Yi Zhishi did not answer. He reached out with his fair fingers, picked up the teapot, and slowly poured himself a cup of tea. Then he held the cup between two fingers and brought it to his lips.
The women in the distance were utterly captivated by Yi Zhishi's elegant movement, but Fang Yun thought, I used that teapot.
Beside him, the Qing Lord smiled. "Master Zhi Shi, your learning fills five cartloads, and your talent measures eight bushels. You must possess exceptional insight. We would all like your guidance before the literary contest. After all... the Gu Lord and I have made a private wager. I believe Zhang Mingzhou will win, while he believes Void Sage Fang will win. I need to hear your opinion so I can decide whether to cancel the wager before the contest. After all, I cannot act like a certain family in the Jing Kingdom and refuse to honor a lost bet!"
The members of the Chen Sage Family were both ashamed and furious, but their patriarch, Chen Mingding, kept his eyes lowered, as though he had not heard the Qing Lord.
The literary assembly fell silent. In a place holding millions of people, only the sound of river water lapping against the bank remained.
Several breaths later, Yi Zhishi set down his cup, raised his head, and looked toward Fang Yun, standing atop the city wall beneath the bright moon.
"Void Sage Fang should stand first among the Four Great Talents."
Yi Zhishi's voice was warm and smooth as jade, extraordinarily pleasing to the ear. Though he clearly used Tongue Blossoms Thunder, it brushed past everyone's ears like a spring breeze.
The expressions of everyone from the Qing Kingdom changed dramatically. Even Zong Ganyu's eyes flashed.
But Yi Zhishi spoke a second sentence.