indianbanksassociation #169 - Chapter 169 Beauty and Landscape
#169 - Chapter 169 Beauty and Landscape
This poetry duel was agreed to be a back-and-forth of topics.
Shen Xuan had just set the topic, so it was naturally Li Yuan's turn this time.
Li Yuan lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then said in a clear voice.
"This Drunken Flower House is full of beauties."
"Let's use 'beauty' as the theme for the second round."
"What does Young Master Shen think?"
Upon hearing that the theme was beauty, Shen Xuan was overjoyed.
He frequented brothels all year round, so the topic of beauty was his forte.
Therefore, Shen Xuan cupped his fist and said.
"Alright, Earl Qingyuan."
"Then let's use beauty as the theme."
So the two of them lowered their heads and pondered.
Before long, it was Young Master Shen who spoke first.
He raised his head, swayed it, and recited.
"The beauty loves red makeup, adorned in a purple dress, a bronze mirror reflects her powder and rouge, she lightly sniffs her maidenly fragrance."
"Well done, Young Master Shen, this 'Love of Red Makeup' is well-written."
"Worthy of being the number one talent."
The surrounding scholars, as expected, began to flatter him again.
However, this time, the surrounding guests did not follow the scholars in making a fuss.
To be honest, Shen Xuan's poem was very ordinary in terms of writing and artistic conception.
It would usually only appear at literary gatherings, used to win the favor of the female entertainers, and could not be put on any respectable stage.
It didn't match the talent that Shen Xuan claimed to be the number one talent in the capital.
It was only fast.
The scholars made a fuss for a while, and seeing that no one around followed, they felt bored and quieted down.
The surrounding people all looked towards the Hibiscus Pavilion.
They wanted to see what kind of poem about beauty this Earl Qingyuan, who claimed to be a martial artist, would produce.
Sure enough, before long, Li Yuan also recited softly by the window.
"She rises in the morning to comb her cloud-like hair, dabs vermillion between her lips, sews silken skirts at night, dedicating her youth to her lord."
As soon as Li Yuan's voice fell, there was silence again in the Drunken Flower House.
The surrounding people lowered their heads, reciting and savoring the poem silently.
Li Yuan's poem about beauty was not to say how good it was, or how lofty the artistic conception was.
But it was several levels higher than the wine party poem that Shen Xuan had just made.
More importantly, there was no hint of frivolousness towards women in the poem.
Instead, it wrote about the sadness and suffering of the women in brothels.
In this Drunken Flower House, besides the patrons who spent money for pleasure.
The most numerous, naturally, were the women who had fallen into prostitution.
They may have limited talent, but they could understand this poem.
Every day, they got up early to dress up, and very late at night, they still had to embroider clothes and skirts, practicing singing and dancing with smiles, all they sought was to win a smile from the patrons.
This poem was simple and easy to understand, but it expressed the hardships and suffering of the brothel women.
The guests had not yet said anything.
But many women in the Drunken Flower House applauded and praised.
"Dedicating her youth to her lord, well-written."
"Earl Qingyuan's is indeed a good poem."
Even the two girls, Ziyu and Qinglian, beside Li Yuan, were moved in their hearts when they heard this poem.
The two beauties even got up and offered a cup of wine to Li Yuan.
"Lord Earl pities the hardships of us girls, and we have no way to repay you."
"We offer you a cup of wine, please drink it to the fullest."
Even the reaction of the girls in Drunken Flower House could show it.
Who lost and who won was clear at a glance.
But Shen Xuan didn't think so at this time.
He was unwilling to admit defeat.
If he really admitted defeat to Li Yuan, this martial artist, even if it was only one round, where would his face as the number one talent in the capital be?
Therefore, this Young Master Shen still shamelessly announced that this round was a draw.
This time, it attracted many girls in Drunken Flower House to shake their heads.
Even more girls were discussing.
"Li Lang's poem is so good, how could it be a draw?"
