Clear and Muddy Loss of Love

A perfect word

The examiner glanced at it, and said the first sentence: "The time limit is ten breaths, and the answer cannot be revised."

Nangong Jingnv looked at the blank paper in the examiner's hand, and she had a flash of inspiration!The answer to the mystery turned out to be the name of the maid next to the second sister, a Chinese herbal medicine: Baizhi.

After the words fell, less than half of the people wrote down the answers on paper, and most of them were still thinking hard.

Nangong Jingnv looked nervously at Qi Yan who was calm but hadn't written yet, wishing she could rush up to the stage and write the answer for her.

After three breaths, half of the people wrote down the answers.

After five breaths, most of the people took their pens and wrote down the answers. Qi Yan glanced at the audience, as if searching for something.

After eight breaths, even a clueless person wrote down his own answer, and Qi Yan also moved the pen.

"It's time! The answer is a Chinese herbal medicine: Angelica dahurica. It is easy to miscalculate with the same pronunciation and different words. Please step down from the guest officer who gave the wrong answer, and we will fight again next year."

The crowd suddenly realized that some people praised the cleverness of this lantern riddle, while others thought it was nonsense.

Half of the dozens of people left with hatred, and the arena suddenly became empty.

Seeing that Qi Yan answered correctly, Nangong Jingnv smiled happily.

The examiner lifted off the red silk covering the tray, and there were neatly stacked hanging copper coins on it.

"Congratulations, all guest officers can leave with the reward of the first level, or continue to pass through the level. The reward for the next level is one tael of silver."

Half of the remaining 40 or so people walked to the table, each withdrew a dime and left the ring.

Through this blank sheet of paper, they have already experienced the profound heritage of Tingyulou.The first level is just a small test, and the level after that is not difficult to imagine.Although a sling of money is not much, it is enough to eat at roadside stalls.

Besides, it was exchanged for a penny, so leaving is a wise choice.

In the blink of an eye, there were only 20 people left in the arena. Seeing so many people leave, a few people slowly moved out of the team, went to the table, took the rewards and left.

The middle-aged man next to Nangong Jingnv said again: "Young master, have you seen it? This is the first level, and there are more people on the stage than in previous years."

The examiner glanced at the 21 people on the stage, and said loudly: "Guest officers, is there anyone else to claim the bounty?"

No one is listed.

The old man raised his right hand: "Please go to the next round."

21 people climbed up the steps and came to the second level.

The clerk handed out charcoal pencils and paper again, and the second examiner personally opened the long box on the table, and the two clerks took out two scrolls from inside, raised them above their heads and let go of their hands.

When the scroll was unfolded, the flying characters came into view, which turned out to be a pair of couplets.

The first couplet is: Black is not, white is not, red and yellow are not; it is like jackals, cats and dogs, neither domestic animals nor wild animals.

The second couplet is: There are also poems, words, and the Analects of Confucius; it is vague about east, west, north, south, and although it is a short piece, it is also a wonderful essay.

The examiner stood up with his arms raised, and said, "There is a time limit of fifteen breaths, let's start."

There was a commotion in the audience: "Is this too difficult? Not even the range?"

"If you don't give the range, you should explain the answer in a few words, right?"

"Who wrote this picture? It's really a masterpiece!"

And the people who got off the ring with copper coins were all thankful for their decision when they saw this pair of lantern riddles.

Tingyulou really deserves its reputation!This is only the second level!

Now even Nangong Jingnv was stumped, the two pairs were neither split nor flat, the examiner didn't even give a single clue, even if they revealed a few words of the answer...

After ten breaths, only one person picked up the pen, but it was not Qi Yan.

A scholar who was about the same age as Qi Yan saw that he confidently finished writing the answer on the paper and then stood with his hands behind his back, with a smile on his face and a confident look.

Nangong Jingnv bit her lip and looked at Qi Yan nervously.

When the examiner started counting down, Qi Yan began to write...

"It's time! The answer to the riddle is the word 'guessing a riddle'. Words with the same pronunciation and different words are easy to miscalculate. Please get off the ring if you get the wrong answer."

All the spectators in the audience suddenly realized, isn't it just 'guessing riddles'?

Black is not, white is not, red and yellow are not; like jackals, cats and dogs, they are neither domestic animals nor wild animals, and speciousness is guesswork.

There are also poems, words, and the Analects of Confucius; it is vague about east, west, north, south, although it is a short piece, it is also a wonderful essay, and it is a mystery everywhere!

"It's wonderful!"

"It's too difficult, isn't it?"

"What are you shouting about? You just can't answer. Aren't there four people on the stage?"

The examiner checked the answers of the four people and nodded: "Congratulations, the four guest officers can leave with the rewards of this level, or continue to pass the level. The reward for the next level is ten taels of silver."

As soon as the words were finished, two of them quickly walked to the table, each took the reward, bowed to the examiner, and walked off the ring.

The second round was over, only Qi Yan and the scholar from Shicai were left on the stage.

The man cupped his hands at Qi Yan: "Brother is very knowledgeable, Xia Gufeng, a native of Jizhou, Xiaozi Chunshu."

Qi Yan's heart skipped a beat: Gu Feng?Could it be the No. 3 in Jizhou Prefecture in the autumn provincial examination?

"Brother Chunshu is full of praise."

Gu Feng showed displeasure, and he took the initiative to report his name, but the other party did not respond, obviously looking down on him!

Immediately snorted coldly, raised his hand: "This brother invites you."

Qi Yan also raised her hand: "Brother Chun Shu, please."

