Chapter 396: Absolute

Master Wang's chanting of poetry was clear and loud, even infused with personal emotion.

Originally, the tens of thousands of people present were filled with doubt and confusion, chatting incessantly, after all, there are thousands of poems in the world, their artistic conceptions are largely similar—why make such a fuss?

But upon hearing this, everyone's heart seemed to be touched by something, and their expressions changed slightly.

"Do you not see—bright mirrors in the high hall lament white hair, morning like black silk, evening turned to snow!"

This line resonated with how many nobles and aristocrats felt about the passage of time.

"Heaven endowed me with talent for a purpose; even if I spend a thousand gold, it will return!"

This line is how heroic and carefree; such a mindset and thought have already overwhelmed all other toasting poems.

Master Wang continued to recite: "

……Let us sing a song together; please lend me your ear.

Bronze bells, feasting, and jade are not precious; I only wish to stay drunk and never wake.

Since ancient times, sages and worthies have been lonely; only drinkers leave their names…"

"Only the worthy leave their names…"

A large group of elders and wine lovers laughed to the heavens, drained a cup, shouting: "Excellent!"

After Master Wang finished reciting the last line—"Five‑flower steed, fur worth a thousand gold, call the boy to fetch fine wine, with you to dispel all ancient sorrow"—

The entire venue fell silent.

Many were immersed in the poem's lofty, uninhibited artistic conception; this feeling is the true essence of drinking.

It made people feel their hearts surge, with an impulse to guzzle several vats of wine!

Compared to it, all the previous toasting poems suddenly seemed like idle murmurs without illness!

"Good!"

"Excellent poem!"

"Encountering this poem tonight is enough!"

Without waiting for Master Wang to explain, applause thundered throughout the venue, unceasing for a long time!

Even some raised their cups and shouted: "May the sage's cup never cease; let us together dispel all ancient sorrow!"

"Drink!"

At this moment, not only was the square below,

Inside the Crown Prince's quarters, Ji Gan and his retinue changed expression.

"Thump—thump…"

Ji Gan pounded the table, his gaze deep: "The one who could compose this poem is certainly no ordinary person—investigate!"

"Yes!" someone hurriedly left.

In the Prince Qin's quarters.

Dressed in black robes with a three‑inch beard, somewhat languid, Prince Qin, who was drinking with more than ten retainers, suddenly sat upright, eyes sharp like a hawk's, and said: "Investigate this person—are they just a babbling scholar, or a true talent!"

"As you command!" likewise a servant departed.

In Princess Taiping's chambers.

A group sat there dazedly.

Before Jiang Xiaoyu lay a sheet of Xuan paper on which the entire poem "Bring in the Wine" had been copied, murmuring: "What kind of person is this! What a state of mind—I first realized that someone could write a toasting poem with such ethereal grace!"

Sun Qianqian also snapped out of her shock: "This piece—there may never be another toasting poem after this; this person is truly a great talent!"

Ji Yifan laughed heartily, raised his cup and drained it: "Truly admirable—I just don't know who the author is!"

……

"Who composed this poem?"

"Exactly! Which young lord or great scholar wrote it?"

Outside the square, voices rose in unison.

Master Wang fell silent for a moment, gazing toward the lake's center: "Please have Miss Mo Xianglian's flower boat from the Intoxicated Heart Pavilion come forward!"

"Please have the flower boat of Miss Mo Xianglian from the Intoxicated Heart Pavilion come forward!"

An attendant shouted loudly, the voice carrying far away.

Soon, tens of thousands of boats and thousands of vessels made way, as if escorting a star, guarding the modest little flower boat of the "Intoxicated Heart Pavilion" as it moved forward.

Tens of thousands of gazes fixed upon it, hearts filled with doubt—a flower boat from a pleasure quarter?

And the people on the "Intoxicated Heart Pavilion" flower boat trembled, barely managing to paddle it to the front.

Master Wang shouted loudly: "Please, poet, come out and meet us!"

After a while, the flower boat's door opened, and Mo Xianglian stepped out as if treading on thin ice, scanning the surroundings, her face paling, she gave a slight bow, wanting to say something, but her capacity to bear it was too weak, her steps faltered, and she retreated back inside.

