Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Original Male Lead l (1/2)
Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Original Male Lead l
Translator: 549690339
“Mother, wait a moment, let me go and ask around,” Wei Yichen replied, swiftly dismounting from his horse and merging with the crowd.
After a short while, Wei Yichen returned, visibly more excited than when he left.
“Mother, it’s a newly opened shop holding a competition,” he said.
“What shop? What competition?” Madame Yun asked, intrigued by her son’s enthusiasm.
It was rare to see him this excited about anything.
“It’s the Four Treasure House, they’ve opened a branch in Xingshan County, they’re holding a contest for calligraphy and essays, and the winner will receive a prized piece of calligraphy from the Tibetan layman.”
“The Four Treasure House? Didn’t your father bring back some paper made by them last time?”
“Yes, it’s the same Four Treasure House indeed!” Wei Yichen said, his expression filled with eagerness.
“Ah! Is the Tibetan layman that renowned scholar from Huzhou Prefecture? Your father had mentioned him before, he writes excellent compositions, once served as an esteemed scholar at the Hanlin Academy, but he retired and settled down in Huzhou Prefecture. He planted a bamboo forest in front of his house, hence known as the Tibetan layman.”
“It’s him!”
Therefore, Wei Yichen’s excitement became more evident.
No matter whether it’s the paper from the Four Treasure House or the artwork from the Tibetan layman, Wei Yichen was profoundly interested in both.
Reading her son’s thoughts, Madame Yun promptly said, “Well, what are you waiting for? When it comes to calligraphy and essays, my son is one of the very best in Xingshan County.”
Hearing this, Wei Yichen consulted his father with a look.
Wei Mingting agreed, saying, “Go ahead, I too, would like to see the caliber of my son’s writings.”
“Very well, I will participate.”
Excited, Wei Yichen blended back into the crowd.
Wei Mingting then addressed the family members in the carriage, “You should also get off and stretch your legs.”
Madame Yun let the three children step out of the carriage. She told Wei Qingwan and Wei Ruo to put on their veils, reminding their maids to stay by their side. As for Wei Yilin, she watched him herself, afraid lest he wander off too far.
Once out of the carriage, Wei Ruo, along with Xiumei, plunged into the crowd to look at the people competing for the Tibetan layman’s calligraphy.
Both girls were excited. Although their enthusiasm was less pronounced than Wei Yichen’s, they seemed to care much more about this than about anything else, especially Wei Ruo.
The competition rules were simple. The participants had to write a short composition on the assigned topic on the spot, and the work would be judged on both content and penmanship.
The shopkeeper of the Four Treasure House, a middle-aged man with a beard and a hearty smile, was overseeing the competition.
He enthusiastically welcomed each student who had been drawn to the competition, explaining the rules and inviting them to participate. The materials, including ink, brush, paper, and inkstone, were provided by Four Treasure House.
When Wei Yichen thronged into the crowd, the shopkeeper cheerfully shared the competition details with him.
“You just need to write your thoughts on the given topic. We do not consider the content of the work, but the quality of the calligraphy.”
“Alright, let me give it a shot. Could you please lend me a brush and paper?”
In a hurry, the shopkeeper instructed a shopkeeper’s assistant to prepare a new set of brush and paper for Wei Yichen.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Wei Yichen started to write, his bold and powerful strokes immediately attracted a round of applause from the crowd.
After he finished, the shopkeeper did not comment on his work, but had another assistant carefully hang up Wei Yichen’s piece.
By now, many pieces were hung up on the shelf nearby, all were screenshots of today’s competitions. They were displayed side by side for passer-by to appreciate and judge.