Chapter 339: Three Parts of Tang Poetry Rule the World

On the sky screen, golden light swirled, and Bai Juyi's life's achievements were condensed into a few lines—

【Bai Juyi's surviving poems exceed three thousand, making him the Tang dynasty's most prolific poet; his subjects span everything, and his satirical, narrative, leisurely, and melancholic verses all reach top‑tier quality.】

【Later literary circles revere Bai Juyi as the "Great Educator," the Tang dynasty's most pedagogically significant and down‑to‑earth poetry leader.】

【Scholarly consensus: Li Bai's celestial poems, Du Fu's saintly poems, Bai Juyi's folk poems—three parts rule Tang poetry.】

Liu Che looked at the line and laughed, "Celestial, saintly, folk—three parts of the world."

"Li Bai writes about the heavens, Du Fu writes about the human realm, Bai Juyi writes about the common people. Each has its own realm, each its own height."

Liu Xiu nodded, "Li Bai makes people look up, Du Fu moves people, Bai Juyi resonates with people."

Li Shimin suddenly asked, "Immortal Gu, among these ten poets, where do Li Bai and Du Fu rank?"

Gu Shanhe smiled, "Your Majesty, that will be revealed later."

"I can only say that among the top ten, there are poets from the High Tang, Middle Tang, Late Tang, Song, Eastern Jin… each era is represented."

Liu Bang counted on his fingers, "Meng Haoran, Lu You, Li Shangyin, Tao Yuanming, Bai Juyi… that's already five. Are there five more not yet mentioned?"

Gu Shanhe nodded, "Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. There are even heavierweights to follow."

Ying Zheng glanced at the sky screen, "Heavierweights?"

"I'd like to see who could surpass these people."

The bullet comments erupted again—

【Bullet comment – modern netizen】

Over three thousand poems, Bai Letian yyds!

【Bullet comment – Song dynasty netizen】

Others write poetry as a hobby; Bai Juyi writes poetry as a mission.

【Bullet comment – future expert】: If Bai Juyi lived today, he'd definitely be a top‑stream writer + social activist.

【Bullet comment – elementary school netizen】: Our textbooks have many Bai Juyi poems!

……

The golden light on the sky screen began to coalesce, and the final reward clause appeared before everyone—

【Sky screen inventory – reward distribution】

【Considering that Bai Juyi used poetry to aid the world and writing to convey the Dao, pioneered a new trend in the Mid‑Tang poetry scene, and gave voice to the people's suffering, the special reward is: increase his lifespan by fifteen years.】

"Fifteen years?"

Liu Che raised an eyebrow, "Weren't they all ten years before? Why five more this time?"

Gu Shanhe smiled, "Your Majesty the Wu Emperor, Bai Juyi left over three thousand poems, both quantity and quality are superb, and he launched the new Yuefu movement, influencing a millennium of later literature."

"This reward was decided comprehensively."

Liu Bang nodded, "Over three thousand poems, each of high quality, indeed deserves five more years of reward."

Liu Xiu sighed, "He was already 75, a great age; add fifteen years… ninety? How many more poems could he write then?"

Ying Zheng said lightly, "What he hopes for isn't more poems, but more deeds."

Those words were spot‑on, and everyone nodded.

But in the bullet‑comment section, the familiar "Yuan Emperor Alliance" started up again.

【Bullet comment – Qin Ershi Hu Hai】

Why?

Why can Bai Juyi get fifteen years?

I only got zero years! Unfair!

【Bullet comment – Song Emperor Zhao Ji】

Brother Hu Hai, I share your plight.

Bai Juyi, a poet, gets a bigger reward than I do—what's wrong with the world?

【Bullet comment – Song Emperor Zhao Huan】: Seconded.

【Bullet comment – Ming Emperor Zhu Qizhen】: Seconded +1.

I also find it unfair.

This time the one who acted first wasn't Ying Zheng, but an unexpected person—

【Bullet comment – Song Founder Zhao Kuangyin】

Zhao Ji! I'll say it again!

You, the incompetent ruler who lost the empire by misdrawing it, have no right to demand a reward!

【Bullet comment – Song Emperor Zhao Ji】

Grandpa Founder, my painting really is valuable…

【Bullet comment – Song Founder Zhao Kuangyin】

Valuable for what money?!

Half of Great Song's realm was "valued away" by you!

Zhao Ji's bullet comment vanished again.

【Bullet comment – Ming Founder Zhu Yuanzhang】

Zhu Qizhen! Do you still have the face to show up?!