The square fell silent.

Everyone felt great disappointment—not at the poem, but at its author.

Everyone had expected a heroic scholar, a broad‑minded gentleman, but who would have thought it was a small‑eyed, small‑nosed courtesan?

Such a pure courtesan, not indulging in chamber resentment, could produce such a grand, magnificent poem?

What's wrong with this?

However, since she has stepped forward, saying more would seem to harbor envy, jealousy, and hatred!

Forget it!

Everyone drank on their own.

Inside the flower boat, Mo Xianglian's heart still raced, her body went limp—with so many nobles and imperial‑capital dignitaries present, even her greatest patron was reduced to a nobody; how could she not be afraid?

But this poem isn't hers; she'll have to explain it later—yes, she must explain it!

Outside, it soon grew calm again.

Mr. Wang steps out again, saying: "Same old rule: topic two, sing of mountains and waters, using mountains and waters as poetry, using poetry and prose to expound the Dao, to cultivate!"

As his words fell, low murmurs rose again on the square, countless people shaking their heads and swaying, writing poetry.

Inside Princess Taiping's chambers.

Ji Yaoyue and several others were also writing the verses they had prepared in advance.

After a while, once everyone had finished writing, they handed their papers to the palace attendants collecting them, who then passed them to the Hanlin scholars outside.

Several people let out a sigh simultaneously.

Following that grand and magnificent "Song of Drinking," it feels awkward to write anything now!

"I never imagined the author would be a courtesan!" Ji Yaoyue said with a hint of regret.

Sun Qianqian also couldn't help but feel moved, saying: "Indeed! I don't know who will come out on top next."

"Of course it's Senior Brother Luo Xuan! Senior Brother Luo Xuan is the best at mountain-and-water poetry!" Jiang Xiaoyu said bluntly.

Ji Yaoyue chuckled lightly: "So confident?"

Jiang Xiaoyu said: "That's only natural! Senior Brother Luo Xuan takes poetry as his foundation and uses literature to enter the Dao; every one of his magical abilities and sword techniques is named after a poem!"

"Sword qi like a sea of smoke!" Sun Qianqian laughed: "Senior Brother Luo Xuan defeated the vassal state of Da Li's swordsman Heng Sanqiu with this very sword!"

"Indeed!" Ji Yaoyue gave a perfunctory nod, her face showing no change; in her heart, compared to swordsmanship, it seemed that everyone felt awkward in front of Heng Xian.

After chatting a while longer, the poetry collection outside had finished; not long after, ten learned scholars walked out of Chang Gongzhu's chambers.

The top ten have emerged!

The crowd immediately fell silent.

Outside on the square, silence fell once more, and everyone stared fixedly at the ten learned scholars.

Again, starting with the first person on the right, the verses were somewhat complex—featuring mountains and waters, yet also speaking of mountains as waters despite having neither.

Such as: "Bright moon shines between the pines, clear water flows over the stones..."

"In the twelfth month, the lake water lies level; alone I ascend Qingyang Tower..."

"Below Qingyang Tower lies Huating Lake; how many heroes have left their traces there..."

"Eight hundred li west of the Imperial Capital, the Qi Mountains are perilous, with rocky tunnels and ravines..."

Each poem more splendid than the last, each more wonderful than the previous.

As the final poem was recited, a youth emerged from the students of the Sheji Academy, dressed in a white scholar's robe, handsome and suave, charming and unrestrained; he drew a sword, leapt into midair, and danced with the sword to the poem.

"The Imperial Capital welcomes all nations; the imperial city connects the nine provinces."

"The river flows beyond heaven and earth; the mountain's hue lies between being and non-being."

"Cities and towns drift forth and back; waves and ripples stir the boundless sky."

"Qi's capital enjoys beautiful winds and moon; its fame endures ten thousand years."

The learned scholars finished reciting; the youth's sword dance also ended, he clasped his fists in salute: "Sheji Academy's Luo Xuan, I accept your guidance!"

The entire venue instantly burst into applause.

What a visual feast! Not bad, not bad! We got first place!

(End of chapter)