Chapter 40

Many people instinctively stepped back, avoiding getting involved in the conflict.

Those who cherished their reputations would never help Guan Yaoyuan at this moment, as it would be equivalent to helping the notorious Liu Zicheng.

Those who feared trouble also remained neutral, for Fang Yun was after all Fang Shouye's nephew and was said to have a certain connection with Academician Li Wenyi.

Fang Yun's words isolated Liu Zicheng and Guan Yaoyuan along with their die-hard supporters, completely cutting off their chances of using other scholars to undermine his literary reputation.

Guan Yaoyuan didn't seem angry at all, sighing and saying, "Fang Yun, you really misunderstood me. I'm not isolating you. It's because you were born into a poor family, and you resent the rich and officials, thinking that we aristocrats will definitely harm you. I admit I shouldn't have mentioned Liu Zicheng, and I apologize to you again. Sigh, don't laugh at me, but I spent so much money just to enhance my literary reputation. If Fang Yun didn't come, I would have found a way to be the champion. Now that Fang Yun is here, I'm happier than anyone else. If my poetry gathering produces an additional famous poem or a state-stabilizing poem, it would also enhance my literary reputation."

Fang Yun said, "Brother Guan, you're quite skilled. Unable to isolate me, you want to put me at odds with the aristocrats. We poor scholars never resent the rich; we resent the unrighteous rich! Your act of showing weakness is very smart, but I have a question: Are you usually so smooth-talking and willing to take abuse without retaliating? When something is out of the ordinary, it must be suspicious!"

Everyone suddenly realized.

Guan Yaoyuan's face changed drastically, instinctively looking around.

Some people avoided Guan Yaoyuan's gaze, some wore cold smiles, and some shook their heads lightly.

Everyone knew that although Guan Yaoyuan was usually polite, he wasn't as submissive as he was today. Today, he was merely using a retreat to advance, portraying himself as a pitiful person to highlight Fang Yun as a petty and aggressive person.

Gao Minghong immediately said in a strange tone, "I wondered why you, Young Master Guan, were so soft today, apologizing from the start and looking so wronged, like a little woman. It turns out you had ulterior motives. After all, you and Liu Zicheng can share a concubine, so you must want to avenge him."

Everyone's curiosity was piqued. Two scholars sharing a concubine wasn't a major scandal, but it would certainly damage their literary reputations.

Guan Yaoyuan clenched his teeth, swallowing the curses that were about to spill out. He knew that if he really cursed, Fang Yun would seize the opportunity to say he had revealed his true nature.

Guan Yaoyuan angrily said, "Gao Minghong, how can you insult me like this? If I weren't enduring for the sake of the poetry gathering and my literary reputation, I would have challenged you to a poetry duel long ago! Do you think I'm a soft target? Now, I curse Liu Zicheng as an animal, are you satisfied?"

A person behind Guan Yaoyuan suddenly sneered, "What a load of rubbish! You're just afraid! Afraid that our poems will surpass yours, afraid that your literary reputation will be at risk, so you deliberately shift the topic to Liu Zicheng. Otherwise, why would you react so strongly to Brother Guan's casual mention? Where is your broad-mindedness, Fang Shuangjia? Where is your grace, Fang Champion?"

"Yan Yue! Say less, Fang Yun isn't that kind of person!" Guan Yaoyuan whispered, then showed a look of helplessness.

Pan'er said, "Don't say anything more. All the mistakes are mine. I shouldn't have forced him to write a poem out of admiration for Fang Shuangjia. Actually, I'm getting old and want a good home. Because I love Fang Shuangjia's literary reputation so much, I wanted to marry him, whether as a wife or a concubine, I would be content. But as a woman, I'm shy, so I made a deal with Young Master Guan. If Fang Shuangjia came, I would say I would give myself to the champion of the poetry gathering tonight. If he didn't come, I wouldn't mention it. I didn't expect that my admiration would lead me to do something foolish."

Pan'er said, slightly bowing to Fang Yun, then said, "I hope Master Fang will forgive me. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have insisted that you write a poem. I'm willing to punish myself by drinking three cups of wine."

Yan Yue shouted, "How can this be! Fang Yun is clearly afraid of being outshone, so he doesn't dare to write a poem. What does it have to do with you? You love talent so much that you even rejected a candidate, but Fang Yun treats you like a pig or a dog. Why make it hard on yourself!"

"Yan Yue!" Guan Yaoyuan growled.

Mingyulou was silent.

Fang Yun sighed lightly, his heart stirred.

