T/N: Sooo, I messed up the last chapter and only posted half of it. I really did think I’d finished it! If you want to go back and read it, the new content starts at “Those two are Wang Huanzhi, the head of the Langya Wang family, and Wang Zhang, an elder and strategist of the clan.”

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The news of Chu Jiubian’s meeting with Gong-xiansheng spread quickly.

Upon hearing that the two seemed to be holding a poetry contest, the crowd was unable to contain their curiosity and rushed to the third floor, which forced a temporary suspension of the auction.

The auction manager was flustered at the thundering footsteps overhead. He rushed upstairs, squeezed into the private room, and shouted: “Everyone! Everyone, please hear me out!”

The clamoring voices finally subsided by a degree. The manager squeezed toward the middle of the private room, where he found Chu Jiubian and Bai Gongjin standing in front of a long table, along with several distinguished officials.

He quickly smiled and bowed: “I apologize profusely for disturbing your enjoyment. However, the third flood is very cramped. How about you gentlemen move to the first floor, where you can spread out a bit?”

Dressed in dark blue robes, Bai Gongjin looked at Chu Jiubian and asked: “Jiu-gongzi, shall we continue this downstairs?”

“Let’s,” said Chu Jiubian.

Diplomacy before force.

When Chu Jiubian met Bai Gongjin, the latter immediately began talking about “The Hard Road” and “A Spray of Plum Blossoms,” expressing how much he loved these two poems and how much he admired Li Bai and Li Qingzhao.

He also said that he had always wanted to meet Chu Jiubian and find out if there were any other such masterpieces that he could appreciate.

Fearing that Chu Jiubian might be unwilling or have a reason to refuse, Bai Gongjin had proposed that he would recite his own poem first to get things started.

He had already humbled himself so much. If Chu Jiubian still didn’t agree, it would seem as if he was intimidated by him.

The multitude of spectators around were practically offering their Faith Points to him with open arms. There was no reason for him not to accept.

Moreover, all of the powerful and influential people present were waiting to see what abilities this “Jiu-gongzi” possessed. If he didn’t show off, they would truly look down on him.

If he were to enter the Imperial Court later, he might be shunned.

More importantly, Qin Xiao would definitely know about everything that happened tonight.

Chu Jiubian needed to maintain their cooperative relationship, and being too timid would not be conducive to their continued rapport.

So, without hesitation, Chu Jiubian immediately agreed to “discuss” poetry with Bai Gongjin.

When they saw the two stars of the show going downstairs, everyone else naturally followed suit.

As darkness fell, the manager ordered oil lamps to be lit throughout the building.

There were quite a few of them, but the light was dim and flickering, only sufficient to illuminate the people present and the path ahead.

This was a common tactic used by the Treasure Pavilion. The auction began in the evening, and even the most ordinary items could be given a more atmospheric feel by the nighttime lights.

Bai Gongjin led Chu Jiubian to the first floor, intending to go directly to the stage for their poetry discussion.

Seeing this, many officials remained on the second floor or returned to their private boxes to watch from above.

Many more people followed them to the first floor, standing or finding a seat. They were all surprisingly quiet.

The vast majority of these people were here today to verify Chu Jiubian’s identity, a fact that Bai Gongjin, burdened with a heavy responsibility, was well aware of.

When both he and Chu Jiubian were standing onstage, he bowed to the crowd and said warmly: “I never imagined that my poetry discussion with Jiu-gongzi would disrupt the auction and spoil everyone’s fun. I am truly ashamed.”

Chu Jiubian stood silently to the side, gazing up at the private rooms on the second floor.

Under the dim light, he could see all of the powerful officials sitting leisurely upstairs, including Xiao Yao.

These people regarded Chu Jiubian as if looking at a commodity waiting to be priced and sold.

Qin Chaoyang stood quietly two steps behind him, seemingly unremarkable yet somehow very present.

At this moment, Chu Jiubian realized with absolute clarity that members of the Qin family were not the same as the people upstairs.

He could even surmise that if Qin Xiao was present at this moment, he would be standing below the stage with his arms crossed, watching with amusement to see how Chu Jiubian handled the situation – but he would never wear an expression as if he was assessing the goods.

Chu Jiubian felt that he might have been wrong from the beginning.

He and Qin Xiao may not be equal in status, but the man never looked down on him or treated his life lightly.

Otherwise, he would have broken Chu Jiubian’s neck on the day of the coronation ceremony.

Chu Jiubian’s feelings were somewhat complicated, but he remained outwardly calm and composed.

“Xiansheng is overthinking it,” said someone in the audience, and more people immediately chimed in.

“Both of you are exceptional talents. It is our honor to witness your poetry discussion in person.”

“Indeed, in no way have we been disturbed. Xiansheng is too kind.”

The atmosphere in the building was harmonious, but then a sudden voice rang out.

Tinged with amusement, that voice asked leisurely: “Are you going to compete or not?”

