As the final note faded, its lingering echo seemed to hang in the air.
The audience clearly still craved more, not quite ready to let go of the moment.
But on the stage, Lian Yue remained expressionless, cradling her pipa in silence, offering no words.
At that moment, the madam stepped onto the stage again.
“Gentlemen, you may now recite the poems you have composed. If any talented scholar can create a poem that moves Lian Yue’s heart, he will become Miss Lian Yue’s guest of honor tonight.”
Upon hearing this, elegant young masters immediately rose one after another to recite their poems, each taking their turn in an unbroken stream.
Chen Fan knew nothing of poetry and couldn’t judge whether their works were good or bad. Yet, after more than a dozen recitals, not a single poem had stirred even a flicker of emotion on Lian Yue’s face.
It was as if no other expression could ever grace Lian Yue’s features—only an icy, detached calm.
Then, Lin Feng, the heir of the Lin family who had earlier mocked Chen Fan, stood up and recited a poem with an air of practiced elegance.
Though Chen Fan knew nothing of poetry, even he could sense that this poem felt superior to the others.
Lin Feng, clearly proud of his work, gazed confidently at Lian Yue on the stage and asked, “Miss Lian Yue, might this humble poem of mine meet your discerning eye?”
Lian Yue did not speak, only shaking her head slightly.
Seeing this, Lin Feng’s expression darkened abruptly. “Miss Lian Yue,” he said coldly, “surely you are not toying with us?”
“What do you mean by that?” Lian Yue suddenly spoke.
Her voice was beautiful—clear and cool, like a mountain stream.
“For three months straight, we have composed no fewer than a thousand poems here at Qingyin Pavilion. Surely not a single one can be deemed worthy? Moreover, the poem I recited today was written by the esteemed scholar Li Wen. Yet you still say it is not good enough! If this isn’t toying with us, what is?” Lin Feng retorted.
At his words, the hall grew restless.
“So that poem was written by the venerable Li Wen! No wonder it was so exceptional!”
“Lofty in sentiment, embracing the world—truly a masterpiece for the ages.”
“Even a poem by the venerable Li Wen is deemed unworthy? What does Lian Yue mean by this?”
“Does she take us for fools, coming here day after day to amuse and entertain her?”
…
For a moment, the guests grew agitated, their dissatisfaction with Lian Yue palpable. The madam, witnessing this, felt uneasy. What was to be done? If their anger escalated, how could Qingyin Pavilion continue its business?
A trace of distress appeared on Lian Yue’s face. Clearly, she too was at a loss. Though Lin Feng’s poem had some artistic depth, its content felt hollow and pretentious to her—she simply did not like it. But now, with the crowd growing hostile, what could she do?
“If you’re no good, don’t blame the road for being rough!”
Suddenly, Chen Fan’s voice rang out.
All eyes turned toward him. Lin Feng’s face twisted with displeasure. “Chen Fan! What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said! Whether your poem is good or not, I cannot judge. But the rules were set by Miss Lian Yue herself. Whether a poem is good or not depends entirely on her personal taste and preference. What does it matter who wrote it? Just because your poem was written by the venerable Li Wen, does that automatically make it excellent? Must Miss Lian Yue like it simply because of its author? Since when has that been the rule?”
Chen Fan spoke with evident impatience.
Both Lian Yue and the madam looked at him in surprise, clearly not expecting Chen Fan to come to their defense. And his argument was so clear and logical that it left the crowd with nothing to say.
But as Lin Feng listened, his expression grew extremely grim. “Even so, over the course of three months, with so many people composing so many poems and lyrics, surely she couldn’t have disliked every single one!”
“What kind of nonsense logic is that? Does quantity necessarily mean quality? If three hundred thousand farmers take the imperial exams, does that guarantee a top scholar among them? If five hundred thousand people claim to be your father, does that mean one of them is your biological father?
