The First Marquis of Leisure

"You dare to challenge me, Princess Yan? Take a good look at yourself in the mirror!"

"Why do Ji Zi and Elder Li need to take action? Any one of us can easily crush you. Zhao really has no one left; any madman or good-for-nothing can come up here."

The talented scholars of Yan mocked and ridiculed him relentlessly.

Bai Xinghe merely sneered and took a small step forward.

"The Zhao guest wears a silk tassel on his hat, his Wu hook sword gleaming like frost and snow!"

As these two lines of poetry were uttered, the laughter and mockery in the room instantly ceased, replaced by astonishment.

No one expected that Bai Xinghe, a notorious good-for-nothing and spendthrift, could produce such amazing verses.

However, everything was as Bai Xinghe had predicted. Just kidding, this poem was a timeless masterpiece in his world!

He then took a second step and loudly proclaimed...

"A silver saddle shines on a white horse, swift as a shooting star."

Now, everyone really couldn't sit still anymore.

Those who had previously thought Zhang Chunqiu was insane all stood up, their gazes sweeping over him, fixed on Bai Xinghe.

Zhao Tianhe, who was already under immense pressure, also stood up, his facial muscles twitching.

"What a fine poem! Truly a fine poem! No wonder it's written by Young Master Bai!"

Zhao Sisi was overjoyed, her face full of admiration.

Zhang Chunqiu, Zhang Zhi, Xiao Changqing, and others were already used to it.

However, this was the first time that the Eighth Prince and the Third Prince had witnessed Bai Xinghe composing poetry in person.

After hearing just four lines, the two men were immediately impressed.

The other talented scholars, including Tang Wannian, were dumbfounded.

The Yan delegation members, who had just been relentlessly mocking Bai Xinghe, were suddenly rendered speechless.

Dr. Li Chentian was also stunned and lost his composure on the spot.

However, when he looked up and saw Zhang Chunqiu's smug face, he understood everything.

Even if he and Zhang Chunqiu racked their brains, they couldn't come up with a solution based on just these four lines of poetry!

However, this is just the beginning!

"Listen up, you clowns of Yan! I'll show you what true poetry really is!"

Bai Xinghe shouted and stopped.

"He can kill one man in ten steps, leaving no trace for a thousand miles!"

"Having accomplished their task, they left without a trace, concealing their merit and fame!"

He recited the last four lines in one breath, with great gusto.

The entire scene, which consisted of at least tens of thousands of people, was completely silent.

It was eerily quiet; everyone was looking at Bai Xinghe!

Zhao Tianhe personally led the princes and ministers to stand up, their eyes filled with excitement, some even with tears in their eyes!

"Okay, okay, okay!"

Zhang Chunqiu broke the deathly silence of the scene with three consecutive "Good!"s!

"What a beautiful poem!"

"My goodness, I never imagined that anyone in this world could compose such a poem!"

"Killing one man in ten steps, leaving no trace for a thousand miles, the deed done, he dusts off his clothes and departs, concealing his merit and fame—a masterpiece, a timeless masterpiece!"

Countless people went mad, shouting wildly, even the imperial guards responsible for the emperor's safety joined in the shouting.

Although many people don't understand poetry, they can still tell from their intuition that this is a timeless masterpiece!

Only Li Taibei, Zhao Feishuang, Chen Feng, and the others felt incredibly shocked and as uncomfortable as if they had eaten shit!

I never expected that a spoiled brat would have such talent!

How could such a poem be composed? They even wondered if they were dreaming!

The entire Yan delegation was in a state of profound grief, completely silent!

"Man of Yan, what do you think of the poem I composed?"

Bai Xinghe was riding high, full of provocation.

"If you people of Yan are not convinced, you are all welcome to attack me together!"

As Bai Xinghe shouted, no one in the Yan delegation dared to respond; they all lowered their heads, filled with shame.

The poem that Bai Xinghe composed in just two steps has already exceeded their entire lifelong understanding of poetry!

