Chapter 105:
In Changan City, the lights in the treasury were lit. The patrolling Martial Marquis took to the streets and found that the once tranquil Changan City was filled with houses still illuminated at an hour that should have been quiet.
Through many windows, silhouettes could be seen swaying, and the murmurs of excited recitations were faintly audible. If someone were to look down from the sky, they would witness the awe-inspiring sight of Changan City glow.
As the patrolling Martial Marquis reached the road to the princess’s mansion, turning the corner, the scene before them left them stunned in place. The previously wide avenue was almost entirely filled with people shoulder to shoulder.
In the sea of people, some looked up and sighed. Some sang joyously, while others whispered and shed tears. This eerie scene sent shivers down the spines of the patrolling Martial Marquis.
A chilling thought struck them all, Have these once polite scholars collectively gone mad?
Inside the princess’s mansion, Su Li had lost count of how many poems he had recited and how much wine he had consumed. However, his robust physical constitution kept his mind incredibly clear. This was supposed to be his final poetry gathering, a planned punctuation mark on his poet’s career.
After tonight, no one would dare question his prowess in poetry. He didn’t care about the doubts of others, but he couldn’t ignore Changle’s feelings.
Zhangsun Chong?
Just a jumping jester, they were never on the same plane.
Without Changle, he would have annihilated the Zhangsun family without hesitation.Yang Qingbai, before Su Li, wore a complex expression, a mix of fear and shame, like changing masks. Regardless, Yang Qingbai hadn’t budged an inch since the beginning, unable to move his feet.
He didn’t dare to leave!
He had openly questioned Su Li before, and now he was being proven wrong by poem after poem Su Li presented. If he were to leave in humiliation now, he would have no standing left for himself in Zhangsun Chong’s eyes!
At the same time, he didn’t want to!
Though Yang Qingbai had a dark mindset, he was, after all, a poet at heart. He could discern just how formidable the poems recited by Su Li were. He was aware that the scene unfolding was beyond any known precedent and would remain unmatched in the future.
Even though he knew that this moment was destined to become a timeless marvel, he would be cast as a villain. Yet, Yang Qingbai was still willing to embrace it. This internal struggle left Yang Qingbai in a state of intense conflict. But his honest body had already given him away!
Even as Yang Qingbai experienced this, the noblewomen attending the poetry gathering became increasingly emotional. They had never imagined that they would witness such a scene in their lifetimes…
And on this night, they would be driven to poetic frenzy as if possessed!
Li Xueyan was similarly exhilarated. Despite knowing that Su Li had prepared when the moment arrived, she discovered that she had underestimated Su Li’s poetic prowess. She couldn’t help turning her head, her eyes shining, fixed on Su Li’s Changle.
Li Xueyan’s expression was a complex blend of intense envy and a touch of lonely solitude. There was a mix of emotions in her gaze—intense admiration, envy, and a hint of melancholy.
She gave Su Li a deep look.
“With a single exhale, he is half of the glorious Tang… Tonight, he has singlehandedly illuminated the literary world for almost decades…”
Meanwhile, at Zhangsun Chong’s, Yang Qingbai hadn’t returned yet. The attendees of the poetry gathering were engaged in absent-minded conversations.
Zhangsun Chong was somewhat annoyed, but he couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong. He stared for a good half-hour, only to suddenly see a person rushing in.
“Brother Zhangsun, I received news that Su Li continuously composed poems at the Princess’s Residence Poetry Gathering and posted them in front of the residence’s door…”
Because he had been rushing, the man breathed heavily, simultaneously pulling out a stack of papers. Zhangsun Chong grabbed it eagerly, lowering his head to read it. He froze in place.
“The emperor can’t get on the boat when he calls… The emperor can’t get on the boat when he calls…”
Witnessing Zhangsun Chong’s reaction, the others were confused and puzzled. A scholar with a good relationship with Zhangsun Chong took the stack of papers from his stunned hands.
Yet, after a glance, the scholar also fell into a daze. These two reactions instantly piqued the curiosity of the others. Soon, the stack of dozens of poems copied from the Princess’s residence was passed around for everyone to read at the poetry gathering.
After seeing those poems, everyone had the same reaction as Zhangsun Chong. At that moment, they felt a burning sensation on their faces, as if they had been repeatedly slapped. These dozen or so poems completely shattered those who had previously doubted Su Li.
“Su Li’s continuous creation of poems is unceasing. The walls in front of the Princess Mansion have long been covered and replaced countless times. The scholars copying the poems have written until their wrists are sore, yet they refuse to leave…”
The person who came to deliver the poem had a profoundly complicated expression.
Soon, his words were confirmed.
After a while, people who came to deliver poems arrived in an unending stream, forming almost a line. Even if an ordinary person wrote just one in their lifetime, each newly composed poem would be enough to make them famous for future generations. However, at this moment, these poems were thrown out by Su Li, as if they were cabbages being sold in a marketplace.
What was more terrifying was that he seemed to need no thought when composing poems of this caliber. The words flowed from him effortlessly as the poems continued to come in. The group of scholars present first felt ashamed, then transitioned into shock, and finally, almost everyone became numb.
After a long time, a scholar put down the paper in his hand and sighed heavily.
“What a line: ‘Spring comes, I don’t speak first, which insect dares to chirp’ … After tonight, I’ll have no face left to compose poetry!”
Then, with an ashamed look, he covered his face and left!
Witnessing this scene, the other scholars felt a sense of regret. Subsequently, more and more people silently left. Seeing this, Zhangsun Chong turned a blind eye.
At this moment, he held a page of poetry, his gaze heavy. After a while, he suddenly laughed self-mockingly.
“Please go to the Overland Smoke Pavilion for a while, if a scholar ten thousand vassals …”
Zhangsun Chong’s thoughts were profoundly complex, and a strong sense of powerlessness rose within him.
That night, nobody knew how many poems Su Li had composed. People only knew that on that day, the night in Changan was illuminated by brilliant lights, and nobody slept a wink.