Chapter 919: Zumu's Exclusive Mastery of Eight Tithes

“Protagonists always appear at the very end, don’t they?” As soon as Zuan uttered these words, he immediately incurred the wrath of the crowd. A group of people started yelling at him, calling him arrogant, shameless, and so on.

Zuan looked at the string of ‘fury points’ in his backend, thinking it was simply double the pleasure. He had both shown off and earned a wave of fury points.

Miss Nanxun’s smile also stiffened slightly, and she had to remind him, “Do you have the answer yet?”

Zuan pretended to ponder for a moment, then declared in a clear voice, “Evening clouds gather, overflowing with crisp chill; the silent Milky Way turns like a jade disc.”

The previously noisy hall instantly fell silent. One by one, people murmured to themselves, savoring the two lines. The more they thought about them, the more ingenious they seemed.

In a room upstairs, the stunning woman let out a sound of surprise. “This fellow actually possesses such literary talent? I truly underestimated him before.”

The maidservant beside her, who had always found Zuan disagreeable, asked in surprise, “Is this poem line really that good?”

Given her limited understanding, she naturally couldn't discern its brilliance.

The stunning woman nodded, “Very good.”

Then she fell silent, clearly having no intention of explaining.

The maidservant beside her could only pout and sulk. *Is my lady looking down on my intelligence? She won't even explain anymore.*

On the other side, Bi Zi’ang also showed a look of surprise. “This fellow is quite interesting; he’s worth another glance from this young master.”

The surrounding people quickly flattered him. “He’s still far inferior to Young Master Bi.”

Bi Zi’ang smiled faintly. “To be compared to me is already his success.”

The people nearby burst into laughter, agreeing that his words were perfectly true.

Over by the Qin brothers, Qin Yongde couldn't help but say, “I didn’t expect him to have some literary talent. I used to wonder why Sister Chuyan took a liking to him; perhaps it was because of this.”

Qin Guangyuan snorted. “Literary talent is merely a minor skill, not really worth much. It’s barely good enough for deceiving girls.”

At this moment, Nanxun also showed surprise, her beautiful eyes gleaming. “The whole poem contains no words like ‘moonlight’ or ‘like water,’ yet the words ‘overflow’ and ‘crisp chill’ capture the spiritual charm of moonlight like water, giving one a sense of clear, pooled water. The moon is bright and the stars are sparse, and the Milky Way appears very faint and distant. ‘Silent Milky Way’ seems to suggest that the Milky Way should originally have a sound, but due to its remoteness, it is silent, conveying a sense of vast, empty heavens. ‘Jade disc’ conveys the ice-clear and pure beauty of the moon, and the word ‘turns’ not only gives it a magical sense of motion but also implies its roundness. These two lines do not describe someone gazing at the moon, but they are full of delightful imagery, and the person is naturally immersed within it…”

Before, her praise for others' poems was merely a professional courtesy. Each time, she had to rack her brains just to barely find a single redeeming feature, which vexed her terribly.

Now, with this genuine praise, the more she spoke, the more excited she became.

Zuan was a little surprised; this courtesan truly had some skill. One must know that flattering scholars is not easy. You must have substance in your words and hit exactly where they want to be praised.

No wonder she could become the courtesan queen. Her level of critique almost rivaled my own performance on language arts comprehension tests back in the day.

Hearing Miss Nanxun’s excitement, everyone else felt a pang of jealousy. *This fellow, with his thick eyebrows and large eyes, actually possessed such ability!*

Then, one by one, they looked gloatingly in Yun Nan's direction. Just now, Miss Nanxun had used him for comparison, intending to teach this outspoken fellow a lesson. But now, Yun Nan had been outdone, which was embarrassing.

Yun Nan had just hogged the spotlight, and he was undeniably handsome. He was the contestant whom everyone believed most likely to become Miss Nanxun's special guest. Naturally, they wished for him to be put in his place.

