Chapter 59: Drunken Duel with Wang and Xie

Good.

Wang Zhixu replied loudly: "Wang Mou will not take advantage of Brother Chen either; this poetry contest's topic will be set by you!"

Having chosen to fight again, Wang Zhixu will leave no flaws; he must win thoroughly and regain his face.

"If I set the topic, it would be meaningless...."

Chen Yan shook his head, smiled faintly, swept his gaze from left to right, and asked: "Everyone in Chang'an, who wishes to set the topic for this contest?"

Chen Yan naturally understood Wang Zhixu's intention.

And he accepted the wager, agreeing to fight, in order to trample the Langya Wang Clan into the dust....

Liu Xushi lightly lifted her skirt, about to step forward, when a soft voice from behind spoke first: "Then let this humble girl take the trouble!"

Immediately, Pei Suiwan stepped forward briskly, ascended the platform, nodded to Chen Yan, and introduced herself neither humbly nor arrogantly: "I am Pei Suiwan of the Hedong Pei Clan!"

She pursed her red lips, revealing a gentle smile.

Liu Xushi froze, clenched her fists, nails digging deep into her palms.

She had not expected that this rare opportunity to meet the newly prominent Chen Yan would be snatched away by Pei Suiwan.

She was only one step away.

The Hedong Pei Clan, Chang'an's premier aristocratic family—yet why does she look at me so strangely? Chen Yan met Pei Suiwan's gaze at close range, felt a puzzling thought, kept his composure, raised his hand and said with a smile: "Miss Pei, please!"

For some reason, Chen Yan sensed from the eyes of this heavenly beauty a taste of inevitable victory.

"Winter has passed, the plum blossoms have not yet faded...."

Pei Suiwan placed her hands gently before her abdomen, composed, pondered slightly, and smiled softly: "How about using plum blossoms as the theme?"

"Excellent!"

Wang Zhixu nodded, agreeing.

"I'm fine with anything...." Chen Yan shrugged, speaking casually.

"Then I shall take my leave!"

Seeing no objection from the two, Pei Suiwan bowed gracefully and prepared to rise and depart.

She had seized this opportunity to leave a good impression before the person she admired, facilitating further contact later.

"Miss Pei, please stay!" Chen Yan called out to Pei Suiwan.

He, he has kept me.... Pei Suiwan startled, her movements slowed, her heart inexplicably stirred, a deer racing in her chest, soon calming her palpitations as she asked calmly: "May I ask what else Master Chen wishes to command?"

Chen Yan raised his hand, pointing at Xie Ang below the platform, half-smiling: "Wasn't it you who barked the loudest just now?"

"Come on together!"

After a pause, he turned his gaze to Pei Suiwan, his tone gentle, continuing: "Please, Miss Pei, set another topic."

Anyway, to trample Xiao Liang, these meddling calves who come to cause trouble....

Trampling one is trampling, trampling two is also trampling; better to do them together, saving effort and achieving the utmost display of prowess before the crowd.

"What boldness!"

Yu Jie saw this, his eyes lit up, he slightly raised his head to gaze at the sky, and thought: "Chen Hu, you have raised a fine grandson...."

At that moment, Yu Jie could not deny feeling jealous.

Among his descendants, none could compare.

"Ah Yan, this boy truly repays grudges to the letter!"

Yuwen Heng's lips also curled into an arc, and he thought darkly: "This is to trample Xiao Liang's face into the ground as revenge."

As soon as Chen Yan spoke, Yuwen Heng saw his intention.

He is a boy who will not suffer insult and will repay vengeance without delay.

Good, very good!

"Chen Yan, I truly don't know whether you are arrogant or merely confident!"

"After letting you win once by luck, you've become overbearing?"

Xie Ang, named and mocked, gave a cold laugh, gritted his teeth: "Do you really think we two are made of mud?"

Composing poetry on the spot is inherently difficult.

Moreover, having to compete with two people on different topics is no different from rushing to seek death.

It's truly inflated!

"What nonsense!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yan glanced sideways, continuing to provoke: "If you have the guts, come up; if you're timid, lie down below, curl up and act like a turtle mud statue!"

If the occasion were appropriate and people of this era understood, Chen Yan would really like to raise a middle finger.

"Good, good, very good!"

Xie Ang was thoroughly provoked, pushed aside Xie Xizhi who blocked him, stepped onto the platform, and laughed coldly: "I, Xie Ang, wish to see what abilities you, Chen Yan, possess to take on two opponents alone!"

Rumors are unreliable; he truly is a different person.... Pei Suiwan silently observed the sharp-edged Chen Yan, made a judgment in her heart, her eyes smiling even more, and said: "The world is in turmoil, war never ceases; how about using warfare as the theme?"

Over the past years, labels such as mediocre, cowardly, and talentless have been attached to Chen Yan.

But now, Pei Suiwan finally knows those absurd rumors are completely wrong, utterly mistaken.

This man is extraordinarily talented, remarkably capable, handsome and graceful, the opposite of those so-called rumors.

As the saying goes, "Wood that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind"; perhaps he is hiding his clumsiness, waiting for a chance to astonish the world.

Thinking of this, Pei Suiwan's affectionate gaze grew even deeper.

"Very well." Xie Ang snorted coldly, replied.

