Chapter 41

In the center of Xilin Lake, beneath a rock, stood a small pavilion. The pavilion was not small, accommodating nearly ten elderly men, all dressed elegantly, with the air of scholars and immortals.

These ten men were the organizers of the Spring Talent Gathering. The leader, with white hair and graceful manners, was a university scholar from the Wen Yuan Pavilion, named Wang Chongde.

The grand event of the Spring Talent Gathering, which involved boating and sightseeing, did not begin until the afternoon. By then, the number of poems submitted was as numerous as the stars in the sky.

The ten elders carefully appraised each poem, discussing them orally, and selected only the best of the best...

When they had some free time, Wang Chongde chuckled and said with satisfaction, "This year's Talent Gathering is filled with talented individuals, truly living up to the high expectations of Lord Zhang."

The Lord Zhang he mentioned was Zhang Changling, who was not among the ten elders but was enjoying himself somewhere in Xilin Lake.

Because of this, the task of reviewing the poems fell to Wang Chongde and the others. Originally, this was a laborious job, but the old men took great pleasure in it. Whenever they encountered a fine verse, they would meticulously record it and thoroughly investigate the background of the poet, to report to the court for future talent selection.

One of the elders nodded and said, "Indeed, Xi Ruixun, though young, already has the demeanor of a master. His poetry is profound and far-reaching, truly deserving the title of the foremost talent in the south."

Another said, "Xi Ruixun is Xi Ruixun. He was known as a prodigy in his youth, and he has not disappointed Lord Zhang. After years of absence, his literary talent remains outstanding."

"It seems the position of top scholar this year will be his."

"There are a few others who are also excellent, such as Shang Gongjin from Dongzhou, Xu Zixiong from the Xu family, and Chen Hongjie from the Chen family. They are all remarkable."

"Miss Ruyu from the Sima family is also quite impressive, comparable to Xi Ruixun."

"And there are the courtesans Xiyu, Yansnow, and Yunmei. Though they come from the pleasure quarters, they are talented and truly remarkable."

"Why are we talking about courtesans?" one of the elders said, clearly disapproving of the mention of these women.

The elder who spoke first said, "What's wrong with courtesans? We must be fair. Today, we only discuss poetry, not background."

The elders all laughed and agreed, "That's right."

Wang Chongde said, "In addition, there is Ma Yuanru. However, I heard that at the pavilion in the middle of the lake, his famous painting skills were criticized to the point of being worthless, and he was left speechless. It was quite amusing."

An elder said, "Is that the son-in-law of the Shangguan family?"

"Indeed, it is him," Wang Chongde said with a superior air. "I heard he is neither literate nor martial, and it's a mystery how he managed to leave Ma Yuanru speechless. It's a pity I didn't see it with my own eyes."

The elders discussed for a while, and one of them said, "Perhaps it was just a lucky coincidence."

The elders all laughed...

Wang Chongde said, "Not so. I heard he analyzed the painting with great insight and then discussed state affairs through painting, uttering the famous line, 'Worry before the world worries, and enjoy after the world enjoys.' This moved all the scholars present. Gentlemen, a person who can say such things must be quite exceptional, don't you think?"

"Worry before the world worries, and enjoy after the world enjoys?" The elders took a deep breath.

This line alone was enough to show the speaker's dedication to the country and provoke deep reflection...

"Does this mean the son-in-law of the Shangguan family is a hidden talent?" The elders were puzzled.

"I don't know, I don't know," Wang Chongde said with a light laugh. "I heard he is one of the few known weak and incapable individuals in the Tian Nan Empire. If he didn't intentionally hide it, he probably just quoted the wise words of a patriotic scholar to save face. What do you think?"

The elders nodded and laughed, "That's right. Feng Jueyu is indeed an incapable person. If such words came from his mouth, wouldn't everyone in Tian Nan be virtuous?"

"Ha ha..."

Their laughter soon subsided, as a clear and melodious voice reciting a poem reached the pavilion on the mountain.

"Boat 138, an unnamed gentleman, has composed a poem titled 'Spring Joy at the Talent Gathering in Tian Nan...'"

The elders listened intently...

In the third month, the lake water is clear, and the spring birds sing in the mountains. Purple orchids reflect in the west of Xilin, and the boat passes through Dongting.

Companions come to invite, and we open the wine to relieve our hangover. As the cup is in hand, the singing girls do not stop their songs.

"Marvelous, marvelous, marvelous..." As the poem ended, the elders' faces changed, and they all stood up, walking to the side of the pavilion to look at the lake.

Wang Chongde was visibly moved, savoring the poem's meaning, and praised it, "Marvelous. This 'Spring Joy at the Talent Gathering in Tian Nan' captures the beauty of Xilin in just a few lines, and it expresses deep affection for friends, with a touch of grandeur. The poem is both profound and bold, truly a masterpiece."

"Boat 138? Whose son is so talented?" The elders looked at each other, all amazed.

"Indeed, this poem is no less impressive than Xi Ruixun's 'Spring Tune.' Though the meaning is similar, the grandeur is clearly evident. This person must be enjoying wine with friends."

The elders, being from the Wen Yuan Pavilion, could discern the emotions in Feng Jueyu's poem just by listening to a few lines.

