Princess, something terrible has happened! The prince consort has attempted suicide again!

Zhang Xiaomeng asked, "What happened?"

The maid said, "Chen Jinlin has come to cause trouble."

"And who is Chen Jinlin?"

The maid then realized that Zhang Xiaomeng didn't even know his own master, so it wasn't surprising that he hadn't heard of Chen Jinlin.

Then he began to explain, "Chen Jinlin is the headmaster of Bailu Academy and a literary master, but he is overshadowed by the master and has always wanted to surpass him."

She snorted and continued indignantly, "It seems he planned this couplet contest with the master long ago. The first line he gave was extremely tricky, and even the master was stumped. If he can't come up with a matching line within an incense stick's time, Chen Jinlin will definitely use this as an excuse to damage the master's reputation."

It turns out it was a couplet.

The ancients seemed to really like this.

Zhang Xiaomeng asked curiously, "What kind of couplet is so difficult?"

"Here you are, this is the first line of the couplet."

The maid pointed to the desk, on which lay a piece of paper with a couplet written on it.

Zhang Xiaomeng looked closely and read it.

"The fog obscures the house, and nothing is visible."

It consists entirely of homophones, making it a rare and ingenious example of a perfect pun; no wonder it stumped the imperial tutor, Tang Wenyuan.

"Young master, Tang Wan needs to help my father come up with a matching couplet as soon as possible. You should go back to your room and rest first. Once this matter is settled, I will introduce you to my father."

Tang Wan was very clear about Chen Jinlin's intentions: to use her father to enhance the influence of Bailu Academy.

If the father loses, his reputation will be damaged, and his students will also suffer.

It can be said that moving one hair affects the whole body.

"Can you come up with a matching second line?" Zhang Xiaomeng asked.

"This couplet is too tricky; with only the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, I..."

Tang Wan sighed and shook her head.

"They clearly did it on purpose; it's so despicable!"

The maid was so angry that she stomped her feet.

Zhang Xiaomeng chuckled lightly, "It's just a couplet that plays with words. Look how angry you all are. It's not that serious."

The maid rolled her eyes at him. "Young master, you make it sound so easy. If you're so capable, why don't you try it on one yourself?"

"I'll pass."

Zhang Xiaomeng waved his hand.

Among the system tasks he completed in his previous life was the task of mastering couplets, which he was able to match.

But he was determined to die and didn't want to cause any more trouble.

The maid didn't expect Zhang Xiaomeng to be of any help, after all, even the master and young lady were at a loss, how could a self-proclaimed playboy like him possibly come up with a solution?

"Miss, the time for an incense stick to burn is almost up, what should we do?" The maid was pacing around anxiously.

Tang Wan picked up her brush several times, and the ink flowed down the tip of the brush onto the rice paper, spreading out a blot of ink.

Her hand froze in mid-air, her expression pained, unable to put pen to paper.

Zhang Xiaomeng picked up the pastries on the table and tasted them carefully, watching them silently without saying a word.

"Is there really no way out? If the other party wins, Miss will have to marry that playboy." The maid sighed repeatedly, feeling sorry for her young mistress.

Zhang Xiaomeng was a little confused and couldn't help but ask, "Didn't you say the other party was here to steal the title? How did it get involved in marriage?"

The maid replied, "Master and Chen Jinlin were classmates and had a very good relationship back then. They arranged a marriage between their families when they were young. Later, their relationship broke down, and Master refused the marriage. However, Chen Jinlin admires Miss's talent and used this marriage to force Master to compete with him. If he wins, the marriage will be officially called off."

Zhang Xiaomeng nodded in realization, never expecting that the two families had such a connection.

The maidservant said indignantly, "Chen Wenxuan is a complete wastrel, how could he be worthy of Miss!"

Upon hearing the name, Zhang Xiaomeng immediately perked up.

"You said his name is Chen Wenxuan?"

"Yes, you know that notorious playboy from the capital?"

More than just acquaintances!

