Joy of Life: Many Children, Many Blessings; Intercepting Si Lili

Fan Ruoruo turned her head, her beautiful eyes looking directly at Li Chengye, her gaze filled with unreserved trust and expectation.

The little girl clenched her fists and cheered him on loudly.

"Your Highness, any one of your masterpieces would be enough to broaden their horizons!"

Li Chengye slightly raised his eyes, his deep gaze sweeping across the entire room.

He slowly rose from his seat, smoothed the sleeves of his black brocade robe, and showed no sign of panic or embarrassment.

Li Chengye stared directly at the Crown Prince and the Second Prince above him and spoke calmly.

"Fine."

"Since some people insist on offering their faces to be slapped, I naturally have no reason to let them have their way."

Upon hearing this, Crown Prince Li Chengqian let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Third brother, even at a time like this, you're still putting on airs in front of me?"

"If you can't do it, admit defeat early. Your brother and I will not be too harsh on you for the sake of our brotherhood."

The Second Prince, Li Chengze, was also amused and shook his head repeatedly.

He assumed Li Chengye was just being stubborn, so he leaned back in his chair, ready to comfortably watch the show.

The group of talented men at the banquet looked at Li Chengye with schadenfreude.

In their eyes, this notorious good-for-nothing prince was about to make a complete fool of himself in front of the princess.

Li Yunrui, who was sitting at the head of the table, changed her posture, and her voluptuous figure showed off amazing curves under her red dress.

Her long, slender legs, wrapped in red gauze, were casually crossed, and her fair, delicate feet swayed gently beneath the hem of her skirt, exuding a natural allure.

Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze fixed on Li Chengye, a hint of anticipation rising in her heart as well.

The laughter in the courtyard gradually subsided, and all eyes were focused on Li Chengye.

Li Chengye stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the fallen leaves in the courtyard and the autumn scenery in the distance. His inner energy swirls within him as he slowly opened his mouth.

"The wind is fierce, the sky is high, and the monkeys howl mournfully; the islet is clear, the sand is white, and the birds fly back."

A deep voice echoed through the courtyard.

These two opening lines alone create a magnificent and breathtaking atmosphere, like a whirlwind sweeping across the entire courtyard!

The crowd, who had been all smiles, were instantly stunned.

Everyone's expression froze at that moment, and they even forgot to move their eyes.

Fan Ruoruo stood to the side, her hands cupped around her heart, her eyes filled with uncontrollable adoration.

She knew that her prince would never disappoint!

The main seat at the head of the table.

Upon hearing these opening two sentences, Li Yunrui's beautiful eyes suddenly lit up.

Her stunningly beautiful face couldn't hide her shock, and a surge of joy welled up inside her.

With her keen eye, she could naturally discern the profound artistry contained in those two lines of poetry.

This third prince, who has always been despised by the world, is indeed a man of great talent!

"The boundless forest sheds its leaves with a rustling sound, while the endless Yangtze River rolls on and on."

Li Chengye did not pause; his deep, powerful voice continued to echo through the courtyard.

boom!

These two sentences, once uttered, were like a thunderclap.

The Second Prince, Li Chengze, was completely stunned. The wine cup in his hand wobbled violently, and he didn't even notice the amber wine spilling onto his clothes.

The composure and sarcasm on his face vanished, replaced by deep shock.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian's eyes widened suddenly, and his breathing became rapid.

He gripped the armrests of the chair tightly, unable to believe his ears.

How is that possible!

How could that good-for-nothing third brother, who has barely read any books, possibly compose such magnificent verses?

As for Guo Baokun and the group of talented scholars, they were completely speechless.

Everyone was so shocked that their mouths were agape, and they couldn't utter a single word.

Compared to such magnificent verses, Guo Baokun's proud seven-character poem was nothing but a lump of mud!

"A traveler often feels sorrow in autumn, and ailing for a hundred years, I climb the stage alone."

"Hardships and sorrows have turned my temples gray, and in my decline, I've stopped drinking wine."

Li Chengye remained calm and composed, reciting the entire poem "Ascending the Heights" in one breath.

After reciting the last sentence, he stood there calmly.

The entire venue was deathly silent.

The courtyard was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and even the rustling of leaves in the wind was exceptionally clear.

Everyone stared blankly at the black-robed youth standing with his hands behind his back.

Everyone was completely awestruck by the poem's poignant, magnificent, and profound imagery.

The phrase "The boundless forest sheds its leaves with a rustling sound, the endless Yangtze River rolls on and on" kept echoing in everyone's minds, and they couldn't shake it off for a long time.

A good long time passed.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd stood up, his face flushed with excitement, and couldn't help but clap and cheer.

"good!"

"What a beautiful poem about climbing high! What a line about endless falling leaves rustling down!"

"Such grandeur, such perfect parallelism, and such profound artistic conception—it is truly a timeless masterpiece!"

The shout was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly shattering the deathly silence in the courtyard.

The other talented scholars also came to their senses. Although they were reluctant to admit it, they were completely won over by this masterpiece that could be sung for thousands of years.

Immediately, exclamations of praise filled the room.

As everyone savored the imagery in the poem, praises and compliments poured in.

"His Highness Prince Qi's poem is entirely composed of parallel structures, and its language is exquisitely refined!"

"We never imagined Your Highness possessed such extraordinary talent, producing such a masterpiece with your very first stroke. We were truly blind to your abilities before!"

Faced with the flood of praise around him, Li Chengye remained calm and didn't even lift his eyelids.

He had long anticipated that this poem would have this effect.

On the other side...

The faces of Crown Prince Li Chengqian and Second Prince Li Chengze had turned a deep, unpleasant shade of liver.

They originally intended to ruin Li Chengye's reputation, but instead they became the stepping stone for him to make a name for himself.

Guo Baokun's face turned deathly pale. He stood in the corner with his head down, wishing he could disappear into the ground. He couldn't utter a single harsh word.

Just then, Li Yunrui, who was at the head of the table, suddenly stood up.

She clapped her hands herself, her delicate, white hands making a crisp sound that echoed loudly in the courtyard, instantly silencing the crowd's discussion.

"What a magnificent and awe-inspiring seven-character quatrain!"

Li Yunrui made no attempt to hide the admiration and amazement in her eyes.

She surveyed the room, her tone carrying a powerful, authoritative tone, and asked the others in front of everyone:

"Distinguished scholars, do any of you have poems today that can rival King Qi's?"

He was questioned in public by the eldest princess.

Guo Baokun and the other talented men were immediately covered in sweat and lowered their heads in shame, not daring to even look at the princess.

Finally, someone mustered up the courage to step forward and admit defeat.

"Your Highness, the Eldest Princess, is wise; Prince Qi's poem is truly a masterpiece."

"With my meager skills, I am not even worthy to carry the shoes of this poem, let alone dare to present it to you."

"In this poetry competition, His Highness Prince Qi naturally stands out. We are completely convinced and concede defeat."