The grass was verdant, and the river breeze stirred the gauze curtains hanging from the pavilion. The figure who had thrown down the poems and left was already approaching the courtyard gate in the distance. Some people were chasing after him, shouting, "Don't leave, clarify things..." "Ning Liheng, do you think you're done just by leaving like this!" "Stop trying to mystify us!" But then they also noticed the unusual commotion behind them. Some people stopped and turned to look back.

Xue Gongyuan's volatile temper and his holding the poetry manuscript, ready to chase after him, was the reason the others felt confident in stopping Ning Yi. With an elder speaking, he wouldn't dare to run, and the others could use their unease as an excuse to block him. However, the reaction that subsequently appeared on Xue Gongyuan was truly bewildering and hard to understand. Few could guess what was written on that piece of paper that could make him act that way.

If Ning Yi truly had talent, what was written on the paper might be a good poem, but at this moment, writing a poem and running away was just deceiving himself. If word got out, it would be said that he was too arrogant, thinking a single poem could overwhelm everyone. The elders present were all people who had experienced many big events. The fact that Xue Gongyuan was so astonished at first glance made the few insightful people in the crowd suspect that the paper contained something related to a secret affair, something that Xue Gongyuan knew about but had to keep quiet about as soon as he saw it.

Ji Wanqing frowned, immediately thinking that Ning Liheng might have gotten hold of some compromising information about Xue Gongyuan and written it down in code, preventing Xue Gongyuan from pursuing the matter further. Amidst her surprise and doubt, she shook her head inwardly. He could silence Xue Gongyuan, but he couldn't silence the many gossiping mouths. At most, it would only lead to Xue Gongyuan's disgrace as well. In Bianliang City, there were plenty of stories about literary elders or retired officials who had painstakingly built up their reputations, only to ruin them in their old age. She had seen too many.

However, Ning Liheng was clever, knowing that he couldn't turn the situation around, so he threw down this thing and left. If he could really drag Xue Gongyuan into it, then even if many people questioned it later, he wouldn't be labeled a "fraud" on the spot, avoiding complete disgrace and making it impossible to move forward. Ji Wanqing thought about this possibility and turned to look at her opponent, Li Shishi, who was sitting there with one hand to her lips, seemingly lost in thought. But in any case, he was her friend, whom she had brought. Although he wouldn't be completely disgraced this time, he was already linked to her. She had suffered a great loss in this confrontation before the Dragon Boat Festival, and she must have realized this. If she were her, she could only sit there and pretend to be calm.

The sunlight shone down, and it was indeed a clear summer noon. Amidst the brief commotion and astonishment, everyone had their own thoughts and guesses. Of course, most people were just wondering what kind of poem it was, whispering, "...Mulan Zhi Yi, Shatang Zhou, Yu Xiao Jin Guan, Zuo Liang Tou, what kind of lines are these..."

"Just neat, but... also mediocre?"

Only hearing a few lines, the discussion lacked confidence. Yan Lingzhong and others had already gathered around, "Xue Gong..."

"Gongyuan, what's wrong?"

"Let me see, let me see what this guy wrote. Gongyuan, let go..."

Pan Hongda, who was serious and straightforward, snatched the poetry manuscript from Xue Gongyuan's hand. Only then did Xue Gongyuan react, putting down the Xuan paper, swallowing his saliva, looking at the surrounding people, his expression still complex, staring with wide eyes, not saying a word. Pan Hongda began to read the poem with anger, reciting the first two lines, his expression gradually changing. Yan Lingzhong, Mo Gong, and others also looked over.

They were all people who had been in the literary world for so long, and they had some psychological preparation for what Ji Wanqing could think of. In this kind of situation, if you want to force someone to be disgraced, they can do anything. They also thought, if there was something strange in this poem, they could take a look first and choose how to respond as soon as possible, thinking about whether it could be covered up. But after looking at the poem, their expressions were already astonished and suspicious, looking at each other, "This poem... this kind of poem..."

Their expressions were uncertain, and Yu Shaoyuan, Fang Wenyang, and others had already curiously gathered around. Ning Yi had previously placed Yu Shaoyuan's manuscript and his own manuscript together. At this time, Yu Shaoyuan smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Distinguished teachers, may I ask that you share Mr. Ning's manuscript with everyone for their appreciation?" He was sure there was something fishy about it. First of all, he had to open the matter up. The *Nian Nu Jiao* he wrote today was the essence of his years of accumulation. Could it really be suppressed by someone?

However, after he said this, Pan Hongda and others glanced at him. Someone helped Xue Gongyuan to sit down next to him first. Yan Lingzhong looked at the situation, then looked at Yu Shaoyuan, and finally sighed, handing the manuscript to him, "Alright, Shaoyuan, read it to everyone... Alright."

