Chapter 193: Chapter 193 - 84: Survival First

"Ah Yao, what exactly is Su Qianxue thinking?"

"Everyone else is presenting their own poems, so why is she using someone else’s? And even if she’s using someone else’s, why did she run away so hastily? Is there some hidden reason behind all this?"

Mo Zhaozhao turned her head, utterly confused, and looked at Yun Wanyao, clearly baffled by the scene before them.

Yun Wanyao shook her head, unable to make sense of it, and could only mumble, "I don’t know either."

Hearing their conversation, Xie Xuanrong’s eyes flashed slightly, and a thought crossed his mind.

He had been observing Su Qianxue and noticed that when Lord Sacrificial Officer asked if the poem was hers, she glanced at the items on the stone table that he had sent.

Could it be that the woman has X-ray vision?

Did she realize he had set a trap for her and she changed her decision at the last moment?

But if she truly had X-ray vision, why didn’t she see his trap while writing the poem and avoid those two poems?

There are simply too many suspicious points here.

Even someone like Xie Xuanrong, who won first place at thirteen, couldn’t figure it out.

Seemingly wanting to verify something, he stood up and said loudly, "Lord Sacrificial Officer, earlier when you looked at these two poems, your expression was extremely shocked. They must be extraordinary works."

"Therefore, I humbly request that you read these two poems for everyone to appreciate."

His words immediately resonated with many.

Su Qianxue’s series of actions had left many people puzzled, but now that she had fled, everyone’s attention naturally shifted to the poems she left behind.

The crowd clamored, urging Lord Sacrificial Officer.

"Please calm down, everyone. These two poems are indeed exceptionally magnificent works, and I shall read them now for you all to hear."

Lord Sacrificial Officer raised his voice and recited the two poems, plunging the venue into another wave of shock.

Only Yun Wanyao and Xie Xuanrong were lost in their thoughts, wondering why Su Qianxue didn’t claim the poems as her own.

Before the banquet ended, Lord Sacrificial Officer suddenly remembered the items Xie Xuanrong had sent.

Upon opening them and seeing the inscriptions on the paintings, he was dumbfounded and called Xie Xuanrong over.

"Young Master Xie, why do the inscriptions on these two paintings you sent match Su Qianxue’s poems exactly? Also, who are Zhu Yuanzhang and Huang Chao?"

"To have created such masterpieces, their names must be well-known, yet I have never heard of them."

Lord Sacrificial Officer’s words attracted everyone’s attention, and as they gathered to look, they began to notice the issue.

"Yeah, how did the poems Su Qianxue wrote today match exactly with the inscriptions on these wooden paintings?"

"Young Master Xie, what is your relationship with Su Qianxue? Could it be that you two..."

The person trailed off, suddenly closing their mouth, but the look they gave Xie Xuanrong was full of insinuation.

How could there be such a coincidence?

Everyone felt there was some shady relationship between Xie Xuanrong and Su Qianxue.

Even Jiang Zitang felt uneasy and frowned at him.

Seeing this, Xie Xuanrong’s expression turned completely dark. He could disregard others, but why didn’t Tang’er trust him?

He pursed his lips, originally wanting to storm off, but worried it might seem like he had a guilty conscience and lead to even wilder rumors. Then, no explanation would clear his name.

Thinking of this, Xie Xuanrong sighed and decided to patiently explain.

"Recently, I acquired a book of poems and found these two excellent, so I had them made into wooden paintings to bring to the winter banquet for everyone’s enjoyment."

"As for why Su Qianxue chose the same two poems, I have no idea."

The matter was too bizarre for him to reveal that he had prepared this as a trap to expose Su Qianxue’s plagiarism. He could only find a random excuse.

Whether they believed him or not was no longer his concern.

The crowd was skeptical but couldn’t press further.

Finally, the winter banquet concluded.

Lord Sacrificial Officer and several scholars reported to Mo Yuanlin before taking their leave, while many unmarried young men and women gathered to chat and laugh.

"Ah Yue, the hour is still early, how about we go to Zuixiang Building for a while?"

Wei Chaohui and others gathered around, enthusiastically inviting Yun Wanye.

Yun Wanye glanced at the sleepy little bundle in his arms and shook his head decisively.