Then, with a final kick of his legs, he died on the spot.
…
In that moment, the entire hall fell silent. No one dared to utter a sound—not even a whisper!
Especially those arrogant noble disciples who had mocked him earlier, now they slumped to the floor in terror, legs trembling uncontrollably.
Only now did they truly understand—Lin Ming had been completely reborn! He wasn’t the same person anymore!
With the cultivation of an entry-level expert, crushing these weaklings was nothing to him!
Lin Ming said, eyebrows raised with pride, “What? Didn’t you enjoy the performance? Everyone looks so grim!”
“Hahaha!”
“That was incredible! Way better than watching those courtesans shake their hips!”
“Elegant. Duke Commander is truly elegant!”
The crowd, as if jolted by lightning, burst into exaggerated laughter, forcing themselves to cooperate with fake enthusiasm.
At this moment, the system’s prompt echoed in Lin Ming’s mind.
[Ding! Empress’s anger +30. Lifespan extended… Reward: one pair of sexy fishnet stockings!]
Lin Ming froze for a second. Huh? That woman got angry too?
…
In the private room next door.
Crack!
The teacup in Ye Qinghuan’s hand had been crushed to powder, scattering all over the floor!
Beside her, Li Qiushui trembled in fear and only regained her senses after a long while, whispering, “This Lin Ming is a devil! And those people are useless! Lin Ming killed someone without reason, and they couldn’t even argue with him?”
“Argue?” Ye Qinghuan snorted coldly, her aura commanding without trying, “Does he look like someone who came here to argue?”
She said through clenched teeth, “I just didn’t expect that at a banquet of noble families, he’d dare strike someone! And he hit Wan Canglong!”
Li Qiushui carefully said, “Your Majesty, didn’t you look down on Wan Canglong and think of him as a petty man? Shouldn’t you be pleased that he got beaten?”
“Even if you beat a dog, you should consider its owner!” Ye Qinghuan said, biting her words, “Wan Canglong may be a scoundrel, but he is still mine. To hit one of mine in public is blatant provocation! I will not spare Lin Ming!”
She could discipline her own people. Outsiders had no right to interfere!
Li Qiushui asked anxiously, “Your Majesty, what should we do next?”
This was originally supposed to be a carefully planned public shaming setup.
But Lin Ming’s blatant and unreasonable behavior had completely disrupted the mood of the banquet.
“Why panic? A man with nothing but brute strength will never amount to anything,” Ye Qinghuan said with disdain. “Send a message to Wan Canglong. It’s time to get to the main act! No matter what, we must utterly disgrace Lin Ming today! If he loses his temper and makes a move again, then tomorrow, the Lin family will become the biggest joke of the Great Duan Empire—disgraced for generations!”
With that, she could either strike at the Lin family’s influence or retreat and dissolve the engagement. A win either way.
“Yes, Your Majesty is wise!” Li Qiushui admired her sincerely.
As expected of the Empress! Even when facing sudden twists, she remained composed and unshaken.
Lin Ming was just the son of a treacherous minister, a natural-born playboy. How could he possibly outmaneuver Ye Qinghuan?
He was destined to lose!
…
On the other side, having received Ye Qinghuan’s note, Wan Canglong wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
His expression twisted with rage.
Bastard! That worthless Lin brat dared to hit him? Did he think that with Duke Commander and the Lin family backing him, he could do whatever he wanted?
Now that the Empress was behind him, he had no fear!
“The moment I win Ye Qinghuan’s favor, the first thing I’ll do is exterminate the Lin family to the last! Especially you, Lin Ming—I’ll tear you limb from limb, piece by piece!”
Wan Canglong’s thoughts grew increasingly vicious.
Soon, with all the guests gathered and the wine flowing, he stepped forward and loudly declared, “Now that everyone is present, as the host of this Wanhua Tower Poetry and Song Gathering, I officially declare the event… open!”
The light buzz from the alcohol created the perfect state for artistic inspiration.
More importantly, it was a chance to gain fame!
“I’ll go first to liven things up! The title—‘Yong Yu Le’!”
Wan Canglong cleared his throat, picked up a brush, and wrote down a lyric, which he handed to the courtesan beside him.