Thinking this way, their gazes towards Zuan softened somewhat. *How is it that this fellow seems more pleasing to the eye the more you look at him?*

Feeling the intense gazes from all directions, Yun Nan coldly stated, “Who wrote this poem of yours, and what is its title? I, Yun, pride myself on having read for many years; while I haven't memorized all the poems and lyrics from every dynasty by heart, I can at least claim to know a thing or two. But these two lines of yours are completely unheard of.”

Hearing his words, others also came to their senses. They began to whisper among themselves, “Indeed, these two lines are good, but they’re completely unheard of.”

Finally, everyone looked towards Miss Nanxun. After her series of critiques, everyone understood that she probably had the highest literary cultivation in the hall.

Nanxun's expression was hesitant, but she eventually said, “Perhaps I am ignorant, as I truly haven't heard it before. However, the world’s poetry is so vast, it’s impossible for me to know every single poem.”

Her words were watertight, offending neither side.

However, with her saying so, everyone understood that such a poem indeed didn't exist. Their gazes all turned to Zuan.

The admiration in their eyes at first was now replaced by an equal amount of derision. They wondered where he had gotten these two lines to impersonate famous poets from history.

Zuan had originally intended to say Su Dongpo, but he suddenly froze. He realized that in this world's history, there was no such person as Su Dongpo, and no one would believe him if he said it.

But it was fine; this wouldn't stump him at all.

“Oh, I just saw that all the suitable historical poems had been mentioned by you all. The remaining ones were just some low-quality verses, and it would be a shame to sully Miss Nanxun's ears by reciting them. So I decided to use a poem I once composed by chance. I hope Miss Nanxun won't mind,” Zuan said without blushing or his heart pounding.

*What is a plagiarist? What is piracy?*

*That doesn't exist; this is called cultural dissemination!*

*Presumably, Mr. Dongpo would also want his poems to be widely sung in another world.*

Nanxun’s eyes lit up. “This poem was composed by Young Master Zu?”

Her attitude changed quickly; she was already using the address ‘Young Master.’

“You flatter me, Miss Nanxun.” Zuan suddenly recalled the Tang and Song dynasties, the most prosperous periods for poetry in history. It seemed many masterpieces had originated and spread from brothels. Back then, a group of literati and scholars frequented brothels, and whoever could compose a stunning poem or lyric would surely gain the favor of the courtesans.

After all, poems and lyrics could be set to music and sung. Those famous courtesans also needed popular poems to increase their exposure and reputation.

In return, these women would serve them more devotedly. Not only would they not charge money, but they would even spend their own money on them.

The most famous example was Liu Yong, Liu Sanbian. Hated by the emperor, he was unable to enter officialdom his entire life. He could only drown his sorrows in brothels his whole life, never spending a single penny; instead, it was the courtesans who supported him.

Liu Yong lived a life of poverty and destitution, and after his death in old age, he had no money for burial. Finally, all the courtesans in the city collectively pooled their money to bury him…

“Pah, pah, pah! I wouldn't end up so miserably.”

“Young Master is truly talented!” Nanxun’s beautiful eyes sparkled, and her gaze at him seemed to convey deep affection.

At this, everyone turned sour with jealousy. Even Bi Zi’ang, who had been lounging idly in his seat, couldn't help but sit up straight. He was about to say something, but then an idea struck him. He glanced at Yun Nan on the other side, and a smile instantly appeared on his face.

*With that fellow stepping forward, this young master doesn't need to play the villain.*

As expected, Yun Nan spoke up. “You claim this poem is yours? You didn't plagiarize someone else’s work and claim it as your own, did you?”

In truth, this also represented the thoughts of everyone present. One must know that the image Zuan had projected earlier was truly…

How to put it? Hearing that he could write poetry was like hearing that Li Kui could embroider; everyone instinctively disbelieved it.

Zuan raised an eyebrow. *This fellow was truly perceptive!*

But of course, he wouldn't admit it. “If it wasn't made by me, then was it made by you? If someone else had truly composed such a poem, how could such a pearl remain hidden? It would have spread throughout the land long ago.”

Everyone thought about it and agreed. If anyone had such a poem, they would have been famous long ago; they wouldn't have waited for others to plagiarize it.