If you’re incompetent, don’t blame the road for being uneven. If you can’t write good poetry, don’t accuse others of mocking you! If all of you fail the imperial exams, does that mean the court is mocking you too?” Chen Fan said with clear impatience.
“You!”
Hearing this, Lin Feng was momentarily speechless, at a loss for words.
He couldn’t understand how, after just a few days apart, Chen Fan—a good-for-nothing playboy—had become so eloquent!
“If we can’t write, does that mean you can?” Lin Feng retorted defiantly.
“That’s why I’m not shamelessly claiming that Miss Lian Yue is making things difficult for me!” Chen Fan replied.
Lin Feng was so furious he nearly spat blood.
But Chen Fan couldn’t be bothered with him any longer and turned directly to Lian Yue on the stage. “Miss Lian Yue, to be honest, today is my first time visiting Qingyin Pavilion. Upon seeing you for the first time, I was struck by your celestial beauty. Moved by the moment, I also composed a piece of lyric poetry. I wonder if it might catch your discerning eye?”
“Hahaha!”
As soon as Chen Fan finished speaking, Lin Feng burst into loud laughter.
“Haha!”
“Did you all hear that? This useless playboy actually claims he wrote something too!”
“A worthless playboy who was rejected by the Female Emperor for his lack of learning—and he says he composed a piece of lyric poetry!”
“Chen Fan! Are you trying to kill me with laughter?”
“Haha!”
Amid Lin Feng’s laughter, the guests present also sneered with disdain.
After all, Chen Fan’s reputation spoke for itself.
How dare he claim to have written something? He probably couldn’t even write his own name, let alone compose poetry!
But Chen Fan frowned slightly as he looked at Lin Feng. Wasn’t Lin Feng wealthy?
Since he was being so aggressive, Chen Fan wouldn’t hold back.
He knew Lin Feng’s personality well—the man was obsessed with saving face!
With that in mind, Chen Fan deliberately provoked him, “Who says a playboy can’t write poetry or lyrics? Do you really think I’m as unlearned as you, needing to beg others just to write a single poem?”
Hearing this, Lin Feng’s expression darkened considerably. “You! If you can write, then go ahead and write!”
“Didn’t you say I’m as unlearned as you, incapable of even writing a simple lyric poem?”
Chen Fan spoke with a look of disdain and added, “How about we make a bet? To accommodate your illiteracy, I won’t even bet on whether I can write—I’ll bet directly on whether what I write can win Miss Lian Yue’s favor.”
“If my work catches Miss Lian Yue’s eye, you give me ten thousand taels. If it doesn’t, I’ll give you ten thousand taels. How about that?”
“Deal!”
Before Chen Fan’s words had fully settled, Lin Feng agreed without hesitation. “You said it yourself, and everyone here is a witness! Don’t try to weasel out of it, or you’ll regret it!”
Hearing this, Chen Fan suddenly regretted not betting more!
But since the words were already spoken, so be it.
“Then I’ll trouble everyone to bear witness!” Chen Fan declared.
“Hmph! Today, I’ll see for myself what kind of poetry a playboy like you can write!” Lin Feng sneered contemptuously.
The crowd wore even more disdainful expressions. Everyone knew Chen Fan was nothing but a good-for-nothing playboy—he probably didn’t even know what poetry was, yet he still dared to dream of catching Lian Yue’s eye.
Who knew where Chen Fan found the courage.
Even Lian Yue herself looked worried. Since Chen Fan had helped her earlier, she truly wished she could assist him in return.
But with so many people watching, she couldn’t simply claim to like whatever he wrote, no matter how poorly composed.
Moreover, she had heard of Chen Fan’s reputation—uneducated, indulgent, and frivolous. How could he possibly know how to compose poetry?
Yet Chen Fan paid no mind. He pretended to ponder for a moment before speaking directly.
“In the forty-third year of the Dragon Calendar, I wandered along the Luo River and beheld a beauty by the rocky shore.”