Chapter 5: Four Timeless Masterpieces? Scholars Across the Hall Break into a Cold Sweat

In this era lacking in entertainment, literature served as the spiritual nourishment for scholars, poets, and even ordinary people.

Among literary genres, poetry held the highest place, followed by prose, then lyrics and songs, with novels, romances, legends, and supernatural tales ranked last.

This alone underscored the esteemed position of poetry in literature.

Thus, those who had just mocked Ye Xun now found their gazes softening as they looked into his eyes.

Masterpieces that endure through the ages are not casually composed.

The three poems Ye Xun recited effortlessly today were indeed beyond their grasp.

However,

Ye Xun clearly did not wish to waste any more time amidst everyone’s astonishment.

Immediately, he began to recite the final poem.

“Three paths of the old garden bloom with hidden clusters;
One night, mysterious frost falls from the azure sky.
How many weary travelers remain afar,
All borrowing the fence to watch the autumn wind.”

The chrysanthemums bloomed faintly and serenely, as if fallen from the frosted heavens. Without flamboyance or exaggeration, the poems carried profound meaning; through their simplicity, the true character of the chrysanthemum shone forth, then used the flower as a metaphor to reflect on the exiled scholars scattered across distant lands.

Four poems on the plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum.

In mere moments, Ye Xun had produced four timeless masterpieces.

There was no grandiose heroism; no ornate or redundant embellishments; no obscure imagery; no anguished lamentations.

Only fresh elegance, straightforward clarity, yet deeply awakening and thought-provoking.

What defines a masterpiece?

This is a masterpiece, a timeless masterpiece!!!

At this moment, a storm erupted around the stage.

After Ye Xun’s four poems, among the gathered literati, waves of shock and awe surged.

Even the voices of doubt were swallowed back.

If the first poem meant Ye Xun anticipated the theme, and the second suggested cheating, then how could the third and fourth be explained?

It was unlikely the world could find anyone capable of composing four world-class poems in a single night.

“Am I dreaming? These… these poems are from the deposed crown prince!?”

“Is there truly such a thing as sudden enlightenment? Someone explain—what on earth is going on!?”

“Could it be the deposed crown prince has been playing dumb to hide his true strength?”

“Not a wasted trip, not a wasted trip…”

“Does the deposed crown prince really possess such talent?”

“Damn, he’s fooled us all.”

Among the crowd, every person looking at Ye Xun wore a different expression.

There were those astonished, those admiring, those cursing, those jealous, and those excited…

Voices of doubt still lingered, but they had diminished by at least seventy percent.

“Wonderful poems, simply wonderful…” Su Jin stood below the stage, gazing at Ye Xun’s calm and composed demeanor with complex eyes. “Deposed crown prince, what secret do you hide within yourself?”

“You cheated!” Ye Tao pointed at Ye Xun, his eyes bloodshot, burning with rage.

With a roar from Ye Tao, the entire hall fell silent once more.

The fierce rivalry between princes was always a prime topic of discussion.

“Oh?” Ye Xun was unflustered; looking at Ye Tao, he said coolly, “Do you have proof?”

Ye Tao shouted angrily, “You don’t know how to compose poetry at all! This is treason against the sovereign! Before, you…”

He dared not finish—though revealing more might severely damage Ye Xun, it would bring him no benefit.

Ye Xun said calmly, “Without evidence, you are slandering me. The theme was set by our father the emperor. If you claim I cheated, do you mean His Majesty deliberately leaked the theme to me?” His eyes narrowed and his tone grew cold. “Do you dare question the sovereign? Are you courting death!?”

At these words,

Ye Tao’s heart tightened and he trembled, “You… you’re talking nonsense!”

Since ancient times, the royal family was merciless—loyalty to the sovereign came before father-son ties, and even princes never dared question the emperor.

Moreover, this was in front of all the kingdom’s literati.

Ye Tao had not expected that the once utterly dissolute and reckless deposed crown prince would today speak with such sharp tongue and almost cause him to stumble.

Seeing his panic,

Ye Xun’s lips curled slightly as he said lightly, “Your Highness, today I’m not here to waste words with you.”

“Plum, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum—the Four Gentlemen. Their virtues are pride, serenity, resilience, and detachment.”

“The plum: braving wind and snow, cutting through ice and frost, embodying noble integrity—a paragon of high-minded warriors;
The orchid: flourishing in secluded valleys, solitary and self-appreciative, fragrant and elegant—a model of worldly sages;
The bamboo: swaying with wind and moonlight, carefree throughout life, graceful and modest—a symbol of gentlemen;
The chrysanthemum: rising above frost, drifting elegantly, independent and aloof, refusing to follow the crowd—a hermit beyond the world.”

“You don’t even understand the virtues of the Four Gentlemen, yet you still make a fuss with your elder brother? If you read more books in your daily life, you wouldn’t bark like a broken-backed dog in front of your brother!”

“I have never seen someone so shameless as you!”

Hearing Ye Xun’s insults,

Ye Tao’s face darkened like iron; his trembling finger pointed at Ye Xun, too angry to respond.

He could not fathom how the deposed crown prince, once cast out of the palace, had suddenly transformed into an articulate and cunning adversary.

The surrounding scholars gasped again at Ye Xun’s words.

Throughout history, no one had so clearly articulated the virtues of the Four Gentlemen as he had.

They did not understand the depth of Ye Xun’s study that allowed him such insight.

And he had silenced the furious Prince Ye Tao without a single retort.

Today, the once reckless crown prince had shaken them all profoundly.

Then,

Ye Xun turned to the Ministry of Rites official beside him and mused, “Can we announce the results now? I’m still waiting to receive my silver, take my bride home, and start married life.”

“Oh, is my bride inside that building?”

“Ah!?” The official was startled by his words but quickly replied, “R-Replying to Your Highness the Prince of Qin, the results still require… require His Majesty’s final decision.”

The official had not yet fully emerged from the poetic trance induced by Ye Xun’s recitations and was shocked by the sudden question.

Ye Xun nodded slightly. “Go then, hurry up. Don’t delay my wedding preparations.”

Hearing this, the official shook his head helplessly and responded, “Yes, Your Highness the Prince of Qin.”

Then he headed toward the Qujiang Tower.

Just moments ago, Ye Xun had appeared the perfect gentleman, but now his true nature as a libertine showed through.

The official went to report the news.

Ye Xun turned back to find Ye Tao still glaring at him furiously like a scorned child, as if ready to devour him.

“Are you not going to step down? Or are you waiting for me to invite you to my wedding feast?” Ye Xun said casually.

Hearing this and thinking of the exquisite beauty soon to be his bride,

Ye Tao’s anger flared, his clenched fists bulging with veins.

“Do you still think you’re the crown prince?”

“Why should I listen to you!?”

Seeing Ye Tao about to lose control,

Ye Xun looked down at the crowd and called softly, “Wang Cai.”

At that moment,

With a swift rustling,

A dark shadow shot up the stage like a whirlwind and came to Ye Xun’s side.

Wang Cai sensed Ye Tao’s hostility toward Ye Xun, crouched low, stared at Ye Tao, baring sharp fangs, his fierce face snarling low.

A menacing growl...

As Ye Tao met Wang Cai’s gaze, a chill ran down his spine.

This was a beast that could fight tigers.

A true warrior does not suffer losses lightly.

“You…”

“Don’t get cocky…”

Ye Tao spat out these harsh words and fled the stage.

He was not afraid of Ye Xun, but he truly feared Wang Cai.