing him sitting there throwing watermelon rinds, Shen Mo's eyes lit up and he blurted out: "Sit south face north eat watermelon, skin thrown east." The response was even more crude, but the correspondence of south to up, north to down, watermelon to left pass, east throw to right flip, was incredibly fitting.

  What's even more remarkable is that this was completely an impromptu work, which fully demonstrated his quick wit. County Magistrate Li savored it repeatedly and finally applauded, saying: "Well done!"

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  Shen Mo's back was completely drenched, and he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a smile: "Thank you, sir, for your praise." Then he sat down to eat melon.

  "Hold on." County Magistrate Li, still feeling a bit unsatisfied, raised his hand and smiled: "I have one more question. If you can answer it correctly, I'll find your father a job at the county government office. But if you can't answer it, then you'll just have to keep standing there eating."

  The silent flag opens to victory, morale is high, and with a raised eyebrow, he says: "Students, continue."

  Magistrate Li looked at the lotus flowers in the pond that had just bloomed and immediately came up with a riddle: "The lotus flowers in the pond, clenched red fists hitting whom?" Following his gaze, Shen Mo also saw the lotus flowers in the pond, thought for a moment, and replied: "The lotus leaves on the water, stretching out green palms wanting what?"

  The county magistrate refused to give up and continued: "The flowers in front of the court have just bloomed!" This was obviously another series of antithetical couplets.

  Look at County Magistrate's face, it's all green. Shen Mo thought he couldn't go on like this. If he kept winning, the guy would definitely blame himself for not giving him face, and in the future, he wouldn't be able to wear small shoes. But if he intentionally lost, he wouldn't be able to show off his skills either.

  "I must think of a way that is beneficial to both parties." Shen Mo thought for a moment, then bowed his hands to the county magistrate and said: "Your Honor, Mr. Li."

  Li Zhixian was taken aback and asked in surprise: "What did you call me for?"

  "Alright, alright." Shen Mo said with a shrug of his hands.

  "That's right." Li Zhixian nodded and said: "I'm listening."

  "Mr. Li, sir." Shen Mo said again.

  "I know I'm a Li!" County Magistrate Li frowned and said: "Don't mention it again."

  "Sir, you are mistaken." Shen Mo shook his head and smiled with narrowed eyes: "The five words 'Your Excellency Mr. Li' is the lower phrase!"

  "Ah?" County Magistrate Li was startled and lowered his head to ponder: "I said in front of the court."

  "I'm under your jurisdiction." Shen Mo spread his hands and said: "The pavilion is opposite the pavilion, the front is opposite the back, do you have any questions?"

  Magistrate Li nodded slightly and continued: "I said 'the flower has just bloomed'."

  "The student replied 'Mr. Li.' Shen Mo smiled wryly and said: 'Flowers are paired with plum blossoms, beginnings are paired with firsts, and putting is paired with life.'"

  "The flowers in front of the courtyard have just bloomed, and Mr. Li is under the pavilion." County Magistrate Li finally figured it out, this was a literal antithetical couplet with symmetrical structure, but the content on both sides didn't match at all, and what's more, this kid had even gotten himself entangled in it. The more he thought about it, the more amused he became, and he couldn't help but burst into loud laughter.

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  Laughing until his stomach cramped up, Magistrate Li wiped away tears and said: "How did you think of coming at me like this?"

  "The student's learning is shallow." Shen silently nodded, with a loyal and honest expression: "It's really just that I'm at my wit's end, I can only ask for matching couplets to be neat, but the meaning is something that can't be taken care of."

  Magistrate Li burst out laughing again, feeling like he hadn't been so happy in many years.

  Shen Mo thought he was at a loss for words, and this pair of father and son couldn't be more mismatched. County Magistrate Li invited him to sit down, smiling brightly as he looked at him, thinking that Shen Mo was the most wonderful person in the world. Not only was he quick-witted, but he also knew when to advance or retreat. If a child like this wasn't promising, then which one could be?

  Magistrate Li then looked at him with a gaze of 'the child is teachable', hoping that Shen Mo could feel his appreciation and be grateful to him.

  But little did he know that his silence had made him look suspicious, and Shen Jing said that nowadays the officials and nobles were popular with men and women eating together, so this County Magistrate Li wouldn't be an old turtle, would he?

  A slight cough interrupted County Magistrate Li's deep and meaningful gaze. Shen Mo lowered his head and said, "Sir, may I have some melon now?"

  Magistrate Li didn't know he had already been treated as an 'old rabbit', still smiling and pretending to be kind, with a deep expression saying: "Eat, there's more if it's not enough."

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  I'm feeling a bit under the weather, with a headache and reduced efficiency. But considering how hard I've worked, please collect and support me, we're already 11th!

  In addition, if there are extra monthly votes that can't be used elsewhere, especially those intended for the leader, please consider supporting Nan Qiang Da Da instead. He's been leading by a month now, and it would be a shame to lose in the end. Otherwise, where is justice?