Tonight, the capital city is destined to be extraordinary!
A true poet has emerged from among the warriors.
The Pei family's prodigy was so frightened that he went insane and jumped into a lake to commit suicide.
All the students inside the pleasure boat were driven to mental breakdown by Mu Zi'an.
The Ninth Princess openly favored Mu Zi'an, and the two secretly developed feelings for each other.
Poems about the moon, frontier poems, poems about parting sorrows, and poems about heartbreak.
Each one of them is enough to resonate through the ages! Yet today, they have all appeared overnight.
There is so much information, from students from all over the country who came to the poetry gathering tonight, to renowned scholars and literati.
Or perhaps they are wealthy businessmen who come to join in the fun.
Upon returning, they all immediately discussed what they had witnessed that evening with their classmates, family elders, and advisors.
In conclusion!
All the absurd things Mu Zi'an did before were just to hide his true abilities!
He was actually a genius who excelled in both literature and martial arts!
Of course, there are also those who question these poems.
After all, the poems written by Mu Zi'an have different emotions and styles, and the contrast between them is simply too great.
It's as if one person instantly split into countless others!
However, no matter what the argument, nothing can stop the fact that from tonight onwards, Mu Zian's talent and fame will resound throughout the world!
The carriage that took Mu Zian back to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was Xiao Xiuning's own.
The moment the carriage entered the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, Mu Zian, who had been fast asleep, suddenly opened his eyes.
His previous drunkenness was completely gone at this moment.
Liu Rushi and Ning Hongchen, who were inside the carriage, were both startled by Mu Zian's sudden awakening.
"Young master, you're not drunk?"
Liu Rushi covered her mouth in surprise.
Mu Zian leaned against the soft couch inside the carriage.
With a slight twitch of the nose, one could almost smell the faint milky scent lingering on the soft couch.
Mu Zian smiled and nodded, then twisted his body to lie down in a comfortable position.
"It's just an act for them."
Ning Hongchen asked with some confusion upon hearing this.
"Since you won this poetry contest, why pretend to be drunk? Isn't that redundant?"
"Since Pei Shaoji didn't commit suicide in the end, wouldn't the young master's efforts have all been in vain?"
Mu Zian picked a grape and stuffed it into Ning Hongchen's mouth, then laughed heartily.
"Sometimes living is more painful than dying."
"I never wanted to kill him, or rather, I couldn't be the one to kill him."
The two women looked at each other, their eyes filled with confusion.
Mu Zian spoke calmly and unhurriedly.
"The so-called gamble with one's life is nothing more than cutting off Pei Shaoji's escape route."
"Pei Shaoji is well-known for his literary talent in the capital, and the Pei family has considerable connections in the literary world."
"If Pei Shaoji really commits suicide on the pleasure boat, I will be branded with the infamous reputation of forcing a talented person to his death."
"The Pei family can then use this as an excuse to cause trouble."
"But! If I pretend to be drunk and leave, then whether Pei Shaoji lives or dies will be none of my business."
Liu Rushi seemed to have suddenly thought of something and immediately said.
"In this way, the young master will not have to bear the infamy of forcing a talented person to commit suicide, and he can also take this opportunity to put the Pei family in a bad light and make them lose face."
"Moreover, the young master's timely withdrawal, without being overly aggressive, will earn him a reputation for being magnanimous and generous, and will also save face for Pei Shaoji in the literary world of the capital."
"Young Master is using a strategy of retreat to advance, making the Pei family and this man a laughing stock in the capital."
"After tonight, if I were Pei Shaoji, I would never dare to show my face in public again, lest I be ridiculed by others."
"Such a way of winning the imperial examination is a pipe dream, but you, young master, have already fulfilled His Majesty's command."
"By not forcing Pei Shaoji to commit suicide, the young master has also given an explanation to the literary world of the capital."
"The Pei family not only cannot blame the young master, but should also thank him for sparing Pei Shaoji's life. They can only swallow this bitter pill themselves."
"Young master's move truly kills three birds with one stone."
Mu Zian, sitting on the soft couch, looked slightly embarrassed.
Did I think about all that back then?
Mu Zian stretched, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
This is just collecting some interest now; the real show is yet to come.
...
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation in the Imperial Palace, the poems written by Mu Zian were now placed on the desk of Emperor Xiao Yu of Dali.
The more he looked, the wider the smile on Xiao Yu's face became.
"The Pei family has always held themselves in high regard, and Pei Shaoji was their chosen successor as the next head of the family. Yet tonight they were forced to flee by jumping into the lake. It's utterly laughable."
"Once these poems spread throughout the world, the Pei family will become a laughing stock among aristocratic families."
"Over the years, the Pei family has formed factions and influenced the political situation in the court. This is a good opportunity to curb their arrogance."
Eunuch Cao chimed in from the side.
"It is all thanks to His Majesty's discerning eye for talent. If His Majesty had not appreciated the Duke of Zhenguo, even with his extraordinary talent, he would have had difficulty displaying it."
"The imperial examination hasn't even started yet, and the Duke of Zhenguo has already crushed the Pei family's hopes of winning. That's a rather ruthless move. If it were up to the Pei family's nature, they wouldn't have let this go. Should we remind the Duke of Zhenguo to be on guard?"
Xiao Yu shook his head and smiled.
"It was Pei Shaoji who suggested the poetry contest, and it was Pei Shaoji who agreed to the life-or-death bet, but in the end, it was Pei Shaoji who reneged on the agreement."
"Mu Zian did not force him to kill; instead, he escaped by jumping into the lake. Therefore, the Pei family had no choice but to accept this loss."
At this point, a cold glint flashed in Xiao Yu's eyes.
"I heard that Pei Shaoji has been rescued from the lake."
Eunuch Cao nodded.
"Your Majesty, a letter from the Imperial City Guard states that Pei Shaoji has just been sent back to Qinghe overnight."
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