She began to sing aloud:
“Through the ages, kingdoms rise and fall, heroes are nowhere to be found…”
“Back then, iron hooves thundered, swallowing mountains and rivers with might like tigers…”
Moments later, applause erupted all around.
“As expected from one of the six great noble houses—a true literary genius!”
“This ‘Yong Yu Le’ captures heroic pride while also expressing sorrow for the nation. It’s a brilliant double meaning! A rare masterpiece!”
Meanwhile, in the private room next door, Ye Qinghuan listened silently, eyes closed in thought.
“Wan Canglong may be a petty man, but his lyricism isn’t bad. He does have some real skill.”
Wan Canglong said with false modesty, “Not at all. I’m just showing off. The real highlight will be everyone else’s brilliant work!”
Then, various young masters and slightly famous scholars began composing lyrics and melodies.
Their works were sung by courtesans by their side.
“Searching, searching, cold and lonely…”
“Rise, the people suffer; fall, the people suffer…”
“Snow falls in June, a grievance for the ages…”
Bold and unrestrained, or gentle and melancholic—their styles varied, each with its own flair.
After each performance, people clapped and praised them. It was tradition, part of social etiquette.
Among them, the most stunning piece came from this year’s runner-up in the imperial exams—Xie Lingyun from Jiangnan.
His “Yu Meiren” stunned the crowd and caused a stir.
“Spring blossoms and autumn moons, when will they end? How much of the past remains known…”
“How much sorrow can one feel? Like a river of spring water flowing east!”
The moment it was sung, everyone sighed in admiration.
“Such refined word choice, deep emotion, and profound imagery!”
“Especially that line about sorrow flowing like a river—so vivid! Flowery but not empty, elegant yet genuine. Brilliant!”
At that moment, melodious guqin music floated down from upstairs.
People looked around in surprise. “Where is that music coming from?”
Wan Canglong’s eyes widened, “It must be Miss Nangong upstairs playing the guqin!”
“The top courtesan of Wanhua Tower! In ten years, she’s only served ten guests! And now she’s playing in person for Xie Lingyun!”
“This is a first for our poetry and song gathering!”
Xie Lingyun quickly stood and, hiding his delight, bowed slightly toward the upper floor. “Many thanks to Miss Nangong!”
He hailed from a prestigious Jiangnan family. Though born without martial talent, his literary prowess was exceptional, and the family had nurtured him accordingly.
Before twenty, he had become a top scholar—no surprise he was already making waves in the Great Duan Empire.
In the next room, Ye Qinghuan couldn’t help but be moved. She opened her eyes and lifted her lashes.
“This scholar Xie Lingyun—summon him to the palace later. Such talent must not be wasted.”
Li Qiushui smiled radiantly, “Yes, allow me to congratulate Your Majesty in advance for discovering another gem! The Great Duan’s resurgence is just around the corner!”
“Flatter me less,” Ye Qinghuan smiled slightly but feigned seriousness. “Don’t forget why we’re here in the first place.”
“Duke Commander, it’s your turn! Everyone else has shared, only you remain!”
As Wan Canglong’s voice fell, the hall suddenly went quiet.
Even Ye Qinghuan’s heartbeat paused for a second!
At last, the true purpose of this poetry gathering had arrived!
“Please!” Wan Canglong sneered, “It’s tradition for everyone to contribute a piece at this event. Surely Duke Commander doesn’t intend to break the rules?”
“This isn’t the time for fighting—this is a poetry gathering, not a battlefield!”
All around, though no one dared mock him openly, sneers still lingered on their faces, waiting to watch the show.
With how arrogant Lin Ming had been earlier, he’d already offended many.
They might be weak in battle, but in poetry and lyrics? They were experts!
They were all waiting for Lin Ming to embarrass himself, eager for payback!
Lin Ming tilted his head back and said, in a tone like a judge, “Hmm, not bad. Worth some praise. Though a bit flawed overall, I’d say the general standard is slightly above average.”
Everyone froze for a second. Why did he sound like he was critiquing their works?
Above average?!
Who did he think he was?
