The moon is high in the sky, and the sky is full of stars.
Two small boats were sailing side by side in the lake.
The lake is rippling with blue waves, and the stars and the moon are reflected in the sky, like a bright Milky Way, with twinkling stars, which is beautiful beyond words.
Several girls were chatting and laughing in the beautiful lake view at night, talking and chatting about the trivial matters of Mo City.
On the other side of the boat, it was very quiet.
Bai Ling was dressed in pink, standing at the stern of the boat, holding a bamboo pole, her long black hair dancing and her clothes fluttering, like a fairy in the lake.
Luo Qingzhou stood at the bow, looking at the pavilion in the center of the lake not far away, silent.
Xia Chan sat in the middle of the boat, holding a sword in her arms, as cold as ice.
Zhuer looked over here and saw someone standing motionless at the bow. She couldn't help but sneer, "Sir, aren't you seasick? Why are you still standing there? Aren't you afraid of falling into the lake?"
Luo Qingzhou retracted his gaze, glanced at her, then glanced at the sword-holding girl sitting in the middle of the boat, and replied: "Who said you can't stand when you get seasick? I don't get seasick when I stand, but I do when I sit."
Several girls were amused.
Zhu Er said angrily, "Miss, my son-in-law did it on purpose. He obviously doesn't get seasick."
Qin Weimo smiled and said, "My son-in-law may be seasick normally, but he won't be seasick today because we have a distinguished guest."
"snort."
Zhu'er pouted her lips and snorted, and said nothing more.
Since her young lady was defending that guy, what else could she say
Song Zixi, who was sitting next to Qin Weimo, suddenly said, "Weimo, I saw a sentence on a painting the other day, and I thought it was very interesting, but I don't know where it came from or who wrote it, and I only have a vague understanding of its meaning. You read a lot, I wonder if you can help me explain it?"
As she said this, she glanced at the boy in the other boat.
It was obvious that she wanted to test a certain scholar to see if he was really as talented as her friend said, or if he was just a facade.
Qin Weimo naturally knew what he meant, and said with a smile: "Zi Xi, then tell me about it."
"Ahem..."
Song Zixi cleared his throat, attracted everyone's attention on the boat, and then pretended to read: "The way of the university is to manifest the bright virtue, to be close to the people, and to stop at the highest good..."
As she read, she shook her head like a teacher.
Qin Weimo listened to her finish reading, smiled slightly, looked at the boy on the other boat and said: "Brother-in-law, have you heard this sentence?"
In fact, any scholar who is preparing to take an imperial examination knows this sentence.
After all, this sentence comes from one of the Four Books, a required book for the imperial examination.
However, for women who do not need to take imperial examinations, it is not easy to know this sentence.
In this era, nine out of ten people have never been to school and some are even illiterate.
Therefore, for women, knowing some words, reading some books, or even knowing a few poems are all things to be boasted about and proud of.
Luo Qingzhou felt a little bored.
However, since it was the Second Young Lady who had asked him the question, he would naturally not give her face and answered, "This statement comes from The Book of Rites, The Great Learning, which is said to have been written by Zengzi, but it should have been written by some later Confucian scholars. It means that the purpose of the university is to promote upright virtues, to make people abandon the old and pursue the new, and to make people reach the most perfect state... To put it simply, it is to highlight the bright virtues that everyone has, and then extend it to others, so that everyone can remove pollution and renew themselves, and strive for excellence, achieve the most perfect state and remain unchanged..."
Two small boats in the lake.
All the girls looked at him quietly and listened to his answers.
Under the moonlight, the figure standing at the bow was tall and straight, with a handsome face, clear and resolute eyes, and a sonorous and bright voice. He was neither humble nor arrogant. He did not have the weakness and affectation of other scholars, nor the inferiority and timidity of other sons-in-law. His appearance, demeanor and temperament made the girls' hearts flutter, like the lake under the boat dotted with stars.