"This Young Master Shen is a bit too shameless, right?"
"I used to think he was really a talent."
"Now it seems, he is also a fame-seeking person who can't afford to lose."
Young Master Shen pretended not to hear these discussions.
Anyway, as long as he wins in the end.
No one will care about these little twists and turns.
Since it was a back-and-forth of topics.
Then it was naturally Young Master Shen's turn to set the topic for the second round.
The topic he set was also very common, which was the theme of mountains and rivers.
Why did Young Master Shen set this topic?
That's because he was sure of winning this mountain and river topic.
Shen Xuan once during a tour of mountains and rivers.
Accidentally heard a bamboo hat-wearing traveler recite an excellent landscape poem in the mountains.
He had an excellent memory, so he silently memorized this poem.
Over the years, this poem had not been seen circulating in the world.
Today, being forced too hard by Li Yuan.
Shen Xuan wanted to take out this poem to crush Li Yuan.
This kind of behavior was naturally already considered a violation of the rules of the poetry duel.
But Young Master Shen couldn't care less at this time.
He seriously underestimated the poetic talent of Li Yuan, this martial artist.
Now he was being suppressed and beaten by Li Yuan.
If he didn't use some tricks, his so-called number one talent in the capital would really become a joke.
Therefore, under the gaze of everyone, Shen Xuan confidently walked to the middle of the Peach Blossom Workshop.
He shook his Confucian robe, struck a proud pose, and recited in a loud voice.
"Morning light breaks through the mist, a green bird heralds the arrival of spring, sitting alone to view the mountain scenery, lush flowers reflect the opening of the water."
After this landscape poem was recited.
The surroundings were first silent, and then the scholars and literati around him all praised it.
To be honest, this landscape poem was still very skillful.
Whether it was the artistic conception or the writing, it could be considered an excellent work.
Even some of the guests around, who had some poetic talent, nodded one after another.
"Not bad, not bad, this 'Viewing Mountain Scenery' has a very good artistic conception."
"The greenness of the mountains and rivers, the beauty of the birdsong, are still around us."
"Reading it gives a sense of being there."
"It seems that this Young Master Shen's claim to be the number one talent in the capital is not a false reputation."
"Yes, after all, he is the top student of the Left Prime Minister."
"This writing is also extremely beautiful."
"This poem is enough to accompany wine."
In addition to the praise from the surrounding guests.
The girls in this Drunken Flower House had also copied down the sentences of this poem, preparing to compose music and sing it.
This poem [Viewing Mountain Scenery] could already be considered the best poem in today's poetry meeting.
As soon as this poem came out, Shen Xuan's reputation immediately turned around.
In the Drunken Flower House, whether it was the guests or the girls, they all praised Young Master Shen's poetic talent.
Seeing this scene, Shen Xuan was naturally very proud in his heart.
Amidst the praises of the crowd, he stood in the middle of the Peach Blossom Workshop, looked towards the Hibiscus Pavilion with a slight curl of his lips, cupped his fist, and said triumphantly.
"Earl Qingyuan."
"What do you think of my landscape poem?"
"It's your turn to do it now."
"Don't keep everyone waiting too long."
At this time, Young Master Shen's expression was arrogant.
His expression was like saying, who else but me, the number one talent in the capital, Li Yuan, you are destined to lose this round of landscape theme!
Li Yuan narrowed his eyes, the artistic conception and writing of this poem that Shen Xuan recited were considered excellent.
It was naturally a good poem.
But upon careful examination, the writing style of this poem was very different from Shen Xuan's other poems.
Those with lower talent naturally couldn't see it, but Li Yuan's current 123 intelligence could sense the difference.
If there were no accidents, Shen Xuan's poem was probably plagiarized from somewhere else.
I just don't know who the original author of this poem is.
But that's not important, now it's a poetry duel.
Since you, Shen Xuan, are unrighteous, then don't blame me, Li Yuan, for being unjust.