Not you?

"Everyone, my apologies. My throat suddenly felt a little uncomfortable!"

Seeing everyone's eyes fixed on him, Jiang Xiaobai promptly cupped his hands toward them, looking embarrassed. "Please forgive me, please forgive me!"

Earlier, he had only vaguely suspected that the four masterpieces Lin Fengshuo mentioned might just happen to be the four poems he had written at last night's Poetry Gathering.

But after hearing Lin Fengshuo introduce them, he knew there was no mistaking it.

Li Zhiwei glanced lightly toward Jiang Xiaobai, her cheeks faintly red. Without saying anything more, she slowly unrolled the scroll in her hands and spread it across the long table beside her.

For a moment.

Quite a few students around them could not help gathering closer.

Gu Zhiyan and several other elders also rose from their seats and approached the long table.

Seeing this, Jiang Xiaobai naturally brought Zhang Xinnian along and leisurely wandered over.

Just then, Li Zhiwei spoke. "I believe these four poems are more than merely fine works. In particular, their strength of character and grandeur coexist in a way that ordinary students could never rival."

"Even among the poems produced in the Capital over the past few years, they would rank among the finest!"

She paused briefly before continuing, "As for the poet, allow me to keep you guessing a little longer. There will be time enough to reveal his identity after everyone has offered their appraisal!"

As Li Zhiwei finished, Jiang Xiaobai's expression turned peculiar. Then the corners of his mouth curled upward. "Miss Li, is this person... truly so talented?!"

"Please tell us who... he really is!"

No sooner had he spoken than Jiang Xiaobai noticed Li Zhiwei glaring fiercely at him. Unable to contain himself, he laughed aloud on the spot.

At that, the people around them looked at Jiang Xiaobai with distinctly greater displeasure.

Standing beside the table, Li Zhiwei blushed even more deeply upon hearing his laughter.

She gently bit her red lip, her eyes holding a trace of embarrassed irritation and, of course... an indescribable helplessness.

This fellow knew perfectly well that he was the poet, yet he was still putting on this act. How infuriating!

Seeing Li Zhiwei like this only made it harder for Jiang Xiaobai to suppress his laughter.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xinnian stood beside him with his head lowered, his face flushed scarlet from holding back.

Yes, only now had he finally realized what his heir had been laughing about earlier.

So...

The four masterpieces Lin Fengshuo had praised to the skies had actually been written by his heir!

At the thought, the corners of Zhang Xinnian's mouth twitched despite himself.

Naturally, their behavior drew quite a few looks.

Soon, however, everyone's attention returned to the four poems themselves.

Once the four poems were laid out, even those who had never seen them before were captivated almost at first glance. Moments later, exclamations of admiration began to rise.

"Marvelous! These four poems truly are marvelous!"

"What strength of character!"

"This line is simply exquisite!"

"Good heavens... four linked poems, and not one falls below the finest standard. Truly impressive!"

"This poet's brush carries not only spirit, but backbone as well. How rare!"

"And these turns and conclusions flow as though written in a single breath!"

For a time, praise rang out one after another.

Standing before the long table, Gu Zhiyan read the four poems over and over, the astonishment in his eyes deepening. He could not help saying, "Their author is unquestionably a great talent!"

"Poetry like this is certainly not something an ordinary young person could write!"

And just as his words fell.

A laugh suddenly sounded beside him.

But this time, it had not come from Jiang Xiaobai.

It had come from Jiang Xiaobai's guard, Zhang Xinnian.

There was no helping it.

He simply could not hold it in any longer.

Thinking of his young master's usual reputation in the Capital, then looking at these people solemnly praising his young master's works to such heights...

The contrast was simply too great.

So great that even a soldier like him, who wore a stern face year-round, had nearly suffered internal injuries from stifling his laughter.

Whoosh!

At the sound of that laugh, every gaze around him instantly swung his way again.

Zhang Xinnian's expression stiffened, and he hurriedly lowered his head.

Even so, quite a few students had already begun to frown.

Still, mindful of the occasion, no one immediately lost their temper.

After all, Elder Lin had yet to say anything. They merely kept their displeasure on their faces and resumed appraising the four poems.

A little while later.

Gu Zhiyan finally lifted his head from the scroll and turned to Li Zhiwei, who stood nearby. With a sigh of admiration, he asked, "Zhiwei, these poems... you wrote them, didn't you?"

In his view, if these four works were not Elder Lin's, then among all the younger people present, only Li Zhiwei could have written them.

That was why the question had slipped out almost instinctively.

Yet upon hearing it.

Li Zhiwei's already flushed cheeks grew redder still. She shook her head lightly and said in a quiet voice, "It wasn't me."

"Not you?"

Gu Zhiyan was visibly taken aback.

Not only him, but the three elders beside him also showed surprise in their eyes.

Gu Zhiyan gave a wry smile. "You little lass, stop keeping us in suspense. Which great master penned these four poems?"

"Ha ha..."

No sooner had Gu Zhiyan finished than Zhang Xinnian, standing beside Jiang Xiaobai, lost control again and burst out laughing.

This time, someone finally reached the end of his patience.

Yes, even though Elder Lin had said nothing, they could no longer bear it!

"Enough!"

An angry shout rang out. Everyone turned toward the voice and saw the young student who had recognized Jiang Xiaobai earlier, only to be left red-faced and speechless by his mention of Spring Moon Tower.

His face was livid as he glared at Jiang Xiaobai and his guard, his eyes blazing with fury. Clearly, his patience had reached its limit. "You... I've put up with you two for long enough!"

"From earlier until now, you've laughed again and again. What exactly do you mean by it?"

"Do you think these four poems are no good?"

Startled by the shout, Zhang Xinnian shrank his neck. His mouth opened as he tried to explain, but he could find no way to do so. He could only choke back his laughter, his face nearly turning blue from the effort.

Seeing this, the student grew even angrier. He abruptly turned to Jiang Xiaobai, his voice brimming with fury. "And you, keep your servant in line!"

"What do you think this place is? How dare you behave with such insolence!"

Still seemingly unsatisfied, the student added with a sneer, "Hmph, I doubt you could compose four poems like these in your entire lifetime!"

At those words.

Jiang Xiaobai could not help laughing as well.

Seeing this, the student's face instantly flushed even redder, almost as though it might drip blood. He stared fixedly at Jiang Xiaobai, his chest heaving, clearly enraged beyond measure.

Just as the atmosphere threatened to freeze solid, Li Zhiwei, who had remained beside the long table, slowly looked toward Jiang Xiaobai with faintly flushed cheeks and spoke softly.

"Actually, these four poems..."

"Were written by Heir Jiang himself!"