In the pavilion.

Sun Fu rushed in, covered in sweat. “Your Highness, Your Highness!”

Zhao Yanjin’s lips curved into a smile. “Has my beauty won courtesan?”

Sun Fu steeled himself and pulled out a paper from his robe. “Your Highness, please look at this.”

“What is this thing?”

“The poem Miss Zhuxiang composed.”

“What’s there to see? Why should I look?” Zhao Yanjin’s face showed impatience.

Sun Fu wore a bitter expression. “Your Highness, the scholars outside are all making a fuss over this poem.”

“Bring it here.”

Dong Xiao took the paper and read while looking.

“Northern lands, magnificent scene—a thousand li of ice, ten thousand li of snow. Behold the Great Wall, within and without—nothing but vast whiteness; the great river, above and below—all torrents stilled…”

As the final character fell, the pavilion fell silent as a crow’s cry.

Zhao Yanjin stared blankly at Dong Xiao as a surge of heroic ambition rose in his heart. He wished he could drink and sing wildly for three days and nights.

His father had guarded the northern lands in his youth. One could say he’d grown up day by day in the northern winds and snow.

After growing up, he’d followed his father on horseback through life and death, fighting the Tartars, battling the Xiongnu, pacifying the realm.

He’d personally witnessed the beauty of these rivers and mountains, and knew the wonder of reaching the pinnacle of power.

Who said the heroic figures who establish merit and achievement couldn’t be him?

In what way was he inferior to that fat, lame Crown Prince?

No!

These rivers and mountains must be his, could only be his.

“Boren.”

“Your Highness!”

“Such a rare woman—should this prince seize her or not? Speak!”

“Reporting to Your Highness.”

Dong Xiao couldn’t hide his excitement. “You must seize her, or Your Highness will regret it for life.”

“Good!”

Zhao Yanjin shouted loudly. “Sun Fu, this person—this prince is determined to have her. If you fail again, bring your head to me.”

“This humble one, this humble one will handle it immediately.”

…

“Excellent verse, excellent verse!”

The usually composed Xie Erli, forgetting the Crown Prince Grandson was beside him, picked up his brush and wrote that poem on the long scroll.

After writing, he threw down the brush and laughed loudly. “This poem is a masterpiece for all ages—I must get thoroughly drunk for it. Your Highness, this official takes his leave.”

“Mubai, please go.”

Zhao Yishi’s composure made Xie Erli somewhat doubt the Crown Prince Grandson’s age. With such an excellent verse, how could he not be the least bit stirred?

What Xie Erli didn’t know was that after he left, Zhao Yishi walked to the long scroll and looked down for a long time.

In his pitch-black eyes shone a light that no one could fathom—heart-stopping and thrilling.

“Shen Chong?”

“Your Highness.”

“That one…”

He raised his hand and pointed vaguely toward the opposite shore. “This Crown Prince Grandson would like to compete with Uncle Han.”

Shen Chong frowned. “Your Highness, Prince Han has great ambitions—it won’t be easy.”

“I cannot let such a rare woman be ruined by such a person.”

Zhao Yishi smiled slightly. “Go find out what theme Miss Zhuxiang has set.”

“Yes!”

…

At this moment at the Bureau of Music, whether scholars in wine houses or officials in pavilions and towers, everyone was busy with one thing: writing poetry!

The courtesan title had no suspense—it fell to Zhuxiang.

Miss Zhuxiang had set “lovesickness” as her theme, inviting a destined one for a night of spring passion.

Though beautiful women were abundant in the world, talented women were rare. Now all the men’s thoughts were the same:

I may not write impressive verse, but I must sleep with the young lady who writes impressive verse!

Great Hero Li returned to the table, smiling. “Hey, why aren’t you two masters stirred?”

Young Master Pei: “Are those human words? I have a sweetheart!”

Third Master: “Are those human words? I’m someone with self-awareness.”

Not bad—showing restraint!

Great Hero Li sat down in her chair. “Third Master, side business done. Let’s do actual work now—stop just sitting there.”

