Chapter 89: Accidentally Entering a Nest of Crouching Dragons and Fledgling Phoenixes, Passively Showing Off (Seeking Monthly Votes)

At a quarter past five in the evening, at the entrance of Furong Xuan, Xu Jing paced back and forth with a folding fan in his hand, looking around from time to time.

Two servants waited quietly to the side.

Finally, Xu Jing saw Pei Shaoqing, let out a sigh of relief, and immediately wore a smile as he took the initiative to go up and greet him.

"Brother Pei, you finally arrived. Everyone is almost here, let's go in quickly." Xu Jing familiarly grabbed Pei Shaoqing's sleeve and walked inside.

As Pei Shaoqing walked inside, he asked in confusion: "Why is there no one at this Furong Xuan?"

"A poetry gathering is being held today, so I booked the whole Furong Xuan," Xu Jing explained casually.

Pei Shaoqing suddenly realized; no wonder someone of your level could sneak into a poetry gathering, it turns out you are the one paying the bill.

Once inside the main gate, it was a completely different scene.

Dashing young talents were holding beauties, reciting poetry, drinking, and having fun; it was exceptionally lively.

"Brother Xu, where did you go? Brother Chen just composed a fine poem and was just wanting to hear your critique."

"Brother Xu, this gentleman here looks a bit unfamiliar?"

Xu Jing was very popular.

As soon as he appeared, the greetings were endless.

"Everyone!" Xu Jing climbed directly onto a table, stood up, and shouted: "All eyes on me!"

In an instant, the people in the first-floor lobby of Furong Xuan and the private rooms on the second and third floors gradually stopped talking.

The entire Furong Xuan was quiet to the point of being eerie.

"Brother Pei, come up," Xu Jing invited.

Pei Shaoqing felt a bit awkward, but he couldn't refuse to give the man face, so he bit the bullet and stood on the table.

"Let me introduce a new friend to everyone," Xu Jing said with a beaming smile, pointing at Pei Shaoqing: "This is the Baron of Pingyang, Brother Pei Shaoqing. We met on the street today, became acquainted through poetry, and cherished each other's company, so I specially invited him to witness the new talents of the literary world in Shu."

"Greetings, everyone, greetings," Pei Shaoqing cupped his hands, looked around, and said in a refined and gentle manner.

Furong Xuan instantly exploded into a frenzy.

"It is actually the Baron of Pingyang in person! Truly a man of great talent and appearance, worthy of someone ennobled for their merits."

"Brother Xu is truly impressive! To be able to invite even the famous Baron of Pingyang, a toast to Brother Xu!"

"Why not ask the Baron of Pingyang to compose a poem?"

"Brother Pei is a military officer and is not skilled in poetry, so everyone please do not make things difficult for him," Xu Jing snapped his folding fan open and said loudly: "I will compose one for him."

Hearing this, the crowd stopped pestering Pei Shaoqing and gave Xu Jing face by responding.

"Good! We invite Brother Xu to compose a poem!"

"Brother Xu? Do you need brush, ink, paper, and inkstone? There are plenty of beauties here to add fragrance to your sleeves."

"Everyone, everyone be quiet. It is our fortune to witness another masterpiece from Brother Xu, hush."

Seeing this atmosphere, Pei Shaoqing understood why Xu Jing was so confident in his own poetry.

His family pampered him, his servants pampered him, and these new literary talents who enjoyed his "money power" also pampered him.

It would be strange if he didn't think his poetry was awesome.

"Brush, ink, paper, and inkstone are unnecessary. Who doesn't know that I don't leave my calligraphy easily?" Xu Jing waved his hand, lightly shaking his folding fan as he chanted: "Met the Baron of Pingyang on the road, invited him into Furong Xuan. Talents cheer with joy, beauties weep in the night."

The group of women serving drinks all blushed.

"Good poem! Good poem indeed! Hahahaha!"

"Brother Xu's poetry is still so outstanding!"

"What a 'talents cheer with joy', what a 'beauties weep in the night'! Brother Xu's literary talent is truly better than before."

The group of young talents praised him loudly one after another.

Xu Jing smiled and cupped his hands to the surroundings.

Watching a group of people telling lies with their eyes open while acting as if it were all true, Pei Shaoqing felt some sympathy for them.

It's not easy to go against one's conscience every day!

"Brother Xu has a masterpiece, I'll have one too! Gathered tonight at Furong Xuan, talents and beauties all joyful. Full of wine and food, thoughts turn to lust, holding beauties to the bridal chamber!"

"Brother Chen's work is not bad either. I also have a clumsy piece to offer for everyone's critique: Eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling are certainly good, reciting poetry is indispensable. A thousand wonders in Furong Xuan, tonight a hundred women cry out in joy! How is it?"

Pei Shaoqing was already completely numb.

