The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 28: The Poetry Contest
The Zhu family had contributed to the poetry contest’s prize pool, so naturally, they wouldn’t miss the opportunity to gain recognition in front of the prefect and the education commissioner, as well as to build connections with talented scholars. As the leader of the younger generation of the Zhu family, Zhu Jingcheng had been busy organizing the poetry contest for several days.
“This poetry contest will have its topic personally chosen by the education commissioner. Soon, someone will copy the topic onto the screen in the main hall. Anyone with poetic inspiration may enter the building and compose a poem.”
“The submitted poems will first be screened by several talented scholars from the top class of Qingfeng Academy. After being transcribed neatly, they will be presented to the prefect, the education commissioner, and the academy head for evaluation. At the third quarter of the Hour of Wei (approximately 2:45 PM), the poetry contest will end, and no more poems will be accepted. At that time, the names of the outstanding poets will be announced on the screen in the main hall, and a single poetry champion will be selected among them.”
“The poetry champion will have the first pick from the prizes, and the other recognized poets may each choose a treasure from the prize pool.”
Zhu Jingcheng smiled and continued, “Most of the prizes are gold, silver, and jade trinkets, but the one provided by the education commissioner is quite remarkable—it is an ancient text from the previous dynasty. I’ve heard that even the esteemed scholars with the rank of ‘Juren’ were tempted to lower their dignity and compete for it!”
Qiu Huanian listened with great interest. It seemed that the competition this time was quite intense. He didn’t expect Du Yunse to win any particularly valuable prizes, but he was very interested in the event itself.
After chatting with them for a while, Zhu Jingcheng left to attend to other matters, instructing Zhu Jingwei to take good care of the guests before he departed. Zhu Jingwei readily agreed—so long as he wasn’t dragged back to study, he had no objections.
The three of them waited in front of the decorated pavilion for the poetry contest to begin. As time passed, more and more scholars gathered, many of them dressed in the signature attire of Qingfeng Academy. Their white robes paired with lake-green outer garments stood out refreshingly in the crowd.
Since even the head of Qingfeng Academy was present to evaluate the poems, the academy’s students who were capable of composing poetry naturally seized the chance to showcase their talent. Yu Min, along with his classmates who were on break for the Duanwu Festival, walked toward the decorated pavilion, enjoying the reverent gazes from passersby.
“I heard that the prizes for this poetry contest are exceptionally generous. Many wealthy merchants have contributed lavishly, and the number of rare treasures is astounding,” said a student from a modest background, his face full of anticipation.
“They’re just vulgar objects,” Yu Min scoffed. “Merchants lack true heritage, so they can only offer such things.”
The student’s expression stiffened. He knew that Yu Min wasn’t targeting him personally, but the remark was undeniably offensive.
Unaware of his classmate’s discomfort, Yu Min continued walking at the front, casually fanning himself with a sandalwood fan he had purchased in Jiangnan. “Only the ancient text provided by the education commissioner is of real value. Once I claim the title of poetry champion, I’ll take it and study it carefully.”
Given Yu Min’s quick wit, elegant writing style, and exceptional poetic skills, his words weren’t entirely arrogant. His classmates, knowing his temper and that he couldn’t stand even the slightest contradiction, simply went along with it and congratulated him in advance.
When the poetry topic was finally announced on the screen in the main hall, Yu Min’s eyes lit up. Inspiration struck him immediately, and he entered the hall, choosing the foremost desk. In less than half a stick of incense (about seven minutes), he completed his poem and waved to a nearby attendant to take it upstairs.
Outside the decorated pavilion, Qiu Huanian read the poetry topic and struggled for a while but couldn’t come up with even half a verse. He immediately gave up and turned to Du Yunse. “Yunse, what do you think?”
Du Yunse lowered his gaze to look at him. They had been standing for quite a while, and earlier, they had watched the dragon boat races with full attention. Now, Qiu Huanian’s face showed signs of fatigue. His fair forehead was damp with a few strands of sweat-soaked hair sticking to it, yet his bright eyes remained beautiful.
“There’s still plenty of time. I’ll take you over to that tea stall to sit and rest.”
Near the decorated pavilion, several small vendors had already set up simple tea stalls, seizing the business opportunity. They sold tea and snacks, offering visitors a place to sit and relax while watching the poetry contest.
Zhu Jingwei clapped his hands. “Brother Du is right. We still have time before the third quarter of the Hour of Wei. No need to rush.”
After standing for so long, Zhu Jingwei was already parched and just wanted to sit down and have a drink.
