BSI #167 - Chapter 167: Warrior and Talent
#167 - Chapter 167: Warrior and Talent
In the Hibiscus Pavilion, laughter and cheerful voices naturally filled the air.
However, below in Peach Blossom Square, the atmosphere was heavy and stifling.
Everyone around looked towards the Young Master Shen standing in the middle.
When that time came, this so-called talent would become the laughingstock of others.
At this moment, Shen Moxuan's narrow eyes slightly widened.
He had already made a decision in his heart.
Today, he would definitely make the Earl of Qingyuan lose face to vent the frustration in his heart.
Thinking of this, he strode towards the window of the Hibiscus Pavilion.
He first cupped his hands in a salute and then said,
"I underestimated you just now."
"It seems that the Earl of Qingyuan is indeed a man of both literary and martial talents."
"Earlier, I wanted to compete in poetry with this Little Marquis to determine the ownership of the two beauties."
"But this son of a concubine is unlearned and unskilled, not worthy of being my opponent."
"Today's poetry gathering is to make friends through literature. Does the Earl have any interest in showcasing his poetic talent?"
Li Yuan turned his head to look at Shen Moxuan by the window.
Seeing the man's delicate features and the gleam in his narrowed eyes,
Li Yuan could faintly see a hint of red light emanating from him.
This was the 'Eye of Discernment' hint, indicating that this person harbored quite a bit of hostility towards him.
However, this hostility didn't mean that this Young Master Shen wanted to take his life.
A mere scholar with no strength to truss a chicken wouldn't have such ability.
What Shen Moxuan wanted to do was to use Li Yuan's current fame in the capital to promote his own reputation as the great talent Shen.
After all, who in the capital city didn't know about Colonel Li, who had crushed the Tiele?
Although Li Yuan was a military man, if someone could suppress Li Yuan now, no matter what the matter, it would cause a sensation in the capital.
Especially things that happened in the pleasure grounds of Qiluo Street, which spread the fastest.
Looking at the Young Master Shen with his rolling eyes,
Li Yuan pondered in his heart.
Given this person's consistent behavior of tarnishing others' reputations to promote himself,
It was estimated that this person had already prepared a script.
If he wasn't mistaken,
The content of this script should be: Young Master Shen strolled through Qiluo Street at night.
He accidentally saw a rude military man forcibly occupying the courtesans Ziyu and Qinglian in Drunken Flower House.
Young Master Shen, seeing injustice, cleverly used poetry to make the rude military man cry and admit his mistake, ultimately rescuing the two beauties.
And this rude military man was none other than Li Yuan, the famous Colonel Li of the capital.
In Shen Moxuan's story, he was probably already portrayed as an evil person who forcibly occupied women.
After this matter was spread out with the instigation of someone with ulterior motives, it would naturally tarnish Li Yuan's reputation and promote Shen Moxuan's fame.
Li Yuan's guess was indeed correct.
This Young Master Shen Moxuan was indeed thinking this way in his heart at this moment.
The entire routine and flow of the story were exactly the same as Li Yuan had guessed.
Only in Young Master Shen's original story, the clown should have been the Little Marquis Zhao Chengzhi.
But when he discovered that the person the Little Marquis was hosting was actually Li Yuan,
Shen Moxuan instantly changed his target.
The Little Marquis's reputation was already notorious in the capital.
Even if he was taught a lesson again, the effect would probably be limited.
But this Earl of Qingyuan was different.
After holding the triumphal ceremony in the capital, this Colonel Li was considered to be highly sought after in the eyes of the people of the capital.
Which storyteller in which teahouse hadn't told the story of Colonel Li, the brave warrior who crushed the Tiele?
The current Li Yuan, Colonel Li, was the embodiment of a hero in the capital.
What's more, the imperial court had also bestowed upon him the title of Earl of Qingyuan County.
The reputation and title that Li Yuan possessed made this Young Master Shen Moxuan grind his teeth with jealousy.
He was just a military man, yet his reputation was even greater than his, the capital's number one talent.
