With Lanxin’s pearl of jade setting the standard, the second to appear, Bingqing, made no waves with her poem. Those picky scholars didn’t even bother to comment.

News from the stage streamed continuously to two pavilions.

One filled with laughter and cheer;

The other with silence.

“The last one—Miss Zhuxiang.”

White-robed Zhuxiang walked out gracefully. No one knew her heart was pounding fiercely, her calves twitching spasm after spasm.

She walked to the writing desk and stood still, instinctively turning her head to look backstage.

“After two rounds, why is this young lady still so inhibited?”

“The young lady is afraid her poem won’t be good and we scholars will criticize her!”

“So you all should accumulate some virtue with your mouths.”

“Young lady, don’t be afraid. We didn’t criticize the previous one either. Scholars treat everyone equally. You won’t win courtesan, but you’ll at least have runner-up.”

Zhuxiang turned around, took a deep breath, raised her slender hand, lifted the brush, and began writing…

Pei Xiao poured himself a drink: Brother, our skills aren’t as good—let’s drink and stop thinking about it.

Xie Zhifei drained his cup in one gulp: Still need to think about how to console Huairen and my eldest brother later.

Pei Xiao rolled his eyes: Console them? Can’t even beat a woman—how embarrassing!

Xie Zhifei extended a fist the size of a sandbag: Believe it or not, I’ll punch you.

Pei Xiao rolled his eyes again: Do you have the face to punch me? The Xie residence is a family of poetry and propriety, and you’re the only martial artist? Why couldn’t you study poetry and verse properly?

Xie Zhifei snorted coldly: The Pei family is a medical family, and yet they produced a rebel like you!

The two glared at each other for a good while before simultaneously sighing and patting each other’s shoulders.

Neither brother should criticize the other—let’s make peace!

“Look quickly, Miss Zhuxiang has finished writing.”

“Where’s the poetry reciter!”

The poetry-reciting scholar leisurely walked forward, cleared his throat. “Qinyuanchun: Snow.”

Hm?

Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao suddenly raised their heads and looked toward the stage.

Something’s wrong—that’s not what Huairen and Eldest Brother wrote.

“Northern lands, magnificent scene—a thousand li of ice, ten thousand li of snow.”

The scholar’s heart stirred as a vast expanse of heaven and earth seemed to appear before his eyes. The two characters “Northern lands” carried an ancient, austere, heroic feeling—an excellent opening.

“Behold the Great Wall, within and without—nothing but vast whiteness. The great river, above and below—all torrents stilled.

Mountains dance like silver serpents, plateaus gallop like wax elephants, all striving to compare heights with heaven.”

The scholar’s heart jolted violently.

The Great Wall paired with the great river, vast whiteness paired with stilled torrents—what breadth, what grandeur!

Marvelous was the final line “striving to compare heights with heaven.” If this were written by a man, it would truly be a divinely inspired touch.

Young men with high aspirations and world-embracing hearts—who in their youth didn’t want to compete with heaven itself?

At this point, the expressions of the crowd of scholars below had all changed.

Those drinking set down their wine cups; those eating dropped their chopsticks. All thought the same thing: This young lady wants to compare heights with heaven? Simply arrogant beyond measure!

“When the sun shines clear, see red adorning white—extraordinarily enchanting.

Rivers and mountains so alluring, drawing countless heroes to bow in homage.”

Reading to this point, the scholar’s lips trembled, his hands trembled, his entire being trembled.

Rivers and mountains like paintings, power like paintings.

Warriors fought bloody battles for these rivers and mountains; civil officials braved thorns and thistles for this court.

The scholar practically crawled and rolled onto the stage, stood before the long scroll, his eyes shooting out wolf-like gleams.

“Pity Emperor Qin and Emperor Wu, slightly lacking in literary grace; Emperor Tang and Emperor Song, somewhat deficient in poetic elegance.

That heavenly prodigy, Genghis Khan, knew only to draw his bow and shoot great eagles.”

These two lines, rather than being verse, were like hammers, pounding against every nerve in the scholar’s body.

Emperor Qin, Emperor Wu, Tang and Song emperors, Genghis Khan… these were all emperors, remarkable emperors and enlightened rulers—and this young lady dared to pick out the emperors’ shortcomings?

Insane!

Insane!

Insane!

“All have passed. To count the truly great, one must look to this age.”

As the final character fell, the scholar dropped to his knees with a thud, two streams of hot tears bursting from his eyes.

All have passed, to count the truly great, one must look to this age?

To count the truly great, one must look to this age?

Look to this age?

Those world-conquering great figures had all returned to dust, vanished like smoke.

And today, the heroic figures who could establish merit and achievement—we must look to today’s Hua Kingdom, to today’s us, to today’s you, to every descendant of the Flame and Yellow Emperors on this land.

What breadth of mind was this?

What scope of vision?

And what pride and spirit?

A deathly silence.

So silent even breathing couldn’t be heard.

Pei Xiao looked around at the dumbstruck scholars and nudged Xie Zhifei with his elbow. “I got goosebumps. Did you?”

Xie Zhifei: “Me too.”

Pei Xiao: “I feel somewhat stirred. You?”

Xie Zhifei: “Me too.”

Pei Xiao: “I’m not just stirred—I want to kneel down with that scholar.”

Xie Zhifei: “Me too.”

With a roar—

Those three words “me too” were drowned in thunderous applause as the scholars suddenly awakened.

“Excellent verse!”

“A masterpiece for all ages, a masterpiece for all ages!”

“Unprecedented, never to be surpassed.”

At this moment, someone suddenly led the chant: “She deserves to be courtesan!”

One voice stirred a thousand waves. All the scholars rose to their feet, throwing their arms toward Zhuxiang on stage and shouting:

“Courtesan!”

“Courtesan!”

“Courtesan!”

Zhuxiang had never witnessed such a scene. Frightened, she retreated again and again, instinctively looking backstage.

Behind the curtain, Li Buyan stood with arms crossed, looking up at the boundless night sky, still with that hoodlum expression.

“Just as I said—for my mother, this was very simple!”

Amid the cheering, two men sitting in a corner drank wine while conversing in low voices.

“This scene reminds me of over twenty years ago.”

“I remember—that young lady also won courtesan with a single poem.”

“Do you still remember that poem?”

“Of course I remember. I still take it out to savor from time to time. She was also a remarkable talented woman!”

“I’m especially impressed by that slender gold script—it’s carved into my mind.”

“Right, what was that young lady called?”

“I think it was Shishui.”

“That’s right, that name.”

Beside them, Third Master Xie and Young Master Pei’s hair stood on end.

Young Master Pei’s eyes bulged wide: Wushi, did you hear? Slender gold script!”

Third Master Xie: Ancestor, did you hear? Over twenty years ago?”

Wahahahaha!

After searching everywhere to no avail, the answer comes effortlessly!

“After so many years, I’d really like to see Miss Shishui’s slender gold script again.”

“Simple—find the head person here. I’ve heard the Bureau of Music collects every courtesan winner’s calligraphy.”

Young Master Pei’s eyes rolled: Xie Wushi, I have a wicked idea.

Xie Wushi looked at him: Ancestor, so do I.

Young Master Pei gritted his teeth: So, do it or not?

Xie Wushi’s peach blossom eyes flickered: Do it, damn it!