In fact, this poem was originally "Spring Joy at the Meeting of Wang Jiu" by Meng Haoran, but Feng Jueyu had made some changes, using the mood of Meng Haoran's meeting with friends and applying it to the Talent Gathering at Xilin Lake. He also included his friendship with Mu Qianjun and their love for wine, resulting in this excellent verse.

The poem, though only slightly altered, had a significantly different meaning, earning widespread praise.

On the vast Xilin Lake, the poem "Spring Joy at the Talent Gathering in Tian Nan" was recited everywhere. Its profound meaning instantly elevated it to a masterpiece, widely praised.

Wang Chongde turned around and, without waiting for the servants to present the poem, wrote a few large characters on a piece of paper and handed it to a servant, saying, "Send 36 purple orchids to Boat 138 as an encouragement."

"Yes..."

The order was passed down, and after a while, the lake echoed with the announcement: "University Scholar Wang of the Wen Yuan Pavilion sends 36 purple orchids to Boat 138 as an encouragement..."

The announcement was repeated three times, and all the visitors heard it...

The lake seemed to explode with excitement, and all the scholars and beauties on the lake looked around, trying to find Boat 138. But no one could find it.

No one knew that Feng Shao of Boat 138 had already taken down the sail number, not wanting anyone to know he could write poetry and also not wanting to be disturbed.

The poem "Spring Joy at the Talent Gathering in Tian Nan" made Boat 138 famous, and everyone knew about it.

On Boat 138, Xiao Bi, Xiao Lian, and Mu Qianjun were all grinning from ear to ear.

The two girls never expected to have a great talent like Feng Jueyu on their boat, who could be compared to Xi Ruixun, Ma Yuanru, and Shang Gongjin. They were extremely proud.

Xiao Bi, smiling widely, said, "Master Feng, you are both virtuous and talented. I don't understand why you used someone else's poem to board the boat and enjoy the lake."

Mu Qianjun also remembered and laughed, "Yes, Feng, you're not being honest. You have such great poetic talent, yet you hide it. What's your purpose?"

Feng Jueyu felt wronged and said with a sad face, "I have no talent. I copied this poem from someone else."

Mu Qianjun believed him, "Really? Hey, why didn't you say so earlier? I was happy for nothing, thinking you were being modest."

Xiao Bi and Xiao Lian giggled, "Master Feng, though we are not well-versed, we often read poetry. How come we've never heard of 'Spring Joy at the Talent Gathering in Tian Nan'?"

Mu Qianjun looked at him and realized, "That's right. This poem is about the Talent Gathering in Tian Nan, so you must have written it yourself. Why do you say it's not yours?"

Feng Jueyu was at a loss. How could he explain that he had copied it, and they didn't believe him?

He waved his hand, "Fine, don't believe me. At least we have wine to drink. By the way, 36 purple orchids can be exchanged for three pots of wine, right? Where do we get the wine?"

He changed the subject, and Mu Qianjun, hearing about wine, didn't care whether the poem was original or copied. He asked loudly, "Right, girl, get the wine quickly."

Xiao Bi looked at Feng Jueyu meaningfully and said, "Master, don't worry. Wine is easy to get, but three pots might not be enough for the two of you."

Mu Qianjun nodded, "Right, right, not enough at all. Feng, can you write a few more?"

Xiao Lian added, "If you ask me, we should aim for 500 purple orchids. That way, we can drink to our heart's content without any trouble."

Mu Qianjun agreed, "Right, 500 it is. We can drink to our heart's content today. Write, write."

"You owe me from a past life," Feng Jueyu rolled his eyes, but he was secretly happy. It wasn't because he was famous, but because he enjoyed the company of these people.

"Fine." Feng Jueyu picked up the brush and, in a few minutes, accurately wrote down the "Liangzhou Ci."

"Xiao Bi, read it..."

Writing poetry required inspiration. If Feng Jueyu had written one "Spring Joy" poem, it would have been impressive, but writing two in such a short time was truly remarkable.

After reading the "Liangzhou Ci," the one who was most excited was not the two girls but Mu Qianjun.

Not because of anything else, but because the poem made him feel passionate, as if he was back in his hometown, with the sounds of war and the battlefield.

Grapes and fine wine in a night-light cup,

About to drink, the lute urges on the horse.

Lying drunk on the battlefield, do not laugh,

For how many have returned from ancient wars?

The "Liangzhou Ci" brought tears to Mu Qianjun's eyes. He looked at Feng Jueyu, feeling as if he had found a lifelong friend.

"I will read this poem..."

Mu Qianjun said solemnly, stepping out of the boat, his steps heavy, and standing at the bow, he read aloud: "Grapes and fine wine in a night-light cup, about to drink, the lute urges on the horse. Lying drunk on the battlefield, do not laugh, for how many have returned from ancient wars?"

After reading, Mu Qianjun roared, "What a great poem!"

He sat back down, and Xiao Lian had already fetched more wine from the cabin, filling their cups...

Mu Qianjun raised his cup and looked at Feng Jueyu, "Brother Feng, today I am truly lucky to meet you. It is an honor to know you. Cheers..."

He drank in one gulp, still not satisfied, and shouted, "Girl, get a bowl. Today, I will drink until I am drunk with Brother Feng..."

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