Qingping Tune

As soon as these words dropped, the entire assembly erupted in an uproar!

Zhang Shu's face filled with excitement, his eyes unblinking for fear of missing a good show.

The expression on Song Tan's face froze as he stared in shock toward Lu Changfeng-that morning at the Moon-Gathering Tower, only a single poem could be called the epitome of the vastness of heaven and earth. Relying on that poem, that man had entered the Cloud-Deep Pavilion, conversing most happily with Chang'an's Number One Zither Immortal Luo Qingge...

Could it be this very person? Had he used disguise? He actually belonged to Princess Taiping!

The others were even more astonished by Princess Taiping's tone and what she called "opening the writing".

This meant that this person would be the first to compose a poem, bearing the greatest pressure and the most intense scrutiny. Do well, and he would amaze the world with a single feat; do poorly, or even just mediocrely, and his previously accumulated reputation, along with Princess Taiping's prestige, would be severely discounted. The trust hidden beneath this move was worth pondering deeply...

Princess Anle glanced over, and seeing that he was an unfamiliar young man, she sneered inwardly. Auntie is truly desperate, actually looking for this kind of person to prop up her side. Mother still treats Auntie with utmost wariness, calling her "resourceful and decisive"-simply laughable!

Wu Yanxiu, Cui Shi, Song Zhiwen, Shen Quanqi, and the others all felt surprised.

Wang Xiao, meanwhile, wore a mocking expression, waiting to watch Lu Changfeng make a fool of himself. With so many of the Great Tang's top literary talents seated here, what waves could a mere guest retainer possibly stir up?

Under the convergence of a hundred-odd gazes-some expectant, some scrutinizing, some gloating-Lu Changfeng slowly raised his head, meeting Princess Taiping's bottomless phoenix eyes, which carried a meaning of probing and control.

You motherf-

Lu Changfeng was speechless in his heart, and a strong wave of annoyance surged up.

What the hell is this old woman playing at? I said so much yesterday, and she didn't take a single word to heart?

I already told her that cultivating the Shennong Glazed Glass Art requires resources and protection! I even gave her perfume and alcohol, and helped her cure Su Bonian. Isn't that meaning clear enough?

This display of loyalty is making even me want to vomit!

And now she wants me to compose a poem? Compose your grandmother's leg!

Is there still any bottom line? Me going to the Moon-Gathering Tower to listen to music is none of your damn business!

A refusal rushed almost to the tip of his tongue, but a second thought in his mind let reason prevail. To gain a firm foothold in the Princess's Residence and avoid being killed for failed medical treatments, he had established quite a few enemies through his successive merits. If he openly defied Princess Taiping right now, there was no guarantee she and the others wouldn't make a big fuss out of it, rendering his situation even more precarious...

Lu Changfeng let out a long sigh and chanted inwardly: One must bow his head under the eaves... Under the eaves...

When he raised his head again, his expression was normal. He stood up, slightly bowed toward the main seat, and his voice revealed neither joy nor anger, as if he were merely stating an established fact: "Since Your Highness gives the command, Chang'an... dares not disobey."

He showed neither high-flown passion nor panicked refusal.

Instead, he displayed a nearly indifferent calmness, calmly accepting this hot potato.

This overly calm attitude instead made Wang Xiao and his ilk, who were preparing to watch him make a fool of himself, feel somewhat unsettled. Song Zhiwen and Shen Quanqi exchanged glances, secretly guessing that, based solely on this poise in the face of sudden change, this person probably had some backing!

Yet Princess Taiping, sitting serenely in the main seat, heard a hint of the unusual from this calmness. Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and she carefully observed every seemingly flawless inch of calm on Lu Changfeng's face, arriving at a deduction:

-He is angry.

Through several encounters, she had already gained a general understanding of Lu Changfeng's temperament.

This man seemed easygoing, but deep down he possessed a sort of untamable unorthodoxy. He would only completely tuck away all emotions and present this sort of near-ice-cold calmness under one condition-when he was truly displeased at heart, or even... when he harbored the intent to kill.

Just like that night in the moonlit alley when he counter-maneuvered Gao Jian and his family elder!

The young man in that painting had worn this exact calm expression before dealing out ruthless blows!

The calmer he was at this moment, the more turbulent his inner annoyance and anger at being forcibly driven must be.

Far from being displeased, Princess Taiping felt a trace of extremely faint appreciation and... amusement flash deep within her eyes, one she hadn't even noticed herself.

