Chapter 1 At the Riverside Late at Night

On the banks of the Huai River, late at night.

Countless scholars and nobles in brocade robes gathered at the entrance of the pleasure garden, their eyes focused on the center, filled with anticipation.

Outside the crowd, Jia Yao, another great talent on par with Zhang Zifang, sat alone in a carriage, watching the scene with a playful smile. "Interesting! This Jiang Yan is truly interesting!"

"I thought tonight would be another gathering of old pedants, but I didn't expect such a lively spectacle... A hundred poems in a duel, such a scene is rare indeed. This trip is not in vain!"

The maidservant lifting the curtain for her looked helpless. "Miss, it's late already. Madam is still waiting at home..."

"No rush, I'll leave after I've seen this poetry contest."

"Since this Jiang Yan dares to challenge Zhang Zifang, he must have some talent. I want to see who wins in the end." Jia Yao stared intently out the window, a hint of excitement on her delicate face.

The maidservant smiled upon hearing this. "Miss, what's so curious about that? Young Master Zhang is a peerless genius. Even the Prime Minister has praised his talent."

"A mere Jiang Yan, even if he has some ability, he certainly won't be able to defeat Young Master Zhang!"

Jia Yao looked at the maidservant's confident expression, her beautiful eyes flashed with light, and she said with a non-committal smile, "What if this Jiang Yan is even more talented than Zhang Zifang?"

The maidservant was stunned. "This, this..."

Outside the carriage, wine and writing materials were prepared.

Jiang Chen and Zhang Zifang sat facing each other, separated by about two feet for the convenience of the judges.

Amidst the crowd's attention, Jiang Chen smiled calmly and pointed to the writing materials on the table. "Brother Zhang, please! You have the first move."

Zhang Zifang's gaze was calm and polite. "Brother Jiang, please go first."

"The challenger goes first, that is the ancient custom. Zhang does not want to break the rules."

"Are you sure?" Jiang Chen raised his eyebrows, revealing a hint of unruliness. "If I go first, you might not have a chance to write!"

The surroundings instantly fell silent.

Not only were the scholars and commoners present shocked,

Even the usually calm great scholars and nobles were stunned, their ability to speak lost by Jiang Chen's arrogance!

Arrogant!

This young man was unusually arrogant!

Jing Yue's cold eyes also wavered, faintly revealing a trace of worry.

She believed that His Majesty could win, but Zhang Zifang was, after all, a famous talent. Even if he lost, he wouldn't lose too badly. Was His Majesty's statement a bit too exaggerated?

Zhang Zifang, however, was not dissatisfied with this. He had that much magnanimity. He even stopped his classmates who wanted to rebuke Jiang Chen on his behalf.

Then, he cupped his hands and said with scholarly grace, "Brother Jiang, it doesn't matter."

"If you can truly create a peerless poem, I would be happy to benefit from it. Even if I concede directly, it would be acceptable."

A hint of appreciation flashed in Jiang Chen's eyes.

Not getting angry despite such provocation, this Zhang Zifang was indeed an honorable gentleman.

He put away his arrogant posture and said politely, "Thank you for your words, Brother Zhang. Then I won't be polite!"

Seeing this, Yang Muxi couldn't help but clench her sleeves. Jiang Yan was making such bold claims in front of so many people. How would he salvage the situation later? It was too reckless!

*Bang!*

A bottle of Fen wine, aged for twenty years, was opened.

Jiang Chen raised his head and drank freely!

His unrestrained posture and handsome appearance captivated countless beauties and courtesans.

But Jiang Chen had no time to pay attention to the reactions of the people around him.

The strong liquor entered his stomach, turning into a feeling of intoxication that spread throughout his body.

Jiang Chen still had some principles. Afraid of being embarrassed to plagiarize later, he decided to numb himself with wine first.

"Someone, record the poem!"

Feng Jin stepped forward, took up his brush at the desk, his expression solemn!

The snow-white Xuan paper was a foot thick.

Let alone a hundred poems, even a thousand or ten thousand would be more than enough.

At this moment, the eyes on both sides of the Huai River were focused on Jiang Chen, without shifting an inch, and time seemed to stand still!

Jiang Chen stood with his wine, like a poetry immortal descending upon the world.

He opened his mouth and spoke pearls of wisdom: "'Nian Nu Jiao, Remembering the Past.'"

"The Great River flows eastward, the waves sweep away all, figures of romance throughout the ages, west of the old fortress, people say it is..."

"Visiting the old country in my mind, I should laugh at my sentimentality, my hair already greying. Life is like a dream, let me offer a libation to the river moon."

The poem ended!

Both banks were silent.

Then came thunderous applause and cheers!

Most of those who came to the Huai River Poetry Contest had some knowledge and had studied poetry, so they could naturally hear how extraordinary this poem was!

To put it bluntly,

Even if one searched through history, the accumulated poems of a thousand years would not yield many poems that could compare to this one!

And now, they were fortunate enough to witness the birth of this timeless masterpiece, how could they not be ecstatic?!

"This poem, this poem is a work that will be passed down for generations!"

Zhang Zifang's calm expression was gone, his body began to tremble, and his clear eyes were filled with shock.

"'The Great River flows eastward, the waves sweep away all, figures of romance throughout the ages', such a breathtaking spirit... I, I am far inferior!"

As he spoke, he suddenly laughed loudly, pushed over the table in front of him, and said with heartfelt sincerity:

"Brother Jiang is right, I, indeed, am not worthy to write!"

"Compared to him, my talent is not worth mentioning!"

In the pleasure garden, the disciples of the Jixia Academy looked like they had seen a ghost, dumbfounded and unable to say a word.

The more they had looked down on Jiang Chen earlier, the more their faces hurt now.

Thinking of the stupidity they had committed, they wished they could dig a hole and escape immediately, so as not to stay and embarrass themselves!

Outside the crowd, Jia Yao was so shocked that she stepped out of the carriage, her beautiful eyes full of wonder, staring at Jiang Chen's back without blinking.

"Jiang Yan, Jiang Yan... I, I will remember you!"

...

While everyone was in shock, Jiang Chen spoke again!

He finished the entire bottle of Fen wine, stood with his hands behind his back, and his peerless elegance moved everyone.

"'Shui Diao Ge Tou!'"

"When will the moon be clear? With wine in hand, I ask the sky."

"I do not know what season it would be tonight in the palaces on high."

"I want to ride the wind to return, yet I fear the crystal towers and jade halls are too cold up there... I only wish that we live long, and though a thousand miles apart, share the beauty of this graceful moonlight!"

Everyone listened with bated breath, afraid of missing a single word.

This poem, which speaks of thoughts and emotions, although not as bold as the previous "Remembering the Past", still firmly touched everyone's hearts.

Looking at the not-so-full moon overhead, their longing for their loved ones reached its peak at this moment!

I only wish that we live long, and though a thousand miles apart, share the beauty of this graceful moonlight!

Their loved ones thousands of miles away might also be looking at this moon, praying in the same way, praying for the safety of their family and a reunion!

Zhang Zifang was completely dumbfounded, staring at Jiang Chen's tall figure, motionless, like a stone statue.

Only this Shui Diao Ge Tou echoed in his mind, again and again, and nothing else!

Yang Muxi also stared blankly at Jiang Chen, her beautiful eyes filled with shock.

At this moment, she suddenly realized that she had never truly seen Jiang Chen before!

How ridiculous were those doubts, worries, and distrusts... How could such a genius favored by heaven lose?

She stared infatuatedly, her red lips murmured: "His writing startles wind and rain, his poems move the gods to tears... Jiang Yan, who exactly are you?"