Chapter 48: Shocking the Capital

"In that case, doesn't it mean the Emperor is also supporting you?" Linyue's eyes lit up.

"That's merely a guess, hard to say for sure! But we must never allow Cloud Crest Pavilion to meddle in the state affairs of our Great Yuan." Li Ye said in a cold voice.

"Hmph, what can disciples of Cloud Crest Pavilion possibly do? With a single word from Your Highness, I shall butcher them all." Linyue instantly radiated a murderous intent.

"That is absolutely out of the question, no reckless actions! Shi Wushuang's martial arts are surely formidable, and he also represents Cloud Crest Pavilion. No matter what conflicts exist between Cloud Crest Pavilion and the imperial court, on the surface, Cloud Crest Pavilion still supports the Great Yuan Dynasty. At the same time, the Great Yuan Dynasty holds Cloud Crest Pavilion in high regard. If the two sides were to truly go to war, the consequences would be unimaginable. Cloud Crest Pavilion is entirely capable of uniting all surrounding hostile nations to launch an attack against us. Even if we emerge victorious, we would be severely weakened in the end. We must first find ways to weaken the strength of Cloud Crest Pavilion. Besides, given the influence Cloud Crest Pavilion holds among the common people, if we were to turn them into complete enemies, we would likely lose a massive portion of public support. The best approach is to ruin the reputation of Cloud Crest Pavilion." Li Ye explained to the two of them.

"No matter how we deal with them, I shall only follow Your Highness's commands." Linyue replied.

The two poems Li Ye composed at the tea gathering quickly spread far and wide. Upon reading them, the scholars of the capital were utterly astounded, instantly regarding him as a divine talent. They hurriedly bought paper to copy down the poems and savor them line by line.

"Good heavens, I simply cannot believe these poems were written by the Sixth Prince, who is known for his fondness of commerce!"

"It's incredible! How could someone obsessed with business and reeking of copper coins write verses of such majestic and boundless artistic conception? Moreover, the emotions are so deep and sincere, and the expression is exceedingly clear."

"The most crucial part is that the metrology is rigorous and exquisite, the parallel phrasing is precise, and the rhyming is strict. The level of mastery is beyond imagination. I'm afraid no one has written such fine poetry in over a decade."

"Ah, what a line—'A masterpiece born of heaven, encountered by a stroke of genius!' Such catchy phrases will definitely be recited constantly in the future."

"I never expected the Sixth Prince to possess such literary talent. It seems all our previous evaluations of him were wrong. His Highness's literary grace surpasses our wildest imaginations."

"Being able to compose such poetry is enough to make up for his shortcomings of being mercantile and fond of wealth. It seems future poetry gatherings will not only consider it an honor to invite Princess Ruyue, but will also feel compelled to invite His Highness the Sixth Prince."

"Indeed, I hold His Highness the Sixth Prince in absolute awe today, and I shall never speak ill of him again in the future."

"Let us hope His Highness the Sixth Prince can write more fine poetry to elevate the influence of our Great Yuan Dynasty in the literary world."

For a time, Li Ye once again became the subject of heated discussion throughout the capital. Because so many people copied the two poems, paper actually became in short supply. Li Ye's trading firm hurriedly transported white paper from other regions, selling it at twice the usual high price. The papermaking workshops also went into full production, accelerating their output.

When Li Ye later heard this news, he pondered whether he should regularly release classic poems he had copied down. Just selling paper alone would yield a massive profit. Most importantly, Li Ye's reputation in the capital underwent a heaven-shaking transformation. No one criticized him endlessly over his business ventures anymore.

Master Xiao was chatting and drinking with an elderly man in a beautifully landscaped garden. Although the old man wore coarse linen clothes, his aura was extraordinary, having already reached the realm of returning to simplicity. This man was none other than the Martial Saint of the Great Yuan Dynasty, Long Ruoyun. Some said he was the closest figure to a Grand Master, while others claimed he had already stepped into the realm of Grand Masters. Quite a few military generals were his disciples.

"This wine is truly exceptional; it must have come from the Sixth Prince, hasn't it?" Long Ruoyun took a sip, an expression of utter astonishment flashing in his eyes. Then he drained the cup in one gulp. "Fine wine!"

"Heh, you guessed correctly! Aside from the Sixth Prince, no one else could brew such fine liquor." Master Xiao did not conceal it and admitted it straightforwardly.

"Well, the Sixth Prince of our Great Yuan is truly extraordinary. He has no interest in court power whatsoever, yet he loves commerce and can produce so many novel gadgets. Even his brewed wine is of such high quality. I'm afraid no one in the world would have expected that fine wine could win over the leader of the Fengxiao Alliance. If word of this gets out, it will likely shake the entire world."

"It's too late for regrets now. The Sixth Prince is bound to become the master of the Fengxiao Alliance. You underestimated him from the very beginning." Long Ruoyun took another sip of wine, closing his eyes to savor it slowly.

"No matter! Handing over what you've learned—and even the Fengxiao Alliance—to the Sixth Prince holds immense benefits for the Great Yuan Dynasty. If you can assist him in seizing the throne, not only will I not stop you, but I will be overjoyed. The Sixth Prince is adept at enduring and possesses exceptional ability. Having him ascend the throne is undoubtedly the fortune of Great Yuan."

Master Xiao's eyes lit up: "Does that mean you also support the Sixth Prince in contending for the throne?"

Long Ruoyun shook his head slightly: "You are enough. No matter who fights for the throne, I will not participate. I will only protect whoever becomes the Emperor."

Master Xiao did not mind, nodding as he said, "Fair enough. One more doesn't make a difference, and one less doesn't either. Even without your support, as long as the Sixth Prince wants to be Emperor, no one can stop him."

Long Ruoyun asked with a cold smile, "Is that so? Cloud Crest Pavilion is stirring, and their Pavilion Master is a Grand Master. The strength of the Fengxiao Alliance still falls somewhat short compared to them."

"Heh, do not forget that no matter how strong Cloud Crest Pavilion is, they may not necessarily prevail against the imperial court."

"That is true! I can guarantee that if Cloud Crest Pavilion dares to make a move to harm the Sixth Prince, I will certainly step in to help."

"Having your word is enough!" Master Xiao reclined in his rocking chair, leisurely sipping his wine.

At that moment, a servant approached and bowed respectfully to the two men. "His Highness the Sixth Prince has left Immortal Gathering Tower!"

"Oh? The Crown Prince and the Third Prince went as well, coupled with Shi Wushuang—did no one give him a hard time?" Long Ruoyun asked.

"Reporting to my master, Shi Wushuang did indeed make things difficult for the Sixth Prince at the tea gathering, proposing a wager based on poetry composition..." The servant recounted the entire sequence of events in detail.

"Oh, how interesting! Shi Wushuang is famed for his dual mastery of literature and martial arts, yet the Sixth Prince dared to compete with him? What was the outcome? Who won?" Long Ruoyun's eyes flashed with brilliance, sparking a deep interest.

"The Sixth Prince won, and he won thoroughly! He composed two poems back-to-back at the tea gathering, shocking everyone present. Moreover, these two poems have already spread, leaving even the talented scholars of the capital deeply astounded."

"Having known the Sixth Prince for so long, I never knew he possessed such literary grace. Recite those two poems for me to hear!" Long Ruoyun said, highly astonished.