NFBE Chapter 150: Why Not Clap?
Chapter 150: Why Not Clap?
This old fox's acting skills are so good that it's a terrible waste of his talent not to win an Oscar for Best Actor.
Fang Xiaoxiao knew that the other party was putting on a melodramatic show, mainly reminiscing about the past and looking forward to the present when they are old.
It's a pity she knew, but that doesn't mean others knew the old man was acting.
offstage.
Li Renyi couldn't help but wipe away his tears.
"Waaaaah, I suddenly want to go home and see my father, mother, and sister!"
"????"
Zhu Wen and Wang, the richest man, were both completely bewildered by these words.
"What's wrong with the young master? If you want to go back, just go back. There's no need for this."
"Yes, young master, you are the son of the Marquis of Jing'an. If you want to go home, who can stop you?"
"No, I can't go back. I'm married now, how can I just go back to my parents' home?"
Li Renyi replied decisively.
"!!!!!!"
Speechless.
The two looked at each other, but quickly fell silent, shifting their gaze to the stage.
Seeing that the old fox had finally calmed down, Fang Xiaoxiao spoke with a sob in her voice.
"Waaah, as expected of the Confucian sage, he is truly unparalleled before or since. His poem 'Remembering the Plum Blossom' has moved this young lady to tears. I even wish I could go home right now, hug my father and mother, and tell them, 'I miss you!'"
"It's just a pity that my past self was too wicked and didn't understand the value of family. Now that my parents have passed away, I can only look back at their cold tombstones and shed tears alone."
Every word and phrase was so sincere that it evoked sympathy from everyone.
The old fox chuckled inwardly, revealing a smug smile that was hard to ignore.
He made the bet with her for three reasons. First, the woman's ability to compose "Shuidiao Getou" was truly enviable. Second, it concerned the content of the Tao Te Ching. The Tao Te Ching was a gift from the gods and not of this world. Its profound principles could benefit a person for a lifetime and were a sacred object that could manipulate people's hearts.
Thirdly, it was naturally for Pei Zuo's sake. If he won this competition, he could legitimately bring the person back to the palace. This would make Pei Zuo more loyal to him, and secondly, it would allow Fang Xiaoxiao to act as a spy to monitor Pei Zuo's every move.
No matter what, it's a sure-fire way to make money.
As soon as Fang Xiaoxiao turned her head, she saw the old fox staring at her, even revealing a strange and terrifying smile.
This is terrifying! What is this old guy trying to do to me? Could it be that he's...?
The more she thought about it, the more terrifying it became. She even felt the hairs on her body stand on end, and a chill ran down her spine, making her shiver involuntarily.
"No, no, we have to get out of here quickly, or this old guy might really take us away."
Think about this.
Without further thought, she immediately raised her voice.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let us once again give a round of applause to our beloved, venerable, and immortal Confucian sage."
"Clap clap clap!"
Another round of thunderous applause followed, but this time everyone was filled with excitement, so the applause was crisper and louder, without the dull and gloomy feeling from before.
"receive!"
"Beep!"
The crowd stopped clapping instantly, like machines.
The entire lobby returned to a deathly silence.
Fang Xiaoxiao glanced around at everyone in the audience, her eyes filled with arrogance, and a smug smile playing on her lips.
"Ahem, next I will present you with a poem about plum blossoms."
"I am but a humble woman, and I am merely showing off my limited skills in front of the venerable Confucian sage. I hope you will all forgive me."
Speech closed.
With her right hand behind her back and her left hand raised in front, she resembled the poet Li Bai, with her head tilted at a 45-degree angle and her eyes looking straight ahead.
"Standing amidst ice and snow, I am distinct from peach and plum blossoms in the dust; suddenly, one night, a pure fragrance arises, spreading spring across the vast universe."
This poem never mentions plum blossoms, yet every single word and phrase seems to refer to them, which is quite surprising.
Whether they were educated or not, they could all tell that the sudden fragrance that wafted overnight specifically referred to plum blossoms.
Sometimes, good poetry doesn't need to explicitly state the things it wants to express in every line. Instead, it's like this, where the poem seems to not explicitly mention plum blossoms, yet they are subtly implied throughout, giving the reader a refreshing and immersive experience.
Strangely, after Fang Xiaoxiao finished reciting the poem, there was no thunderous applause or cheers like the sea.
It was silence, the kind of silence where you could hear even the buzzing of a mosquito flying by.
So quiet!
Quiet.
Li Renyi didn't dare to breathe loudly, afraid of breaking this precious atmosphere.
He was the heir of the Marquis of Jing'an's family and a student who had a tutor since childhood. Although he did not have an official title, he was no less accomplished than a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations.
"My lady is truly amazing. It's like a blow to the heart. She doesn't mention plum blossoms at all, yet plum blossoms are everywhere. I think it's impossible for anyone else in this lifetime to be able to write such a divine line!"
Li Renyi inwardly marveled at his wife, even wondering if she might actually be a celestial being descended to earth. Otherwise, it was hard to explain why she possessed so many things, many of which he had never seen before.
And his mastery of poetry is simply beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.
Zhu Wen lowered his head and spoke to Wang, the richest man beside him, in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
"See, Lao Wang, you're destined to lose this bet."
Wang, the richest man, glanced at the people on the stage before finally turning his gaze to Fang Xiaoxiao.
"Hmph, this is only the first sentence. It's not certain who will win or lose yet. Don't whisper in my ear again."
Zhu Wen couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he watched Fang Xiaoxiao's exasperated expression. He then turned his gaze to Fang Xiaoxiao, who remained motionless on the stage.
Fang Xiaoxiao was filled with regret. Why did she have to pretend to be a great poet and put on airs? Now she was stuck, unable to move, but staying still was exhausting.
For a moment, I couldn't make up my mind.
Just in time.
A crisp, lonely clapping sounded behind her.
"Slap~ slap~ slap!"
"Excellent, very good. This poem is truly a masterpiece that should only exist in heaven, and can hardly be heard on earth."
"As expected of my future concubine, her talent is in no way inferior to that of the Confucian sage."
These words immediately drew a round of applause.
"Crack crack!"
Just like setting off firecrackers during the Lunar New Year, it was completely different from the crisp and orderly applause for the Confucian sage just now; instead, it was rather scattered and disorderly.
The reason for this is that some people are strong and want to use all their strength to clap, while others are too weak and their clapping, no matter how hard they try, only produces a few scattered sounds.
Good heavens, this scene is on a completely different level than that of the Confucian sage.
The former is because everyone applauded in unison, drawn by the name of the Confucian sage and by exploiting their inner pain points.
The latter is quite different; it stems more from heartfelt admiration. Many people don't even understand why they do it, but they just feel great, an irrepressible sense of satisfaction.