This couplet by Yunxi was inspired by the situation.

Originally, she had no intention of such a remark. It was all due to the awkwardness caused by Liu Qingcheng and Li Wuling’s “unwanted attention,” which made her feel restless.

The crowd, hearing the line, was surprised. They hadn’t expected the young man, Summer, to be so talented.

This wasn’t just wordplay—he had used personification cleverly, capturing the essence perfectly.

From both the level of his literary technique and his style, his couplet far surpassed Liu Qingcheng’s earlier attempt at clever phrasing.

In the private room above, Emperor Xiaowu couldn’t help but grin widely.

The girl had made him proud!

Look at this!

This is royal grace!

This is true talent and beauty!

The old emperor felt an overwhelming sense of superiority as he shot a glance at the seated Li Xuanwu.

Then, he turned back to his own grandson.

What a difference…

How pathetic!

If it weren’t for Ye Chuan, that fool would be dead by now.

Can you see the difference?

Li Xuanwu felt the emperor’s gaze, fully understanding its meaning, but he wasn’t happy about it. Annoyed, he cleared his throat and quickly tried to change the subject. “The question Yunxi presented was too difficult.”

“Sure, it’s a good thing Liu Qingcheng struggled. But if Ye Chuan can’t get it either, your good son-in-law will only drift further away from you!”

“After all, you’ve said Yunxi doesn’t think too highly of Ye Chuan.”

Emperor Xiaowu chuckled lightly. “Don’t worry about it. I have my own plans.”

“As for you,” he continued, “focus on how to raise your grandson. Clearly, he needs better guidance.”

Li Xuanwu, feeling insulted, gave up trying to reason. “There’s no need to overthink it. This boy’s now close with Ye Chuan; I’m not worried.”

“All he needs to do is cozy up to his future son-in-law, and the money will just flow in!”

“Counting money? Even a fool can do that!”

The emperor froze for a moment.

What a character…

So now, this old man shamelessly admits his lack of pride!

Did he really just say that?

When one’s completely shameless, there’s nothing left to hide…

The hall below fell into silence.

Everyone was pondering Yunxi’s couplet.

Liu Qingcheng had no idea how to respond, and strangely, he was the least pressured.

The real pressure fell on him after hearing the couplet. Yunxi had effectively expressed her lack of interest in both him and Li Wuling, but what really threw him off was the tone—did this mean all his efforts had been in vain?

Disheartened, Liu Qingcheng couldn’t focus on composing the second line.

Besides, the difficulty of the first line had rattled him more than expected.

Though Liu Qingcheng was learned, he was more focused on techniques than on the deeper essence of poetry, where he was clearly lacking.

At that moment, Ye Chuan spoke with a teasing grin, “Liu Gongzi, my master has already got his line. What about you?”

The crowd was stunned.

Li Wuling too?

Yunxi glanced at Ye Chuan in surprise.

Liu Qingcheng and others hadn’t noticed, but Yunxi had been observing closely. She realized that Ye Chuan was speaking for Li Wuling, which she hadn’t expected.

Could this person’s wit be so sharp?

The couplet had been a stroke of luck for her, and now, she couldn’t quite believe it either. The pressure had turned into amusement.

At that moment, Ye Chuan continued, “I’m giving you five more seconds. Otherwise, I’ll have my master answer.”

“Five.”

“Four.”

“Three.”

…

In the eyes of both Liu Qingcheng and Yunxi, Ye Chuan had transformed into a devil.

Such an act was almost cruel!

The pressure in Liu Qingcheng’s mind was suffocating, leaving him unable to focus on anything else.

“Two.”

“One.”

“Time’s up.”

Liu Qingcheng’s face turned an ashen gray, his hand shaking as it gripped his fan.

Ye Chuan sighed, shaking his head. “What a waste. You had a chance.”

“YOU!”

Liu Qingcheng almost exploded in fury.

As the eldest son of the Ministry of Rites, he had been at the peak of his life since birth, yet today, he was publicly humiliated by a servant of Li Wuling’s.

“Summer Gongzi,” Ye Chuan said, turning to Yunxi with a bright smile, “My master’s second line is: ‘The green mountain is ever young, but turns white with snow!'”

The hall was filled with gasps.

The line was perfect! It not only matched the first line seamlessly but also delivered a beautiful message of unspoken feelings.

The green mountain will never age, yet the snow will turn it white overnight, much like a love that endures despite challenges.

“Bravo!”

The crowd erupted into applause.

Liu Qingcheng stood frozen, staring wide-eyed, unable to believe what he had just heard.

Yunxi, equally surprised, watched Ye Chuan, her thoughts a whirlwind. Was this line meant for her?

Could it be that Ye Chuan understood her true feelings?

Had he already known of their engagement?

Was this his way of speaking to her directly?

Yet in the back of Ye Chuan’s mind, he had no such thoughts. He had only said the line to help Li Wuling.

The romance was secondary to him; it was more about fostering connections with important figures like Li Xuanwu’s grandson.

Meanwhile, in the private room, Emperor Xiaowu slammed his hand on the table.

“Excellent!”

“Absolutely brilliant!”

“Ye Chuan is a true surprise! He matches perfectly with Yunxi in both talent and demeanor. Very well done!”

The emperor couldn’t hide his excitement, a look of pure joy on his face.

“Though…” he added, almost to himself, “his status needs to be more distinguished. He needs a title to match.”

Li Xuanwu, though impressed, felt a pinch of discomfort seeing the emperor so pleased.

“True, it seems Ye Chuan’s future as a son-in-law is sealed,” he said. “Look at how Yunxi’s eyeing him. Haha.”

The emperor’s smile faltered, his face twitching.

This old fool never knew when to stop!

But for now, he could enjoy the moment.

Meanwhile, in the hall below, the crowd surrounded Li Wuling, showering him with praise.

“You, Sir Li, are a model for us all!”

“Truly, Sir Li, your literary genius is unmatched!”

“May I ask where your teacher, the great poet, is? I wish to pay my respects.”

Both Li Wuling and Ye Chuan fell silent at the mention of the great poet.

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