Knowing how to assess the situation was cleverness; being able to control one's emotions under heavy pressure was ability; and being able to perfectly hide genuine murderous intent and fiery anger beneath a calm exterior was tenacity of character and the potential to achieve great things.

She did not fear that he had a temper; she only feared he was a mediocrity or a spineless coward.

Very good.

She chuckled inwardly, This Palace loves wild horses, especially unruly ones!

Lu Changfeng left his seat and walked to the empty space in the center of the grand hall, where maidservants had already prepared brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

The hall was dead silent, and all gazes focused on him.

Lu Changfeng picked up the brush, pondered briefly, swept his gaze over the blank paper before him, and then casually drifted his eyes past the graceful and luxurious Princess Taiping on the main seat, who held his current fate in her hands.

Fine then, you want a poem, and I'll give you one.

He pinched the wolf-hair brush, soaked it fully in ink, and without the slightest further hesitation, his brush flew like a frightened dragon as lines of wild cursive script leaped onto the paper. He did not chant aloud, merely writing in silence, yet that focused momentum caused the atmosphere of the entire hall to stagnate.

What he was writing was precisely that "Qingping Tune"-deliberately weighed to both praise a "beauty" and subtly fit the current political situation in this very setting, while even better showcasing his own value and attitude.

I let you open the writing...

Let's see who still dares to humiliate themselves after it's opened!

Lu Changfeng's brush danced like a flying dragon, the ink splashing freely on the snow-wave paper.

His writing speed was extremely fast, as if brocade embroidery already filled his chest, waiting only to be poured out.

As his final stroke fell heavily, his wrist lifted slightly and the tip of the brush left the paper.

The attending maidservants dared not be negligent; they immediately stepped forward, carefully lifting the poetry paper with its still-wet ink in both hands, presenting it first before Princess Taiping's desk.

Everyone's gazes followed that sheet of paper, holding their breath and concentrating.

Princess Taiping lowered her gaze to look. When her eyes touched the handwriting and the content of the poem, her fingertips trembled imperceptibly; beside her, Shangguan Wan'er, who also held considerable interest in this suddenly emerged "guest retainer", swept her beautiful eyes toward the poetry paper. At a single glance, her mind and soul were captured.

This!

These verses...

Princess Taiping raised her eyes and took a deep, lingering look at Lu Changfeng standing tall and straight in the center of the hall. That gaze was complex beyond description, holding astonishment, appraisal, and even a trace of... understanding.

She did not evaluate it immediately, merely nodding slightly to Jinghong at her side.

Jinghong understood, immediately taking the poetry paper and displaying it to the assembled crowd.

Few among those present lacked martial arts cultivation. With true qi pouring into their eyes, being sharp of hearing and clear of sight was the norm; even those in the side chambers sitting some distance away could clearly see the four lines of poetry on the paper.

Those sitting close, such as Cui Shi and Song Zhiwen, were the first to see clearly, and they couldn't help but gasp in a breath of cold air.

Zhang Shu was so excited he nearly jumped out of his seat, slapping his thigh hard!

Good virtuous brother!

The paper read astonishingly:

-

Qingping Tune

Yun thinks of clothes and flowers think of face,

Spring wind sways the balustrade where dew is rich and thick.

If not seen at the head of Jade Mountain,

One would meet them under the moon at the Jade Terrace.

-

The genuine, handed-down masterpiece of Li Bai!

In this era where Li Bai had not yet risen to fame, this poem-tailor-made for Yang Guifei, comparing a beauty to an immortal flower of the celestial realms and exhausting romantic imagination and magnificent diction-carried a nuclear-grade impact!

"This... this..."

Song Zhiwen's lips trembled. He wanted to pick faults, wanted to disparage it, yet he found that every single word seemed naturally born, utterly impossible to alter. That natural weather and magnificent imagination left him scouring his brains without finding a single line that could compare. He had always been conceited about his poetic talent, yet at this moment he felt a wave of powerless despair.

Shen Quanqi also opened his eyes wide, murmuring, "'Yun thinks of clothes and flowers think of face'... To think there are such peerless verses in this world! 'Jade Mountain', 'Jade Terrace'... What kind of celestial grand aura is this!"

Cui Shi remained silent, but the wine cup gripped tightly in his hand exposed his inner shock.

He looked at Lu Changfeng again, and his gaze was completely different. This man is definitely no pool-dwelling creature!

Princess Anle also saw the poetry clearly, and the arrogance and sneer on her face froze instantly.

She knew her goods; the level of this poem completely crushed all the literary men she had brought!