The sword-holding girl closest to him also looked at him expressionlessly.
After he finished answering, there was a moment of silence on the two boats.
Then, Qin Weimo broke the silence and said with a smile: "Zi Xi, how about this answer? Is it what you thought?"
Song Zixi curled her lips and said, "It's just so-so, it's just something from the book, anyone who reads should know it."
Qin Weimo smiled and looked at the boy on the other boat, praising him softly, "Brother-in-law is amazing."
Luo Qingzhou bowed and said nothing more.
Bai Ling, who was rowing the boat at the bow, also smiled and imitated her tone and said, "Son-in-law is very powerful."
Luo Qingzhou looked away and ignored her.
Two small boats slowly paddled on the lake and soon arrived at the lotus bushes.
Although it is winter, the lake water is warm and the lotus flowers are in full bloom all year round, with white, pink and red flowers. It is the most beautiful scenery in Tingyu Garden on a moonlit night.
Every time Qin Weimo came here, he liked to play among the lotus flowers, pick some lotus pods, break some petals, and play in the water by the boat. He still had a childlike innocence and was in a much better mood.
At this time, Meng Yulan suddenly asked again: "Master Luo, I have a question, can you answer it for me?"
Luo Qingzhou looked at her, thinking about her brother's homosexuality, and said, "Miss Meng, please speak."
Meng Yulan's eyebrows were filled with heroic spirit, and he said in a loud voice: "A gentleman is harmonious but not swayed; he is strong and upright. He is neutral but not biased; he is strong and upright. If the country is ruled by the right way, he will not change; he is strong and upright. If the country is ruled by the wrong way, he will not change until his death; he is strong and upright. I wonder what this sentence means?"
Luo Qingzhou's expression became serious, and he replied, "This sentence comes from the tenth chapter of The Doctrine of the Mean. It means that people with noble character are docile and do not follow the crowd. This is true strength. Remaining neutral and impartial is true strength. Do not change your ambition when the country is politically peaceful. This is true strength. When the country is politically dark, stick to your integrity and would rather die than change. This is true strength."
Meng Yulan showed a hint of surprise in his eyes, and nodded, "Mr. Luo is indeed very well-read. He knows the meanings of the words and sentences in the Four Books and Five Classics by heart, and he can quote them at will. He even remembers which chapter they are clearly. I admire you. I admire you."
Luo Qingzhou cupped his hands and heard what she was thinking: Wei Mo really wasn't lying, this guy does have some talent, the things in the book probably won't be difficult for him, I wonder what his attainments are in poetry
Meng Yulan thought to himself and winked at Song Zixi beside him.
Song Zixi nodded slightly, and suddenly said, "Mr. Luo, I heard from Wei Mo that you are very knowledgeable about poetry. I got the first two lines of a seven-character quatrain some time ago, but I am not satisfied with the last two lines no matter how I think about them. Can you continue it for me?"
Luo Qingzhou glanced at Miss Qin Er and thought to himself: I have only exchanged couplets with Miss Qin Er before, how does she know that I understand poetry? Is she deliberately trying to flatter me? Or is she trying to show off that she has a talented brother-in-law
It's rare for a sister-in-law to brag about her son-in-law in front of her friends.
Since the Second Miss was so protective of his image, he naturally would not embarrass her, and said with a cupped hand: "Miss Song, please tell me. I will try, but I may not satisfy Miss Song."
Meng Yulan smiled and said, "There is no perfect and satisfactory poem in the world. Most of them are made after many revisions. Those that are created by chance are rare treasures, as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. You can keep it as you like, Mr. Luo."
Song Zixi recited it silently in his mind before reading it aloud: "The New Year has not yet come into bloom, but in early February I was surprised to see grass sprouts... These are the two lines. I did write a few more poems, but none of them satisfied me. Master Luo, Wei Mo, Yu Lan, you can all give it a try."
The two girls next to them frowned slightly and started thinking in their hearts.