Du Yunse guided Qiu Huanian through the crowd to a tea stall and secured a good spot. Zhu Jingwei spent money on the best chilled tea and pastries the stall had to offer.
“This little money is nothing. I’m eating too, so don’t be polite.”
Once he was sure Qiu Huanian was comfortably seated in the cool and breezy tea stall, Du Yunse gave him a few instructions before turning back to participate in the poetry contest.
After Du Yunse left, Zhu Jingwei couldn’t sit still for long. He soon excused himself to wander around, agreeing to meet again at the decorated pavilion after the contest ended.
Qiu Huanian sat alone in the tea stall, enjoying the breeze and the mingling scents of mugwort and realgar in the air. Watching the lively crowd while occasionally nibbling on pastries, he felt completely at ease.
Suddenly, he sensed the wind in front of him being blocked. Looking up, he saw an unexpected person.
After finishing his poem, Yu Min had passed by the tea stall and unexpectedly spotted the young man he had met on the street the other day. Without a second thought, he abandoned his classmates and strode over.
“You came to watch the poetry contest? Do you even know how to read?”
Qiu Huanian disliked Yu Min’s arrogant and boundaryless attitude and didn’t want to answer him. However, the Qingfeng Academy attire Yu Min wore was too eye-catching, and most of the spectators recognized the talented scholars of Xiangping Prefecture. Hearing the murmurs of Yu Min’s name, Qiu Huanian had no choice but to respond. “I’m waiting for someone here. Young Master Yu, please carry on.”
He made it clear he didn’t wish to continue the conversation. Yu Min, having grown up in a privileged family and used to admiration, had never been treated this way before. Though annoyed, he was also spurred by a competitive spirit.
“The person you’re waiting for—he’s participating in the poetry contest too?”
Seeing the answer on Qiu Huanian’s face, Yu Min felt instantly provoked. He sneered, “Once the contest ends, the submitted poems will be displayed for everyone to read. I’d like to see how well your companion performs.”
“I just hope his poem is good enough to be posted in a prominent spot—otherwise, it’ll be hard for me to find it.”
With that, Yu Min snapped his fan shut and walked away. The nearby crowd buzzed with gossip, leaving Qiu Huanian no choice but to abandon his tea and pastries. He left the tea stall and found a quieter place to wait for Du Yunse.
After a while, Du Yunse returned, and the two of them strolled along the riverside, watching the local dragon boat teams practice on their own.
Earlier, the top teams from the official dragon boat race had each received at least five qian (silver coins) as prize money, sparking envy among onlookers. Many were eager to practice in hopes of winning next year.
At the third quarter of the Hour of Wei, the poetry contest officially ended. No more submissions were accepted, and the officials reviewing the poems on the second floor had nearly finished their evaluations.
“This year, we received over 180 new poems, a thirty percent increase from previous years. All thanks to the education commissioner’s influence.”
The newly appointed education commissioner, Feng Mingjun, remained indifferent to the flattery and said simply, “Here are the most remarkable entries. We need to select a single poetry champion from them.”
Hearing this, the prefect of Xiangping, Si Jing, picked up one of the poems. “This piece is elegantly worded, with refined and unique imagery. It carries the charm of Jiangnan’s poetic tradition. It deserves the poetry champion title.”
Qingfeng Academy’s headmaster, Min Taikang, also picked up a poem. “This work stands out for its pure and upright poetic style. The wording flows seamlessly without signs of excessive refinement. It has an ancient literary essence, and its final two lines are particularly profound. It is worthy of the poetry champion title.”
Each had selected a different poem. Feng Mingjun carefully reviewed both, then exchanged them with Si Jing and Min Taikang. After reading, all three had made their decision.
“Then we shall choose this poet as the champion.”
“He is the rightful winner.”
…
At the fourth quarter of the Hour of Mao (approximately 6 AM), several servants carried stacks of poetry downstairs and posted them in the main hall. Among them, the top poems selected from the contest were displayed on the central screen. The poets of these works could now choose a prize to take home.
Outside the colorful pavilion, the crowd was packed tightly together, all eager to catch a glimpse of the talented scholar’s poetry before the names were announced.
Qiu Huanian also wanted to squeeze through to take a look, but amidst the chaos, someone unknowingly pushed him, nearly causing him to fall. Du Yunse quickly pulled him into his embrace.
“Hua-ge’er, be careful. There’s no rush.”
Zhu Jingwei, who had already reunited with them, also said, “Later, the scholars from Qingfeng Academy’s A-class will recite the talented scholar’s poem, and in the evening, the poetry on the screen will be posted at the entrance of the examination hall for the entire city to see!”