"What a Liu Zicheng! I almost believed you. Back then, you used this method. If it weren't for Yuhuan's steadfastness, that Fang Yun would have been sold and still counted the money for you. Now you're using this mix of truth and falsehood again. If I write a bad poem, you will surely smear my literary reputation; if I write a good one, Pan'er will use this to get close to me. If I accept her, I don't know what consequences will follow; if I don't accept her, if she commits suicide, it will surely anger the literati and defame me as a heartless person, damaging my literary reputation. So, unless I use a perfect method, whatever I do, Liu Zicheng will find an excuse."

"In this, Liu Zhi must have played a role. Even more, defaming my literary reputation is just the beginning. Then, the Left Chancellor's faction can not only revoke my literary achievements but also target the officials who help me, eliminating their rivals. Literary reputation is a double-edged sword. But am I, Fang Yun, someone you can bring down?"

Fang Yun made up his mind, looking at the mung bean cake on the table.

"Pity this mung bean cake from Wulicun."

After saying this, Fang Yun walked out, with He Yutang closely following.

Guan Yaoyuan was extremely anxious and immediately gave Yan Yue a look to stop Fang Yun.

Yan Yue shouted, "Fang Yun, I look down on you! You're a coward, you don't even have the courage to write a poem in public. I'm ashamed to be in Dàyuan Prefecture with you! You can't write poems at all; your literary reputation is just a facade!"

Fang Yun laughed, stepped out of Mingyulou, then stopped, standing outside, his back to everyone.

"Since you want me to write a poem, I'll write one. Since I said I only brought my mouth and not my hands to this poetry gathering to give the host face, I'll recite a 'Butterfly in Love with Flowers' poem, titled 'Spring Scenery.'"

Everyone held their breath, listening intently, afraid of missing Fang Yun's next words.

Fang Yun took a step forward.

"Flowers wither, green apricots are small."

Several scholars couldn't help but nod. This line described the withering of flowers and the growth of green apricots, perfectly fitting the late spring and early summer scene, especially the Start of Summer today.

After reciting the first line, Fang Yun took another step forward.

"Swallows fly, green water surrounds homes."

Lai Yong, who had written the first poem, relaxed a bit. This line, though good, was still quite general and fell short of his poem.

"Willow catkins on the branches are blown away, fewer and fewer." Fang Yun took another step.

Lai Yong couldn't help but smile. This line was still quite ordinary, merely saying that the willow catkins were decreasing, and spring was leaving.

Fang Yun took another step.

"Where in the world is there no fragrant grass?"

The more than ten people who were holding their breath couldn't help but gasp.

Lai Yong's smile froze. This line said that although spring had left, there was no need to worry, as spring would return, and the world would be covered with lush grass again, elevating the poem's artistic conception to a very high level.

The literal meaning alone wasn't enough to make Lai Yong react so strongly, but Lai Yong, with his talent, immediately realized that Fang Yun might be speaking to Pan'er, giving this line a different flavor.

A few scholars secretly looked at Pan'er, but Pan'er, being a "female scholar" by packaging and hearing it for the first time, thought it was about the spring scenery, only vaguely sensing that the poem had a deeper meaning.

Fang Yun continued, one step per line.

"Inside the wall, a swing; outside the wall, a path."

"Outside the wall, a passerby; inside the wall, a beautiful woman laughs."

"The laughter gradually fades, the sound gradually quiets."

"Deep affection is vexed by indifference."

As Fang Yun recited the poem, his talent resonated within him, combining with his voice and the poem to form a strange resonance, spreading continuously.

All the jade and gold objects suddenly began to vibrate gently with Fang Yun's voice, the vibrations not creating noise but harmonizing with Fang Yun's rhythm, as if actively accompanying him.

"Golden resonance!" someone whispered.

Everyone present was affected by the golden resonance, most showing expressions of joy, as if they were in the most beautiful spring scenery.

A few sour scholars even swayed their heads, repeating the poem softly, as if drunk.

A few courtesans couldn't resist humming the 'Butterfly in Love with Flowers' tune, becoming happier as they sang.

Even the illiterate maids were affected, staring at Fang Yun's back, wanting to keep this talented man, even willing to pay money.

This was the terrifying power of golden resonance, capable of vibrating even gold and jade, let alone human hearts.

The more talent one had, the less affected they were.

Those who were less affected looked at each other, seeing the surprise in each other's eyes, because this kind of golden resonance in poetry wasn't significant, but if it could also form in battle poetry, it would greatly increase the range of battle poetry, instantly killing a large number of enemies, a terrifying poetic phenomenon.

This meant that Fang Yun's future battle poetry had a small chance of triggering golden resonance.

These people quietly moved away from Guan Yaoyuan and others.

As Fang Yun left, the golden resonance weakened, and some people looked at Guan Yaoyuan and Pan'er with strange expressions, as the latter part of the poem described a passerby hearing a woman playing on a swing inside a wall, but soon the woman's laughter disappeared, leaving the affectionate passerby feeling abandoned.

