Chapter 16: Watching from the Sidelines
At this time, a master and servant were standing at the door looking in to see what was happening. The master said, "That Wei Zaode is really idle! He's going to make such a big fuss for a prostitute. I'm impressed."
"To answer the Duke's question! Wei Zaode doesn't really like Miss Li Sisi, but rather he's attracted by her talent and reputation."
"Just for the sake of fame, you're bringing all these people to bear on a foreign prince? If this gets out, it'll become a laughing stock for the Ming Dynasty! Go! Let everyone in the palace know that our Wei Grand Secretary is so idle! Let the Emperor know too!"
"Yes! I'll do it when I get back!" After saying that, the master and servant left.
On the other side, a master and servant were sitting and watching the fun.
"Butler Qian! What's wrong with Wei Zaode? Is he still in the mood to be jealous?"
"Replying to the Duke! It's all for his own reputation. Wei Zaode has been pursuing Miss Sisi for months. How could he let a prince from a small foreign country gain the upper hand today?"
"I really don't understand this bunch of literati! But it's worth the trip to see some fun."
"Master! This Mr. Zhao has sent someone to me. He wants to buy the Misty Rain Tower and live there himself. I don't know what you mean, so I dare not make the decision."
"Let's see! If he can't get anyone today, we can just sell the building to him. Otherwise, he won't get anyone later! Oh, right! How much money does he want to pay?"
"In reply to the Duke's question! His steward, Xiao Si, said he plans to give him a set of glazed chess pieces. This item doesn't exist in the Ming Dynasty, and there's only one of its kind. It's truly a priceless treasure!"
"Alright! I don't want the money then! Regardless of whether he can get the person today, I will sell the building to him."
"Yes! I understand!"
Wei Zaode's reputation for talent is truly high, and his successive poems are truly remarkable. The rhymes are harmonious, and the artistic conception is truly beautiful. He composed four poems based on the four characters "wind, flowers, snow, and moon." The final poem, a passionate and tragic song, resonates through the ages, its literary grace and elegance unique to one man. "At thirty years of my life, I have lived up to my reputation as a hero for my country." That's truly arrogant and conceited.
Zhao Xiaofei thought to himself: Damn it! You're still a hero? You surrendered when Li Zicheng arrived. Do you know how you died? Liu Zongmin didn't even give you a chance to speak. He simply clamped off all ten of his fingers and made you pay tens of thousands of taels of silver. In the end, he died of a brain fracture from the torture. His son was executed, and his daughter was tortured to death by the peasant army.
Zhao Xiaofei smiled and said, "Master Wei is truly a man of great talent! I have a poem to say, and I hope you can give me some advice!"
"Young Master Zhao's literary talent is not bad, but your country has been separated from the Central Plains for hundreds of years. Your literary style has long since declined, and you are no match for the splendor of the Song Dynasty!" Wei Zaode said. He looked at the prince of this small foreign nation with disdain. He felt contempt in his heart. Even though you are remnants of the Song Dynasty, you are no match for the Ming Dynasty. We are the legitimate dynasty!
"Hahahaha! Then please listen to my speech, everyone! What do you think?" Zhao Xiaofei laughed. He felt helpless. He had really chosen the wrong identity. He had to find a Ming Dynasty identity anyway. What was he thinking? He said he was a foreigner. And now! He got beaten up. People here are too bullying.
Please! Wei Zaode and others were waiting there to see Zhao Xiaofei's joke.
The scenery of the north is a thousand miles of frozen ice, ten thousand miles of drifting snow. Looking inside and outside the Great Wall, only vastness remains, the mighty rivers have lost their roar. Mountains dance like silver snakes, plains gallop like wax elephants, trying to compete with the heavens for height. Only on a clear day can one see the red and white, especially enchanting. Zhao Xiaofei shamelessly quoted Chairman Mao's masterpiece.
At this point, Wei Zaode's smile faded. He knew he couldn't compete with the poet before him in poetry. It looked like he was going to lose face today! Meanwhile, Li Sisi, who had been invited down, smiled, feeling that her ideal husband had won first place in the poetry gathering. No one else would say anything.
Zhao Xiaofei closed his eyes and continued to recite: "It's a pity that the Qin Emperor and the Han Emperor were slightly inferior in literary talent, and the Tang and Song Emperors were slightly less charming. Genghis Khan, the proud leader of the region, only knew how to bend his bow and shoot eagles. All the past is gone, and the heroes of today are still to be seen."
When Zhao Xiaofei finished reading this, the expected applause did not come, but silence. Zhao Xiaofei opened his eyes and looked around. Everyone was looking at him with strange eyes. Wei Zaode pointed at Zhao Xiaofei and was about to say something when Li Sisi immediately knelt down and said to Wei Zaode, "Master Wei is so elegant and graceful that no one can match him. I am willing to serve you!"
Zhao Xiaofei's mind buzzed, and he was completely bewildered. He couldn't believe what Li Sisi said as she knelt there. He thought: What's going on? Why isn't this following the script? Shouldn't the whole crowd be impressed by this poem, and he should win the woman's heart? How could this happen?
Wei Zaode snorted coldly and turned to leave. Seeing that the protagonists had left, everyone else followed suit. Only Li Sisi was left kneeling on the ground. Zhao Xiaofei walked over and asked, "Miss Sisi! Why are you doing this?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Zhao! I broke my promise. I hope you can forgive me!" Li Sisi said this and stood up and left. Zhao Xiaofei wanted to say something else.
Mother Hong twisted her fat body and came over and said, "Oh! Mr. Zhao! If my daughter hadn't saved you, you would have been in big trouble!"
"Big disaster? How did I get into big disaster? It's just a poem, right?" Zhao Xiaofei was confused and at a loss.
"Mr. Zhao is not from the Ming Dynasty, so your behavior is understandable. But you mentioned emperors of past dynasties in your poem, which is extremely disrespectful! Our dynasty prohibits common people from discussing emperors of previous dynasties. Only the king can do that! You just committed a big taboo. My girl did that to prevent Wei Zaode from reporting you to the court." Mother Hong said.
Zhao Xiaofei finally understood that there was also a literary inquisition in the Ming Dynasty! It was just that everyone knew how to avoid it, and the guy who thought he was a talented writer was actually an idiot and illiterate.
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