Yun Nan also became a bit uncertain. However, seeing the triumphant look on Zuan's face, he felt a surge of displeasure. He was determined to win Miss Nanxun tonight; whoever stood in his way would pay the price.

So he said coldly, “That’s hard to say. Perhaps some down-and-out scholar, moved by inspiration, wrote it in a dilapidated temple before his death, and you just happened to overhear it and claimed it as your own.”

Yi Zhibing and others nearby immediately chimed in to support him. They each spoke with seemingly sound reasoning, causing others in the hall to secretly nod in agreement; such a situation was not impossible.

Zuan didn't bother to explain, merely smiling. “I see you're simply jealous. Jealousy truly distorts one's appearance, doesn't it?”

Yun Nan's handsome face flushed slightly. “Would this young master be jealous of you? Humph! Since you claim this poem is yours, then you must know the second half, right?”

In this world, the literary path was not prosperous. In his opinion, these two lines had already exhausted the poet's talent. Even the original author probably hadn't thought of the rest, let alone Zuan, the plagiarist?

Seeing Zuan's strange expression, a hint of a smile appeared on his face as well. “What's wrong? You're not going to say you haven't had time to compose the next two lines, are you?”

In the secret room upstairs, the maidservant said excitedly, “My lady, I told you! How could that fellow surnamed Zu have such ability? Young Master Yun must be right.”

“You just think he's handsome, don't you?” The stunning woman rolled her eyes, directly exposing her hidden thoughts. However, her attention was also on Zuan, curious about how he would respond.

Zuan chuckled. “Originally, I did only come up with these two lines on the spur of the moment, but with Young Master Yun saying that, I just happened to think of the next two lines.”

Yun Nan's expression slightly changed. At this, Bi Zi’ang said gloatingly, “Oh, do tell.”

“This life, this night, will not last forever; where will I see the bright moon next year?” Zuan said, looking at Miss Nanxun.

Nanxun's face flushed slightly, and she thought, *Is he lamenting that he might not be able to see me like this next year? Oh, my...*

As these two lines were uttered, the entire hall fell into complete silence.

The more experienced one was, the more deeply they were moved by these two lines.

Even Yun Nan's heart tightened. He hadn't taken Zuan seriously before, but now he realized his opponent was formidable.

“This life, this night, will not last forever; where will I see the bright moon next year?” The stunning woman in the secret room upstairs murmured to herself. A feeling of rootlessness and uncertainty about her fate welled up within her. *Where will I be next year? Will I even be alive to see this moon...*

She sighed softly, “Ying’er, I miss home.”

The maidservant named Ying’er’s eyes reddened, “My lady, I miss home too.”

***

At this moment, Miss Nanxun downstairs asked curiously, “Young Master has truly composed a fine poem; in just a few lines, you've captured the joys and sorrows of human life. May I ask what its name is?”

Zuan inwardly mused, *I’m better at crafting brilliant verses... As for the name, who remembers that?*

It was already impressive that he remembered the entire poem. When he took his college entrance exam back then, they didn't test poem titles, so he naturally hadn't bothered to memorize them.

Just as he was about to answer, he met Nanxun's sparkling eyes, which seemed to be full of a certain expectation. His heart stirred, and he said with a smile, “This poem is titled *Mid-Autumn Moon: A Gift for Nanxun*.”

Nanxun's face showed disbelief, followed by immense surprise and delight. “Thank you for this generous gift, Young Master!”

As a renowned courtesan, she naturally knew what a good poem meant. Not only could it make her immensely popular in the capital's circles, but her reputation would also soon spread throughout the world.

More importantly, hundreds or thousands of years from now, as long as this poem circulated in the world, people would remember her name.

Throughout history, not many heroes and great figures managed to leave their names behind. People like Yun Nan might be arrogant now, but their names might not even be recorded in historical annals. As for courtesans, such a thing was simply unthinkable.

Yet today, Zuan achieved it with a single poem!

