9: Poetry in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests! The Butthole Marquis is famous all over the world!

Chapter 9: Poetic Composition at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests! "Asshole" Marquis Becomes Famous Throughout the Land!

Hearing Li Chang'an’s words, Emperor Qing was also visibly stunned.

No way, is the third child really that talented?

Cui Shen’s expression also froze, “Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”

“To write about an object without mentioning its name, His Highness absolutely cannot do it on the spot!”

“Within my sect, we often play this game.”

“Poems composed on the spot are never convincing!”

He pondered for a moment, then made a grand declaration.

“If His Highness’s ode to snow poem contains no ‘snow’ character throughout, yet everyone can tell you are writing about snow,”

“Then I… I will put down my brush forever and never write poetry again!”

Whoosh!

Cui Shen, known as the Five-character Great Wall of the world!

He gambled his right to compose poetry!

Everyone in Northern Qi and Southern Qing was greatly surprised!

To write an ode to snow without mentioning snow is indeed difficult!

Therefore, Cui Shen was very confident!

Li Chang'an had not seen much snow, so how could he write such a poem?

Moreover, the theme of snow was something he came up with on the spur of the moment, so Li Chang'an couldn't have prepared for it.

Adding to that the condition that everyone must unanimously recognize it as an ode to snow without mentioning snow, Cui Shen didn't believe Li Chang'an could do it!

Emperor Qing saw Cui Shen being so serious and chuckled heartily.

Regardless of winning or losing, to push the Five-character Great Wall to this extent was rare!

Just then, Li Chang'an’s finger pointed to the snowflakes outside the window.

“Isn’t it just describing snow? It shouldn’t be difficult!”

“One flake, two flakes, three, four flakes; five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten flakes!”

He recited each word slowly and with extreme seriousness!

The Northern Qi people held their breath, listened, and then burst into laughter!

“His Highness is truly a Genius! He can count to ten!”

“So this is the standard of poetry for Southern Qing people!”

“That ode to the goose, did you buy that poem from our Northern Qi?!”

“Hahaha, I can’t stop laughing!”

On the Southern Qing side, everyone lowered their heads, feeling a bit ashamed.

Fan Jian covered his face with both hands, not daring to meet Emperor Qing’s gaze.

Fortunately, Emperor Qing merely smiled and didn’t take it seriously.

It’s pretty good, isn't it? He wrote half a poem!

When I was five, I, a Genius, couldn't write these two lines!

If Li Chang'an could complete a poem, tonight would not be a disgrace.

Cui Shen stroked his beard and smiled, an expression of certain victory on his face.

The Marquis of Changning was laughing so hard tears came out; Northern Qi was destined to win big tonight!

When the laughter subsided a little, Li Chang'an cleared his throat again.

“A thousand flakes, ten thousand flakes, countless flakes; flying into the plum blossoms, they all disappear!”

After he finished reciting this poem, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests immediately fell silent.

The laughter from the Northern Qi side gradually quieted down.

Cui Shen’s expression also changed from relaxed to increasingly solemn!

A poem was completed!

Without the character for snow!

The first three lines seemed to be just counting, but the last line was the finishing touch!

Falling one by one, a thousand flakes, ten thousand flakes, countless flakes scattering!

Falling into the plum blossoms that bloom in winter, then disappearing!

If this isn’t snow, what else could it be?!

If there wasn't the last line, no plum blossoms, no 'all disappear,' the first three lines would be nonsense!

But now, strung together, it is perfectly an ode to snow!

“Hahaha!”

Emperor Qing suddenly let out a triumphant laugh!

Whether this poem met Northern Qi’s requirements, any discerning person could tell.

Subsequently, the officials on the Southern Qing side all reacted.

Prince Jing exclaimed in admiration, “He’s a True God! Third Brother is truly a True God!”

“He can even make a poem out of counting, and there really isn’t a ‘snow’ character!”

Cui Shen remained in a daze for a long time, then a bitter expression appeared on his face.

Marquis Changning, Wei Bi, however, stared with wide eyes, looking like he wanted to say something.

But he grew up in the north, he understood snow too well.

A thousand flakes, ten thousand flakes flying into the plum blossoms—if it wasn’t snow, what else could it be?!

When Li Chang'an recited the last line, he instantly realized: this was snow!

In the end, he still said nothing.

