Forced to become a pure and innocent female pharmacist in order to cultivate immortality.

"Little sister Bai Shan, are you going to admit defeat?" Liu Moli asked with a smile.

But Bai Shan was unwilling to accept that; she could only place her hopes on the audience.

"I won't admit defeat," Bai Shan replied, biting her lip.

Liu Moli felt helpless upon hearing this and could only announce that the audience would judge the performance and then vote to determine the winner.

“The lyrics and music should only exist in heaven; they cannot be compared to these ordinary poems.” Some straightforward people made the decision on the spot.

Bai Shan refused to admit defeat and had to add another 100 taels to the opening bet. Ye Liuyun would definitely continue to follow, since they didn't need worldly money anyway.

The final result was that four-fifths of the hundreds of audience members voted for Ye Liuyun to win, so Bai Shan lost directly, and those who originally voted for Bai Shan also lost.

Ye Liuyun's move, or rather, Su Dajia's move, completely overwhelmed everyone.

Of course, it's not to say that there weren't great scholars in the Tang Dynasty; there were, but they were generally too old to come to places like this.

Chapter 244 Public Reading (5000 words)

After confirming the vote count, Liu Moli stood up and announced the results to everyone.

"The ultimate winner of this round is this Young Master Liuyun's 'Water Melody at the Bow of the Boat - Singing Under the Bright Moon'," Liu Moli announced loudly with a smile.

The lyrics and music are very evocative, and also convey a strong sense of emotion and homesickness. However, some people feel that these lyrics and music are not something that a girl who looks to be at most twenty years old could have written.

After all, there are some things you can't feel until you reach a certain age. But why did Ye Liuyun choose this song? It's because perhaps she instinctively misses home, misses her home on Earth.

That's how people are; they may say they don't care on the surface, but they mean something else entirely inside.

The surrounding guests applauded and cheered after hearing Ye Liuyun's victory, but Bai Shan couldn't accept it because she had lost more than a thousand taels of silver in one go, which was excessive. It would be fine if she won, but how could she explain the loss to the Hall of Beauties?

She will definitely have to repay the more than 1,000 taels of silver herself. The Palace of Beauties only gave them a reasonable amount of 500 taels of silver, but even so, they lost this game and they can't escape being punished.

"This? I disagree. This poem definitely wasn't written by her." Bai Shan couldn't help but stand up abruptly, accusing Ye Liuyun of plagiarizing someone else's lyrics and music.

However, this woman was probably too hasty. If you accuse someone of plagiarism without any evidence, aren't you just asking for trouble?

Ye Liuyun was stunned, as were the guests around him.

"No way? I did plagiarize, but in this world it's definitely original, right?" Ye Liuyun thought to himself.

While Ye Liuyun was in a daze, Lin Aoxue suddenly stood up.

"Young lady, a bet is a bet. You say my brother plagiarized, what evidence do you have?" Lin Aoxue questioned with an unfriendly expression.

Upon hearing this, the others immediately turned their gaze to Bai Shan. Although they also felt that this poem was not something that Ye Liuyun, at his age, could have written.

The problem is that not everyone present is a spoiled brat. There are many talented men with official titles and honors, and none of them questioned Ye Liuyun's plagiarism. For a courtesan like you to question someone else's plagiarism makes it hard not to wonder what you mean.

Liu Moli immediately reprimanded Bai Shan for playing with fire.

"Bai Shan, stop fooling around. This young master's lyrics and music are unparalleled in our Tang Kingdom. A bet is a bet," Liu Moli reprimanded.

But Bai Shan really didn't want to accept her failure. She could accept 500 taels, but more than 1000 taels was too much.

The Palace of Beauties will use various methods to force her to repay the money. They might even force her to become a prostitute. These former noble ladies would never want to become prostitutes. Once they do, they will no longer be entitled to stay on the third floor.

This is the rule: once someone has been entertained, regardless of whether it's voluntary or not, they are no longer qualified to retain the status of a talented woman. According to the ranking of the Hall of Beauties, the most beautiful courtesan is the highest-ranking, followed by the famous courtesan.

However, the "flower queen" and "famous courtesan" were merely beauties selected for annual entertainment events in brothels, not official titles.

However, once they obtain these titles, they gain a high degree of autonomy, their market value becomes extremely high, and they gain the freedom to choose which clients to hire.

Talented women have a legal status, and although they are also prostitutes, they have the highest status among prostitutes and do not need to entertain customers. Next are the geisha, who have no choice if the customer pays enough money. As for the bar girls on the first floor, they are required to entertain customers.

Of course, entertaining customers doesn't necessarily mean having sex, but it definitely lowers one's social standing.

"Sister Liu, this song and music are so complete, can it really be completed in ten minutes? I don't believe it. Do you really believe this 'Miss' can create such perfect and meaningful lyrics and music?" Bai Shan had to prove that Ye Liuyun had plagiarized.

To be honest, although there is no evidence, the Tang Kingdom is so large and has so many scholars. If Ye Liuyun used the poems of some unknown scholar in the competition, it would indeed be unfair.

