"Watering horses in the Great Wall's pools, the icy water hurt their bones. At three I learned to wield a sword; at ten I shot swan geese.
Before the courtyard, chariots and horses were my games; to muster troops, I often climbed the roof. I disliked studying classics and commentaries, but my mother pressed me:
'You are a son of a distinguished house; for generations, all have been renowned scholars. Master the classics, our ancestral calling, and smoothly take charge of affairs of state.
The Eastern Palace selects its staff; your inherited privilege qualifies you for appointment. Today become an attendant to the crown prince; next year transfer to the Secretariat.'"
Hmm... "Secretariat" appeared twice. Better change "smoothly reach the Secretariat" to "smoothly take charge of affairs of state."
And the mother had rather a lot to say. Was this supposed to become a long poem? Ending it now would leave it top-heavy. Besides, the five-character ancient-style verse had grown wooden after all this elaboration. It really wasn't easy to continue.
The first round of bowl strikes had stopped. Liu Cheng exclaimed delightedly, "You couldn't do it! Drink your penalty!"
Xie Xinghan said, "Since the lines have to form a four-line passage, naturally we should wait until all four rounds are over-"
Before Xie Xinghan finished, Wang Yang slapped the table. "I have it."
"A man born into this world should reach the farthest lands, win a marquisate of ten thousand households, be a warrior who breaks enemy ranks-why spend long years serving brush and inkstone?"
Everyone's expression changed!
Ancient-style song verse chiefly used five-character lines, interspersed with lines of varying lengths. But poorly placed variations could make a poem chaotic and disjointed, easily becoming its undoing, so poets rarely attempted them lightly. Yet Wang Yang had begun with mixed-length