This made her not only envied by her fellow courtesans but also by people across the land. How could she not be overjoyed? Her gaze towards Zuan was no longer indifferent; instead, it held strands of tenderness.

In the secret room upstairs, the woman who had been watching Zuan scoffed lightly. “That scoundrel certainly knows how to charm women.”

Her comment was more playful banter. The other men, however, truly exploded in uproar. One by one, they looked at Zuan with envy, jealousy, and hatred.

Unexpectedly, this fellow found another path, winning the courtesan queen's heart with just one poem.

A sour lemon scent immediately permeated the air.

Even Pei You, who was his companion, was filled with envy. He thought, *Why don't I have this talent? Otherwise, I could also win the beauty.*

Of course, because Zuan had saved his life, he felt no jealousy at all, but rather happiness. After all, he had no hope of gaining the beauty's favor. Compared to Yun Nan and the others winning the beauty, it was better for Zuan to have her.

In a way, it was like keeping benefits for one's own.

Afterward, he could just hang out with Brother Zu more, and merely being close to the goddess would fulfill his wish.

Upstairs, Bi Zi’ang's brows furrowed slightly, feeling as though he had misplayed his hand, and ended up paving the way for someone else's success.

Before this, he had also been determined to win Nanxun. He hadn't even taken Yun Nan seriously. But now, someone he had subconsciously considered his subordinate had suddenly risen to prominence, making him feel threatened.

*What kind of situation would it be if a woman he had set his sights on was taken by a subordinate?*

“What I set my eyes on, I don't give away, and you cannot seize.” His expression was utterly indifferent. He glanced at Yun Nan not far away, and a hint of a smile appeared on his face. “Brother Yun, we've known each other for so long, and I never realized you were so skilled at setting up others!”

Yun Nan's face turned ashen. How could he not hear the mockery in the other's words? It now seemed that everything he had just done was merely paving the way for Zuan. He had built the atmosphere to a climax, only to complete Zuan's formidable reputation.

*This fellow has ill intentions; he's clearly unhappy himself, yet he won't act, continuously egging me on to be cannon fodder.* Yun Nan was, after all, not ordinary; he immediately understood the other party's intentions. He decided to wait and see, to observe how long Bi Zi’ang could endure.

Who knew that Yi Zhibing, standing nearby, saw Yun Nan's ashen face, and knew he was upset about losing face. Just now, he himself had boasted and volunteered to go out, only to slink back ingloriously. Although the people in the room hadn't said anything, their eyes held a hint of mockery.

He decided to seize this opportunity to vent Yun Nan's frustration and, while he was at it, regain his own lost face.

So he loudly declared, “As Young Master Yun just said, this poem of yours was very likely obtained by chance from someone else, perhaps even completed by them before their death.”

Hearing him speak, Yun Nan cursed him as an idiot. *He was being used as a pawn and didn't even realize it.*

However, all eyes were now on them. In their minds, Yi Zhibing's words certainly represented his own thoughts. If he denied it now, his momentum would weaken by a third. Not to mention failing in his pursuit of Nanxun tonight, even he, the distinguished Young Master of the Yun family, couldn't afford to lose face like this. So he had no choice but to bite the bullet and tacitly agree.

He turned his head and shot a glance at Yi Zhibing, but inwardly cursed the idiot to death. *He was fighting Zuan, while the Bi family kid reaped the benefits.*

Yi Zhibing, however, misunderstood. He thought the other's glance was one of encouragement and approval. So he spoke with even more vigor, describing Zuan as a vile and shameless person who claimed others' hard work as his own.

Zuan found it amusing. Although these fellows were making baseless accusations against him, they had surprisingly guessed close to the truth.

But his old acquaintances from Earth probably wouldn't mind this.

Before he could say anything, Miss Nanxun grew somewhat displeased. “Young Master Yi, making such accusations against someone is a very serious charge. Do you have any evidence?”

*What a joke! This was clearly her chance to leave her name in history, and she couldn't let these fellows ruin it.*

Gao Ying and Pei You immediately spoke up to assist. They each accused him of harassing them in the past, proving he held a grudge against Zuan, and thus his words were clearly an act of revenge.