When the fake Zhao Tianhao humiliated the original owner, he had two big lackeys by his side.

One of them was Qian Youkang, the son of the Minister of Revenue, and the other was Chen Wenxuan.

After Zhang Xiaomeng took revenge on Qian Youkang last time, he planned to cause trouble for Chen Wenxuan the next day, but Zhao Changning sent him to Faye Temple overnight, allowing him to escape.

"You guys really hate him?" Zhang Xiaomeng asked calmly.

"It's more than just annoying; I wish I could stuff him into a sack and beat him up."

The maid gestured with her fist, gritting her teeth, "Back then, he relied on the young prince's backing to harass my young lady repeatedly. Later, the young prince was publicly killed by the heir of the Marquis of Yongwu's mansion, and Chen Wenxuan lost his backer. He's been very well-behaved lately. My young lady said she wanted to properly thank that heir, but she hasn't had the chance."

Zhang Xiaomeng was somewhat surprised.

I had unintentionally helped her, so it was quite a coincidence.

"Chen Jinlin is using this opportunity to cause trouble. If we really marry our young lady off to him, her life will be ruined." The maid felt heartbroken at the thought of her young lady's future life.

"Perhaps this is fate."

Tang Wan put down her brush, glanced at Zhang Xiaomeng out of the corner of her eye, and a hint of sadness flashed across her face.

"What do you mean by fate? It's just matching couplets, I'll do it."

Zhang Xiaomeng changed his mind.

I didn't want to meddle in other people's business, but since this matter involves Chen Wenxuan, I can't let him have his way.

"you?"

The maid rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, how could you possibly match it?"

Tang Wan also bowed slightly, "I will remember your kindness, young master, but this first line is really difficult to match. You should not get involved."

Zhang Xiaomeng swallowed the pastry and stood up.

"Whether I can match it or not, you'll find out soon enough. But I have one condition: you can't tell anyone that I've matched it. If you agree, I'll give you the second line immediately."

Seeing Zhang Xiaomeng's confidence, Tang Wan began to believe him a little, deciding to give it a shot, even if it seemed hopeless.

Therefore, he nodded in agreement, "Alright, I promise I won't tell anyone about you, young master."

"Watch closely."

Without further ado, Zhang Xiaomeng picked up his pen and wrote seven characters on the paper.

Tang Wan stared intently at the second line of the couplet written by Zhang Xiaomeng, her pupils suddenly contracting in shock.

"Smoke rises from the eaves, obscuring the swallows' eyes!"

The maidservant leaned over and read it aloud.

She could barely recognize the words and didn't understand their meaning.

So he eagerly asked Tang Wan, "Miss, does the young master's second line match?"

It's more than just a match!

It is even more ingenious, more wonderful, and more evocative than Dean Chen's first line.

"how?"

Zhang Xiaomeng put down his pen and looked at Tang Wan with a smile.

"Young master, you are truly talented. Tang Wan admires you."

Tang Wan snapped out of her daze and became filled with curiosity about Zhang Xiaomeng.

He prides himself on being a playboy, yet he can match the absolutes that even his father couldn't match.

Such talent must indicate an extraordinary background.

Most of the talented men in the capital knew him, but none of them had ever met him.

Who exactly is this person?

The maid was overjoyed to see that her mistress had accepted Zhang Xiaomeng's second line of the couplet. "That's wonderful! With this second line, the mistress won't have to marry Chen Wenxuan."

Zhang Xiaomeng reminded him, "Don't forget our agreement."

Upon hearing this, Tang Wan felt admiration.

Students across the land study diligently, all in an effort to gain fame.

Yet he remains so low-key, not pursuing fame or fortune, making him far superior to those so-called talented individuals.

"Xiaoyue, quickly give this couplet to your father and tell him that I am right."

Tang Wan gathered her thoughts and, in order not to expose Zhang Xiaomeng, rewrote the text before handing it to the maid.

Xiaoyue immediately rushed out the door, not daring to delay for even a moment.