Chapter 395

Ji Yaoyue laughed and said: "Then tonight there will be some lively entertainment to watch, won't there!"

Eldest Princess

Jiang Xiaoyu said: "As the host, the Chang Gongzhu manor will surely be delighted to see this, using it as the main melody for this year's poetry gathering!"

Others who want to stand out will surely be disappointed! Unless the poetry is truly extremely beautiful and exquisite, only then can it break through the discerning eyes of the 128 Hanlin scholars, be presented, and then be sung by the learned men under Mr. Wang Da!

Ji Yaoyue said: "Then I'd better not embarrass myself!"

"The poetry should be submitted, after all!" Sun Qianqian said with a light laugh, "We'll all submit it, then sit and watch the clouds rise!"

"Sit and watch the clouds rise?" Ji Yifan interjected, "That in itself is a beautiful line of poetry, Miss Qianqian, you have great talent!"

Sun Qianqian

Jiang Xiaoyu glanced around, as if just realizing: "Ah? Why don't I see the soft-rice man?"

Ji Yaoyue said helplessly: "If you keep calling him a soft-rice man, I'll really get angry; he doesn't like this kind of occasion, he's resting, so he didn't come!"

Jiang Xiaoyu didn't care, widened his eyes and said: "How could someone not like this kind of occasion? He must be uncultured, right? Has he even read any books?"

Ji Yaoyue's face slightly stiffened: "He's also from an aristocratic family, he's read poetry, history, and biographies—how could he not have read any books?"

Sun Qianqian laughed and said: "I heard he's a disciple from a sect outside the mountains; it's said those sect disciples only know cultivation, not good at poetry, songs, or literary composition, so that's normal!"

Ji Yaoyue nodded: "The disciples of the fourteen sects of the Dongyu cultivation world indeed only know single-minded cultivation, with no flower-viewing and moon-gazing, no decadent luxury!"

However, each has their specialty; when it comes to fighting spells and subduing demons, they are extremely strong!

Jiang Xiaoyu objected: "Those sect disciples can't even do poetry, they're illiterate, only know fighting and spell duels, a bunch of rough men; I don't believe how strong their magical power could be—at the very least, their Dao doesn't conform to the great Dao of the mortal world, heaven, earth, and human relations."

Prince Qin's Manor

Grand Ancestor Emperor

Solitary Child of the Great Sage of the Confucian School

Several people immediately sat up straight and solemn.

Boom! Boom boom...

On the huge high platform, the drumbeats rumbled.

Whether in the private rooms, the square, or the lake center, the masses of people all fell silent.

Only a silhouette appeared, suddenly arriving from beyond the heavens, and in an instant landed on the highest holy terrace of the pavilion.

Upon seeing the dense crowd, they all bowed and shouted, "We have seen the Confucian Sage Master!"

Even the Qin Prince, Chang Gongzhu, the Crown Prince, Ji Yaoyue and her siblings, etc., walked out of the rooms and made a slight bow.

The "Confucian Sage Master" is the supreme sage of the Great Zhou's Confucian school, a Nascent Soul expert, the guardian of the Great Zhou's laws, and also the current emperor's enlightening teacher, deserving of everyone's respect.

The Confucian Sage Master waved his hand, directing those who should enter the house to enter and those who should sit to sit, then gave a gentle smile: "The Huating Lake Poetry Assembly has lasted over a thousand years; before, the founding emperor sailed a boat and composed a hundred poems to establish his imperial career; after, a great sage of the Confucian school, the lone child, gazed at the lake waters and comprehended the three hundred great Dao, established the state laws, and taught countless generations!"

Moreover, countless enlightened masters and ancient sages lingered here, obtaining great fortune.

He spoke for a full half incense stick's length, each sentence bearing an allusion, every three sentences featuring a startling figure from ancient and modern times, instantly raising the atmosphere to its peak!

Finally, with hands behind his back, he said: "Our Great Zhou establishes the state with the Yi, Shu, Shi, Li, She, and Yu; poetry is also a path of cultivation; the so-called cycle of heaven, earth, and man, the great Dao of the state and ancestors—this path of cultivation cannot be compared to any mountain sect outside!"

Today, everyone present may display their talents and express what they have learned! Begin!

Speaking, his form flashed and he disappeared!

The people present rose again and performed salutations.

The "Confucian Sage Master" certainly could not remain present all the time.

Immediately after, the guest of the Chang Gongzhu's residence, Mr. Wang Da, stepped forward and loudly chanted: "Topic one, a toast poem! Bring the wine! Bring the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone!"

Yes!

Countless servants of the Chang Gongzhu's residence lifted fine wine and the Four Treasures of the Study, distributing them to all the nobles and officials present!

The wine is aged fine wine, enough for the thirty thousand present to each get roaring drunk; the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone are top-grade tribute items from the Xuan State, belonging to renowned fine products.