"A mere war poem is nothing special."

"Then let Brother Wei continue to hold the brush!" Chen Yan clasped his fists toward Wei Heqing.

"I am willing to serve Brother Chen!" Wei Heqing's eyes flashed, he declared firmly.

Pei Suiwan smiled, did not linger any longer, and slowly left.

「How can one compose poetry without Du Kang？」

Chen Yan smiled faintly, waved his hand toward the crowd below, and said loudly: "Bring the wine!"

Shortly after, two tall guards beside Yuwen Heng immediately brought up several jars of fine wine.

While Wang Zhixu and Xie Ang were pondering deeply and writing furiously, Chen Yan calmly lifted the lid, raised the wine jar, and took a big gulp.

The crystal-clear liquor kept spilling over, flowing down Chen Yan's skin and clothes.

Fully displayed his unrestrained demeanor.

「Drunk, we contend with Wang and Xie; even if we unfortunately lose, it will still be a fine tale when spread abroad！」

Pei Xilou witnessed this scene, lightly shook his folding fan, and said with a smile: "Chen Yan is likely to become famous throughout the southern lands!"

Wang and Xie, what is that?

The Langya Wang Clan, the Chen Jun Xie Clan—these top-tier aristocratic clans of Jiang Zuo have produced how many high officials and famous generals?

Regardless of victory or defeat, merely by dueling with wine against Wang and Xie, Chen Yan's name will spread throughout the southern lands and be remembered by all.

「Second brother! 」

Pei Suiwan's face sank, her brows furrowed slightly, and she sternly said: "Do not dare to curse Chen Gongzi with nonsense!"

「He will surely win, he definitely will win! 」

「I believe in him! 」

Pei Suiwan has unparalleled confidence in her beloved.

She cannot tolerate anyone belittling him, even if that person is her own older brother.

Pei Xilou, hearing this, laughed and cried helplessly, shook his head, and sighed: "You girl, you haven't even settled your marriage yet, and you're already protecting him to this extent...."

「An unmarried woman should not be kept at home; old friends truly do not deceive me. 」

「Fine wine! 」

Chen Yan set down the wine jar, savored the lingering sweetness in his mouth, and recited loudly: "All blossoms fall, only this remains warm and charming, occupying the beauty toward the small courtyard."

Wei Heqing wrote furiously, seated, recording.

「Is that it? 」

「That's all there is to it! 」

Xie Xizhi curled his lips, mocking: "I said Chen Yan could only beat Wang Zhixu by luck!"

「Truly over-the-top arrogance! 」

Compared to the earlier stunning opening line "The spring rain on the city street moistens like butter, the grass color looks distant yet close, incomparable," this line "All blossoms fall, only this remains warm and charming" appears utterly worthless.

In Xie Xizhi's eyes, even if Chen Yan has talent, he is nonetheless a spent force.

For a moment, the mocking voices of the Xiao Liang people rose and fell one after another.

「Exactly! 」

Shen Caihui gave a contemptuous smile and echoed: "Still dreaming of taking on two opponents alone?"

「Just wait for a dismal ending.... 」

But before he could finish his dismissive words, Chen Yan began to recite again: "The sparse shadows slant across the clear shallow water, faint fragrance drifts with the moon at dusk!"

After finishing his recitation, Chen Yan raised the wine jar again and took a big gulp.

「What?! 」

「How is this possible?! 」

Shen Caihui's smile froze, incredulous.

He was dumbfounded.

His whole body stiffened.

Even without being slapped, he only felt his face burning hot.

Xie Xizhi was also stunned, murmuring: "The sparse shadows slant across the clear shallow water, faint fragrance drifts with the moon at dusk...."

「With just a few strokes, he has sketched a transcendent moonlit plum-viewing scene! 」

「How did he manage that?! 」

The entire piece contains no character for "plum," yet it sings the plum blossom to perfection.

Even the two lines he previously mocked have become the perfect prelude.

As the people of Xiao Liang feel desolate, so the people of Chang'an in the Great Zhou feel excited.

Chen Yan brought them one surprise after another!

「What a fine line: 'The sparse shadows slant across the clear shallow water, faint fragrance drifts with the moon at dusk....'」

Pei Xilou and Du Jinghuai exchanged a glance, sighing: "Another timeless masterpiece!"

「Hahahaha! 」

The two then burst into laughter.

This not only signifies a timeless masterpiece, but also represents that the long-silent literary circle of the Great Zhou is about to produce a generation-defining Poet Immortal!

The cultural lineage suppressed by the southern lands will be gone forever.

The divine brushstroke that sings the plum blossom through the ages—is that something you lot dare to mock?..... Chen Yan glanced at the Xiao Liang people, smiled inwardly, turned his head toward the bloodless Wang Zhixu, and said:

「Lord Wang, please present your great work for all to see! 」

Wang Zhixu clenched the paper on which he had written his poem, gave a bitter smile, and said: "I lost; I won't bring out this crude, clumsy work to embarrass myself and become a laughingstock."

At that moment, the most renowned talent of the Southern Dynasties didn't even have the courage to bring it out.

「Pfft! 」

Wang Zhixu only felt a sweetness in his throat, covered his chest, and spat a mouthful of blood onto the paper, his body collapsing backward.