“Evidence... evidence... Of course there is...” Yi Zhibing was momentarily speechless, unable to think of how to provide proof.

Yun Nan's brows furrowed slightly. He knew he had already lost some composure today. It would be troublesome if he spoke up again and was humiliated.

Seeing him remain silent, Bi Zi’ang inwardly cursed him as a useless fellow. So he gave a knowing look to one of his companions, who understood, and said loudly, “Actually, proving it is simple. Why don't we ask Young Master Zu to compose a poem on the spot? As long as he can produce a poem of similar quality to the one just now, it will prove that the young master indeed possesses great talent.”

Gao Ying also couldn't help but get angry. “This is unfair! Poetry is born from inspiration, requiring the right time, place, and people to accidentally create beautiful lines. How can you demand he just ‘make one’ on the spot?!”

He was also roughly familiar with poetry and understood that few poems in history could compare to the one just recited. To have even one such masterpiece in a lifetime was a sign of immense ancestral blessing. How could he possibly produce a second one on demand?

Upstairs, Qin Yongde asked, somewhat perplexed, “The one who spoke is from Bi Zi’ang’s side, but isn’t Zuan also from the Eastern Palace? Why…”

Qin Guangyuan sneered. “As the saying goes, ‘a beauty can be a disaster.’ Bi Zi’ang has been the center of attention since childhood; how could he allow others to lay hands on something he fancies? This is for the best. Let them fight like dogs, creating rifts within their faction.”

Nanxun quietly said, “Young Master Zu, you can refu—”

Before she could finish, the stunning woman’s voice echoed in her mind. “Do not stop him. Let's see if he's merely a charlatan or if he truly possesses real talent.”

Nanxun was surprised, and it took immense willpower for her to restrain herself from looking up at the mysterious woman's room. She wondered, *Why is my mistress so concerned about this human?*

Zuan let out a hearty laugh. “If I compose another poem, and you come up with more tricks, won't I be annoyed to death?”

Seeing that he seemed to be rising to the challenge, Yi Zhibing was overjoyed, and quickly said, “As long as you can produce a poem of similar quality to the one just now, we will be completely convinced and say nothing more.”

Yun Nan's expression changed. He couldn't sit still at this point. He immediately added, “But it must be an impromptu poem on a given topic.”

He worried that the other party might have obtained more than one poem from that mysterious dying scholar in the dilapidated temple. So, by first setting a clear topic, even if the other party had acquired one or two more good poems, it was unlikely they would coincidentally match the given theme, rendering them useless.

Pei You became anxious. “You’re deliberately making things difficult!”

Zuan raised a hand to stop him. “It’s fine. Any topic you can think of will do.”

In his previous life, he had watched with much envy as male protagonists in online novels recited poetry to show off. Unfortunately, he never got the chance himself. He couldn't just randomly grab someone off the street and recite poetry, could he?

Today, however, someone was actively rushing to challenge him; he certainly had to seize this opportunity.

However, these words caused an uproar among the surrounding people. Many secretly reprimanded him: “Arrogant!”

One should know that poets in the world all had their own areas of expertise. Perhaps they wrote excellent poems in one field, but were much weaker in another.

Yet Zuan now said any topic was fine; wasn't he implying he had reached the pinnacle in every field? Did he truly have the confidence to compose such eternally famous lines on the spot?

A hint of a smile appeared on the mysterious woman's face upstairs. “This fellow’s boldness is quite reminiscent of our people.”

The little maidservant beside her pouted. “I think he’s just boasting. Let’s see how he’ll manage to end this.”

Nanxun looked worried and quietly asked, “Young Master seems very confident?”

“Of course,” Zuan said, leaning back leisurely in his chair, holding his wine flask and speaking proudly, “The world's talent totals one *shi* (a unit of measure); I, Zu, claim eight *dou* (a tenth of a *shi*), and all others share the remaining two *dou*.”

A youth without flamboyance is a wasted youth. Since I'm going to show off, I might as well go big.