“The City Lord of Xizhou issues a notice: a poetry and prose competition will be held on the banks of the Xiliu River. Anyone proficient in poetry and prose may participate. There will be ten winners, and each winner will receive a mysterious prize. The competition will be hosted by the great scholars James Thompson, Andrew Scott, and Sophia Harris. The initiator of this competition is none other than Xizhou’s most beautiful woman, Charlotte Turner...”

Afterwards, Ethan Brooks glanced over it but didn’t look carefully. He noticed that the specific details of the prizes weren’t listed, which was what he cared about most, but the registration fee was three silver coins, and participants had to compose a poem on the theme of snow. Writing a poem about snow was easy enough, but right now, Ethan Brooks and Brian Cooper together only had two silver coins.

As for this poetry competition, Ethan Brooks certainly didn’t like it, but the prizes were what he cared about most. If he could make it into the top ten, maybe he’d get a lot of silver coins. Thinking of this, Ethan Brooks pulled Brian Cooper and squeezed into the registration area.

Countless well-dressed young gentlemen were discussing poetry and prose at the registration area, many of them deep in thought. When they saw the poorly dressed Ethan Brooks and Brian Cooper approach, they all looked at them with disdain.

Brian Cooper felt a bit uneasy in front of so many noble young men, but Ethan Brooks was completely unfazed. Looking at the people registering, sure enough, each person handed over three silver coins and wrote a messy poem about snow.

“Haha, even country bumpkins have come to sign up for the poetry competition. I bet you can’t even scrape together the registration fee.” A young man in a blue scholar’s robe glanced at Ethan Brooks and Brian Cooper with a look of contempt.

When Ethan Brooks heard this, he thought, this guy’s got sharp eyes—he actually knows I don’t even have three silver coins.

“Brother Jiang, there’s no need to stoop to the level of these country folk. I just got a good poem—how about I use it to register? Please give me your advice, Brother Jiang.” The scholar next to the man in blue tugged at him and said.

“Please...”

As soon as someone mentioned composing a poem, all the well-dressed scholars and young men nearby fell silent, waiting for him to recite.

Seeing everyone’s attention on him, the man grinned smugly, then swayed his head and recited: “Heavy snow falls in abundance, rice and firewood drop in price. Benches burned as firewood, even the bed is scared.”

Ethan Brooks was dumbfounded, thinking, damn, I thought I was the most shameless person, but it turns out there are even more shameless guys out there.

“What a great poem, truly a great poem! It’s a pity to use this poem just to register, sigh...” Immediately, people nearby started praising and echoing him.

Hearing everyone’s approval, the guy who wrote the poem immediately went to the registration desk and wrote down his poem. Ethan Brooks stared blankly at the person handling the registration, who actually let him pass.

The guy who passed burst out laughing, and people around came up to congratulate him again. Ethan Brooks was completely petrified—so this is allowed too.

Chapter 012: Western Cowboy Outfit

Just as Ethan Brooks was dumbfounded, another well-dressed young man shouted, “Haha, I also happened upon a wonderful poem: ‘In June, snow drifts down from the heavens, in front and behind the streets all is jade; one day when the sky clears...’ But I just can’t remember the last line.”

Hearing that he was missing a line, many young men lowered their heads to help him think. Since everyone was trying to come up with the last line for him, no one was praising him yet.

At this moment, Ethan Brooks suddenly stepped forward and clapped, saying, “So wet, so wet! Brother, you truly write the wettest poems...”

“You know poetry too?” The young man saw that Ethan Brooks’s clothes were a bit shabby, with several holes at the knees. But since Ethan Brooks praised his poem, he didn’t say anything harsh.

Ethan Brooks shook his head and said, “Brother, do you notice my clothes are a bit worn?”

The young man was caught off guard by Ethan Brooks’s directness and didn’t know whether to say yes or no.

At this moment, Ethan Brooks laughed heartily: “To think that in our grand Zheyun nation, not a single person recognizes a Western cowboy outfit—how lamentable, how lamentable! Brother, this outfit is a Western cowboy outfit, which I spent a fortune to acquire. The main thing is the look and the fabric. Although I deliberately made a few holes, the essence of this attire is its boldness and unruliness, unconcerned with details. Sigh, the great West... oh, it’s just that few people go west these days. In our Zheyun nation, not a soul recognizes the coolness of Western cowboy fashion. Sigh, enough, it’s truly a tragedy.”

After speaking, Ethan Brooks’s eyes dimmed, putting on a look of helplessness. Just as the young man didn’t know what to say, Ethan Brooks suddenly looked up and said loudly, “But this brother’s wet poem just now was truly excellent, making me praise it involuntarily. Xiao Qiu, come, pay this brother’s registration fee for him.”

Just as Brian Cooper was feeling confused—

“Wait...” The man quickly stopped Ethan Brooks, saying, “So it’s a Western cowboy outfit. I’ve learned something new today. But thank you for your kindness, brother. My poem is still missing the last line, so I can’t register yet.”

Ethan Brooks laughed again, “Brother, actually, you’ve already said your last line—you just want us to guess it, right? Brother, you’re truly a clever one. Let me guess for you now, and if I’m wrong, please don’t blame me.”

Without waiting for the young man to reply, he immediately said, “Brother, your last line is: ‘Those with brooms use brooms, those with shovels use shovels.’”