No one present was confident they could write this poem in ten minutes. To be precise, they simply didn't have that level of skill, let alone ten minutes. This poem is worthy of being included in the list of famous poems of the Tang Dynasty and will be remembered for generations to come.

"While Miss Bai Shan's statement may be somewhat subjective, I also believe that this poem is not something Young Master Liu Yun could have written at his age." Just then, a refined young man among the participants stood up.

The moment this person spoke, everyone became very suspicious of Ye Liuyun, because the person who spoke was no ordinary person. He was Hua Runsheng, a student of He Zhixing, a great literary figure of the Tang Dynasty, and he himself held the title of Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). He was a young scholar who had participated in the imperial examinations.

He was also the most accomplished young man present, and his words carried great weight.

"Young Master Hua has spoken? Could it be that Young Master Liuyun really plagiarized? But I've read so many books of poetry, and there's absolutely no such poem." The crowd began to have even greater suspicions about Ye Liuyun.

When Bai Shan saw Hua Runsheng speak up for her, a relaxed smile immediately appeared on her face, because Hua Runsheng's words were tantamount to the words of an authority figure.

Liu Moli was stunned for a moment. This was going to be difficult. She knew that Bai Shan must have lost too much money, so she used this reason to question the authenticity of Ye Liuyun's lyrics.

However, if the surrounding guests all suspected Ye Liuyun of plagiarism, she couldn't forcefully suppress it. Besides, she herself actually had some doubts, but without evidence, suspicion was useless.

"Thank you, Young Master Hua, for speaking up for me. If I am inferior in skill, I will naturally admit defeat. However, what evidence does this 'Liuyun' lady have to prove that this is your own original work?" Bai Shan first expressed her gratitude to Hua Runsheng, and then questioned Ye Liuyun again.

Hearing this, Ye Liuyun sighed helplessly. She saw the anxiety in Bai Shan's eyes and knew that the other party must have some difficulties, which was why she did not admit her victory. She thought about it and realized that she was just here to have some fun and was definitely not here for money. She also did not want to make things difficult for anyone, since she had originally copied the words of a great ancient writer from her previous life on Earth.

Ye Liuyun was just about to speak and back down, but Lin Aoxue spoke first and silenced her.

"What a joke! I've never heard of someone needing to prove their own poems. Does that mean I can also suspect that your poems, Miss Bai, are plagiarized? Do you have any evidence to prove that you wrote them?" Lin Aoxue sneered.

Lin Aoxue is using their own methods against them. You disgust me, I'll disgust you back, because no one can prove that their poems are their own original works, since there's no such thing as proof.

"Me? Poems of my caliber are second nature to me. Why would I plagiarize? I may not be the strongest among the talented women of the Hall of Beauties when it comes to composing poems and lyrics, but I am still quite outstanding. You can look at my poems and lyrics from previous years; these are the evidence," Bai Shan quickly defended herself.

What she said makes sense. If we take out her poems from previous years and compare them, and if the quality is about the same, then it means that she does have the ability to write without plagiarism.

However, her words also gave Lin Aoxue a reason to refute them.

"Is that so? You mean if my brother can do it so easily, he can prove it himself, right?" Lin Aoxue said with her arms crossed and a cold laugh.

"This?" Bai Shan was speechless.

Most of the people present were intelligent, so they wouldn't just take a position randomly or speak without evidence, lest they backfire.

"Of course," Bai Shan replied after a moment of hesitation.

She didn't believe that the person in front of her could really produce such high-quality poems so easily. Even the most famous literary figures in the Tang Dynasty didn't have this ability; they were lucky if a few of their poems were passed down through the ages.

"You said it yourself, Miss Liu. Let me ask you, if my brother can also compose a high-quality poem in a short time, would that prove that Miss Bai Shan is making a false accusation? May I ask, what crime is it to falsely accuse a guest in the Hall of Beauties?" Lin Aoxue asked arrogantly.

Liu Moli glanced helplessly at Bai Shan. She felt that Bai Shan was in trouble because this guest was too confident and didn't seem afraid.

——————————————————————————————————————

"This? According to the rules, if a girl from the Hall of Beauties falsely accuses a customer and the accusation is substantiated, the customer has the right to demand that the girl do anything. At the same time, our Hall of Beauties will also impose severe internal punishment," Liu Moli said.

After listening, Lin Aoxue immediately smiled and nodded, then said calmly.

“Hey! If you recite a few more poems to them in person, don’t write them down, just read them aloud.”

But Ye Liuyun didn't make a move.

Seeing that Ye Liuyun didn't move, Lin Aoxue immediately glanced at Ye Liuyun sitting next to her, and Ye Liuyun immediately transmitted his thoughts.

“Aoxue, let it go. Why bother arguing with a poor mortal? If we confirm her false accusation, her fate in the Hall of Beauties will probably be very bad. I’m just here to have some fun and don’t want to make a big deal out of it,” Ye Liuyun said.

However, Lin Aoxue couldn't stand Ye Liuyun's problem.