Qiu Huanian touched his slender arms and legs and had no choice but to regretfully give up trying to join the commotion.
On the other side of the colorful pavilion, Yu Min relied on his height and long legs, holding onto the hairpin in his hair with one hand while gripping a sandalwood fan with the other, squeezing his way forward. Finally, he managed to find a spot where he could clearly see the poem displayed on the screen.
In front of him, a fellow student from Qingfeng Academy was already there. Yu Min tapped his shoulder with his fan and asked, “Wang Yinzhi, have you spotted any good poetry?”
Wang Yinzhi turned around and was startled to see Yu Min, hesitating for a moment before saying, “You should see for yourself.”
After speaking, he immediately squeezed out from the side, unwilling to bring bad luck upon himself.
“What’s with the mystery? What’s going on?” Yu Min muttered to himself, then turned his gaze to the very top of the screen. A moment later, his eyes widened. “How is this possible?!”
…
“In the twenty-first year of Yuanhua, the poetry champion of the Dragon Boat Festival Poetry Competition in Xiangping Prefecture is—”
“Zhang County, Xiangping Prefecture, Liaozhou—Du Yunse.”
Hearing the familiar name from a shaded area, Qiu Huanian’s eyes lit up instantly. “Yunse! It’s you!”
Zhu Jingwei had never expected that the friend he casually made would become the poetry champion. He congratulated him repeatedly, “Congratulations, worthy brother! Many congratulations!”
Not only would he not be punished for going out during the Dragon Boat Festival, but he might even receive praise from his family!
Du Yunse glanced at Qiu Huanian’s hands excitedly gripping his forearm. His gaze lifted, meeting those bright eyes filled with laughter. “I’ll go collect my prize first. We’ll celebrate when I return.”
According to the naming sequence, those whose poetry was selected as “Talented Scholars’ Poems” could enter the colorful pavilion and choose a prize to take home.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Du Yunse straightened his slightly wrinkled robes and walked into the colorful pavilion with the grace of a leisurely stroll.
Yu Min had been staring at the pavilion entrance, eager to see who this Du Yunse was, the person who had taken the poetry champion title from him. When he saw that the other party was only a few years older than himself, his resentment grew to its peak.
He had already read Du Yunse’s poem and admitted that it was well-written. However, he found it lacking in charm and agility, feeling that its phrasing wasn’t refined enough. Yu Min didn’t believe his own poem was inferior and had no idea how the headmasters had made their decision. Why had they placed him behind Du Yunse?
The thought of the ancient book he longed for being chosen by Du Yunse first filled Yu Min with even greater frustration.
Inside the colorful pavilion, Du Yunse reported his name and had his handwriting verified to confirm his authorship and rule out any impostors.
The provincial education commissioner, the prefect, and the headmaster had already gathered on the first floor. Seeing how young Du Yunse was, the latter two looked surprised.
“Du Yunse, Du Yunse… Could he be the child prodigy taken by the great scholar Wen for academic travels nine years ago?” Prefect Si Jing recalled this name from his memory.
Qingfeng Academy’s headmaster, Min Taikang, also remembered. “He must be here to take the provincial examination. Next spring, when Qingfeng Academy opens its doors to new students, we could invite him to study here.”
Inside the pavilion’s first-floor hall, a dozen opened boxes were displayed, containing prizes that made the onlookers outside envious—antique literary objects, pearl and gemstone ornaments, ivory and jade pieces, all dazzling and exquisite.
Standing in the center, Du Yunse scanned the contents of the boxes one by one.
Outside the pavilion, Yu Min curled his lips. “Why is he acting so mysterious? Just take the ancient book and leave already!”
Unfazed by the eager gazes from outside, Du Yunse examined everything before walking straight to a box on the left.
“The ancient book is to his right. What is he going to pick?”
Du Yunse picked up the item from the box, allowing the curious onlookers to see it clearly.
It was a hairpin about five inches long, glowing with a crimson warmth. The jade hairpin was lustrous and flawless, its shape forming a smooth and natural curve, with the head carved into an exquisite red bird design.
Those knowledgeable in such objects recognized at a glance that this hairpin was worth at least twenty taels of silver, making it one of the more valuable prizes. However, no matter its worth, it still could not compare to the ancient book offered by the provincial education commissioner.
The style of this red bird sunrise jade hairpin was more suitable for a young nobleman rather than a scholar. Could it be that Du Yunse intended to gift it to a beloved companion?
