The Imperial Capital's Poetry Champion

"Imperial Uncle Xiao, Young Master Zhang, please, take a seat!

I had intended to call on you both myself, but you arrived first. Forgive my lack of courtesy."

In the pavilion, Gu Chenfeng rose to invite them in, his manner brimming with warmth.

Imperial Uncle Xiao and Zhang You, who had arrived spoiling for a fight, were thrown off balance.

They nearly forgot what they had come for.

Imperial Uncle Xiao first glanced toward Lady Su in the pavilion.

This celebrated lady of the Imperial Capital remained graceful and enchanting, as lovely as a painting.

Yet she did not spare him so much as a glance. Her gaze followed Gu Chenfeng throughout.

It was as though, of all the men in the world, Gu Chenfeng alone existed in her eyes.

For a moment, the flames of jealousy and resentment blazed in Imperial Uncle Xiao's heart.

The corners of his mouth twitched on his pale, plump face, beneath his drooping mustache.

"Heh... no need to stand on ceremony, Third Young Master. The Gu Lineage is a pillar of the nation, and you yourself are a dragon among men.

I have always regretted never having the opportunity to become acquainted with you.

Naturally, I had to seize today's opportunity to beg a cup of wine and make your acquaintance."

They were both notorious wastrels in the Imperial Capital's aristocratic circles.

Yet Imperial Uncle Xiao considered himself above the rest and disdained associating with a good-for-nothing like Gu Chenfeng.

With the Gu Lineage's power towering to the heavens, however, he had never provoked him either.

Each pursued his own pleasures-a wastrel's version of "two kings never meeting."

Though Gu Chenfeng knew the man certainly harbored ill intentions, he likewise greeted him with a smile.

After a round of pleasantries, the two were practically calling each other brothers, their arms slung around each other's shoulders.

The arrival of these two men and the group of Imperial Academy students also restored a temporary peace among the three women in the pavilion.

The atmosphere appeared harmonious and calm.

Yet danger often lurked beneath such calm.

Imperial Uncle Xiao had his arm around Gu Chenfeng's shoulders, looking thoroughly familiar with him.

After draining a cup of wine, he suddenly laughed aloud.

"Hahaha... Third Young Master, something just occurred to me.

Lately, your poem, 'Drunken West Chamber,' has weighed so heavily upon the Imperial Capital's literary world that no one can lift their head.

With such immense talent, you deserve to be called the Imperial Capital's poetry champion!"

With space in the pavilion limited, the Imperial Academy students accompanying Imperial Uncle Xiao and Zhang You had taken seats arranged outside.

Until then, everyone had been drinking and dining among themselves.

Now, Imperial Uncle Xiao suddenly raised his voice to deliver those words.

The area outside the pavilion immediately fell silent.

The Imperial Academy students' expressions also grew rather odd.

The influence of "Drunken West Chamber" had continued to spread in recent days.

Although many scholars and literary talents criticized the poem for being too steeped in rouge and powder, none dared question its literary merit.

It was indeed an excellent poem.

But Imperial Uncle Xiao's claim that it had left the entire Imperial Capital's literary world unable to lift its head-

And his calling Gu Chenfeng the "Imperial Capital's poetry champion"-

Were far too blatant a slap in the face to the capital's scholars.

The Imperial Academy students present were the cream of the Imperial Capital's literary world, and they immediately felt the barbs aimed at them.

A few breaths later.

Outside the pavilion, a young man with delicate features, dressed as a scholar in blue robes and a tall cap, rose and cupped his hands toward Gu Chenfeng.

"I am Zou Tai, a student of the Imperial Academy. Having recently heard your 'Drunken West Chamber,' Third Young Master, I too feel deep admiration.

Who would have thought you possessed such extraordinary talent? It seems the world's previous judgments of you were gravely mistaken!"

Faced with his compliments, Gu Chenfeng merely smiled faintly and waved a hand.

"Never mind, never mind. I have never cared for empty fame. That poem was merely something I wrote on a whim. You all flatter me."

At this, quite a few people silently cursed him.

