Chapter 348

The barrage exploded—

【Barrage · Modern Netizen 1】

Su Dongpo, the all-around ceiling of Chinese literature!

【Barrage · Modern Netizen 2】

Li Bai is an immortal in the heavens, Du Fu is a sage in the world, and Su Shi is a mortal poet-god who lived among people and warmed them for a thousand years.

【Barrage · Song Dynasty · Huang Tingjian】

My teacher Dongpo, the North Star of the literary world.

What he taught me was not how to write poetry, but how to be a person.

【Barrage · Song Dynasty · Lu You】

After Dongpo, there is no more Dongpo.

On the sky screen, the image froze.

Su Shi stood by the seaside, looking at the boundless ocean.

As the sun set, his shadow stretched long.

【Summary: Throughout history, literati have mostly specialized in one area; only Su Shi excelled in poetry, Ci, prose, calligraphy, and painting, reaching the pinnacle in all five.

In terms of talent, he was the best of the two Song dynasties;

In terms of integrity, he was non-partisan and selfless, steadfast in his original heart;

In terms of character, he was sincere, generous, and loved life;

In terms of realm, he was demoted three times and rose three times, remaining broad-minded his whole life.

He is the warmest cultural symbol of China's thousands of years, a spiritual medicine that heals generation after generation of Chinese people.】

Li Shimin let out a long breath: "Third place, well-deserved."

Liu Che said: "I am very curious who the top two are, to be able to rank ahead of him."

Liu Xiu said: "No matter who they are, the name Su Shi will always be remembered."

Liu Bang said: "I have decided, from now on I will make Dongpo Pork every year."

Ying Zheng did not speak, but his gaze told everyone—

He was wondering what would happen if Su Shi had been born in the Great Qin.

Ouyang Xiu's barrage floated out—

【Barrage · Song Dynasty · Ouyang Xiu】

I once said, "Thirty years from now, no one will talk about me, only Su Shi." Looking at it now, I underestimated it.

One thousand years later, they are still talking about him.

Wang Anshi's barrage was silent for a long time, then finally appeared—

【Barrage · Song Dynasty · Wang Anshi】

Decades of partisan strife; Su Shi and I had different political views.

But a thousand years later, his poetry and prose remain, while my reforms have been discarded.

Who was right and who was wrong, history has its own impartial judgment.

【Barrage · Song Dynasty · Sima Guang】

Jiepu, you and I fought for a lifetime, and Su Shi suffered in the middle for a lifetime.

Looking back now, is what we fought for still important?

Neither of them replied again.

The golden light on the sky screen began to condense, more intense than any time before.

Auspicious clouds surged, with a thousand rays of auspicious energy.

【Sky Screen Reward Segment】

【In view of Su Shi's all-around excellence in five arts, his broad-mindedness through the ages, and his healing of a thousand years, he is specially granted—】

【Thirty years of added life, washing away half a lifetime of illness and pain, and reshaping his immortal bones and literary heart.】

【Bestowed with the 'Qi of the Eternal Literary Sage', perfecting his literary Dao and making his poetic heart immortal.】

【His body and soul enter the Literary Dao Immortal Registry of the sky screen, to be worshipped by literati for ten thousand generations.】

Liu Bang widened his eyes: "Thirty years?! The previous maximum was twenty years!"

Gu Shanhe nodded: "Su Shi is an all-rounder among all-rounders, and his personal charisma is too great."

"This reward is a comprehensive assessment by the system."

Liu Che said: "Worth it. He is truly worth it."

Liu Xiu said: "And his life was too bitter; living thirty more years will let him enjoy some happiness."

Li Shimin sighed with emotion: "It is a pity that the Su Shi of history only lived to be sixty-something."

"If he really had these thirty years, how many more masterpieces could he have written?"

Ying Zheng said indifferently: "History cannot be repeated."

"But since the sky screen has given it to him, let us consider it as compensation."

The barrage area was lively on time—

【Barrage · Qin Second Emperor Huhai】

Thirty years? I really... (Barrage interrupted)

【Barrage · First Emperor of Qin Ying Zheng】

Rebellious son, you have already used up your quota for today.

Huhai never appeared again.

【Barrage · Song Huizong Zhao Ji】

Su Dongpo's poetry, prose, calligraphy, and painting are indeed better than mine... I admit it.

Zhao Kuangyin's barrage floated over—

【Barrage · Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin】

Zhao Ji, you finally said something human.

【Barrage · Song Huizong Zhao Ji】

Great-grandfather Taizu, I have always said human things...

【Barrage · Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin】

Shut up.

Zhao Ji did not speak again.

Qianlong did not appear either.

Perhaps he was scared by the scolding in the previous episodes.

On the sky screen, Su Shi's phantom slowly emerged.

He wore coarse cloth clothes, held a bamboo staff, wore straw sandals, and stood by the seaside.

It was not a tragic leap into the river, nor a lonely gaze into the distance, but a smile.

The corners of his mouth were slightly raised, as if saying—living is quite good.

【Sky Screen Conclusion: A lifetime of wind and rain, half a life of ups and downs.

He tasted the bitterest bitterness in the world, yet wrote the warmest poems.

He was pressed to the ground and rubbed by fate, yet he had not a shred of malice.

He used his whole life to tell future generations—life can be very difficult, but the heart can be very broad.

The third of the ten great poets in history—Su Shi, well-deserved.

The second place will be revealed in three days, please look forward to it.】

The living room was quiet for a long time.

Liu Bang was the first to speak, his voice a bit hoarse:

"I have lived to such an old age, and today I was made to feel like crying by a literatus."

Liu Che did not mock him.

Li Shimin said: "I want to have a drink."

Ying Zheng said: "Then drink."

Gu Shanhe took a bottle of Moutai from the liquor cabinet and poured a glass for everyone.

The five men stood in front of the window, facing the direction where the sky screen had disappeared, and clinked glasses.

Liu Bang took a sip and winced at the spiciness: "I still prefer Dongpo Pork."

Liu Che said: "Gaozu, can you not ruin the atmosphere?"

Liu Bang chuckled and did not reply.

Outside the window, the golden light of the sky screen had completely dissipated.

The lights in the distant Chang'an city were growing sparse.

But in everyone's heart, there was one more person—

Wearing coarse cloth clothes, standing on Dongpo farming, with a smile on his face.

That person who was the most bitter, the most broad-minded, and the warmest.