I'm coming clean: I'm the reincarnation of the God of Literature.

The next day, at the county government office.

To celebrate Gu Ci's success, Wang Chengen held a banquet in the flower hall of the rear office.

Although he only ranked first in the county examination and was not yet a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examination), Wang Chengen gave him a grander reception than if he had passed the provincial-level imperial examination.

In the main hall, all the prominent figures of Qinghe County were present: the county magistrate, the registrar, the clerk, and several respected elders.

Gu Ang followed behind Gu Ci, so nervous that he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet.

He had never seen anything like this in his life.

"Mr. Gu has arrived!"

At the clerk's shout, everyone in the hall stood up.

Wang Chengen, beaming, strode down from the main seat to greet Gu Ci and grabbed his hand.

"Young sir, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting for you for quite some time!"

His enthusiasm was so great that anyone who didn't know better would think it was his own nephew who had become the top scholar in the imperial examination.

"Greetings, Your Excellency, and all of you." Gu Ci bowed respectfully, neither humble nor arrogant.

"No need for formalities! No need for formalities!"

Wang Chengen pressed Gu Ci directly into the chief seat next to him.

"Today you are the main character. Anyone who dares to make you bow is going against me!"

These words changed the expressions of all the officials and gentry in the hall as they looked at Gu Ci.

An eight-year-old child who is so highly regarded by the county magistrate has a limitless future.

The banquet began, and toasts were exchanged.

Wang Chengen frequently raised his glass, his mouth full of praise for Gu Ci.

"The fact that such a gifted young scholar as you has emerged from under my jurisdiction is a blessing for the people of Qinghe County and a testament to my own achievements!"

"This young gentleman possesses exceptional literary talent and a calm demeanor; he is destined to become a pillar of the nation!"

Gu Ci simply sat quietly, occasionally raising his glass in a gesture of greeting, without saying much.

Gu Ang sat at the end of the table, looking at his younger brother who was surrounded by everyone like a star, and felt both proud and honored.

This is his younger brother!

In the midst of the banquet, Gu Ci suddenly felt a gaze upon him.

He turned his head and saw a small head peeking out from behind a vermilion pillar not far away.

She was a girl of about twelve or thirteen, with her hair in two buns and wearing a pink ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). She was secretly observing him with her big, curious eyes.

When she met Gu Ci's gaze, the girl was startled, her face flushed, and she quickly shrank back.

Wang Chengen noticed Gu Ci's movements, looked over, and burst into laughter.

"Ya'er, what are you doing hiding there so suspiciously? Come here right now!"

The girl behind the pillar slowly emerged, her little face adorably flushed.

She walked over to Wang Chengen and awkwardly tugged at the hem of her clothes.

Holding his daughter's hand, Wang Chengen introduced her to Gu Ci with a doting expression: "Young master, this is my daughter, Qingya. She recites your masterpieces at home every day and idolizes you like a celestial being!"

"Ya'er, this is the Mr. Gu you've been thinking about day and night. Hurry up and pay your respects."

Wang Qingya blushed deeply, but she still mustered her courage, walked up to Gu Ci, and respectfully performed a curtsy.

"Qingya greets Mr. Gu."

The voice was timid.

"Miss Wang, there's no need for such formalities," Gu Ci said, bowing slightly in return.

Wang Qingya raised her head, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Gu Ci, full of admiration.

"Young sir, may I... ask you a question?"

"Please speak."

Wang Qingya took out a small piece of paper from her sleeve, on which a poem was copied in delicate small regular script, namely "River Snow".

"Birds have vanished from a thousand mountains, and human tracks have disappeared from ten thousand paths. An old man in a straw hat and raincoat sits alone in a small boat, fishing in the cold river snow."

She finished reading it softly and asked, somewhat puzzled, "Father and the teachers all said this poem was good, but I always feel that fishing alone in the snow is too cold and too lonely."

Everyone in the hall burst into laughter.

Wang Chengen also shook his head with a smile: "Foolish child, how can the artistic conception of a poem be summarized by the words 'cold' and 'warm'?"

Looking at her innocent and carefree appearance, Gu Ci found her rather adorable.

He thought for a moment and then said, "Miss Wang feels lonely because she has sunshine in her heart and flowers in her eyes. As for the person in the poem, perhaps what he enjoys is that tranquility where he is the only one in the world."

Seeing that Wang Qingya still seemed to understand but not quite, he smiled again.

"How about this, I'll read you another short poem."

The entire hall fell silent, and everyone pricked up their ears.

Gu Ci cleared his throat and slowly recited:

"Where the sun never shines, youth still comes."

"The moss flower is as small as a grain of rice, yet it learns to bloom like a peony."

These four short sentences, devoid of ornate language, flow like a clear spring into everyone's heart.

Wang Qingya, in particular, stared intently at Gu Ci with her small mouth slightly open and her big eyes unblinking.

Moss flowers!

Even the most inconspicuous things in that damp, shady corner can bloom?

Moreover, it should also learn from the elegant and luxurious peony and bloom to its fullest!

What a vision! What a bold spirit!

"Excellent! Excellent poem!" An old local gentryman slapped his thigh and stood up excitedly.

"Seeing the big picture in small things, with lofty aspirations! Even a tiny moss flower has ambitions to soar to the clouds; how can we, as scholars, be content with mediocrity!"

