Chapter 44: Comparing to Poetry

"I really cannot agree with the Sixth Prince's words!"

Shi Wushuang suddenly spoke up.

"Since we are having a poetry competition, we must put up a wager to make it interesting."

"Oh? What kind of wager does Young Master Wushuang have in mind?" Crown Prince Li Zheng asked with curiosity.

From the very beginning, Shi Wushuang had always projected an image of gentleness, elegance, and extreme politeness. Never before had anyone seen him openly confrontational. However, he was more than happy to watch Shi Wushuang and Li Ye lock horns indefinitely. As the saying goes, when the snipe and the clam grapple, it is the fisherman who benefits. Whether he could win Li Ye over or not, at the very least, he could secure the support of Shi Wushuang. That alone was enough.

Shi Wushuang replied, "Any kind of wager will do. I'll let His Highness the Sixth Prince decide."

"I lack nothing in the way of ordinary things, and there are very few things that can actually bring me joy. I simply can't think of a wager suitable for this occasion," Li Ye said in a flat tone.

Shi Wushuang placed his hands behind his back and said with utter confidence, "Even if there are few things that can please Your Highness, they do exist. Just name it. There is nothing that cannot be done."

"If I win, would you agree to never meet Qin Qingxue ever again?" Li Ye asked.

Hearing this, Shi Wushuang's expression instantly darkened.

Feeling as though her tail had been stepped on, Qin Qingxue flew into a rage, snapping, "His Highness the Sixth Prince should not make such reckless jokes on an occasion like this! Young Master Wushuang and I are kindred spirits; no one can ever tear us apart."

"His Highness the Sixth Prince has gone quite too far. Please forgive Wushuang for being unable to agree," Shi Wushuang said with an icy expression.

"Look at you both. I merely gave an example, and you're already furious. Just as I said! Composing poetry should be treated as mere pastime, there's no need to take it so seriously," Li Ye shrugged, speaking with absolute nonchalance.

The atmosphere instantly turned deeply awkward.

Li Ye had casually tossed out a joke, and the two of them immediately flew into a rage. Moreover, it was Shi Wushuang who had kept demanding a wager in the first place, yet he couldn't afford to lose even before the contest had begun.

How could Shi Wushuang possibly concede defeat? In any setting, he was always destined to be the center of attention. Yet, every single time he crossed paths with Li Ye, he found it impossible to keep his composure.

He forced his boiling anger to subside before speaking again, "I must ask Your Highness the Sixth not to make such jokes! Please choose a more reliable request instead."

"Very well! Since you insist on gambling, then whoever loses shall leave the Dayuan Dynasty and never be allowed to set foot here again," Li Ye continued immediately.

A flash of murderous intent crossed Shi Wushuang's eyes.

He was now certain that Li Ye was deliberately targeting him.

Everyone present was stunned into speechlessness, feeling the atmosphere abruptly turn chillingly tense. At first, they thought it was just banter, but the conditions being proposed one after another were completely unacceptable to anyone.

"Does Your Highness the Sixth truly hate Wushuang to this extent?" Shi Wushuang asked with a sigh.

"Naturally. Would anyone be able to remain calm if their woman was snatched away by another man?"

"If someone else had stolen Qin Qingxue away, would Young Master Wushuang still be able to wear a smile and offer his blessings to the other party?" Li Ye countered.

Shi Wushuang answered bluntly, "Of course not!"

"Doesn't that settle it? The demand I made is entirely justified."

Shi Wushuang dropped the polite act. He agreed on the spot, saying, "In that case, I will give Your Highness the Sixth a chance for revenge. We shall abide by this wager. The moment I lose, I will leave the Dayuan Dynasty."

Qin Qingxue instantly panicked. If Shi Wushuang were to leave Dayuan, what would become of her? If she chose to follow him, she would have to abandon all her current status and power, and she would no longer be able to serve as the Peerless General of the Dayuan Dynasty.

"No, a wager like this is simply too absurd! Win or lose, neither of us should be forced to leave. By doing this, Your Highness the Sixth is not only hurting me and driving Young Master Wushuang away, but you are also damaging the relationship between the imperial court and the Cloud Pavilion," Qin Qingxue immediately objected, glaring fiercely at Li Ye.

"Rest assured, there is zero chance I will lose! However, I must ask, what happens if His Highness loses?"

"Needless to say, I would also leave Dayuan! Where I go wouldn't matter."

"There's no need for that. If His Highness the Sixth loses, we shall turn our hostility into friendship. From then on, Your Highness shall never target me or Qingxue again," Shi Wushuang proposed.

"Fine by me, I have no objections!"

Seeing that the conflict between the two had reached an irreconcilable point, the Third Prince hurriedly stepped in to mediate.

"Surely it doesn't need to come to this! You two can resolve your personal grievances in private. This is merely a tea party I organized, meant to foster closer bonds among us brothers. Why must you make it so hostile?"

"Besides, I have long heard that Young Master Wushuang is peerless in both literature and martial arts. Sixth Brother, you never applied yourself to your studies since childhood. I think we should drop this wager altogether. Let's just drink tea, enjoy some wine, and compose poetry to liven the mood. If you truly want a wager, I can provide some trinkets to reward everyone."

"Indeed, since the Third Prince has spoken, I think the two of you should drop this bet," Princess Ruyue chimed in.

"There's no need for that. Since both of us have agreed, wouldn't it be utterly humiliating to back out now?" Li Ye rejected their persuasion.

"Please, Your Highness the Sixth, do go first!" Shi Wushuang refused to show weakness.

Everyone present was on tenterhooks. After all, the triangle between these three had long been the talk of the capital. Li Ye's sudden escalation had brought the situation to the brink of a life-or-death feud.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony! Fetch me a brush!"

The Third Prince had his attendants prepare brush and ink. In his heart, he was intensely curious as to where Li Ye found the audacity to challenge Shi Wushuang in literary arts. This was no child's play. It concerned not only their personal victory or defeat but also the literary standing between the Dayuan Dynasty and the Cloud Pavilion.

The Cloud Pavilion held an extraordinarily transcendent status. Not only were its disciples formidable in martial arts, but they also wielded immense authority in the literary world. Yet, its disciples never participated in the imperial examinations; whenever one was sent down, the imperial court would simply bestow an official rank upon them. Even so, no one ever questioned the capabilities of the Cloud Pavilion's disciples. This was true not only in the Dayuan Dynasty but across various other nations as well, some of which even considered inviting a Cloud Pavilion disciple to serve as an official in their court to be the highest honor.

It was precisely the literary talent displayed by the Cloud Pavilion's disciples that commanded such universal respect.

On the other hand, Li Ye had never shown any extraordinary literary talent throughout his life. Logic dictated that his chances of winning were virtually zero. It baffled everyone why he would provoke Shi Wushuang and propose such harsh stakes.

Princess Lianyue's eyes betrayed a deep, intense interest. Although she was equally unaware of Li Ye's true literary prowess, she knew one thing for certain: since he dared to propose such a wager, he must have absolute confidence in his victory.

Li Ye stepped forward, picked up the writing brush, and began to write.

*Climbing High*

"The wind blows fierce, the sky is high, apes wail in sorrow,"
"The islets are clear, the sand is white, birds wheel and fly."
"Boundless forests shed their leaves, rustling down,"
"The endless Yangtze River rolls endlessly on!"