Chapter 151

Xu Que's arrival caused the mood of many scholars present to plummet to the bottom.

A person who could casually compose ten poems that would be passed down through the ages actually said that what he was best at was composing couplets; this was simply unbearable for others!

Of course, that portion of scholars who believed Xu Que had no talent and relied entirely on plagiarism sneered repeatedly!

Including Young Master Zhao, who had long seen through the fact that Xu Que had no talent in his belly; the artistic conceptions of those ten poems were completely different, and one could tell at a glance that they were randomly cobbled together.

But composing couplets could not be randomly cobbled together; couplets tested true talent and foundation, and even required on-the-spot wit!

Therefore, at this moment, Young Master Zhao's eyes, which were originally as indifferent as frost, now held a bit of mockery within them.

He believed that as long as they composed couplets, he would definitely be able to expose this "Li Bai"'s true, crude, and lowly side.

"Young Master Li, where did you go just now? This palace thought you had left without saying goodbye!"

At this moment, Lady Ya spoke with a smile, the appreciation flowing from her beautiful eyes almost undisguised.

He smiled solemnly: "Lady Ya is overthinking it. This one just went out for a walk to seek the true meaning of life in the rain!"

"Giggle... Young Master Li has such elegant interests!" Lady Ya laughed until she trembled like a flower!

Everyone present stared with wide eyes, the jealousy burning in their hearts.

The beauty of a mature lady like Lady Ya could be said to be unparalleled in the Imperial City.

But due to Lady Ya's status, no one dared to touch even a fraction of her!

Now, seeing Lady Ya undisguisedly show appreciation for Xu Que, many people felt as if their own woman had been snatched away, their hearts filled with both jealousy and resentment.

Including Young Master Zhao and the others, who couldn't help but let their eyes turn cold.

Xu Que, however, appeared light and breezy. Under the various murderous gazes of the crowd, he leaned against the entrance of the main hall, his body maintaining a perfect diagonal curve, fished a pack of cigarettes from his bosom, and took one out to hang from his mouth!

"Snap!"

He snapped his fingers, a wisp of flame shot from his fingertips, lit the cigarette, and he took a puff, swallowing clouds and exhaling mist.

The next moment, he fished out a bottle of beer from thin air, drank it boldly, his face full of enjoyment and happiness!

……

The whole crowd was stunned. What the hell was this guy doing? Actually smoking a roll of paper?

And that thing he was drinking looked strange, yet it had a rich, malty beer smell?

"Brother Li, what is that thing in your mouth?" Tang Liufeng also asked with great curiosity.

"Pfft!"

Xu Que suddenly sprayed a mouthful of beer from his mouth, glared, and said angrily: "Tang Bohu, can you even talk? This is called a cigarette. Beer plus cigarettes, boundless magic power, do you understand?"

"..."

When the crowd heard this, they immediately had black lines on their faces.

Beer plus cigarettes, boundless magic power?

Does this guy even know what composing couplets means! It's not like they're going to fight; he's actually using strange things to buff his magic power!

Young Master Zhao also sneered and shook his head: "Grandstanding, nonsensical!"

Mo Yunshang also looked disdainful, looked at the crowd and said: "Everyone, let's start composing couplets; no need to pay attention to some laymen!"

When the crowd heard this, they also came back to their senses one after another and nodded. After all, today was a banquet, not a show to watch that "Li Bai" act weird!

Lady Ya looked at Xu Que curiously, and even some of the female bookboys were mesmerized.

For some reason, they just felt that Xu Que, leaning against the door, swallowing clouds and exhaling mist while drinking, was particularly handsome and charming!

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for successfully acting cool. Rewarded with 40 Acting Cool Points!"

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for successfully acting cool. Rewarded with 60 Acting Cool Points!"

The system notification sound echoed in Xu Que's mind, earning back the cost of a pack of cigarettes.

These cigarettes are good stuff!

This beer is even better stuff!

As the saying goes, "Li Bai drinks a cup of wine and writes a hundred poems." Today, I, Xu Que, have beer plus cigarettes, and boundless magic power.

Listening to the notification of successful acting cool in his ears, Xu Que became even more smug. With a cheeky expression, he took a fierce puff of the cigarette, and then, under the watchful eyes of everyone, actually started blowing smoke rings at Lady Ya and her maids.

Toot toot toot...

Those smoke rings were actually heart-shaped, and under Xu Que's control, they slowly floated in front of Lady Ya.

Slurp!

Lady Ya gently inhaled these heart-shaped smoke rings. The taste was a bit choking, but it made people feel a bit more inexplicably excited.

Moreover, in this smoky smell, it seemed to be mixed with the scent of this talented "Young Master Li" before her; this was an incomparably novel experience.

But at this time, who would pay attention to Xu Que's strange behavior of cigarettes and beer!

It was agreed that they would compose couplets next. The scholars in the hall had already put their minds on the couplets, and everyone was thinking about when to bring out some "absolute couplets" they had thought of to make things difficult for the scholars present.

A scholar stood up first and said confidently: "I happened to think of an upper couplet a few days ago. Today, I will throw out a brick to attract jade; everyone listen carefully."

He paused and said loudly: "Heaven pairs with Earth, Rain pairs with Wind, Continent pairs with Long Sky, Mountain Flowers pair with Sea Trees, Red Sun pairs with Firmament!"

As his voice fell, everyone was stunned.

Immediately, they all frowned and pondered.

This couplet looked loose and simple, and it seemed that there were many things that could be paired with it, but every sentence had rules to follow.

Originally, some scholars who considered themselves talented intended to stand up and "make a fool of themselves," but when they heard the specific content of the couplet, they all stopped, shook their heads, and smiled bitterly.

Seeing that few scholars present were confident in this couplet, Young Master Zhao raised the corner of his mouth and, almost without thinking, replied indifferently: "River pairs with Han, Green pairs with Red, Rain Uncle pairs with Thunder Duke, Smoke Tower pairs with Snow Cave, Moon Palace pairs with Heavenly Palace!"

Everyone was shocked, and then praised repeatedly: "Wonderful, wonderful!"

"As expected of Young Master Zhao, to have thought of the lower couplet so quickly!"

"This is paired so wonderfully!"

The scholar who gave the upper couplet also nodded and bowed: "Young Master Zhao is indeed highly talented; I am ashamed of my inferiority! I really made a fool of myself just now!"

Young Master Zhao smiled indifferently and did not respond, full of pretension!

"Spring pairs with Stone, Trunk pairs with Branch, Blowing Bamboo pairs with Plucking Silk, Mountain Pavilion pairs with Water Pavilion, Parrot pairs with Cormorant." Just at this moment, Xu Que, standing at the door, exhaled a puff of smoke and replied indifferently with a lower couplet.

Everyone in the hall was stunned and shocked.

Damn, this guy really knows how to compose couplets!