"I need to discuss this." Qin Mu didn't answer immediately, replying reservedly. He wanted to learn about his opponent from his companion first.
Qin Mu's poem was written in regular script, and while the calligraphy was passable, it wasn't particularly impressive. Qin Yao took the Xuan paper; he wanted to make a copy as a memento.
"Yanran, who is that guy? You seem to have heard of him before?" Qin Mu asked curiously.
"That arrogant guy is called Dongfang Yu. You heard him too, he's the second brother of that scoundrel Dongfang Wu. There's a saying in the Northwest: 'A gentleman like jade, unparalleled in the world.'"
"The man on the road is as beautiful as jade," refers to Dongfang Yu. Firstly, his family owns a Hetian jade mine, and secondly, his name is Dongfang Yu (meaning East Jade). This fellow is said to be a polymath genius, proficient in Confucianism and Legalism at a young age, and extremely famous in the Northwest," Xiangli Yanran explained.
"So impressive! Who is this other 'Peerless Young Master' you're referring to?" Qin Mu asked in surprise.
To be honest, Dongfang Yu's appearance is indeed quite good. He has sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and he is very elegant. Qin Mu knows he can't imitate that kind of aristocratic air.
"You've met the peerless young master Ling Wushuang before; he's the current successor of Cihang Jingzhai, who's watching the battle over there," Xiangli Yanran said, pointing to the crowd watching the battle on the other side.
"Isn't she a nun?" Qin Mu asked in surprise.
"Hmph! Look at her, she doesn't look like a nun at all, and she often dresses up as a man." Xiangli Yanran snorted coldly, seemingly displeased, and pouted.
"Yanran is just upset that Ling Wushuang is more famous than her. The nickname 'Mo Family Heavy Sword' is awful," Qin Yue said, covering her mouth with a laugh.
"So you are the Mo family's heavy swordswoman, Miss Xiangli Yanran. My apologies for not recognizing you!" Qin Mu was surprised that the little girl had such a nickname, and couldn't help but chuckle, cupping his hands in a teasing manner.
"Brother Qin Mu, you're so annoying!" Xiangli Yanran stomped her feet angrily.
"Hehe! Sister Yue's reputation as one of the two outstanding members of the Qin family is well-known." Huang Yuqi said with a smile.
"Let's not worry about this empty fame. After today, Huai Dao's reputation will surpass most people's," Qin Yue said with a smile and a wave of her hand.
"What's the use of that Hetian jade essence? I think that Dongfang Yu is quite confident." Qin Mu interrupted them with an embarrassed smile, feeling a little shy at being praised to their face.
"Jade is the gentleman among stones, gathering the spirit of the earth, and has the effect of nourishing life and calming the soul. Jade essence is the essence of jade. A jade mine may not produce many pieces. Wearing it can make one's mind clear and prevent external evils from invading."
"Of course, this effect exists, but it's limited. For cultivators, at the very least, they need top-grade jade. Placing a large amount of top-grade jade in a room will cause it to condense spiritual energy, which is generally used by martial artists to break through their cultivation levels," Huang Yuqi explained with a smile.
"So, I can only say it's not bad. Betting on a fragment of the Spring and Autumn Annals is not worth it," Qin Mu said, tapping his palm with his folding fan.
When Dongfang Yu proposed the bet of writing poetry, he never thought he would lose. He said it wasn't worth it, hoping to make Dongfang Yu bleed a little more.
"A hundred catties of top-grade jade can help a martial artist break through to the Martial General realm, especially that piece of jade essence. Huai Dao, you can make a jade seal from it. Jade essence is not like ordinary jade, which is useless after use. Jade essence can be used repeatedly, absorbing its spiritual energy. Of course, this is the lowest level of method; it's best to make it into a magic artifact jade seal," Qin Yue continued.
“That’s right. Taoists can use jade essence to make magical artifacts, and Mohists can use it to make the core of mechanical puppets; ordinary jade can also be used to make talismans, so it’s not a bad deal.” Huang Yuqi nodded in agreement.
