"Isn't it that Su Mu from Great Liang who's going to compete with us?"
Deng Tianping sat to one side, surrounded by talented scholars from vassal states, while a few talented scholars from Great Liang knelt upright beside him.
When Su Mu first arrived, Mingze was sitting to the side.
He had previously written a five-inch calligraphy piece, which greatly enhanced his reputation. However, not long after, Su Mu wrote calligraphy pieces that reached six inches in length.
This completely overshadowed him.
"It must be him. He's the only one in the entire Great Liang with any talent."
The talented scholars from the vassal states were talking amongst themselves, their words clearly showing they didn't take Mingze and the others seriously, even though he was one of the Seven Talents.
But here, they are being neglected.
However, he didn't dare to directly challenge them to a duel, because they all knew that these guys from vassal states had come prepared beforehand.
They definitely already had the calligraphy in their hands and were just waiting for this moment.
He doesn't have much inspiration right now, and going up there like that would only be humiliating.
Thinking of this, Mingze and the others couldn't help but glance around.
Here you can see that many people have come from all around, wanting to see how the talented scholars from these vassal states compare to those from the Great Liang.
In particular, the courtesans of the Entertainment Bureau a type of entertainment venue) secretly slipped out and booked several rooms nearby, which offered a perfect view of the situation.
Once the competition begins, they can see it clearly from here.
"Do you think that if Young Master Su were to come, he could defeat all the talented scholars from these vassal states?"
Inside the room, a screen had been erected in front of the window. This screen was quite unique; it allowed one to see outside, but from the outside, one could not see what was inside.
"While we admire Young Master Su, there's still a bit of uncertainty. As you ladies know, these talented men have all prepared extensively. If Young Master Su isn't fully prepared, I'm afraid..."
"That makes sense. The talented scholars of Great Liang had already tried their best to avoid battle, but last night I heard that one of them had a contest with a scholar from outside the region, and that he lost miserably."
Inside the room, a group of courtesans, all beautiful and charming, discussed the upcoming competition, their expressions showing a hint of nervousness.
The reason these courtesans were so fond of Su Mu was entirely because of that one sentence. "Traveling to the mortal world for a breathtaking banquet, to witness the magnificent beauty of the mortal realm," which amazed them all.
So much so that she couldn't forget Su Mu and liked him very much.
While the courtesan was discussing Su Mu, Deng Tianping and the others in the pavilion not far away were becoming somewhat anxious.
"Why hasn't this guy arrived yet? Is he afraid of losing and doesn't want to come?"
Duan Qi from the Northern Zhou Dynasty, couldn't help but frown. These talented scholars were always very proud, and they felt ashamed to be waiting for Su Mu alone here.
Now, things are really messed up; we've been waiting for ages, and it still hasn't arrived. Isn't that making everyone impatient?
They even suspected that the other party was doing this on purpose, to give them a warning first.
Upon hearing this, the other talented scholars couldn't help but frown.
Mingze and the others didn't know what was going on either, but after waiting for so long, they knew that the other party was probably reaching their limit.
If they don't come, they'll inevitably be labeled as cowards.
However, at that moment, the crowd in the distance suddenly began to part automatically, and a man in a blue robe strode out, accompanied by a palace maid.
None of them had ever seen Su Mu before, but seeing this appearance, they knew that this must be Su Mu.
Su Mu Su Mu walked up to the pavilion, and at that moment, countless eyes around him were focused on him.
"Is that Young Master Su? He's quite young and handsome."
A pretty woman craned her neck and stared intently.
"Hey, your wife at home isn't enough for you anymore, so you've got your eye on this young man?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he was immediately teased by his friend.
Everyone else was also staring at Su Mu at that moment.
At this moment, Su Mu also felt the gazes around him, and the fact that it seemed the talented scholars had all arrived.
It seems I've kept these people waiting for quite a while?
Little did Su Mu Xiao Wu informed him that he could get up, it was the Princess who had timed it precisely so that these people would have to wait longer.
"As expected of Su, the most renowned scholar of the Great Liang, he has kept us waiting for quite some time."
As soon as Su Mu stepped forward, someone immediately stepped forward to mock him.
His words were laced with sarcasm, implying that Su Mu was late, while also mocking Mingze and the others standing nearby, saying that although they were famous, they were nothing compared to Su Mu!
He is the only true talent in the Great Liang; you are merely supporting characters.
As expected, Mingze and the others understood the meaning behind those words, and their hands involuntarily clenched in their sleeves.
Who are you?
Seeing this, Su Mu also cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, just like the other person.
Deng Tianping was stunned upon hearing this, then felt as if he could stop breathing. It was an insult!
Is this some kind of insult?!
You recognize the other person, but they act like they don't recognize you!
This guy really has a lot of grudges against me. I wonder if he was involved in the raid on the palace.
Su Mu muttered to himself, subtly glancing at the surrounding scholars, only to find them all glaring at him, clearly disliking him.
Su Mu's mind raced with curiosity. Could it be that all of these people had a share?
With that thought in mind, Su Mu simply let go of her worries. Since they had already set their sights on her, there was no point in arguing with these pretentious and hypocritical people.
You can't expect the other party to give up the idea of killing you just because you're being polite.
"I am Deng"
"Forget it, there's no need to know who you are."
Just as Deng Tianping was about to introduce himself, Su Mu waved his hand dismissively, acting as if he were an unknown nobody who didn't need to know his name.
"Furious!"
"Arrogant! Rude!"
Deng Tianping was furious when he heard this. How could this guy be even more arrogant than them!
Mingze and the others watched in astonishment, then a look of admiration appeared on Su Mu faces.
Su Mu's actions completely won them over.
It's said that talented men are arrogant, but compared to Su Mu, they are worlds apart.
Su Mu had no idea what these people were thinking; he simply assumed that they had all been involved in the attack on the palace.
The eldest princess also mentioned that these people would definitely hold a grudge against him.
Adding to the fact that these people were looking at him strangely, Su Mu naturally assumed that they all secretly wished to kill him.
Given this situation, Su Mu naturally wouldn't give these people a friendly look.