“No rush.”

Third Master Xie: “Wait for Zhu Qing to return, then we’ll head home.”

What? They’d done nothing and were already leaving?

Li Buyan: “Going back like this, I can’t report to Miss!”

Xie Zhifei gave her a look that said “when Third Master does things, would he have no way to report?” and tapped his finger on her teacup rim.

Li Buyan’s eyes brightened as she looked at Xie Zhifei.

Oh, looks like he found something out!

Her eyes had barely brightened when Zhu Qing and Huang Qi came running over, both covered in sweat on their foreheads.

Xie Zhifei shot up. Using his eyes, he asked: Success?

Zhu Qing patted his chest: Success!

“Let’s go home!”

“Hey…”

Li Buyan caught up with Zhu Qing and asked in a low voice, “Where did you go?”

Zhu Qing: “Stealing.”

Li Buyan: “…”

In just the time it took me to go backstage and help a girl with poetry, how did Third Master and Young Master Pei become thieves?

Half an hour later.

On the third floor of a small building, two elegant maids walked up.

One set down her lantern, pulled out a key, and prepared to unlock the door.

“Strange, why is this lock already open?”

“Can’t be. There’s no gold or silver treasure stored here—who’d steal this stuff?”

What was stored inside were poems written by successive courtesans during competitions, as well as some good poetry and verses by literati.

“Quick, go in and see if anything’s missing?”

“What if it is? After today passes, who’ll care about poetry or verses? Everyone will be thinking about people.”

“Really didn’t expect Zhuxiang had that talent.”

“You didn’t see Lanxin—her face turned green, crying over there in anger.”

“When skills aren’t as good, crying’s useless. Quick, put down the box and let’s go see who Zhuxiang finally chose?”

“Let’s go, let’s go…”

…

At the Quiet Reflection Residence.

Yan Sanhe had been hoping and waiting, finally welcoming them back.

“Well? Did you find out?”

Xie Zhifei sat down in front of her, propped his chin on his hand without speaking, his eyes blinking once, then again.

This appearance…

Could he be drunk?

Yan Sanhe looked somewhat horrified, turning her face to inquire with her eyes at Li Buyan.

Li Buyan saw Third Master’s posture and sneered. “He didn’t drink much, but Miss should still say something nice to coax him.”

Having witnessed Third Master’s spectacular drunken scene once before, Yan Sanhe didn’t doubt Li Buyan’s words at all.

She cleared her throat. “Third Master, you’ve worked hard.”

Third Master’s face remained deadly serious, using his eyes to accuse Yan Sanhe of being perfunctory.

Yan Sanhe quickly looked at Li Buyan again: Not enough?

Li Buyan rolled her eyes at Xie Zhifei inwardly: Mm, not enough. Keep coaxing.

Yan Sanhe was silent for a moment, then spoke with difficulty again. “Um… where’s Young Master Pei?”

Xie Zhifei’s eyes nearly bulged out.

This wasn’t coaxing him—this was trying to anger him to death!

One breath;

Two breaths;

Three breaths;

Yan Sanhe was stared at until she could barely breathe, so she forced out another line: “How much silver did you spend? If it’s not enough, I’ll make it up to you!”

Forget it, forget it!

Third Master Xie sighed helplessly. “Miss Yan, are you thirsty? Are you hungry? Are you tired?”

So that’s how he wanted me to coax him?

Say so earlier!

“Xie Zhifei, are you thirsty, are you hungry, are you tired?”

“Those three ‘ah’s… where did they go?”

Having waited half the night, Yan Sanhe’s patience was long gone. And he wanted “ah’s”?

Just as her face changed, her eyes widened, and her brows rose, the man before her suddenly coughed.

“Zhu Qing, bring out the thing. Great Hero Li, bring the candlelight closer.”

Zhu Qing stepped forward, laid the long scroll on the table, then gently unfurled it.

Yan Sanhe glanced at it. “This is Jing Chen’s calligraphy.”