"Magic artifact? What is that?" Upon hearing a new term, Qin Mu couldn't help but ask curiously.
"We'll talk about that later. If you're confident, Huai Dao, just agree quickly. The Dongfang family's top-grade jade is very hard to obtain; it's usually exchanged as an important resource," Huang Yuqi reminded her.
"Alright! I'll teach him a lesson, so he won't always be so self-satisfied." Qin Mu took out another folding fan and clapped his hands. As for the one from before, it was already in Luo Cheng's hands.
“I agree! Same rules as before, let’s put out the stakes first!” Qin Mu took out the box containing the fragments of the Spring and Autumn Annals and Guliang Commentary he had obtained earlier and presented it to Qin Yao.
Just as he was about to return to the competition, he saw the folding fan waving in Qin Yao's hand, so he quickly stopped and respectfully presented the fan to Qin Qiong.
Seeing that Li Xiaogong's gaze remained fixed straight ahead, Qin Mu took out another one and handed it to him. Fortunately, he had made quite a few when he was making them.
"This is an elegant item! It will surely become very popular after today. Huai Dao is truly clever." Qin Yao said to Qin Qiong with a smile.
"You mean this thing was made by that Qin kid?" Li Xiaogong asked in surprise.
"yes!"
"It's really good, convenient to use, and quite elegant!" Li Xiaogong nodded in agreement.
"Those who cultivate are immune to heat and cold, but this brat keeps tinkering with useless things." Qin Qiong scolded, but his face was full of smiles, and he waved his folding fan, clearly showing that his true feelings were not like that.
"Mu'er, write a few words on it for your father too." Qin Qiong said with some dissatisfaction, looking at the folding fan in Qin Mu's hand.
The folding fans Qin Mu presented were his spares, so he hadn't had time to inscribe them yet. To Qin Qiong, who clearly intended to show off, he said helplessly, "Father, writing or painting on these folding fans is only meaningful if done by oneself."
"Just write it! Stop with all the nonsense," Qin Qiong said, glaring at him.
Qin Mu's heart skipped a beat. He guessed that Qin Qiong's handwriting was rather poor, which was why he was asked to do it. So he cupped his hands and said, "Your son obeys."
The problem is very simple. He took the folding fan, flattened the fan surface, pondered for a moment, and wrote down the four characters "义薄云天" (meaning "righteousness reaching the heavens") in running script.
These four characters were written in semi-cursive script, seemingly connected yet actually separated, appearing both elegant and powerful. Although Qin Qiong didn't understand calligraphy, he was extremely satisfied. He had always valued loyalty and righteousness, and besides, this was written by his son, which showed that his son understood him well.
Seeing Qin Qiong's smile widen and his constant nodding, Qin Mu knew that his flattery had hit the mark.
"I was only paying attention to Huai Dao's writing earlier and didn't notice this calligraphy. It shows you've put in a lot of effort, and it's no less impressive than mine. Why don't you leave me a piece of your calligraphy as well?" Qin Yao raised an eyebrow and handed over his folding fan.
"You flatter me!" Qin Yao was giving him face, so Qin Mu naturally wouldn't refuse. He humbly accepted the fan.
After tidying up the fan, Qin Mu thought for a moment and then wrote the four characters "岂曰无衣!" (How can it be said that we have no clothes!). This time he used regular script, and the four characters were square and upright. Although they did not look particularly special, Qin Yao's expression turned serious.
"Huai Dao is indeed exceptionally intelligent! I really like this calligraphy," Qin Yao said with gratitude.
"How can it be said that we have no clothes?" comes from the Book of Songs, Qin Feng, "No Clothes," and is the most widely circulated folk song among the people of old Qin. Later, it basically became the war song of the Qin state. Although the Qin Yao family had left Guanzhong for a thousand years, the homesickness that came from the soul had never changed. Therefore, upon seeing these four words, he couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth in his heart and his eyes welled up with tears.
The regular script is square and upright, which, in Qin Yao's view, is more like the indomitable fighting spirit of the old Qin people. Of course, he is very satisfied with Qin Mu's writing.