His expression was like this: (ー_ー)!!

He suddenly realized that things were not as he had imagined; those talents were not just humoring Xu Jing.

They genuinely believed from the bottom of their hearts that the poems he composed were good.

Damn! It's already incredible to get one "Crouching Dragon or Fledgling Phoenix".

There's a whole group of them here!

Pei Shaoqing was speechless. Looking at the group of "brilliant" talents, he couldn't help but ask: "Brother Xu, are all the new literary talents of Jingguan City already here?"

Is there no literary spirit in Shu, only lewd spirit?

"Not all of them," Xu Jing shook his head and said proudly: "But this place has already gathered half of the literary world of Shu. Brother Pei, would you like to join us?"

"Join you?" Pei Shaoqing was startled.

Xu Jing raised his hand and gestured around: "These are all members of my Furong Poetry Society. I am the president of the Furong Poetry Society, and I can decide to allow Brother Pei to join."

"Uh... thank you, Brother Xu, but no need. My aspirations do not lie in this path," Pei Shaoqing's mouth twitched.

"That's a pity," Xu Jing sighed, but in the blink of an eye, he composed himself again, "Let's go, Brother Pei, let's go to the third-floor private room. The top courtesan has specially saved a spot for you."

Upon hearing this, Pei Shaoqing felt that although Brother Xu lacked culture, he had loyalty and was worth befriending.

Although his aspirations did not lie in the path of poetry.

He could, however, pursue the path of the top courtesan.

The two went to the third floor together. After pushing open the door to the private room, two women with graceful figures and beautiful faces bowed delicately, "Greetings, two Young Masters."

Pei Shaoqing secretly thought, as expected of a big city.

The quality of the top courtesans is much higher than at the Tongzhou Qunfang Garden.

"Where is Jiangxue? I paid a heavy price to have her keep me company tonight, didn't I?" Xu Jing asked, his expression darkening.

"This..." The two women looked at each other in dismay.

Pei Shaoqing was taken aback; judging by this, these two weren't even the top courtesans? If so, wouldn't the quality of the top courtesan be heaven-defying?

"Young Master Xu, please calm your anger, calm your anger." A plump, middle-aged beauty who still possessed a certain charm walked in with a coy smile, holding a piece of paper in her hand. "Jiangxue finished her makeup long ago and is waiting in her room. She said that as long as you can complete this line of poetry, she will come to keep you company.

It is not just for you, Young Master Xu; tonight, whoever completes this line of poetry will see her come out to perform dance and music. All the young masters downstairs are currently racking their brains over it."

Pei Shaoqing frowned. A prostitute selling smiles for money was actually putting on airs; how preposterous.

The money had already been collected, yet she was still setting extra conditions, damn it.

It was all because they were spoiled by simps.

He immediately said, "Bring me brush and ink."

"Good, let's let Brother Pei show off his skills." Xu Jing handed the paper in his hand to Pei Shaoqing; he couldn't complete it either.

The procuress hurriedly beckoned, "Quick, quick, quick, bring the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to the Baron of Pingyang, hurry up!"

Pei Shaoqing took the paper and looked at it; it read: When the swallows return, the rain has not ceased; the paulownia flowers blow like snow, filling Shuzhou.

He casually waved his brush to write a few characters, then grabbed it and tossed it to the procuress. "Take this to Miss Jiangxue."

After the procuress caught it, she subconsciously looked down at it.

Her expression changed instantly. She jerked her head up, looking at Pei Shaoqing with shock and uncertainty. She bit her lip, said "Yes," and hurriedly retreated with her maid.

"Brother Pei, what exactly did you write? It actually made Liu Mama lose her composure like that?" Xu Jing asked, itching with curiosity; he was genuinely curious about the poem Pei Shaoqing had used to complete it.

Pei Shaoqing smiled indifferently and found a seat for himself. "When Jiangxue comes, you can ask her."

At the same time, the crowd of young talents in the main hall were scratching their heads in an effort to complete that line of poetry.

Xu Jing, feeling a sense of reflected glory, leaned out of the window and shouted, "Stop thinking about it, Brother Pei has already completed it."

…………………………

On the other side, in the room.

Jiangxue was applying makeup in front of the mirror. She appeared to be under twenty, her skin as white as jade, her eyes seemingly able to speak, her cherry lips rosy and glistening. Beneath the thin gauze, the graceful curves of her body were faintly visible, and her fair, plump bosom seemed about to burst out of her bodice.

"Bang!" The door was pushed open.

Jiangxue was focused on drawing her eyebrows and said without looking back, "Mama, has that bumpkin been sent away?"

She was confident that the group of people could not complete the poem she had written.

For guests she did not want to entertain.

She always sent them away like this.

Of course, the money was not refunded; this method actually raised her status, making people flock to her.

