She Was Li Zhiwei!

"The old gentleman was clearly talking about you!"

The two scholars immediately grew agitated at Jiang Xiaobai's words, their faces filled with shame and anger as they stared at him.

Yet Jiang Xiaobai merely shook his head. "Not so, not so!"

"I'm not like you two!"

At that, Jiang Xiaobai raised his hand and pointed at them, a smile tugging at his lips. "You two came here to be dogs blocking the road!"

"Whereas I... came to attend the Poetry Gathering!"

"You!"

Their faces flushed even redder at his words.

One of them burned with fury, glaring at Jiang Xiaobai as he growled, "Hmph! Who doesn't know that you, Jiang Xiaobai, are nothing but a profligate!"

"You, attending a Poetry Gathering? Do you even understand poetry?!"

"Poetry?"

Jiang Xiaobai actually smiled. "Now that you mention it... I really do know a little!"

With that, Jiang Xiaobai swept his gaze over the pair, then leisurely began to recite.

"Two dogs contest the path and bark without a pause; steeped in scholarly airs, yet barely touched by shame. No startling verse resides within their bellies; instead, they bite like mongrels at the gate."

As the verse ended, the somewhat noisy surroundings abruptly fell silent.

The two scholars froze at first, clearly unable to react right away.

But just a moment later, when the meaning sank in, their faces instantly turned crimson.

That final line, "instead, they bite like mongrels at the gate," in particular, all but pointed straight at their noses and called them dogs.

Both trembled faintly, whether from anger or shame was anyone's guess.

"You... you..."

One raised a hand to point at Jiang Xiaobai, his lips quivering for ages without managing a single complete sentence.

The other clenched his teeth, his eyes practically spitting fire.

Meanwhile.

For the first time, the personal guard standing beside Jiang Xiaobai showed unmistakable surprise.

He might have been a military man, but that did not mean he knew nothing about such things.

At the very least... he could tell good from bad.

Although Jiang Xiaobai's little poem was hardly profound, it could not have been better suited to mocking the two men before him.

Not only did it roll smoothly off the tongue, its barbs struck exactly where they should.

For a moment, even the way the guard looked at Jiang Xiaobai changed.

Now, this is interesting!

But the question is... why have I never heard this poem before?

The Marquis had previously instructed him to find someone to write three poems, but this had not been among them.

Could it be...

Did the heir compose this himself?

At that thought, the guard's expression grew increasingly odd as he looked at Jiang Xiaobai.

The old man who had intervened from behind froze as well.

A flicker of astonishment even crossed his previously grim face.

He did know something of Jiang Xiaobai's background.

The heir of the Northern Guardian Marquis's Estate was notorious for his ignorance, idleness, and overbearing arrogance.

Since when could he turn his words into verse like this?

And he had done it without a moment's hesitation.

Without some genuine skill, such a feat would have been impossible.

For a moment, the old man, too, looked at Jiang Xiaobai differently.

The expressions of everyone around them also changed noticeably.

Surprise gradually crept into the gazes that had merely been enjoying the spectacle.

Clearly, none of them had expected the rumored Profligate Heir to actually compose poetry.

And the poem... was rather good!

"Now, this is interesting!"

Inside the pavilion, the White-Clad Man looked utterly astonished. "Did Jiang Xiaobai really compose that? Could he have prepared it beforehand?"

"But even if he prepared it beforehand, it would still have to fit the situation!"

"Exactly. Who would have thought this profligate had a trick like that up his sleeve?"

Zeng Qingchi could not help voicing his surprise as well.

As the two spoke, discussions continued all around them.

Listening to the surrounding chatter, the two scholars standing before Jiang Xiaobai looked increasingly miserable.

They had intended to humiliate Jiang Xiaobai in public.

Instead, they had become the objects of public ridicule.

The very thought left both feeling as though something had lodged in their chests.

Just as the atmosphere settled into a delicate silence.

An exceptionally lovely voice suddenly drifted over from behind.

"Elder Xin, stand down."

The voice was soft, yet clear and mellow as jade, ethereal and lilting, like a spring breeze brushing across a lake. The moment it reached their ears, their hearts could not help trembling.

At the sound of that voice, everyone present stirred.

The old man, in particular, instantly withdrew his imposing aura and respectfully stepped aside.

Jiang Xiaobai instinctively turned to look behind him.

That single glance left him stunned.

Not far away, a graceful figure was slowly approaching, accompanied by someone who appeared to be a maid.

The woman in front wore a moon-white gown, its hem gently swaying with her steps like flowing moonlight.

Her waist was slender, her figure tall and well-proportioned. She walked neither hurriedly nor slowly, carrying an indescribable air of dignity.

Although a veil covered her face, her brows resembled distant mountains, her eyes held autumn waters.

Those eyes were especially bright and clear, as though reflecting a shimmering lake. The slightest lift of her gaze was enough to make one's heart sway.

Beyond that, her bearing, too, stirred the heart.

Quiet and refined, she possessed the gentle elegance of orchids and jade.

For a moment.

Even the lively atmosphere around them seemed to fall silently still.

Almost the instant she appeared, the gazes of many young men fell upon her in unison.

Astonishment flashed in some eyes, while others fell into a daze.

One man had been holding a teacup, and was so transfixed that he nearly spilled the tea over himself.

Even the gifted scholars who had been carrying themselves with some arrogance unconsciously tempered their demeanor.

It was as though they feared losing their poise in front of her.

The women present also wore more complicated expressions at the sight of her.

There was envy, and there was dejection.

"Damn, what a gorgeous babe!"

Jiang Xiaobai could not help murmuring.

Indeed, even with her face veiled, he could still sense her beauty.

Without exaggeration, across both his previous life and this one, he had never seen a woman who could captivate him so completely at first glance.

Moreover, hers was not merely a flashy beauty, but one rich with charm.

The more he looked, the harder it became to look away.

The more he looked, the stronger the urge to lift her veil.

For a moment, even he was somewhat dazed.

If I could marry a woman like this, losing a few years of my life would still be worth it!

Just as Jiang Xiaobai was filled with admiration, the guard's low voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.

"Young lord, this is Miss Li Zhiwei, the Greatest Talented Lady of the Imperial College, and the Prime Minister's daughter!"

The guard paused, his expression utterly serious. "The Marquis specifically instructed me to keep an eye on you!"

"He said you may choose anyone tonight... but absolutely not her!!"