Provincial education commissioner Feng Mingjun frowned and asked, “Why did you choose this ornament?”
Feng Mingjun certainly remembered the high-achieving disciple of his old friend Wen Huiyang. When the original manuscript was brought out to verify the poetry champion’s name, Feng Mingjun had felt a hint of joy upon seeing Du Yunse’s name, thinking that his friend’s student was indeed remarkable.
He held high expectations for Du Yunse, so his scrutiny was even stricter. Someone with such talent at his age must not go astray, indulging in romance and distractions—it would be a waste of great potential!
Du Yunse placed the warm jade hairpin into his robe and calmly bowed. “Sir, my family is poor, and I could only reach this point thanks to the support of my fiancé. I own nothing valuable and often feel unworthy of him. Thus, I chose this warm jade hairpin as a gift to express my heart.”
Feng Mingjun recalled how many high-ranking families in the capital had once sought to marry Wen Huiyang’s student, only for Du Yunse to decline, citing his existing engagement. His expression finally softened. “It is good that you remain true to your roots. You were chosen as the poetry champion because your work is upright and thoughtful, carrying concern for the people and the nation. You must maintain your integrity and not be swayed by trivial desires.”
Du Yunse nodded in acknowledgment and left the pavilion.
Qingfeng Academy’s A-class scholars announced the second name, and it was none other than Yu Min, who had assumed the poetry champion title was his for the taking.
Without hesitation, Yu Min chose the ancient book, finally obtaining the prize he had long desired. Yet, instead of joy, he felt strangely hollow—almost as if the book was something Du Yunse had discarded and left for him.
Who would have thought that someone who wrote such rigid poetry would be the kind of romantic to publicly select a jade hairpin for his fiancé at a poetry competition?
A certain face, one he had met twice and who always left him frustrated, suddenly flashed through Yu Min’s mind.
Du Yunse had good taste—the red bird sunrise jade hairpin was indeed a fine item. If paired with that unknown young gentleman, it would look truly exquisite.
What a pity. If Du Yunse had chosen the ancient book, Yu Min might have selected the hairpin instead and found a chance to give it away.
Yu Min’s mind wandered from one thought to another. By the time he finally remembered to look for that young gentleman and ask his opinion on his own poetry, Qiu Huanian had already left the pavilion with Du Yunse.
Yu Min lingered around the pavilion for a while before, feeling uninspired, he took the ancient book and returned to the academy early.
…
Du Yunjing walked back to his rented courtyard from Yuan Zheng Street with a sullen expression.
On the way, he accidentally bumped into a few well-dressed noblemen, drawing their ridicule. Clenching his fists tightly, he struggled to suppress his twisted emotions.
Back in Zhang County, when he wore a scholar’s robe, everyone treated him with respect. But in Xiangping Prefecture, his plain attire was nothing at all.
If everyone was in the same situation, that would be one thing. But why should Du Yunse be different?!
When he saw his own poem posted in the farthest corner of the pavilion while Du Yunse’s name was the first to be called, his chest burned with jealousy and anger.
Was he really so much worse than Du Yunse? Impossible! Du Yunse had simply been lucky, parading his talent around as a child and catching the attention of a great scholar!
Du Yunjing had always considered himself a misunderstood genius. If he had been born into an aristocratic family, he would have been a celebrated scholar by now.
His hatred for Du Yunse, who had always overshadowed him, was like a fire consuming him from within.
Previously, his interest in Qiu Huanian had stemmed not only from admiration of his beauty but also from the fact that he was Du Yunse’s childhood fiancé—something he could never admit to anyone.
Later, his mother saw through the situation and thought that he liked pretty Ge’er. She intended to arrange a marriage for him with the son of a clan leader’s in-law family who owned a tofu shop in town. Although Du Yunjing was not particularly satisfied, he saw that Meng Yuanling was cute, and his family was relatively well-off, so he half-heartedly agreed.
Fortunately, a few days later, a teacher from the county school suddenly hinted at the idea of choosing him as a son-in-law, which put an end to his family’s plans. Otherwise, he would have had to marry an illiterate boy whose only merit was his looks, making him even more inferior to Du Yunse.
Thinking of this, Du Yunjing recalled Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse’s public display at the Cai Tower, where he had chosen a hairpin for his husband.
“Such pretentiousness, such shortsightedness!”
If it were a matter of practicality, Du Yunse should have chosen the prize that could be resold for the most silver. If it were about currying favor with the academic commissioner, he should have chosen the book that the commissioner had provided. Yet, he had unhesitatingly chosen a mediocre jade hairpin.