Luo Qingzhou repeated the first two sentences several times in his mind, thinking secretly in his heart, his eyes wandering casually on the lake, and suddenly he saw a pear tree on the lakeside not far away.
As the evening breeze blew, the flowers blooming on the pear tree fluttered, dancing lightly like snowflakes, passing through the vermilion railings and falling into the pavilion next to it.
An idea suddenly occurred to him, and he came up with the last two sentences.
At this time, Bai Ling, who was standing at the bow and rowing, suddenly laughed and said, "Son-in-law, if you can't get it right, then you will lose your chance next month."
"What chance?"
Qin Weimo asked curiously.
Others also looked at her curiously.
Bai Ling's eyes flickered slightly, and she said with a smile: "Second Miss, you should ask your uncle."
Luo Qingzhou did not respond, but looked at Miss Song and said, "I have thought of two sentences, but I don't know if they fit in with the first two sentences. Miss Song, can you help me comment on them?"
Upon hearing this, several girls immediately looked at him.
The sword-holding girl next to him also looked at him coldly.
Luo Qingzhou pondered for a moment before reciting: "The new year has not yet begun, but in early February I was surprised to see grass buds. The white snow thought spring was coming too late, so it flew through the trees in the garden."
As soon as he finished reading, Meng Yulan's eyes lit up and he immediately clapped his hands in praise, "Great poem! With the last two lines, the atmosphere and art of the whole poem instantly became much higher! Master Luo, you are amazing, really amazing!"
Then he continued: "This poem title..."
Luo Qingzhou said: "How about the title of the poem being Spring Snow?"
"Haruyuki?"
Meng Yulan savored it and clapped his hands, saying, "What a great Spring Snow! Once this title is given, the artistic conception of the whole poem is elevated to a higher level! Young Master Luo is indeed very talented!"
“The white snow thinks that spring is coming too late, so it flies through the trees in the garden… Spring snow…”
Song Zixi muttered it several times, then looked at the young man on the bow with a suspicious look and said, "Master Luo, the first two sentences, were they also written by you? If not, then the last two sentences are too harmonious and smooth, aren't they? They are completely integrated, without a trace of splicing."
Luo Qingzhou bowed and said, "I did not write the first two sentences, and I just came up with the last two sentences. I don't deserve such praise from you, young lady."
Qin Weimo, who was standing by, raised her eyebrows slightly and chuckled, "Zi Xi, now you know how powerful my brother-in-law is, right?"
This girl, who was as delicate and beautiful as Lin Daiyu, actually had a little smugness and pride in her tone.
Song Zixi was completely convinced, and bowed slightly to the young man on the bow and said, "Mr. Luo is indeed talented. I admire you."
Luo Qingzhou bowed his head again and returned the greeting.
Zhu Er on the boat also secretly thought, "I didn't expect this guy to be so amazing. No wonder my young lady treats him differently. Maybe he can really pass the imperial examination and make our Qin family proud."
Bailing was paddling the boat at the stern, looking at the young man at the bow, her beautiful eyes shining, and she stopped teasing.
The sword-holding girl sitting in the middle of the boat was still as cold as ice, with no expression on her face.
"Hua La La..."
At this moment, there was a flapping sound and splashing water suddenly heard among the lotus flowers.
It turned out to be a group of seagulls that were disturbed and jumped around in panic, some of them even flew towards the two small boats!
Several girls screamed in fear, and the boat shook.
Bai Ling's expression changed and he suddenly cried out "Ouch!" The boat under his feet shook suddenly and tilted violently.
The sword-holding girl sitting in the middle of the boat seemed to be thinking about something. She was caught off guard and suddenly leaned back. With a "plop", she fell into the lake and disappeared...
Bai Ling immediately shouted from the bow: "Oh, uncle, Xia Chan fell into the water, she can't swim!"
Luo Qingzhou glanced at her, then jumped down with a plop.