Chapter 36 - 036 Heavenly Remnant Collection
"Indeed, what a coarse person! Even the poems I wrote when I was eight were better than this!"
"Never mind the poem, just look at his handwriting. It’s skewed and twisted, lacking strength and form, much like a child who has just begun their studies—an absolute eyesore."
"Gentlemen, since we have nothing better to do, why don’t we add a finishing touch to Shopkeeper Lin’s doggerel?"
"Excellent! I’ll go first: Before my bed, the bright moonlight gleams, I suspect it’s frost upon the ground, it seems. I lift my head to gaze at the bright moon, then lower it to look at your mother! HAHAHAHA..."
A group of scholars erupted in uproarious laughter, drawing chuckles even from the surrounding commoners. Apart from a few scholars, most of the crowd were ordinary people who didn’t understand poetry but found the scene amusing enough to laugh along.
’Lower my head to look at your mother’—how catchy! When they got home, they could use it to curse people in verse.
"No, no! ’Lower my head to look at your mother’ is too vulgar. Better to change it to ’lower my head and think of your dear lady.’ It echoes the ’bed’ at the beginning of the poem and sparks the imagination. Isn’t that beautiful?!"
"Brother Gu’s literary talent is extraordinary! A mere ’thinking of your dear lady’ transforms a piece of doggerel into a masterpiece..."
...
"Lift your head to gaze at the bright moon, lower your head to look at your mother!"
"Lift your head to gaze at the bright moon, lower your head to scold your mother!"