What shocked her even more was that the artistic conception of this poem was so noble and refined, elevating the "beauty" to the level of a celestial realm. By comparison, the Hundred-Bird Skirt she had just flaunted and her deliberate comparison appeared so vulgar and petty!

By Auntie's side, when did such a figure appear?!

The mockery on Wang Xiao's face vanished without a trace, replaced by shock and undisguised jealousy.

Song Tan's face turned ashen; he finally became convinced that the man at the Moon-Gathering Tower that morning was indeed Lu Changfeng! With someone who could write "Dreaming of Heaven" and poetry like this, no wonder Luo Qingge looked upon him with different eyes!

Among all present, the one who suffered the deepest shock was Shangguan Wan'er.

She had managed palace edicts and memorials for many years, appreciating countless poems and rhapsodies, and considered her own standards exceptionally high.

Yet when "'Yun thinks of clothes and flowers think of face, Spring wind sways the balustrade where dew is rich and thick'" came into view, she only felt a "boom" in her mind, as if something had been shattered.

These verses... This grand weather... This natural celestial poise and noble aura!

Subconsciously, she tightly clenched her hands within her sleeves, fixing her gaze dead-set on that poetry paper, reciting it silently over and over. The more she recited, the more shocked she grew; the more she recited, the more intoxicated she became. This was no longer something ordinary talents could accomplish; it was simply... a gift bestowed by the heavens!

She abruptly raised her head to look at the young man in the center of the hall who had just calmly put down his brush. Her beautiful eyes rippled with brilliant light, filled with unbelievable shock and heartfelt admiration. Just what manner of sacred being is this man?!

"Good! What a fine 'Qingping Tune'!"

Zhang Shu finally couldn't help shouting in praise, breaking the silence of the hall: "'Yun thinks of clothes and flowers think of face', peerless! Far too peerless! A handed-down masterpiece!"

This cry of praise was like lighting a fuse, and instantly, the applause of the whole house thundered out!

Regardless of factions or stances, in front of absolute art, everyone had no choice but to yield in admiration.

Song Zhiwen, Shen Quanqi, and the others shook their heads helplessly. They knew that with this poem acting as a pearl of jade before them, any poetry praising beauties tonight would be completely eclipsed; to compose any further would simply be asking for humiliation.

This wasn't just opening the writing; this was the closing masterpiece!

It directly pushed this poetry contest to an unapproachable height, thoroughly ending the strife in this regard.

Princess Anle's complexion turned ashen. She hadn't expected Lu Changfeng to produce such a peerless masterpiece, turning her meticulously prepared provocation into a joke. Jealousy and hatred intertwined within her heart, and she refused to concede defeat just like that.

If literary means failed, there was still martial arts!

Suppressing her anger, she squeezed out a dainty smile, though her voice carried an undeniable tone: "Mister Lu truly possesses literary talent that startles the world, making one sigh in admiration. However, how can such an exquisite and marvelous lyric lack celestial music to accompany it?"

Her gaze swept toward Wang Xiao, then back to Lu Changfeng, her tone carrying provocation: "'Qingping Tune' is a Music Bureau 'song lyric', and it was naturally meant to be paired with music and sung. Young Master Wang's flute artistry is peerless; I wonder if Mister Lu is versed in the pitch-pipes and musical tuning? If you could take this poem as a theme and jointly play a melody with us? That would also be a fine tale."

She deliberately bit down slightly heavier on "versed in the pitch-pipes and musical tuning," and her intent was obvious-the Four Arts of the Gentleman included music as one. Even if your literary talent is peerless, if you don't understand the musical pitch-pipes, you ultimately cannot be counted as a "gentleman", and I can still suppress you by a head!

Insane!

Is there still no end to this?!

Lu Changfeng narrowed his eyes, the malignance surging in his chest. Just as he prepared to retort aloud, a clear and unique voice transmission rang directly beside his ear.

[This Palace knows you are annoyed. However, squabbling with a little girl merely causes you to lose your standing for nothing.]

[Since she wishes to witness your musicianship, you should let her witness it. If you can win yet another chip for This Palace...]

The transmission paused subtly here, carrying a hint of jest: [There is still a "Seven-Colored Purple Vine" in the Hundred Herbs Garden, capable of clearing meridians and quickening the spirit. In a few days, its ripeness should also be sufficient. Furthermore, I shall grant you a fourth-tier famous artifact for self-defense, sparing you a repeat of yesterday's calamity. How about it?]