“The commissioner even praised him for not forgetting his roots? Ha! What a joke.”
“Of course, the new commissioner was previously a court official in the capital and is said to have had a good relationship with Du Yunse’s mentor. Naturally, he would favor him. This poetry competition’s top prize must have been deliberately given to him after seeing his name first.”
Thinking of this, Du Yunjing finally felt somewhat better.
“It seems he just got lucky.”
Over the years, Du Yunjing had maneuvered within the county school and learned a lot about the imperial examination system’s inner workings.
In recent years, Liaozhou’s academic commissioner had been a cautious and risk-averse man. Rather than take any risks, he would rather handle things rigidly and avoid trouble.
According to the laws of the Yu Dynasty, scholars had to take the imperial examination in their place of ancestral registration. When Du Yunjing heard at the county school that Du Yunse’s mentor, Wen Huiyang, had been imprisoned, he immediately knew that Du Yunse’s path to the imperial examination was severed. The Liaozhou academic commissioner would never take the risk of offending the emperor by allowing Du Yunse to pass the county-level exam.
He had been overjoyed at this and couldn’t resist stirring up trouble. He returned to Du Family Village and spread half-true, half-false rumors. Sure enough, life for Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse’s younger siblings became even more difficult.
Everything should have gone as he expected. Who would have thought that, just before the county examination, the emperor would suddenly replace the Liaozhou academic commissioner? Worse still, the new commissioner was someone with ties to Du Yunse’s mentor!
“No matter. The county exam is not the same as a poetry competition. The rules are strict, and even if the commissioner wants to help him, he won’t be able to. I will see him at the results announcement and prove my worth!”
Du Yunjing slowly exhaled and walked through the outer gate of the house they had rented. The overpowering stench of horse manure immediately made him frown again.
The family renting them the house was relatively wealthy, and their residence had three courtyards. The outermost courtyard had a row of small, dimly lit rooms on the left, facing away from the street, while on the right was a stable.
There were five such rooms in total, low-ceilinged and poorly lit. Three were occupied by the landlord’s servants, and the remaining two had been rented out to Du Yunjing’s family.
Every day, Du Yunjing watched the landlord’s family call upon their servants, while he himself had to live next to a stable, alongside the servants. It felt as if an unquenchable fire was burning within him.
He couldn’t help but resent his parents. Why did they have to bring the whole family to the prefectural city? If only his sister-in-law, Wei Liuhua, had come to take care of him, they could have saved money and afforded a better place to stay.
In truth, compared to most homes in Du Family Village, these two small rooms were already considered decent. To those accustomed to village life, the smell of horse manure was hardly unbearable—after all, which household didn’t keep livestock? Unfortunately, after living comfortably in the county town, Du Yunjing could no longer tolerate such conditions.
He consoled himself with the thought that, at the very least, he was still living better than Du Yunse. Given how poor Du Yunse’s family was, he was probably staying in some lowly inn, sleeping on a straw-covered brick bed!
Du Yunjing entered his room and adjusted to the dim light before ordering, “Gu’er, pour me some water.”
Li Gu’er bit her lip and turned to leave, her heart filled with resentment.
Since arriving in the prefectural city, Zhao Shi had been intimidated by the high prices and displays of wealth. After only a few outings, she no longer dared to go out and spent her days taking out her frustrations on Li Gu’er, as if making her life miserable could somehow compensate for the money spent on bringing her along.
Envious of how the landlord’s family had servants, Zhao Shi had begun treating Li Gu’er like one. Li Gu’er gritted her teeth in anger—real servants had food, lodging, and even earned three taels of silver a month! What had Zhao Shi given her to justify treating her like this?
She had completely forgotten how, back in Du Family Village, she and Zhao Shi had joined forces in tormenting her sister-in-law, Wei Liuhua.
Zhao Shi had rented two rooms—one for herself, her husband, and their son Fubao, and the other for Du Yunjing. Li Gu’er had no bed and had to sleep on a makeshift wooden cot at the foot of Du Yunjing’s bed, so small she didn’t even dare to turn over in her sleep.
Once the county exam was over… once the county exam was over…
Li Gu’er took a deep breath and reached into her pocket, feeling the two packets of medicine hidden inside.
Sharing a room with Du Yunjing made it all the more convenient for her plan. Once the county exam was over, she would finally be able to act!
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Shiyun
Thank you so much for translating this story, it’s very well-written and I can tell the author did their research. Thanks again and I hope you have a good day!