Chapter 53: Refined Talk

The poetry gathering had not yet formally begun, but unexpectedly this prelude was so wonderful that the atmosphere inside was instantly ignited.

Lin Jingyuan stood tall and handsome, standing in the middle of the venue, he clasped his fists to the crowd all around, then immediately opened the poetry gathering's curtain.

Gu Jiu Ling felt, as she watched, that it was like a group of people picking a topic to start a debate, giving her the sensation that her side's debater had applied to join the fight.

A group of white-bearded elders, plus a group of talented youths, loudly discussed "nature", argued over "precious non-existence" and "esteemed existence", debated "meaning and language" and "talent and nature".

Gu Jiu Ling felt a constant buzzing in her ears that never ceased.

Beside her, Xiao Yin slowly set down his teacup and rose to his feet.

"Your Highness?" Gu Jiu Ling didn't know what Xiao Yin was up to; his usual impression on her was that of a martial man who only knew how to brandish blades and spears, not at all like a literati. Seeing this posture, it seemed the Prince was about to take the stage!

Xiao Yin winked at her, his roguish gaze making Gu Jiu Ling's head buzz.

Although recently their reputation as a couple had dropped several percentage points, those were just petty squabbles.

This occasion is an important event for selecting national talents of Southern Qi; those who stand out in the refined talks and poetry gathering will go on to serve in the various princes' retinues, possibly even catching the eye of Emperor Longqing—truly a selection of the nation's pillars.

Causing trouble at such an occasion will only ruin one's own reputation, and thereafter one will truly be isolated.

Gu Jiu Ling still wanted to give a slight reminder, to let her own Prince sober up, let them argue first, then when everyone later receives paper and begins the writing contest, she would seize the prize in one fell swoop.

She had prepared for a period of time, nearly reciting everything she had learned from memory.

Aside from that, she had no other thoughts; she just wanted to know how her maternal grandfather died, how her mother died, feeling that something was off about it, yet she could not put it into words.

This time's prize is a volume from the Du family; Gu Jiu Ling must get hold of it, for it belongs to the Du family.

"You've said so much; it would be better to pay more attention to practical affairs, to restore the state— that is the true way. Your nonsense is too much; I, the Prince, am tired of hearing it!"

Xiao Yin's voice was cold and clear like frost, slowly seeping from between his lips and teeth; although his face bore a hint of smile, the words he spoke were truly hurtful.

Instantly the venue fell into dead silence; everyone stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Xiao Yin.

Xiao Yin actually claimed that everything those scholars said was nonsense?

Has he gone mad?

"Imperial Uncle, didn't you drink too much last night? How come you're spouting nonsense?" Xiao Wei laughed loudly.

The Sixth Prince, Xiao Zheng, also furrowed his brow slightly and slowly shook his head.

He actually intended to win over the Ninth Imperial Uncle; his maternal family is wealthy, and he has recently been pursuing the literati path, lacking only military authority.

The Ninth Imperial Uncle happens to have good relations with those old-timers in the Ministry of War; although the Ninth Imperial Uncle is incapacitated, the prestige of the Southern Qi War God from seven years ago remains undiminished.

Crown Prince Xiao Yin lightly gripped his wine cup, lowered his head and let out a cold chuckle.

Xiao Yin speaking up at this moment was clearly unwise.

Sure enough, those scholars were enraged and rose one after another to refute.

"How could a mere martial man like the Prince possibly grasp the subtleties of these refined talks?"

"May I ask, Your Highness, what are the hearts of heaven, earth, and humanity, and what are the principles of righteousness and the bonds of order?"

"The Prince probably can't even understand these, right?"

Xiao Yin gave a cold smile, his firm jaw lifting: "Very well! Since you all ask me so many questions, I will also ask you a few."

"How many li of border does Bei Di share with our Great Jin?"

The scholar confronting Xiao Yin was momentarily stunned.