All noise in the building instantly subsided, and everyone looked toward the source of the sound, including Chu Jiubian.

Beside a vermillion stone pillar on the right side of the hall stood a young man clad in white robes, his arms crossed. His slightly curly long hair draped over his shoulders casually, and contained faint glimpses of silver chains that gleamed like stars in the candlelight.

In the Great Ning Dynasty, which emphasized etiquette and regulations, it was truly odd for a young man who had reached adulthood to have such wild hair.

Chu Jiubian even felt that he himself was more like a local than this person.

But it must be said that this fellow was really quite handsome.

With delicate features and a pair of alluring peach blossom eyes, the corners slightly upturned, every smile or frown exuded a romantic, carefree charm.

At this moment, the other person’s gaze fell on Bai Gongjin.

Bai Gongjin seemed to recognize him, and his expression stiffened.

The young man scoffed at this and said: “I hate people like you who put on airs. Aren’t you just trying to make things difficult for Jiu-gongzi because he stole your thunder? What’s with the pretense of being high-minded?”

“Young Master Wang is being ridiculous,” Bai Gongjin said, barely able to maintain his composure. “I merely wish to discuss poetry with Jiu-gongzi.”

“Then get started, so as not to delay my shopping.”

Young Master Wang?

As Chu Jiubian was pondering this person’s identity, Qin Chaoyang spoke very quietly from beside him: “Young Master, that is Wang Qichen, the eldest son of the Langya Wang family. His birth mother died early, and the current mistress of the Wang family was promoted from her position as a concubine.”

So that’s how it is.

Chu Jiubian raised his eyes toward the private box where the Wang family members were sitting and, sure enough, he saw that the usually composed and gentle Wang family head wore a dark expression on his face.

This father and son had a strained relationship, ah.

Somewhat embarrassed, Bai Gongjin gave Chu Jiubian an awkward smile: “Then I’ll offer my humble poem as a starting point. Please forgive my poor performance.”

“Please,” said Chu Jiubian.

Bai Gongjin slowly exhaled before saying: “A swift horse gallops through the clouds as dawn breaks to a lengthy song. One’s heart fills with lofty ambition, eyes encompassing countless villages.”

Everyone’s eyes lit up at the recitation of these two lines.

They thought to themselves: As expected of the renowned Gongjin-xiansheng. This poem is truly exceptional.

Bai Gongjin felt much more at ease upon seeing everyone’s reactions.

This poem called “Chasing the Wind” was his most satisfying piece in recent days. It was the influence of the line ‘There will be a time to ride the wind and waves, and set sail to cross the vast ocean’ which had put him in such an open-minded state.

He composed himself and proceeded to recite the last two lines: “Gains and losses follow the gull birds, one’s conduct guided by a goblet of wine. With no fixed abode, the wind and moon fill the heart of a wanderer.”

Thunderous applause erupted at the end of the recitation.

If one had read the Three Hundred Tang Dynasty Poems thoroughly, even if writing poetry was impossible, one could at least recite it.

Chu Jiubian was someone who couldn’t write poetry, but could distinguish between good and bad works, so he knew that Bai Gongjin’s poem was indeed of good quality.

However, taking each line of the man’s poem separately, Chu Jiubian could find similar artistic conceptions in the poems he had memorized. Therefore, in comparison, even the best poems no longer seemed so amazing.

But for the onlookers here, this was indeed a rare masterpiece, and for a time, the sounds of praise and discussion enveloped the entire Treasure Pavilion.

Amidst the slightly chaotic scene, Chu Jiubian suddenly caught sight of two slender, furtive figures as they quickly but carefully left through the back door.

Two women?

Chu Jiubian quickly realized that they were two women from the private room on the second floor, one dressed as a young lady and the other as a maid.

It was now completely dark outside, and the street was closed off, with no one coming or going.

If they left for the purpose of relieving themselves, there were several rooms on the third floor specifically prepared for women and guarded by strong matrons, so there was no need to leave the establishment.

Moreover, the women in attendance today had all come with the men and matriarchs of their families. Even if there was some sudden news from home, it wouldn’t be necessary for a young lady and her maid to go back and deal with it.

Their urgent, nervous expressions suggested that they definitely weren’t sneaking out to play.

So what were they doing?

Chu Jiubian turned his head toward Qin Chaoyang behind him, and the other man immediately leaned forward: “What are your orders, Young Master?”

“Two young women are acting strangely. Go take a look.”

Qin Chaoyang hesitated for a moment and sent a subtle glance toward a certain place on the second floor. Then, with a “yes,” he left, his figure vanishing into the shadows in the blink of an eye with no one the wiser.

Chu Jiubian was momentarily stunned.

This was his first time witnessing the martial arts of this era. So cool.

But why had Qin Chaoyang obeyed him to this extent? Could it be that Qin Xiao had granted him some kind of authority?

For example, “Listen to Chu Jiubian while out and about.”