"Are you an idiot? You want to show some leniency, but only if you can refute her claims first. You can only forgive her if you win. Are you just going to admit you've been falsely accused? Wouldn't they just think you're easy to bully? Do you know that if you were an ordinary person, not giving a reasonable explanation would have a huge impact on you? People should think of themselves first before they can think of the weak. It's not like I'm weak and therefore I'm right." Lin Aoxue replied unhappily.

These words were a reminder to Ye Liuyun that while sympathy was acceptable, the other party had to take responsibility for their lies before showing any sympathy.

Lin Aoxue has a purely female mindset; she despises these women who, relying on their weakness, spout nonsense.

Ye Liuyun's thinking stemmed from a male perspective; men are generally more likely to yield to women.

Ye Liuyun thought about it and realized that what Lin Aoxue said didn't seem to be wrong, so she stood up.

"Alright, since you want me to prove it, then I'll prove it myself. Miss Liu, the poems I'm about to recite will definitely be unique. Have someone write them down," Ye Liuyun said calmly.

Liu Moli nodded with some anticipation.

“Alright, but to ensure fairness, I also hope that Young Master Liuyun can compose a poem or lyrics on the theme of wine,” Liu Moli said with a smile.

Ye Liuyun had no objection, because he had too many poems related to wine in his mind.

The people around him also became interested. For Ye Liuyun, reciting poems and lyrics was too easy; it was something that was almost ingrained in his bones.

She walked a few steps in front of the crowd with an air of importance, then her eyes lit up.

"I've got it, everyone. Since this is an impromptu poem, I won't be giving it a title."

"Firsthand information."

Those who have abandoned me, the days of yesterday cannot be retained.

Those who trouble my mind, today is filled with worries.

A long wind carries wild geese across ten thousand miles; one can enjoy this view from a high tower.

Penglai's writings have the strength of the Jian'an period, and in the middle, Xiao Xie's style is also elegant.

With soaring spirits and boundless thoughts, we yearn to ascend to the heavens and grasp the bright moon.

You can't cut water with a knife; you can't drown your sorrows with a cup of wine.

Life is full of disappointments; tomorrow I'll let my hair down and drift away in a small boat.

Ye Liuyun recited a poem written by Li Bai, the ancient poet of the Xia Kingdom in his previous life.

Many of Li Bai's poems are related to wine.

As soon as the poem was recited, everyone fell silent again, especially Bai Shan, whose face turned pale instantly.

Ye Liuyun's recitation was flawless; it conveyed emotion and demonstrated high skill.

The surrounding scholars and poets quickly wrote down the poem.

"This? Wonderful, absolutely wonderful! This poem is no less excellent than the previous one," someone commented.

"Indeed, this young lady is truly well-read. If I could write a poem like this in my lifetime, my life would be worthwhile," another person commented.

As Ye Liuyun listened to the praise from those around him, he silently apologized to the Poet Immortal in his heart.

"Poet Immortal, I have no choice but to do this. Consider it spreading your fame." Ye Liuyun muttered to himself.

After she finished reciting, she glanced at everyone's reactions and knew that this one poem wasn't enough; she needed to recite another.

"I think you all still don't believe me, so I'll sing another one," Ye Liuyun said with a smile.

After listening, everyone turned their attention to Ye Liuyun, wanting to see if he could still create a masterpiece.

Don’t you see, the water of the Yellow River comes from the sky and rushes to the sea without returning.

See you, Gaotangmingjing has white hair in sorrow, and the morning is like blue silk and snow in the evening.

Life is full of joy, so that the gold is empty for the moon.

I am born to be useful, and come back when my wealth is gone.

Cooking sheep and slaughtering cows is fun, and you will have to drink three hundred cups.

Master Cen, Dan Qiusheng, will be drinking, not stop drinking.

A song with Junge, please listen to me.

Bells, drums, and jade are not expensive, I hope I’m drunk and don’t want to wake up.

Sages and worthies of the past are all lonely, only drinkers leave their mark.

In the old days, Wang Chen feasted and fought for peace and joy.

What is the master's word for less money, you have to sell to the king.

A dappled horse, a thousand pieces of gold, call the boy to exchange them for fine wine, to dispel with you our eternal sorrows.

This poem is undoubtedly one of Li Bai's representative works, and Ye Liuyun recited it with high spirits and passion, making himself feel as if he were there.

The people around her fell silent, while Bai Shan was numb. These three poems were enough to be passed down through the ages. What else could she say? Many of them couldn't even write a single poem and had no right to comment on others.

Lin Aoxue looked at Ye Liuyun's very masculine appearance with a smile on her face.

"This guy, he's still a man at heart, huh?" Lin Aoxue felt comforted.

Liu Moli and the others were speechless with astonishment. In their eyes, Ye Liuyun was no longer just an ordinary scholar; he was a literary giant.

At least among the poems by famous figures they know, few can rival these few.

The only comparable works are timeless masterpieces.

"Alright, everyone, do you still have any doubts?" Ye Liuyun said with a slight smile.