Xiao Yin smiled and said loudly: "Eight hundred fifty-seven li! Not counting the seven hundred li of desert beyond the pasture."

Xiao Yin then asked: "Do those present know what commodity sells the most in the battlefield, and what trade yields the greatest profit?"

A scholar rose and said: "Naturally it's horses, cattle, sheep, etc.! Bei Di and Western Rong buy our grain, while we buy their horses?"

Xiao Yin's lip curled slightly, his peach-blossom eyes holding a hint of mockery, along with a wintry chill spreading across the sky.

"It's women!"

An exclamation immediately arose from all around.

Xiao Yin coldly gazed at the delicate noble ladies around him covering their mouths, the mockery on his face deepening somewhat.

"In the battlefield, officials and bandits collude, the people cannot make a living; Southern Qi's local officials, under the bright heavens, raid homes to seize people, then sell them to Bei Di and Western Rong; countless women's bones lie buried in Mo Bei, never to return home!"

"I, the Prince, ask you again: how much edible military grain remains in Southern Qi's granaries, or how much moldy husk?"

"How many generals capable of resisting and fighting does Southern Qi still have, or are they all just cowards who love life and fear death—who, when victorious, demand exorbitant prices, when defeated, slaughter their own people, cut off heads to pass off as enemy commanders and falsely report military achievements?"

"How much of Southern Qi's countryside farmland has been swallowed by the great clans— the rich have fields stretching to the horizon, while the poor have not even an awl's worth of land?"

"Southern Qi today enjoys music and dance in peace; we sit here discussing refined topics, yet one day we will become slaves of a fallen kingdom, prisoners beneath the sword, ghosts under the blade of Bei Di—hahaha!"

Gu Jiu Ling's heart was greatly shaken; Xiao Yin's series of questions probably slapped everyone present in the face.

Some people also lowered their heads slightly, expressions ashamed and unable to bear, and when they lifted their eyes to look at Xiao Yin, their gaze changed in a different way.

The nobles of Southern Qi, accustomed to ease in Shang Jing, thought all they saw was prosperity, not realizing that court governance had already deteriorated to this extent.

Yet Xiao Yin had not concerned himself with state affairs for a full seven years; this sudden emergence always makes people feel somewhat shocking, especially the Prince's own two hearty laughs, which sound quite stimulating.

For a moment the scene grew stiff, and Lin Jingyuan cast a pleading glance at the couple.

This is him

Only then did the people seated around catch a breath from Xiao Yin's shadow, and they all began to act.

After all, this poetry gathering's prize is still quite valuable.

The young attendant in green cleared everything from each person's desk, laid out brushes and ink, and spread the snow paper.

The An Guo Gong Manor actually prepared snow paper—truly going all out, wishing to spare no effort to make this grand event a success.

Since Gu Jiu Ling was seated here accompanying Xiao Yin, she naturally could not avoid it; she picked up a brush, though her grip felt somewhat unfamiliar.

Over these years the original owner had truly been sinking further into uselessness; taking over this body, she found herself somewhat unsuited to such an elegant activity.

From her ears came Xiao Yin's rich laughter: "Write well! Make the characters look nice, don't lose face for the Prince."

"Otherwise……"

Gu Jiu Ling hastily lifted her head to look at Xiao Yin's half-smiling gaze, her heart giving a slight tremor; she nodded like a pecking chick, saying: "I, your concubine, will certainly write well! I will not disappoint the Prince's expectations of me!"

Xiao Yin laughed softly, raising a hand to pat her head.

Gu Jiu Ling couldn't help but shiver, yet she felt someone staring at her from not far away; she lifted her gaze and met Li Songyue's eyes.

Li Songyue still remembers the grudge from just now, huh? Speaking of poetry, among the women of Southern Qi, Li Songyue ranks among the top; this time she wants to see whether this foolish person from the Gu family actually has any real talent, able to catch Mr. Wen's eye.