Or perhaps there were other guards watching him from the shadows, so Qin Chaoyang wasn’t worried that he would run away, nor was he afraid of other forces “killing Chu Jiubian if they couldn’t have him.”

It seemed that the people guarding him must be highly skilled martial artists, which set Chu Jiubian’s heart at ease.

Bai Gongjin paid no attention to Chu Jiubian. As he listened to the compliments from the crowd below, he knew that after this night, his reputation as a talent would spread even further, and he couldn’t help feeling a little proud.

He could write poetry, and could comprehend it even better.

Therefore, he also clearly understood how difficult it was to create a poem like “The Hard Road.” Many poets spent their entire lives without being able to write one of such caliber.

He didn’t believe that the poets Li Bai and Li Qingzhao could have produced any better poems for Chu Jiubian to spread, unless there was a third great talent.

“What does the young master think of my poem?” he asked courteously with feigned humility.

Chu Jiubian nodded: “Pretty good.”

“I’m sure the Young Master can do better,” said Bai Gongjin.

The building fell silent once more as everyone awaited Chu Jiubian’s response.

“I’ll do my best.” The faint smile that appeared on Chu Jiubian’s indifferent face was like the snow melting in spring, captivating many among the audience.

Bai Gongjin, the person standing closest to him, was also briefly stunned. When he came to his senses, he subconsciously lowered his eyes, not daring to meet the gaze of the ethereal figure in front of him as his heart began to race. He was even more excited than when he was being praised by everyone earlier.

Chu Jiubian paid no attention to the reactions of others.

His voice was clear and cold, his expression filled with nostalgia as he said: “There is also a Gongjin-xiansheng in our immortal realm, but his surname is Zhou and his given name is Yu. He is a rare talent.”

A dark glint flashed in Xiao Yao’s eyes.

He recalled that when he mentioned “Gongjin-xiansheng” earlier, Chu Jiubian had subconsciously asked, “Is his surname Zhou?”

Therefore, this Zhou Gongjin must have really existed.

Even if he wasn’t a so-called immortal, he was certainly a member of the force behind Chu Jiubian.

A rare talent.

What kind of person must he be to have been described in such terms? Bai Gongjin was surprised that Chu Jiubian would say such a thing, and couldn’t help but ask curiously: “Then is that Zhou Gongjin-xiansheng also a poet?”

“He is,” Chu Jiubian replied without hesitation. “But what I am about to recite isn’t one of his poems. It is a poem by the god of poetry Su Shi, inspired by Zhou Yu, titled “Reminiscence of Red Cliffs.”

“God of poetry?” Bai Gongjin was speechless.

So was everyone else present.

Wasn’t Li Bai the “Immortal Poet?”

Why was there a “God of Poetry” now?

Would there be “Poet Saints” or “Poet Ghosts” in the future?!

The expressions of the nobles and officials in the second floor private rooms shifted. Sure enough, this Jiu-gongzi had more than two great talents behind him. Now, the God of Poetry Su Shi and the “rare talent” Zhou Yu had also emerged.

Wang Huanzhi took a sip of tea and said: “He’s deliberately acting mysterious.”

Wang Zhang had already gotten up and walked to the railing.

Seeing that everyone’s curiosity had been piqued, Chu Jiubian began to recite aloud: “The mighty river flows eastward, its currents washing away countless heroes of the past.”

“West of the old fortress, people say, lay the Red Cliffs of the Three Kingdoms’ Zhou Yu.”

The first two lines alone drew the audience into a profound, desolate atmosphere.

Those who had been sitting calmly in the private rooms on the second floor couldn’t help but get up and walk to the railing, fixing their burning gazes on Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian, however, seemed oblivious to them, and continued to recite in a cool voice: “Rocks pierce the sky and waves crash against the shore, churning up countless heaps of snow.”

Even without his deliberate, impassioned recitation, everyone could still get a sense of the magnificent and awe-inspiring battlefield from this single sentence.

“The landscape is like a painting, from which innumerable heroes emerge.”

How many heroes?

Was Zhou Yu not the only one this poet was reminiscing about?

At that moment, those powerful and wealthy people seemed to feel a chill at the bottom of their hearts.

Where were these so-called “Red Cliffs” located?

And what were the Three Kingdoms?

Was it the name of a place, or was it referring to three countries?

At this thought, everyone felt a chill run down their spine.

Were there other, even more powerful countries or forces lurking in the shadows? What was their purpose in sending Chu Jiubian to the capital?

Why did they hide themselves so well before, but wanted to get involved in this mess in the capital now?

Xiao Yao could no longer maintain the gentle smile on his face.

His gaze burned as he stared intently at the tall figure down below, and his hands nearly snapped his folding fan in half.

In so many years, no one had discovered such a terrifying force.

Either the other side was powerful to an uncanny degree, or they weren’t actually in this realm at all.

If so, was it really as Chu Jiubian said? These poems, that ice-making technique…..were they all from the immortal realm?

This Jiu-gongzi.

Was he truly a “god?”

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Chapter 17 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 19