His expression was sentimental. Yu Shaoyuan was slightly puzzled, but he took the manuscript and unfolded it, looking at the surrounding people. Some people were already saying, "Shaoyuan, read it quickly." Fang Wenyang and others started to look from the side. Yu Shaoyuan lowered his head and began to recite, "Mulan Zhi Yi, Shatang Zhou, Yu Xiao Jin Guan, Zuo Liang Tou. Fine wine, a thousand hu in the cup, carrying prostitutes to follow the waves... ha, let it go where it goes."

At this time, poetry emphasized rhythm. Yu Shaoyuan read it out directly, with cadence and intonation, at a moderate speed, enough time for people to appreciate and remember. The first few lines were just neat and excellent sentences, but when he read "carrying prostitutes to follow the waves," Yu Shaoyuan smiled softly. Someone around him laughed.

Someone laughed, "It's just average." But not many people said that, because the poetry was actually very good, almost impeccable, just not enough to directly shock people.

Yu Shaoyuan continued to read the next line, which was "Immortals wait to ride the yellow crane, sea travelers have no intention of following the white gull." At this time, his expression had already changed slightly.

However, everyone around was listening, and he couldn't show anything on his face for a while, not even stop the cadence and intonation in his mouth. He paused slightly, looked at the people next to him, and recited from the paper, "...Qu Yuan's words and poems hang like the sun and moon, the terraces of King Chu are empty hills... In high spirits, the brush shakes the five peaks, the poem is completed, laughing proudly! Ascending Cangzhou..." At this time, the awe-inspiring spirit of the poem had already emerged, and Yu Shaoyuan's tone followed the rhythm. When he reached "In high spirits, the brush shakes the five peaks, the poem is completed, laughing proudly, ascending Cangzhou," the entire tone was taken upwards. This was also because the literati at this time had studied poetry and prose since childhood and were quite particular about it. When the spirit of the poem came, reciting it according to the momentum made him a little unable to suppress it, but after all, he was thinking that he couldn't do this. After the tone was raised, he deliberately suppressed it, making it a bit strange.

His lips moved, looking at the last two lines, unable to recite them for a while. His eyes swept over the surrounding people. The literati listening to the poem were either murmuring and repeating it, or lowering their heads and pondering, their fingers still tapping the rhythm on their legs, not noticing Yu Shaoyuan's impropriety. Just during his slight distraction, Fang Wenyang next to him had finished reading the manuscript and actually shook his head, just turning and leaving. After a moment, the crowd digested these two sentences a little, and after a long time without any movement, they looked up and said, "Shaoyuan, what's next?"

"Next..." His words seemed to come from his throat, but then he smiled, "...If fame and wealth last forever, the Han River should also flow northwest. This poem, please appreciate it."

As if it was too hot to handle, he recited the last two lines and handed the manuscript directly out, and someone immediately took it. Someone also said, "This poem is just average... right." Someone else answered, "This poem..." How could everyone present not want to immediately give this poem an evaluation and a personality, but looking at the surrounding expressions, no one dared to give this poem a fixed evaluation for a while. No one wanted to be the first reckless person to be scolded, but no one was willing to directly say that this poem was good. Everyone was waiting for someone else to speak first.

Everyone had already heard it once, and they were passing around the poetry manuscript, some had already read it once, often looking in the direction Ning Yi had left, pondering for a while, and then looking at the poem again. Those who felt like they couldn't squeeze in anymore simply wrote the poem on the paper next to them. In such a short period of time, only the group of literati lost their composure. The Princess Qing on that side and Ji Wanqing on this side were a bit neglected.

Ji Wanqing listened to the poem once and decided in her heart that it might not be that good, but looking at Yu Shaoyuan, he was lowering his head and chanting bitterly in the distance, holding his own *Nian Nu Jiao*, his expression changing uncertainly. Looking to the side again, Shishi was sitting on the futon, one hand covering her mouth, but also seemingly mumbling something. Her body was swaying gently from side to side, her eyes were smiling, and her smile was elegant. Her other fair finger was dipping into the wine and writing on the small table in front of her, obviously also the poetry left by Ning Liheng. She hummed along with the rhythm, feeling oblivious and self-satisfied, occasionally laughing again.

Ji Wanqing sat there, her expression gentle and with a slight smile, but she根本 could not have expected such a result, and not many people guessed that the poetry manuscript was simply such a poem. Theoretically speaking, no matter how good the poem is, there is a limit to what it can do here. Even if the poem written by Ning Yi is comparable to Yu Shaoyuan's *Nian Nu Jiao*, there are many things that can be said. But this poem exceeded this category.