This fellow actually dares claim he wrote that poem-and 'on a whim,' no less. Utterly shameless.

A hint of a mocking smile now appeared on Zou Tai's face as well.

He cupped his hands again and bowed lower.

"With such world-shaking talent, you remain so modest, Third Young Master. This student has learned a lesson.

Today happens to be the Golden Qilin Gathering, and we students of the Imperial Academy all hold you in admiration and reverence.

I therefore boldly ask that you compose a poem here and now, so that our sincere desire to learn will not go unanswered."

At these words, the atmosphere both inside and outside the pavilion underwent a subtle shift.

There was something suspicious about Gu Chenfeng's "Drunken West Chamber." He had very likely hired someone to write it for him.

That was already an open secret in the Imperial Capital's gossip circles.

But knowing the truth was one thing. Exposing it to the man's face was another matter entirely.

Who was Gu Chenfeng?

The grandson of the empire's illustrious Right Chancellor, the son of the General Who Guards the North, and the foremost heir of the Gu Lineage's third generation.

Who dared humiliate a noble scion backed by such towering power to his face?

Yet now Zou Tai had stepped forward, staring intently at him.

Inside the pavilion, Gu Chenfeng's eyes narrowed slightly.

He knew the enemy had "drawn their blade"!

Gu Chenfeng waved a hand calmly.

"Let us dispense with the poetry. I have never enjoyed showing off my literary talents."

Beside him, Imperial Uncle Xiao sneered inwardly, but loudly rebuked Zou Tai.

"How dare you! Who do you think you are, Zou, asking the Third Young Master to compose a poem for you?"

The crowd also broke into murmurs.

By now, the commotion had drawn the attention of people throughout the gathering, and they crowded around.

Under everyone's gaze, Zou Tai hurriedly bowed, repeatedly protesting that he would never dare.

"You misunderstand, Imperial Uncle. How would this student dare order the Third Young Master about?

I merely admire his world-shaking talent and wish to receive his instruction in person.

Surely the gentlemen and fellow students present also wish to witness the talent of our Imperial Capital's poetry champion."

As the saying went, a single stone stirred a thousand waves.

The Imperial Capital's scholars had scoffed at Gu Chenfeng gaining fame through copied poetry, but none dared accuse him openly.

Now that Zou Tai had made himself the bird that stuck its head out first, the crowd was emboldened and began speaking up.

"Indeed, we too admire your poetic talent, Third Young Master. We earnestly hope you will be generous with your instruction."

"Surely composing a poem on the spot should pose no difficulty for the illustrious poetry champion of the Imperial Capital."

"With your great talent, Third Young Master, do not treasure an old broom as though it were a priceless possession!"

Clamorous calls filled the scene.

Some pretended ignorance despite knowing full well, hoping to make Gu Chenfeng embarrass himself.

Others were genuinely curious whether Gu Chenfeng possessed any real learning.

Yet Gu Chenfeng turned a deaf ear to all their clamoring and simply drank at his leisure.

After all, his status spoke for itself.

However much they clamored, no one dared force him if he refused.

Seeing this, Imperial Uncle Xiao and Zhang You exchanged covert glances.

Zhang You swept his gaze over the gathering crowd.

The next moment.

Someone suddenly shouted from amid the noisy crowd.

"I'm afraid 'Drunken West Chamber' was never the Third Young Master's work at all. He stole someone else's poem to make his name!"

At these words, the crowd abruptly fell silent.

Everyone looked around, but there were too many people to locate the speaker.

Just as murmurs began to rise, someone shouted from another direction.

"A fake poetry champion and a fake war god! A tiger father truly never sires a dog of a son. They must think everyone under heaven is a fool!"

An uproar erupted!

The entire crowd exploded at those words.

Recently, rumors of all manner of vile deeds committed by Gu Lingxiao, the General Who Guards the North, had swept through the Imperial Capital.

Yet now someone had actually linked Gu Chenfeng's title as poetry champion with the empire's war god.

It was an all-out attack launched right in his face.

Worse still, these people had deliberately hidden themselves in the packed crowd.