A complete illiterate, daring to call their masterpieces ‘above average’?!
The crowd was about to erupt.
Before Wan Canglong could speak, Xie Lingyun stepped forward, cupped his hands, and asked, “Dare I ask, Duke Commander, what flaws do you find in my ‘Yu Meiren’? I’d love to hear your insights.”
Lin Ming calmly replied, “Good words, nice imagery—but a little too soft… too whiny, really.”
Whoosh!
A timeless masterpiece, dismissed as whiny?
Xie Lingyun’s lips twitched in fury!
Lin Ming looked at Wan Canglong and said, “Yours too. Using old stories to satirize the current regime—are you trying to criticize the Emperor’s inaction?”
Wan Canglong’s face instantly changed. That accusation was far too dangerous!
“Duke Commander, that’s a serious misunderstanding! I didn’t mean that at all!”
In the next room, Ye Qinghuan’s expression became mixed with complex emotions.
“This Lin Ming… I thought he’d stammer and panic. But he opened his mouth and completely tore everyone’s works apart! Regardless of winning or losing, he’s already suppressed them all in momentum!”
“I can’t tell what his intention is. What is he trying to do?”
Li Qiushui dismissed it, “Just bluffing! Clearly, he’s run out of ideas and is stalling for time with empty talk to attract attention.”
“Since you like critiquing so much, Duke Commander,” Xie Lingyun said coldly, “why not write something yourself instead of just talking?”
Lin Ming raised a brow. “Did I say I wouldn’t write? Someone, bring brush and ink!”
Soon, a sheet of fine rice paper was unrolled.
Lin Ming picked up the brush and began writing in neat, precise calligraphy. The brush strokes were bold and smooth, like flying dragons and dancing phoenixes.
Everyone leaned forward eagerly.
“Title: Spring Courtyard Snow!”
Beneath each line of lyrics, there were markings for the tune.
Though ancient times lacked modern phonetic systems, they still used tonal patterns—Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, Yu.
Before anyone could read clearly, Lin Ming tossed the paper to the courtesan beside him.
“Sing according to the tune I marked!”
“You too, musician. I’ve written a separate score—follow it.”
The musician rushed over to receive it.
The courtesan froze at first, but after glancing at the lyrics, her lips parted slightly. As the music began, she started to sing:
“In the courtyard, pear blossoms fall again. Standing through the quiet night, moonlight floods the empty steps.”
“In dreams, flutes and strings play old tunes. Upon waking, tears stain rouge-painted cheeks.”
“Little Chongshan, recited again and again.”
The elegant voice, like a heavenly melody, was incredibly moving!
In an instant, it was like a thunderclap dropping among the crowd!
Everyone froze. The melody and lyrics felt so unfamiliar.
It was their first time hearing such a singing style!
“The watch drum’s sob echoes again, calling past dust to bid farewell to the long night.”
“Sleep eludes me, I sit deeply beneath palace eaves.”
“Spring courtyard snow is the most sentimental, falling year after year in the lonely garden.”
“On Xue Tao’s paper, I write—if only we’d met first.”
The structure of the piece strayed from tradition…
Yet it was surprisingly beautiful!
Everyone felt as though they were transported to a palace, watching a sorrowful woman raised in confinement, gazing at the passing pear blossoms and the prison-like palace around her.
Loneliness. Emptiness. Deep sorrow…
Gradually…
The earlier noise vanished, and silence fell. Everyone was fully immersed, listening motionlessly.
Usually, in such situations, a protagonist like Lin Ming would plagiarize ancient classics.
But Lin Ming understood that this era’s cultural development might rival even the peak Tang and Song periods of Huaxia civilization.
Using magic to fight magic wouldn’t work.
So, this time, he used modern culture to launch a dimensional strike.
“This work I’ve created is unlike traditional lyrics. I prefer to call it… a ‘Guofeng Song.’”
…
Next door, Ye Qinghuan sat silently, listening to “Spring Courtyard Snow” with her head lowered.
“Your Majesty, are you… crying?”
[Adapted from the popular ancient-style internet song ‘Spring Courtyard Snow.’ Feel free to listen if interested.]