Gu Feng was also polite, and walked in front of Qi Yan, and the two had the third round.

The spectators in the audience said excitedly: "There are two people who have reached the third competition this year! Maybe they can win a hundred taels of silver!"

"I think it's possible."

"Not necessarily? Everyone in the capital knows how difficult it is to listen to the last two rounds of Yulou!"

"That is to say, didn't someone make it to the third team last year, and didn't they lose in the end?"

……

The examiner saw that two people broke into his place this year, and stroked his beard: "You two are very knowledgeable."

Qi Yan bowed and saluted: "The old gentleman is too good."

Gu Feng also cupped his hands and said, "I dare not do it."

The examiner said again: "The third question is not only to find the answer, but also to tell how to solve the problem. Do you two understand?"

The two said in unison: "Understood."

The examiner clapped his hands, and the two assistants held up a long box together, and unfolded the scroll inside. After a brief silence, the crowd broke into commotion again.

"This is……"

"what is this?"

"God, it's just a lantern riddle. Do you want such a big battle in Ting Yu Lou?"

Nangong Jingnv looked at the scroll in the hands of the clerk, her pupils shrank, and she murmured, ""The Monument of Filial Piety Cao'e"? Rubbing..."

The middle-aged man on the side asked curiously: "Young master, do you know this post?"

Nangong Jingnv nodded, and said falteringly, "I'm lucky to have seen it once." More than just seen it?The real work is in Princess Zhenzhen's mansion!

This rubbing post is called: "Stele of a Filial Piety Daughter Cao E". It is said that during the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a filial daughter named Cao E who moved the world because of her filial piety. After her death, the local people erected a stele for her.When Cai Yong, a master of the Eastern Han Dynasty, heard the story of Cao E when he traveled, he was deeply moved and transcribed the inscription, and attached a eight-character evaluation to pass on to future generations.

This post written by Cai Yong is hidden in the palace. She remembers that when she was ten years old, her father had a constant cough. She read in a miscellaneous book that making pear syrup has the effect of relieving cough, so she picked the pears herself in Weiyang. The palace set up a small stove, and with the help of Chuntao and Qiuju, boiled a bowl of pear juice and brought it to the father. After drinking it, the father was really happy, and gave himself the authentic work of Cai Yong...

Although it is not surprising that the rubbings of "The Stele of the Filial Girl Cao'e" appeared among the people, Nangong Jingnv really couldn't figure out what mystery was hidden in it.

The examiner pondered for a moment, then said: "This old man is bold enough to make an exception today, and the answer is hidden in this post. The answer is four words...one stick of incense for a limited time."

Unexpectedly, as soon as the voice fell, Gu Feng took a step forward: "No need, the student already has the answer." After speaking, he turned to look at Qi Yan.

Nangong Jingnv's heart tightened, she stared at Qi Yan intently.The latter lowered his eyes and pondered for a while, then raised his head and said, "The student also has an answer."

This time the audience was completely blown up, and they started talking about it.

Someone made a "shh", and the crowd fell silent.Looking at the two people on stage with full of doubts and expectations...

Gu Feng hooked the corner of his mouth: "Since that's the case, let me tell the answer to the mystery, and this brother will explain it. How about it?"

Facing the other party's provocative gaze, Qi Yan smiled indifferently: "Quan listens to the arrangement of the old man."

The examiner nodded: "If you want to get the answer to this question, you have to break the question. If the two young masters have no objection, it's okay."

Gu Feng laughed lightly, took a step forward and said loudly: "A wonderful speech."

The examiner's eyes showed admiration: "Young master's answer is good."

The spectators in the audience let out a burst of exclamation, and then cast their eyes on Qi Yan, wanting to hear how the answer to this riddle was obtained.

Gu Feng made a gesture of invitation: "Brother, please."

Qi Yan nodded, first saluted the examiner respectfully, then turned around and saluted the spectators under the stage.

The two people on the stage were about the same age, they broke through the third level together and got the answer at the same time.

But compared to Gu Feng's sharpness, Qi Yan, who is gentle and courteous, can make people feel better.Even Nangong Jingnv couldn't help raising her chin proudly, thinking: Even though it is understandable for those who rely on their talents to be arrogant, talents who are full of knowledge and can restrain themselves are the most valuable!What's so great about Gu Feng?Qi Yan is still "two yuan and one flower"!

Humph.

Qi Yan explained: "The student is not talented. I was lucky enough to see this stele during my study tour. The name of this stele is: "Cao E Stele". Come down and name it "The Stele of Filial Piety Cao E". Mr. Cai Yong left a note of "Young woman in yellow silk, grandson Jijiu". And the answer to this question is hidden in these eight characters, which is really a wonderful split character lantern riddles."

The examiner stroked his beard: "Not bad."

The audience yelled: "What kind of mystery is hidden in these eight characters, please explain it to me!"

"Young woman in yellow silk, grandson Jijiu. How did you disassemble it into a 'wonderful speech', please tell me, my lord?"

"That's right."

"We are all ears!"

Qi Yan turned her head to look at the examiner, seeing the other party nodding in agreement, she cupped her hands towards the audience: "Since this is the case, the student will dare to dismantle one or two."

"Yellow silk is a kind of colored silk. It takes the radical of the word 'silk' and combines it with 'color' to form the word "jue". "Young woman" means "girl", and when combined it is the word "miao". Grandson As the son of a woman, the combination of "women" means "good". When the words are put together, it becomes the word 'Ci'. Therefore, the eight characters of the young woman in yellow silk and the grandson Jijiu are divided into: wonderful good words."