They shouted amid the confusion, then shrank back into the crowd, leaving no trace to follow for the moment.

And this brazen act of publicly slapping Gu Chenfeng and the Gu Lineage in the face-

Created a "broken window effect."

Those who had previously treated these two matters as "taboo," daring only to discuss them in private-

Now began discussing them openly as well.

Their voices gathered together like countless invisible "spearpoints," aimed at Gu Chenfeng inside the pavilion.

At last, Gu Chenfeng frowned.

At that moment, a lovely figure in moon-white stepped forward first, placing herself in front of him.

Su Wanyue's cold gaze swept across the crowd, her voice cool and resolute.

"'Drunken West Chamber' was composed by the Third Young Master on the spot, before my very eyes.

It was certainly not written by anyone else. I can testify to that!"

Then another figure stepped forward as well.

Ouyang Cai pointed furiously at the crowd and unleashed a torrent of abuse.

"Which fucking bastard is tired of living, spreading baseless rumors like that?

Believe me, I'll have the authorities arrest you this instant and give you eighty strokes of the rod!"

Their intervention quieted the discussion somewhat, but could not suppress it completely.

At precisely this moment, Imperial Uncle Xiao spoke again.

"Third Young Master, these sour scholars love spouting nonsense.

Do not be angry. Just compose any little poem and send them on their way."

On the surface, he blamed those outside the pavilion, but in truth he was fanning the flames.

Sure enough, seeing Imperial Uncle Xiao lend his voice-

The crowd, which had only just been brought under control, erupted into discussion once more, beyond restraint.

At this sight, even Shangguan Bingxin and Princess Yaoyin realized something was wrong.

Shangguan Bingxin was just about to intervene.

Gu Chenfeng, who had remained silent throughout, summoned the two guards behind him and pointed to two spots in the crowd.

The two guards, both at the peak of the Meridian-Opening Realm, immediately leaped into the crowd.

The next moment, two startled cries rang out.

Two figures were hurled into the pavilion like sacks, tumbling to the ground at Gu Chenfeng's feet.

They were two Imperial Academy students dressed as scholars, one tall and one short.

Dazed by the impact, they cried out in shock and anger.

"Ow! What are you doing? Why have you seized us?"

Gu Chenfeng calmly set down his wine cup and looked down at them from his seat on the bench.

"One of you just questioned whether 'Drunken West Chamber' was my original work.

The other called my father a fake war god. Why not step forward and speak openly? Why hide?"

Gu Chenfeng's tone was calm, but a fearsome light seemed to flare in his eyes.

Under his gaze, the two felt an inexplicable terror. They even forgot to lie.

Only shock and bewilderment remained in their hearts.

They had clearly hidden amid the crowd and shouted during the confusion.

How had Gu Chenfeng singled them out and dragged them here?

A trace of a smile rose at the corners of Gu Chenfeng's mouth.

"Do not be afraid. I am certainly not a narrow-minded man. Since you have raised these doubts, please produce your evidence.

Then the truth of both matters can come to light."

At his words, both men's faces turned deathly pale.

What evidence did they have? They had merely taken someone's money to shout from hiding and stir up trouble.

Seeing them struck speechless, Gu Chenfeng's smile grew clearer.

"Oh... so neither of you has any evidence, yet you freely slandered my father and me.

Under Great Li Law, anyone who slanders or defames a court official of the third rank or above, or their family members, shall receive eighty strokes of the rod, perform corvée labor, and be disqualified from the imperial examinations."

At these words, the two were finally terrified out of their wits and frantically kowtowed.

"Mercy, Third Young Master! Mercy! We will never dare do it again!"

Even setting aside the corvée labor, stripping them of their eligibility for the imperial examinations had already seized both men by the throat.

The punishment of eighty strokes alone-

With no cultivation whatsoever, the two men could have been beaten to death seven or eight times over.

The smile vanished from Gu Chenfeng's face, and he said indifferently,

"Ah, what can I do? This young master has a kind heart.

I'll waive the other punishments, but I want you to understand that disaster comes from the mouth.

Drag them away and slap their mouths."