Just as Pei Jianzhi finished muttering to himself, Pei Shaoji's cold voice came from ahead.
"This poetry gathering was hosted by the Ninth Princess. You, a mere warrior, should not disturb the elegance of this place. My family sent me here not so that you would embarrass me."
Pei Shaoji was two years younger than Pei Jianzhi, but their relationship was like that of a master and servant.
In his eyes, Pei Jianzhi was nothing but a hopeless piece of trash.
It's not just a deep-seated contempt for martial artists, but also a suppression stemming from their bloodline.
Upon hearing this, Pei Jianzhi silently shut his mouth. Seeing her lover being scolded like this, Lu Yunxue immediately expressed her dissatisfaction.
"Jianzhi is a valiant general in the army, how can you humiliate him like this!"
Pei Shaoji sneered upon hearing this.
"A valiant general? In my opinion, he's just a piece of trash. The Pei family lost face because of you in the Battle of Luzhou. If it weren't for the family using their connections, he would have been dismissed, investigated, and exiled to the frontier long ago!"
Lu Yunxue wanted to argue further after hearing this, but Pei Jianzhi stopped her.
"Xue'er, you should say less."
Upon hearing this, Lu Yunxue felt a surge of anger rising in her chest.
In her memory, Pei Jianzhi was clearly a true man who could roam the grasslands and do anything, so why did he appear timid and hesitant in front of a junior in the family, showing no sign of a great man?
At this moment, looking at Pei Jianzhi's obsequious appearance, Lu Yunxue couldn't help but recall the image of Mu Zian, who was fighting fiercely on all sides on the battlefield of Luzhou.
Lu Yunxue was somewhat taken aback, as if everything around her had changed since she and Mu Zian separated.
It was as if they had fallen from the clouds to the bottom overnight.
Lu Yunxue took a deep breath, suppressing the resentment in her heart.
As the saying goes, "When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it first tests their will, strains their muscles and bones, and starves their body."
At this moment, Lu Yunxue could only console herself in this way.
Greetings rang out from all around, and Pei Shaoji's appearance immediately brought the popularity of the poetry gathering on the painted boat to its peak.
"Student Pei Shaoji greets Your Highness the Ninth Princess."
Pei Shaoji bowed respectfully, his every word and action displaying the demeanor of a Confucian scholar.
Xiao Xiuning responded politely upon hearing this.
"I look forward to seeing Young Master Pei's masterpiece at tonight's poetry gathering."
The two of them engaged in a question-and-answer session, completely ignoring Pei Jianzhi and Lu Yunxue who had followed them.
Mr. Dongshan stepped forward and said.
"Your Highness, the time has come; the poetry gathering may begin today."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiuning looked around but did not find Mu Zian, and felt puzzled.
But now that the time has come, there is no time to delay.
Xiao Xiuning then waved her hand, and a eunuch slowly walked out carrying a wooden tray.
"Today's poetry gathering on the painted boat emphasizes literary talent, but as the saying goes, there is no first place in literature, but there is a second place in martial arts. Since it is a poetry gathering, there should be some extra prizes. Whoever can stand out tonight and win the championship will have this prize."
As she spoke, Xiao Xiuning suddenly lifted the red cloth covering the wooden tray.
The next moment, a bunch of crystal-clear purple grapes lay quietly inside.
Everyone was stunned for a moment, but then someone exclaimed.
"They're actually glass grapes! Such treasures are only found in the royal treasury! This bunch is worth ten thousand taels of gold!"
Everyone gasped upon hearing this.
Mr. Dongshan stroked his beard and exclaimed in amazement.
"Her Ninth Princess's actions are indeed extraordinary."
Upon seeing this, Pei Shaoji smiled, stepped forward, and cupped his hands in greeting.
"Today's poetry gathering is to showcase the prosperity of our Great Li Dynasty. It is a blessing for the country to have a talented woman like the Ninth Princess! I am willing to contribute another 100,000 taels of silver as a bonus."
Pei Shaoji smiled and looked at the Ninth Princess.
"This is a small token of my appreciation, and I hope Your Highness will not refuse it."
All eyes turned to Xiao Xiuning.
Seeing this, Xiao Xiuning, though displeased, could only smile.
"Young Master Pei is so magnanimous, how could I possibly spoil everyone's fun?"
A cheer immediately erupted from all around.
Upon seeing this, Pei Jianzhi couldn't help but sneer.
"Hmph, a bunch of overconfident fools. Shao Jishi is such a genius, how dare they compete for the top spot?"
Lu Yunxue kindly reminded her.
"Young Master Pei, you must not underestimate the heroes of the world. Haven't you suffered enough losses already?"
Pei Jianzhi's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, but he quickly returned to normal.
"Xue'er, you are unaware of Shao Ji's strength, otherwise you wouldn't be so confused. Just watch how my Pei family's son sweeps across the literary world of Da Li today."
Pei Shaoji's confidence was cultivated from a young age.
On a distant pleasure boat, Mu Zi watched the scene unfold quietly.
A gentle breeze ruffled his hair on the lake.
Ning Hongchen asked from the side.
“Pei Shaoji is no pushover. It will be quite difficult for you to outdo him at this poetry gathering.”
"Shuidiao Getou is indeed the best of all time, but we've already played our trump card. How do we deal with him now?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Zi'an laughed heartily, his meaning understood without words.
My trump card? The millennia-old cultural heritage of China is my trump card.
He's just a child prodigy; let him know right away what the power of nine years of compulsory education is all about.
The rules for poetry gatherings have always been very simple.
The organizers set the theme, students composed poems, and renowned scholars provided commentary.
Then they are ranked according to their literary talent.
Tonight's poetry recital on the painted boat will be divided into two rounds.
All students can participate in the first round, and the best performers will advance to the second round.
Then another round of questions will be given, and only in this final round can the champion be determined.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com