During the Tumu Fortress Incident, you lost my elite Ming forces completely; you still want a reward?!

【Bullet comment – Ming Emperor Zhu Qizhen】

Grandpa Founder, I… didn't I later become emperor again…

【Bullet comment – Ming Founder Zhu Yuanzhang】

That's called the Door‑Snatching Incident! How dare you say that?!

Zhu Qizhen's bullet comment disappeared.

Qianlong popped up again—

【Bullet comment·Qianlong】

My forty thousand poems far exceed Bai Juyi's three thousand.

I should be getting more rewards.

This time, the Three Kingdoms characters mobilize together—

【Bullet comment·Three Kingdoms·Cao Cao】

Qianlong, among your forty thousand poems, is there one that can match the "Song of Everlasting Regret"?

【Bullet comment·Three Kingdoms·Cao Zhi】

Father, don't make it hard for him; he can't even write the "Pipa Song".

【Bullet comment·Three Kingdoms·Cao Pi】

Not to mention the "Pipa Song"; he can't even compose "The Grasses on the Plains".

The bullet comment area erupted in laughter, and Qianlong's figure vanished again.

Gu Shanhe watched the bullet comments and laughed until his back could not straighten.

……

The golden light on the sky screen began to contract, and Bai Juyi's portrait gradually faded.

The last image left on the sky screen was his silhouette standing on the White Embankment of West Lake, the setting sun casting glittering ripples, his gaze fixed on the distance, calm and resolute.

【Sky screen summary: With a commoner's heart, he writes the decline of a flourishing age; with the power of brush and ink, he protects the people of chaotic times, worthy of a giant of the Mid‑Tang poetry world, worthy of an eternal master of education.】

Li Shimin exhaled a long breath: "The Mid‑Tang era swayed in wind and rain, yet we are fortunate to have Bai Juyi."

"He, with a single brush, left the most authentic record of that era."

Liu Che nodded: "When later generations read his poems, they will know how the common people lived in the Mid‑Tang."

"That is the value of poetry—not merely beauty, but truth."

Liu Xiu added: "He was a poet, a historian, and a clean‑governed official. He excelled in all three roles."

Liu Bang, unusually solemn, said: "I think the most remarkable thing about Bai Juyi is that he never changed his whole life."

"When young he wrote poems for the people; when old he still wrote poems for the people."

"Whether demoted or promoted, his heart always remained with the people."

In the villa, the five emperors fell silent for a moment.

Then Liu Bang broke the silence.

"Alright, alright, the inventory's done, let's keep playing! I haven't finished that round yet!"

Liu Che was speechless: "Your Highness the Founder, that round was lost long ago; your Ying Zheng has been standing in the mid lane for ten minutes without moving."

Liu Bang looked at Ying Zheng: "First Emperor, why are you standing still?"

Ying Zheng, expressionless, replied: "I am watching the sky screen."

Liu Bang: "…Fine, shall we start a new round?"

Li Shimin laughed: "Start! My hands feel just right today."

Liu Xiu also returned to his seat: "This time we'll also use Zhang Fei."

Liu Che: "I'll keep jungling; please don't feed me."

The five emperors put their headsets back on, sat before their computers, and the game sound effects rang again.

Gu Shanhe leaned by the window, watching this absurd yet harmonious scene, and couldn't help but laugh.

Beyond the sky screen, the Three Kingdoms realm.

Cao Cao set down the bamboo slip in his hand, watched Bai Juyi's portrait on the sky screen fade, and fell silent for a moment.

"Bai Juyi…"

He whispered the name, "I, the Prime Minister, remember you."

Sun Quan, in Jianye, looked at the sky screen and asked Zhou Yu: "Gongjin, what do you think of Bai Juyi's poems?"

Zhou Yu thought for a moment: "Realistic yet beautiful, popular yet profound."

"He is a true master."

Zhang Fei, in the tent, tugged Guan Yu and said: "Second brother, I've decided, I'll read more from now on."

"I want to be like Bai Juyi and write great poems!"

Guan Yu glanced at him: "Third brother, you should learn to write your own name first."

Zhang Fei: "…"

The golden light of the sky screen completely vanished, but Bai Juyi's poems had already settled in everyone's hearts.

Perhaps this is the power of poetry—

It transcends time and space, class, all barriers, striking straight to the heart.

With simple, understandable words, with a compassionate spirit, with an unchanging original intention.

Bai Juyi achieved it.

(シ__)シ Bullet comment army, it's your turn to mobilize.

All forces, attack! (((ꎤ'ω')وthreeꎤ'ω')-o≡