Tonight, she had her own sweetheart she intended to meet in secret.

"Oh my, we are in trouble, my dear girl." Liu Mama was extremely anxious, threw the paper in her hand in front of Jiangxue, and said, "My dear girl, see for yourself."

Jiangxue put down her eyebrow pencil and looked down.

Her pretty face suddenly turned pale.

Below her half-finished poem, a few murderous characters were written: Come here to serve the guest, those who defy me shall perish.

The sharp strokes of the brush had almost pierced through the paper.

A wave of baleful aura rushed toward her.

"Who?" Jiangxue asked, suddenly looking up.

Liu Mama said with a mournful face, "The rising star, the son of the Weiyuan Marquis, the Baron of Pingyang, Pei Shaoqing."

Furong Xuan had someone backing it.

But they didn't have a background as big as Pei Shaoqing's!

"It's him!" Jiangxue, living in the chaotic world of the brothel, had naturally heard of this person. Her heart was in a turmoil, and she said with a mix of fear and anger, "How can this brute be like this?"

She felt she had been offended.

In the past, whether it was wealthy young masters or literary talents, they were always polite and graceful when inviting her to meet, but this person had actually resorted to intimidation!

"This person is a rude fellow. I will go and stabilize him first; Mama, go quickly and invite Young Master Yan San to come and help your daughter out of this predicament," Jiangxue said softly after taking a deep breath.

Liu Mama nodded repeatedly. "Good, I will go to the Shu Prince Mansion right now. Daughter, protect yourself well; don't let that fellow take your virginity, otherwise your value will plummet."

Every top courtesan was most profitable before she was "sold" and on the day she was "sold"; once she lost her virginity, she would be worthless.

"I know, Mama." Jiangxue was impatient.

After Liu Mama left, she sighed, looked at her maid, and said softly, "Go tell Young Master Wang that I have suddenly taken ill and cannot keep our appointment tonight."

"Yes, Miss," the maid replied obediently.

Jiangxue touched the makeup she had applied specifically for her sweetheart in the mirror, sighed again, suppressed her annoyance, forced a smile, and stood up to walk outside.

"Look! It's Miss Jiangxue!"

"Miss Jiangxue, I heard that the Baron of Pingyang completed your poem. May I ask what exactly he wrote?"

"That's right, Miss Jiangxue, please tell us so we can broaden our horizons! The Baron of Pingyang refuses to say."

Seeing Jiangxue, the crowd immediately swarmed over.

Jiangxue appeared all smiles on the surface, but she was furious inside. How could she dare to say what Pei Shaoqing had written on the paper? Wouldn't that damage her own image?

So she had no choice but to complete the poem for Pei Shaoqing herself.

She said softly, "Young Master Pei completed it with: 'I try to ask the red beans a thousand ways, half becoming pure joy, half becoming a prisoner.'"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence.

Although their own poetry skills were nothing to brag about, they at least possessed some basic ability to appreciate it.

This line of poetry is much more poetic than those they composed.

"What a line, 'Trying to ask the red beans a thousand ways, half becoming pure joy, half becoming a prisoner!' I truly never expected that Brother Pei, as a military officer, would have such a tender side."

"Brother Pei is a great talent! This is already on par with that group of poor Cultivated Talents in the city, isn't it? Truly worthy of being a son of a noble house; a slight effort from you is already our peak."

"Before today, Jingguan City only knew that the Baron of Pingyang had extraordinary martial arts; after today, Jingguan City will know that the Baron of Pingyang is accomplished in both civil and martial arts. In martial arts, he can kill enemies, earn a title, and become famous throughout the world; in literature, he can write poetry with a stroke of his pen and make beauties swoon. We men should be like this! This cup is to toast the Baron of Pingyang!"

"Young Master Pei is indeed a great talent; this humble one admires you greatly." Jiangxue felt incredibly stifled, biting her silver teeth lightly as she smiled, and continued to walk toward the upper floor.

In a private room on the second floor, Xu Jing pulled his head back from the window and looked at Pei Shaoqing with a face full of admiration, his eyes burning, "Brother Pei, join our poetry club! I am willing to step down and yield the position, letting you be the president!"

The gazes of the two women looking at Pei Shaoqing were also filled with mist; they never expected that Young Master Pei not only had a prominent background but was also so brilliant in literature—truly rare.

"Brother Xu, no need to bring it up again; I really have no interest in writing poetry," Pei Shaoqing said with calm indifference.

Who would understand? He clearly hadn't intended to show off.

As it turned out, he was sitting in the room, and the show-off fell from the sky.

This is what you call sitting and waiting for a show-off.

Xu Jing sighed sincerely: "To be able to casually write such a masterpiece while having no interest in poetry—Brother Pei wasting such talent truly makes my heart ache!"

(End of chapter)