Chapter 780: First Volume, Chapter 780: Competing in Poetry With Me? Seeking Death

First Volume, Chapter 780: Competing in Poetry With Me? Seeking Death

Liu Juren's palms were already sweating; he had only one line left in his hand, and once he produced it, it would mean no winner or loser, and the next turn would be Qin Feng's to set the topic.

But, facing so many pairs of eyes, Liu Juren had no choice but to steel himself and recite his trump card: "Green rain and red trees both reflect spring…"

Boom—

The scene erupted in thunderous applause; no one knew the complicated feelings in Liu Juren's heart at this moment, only feeling that this poetry game was thoroughly exhilarating.

The women gathered outside the door, their eyes full of admiration and envy.

"Wow, Young Master Liu is too strong; even facing Qin Feng, he can handle it with such ease. It seems today's Fen Xiang Wen Tan won't need anyone else to take the stage at all."

"S…spoken correctly, Young Master Liu alone is enough."

"After today, even if Young Master Liu doesn't win, it will be enough to make a fine tale."

"What do you mean doesn't win? I feel Young Master Liu is sure to win! Don't forget, Young Master Liu opened first; he composed four lines, while Qin Feng only composed three. Young Master Liu has already won."

"Don't be in a hurry. This first round ends in no winner or loser; next it's Qin Feng's turn to choose the topic and open. This time, he also has to compose four lines."

"Although I feel there's no need to waste time—Qin Feng is sure to lose—yet to see Young Master Liu's brilliant literary talent, let's wait a little longer."

The onlookers watching the excitement all looked at Qin Feng with smugness; only Liu Juren's palms were sweating.

After all, only Liu Juren knew clearly in his heart how terrifying Qin Feng's literary attainments were.

Calculating with forethought against the unsuspecting, yet still being handled with ease by Qin Feng, Young Master Liu knew he had already lost, but facing so many pairs of eyes, he could only tough it out.

Qin Feng remained casual and understated, not taking this Fen Xiang Wen Tan seriously at all.

"Heh, since the people of Great Di all yearn for spring breeze and fear bitter cold, I'll take the character 'winter' as my topic."

Knowing Di's weakness clearly, yet rubbing salt in the wound—worthy of Qin Feng!

Everyone present looked on with nothing but contempt and scorn.

Some went further, directly flinging their sleeves and rebuking: "Hmph, the bandit Qin never dies in his heart to destroy our Great Di!"

Qin Feng ignored the resentful gazes around him and said with a smile: "According to the rules, it's my turn to open. Then I'll give one line: A winter well has no cold ice."

Qin Feng made a "please" gesture, indicating that Liu Juren need not stint on his ink, and should just go ahead and slap his own face.

Liu Juren had originally thought Qin Feng wouldn't even survive the first round, so he had no preparation for the second round. Moreover, he couldn't have prepared, since the second round's topic was set by Qin Feng; even if he were divinely clever, he couldn't have calculated Qin Feng's thoughts.

Winter…

The responding verse's second character had to be the character winter.

Under the excited gazes of the crowd, Liu Juren swallowed hard, his brain working at its utmost, and finally after One Cup of Tea Time, had a clue.

"Early winter, the twenty-fifth…"

Hearing Liu Juren's response, the women present all cheered, but some Literary Gathering scholars slightly furrowed their brows and couldn't help beginning to whisper among themselves.

"Setting aside the time it took, this 'early winter, the twenty-fifth' would be fine within a poem, but pulled out on its own, it always feels… lacking something."

"Exactly, it's somewhat forced."

Apart from those infatuated girls whose heads were muddled by Liu Juren's looks, the Literary Gathering scholars present all understood that in the first round's contest, Liu Juren had already fallen behind.

It all depended on how Qin Feng performed next.

As everyone expected, Qin Feng still didn't even think, blurting out: "Long fearing winter has no snow."