Not only that, Qin Yao was also thinking that when he had some free time, he would definitely have someone secretly promote Qin Feng's folk song.
Qin Mu, of course, had no idea that the phrase he had chosen from Qin Feng's collection was one that Qin Yao had never changed in his entire life, and that every folding fan he made afterward bore these four characters.
Qin Mu had just dealt with Qin Yao when Li Xiaogong placed his folding fan in front of him again.
"Your Highness, what are you doing?" Qin Mu asked, both amused and exasperated. Li Xiaogong came from the prestigious Li family, one of the five noble clans. Even if his calligraphy wasn't particularly outstanding, Qin Mu believed it was still quite good. Why did he have to let Qin Mu write it?
"I don't want to bother two people with the same thing. I can't think of anything to write right now, so you can write whatever you want. What? Do you look down on me?" Li Xiaogong said lazily.
"How could that be! I'll write it right away." Since Li Xiaogong said so, what could Qin Mu do but write it again? Anyway, it wasn't much trouble.
"Who else but me!" Li Xiaogong was very satisfied with the four cursive scripts he wrote in one stroke, praising them with delight.
"Shubao, your son is really good. The three sentences he wrote are exactly what we wanted. What's rare is his handwriting. He can clearly write running script, cursive script, and regular script quite well. Without the guidance of a famous teacher, he could have reached this level. If someone else told me, I wouldn't believe it."
"Hehe! Don't praise him too much, or young people will become arrogant." Qin Qiong said with a smile, waving his hand.
“Speaking of which, I envy you even more, Uncle Bao. Huai Dao is steady and reliable, far superior to my son,” Li Xiaogong sighed.
"Chongyi is also a rare young talent, and it's normal for young people to be a little arrogant."
"I'm not going to say anything more! It's all because I'm not disciplined enough."
“Who can argue with that! We’re usually busy with official duties, so it’s inevitable that we won’t be able to take good care of the children. After we go back this time, I’ve decided to send Huaiyu to the army so that he can get some experience.” Qin Qiong nodded with deep understanding.
He hadn't thought much of it at first, but compared to Qin Mu, not only his other son, but also few of the other second-generation rich kids in Chang'an could compare. Therefore, he began to reflect on whether he had made a mistake in his parenting.
Qin Mu was quite used to being the "model child" in other people's eyes. After all, he had always had good grades, was quiet, and didn't like to run around. He had been praised by neighbors and relatives more than once.
Qin Mu ignored their idle chatter and instead sized up Dongfang Yu, who was standing to the side. Although he was being ignored, Dongfang Yu wasn't angry. His expression remained unchanged, with a faint smile on his face. He stood there quietly, observing Qin Mu with interest.
The two men exchanged glances, both inwardly marveling that this was no easy opponent.
"Since it was you two who proposed the bet, you can discuss the topic yourselves," Qin Yao said. The three matches were over, and his side had won all of them, so he had been in a good mood.
"Since you proposed the competition, then you can set the challenge!" Qin Mu said with a confident smile.
"Are you sure?" Dongfang Yu asked with a playful smile.
"Sure!"
No regrets!
"A man's words are hard to follow!"
"Very well, then I won't stand on ceremony. In the past, Emperor Chen Houzhu wrote a poem called 'Spring River Flower Moon Night,' and Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty also wrote two poems called 'Spring River Flower Moon Night.' I like them very much and have always wanted to write a poem to match theirs, but unfortunately I have not been able to write one."
"I suddenly had a feeling today, how about we use this as our topic?" Dongfang Yu asked Qin Mu with a smile.
He had actually been thinking about the topic, and after analysis, he realized that Qin Mu hadn't yet had the opportunity to see the vast rivers and seas, which is why he came up with this topic. After all, to write exquisite poems and essays, one must first have that experience.
"Shameless! You were clearly prepared all along, actually letting Brother Qin Mu compete with you!" Before Qin Mu could answer, Xiangli Yanran angrily rebuked him.
