The First Marquis of Leisure

The atmosphere at the scene reached its peak, with a huge, dark mass of people.

Even more people kept arriving, and Zhang Chunqiu received even more attention than Emperor Zhao Tianhe.

Zhang Zhi, Xiao Changqing, Zhao Sisi, and Tang Wannian from the south, among other talented individuals, also flocked to him.

They all bowed respectfully and greeted him, "Old Zhang!"

Zhang Chunqiu's expression was unusually solemn. He then spoke loudly, "Gentlemen, today's battle is not only a battle between us scholars, but also concerns the future of the Great Zhao!"

"You have all been well-educated since childhood, possessing a deep understanding of poetry, prose, classics, history, philosophy, and literature. Today, I urge you to give it your all; you can only win, you cannot afford to lose!"

"Yes, Professor Zhang, we will do our best!" The students clenched their fists and shouted in unison.

The atmosphere was infectious, and many onlookers cheered and raised their arms.

Zhao Tianhe strode to the front of the crowd, his face solemn as he looked at the students.

"Gentlemen, the fate of my Great Zhao rests entirely on your shoulders. Today, I implore you all to give your all!"

As he spoke, Zhao Tianhe, unusually, cupped his hands in greeting to the hundred or so talented men from all over the country.

This act was extremely shocking, for the power of an emperor is unfathomable.

"Your Majesty, we will certainly do anything, even risk our lives!"

"His Majesty!"

The students were greatly encouraged and their morale was high.

Everyone wanted to use all their knowledge in an instant.

However, only a very few people, such as Zhang Chunqiu, Zhang Zhi, Xiao Changqing, and Zhao Sisi, knew about it.

The contests between scholars are completely different from the battles between military generals. Military generals may have a chance of winning by relying on their fearlessness and courage.

But the competition among scholars relies on talent and brilliance!

Without the ability, even a heart full of passion is useless.

Just when the emperor, his ministers, and the people of Zhao were united and the atmosphere was at its peak.

A horse-drawn carriage slowly approached on the road ahead.

A large group of people followed on both sides and behind the carriage; it was the arrival of the Yan Kingdom's elite army.

The crowd on the congested street spontaneously split into two sides, making way for a passage.

What's shocking is that the person driving the car was none other than Li Chentian, a scholar from the Yan Kingdom.

Following closely behind was Ji Changzai, the Heavenly Strategy General of the Yan Kingdom!

The crowd stirred, everyone speculating about who was in the carriage.

"I suppose the person in the carriage is that legendary once-in-a-century genius!"

"I've heard that this person is a man of unparalleled learning, surpassing all others throughout history, and has already become the Grand Preceptor of the Yan Kingdom at the tender age of twenty!"

Many people guessed that this revealed the identity of the person who came into the carriage.

Soon, all the scholars from Yan and Zhao were in place, arriving at the venue that the Ministry of Rites had arranged in advance.

The rules for this poetry competition are very simple: both sides can send their contestants at will.

The main focus is on poetry, lyrics, and songs. Choose a theme and compose a poem based on it!

The one who writes the poem in the shortest time, with the highest style, the best rhythm, and the most beautiful imagery wins!

The entire Yan delegation held their heads high and puffed out their chests, exuding arrogance.

They seemed to have already secured victory and completely disregarded the talented men from the Zhao state.

Li Taibei, as the person in charge of this event, came over with personnel from the Ministry of Rites and began to announce the competition rules.

"No need for that. The rules are set by your Zhao state; my Great Yan doesn't care!"

Before Li Taibei could finish announcing the procedure, he was interrupted by Li Chentian.

Li Taibei snorted coldly, outwardly showing dissatisfaction, but inwardly he was overjoyed.

Li Chentian, a scholar from the Yan Kingdom, stepped forward and glanced at everyone present.

Then his gaze settled on Zhang Chunqiu; the two were of similar age and status.

One was a scholar from the State of Yan, and the other was a tutor to three generations of emperors from the State of Zhao.

