"In the depths of the winding balustrade, we meet again, tears wetting the body that trembles."
"After the desolate farewell, both must feel the same, the most unbearable is the clear resentment under the bright moon."
Seeing Han Mo finish writing the first two lines, Li Shishi's eyes widened.
When she read poetry and books before, whenever she saw Li Taibai writing a hundred poems after a drink, she always felt that there must be some exaggeration involved.
After all, although she herself had not written any immortal lines, being in a pleasure house and engaging in poetry exchanges with those romantic scholars every day, she still had a discerning eye.
To write a good ci poem, not only is the poet's own accumulation needed, but more importantly, a moment of inspiration.
At the very least, in the years since she became a famous courtesan, even the great ci poets Yan Jidao and Zhang Xian had never written two good ci poems consecutively in one night.
However, just the first two lines written by Han Mo had once again surpassed Zhou Bangyan by more than ten streets.
Li Shishi was completely shocked, let alone Zhou Bangyan, the person involved.
Everyone has a sliver of hope. Although he was already convinced of Han Mo's talent in his heart,
Deep down, he still held a little bit of luck, thinking that perhaps he could salvage this situation.
After all, he had lost face terribly tonight, and from now on, the title of the foremost talent in Bianliang would have to change hands.
If he lost both his money and his reputation, how would he spend the rest of the year?
Did he have to rely on the court's salary?
Ultimately, he was still just a minor official.
It is easy to go from frugsality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality.
The salary provided by the court was indeed quite generous for ordinary people.
However, compared to his spending habits, it wasn't even enough for him to have a meal.
At least after he gained the reputation of the foremost talent in Bianliang, places like Fanlou were generally free of charge.
As long as he wrote a new ci poem here every few days, the owner of Fanlou might even pay him.
Even when visiting prostitutes, as long as it wasn't to a top courtesan, ordinary top courtesans would be vying to be with him.
Not only did he not have to pay, but those top courtesans might even pay him.
But without this title, such benefits would truly be gone forever.
He was an expert himself. After seeing these two lines, the last sliver of luck in his heart completely vanished.
He truly felt like crying now, regretting not having considered this earlier.
Wouldn't it have been better to honestly let that kid lie low in the Imperial Academy?
Why did he have to provoke him?
Wasn't this asking for trouble?
"Why did you stop writing?"
Seeing that the incense stick had only a third left, Zhong Yanchong suddenly noticed that Han Mo had stopped.
This concerned hundreds of thousands of strings of copper coins!
It was natural for him to be anxious now.
Not only did Zhong Yanchong notice, but Li Shishi also noticed that the young man seemed to have stopped moving.
When she looked up at Han Mo, she saw him winking at her.
She was stunned for a moment, but then immediately understood Han Mo's meaning. The young man was waiting for her to play the zither...
The hint of sadness that had just brewed was suddenly thrown to the winds.
However, Li Shishi still smiled charmingly, then sat back down in her seat.
After collecting her emotions, she began to play the ancient zither before her.
Hearing the music of the zither resume, Han Mo nodded with satisfaction.
Damn it!
At this moment, everyone present understood. It turned out that all this talk was just because the young man was waiting for Miss Li!
Even Zhong Yanchong felt like ten thousand "Cao Ni Ma" stampeding through his mind. At this time, this young man was still thinking about wooing girls.
Hearing Li Shishi's zither music resume, Han Mo then once again picked up his brush with satisfaction and wrote the remaining two lines in one go.
"Half a lifetime is destined for lonely sleep, the mountain pillow stained with cinnabar marks."
"Recalling what is most soul-stirring, the first branch flower pattern painted on a silk skirt."
Looking at the last two lines written by Han Mo, Cai Shu's face turned ashen.
The countless gamblers in the entire Fanlou now all desperately wanted to cry.
Don't misunderstand, they weren't moved by the artistic conception of this ci poem.
It was simply because the copper coins in their purses had completely flown away.
As countless people looked at Han Mo, their eyes filled with resentment.
Originally, the succession of a new talent replacing an old one was something people loved to see.
However, no one expected that Han Mo, who had been relatively unknown before, would suddenly write two immortal works.
After all, many talented scholars have moments of inspiration, and it's not uncommon for them to occasionally write a masterpiece that shocks the world.
But for you to write two more masterpieces, no less than the previous ones, in such a short time this evening, it's a bit too much.
"In the depths of the winding balustrade, we meet again, tears wetting the body that trembles."
"After the desolate farewell, both must feel the same, the most unbearable is the clear resentment under the bright moon."
"Half a lifetime is destined for lonely sleep, the mountain pillow stained with cinnabar marks."
"Recalling what is most soul-stirring, the first branch flower pattern painted on a silk skirt."
Listening to Li Shishi's moving zither music and singing, Cai Shu couldn't help himself and squatted on the ground, weeping uncontrollably.
This is not how you play!
If I had known today would be like this, wouldn't it have been better to stay home and copy books?
Why did I have to crawl out?
One million four hundred thousand strings of copper coins, such a huge sum, even if he were torn to pieces, he couldn't produce it.
As for other people's money, one million strings were won by Liang Shicheng!
With such a large amount of money, he would probably be beaten to death when he returned.
Instead, the students from the Imperial Academy were all filled with excitement at this moment!
They had made money!
Han Mo had said earlier that no matter how much they won tonight, they would get a share!
Even though they were the sons of high-ranking officials, the money given by their families each year was limited.
Although it was enough for them to live comfortably in Bianliang City, you couldn't expect these noble young lords to crawl into those half-hidden doors like common laborers.
When they had nothing to do, they always had to go out and have fun with their classmates.
After eating and drinking, they had to go to the pleasure houses, right?
But they didn't fancy those common prostitutes in the pleasure houses.
However, the prices for those top courtesans were extraordinarily expensive.
After winning money today, the situation would be completely different!
Even Zhong Yanchong, at this moment, remembered the little darling in the Peach Blossom Cave...
"Brother Zhou, do you have any comments on this ci poem?"
After Li Shishi finished singing, Han Mo, satisfied, came to Zhou Bangyan, whose face was ashen, and asked with a fawning smile.
"I..."
Zhou Bangyan's mouth twitched. Killing a person only requires a nod of the head, but this fellow is a bit too shameless!
He really wanted to argue now, but the problem was that just this last sentence was enough to make him breathless.
"I am not as good as Brother Han!"
Zhou Bangyan finally let out a long sigh and closed his eyes in despair.
Goodbye, my foremost talent of Bianliang.
Goodbye, my dearest little Shishi...