Chapter 4

The middle-aged man in splendid attire frowned inwardly. Taste? Has poetry ever been tasted? It’s not food.

The young man’s tone was not at all that of a literatus, but rather that of a street vendor.

"Sir, this guy is just a fraud. Let’s ignore him and go home quickly."

The effeminate, pale-faced man without a beard glared at Ning Chen.

Because Ning Chen looked too much like a fraud.

Ning Chen glared back, "Who are you calling a fraud? Let me tell you, before long, I will be famous in the literary world. By then, my poems will be worth a fortune... If you don’t buy them now, you’ll regret it!"

The effeminate man sneered, "You think you can become famous in the literary world?"

Ning Chen looked at him with disdain, "You’re so effeminate, do you even understand poetry?"

"Ridiculous!"

The effeminate man pointed at Ning Chen, his hand trembling with anger.

The middle-aged man in splendid attire waved his hand, looked at Ning Chen, and said with a smile,

"You talk so highly of yourself. Dare you let me test you?"

Ning Chen spread his hands, "Go ahead, true gold fears no fire!"

The middle-aged man looked around and finally fixed his gaze on a few swans playing in the lake nearby.

He smiled and said, "Let’s write a poem about the swans, shall we?"

Ning Chen smiled and said, "How hard can that be? I can do it right away, listen carefully... Quack, quack, quack..."

Before Ning Chen could finish, the effeminate man interrupted with a shrill laugh.

He looked at Ning Chen with disdain, "Is this what you call a poem?"

Ning Chen’s face darkened. If it weren’t for the money, he would have cursed him... This effeminate man was too annoying.

"Don’t interrupt me, listen to me first before you laugh."

The middle-aged man also said sternly, "No interruptions, let him finish."

"Yes!" The effeminate man bowed slightly, then glared at Ning Chen, "Go on, I’ll see what you can come up with."

Ning Chen ignored him. After all, he was here to do business, and harmony brings wealth!

He cleared his throat and said, "Listen carefully... Quack, quack, quack, curved neck singing to the sky, white feathers floating on green water, red feet stirring the clear waves."

The middle-aged man’s eyes lit up slightly.

The effeminate man mocked, "Is this what you call a poem? It’s just plain talk!"

The middle-aged man waved his hand and said, "Good poem! Although it lacks depth and philosophy, it is catchy and very fitting for children’s education."

"How much for this poem? I’ll buy it."

Ning Chen was thrilled. Business is booming, making money!

He thought for a moment and held up one finger, "One tael of silver."

Actually, he had no idea how much a poem should cost, but one tael of silver could buy him a set of cotton clothes.

It was too cold, and he was almost frozen.

The middle-aged man was taken aback, "One tael of silver?"

Ning Chen thought he might have asked too much, "Uncle, one tael of silver is not expensive. If you buy more poems from me in the future, I can give you a discount."

Seeing the middle-aged man frown, Ning Chen continued to act pitiful,

"Uncle, it’s almost winter, and you can see I’m still wearing thin clothes... To be honest, my whole family is dead, and I’m left with only a lame old servant. We haven’t eaten for days."

Ning Chen’s stomach cooperated, making a gurgling sound at the right moment.

The middle-aged man looked at Ning Chen and said, "Let’s go somewhere else to talk."

Ning Chen was taken aback.

The middle-aged man smiled, "Don’t worry, there’s a benefit!"

"What benefit?"

"You’ll see... Don’t worry, someone like you isn’t worth much even if sold."

Although the words were hurtful, they were true.

Ning Chen nodded in agreement.

The middle-aged man led Ning Chen into the Zhuangyuan Tower and to an elegant room on the third floor.

"Sit wherever you like, don’t be stiff!" The middle-aged man said, then told the effeminate man, "Go, prepare some wine and dishes."

The effeminate man left reluctantly.

The middle-aged man sat down at the table and asked, "I don’t know your name yet?"

"My name is... Lan Xing."

Ning Chen gave a fake name. He might never return to Lan Xing, so he used it to commemorate his former home.

The middle-aged man’s eyes flickered, thinking... Is there a family with the surname Lan in the capital? This young man might not be telling the truth.

"Uncle, what’s your name?"

"Me? I’m... Tian Xuan."

Ning Chen smiled, "Good name, the universe is vast, and you have two of its elements."

Ning Chen had already seen that this person was not ordinary, and he had also noticed that the effeminate man was a eunuch.

This person must be a royal relative.

But some things are better left unsaid.

The more you know, the faster you die!

He was just here to do business, to make money, and nothing else mattered.

"Lan Xing, you said you are proficient in poetry and prose. What other poems have you written?"

"Uncle, do you want to buy the poem I just recited? If you do, I’ll give you a discount on the next ones."

Tian Xuan nodded, "I’ll buy it, but that poem is worth more than one tael of silver."

"Uncle, one tael of silver is already very cheap, I’m not making a profit..."

Tian Xuan waved his hand and smiled, "I said more, not less... I’m willing to pay ten taels of silver for that poem."

Ning Chen was stunned, "Ten taels? Uncle, are you serious?"

Tian Xuan smiled, "I... cough... really!"

Ning Chen was overjoyed.

"Uncle, you’re like my second father... Don’t worry, I’ll give you a discount on future poems."

Ning Chen didn’t like this exaggerated way of speaking. With a thirty-year-old soul, acting like a fifteen-year-old was too uncomfortable.

But only by doing so did it fit a fifteen-year-old’s nature. He was helpless and could only try to get used to it.

Tian Xuan asked, "What other poems do you have to sell?"

Ning Chen exaggerated, "There are many... What kind of poem do you want, and I’ll write it for you?"

At that moment, a commotion came from the next room.

Tian Xuan frowned and said, "The Zhuangyuan Tower is such a refined place, how can it be so noisy?"

Just then, the effeminate, pale-faced man without a beard returned.

Tian Xuan asked casually, "What’s going on next door?"

The effeminate man hurriedly bowed and said respectfully, "Sir, it’s General Chen, who is drunk."

Tian Xuan sighed slightly and said, "General Chen has spent his life in battle, fighting for the country. Now, with his body disabled and unable to fight, he must be feeling bitter and using alcohol to drown his sorrows."

Ning Chen knew about General Chen, who had spent his life in battle but lost a leg three years ago in a battle and now lived in retirement... It was said that he drank to drown his sorrows every day.

"Lan Xing, write a poem about General Chen’s current bitterness."

Ning Chen scratched his head, feeling a bit challenged.

The effeminate man looked at him with disdain, "You boasted about being proficient in poetry and prose, and now you’re stuck? What a slap in the face!"

Ning Chen rolled his eyes at him and looked at Tian Xuan, "Uncle, I can’t think of a poem right away. Can I write a ci instead?"

Tian Xuan smiled and said, "Poetry and ci are not separate, a ci is fine!"

"Alright, I’ll write a ci about General Chen’s current situation."

Ning Chen took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and began to recite:

"In drunkenness, I light a lamp to look at my sword, dreaming of the bugles sounding in the camp.

Eight hundred miles away, I share roasted meat with my troops, fifty strings play the sounds of the border, and the autumn army is mustered.

My horse runs as fast as the swift horse, my bow sounds like thunder.

I accomplish the king’s great cause, winning fame in life and after death, but alas, my hair has turned white!"

When Ning Chen finished, Tian Xuan looked shocked.

Even the effeminate man, who had been mocking Ning Chen, was speechless, his eyes bulging like a toad's.