Both were highly learned individuals, and they had heard of each other's reputations and read each other's works.

Moreover, in his early years, Zhang Chunqiu had traveled to various states, including the state of Yan.

The two were now locked in a fierce confrontation, their words clashing sharply, making the atmosphere even more tense.

Behind each of them stood a large group of talented students, all of whom were very knowledgeable.

"Zhang Chunqiu, are you all ready?"

Li Chentian spoke first, his tone imposing.

Zhang Chunqiu, with his white hair, was naturally not to be outdone, and coldly asked, "What do I need to prepare to deal with your Yan Kingdom?"

"Heh." Li Chentian scoffed, "Zhang Chunqiu, you will all lose today."

Zhang Chunqiu burst into laughter, knowing that with Bai Xinghe as their trump card, Zhao was destined to win.

"Li Chentian, victory or defeat isn't determined by empty boasts, but by the actual competition!"

Amidst the fierce competition between the two universities, an official from the Ministry of Rites of Zhao lit three sticks of incense and then announced the official start of the competition.

The scene immediately fell silent; everyone was completely focused and held their breath.

"Teacher Zhang, for the first challenge, I volunteer!"

On the Zhao side, Zhang Zhi, the eldest disciple of the Zhang family and the grandson of Zhang Chunqiu, demonstrated his sense of responsibility and was the first to step forward.

Zhang Chunqiu nodded, indicating his tacit approval.

Meanwhile, on the Yan side, Li Chentian simply pointed and Li Ming, who had previously crushed Xue Qing, a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, in the palace, stepped forward again!

The first challenge was to compose a poem on the theme of snow, with the consent of both Zhang Chunqiu and Li Chentian!

Li Ming looked at Zhang Zhi with disdain, his hands behind his back, full of provocation.

Zhang Zhi, however, was tense throughout. Although he tried his best to remain calm, anyone could see how much pressure he was under.

"Zhang Zhi, I've heard you're the grandson of Zhang Chunqiu. I'd like to see just how much you've learned. You go first!"

Zhang Zhi did not refuse, because acting first would indeed give him an advantage.

He lowered his head and pondered for a while, then read it aloud.

Snow falls on the flat bridge at dusk, and travelers return home under the moonlight.

The sound of the wind is hidden in the bamboo grove, occasionally sending out a sound or two.

These five words immediately won praise from the people of Zhao.

Many people began to feel fortunate, as the first hurdle was related to the confidence of the Zhao state, and having the eldest brother take charge made things much safer.

"So-so, the people of Zhao are truly incompetent!"

Then Li Ming looked disdainful and even made sarcastic remarks.

"Ha, I'd very much like to see what kind of poems you Yan people can compose!"

Zhang Zhi, naturally, was not to be outdone and launched a counterattack.

Li Ming laughed loudly, rolled up his sleeves, and said, "Listen carefully!"

Six-petaled snowflakes descend from the heavens, fluttering and dancing in the sky.

It spreads across the earth like a silver carpet, and dyes the mountain peaks like jade summits.

Sparse branches outside the bamboo cast pale shadows, while the fragrance of plum blossoms wafts through the cold mist.

I sit by the stove, gazing out the window, and recite a poem with a sense of boundless joy.

As Li Ming recited the seven-character poem in one breath, the faces of everyone on the Zhao side instantly turned grim.

Because in terms of both theme and word choice, Li Ming's seven-character poem is indeed superior to Zhang Zhi's five-character poem!

"Have you, the people of Zhao, ever seen a good poem?"

Li Ming was arrogant and mocked many talented people from the Zhao state.

The faces of the Zhao kings, ministers, and common people grew increasingly solemn; they hadn't expected to lose the first round.

Zhang Zhi's talent was absolutely among the best of the younger generation in the entire Zhao state.

Unexpectedly, they were easily crushed by anyone from the Yan Kingdom in the first round. How can they compete in the later rounds?