"Yanran doesn't need to say anything." Qin Mu raised his hand to stop Xiangli Yanran. Then, with a similarly amused smile, he asked, "Are you sure this is the topic?"
"I'm sure! Of course, we can change it if you don't agree."
"No regrets?"
"A man's word is his bond!" Dongfang Yu firmly replied with Qin Mu's words, which also silenced the others, since Qin Mu had already agreed to let him ask any questions he wanted.
Dongfang Yu assumed Qin Mu would be somewhat hesitant and was eager to see his displeased expression. He was certain Qin Mu wouldn't refuse, because refusing would seem like breaking his promise; even if he lost, he would still have to grit his teeth and write.
"No problem, please!" Unfortunately, he was disappointed. Qin Mu's expression remained unchanged, and his eyes even carried a hint of pity for him.
"Damn it! Is he pitying me? Does he think it's unfair for me to win like this?" Dongfang Yu muttered to himself.
"Hmph! The winner takes all. The means don't matter; the most important thing is the result." Dongfang Yu sneered inwardly before gesturing, "Please! Would you like some more time to think?"
"No need, we've already wasted enough time today, and everyone's still hungry," Qin Mu said, shaking his head. With that, Qin Mu walked towards the table.
"Brother Qin Mu, I'll grind the ink for you. Write a poem and defeat that shameless scoundrel!" Xiangli Yanran said indignantly.
"Okay." Watching Xiangli Yanran clumsily holding the ink stick and grinding it vigorously in the inkstone, Qin Mu was touched and reached out to pat her head.
Qin Mu wasn't in a hurry. It was Dongfang Yu's own fault for asking for trouble by setting such a difficult question. Any other tricky question might have stumped Qin Mu. But it happened to be "A Moonlit Night on the Spring River," a poem with the same title in another world, hailed as a masterpiece that surpasses even the most brilliant poems of the Tang Dynasty.
It was precisely because this poem was so famous that Qin Mu had specifically read it back then. After Xiangli Yanran finished preparing it, he straightened the Xuan paper, concentrated his mind, recalled it once more, and then picked up his brush to write.
The spring river's tide rises level with the sea, and the bright moon rises with the tide. Rippling waves stretch for thousands of miles; where on the spring river is there no moonlight? The river flows windingly around fragrant fields, the moon shining on the flower forest like scattered snowflakes; frost seems to flow unnoticed in the air, and the white sand on the riverbank is invisible. River and sky are one color, without a speck of dust; the bright moon hangs alone in the sky. Who first saw the moon by the riverbank? In what year did the river moon first shine on man? Life goes on endlessly, generation after generation, but the river moon remains the same year after year. I wonder for whom the river moon waits, but I only see the Yangtze River carrying its flowing water. A white cloud drifts leisurely away, and on the green maple shore, sorrow is overwhelming. Whose boat is that tonight? Where is the moonlit tower of longing? Pity the moon lingering above the tower, it should shine on the dressing table of the one who is far away. The jade curtain cannot be rolled up, and the moonlight returns even when brushed away from the washing stone. At this moment, we gaze at each other but cannot hear each other's voices; I wish I could follow the moonlight to shine upon you. Wild geese fly far but cannot cross the light, fish and dragons leap and dive, creating patterns on the water. Last night, in a dream by the quiet pool, I saw fallen flowers; alas, spring is half gone, and I cannot return home. Spring's flow is fading as the river recedes, and the moon sets again in the west over the riverbank. The waning moon sinks deep into the sea mist, and the road to Jieshi and Xiaoxiang stretches endlessly. I wonder how many will return by moonlight, as the setting moon stirs emotions among the trees along the river.
In another world, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong (Li Zhi), the poet Zhang Ruoxu wrote this poem, "A Moonlit Night on the Spring River." The language is fresh and beautiful, depicting the tranquil beauty of spring, river, flowers, moon, and night. The poem uses the word "moon" fourteen times without any repetition or monotony. It is far superior to Emperor Yang Guang's two poems, not to mention Emperor Chen Houzhu's poem with its suggestive undertones. Qin Mu believed that Dongfang Yu could never surpass it.
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