Amidst the sighs of the Northern Qi Delegation, Cui Shen was completely convinced!

Those who truly understood poetry naturally knew that Li Chang'an’s ode to snow was beyond reproach.

“Enough, I am sincerely convinced, His Highness is a Genius!”

“From now on, I will never write poetry again!”

Under the ambiance of this poem, the state banquet reached its climax!

The esteemed Five-character Great Wall, who had never suffered a setback in Northern Qi, had stumbled in Southern Qing!

The Southern Qing literary world had been suppressed by Northern Qi for so long, this vent of anger was truly exhilarating!

Emperor Qing frequently raised his cup; the Southern Qing ruler and his ministers drank heartily!

As the state banquet was nearing its end, both sides had drunk quite a bit.

The Marquis of Changning sighed, “The Third Highness is indeed a Genius.”

“However, Southern Qing only occasionally produces one or two good poems.”

“To speak of the orthodox literary tradition of the world, the true cultural heritage, it still lies with my Great Qi!”

This kind of Yin and Yang, sarcastic taunting, is common in diplomatic settings.

Emperor Qing gave a look, and Fan Jian, Guo Youzhi, and others were already preparing to roll up their sleeves for a verbal battle.

At this moment, Li Chang'an’s voice rang out again.

“Second Brother… what is ‘cultural heritage’?”

This sound was very soft, but everyone in the hall heard it.

Li Zhi, Prince Jing stated frankly, “Cultural heritage refers to the attire of cultured people, representing the orthodox culture.”

Li Chang'an looked puzzled, “Where the cultural orthodoxy lies should depend on whether a person is cultured.”

“Can one determine whether someone is cultured merely by the type of their clothing and their geographical region?”

Before Li Zhi, Prince Jing could speak, Wei Bi began to speak coldly.

“The young child is still ignorant, not even knowing what cultural heritage is!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Li Chang'an suddenly laughed.

“Your Majesty, your younger brother wishes to describe the Marquis of Changning!”

Emperor Qing did not hesitate, “Granted!”

Li Zhi, Prince Jing asked curiously, “Third Brother, you’ve already composed an ode to the goose and an ode to snow; now you want to compose an ode to a person?”

Li Chang'an shook his head, “It’s not an ode to a person.”

Li Zhi, Prince Jing understood, “Oh, that’s right.

The Marquis of Changning is not a person.”

Upon hearing this, Wei Bi immediately flew into a rage.

“Li Zhi, Prince Jing, you’re not a person either!”

No sooner had Wei Bi finished speaking than Li Chang'an said.

“I want to write about a needle, the embroidery needle my mother uses!”

Li Zhi, Prince Jing was bewildered, but Fan Jian slapped the table.

“Oh! His Highness means that the Marquis of Changning is very thin!”

Marquis Changning, Wei Bi was almost exploding with anger; these two were cursing people indirectly!

The Southern Qing officials burst into laughter, and Wei Bi’s face turned crimson.

“Your Highness, I am all ears!”

“I possess considerable talent and virtue; how could I be an embroidery needle?!”

Li Chang'an’s finger pointed at Wei Bi, and Wei Bi suddenly felt his body stiffen.

He had a very bad premonition!

“Forged a hundred, hammered a thousand, a single needle;

Up and down it goes, traveling on cloth.

Its eye is on its backside,

Recognizing only attire, not people.”

As Li Chang'an’s words fell, a brief silence enveloped the surroundings.

Then, an even more enthusiastic burst of laughter erupted!

Even Emperor Qing couldn’t maintain his composure, laughing so hard he swayed back and forth!

The Southern Qing officials were already quite drunk, and now they were even more disheveled.

Even the Northern Qi Delegation couldn’t hold back their laughter.

How vicious!

The eye of an embroidery needle, isn’t it on its backside?

Li Chang'an watched with his own eyes as the Marquis of Changning’s favorability dropped from -50 to -100!

Hatred was maxed out!

In the future, Zhan Doudou, the young Emperor of Northern Qi’s uncle, was almost angered to death by Li Chang'an!

Li Zhi, Prince Jing, heavily drunk, grabbed a wine pot and came before Wei Bi.

“An eye on its backside, isn’t that a Piyan?”

“Marquis of Changning, you are about to become famous throughout the land!”

“From now on, the whole world will know your new title!”

“"Asshole" Marquis!”