The last line was extremely direct, and Pan'er's face turned pale.

Others might think the poem was saying she was being overly sentimental, but to Guan Yaoyuan and Pan'er, it was Fang Yun mocking them that no matter what means they used, it was in vain, only causing them to trouble themselves like the passerby in the poem.

Fang Yun took eight steps, reciting the poem, and slowly left.

Fang Yun didn't look back, as he believed in the charm of the famous poem by the Poet Saint Su Shi (Su Dongpo).

"Quick, write it down!"

A scholar hurriedly wrote down the entire 'Butterfly in Love with Flowers: Spring Scenery.'

"Flowers wither, green apricots are small. Swallows fly, green water surrounds homes. Willow catkins on the branches are blown away, fewer and fewer, where in the world is there no fragrant grass?"

"Inside the wall, a swing; outside the wall, a path. Outside the wall, a passerby; inside the wall, a beautiful woman laughs. The laughter gradually fades, the sound gradually quiets, deep affection is vexed by indifference."

Many people looked at the complete poem, silent for a long time.

"His talent is overwhelming, at least provincial level."

"Perhaps in a few years, this poem will reach the national level."

Everyone nodded.

"That line 'where in the world is there no fragrant grass' succinctly captures the coming and going of spring."

When this was said, many people looked at Pan'er again.

Pan'er had a complete poem in front of her, and as she read, tears blurred her vision. Her face showed regret and self-blame, not the disappointment of being abandoned.

Golden resonance easily triggered inner emotions, and once deeply immersed, one could no longer hide them.

The scholars present had already realized that this Pan'er must be the one who set up the trap to harm Fang Yun, but due to her lack of talent and ulterior motives, she was affected by the golden resonance.

Gao Minghong had always felt guilty towards Fang Yun, thinking he shouldn't have invited him to the Start of Summer literary gathering, which almost damaged Fang Yun's literary reputation. He hated Pan'er and Guan Yaoyuan.

Gao Minghong stood up, about to chase after Fang Yun, but his eyes caught the mung bean cake on the table. He paused, thought for a moment, and adapted the Han Dynasty's 'Song of the Beauty,' reciting it on the spot.

"In Jiangzhou, there is a beauty, unmatched and alone; her laughter, thrice repeated, is not as sweet as the mung bean cake."

Gao Minghong then quickly left.

The scholars present didn't laugh, but the courtesans and maids who were jealous and envious of Pan'er all laughed.

Gao Minghong of Lishan Society left, and others immediately followed, as did the other poor scholars.

Pan'er cried uncontrollably.

Guan Yaoyuan inwardly knew it was bad. Pan'er, lacking talent to protect herself, was deeply immersed, mistaking the person in the poem for herself, and might truly fall in love with Fang Yun, exposing them.

Guan Yaoyuan was about to persuade her when Pan'er suddenly cried, "Pan'er has wronged Master Fang! Today, I will go to the Pure Lotus Nunnery to become a nun, to cleanse my sins and pray for Master Fang every day." She then ran off crying.

Guan Yaoyuan breathed a sigh of relief, meaning Pan'er wouldn't betray them.

Yan Yue whispered, "Yaoyuan, what about Liu Shao's satirical poem mocking Fang Yun? Just now, Fang Yun was always taking the initiative, and I didn't have a chance to recite it. Later, his golden resonance was too strong, and I could only watch him leave."

Guan Yaoyuan said with hatred, "If this ends here, Liu Shao won't be happy, and that satirical poem was written by the elder. It can't be left unsaid. We'll follow Fang Yun, and when he stops or gets home, we'll recite the poem in front of everyone to mock him, then spread it widely to continue damaging his literary reputation."

Yan Yue sighed, "Sigh, we shouldn't have invited him. Now, he's written a provincial-level poem, which will certainly be published in 'The Sacred Way.' With a little spread, it might even reach the national level, helping him. If this literary gathering is recorded in 'The Sacred Way,' we'll become the laughingstock of history."

Guan Yaoyuan gritted his teeth, "If he hadn't written such a good poem, he might have lived longer. This poem will soon reach the national level, and who can suppress him in the future? Will the Liu family let him live?"

Yan Yue suddenly understood.

"Let's go! Follow Fang Yun!"

Guan Yaoyuan shouted loudly, "Fang Yun is a great talent! I'm going to apologize to him with Yan Yue. He's not incapable of writing poems; he's just being modest and hiding his talent, a true scholar with grace!"

He then led the people of Ying Society onto the carriage, chasing after Fang Yun's carriage.

With the host of the poetry gathering leaving, the others didn't stay, sitting in their carriages to follow Guan Yaoyuan, wondering if he was really apologizing or what.

On the road from Wulicun to Dàyuan Prefecture, more than twenty carriages formed a line, dust lightly rising.

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