Wang Chengen clapped his hands in praise, his gaze towards Gu Ci filled with even greater admiration.

Wang Qingya stood there, stunned.

She had read so many poems since she was a child, but there was never one that she could understand immediately and truly internalize.

She bit her lip and bowed to Gu Ci again, very seriously.

"Brother Gu, from now on you will be my teacher! Please accept my bow!"

Wang Chengen was both amused and exasperated, but he didn't stop him; he just shook his head indulgently.

Gu Ci looked at the earnest young girl in front of him and finally just nodded.

......

From then on, Gu Ci had a regular customer.

Gu Ci went to the county school's library to read, and she picked up a copy of "Admonitions for Women," moved a small stool, and sat quietly beside him.

Gu Ci practiced calligraphy at home, so she had her maid bring over the four treasures of the study (writing brush, ink stick, inkstone, and paper) and practiced on the spot in a very convincing manner.

The clerks and minor officials of the county government were all discussing this matter during their leisure time.

"See that? Our county magistrate's daughter is going to Gu the Prodigy's house every day now."

"Hey, that's called studying! I think our little princess has become Gu Shentong's number one fangirl."

"What a beautiful story! A talented man paired with a beautiful woman... no, a child prodigy paired with a talented woman!"

Gu Ci's attitude towards this little follower was also very clear.

Gentle, but distant.

She asked him questions, and he patiently explained them to her.

She brought him some snacks, and he thanked her and accepted them, but said he would definitely have Gu Ang send some mountain produce and wild game as a return gift next time.

Neither indifferent nor overly affectionate.

This maturity and sense of propriety far beyond her years only made Wang Qingya more fascinated.

She felt that there was a kind of mystery about Brother Gu that she couldn't understand.

That day, Gu Ci was in the courtyard instructing Gu Ang on how to write an essay when Wang Qingya came running over again.

"Brother Gu! Brother Gu!"

She ran up to Gu Ci, looked him up and down, then grabbed his sleeve and pulled him to the corner of the wall.

Wang Qingya lowered her voice and said mysteriously, "Brother Gu, I... I overheard my father talking to the advisors!"

"Oh?"

Gu Ci found her nervous appearance somewhat amusing.

"My father said that this prefectural examination is no small matter!"

Wang Qingya said with a serious expression, "Among the examiners, there are several important figures from the capital!"

"Moreover, I heard from the clerk that those old scholars from the capital have very strange tempers!"

"What they dislike most are young people who achieve early success and love to show off!"

These words caused the smile on Gu Ci's face to fade.

An examiner from the capital?

Don't you like young people who achieve success at a young age?

He understood instantly.

The challenge of the prefectural examination probably lies not only in the knowledge itself.

This inkstone, as expected, will not let this go easily.

Unable to influence the county-level examinations, he turned his attention to the prefectural-level examinations.

"Brother Gu, what's wrong?"

Wang Qingya noticed his expression was off and became somewhat worried.

"It's nothing." Gu Ci came back to his senses, smiled at her, and said, "Qingya, thank you for telling me this news."

He turned and went back into the house, picked up a booklet from the desk, and handed it to her.

"I wrote this in my spare time, and I'm giving it to you."

Wang Qingya took it and saw three beautiful characters on the cover: "The Three Character Classic".

Curious, she opened it, and the first page read, "At birth, human nature is good..."

The sentences are simple and easy to remember, and there are also simple annotations made by Gu Ci with vermilion pen, explaining the origin of each allusion.

This...this thing is priceless for a girl her age!

"Brother Gu! This... is far too precious!"

A beautiful blush rose on Wang Qingya's cheeks.

Gu Ci looked at her and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved slightly.

"Take it, consider it a thank you for telling me the news."

The spring breeze carries the fragrance of peach blossoms into our noses.

Wang Qingya stood there, clutching the Three Character Classic tightly in her hands.

She secretly glanced at Gu Ci, whose delicate face was filled with seriousness.

"Brother Gu, how long do you think it will take me to memorize the Three Character Classic?"

"No rush, take your time."

Gu Ci didn't even look up, continuing to tidy up the things on the table.

Wang Qingya bit her lip and took another small step forward.

She recalled the conversation she had overheard last night.

"Our young lady seems to be falling in love."

"That's right, he's always calling me 'Brother Gu' this and 'Brother Gu' that."

"Shh, keep your voice down, it would be terrible if Madam heard."

She wouldn't understand anything about spring fever or anything like that!

She just thought Brother Gu was very nice.

His poems are easy to understand after just one reading.

He remembers the stories he tells.

The smile in his eyes always warms people's hearts.

Wang Qingya took a deep breath, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes.

In the courtyard, Gu Ang was also engrossed in writing: "How should I respond to this sentence...?"

A few more peach petals fell, landing on Wang Qingya's hair.

She reached out and touched it, then suddenly made up her mind.

do my best!

Wang Qingya suddenly raised her head, stood on tiptoe, and quickly kissed Gu Ci on the cheek.

Soft and sweet.

With a thud, the calligraphy brush in Gu Ci's hand fell to the ground.

Gu Ang looked up: "Ci'er, what's wrong?"

Wang Qingya had already run away with a blush on her face, leaving behind only a string of silvery laughter.

Gu Ci stood there, stunned, and touched his cheek.

This little girl is getting more and more outrageous...