No one in the entire Huijuan Lou applauded, but their gazes at Qin Feng grew increasingly solemn, only because Qin Feng answered so quickly, and in terms of poetic quality, he had also left Liu Juren far behind.

For a moment, the gazes of everyone present all converged on Liu Juren.

Liu Juren's palms sweated, he clenched his teeth, and racked his brains.

"And…and like this year's winter."

Liu Juren answered, but the quality was unsatisfactory, and it took him nearly One Incense Stick Time.

The Literary Gathering scholars were already shaking their heads repeatedly.

Qin Feng grinned: "Studying needs but three winters to suffice."

Sensing Qin Feng's easy, confident smile, Liu Juren was already completely panicked. Although his literary attainments, even if forced, could piece together this final line, if the quality was lacking, relying on quantity alone would only earn contempt.

But in such a short time, how could he compose poetry of superior quality?

After attempting for One Cup of Tea Time, Liu Juren felt like a tangled mess, unable to sort out any thread, and could only concede defeat.

"M…Marquis Qin has fine literary talent; Liu concedes defeat wholeheartedly."

At these words, the women outside the door were all stunned; they had never expected Liu Juren to lose to Qin Feng, and moreover to concede defeat voluntarily…

"H…how is this possible? Young Master Liu actually lost to Qin Feng?"

"Does this mean even Young Master Liu is no match for Qin Feng?"

"Hmph, so what if he lost? Young Master Liu is still young; being able to match wits with Qin Feng until now is already a fine tale."

A fine tale? Fine my ass!

Qin Feng sneered inwardly; all these people were holding back their thoughts to watch him embarrass himself—how could he possibly be polite?

Qin Feng didn't rush to proceed to the next stage, but looked at Liu Juren with deep meaning.

"Liu Juren, in the future when playing games, don't cheat; it's pointless."

At these words, Liu Juren's face instantly went deathly pale, while the Literary Gathering scholars and women present were instantly enraged, pointing at Qin Feng and loudly rebuking him.

"Good for you, Qin Feng, you won and you won, but how can you be so arrogant? To slander someone's innocence out of thin air."

"Exactly, although Young Master Liu is not your equal, he wouldn't stoop to cheating."

"Qin Feng, explain your words clearly, otherwise… don't even think about leaving!"

Facing everyone's accusations, Qin Feng shrugged nonchalantly: "The first round took spring as its topic; the poem Liu Juren composed still had some quality. How is it that in the second round the gap is so great, even producing a hack line like 'early winter, the twenty-fifth'? Heh, could it be that he had preparation for the first round, but no preparation for the second?"

Hearing these words, everyone present was left speechless.

Liu Juren was drenched in sweat; he knew this matter concerned his reputation.

Just as he was about to argue, he saw Qin Feng straightforwardly complete the final line of the second round's poem.

"Since Scholar Liu can't compose one, I'll lend you a hand."

"The brilliant Mao stars herald winter's start!"

Scholar Liu couldn't help stepping back, his eyes filled with shock. He knew perfectly well Qin Feng couldn't have cheated, so how could he produce such flawless verses off the cuff?

Could it be… the gap really was this vast?

The once-bustling scene fell silent in an instant.

Qin Feng, however, felt it wasn't enough. He chuckled lightly: "Spring and winter are both covered, so why not round it out with autumn and summer too? All four seasons present — only then is it a fine year!"

"Summer trees, lush and shaded, so pleasing."

"Winter and summer share frost and snow."

"Silkworms have no summer weave, mulberry fills the stockade."

"The Hu wind rises through spring and summer!"

"The courtyard is still, people vanish into summer."

"The tall pines stand aloof through cold summer."

"Winter thunder rumbles, I think of midsummer!"

Qin Feng rattled off all seven drinking verses containing "summer" in one breath, without the slightest pause, leaving everyone present dumbstruck.

The look in their eyes toward Qin Feng held no resentment whatsoever — only astonishment and admiration.

It wasn't over yet!