Not to mention them, even Li Chentian couldn't do it.

On the other hand, the cheers from the Zhao state could only be described as thunderous and deafening, with the crowd in a state of high spirits.

The humiliation of being provoked, insulted, and ridiculed by the Yan state just now has been completely avenged here.

If it weren't for the imperial guards holding them back, many people would probably have rushed over and lifted Bai Xinghe up to cheer!

"Li Chentian, Dr. Li, what's this? Are you going to challenge me, or are you going to call out your genius?"

Bai Xinghe looked at Li Chentian with a mocking expression, and Li Chentian's face had never been so embarrassed.

But as a leading scholar in the Yan state, he still had a broad mind.

"Very well, I never expected your Zhao state to harbor such a talent. To blend in with the world is something I cannot match!"

Li Chentian was able to accept defeat gracefully and finally understood why Zhang Chunqiu had chosen to concede.

And he was willing to risk the lives of his entire family to vouch for a spoiled brat; now he understands completely.

If you insist on competing, you will only humiliate yourself!

"Kill one man in ten steps, leave no trace for a thousand miles."

"Having accomplished their task, they left without a trace, concealing their merit and fame!"

"What a fine poem! A poem rarely seen throughout the ages! I never imagined that someone from the State of Zhao could compose such a poem!"

Just then, there was finally movement inside the Yan Kingdom carriage.

A loud voice rang out, and then the car pulled away.

A young man in white slowly stepped out of the car. He had a refined and scholarly air about him and was clearly a man of great talent!

"Greetings, Princess Himeko!"

Seeing this, Li Chentian took the lead and led the entire Yan delegation in shouting "Bag!"

This young man in white is a once-in-a-century genius in the Yan Kingdom. At the tender age of twenty, he has already become the national advisor of the Yan Kingdom!

His talent is immeasurable, and Li Chentian is willing to admire him and drive for him personally!

When Ji Zi Ji Yun appeared, her extraordinary temperament indeed amazed many people in the Zhao state.

Despite the years of war between the two countries, they had to become adults. Judging from her appearance, Ji Yun was definitely outstanding.

"This genius from Yan State truly possesses extraordinary bearing!"

"Wow, I never imagined that the Yan Kingdom truly had such a figure!"

"Ha, why do you all belittle yourselves? Is Young Master Bai really that bad?"

Many people started discussing it, and the atmosphere at the scene was ignited once again.

Previously, the entire Zhao state, from the king to the ministers, was under immense pressure, tense, and sweating profusely.

Everyone had already foreseen the terrible consequences of losing the competition!

Since Bai Xinghe composed the immortal poem "Ode to a Knight" in just two steps, everyone's heart is now filled with confidence!

"Hmph, so what if she's a concubine from Yan? Young Master Bai of the Marquis of Zhenguo in our Great Zhao is truly unparalleled throughout history!"

"Young Master Bai, keep it up, you're the best!"

The crowd cheered, wave after wave.

Zhao Tianhe could no longer contain his excitement; his previous killing intent had subsided considerably.

He disregarded the distinction between ruler and subject, and the concept of supreme authority, and ran straight to Bai Xinghe.

"Xinghe, I misunderstood you before. Please don't blame me. I never imagined that General Bai would be invincible, and that you would be a literary genius descended to earth. Truly, like father, like son!"

Bai Xinghe felt a surge of revulsion at Zhao Tianhe's overtures.

No sooner had his father passed away than the so-called "Iron-Cap Prince" disappeared without a trace, and his attitude became ambiguous, with no attempt even to see his father off.

"Xinghe, I have high hopes for you. The fate of the Great Zhao Dynasty rests entirely on your shoulders!"

After saying this, Zhao Tianhe stepped back, leaving the scene to Bai Xinghe and Ji Yun.

The two men stood with their hands behind their backs, with scholars and literati from the states of Yan and Zhao standing behind them.