If it wasn't because of the deliberate planning and aggression of this group of people, Ning Yi wouldn't have wanted to bring out this poem to fit the occasion. At most, Su Shi's love poem *Huan Xi Sha* would have been enough to hold the stage. But with things developing to this point, taking out this poem had a different meaning. Li Bai's *Jiang Shang Yin*. To describe it in one sentence, this is one of the works that best represents the poet immortal's thoughts in his prime.

Li Taibai, one of a kind throughout the ages.

In terms of generosity, passion, and expressing feelings, Li Bai's poems are the most capable of impacting people's hearts and shocking others at the first moment, especially in front of these people who have spent their entire lives with poetry. "Qu Yuan's words and poems hang like the sun and moon, the terraces of King Chu are empty hills. In high spirits, the brush shakes the five peaks, the poem is completed, laughing proudly, ascending Cangzhou!" Almost without any complicated investigation or analysis, hitting it here, not many people can resist it.

Although in later generations, perhaps because of "carrying prostitutes to follow the waves," this poem was not selected into any textbooks, and its fame does not seem to be as great as *Jiang Jin Jiu* and other famous works, it is indeed Li Taibai's great achievement when he was in his thirties and forties. It is relatively conventional, but magnificent and fluent, like the arrival of a great river, completed in one breath. Placed in this poetry gathering, what it shakes is not just the Five Mountains, and what it ascends is not just Cangzhou. It is simply overwhelming everyone at the poetry gathering with great force. If it were not so, Xue Gongyuan would not have been speechless.

No one had thought that this slap in the face would be so sharp and exaggerated. At this time, there was still a group of literati discussing in low voices, and wealthy children on Princess Qing's side whispering. They joined in the fun because Zhou Pei had praised her teacher too much. The people who grew up in Bianliang would not be convinced, but they came to watch the excitement and did not think about making enemies. At this time, they said in a low voice, "I didn't expect her teacher to be so exaggerated..."

Ji Wanqing was sitting next to Shishi, entangled and carefully considering the sentences, "I didn't expect that this Ning Liheng could really write such good poetry. Compared with Shaoyuan, it is difficult to tell who is better, Sister Shishi..." She looked at the front with a calm gaze, turned her head, and spoke to Shishi casually and kindly. But Shishi laughed "huhu" "huhu" a few times, somewhat strangely. Looking sideways, although Shishi covered her mouth and laughed occasionally, she was still as beautiful and attractive as ever, but at this time, her fingers were still writing on the table, and her eyes did not look at her.

"Hu... Sister Wanqing, I don't even know what you're doing..."

"Hmm?"

"Do you even know how amazing my brother is... hu..."

"Sister Shishi... What do you mean by this..."

"I've been laughing since I sat down... seeing you forcing him... Hehe, Sister Wanqing..."

"Uh..."

"I don't know how amazing he is... but, I only know..." Shishi laughed and lowered her head, propping her forehead with her hand for a moment, "Zhou Meicheng once admitted that he would not dare to write poetry in front of him... Sister Wanqing, why... did you have to force him? Hmph... Sorry, it's too funny..."

Although the two had always been harmonious on the surface, the struggle for fame between courtesans had actually torn their faces apart several times in private. Shishi had always shown herself to be intellectual, elegant, and intelligently clear, but if she had malicious intentions, she was often sharp in her words, and often a calm sentence could stab people in an awkward position. She was not the type to accept things lying down. At this time, everyone had not yet turned their attention, and she was laughing heartily here, and Ji Wanqing's face was irritated, turning red and white for a while. Zhou Meicheng wouldn't dare to write poetry in front of him? If that were true, she recalled the development of the entire situation, and she could clearly see how she and the others had become clowns in the other's eyes...

Her face was cloudy and sunny, complex and indescribable. However, in Shishi's heart at this moment, she was not concerned about how miserable her opponent was after being slapped in the face. What she was thinking more about was the entire process of the matter.

To be honest, Shishi was a little frightened by Ning Yi's solution to the situation, so much so that the image of Ning Yi that seemed a little clearer in her heart had become somewhat blurred and mysterious again.

Carrying prostitutes to follow the waves... Although it is really unrestrained, what is he thinking...

Just as Shishi was thinking about these things in her heart, Ning Yi had already taken Zhou Pei out of the manor and onto the shaded path outside.

***************

Okay, brushing the ordinary copy of the starting point, the Holy Paladin is in place, 1=4!

The monthly ticket is twenty-second, thank you all, let's go to the top twenty first ^_^

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