When he saw Li Yuan appear in the Hibiscus Pavilion just now,
Shen Moxuan thought this was simply a godsend opportunity.
If he could pull Li Yuan into a poetry competition with him and trample Li Yuan under his feet with his most proficient poetic talent,
And then spread the fabricated story,
By tomorrow, after the story of Young Master Shen of Drunken Flower House cleverly saving the beauties spread,
Li Yuan would become his stepping stone to fame in the capital.
His reputation as a talent in the capital would inevitably rise to a higher level.
Thinking of this, the corners of this Young Master Shen's mouth turned up, and a hint of sinister color appeared on his face.
Suddenly, he felt that the other party was also looking at him.
He raised his head and met the eyes of this Earl of Qingyuan.
But immediately, this Young Master Shen's heart trembled.
What made him frightened and tremble was naturally Li Yuan's pair of icy cold eyes.
Those were the eyes that had experienced the Battle of the Chishui River and commanded tens of thousands of soldiers in battle.
Icy and piercing, and able to penetrate the soul, Shen Moxuan felt as if his thoughts had been seen through by the other party.
However, this Young Master Shen was not an ordinary person either.
Immediately, he gritted his teeth and forcibly suppressed the frightened emotions in his heart.
Forcing himself to take another step forward.
Looking up at Li Yuan, he asked again.
"Earl of Qingyuan."
"I dare to ask a question."
"Do you dare to compete with me in poetry?"
Hearing these words,
Li Yuan's expression gradually changed from cold as ice to a sneer.
He placed his hand on the window lattice, and his gaze suddenly became lazy again.
"Alright, Young Master Shen,"
"Since it's just to make friends through literature, I can play with you."
"However, I am just a military man."
"What kind of trick is this so-called poetry competition?"
Seeing that Li Yuan had agreed to compete with him in poetry,
Shen Moxuan was naturally overjoyed in his heart.
You, a military man from a military family, actually dare to compete with me in poetry.
Even the gods can't save you today; wait to be my stepping stone to fame.
However, Shen Moxuan's joy only stayed on his face for a moment before he quickly concealed it.
Immediately, he replied to Li Yuan loudly.
"The rules of this poetry competition are quite simple."
"The two of us will take turns setting questions."
"Each person will set three questions."
"Based on these questions, the two will each compose a poem in the shortest amount of time."
"Whose poem is grammatically correct and most closely fits the topic,"
"That person is the winner."
"Of course, if there are excellent lines that emerge and everyone praises them, it can be considered a great victory."
"Those who cannot create a poem or whose poem does not fit the topic will lose."
"Earl of Qingyuan, do you understand?"
Li Yuan nodded after hearing this.
"I see. That's simple."
"Young Master Shen, then let's begin."
Li Yuan agreed to compare poetic talent with Shen Moxuan.
But the Little Marquis was anxious and worried.
He secretly regretted dragging Li Yuan into this so-called poetry competition.
If the Earl of Qingyuan was humiliated by Shen Moxuan through a poetry competition, wouldn't his sin be great?
So he hurriedly whispered to Li Yuan.
"Earl, we've been tricked!"
"Although that guy Shen Moxuan's morals are not good, I admit that he does have some skill in composing poetry."
"Earl, you are, after all, from the military."
"Comparing poetry with this guy who plays with pen and ink every day, isn't this... using one's weaknesses against one's strengths?"
"Earl, wait a moment, I will push this competition away!"
Li Yuan looked at the Little Marquis with an anxious expression and said with a smile.
"Little Marquis, don't worry."
"I am just playing with Young Master Shen."
"I know what I'm doing."
Seeing Li Yuan's confident appearance, the Little Marquis didn't say anything.
He could only sigh and watch how things developed.
At this time, that Young Master Shen, in order to make his poetry competition with Li Yuan attract more attention,
He also wanted to put on a show in this Drunken Flower House.
Shen Moxuan first took a few steps back and came to the middle of Peach Blossom Square.
Then, he shouted loudly to the hundreds of onlookers up and down the flower building.
"Everyone, please listen to me!"