When Marquis Changqing said this, everyone chimed in to liven things up.
Then everyone started reciting poems and composing couplets, and some people even played musical instruments to add to the fun.
After a while, the highlight of the literary gathering arrived.
The newly arrived Confucian scholar set the topic, and those present composed poems.
Lou Kui felt a surge of excitement when she heard this segment begin.
It's finally her turn to shine.
Lou Kui certainly made quite a splash in the spotlight after that.
The great scholar posed five questions, and Lou Kui composed five outstanding poems in different styles, leaving the scholars and ladies present in awe.
No one expected that this young master Lou, who was said to have caught the eye of the Third Prince and others with his beauty, would actually be so learned.
Are people who can produce such outstanding poems really as despicable as legend suggests?
Many people have this question.
Some people even stole glances at Qingyou, wondering if she would react.
However, these people were about to be disappointed. Qingyou remained seated lazily with her teacup in hand, without making any comment.
She noticed that the great scholar and several other famous literati present looked increasingly displeased after listening to Lou Kui's poem.
The great scholar did not comment on Lou Kui's most outstanding poem.
Instead, he said to Lou Kui, "How about I give you a few more topics, and you and everyone else compose a few poems?"
Lou Kui thought that the great scholar was satisfied with her previous poems and wanted to test her again.
"Okay!" So he agreed without hesitation.
The scholar thought about the poems in the collection and deliberately chose a few outstanding ones to set as questions.
Sure enough, Lou Kui soon wrote a series of amazing poems.
Although the Fourth Prince was not particularly literate, he could still tell how good Lou Kui's poems were.
He smiled and praised, "I didn't expect you, Brother Lou, to be so accomplished in poetry. This poem is comparable to the works of masters."
Many others agreed with this statement.
Regardless of Lou Kui's previous reputation, the talent he displayed this time truly made them admire and praise him.
They even suspected that the previous rumors might have been spread by Princess Ling.
Some people knew that it was released by several princes, and thought that the princes must have deliberately used Lou Kui to smear the Third Prince.
How could someone so learned be so incompetent?
The Third Prince was also amazed by Lou Kui's poems.
He had always known that Lou Kui was a talented writer, and he couldn't help but admire the articles he produced.
It's a pity that Lou Kui was indifferent to fame and fortune and did not want to participate in the imperial examinations; otherwise, he would definitely have been a top scholar.
Unexpectedly, Lou Kui's poems were of such high quality. Each poem had its own unique flavor and feeling, just as Lao Si said, comparable to the works of masters.
Seeing that Lou Kui was so talented in literature and had become the center of attention at the literary gathering, the Second Prince and the others couldn't help but feel uneasy.
After all, Lou Kui is now on good terms with the third and fourth brothers. If he gains popularity among scholars and is appreciated by great Confucian scholars, it will be detrimental to them.
This will also dispel the previous rumors that they deliberately let others spread them.
Unable to resist, the Second Prince looked at Qingyou and asked with a smile, "Qingyou, what do you think of these poems?"
Everyone present couldn't help but admire the Second Prince, who actually went to provoke the quiet Princess Ling again.
Fei Yu and the Fourth Prince really wanted to shut the Second Prince up; he just loved stirring things up.
Lou Kui looked at Qingyou expectantly, as if to say, "Quickly, give me your opinion."
He was thinking, "Go ahead and scold me," and then he offended all the scholars here who dared to defy authority, causing his reputation to plummet.
The system just said that the fortune of Fujian green pomelos has increased significantly.
If her reputation were to plummet now, she could steal the other person's good fortune.
Everyone present turned to look at Qingyou, wondering what she would do.
Most people looked on with expressions of anticipation, as if they were watching a good show.
The scholar, especially jealous of Suan Lou Kui's ability to compose such fine poems, wished even more that Princess Ling would belittle Lou Kui.
Qingyou slowly took a sip before speaking amidst everyone's anticipation.
"The poems on each theme are indeed the most outstanding works by this Prince Lou."
Upon hearing this, many scholars who initially thought Qingyou was too assertive changed their minds.
It seems that Princess Ling was not belittling the manipulative person out of spite.
Of course, some people were disappointed, not expecting her to praise Lou Kui.
Then Qingyou changed the subject, "But in total, he composed seven or eight poems just now, and each of them had a different style."
"Most of them require some experience to write, even if you just read about them."
"Not only can the Yellow River's waters flow from the sky, but also the uncertainty of life and death over ten years; not only can the fragrance of lotus fade and the jade mat grow cold in autumn, but also the ability to pick up a lamp and examine a sword while drunk!"
"I can't help but admire how rich Lou Shizi's experience is, and how effortlessly he can switch between styles."
She raised her teacup, smiling at Lou Kui, "I admire you, I admire you!"
After Qingyou said that, everyone felt that something seemed amiss.
Upon closer reflection, Lou Kui's poetry styles are indeed vastly different. The former is bold and unrestrained, while the latter is sincere and heartfelt. The former is delicate and graceful, while the latter is tragic and stirring.
Each song has a different style, and there are even two extreme styles. Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?
Moreover, after carefully appreciating Lou Kui's poems, it's clear that many of them require real-life experience to compose.
She came from a small prefecture in Qingzhou and had never been taught by a great teacher. How could she create such classic works with such different styles, each one a masterpiece?
As a result, everyone looked at Lou Kui with a mixture of suspicion and scrutiny.
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