In an instant, everywhere was the sound of drinking and swaying heads, soft humming and low singing.

Inside the Tai Ping Princess's chambers.

Ji Yaoyue, Jiang Xiaoyu, etc., also ground ink and held brushes, each writing down the poetry they had prepared.

Even Mu Lan, a mere martial woman, clumsily wrote a poem.

Immediately, palace attendants respectfully came to collect them, handing them to the waiting Hanlin scholars outside.

That Hanlin scholar then hurriedly entered the Chang Gongzhu's chambers.

Not only the poetry of Ji Yaoyue and others, but from all directions, including the flower boats on the lake center, poetry continued to be transmitted.

Meanwhile, in the Chang Gongzhu's chambers, dozens of learned individuals sat upright and solemn, ready to peruse.

Behind the corner's bead curtain, a few figures sat faintly; among them, one wearing a phoenix robe, heavenly-flowing hairpin crown, appearing a beauty over thirty, was precisely the Chang Gongzhu princess, who sipped tea while looking outward and said: "Which household will win tonight? Do you have any guesses?"

Those beside her laughed and said: "Nothing else but the State Academy, the Imperial Academy, the Shénwǔ Sī, and the Fèngtiān Jiàn! However, the Qin Prince's manor and the Chang Gongzhu princess's retinue might also pull off a surprise!"

The Chang Gongzhu princess lightly laughed and said nothing.

At this time, the learned scholars outside had already collected all the poetry and began to chant while gazing at the beautiful, splendid verses.

Meanwhile, on the outside square, the clamor rose like thunder; countless nobles who had finished their poetry raised their expectations, each rubbing their palms, for after all, in literature there is no first place,

As for this poetry thing, once written, one always feels one's own work is superb, leading the trend, capable of slaying gods and Buddhas!

After a full two incense sticks' worth of time, finally ten learned individuals emerged from the Chang Gongzhu's chambers and looked toward the square.

In an instant, the entire crowd of dense masses fell silent.

Because, according to past years' rules, the ten learned individuals hold in their hands the top-ten poems of this round, ranked from right to left in order!

At this moment, one sees that the ten learned individuals indeed began to recite starting from the person on the far right,

Indeed, they are splendid poems,

For example, "Where shall we drink tonight? By the Huating bank, dawn wind and waning moon, a couple of bosom friends..."

"Three cups, two glasses of light wine, how to resist the sudden late wind, snow blowing in the face..."

"A new lyric, a cup of wine; last year, as before, laughing at the pavilions and terraces……"

He kept reciting until the leftmost person, namely the first place winner, and the whole venue instantly erupted into chaos, with sighs, congratulations, and hehehe laughter everywhere.

From the Imperial Academy direction, a handsome young gentleman rose, cupped his hands toward the Statecraft Academy direction, and said: "I concede!"

The students of the Statecraft Academy gave a heavy cold snort and turned their heads away.

Inside Princess Taiping's quarters, the atmosphere was also somewhat awkward.

Jiang Xiaoyu compared the two poems in his hands over and over, finally couldn't help but slam the table: "What the heck! Senior Brother Luo Xuan's poem is absolutely not inferior to Wu Siwen's; why is Wu Siwen's poem first while Senior Brother Luo Xuan is only third!"

Sun Qianqian shook her head and said: "After careful analysis, Wu Siwen's toast poem indeed has a slightly higher artistic conception; I accept the bet, just wait—Senior Brother Luo Xuan doesn't handle alcohol well, so the later parts will be different…"

Before he finished speaking, a sudden commotion was heard outside, as if something had happened.

Ji Yaoyue asked: "What's the matter?"

A palace maid hurried in and reported: "A scholar-official on the lake seems to have presented a fine poem!"

Ji Yaoyue, Jiang Xiaoyu, and the others exchanged glances, all feeling curious: what poem could cause such a commotion?

At that moment, the crowded masses in the square were also curious, their eyes following that scholar-official.

Then we saw that scholar-official stumble off the boat, run into Princess Chang Gongzhu's chambers; after a moment of silence inside, Master Wang personally walked out, holding a scroll, his complexion complicated, his eyes full of shock, and said: "I have just received a toast poem; please, everyone, appreciate it together!"

Saying that, he coughed once and then recited:

"You do not see—the waters of the Yellow River descend from the heavens, rushing to the sea never to return."

"You do not see—the bright mirror in the high hall grieves over white hair; morning like black silk, evening turned to snow."

"In life, when proud and pleased, one must indulge to the fullest; do not let the golden goblet face the moon empty."

"Heaven endowed me with talent for a purpose; though a thousand gold be spent, they will return again……"

These few chapters are a bit filler, and the little poem moved is also quite embarrassing!

Immediately turning the corner, the story begins.

(End of chapter)