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墨書 Inktalez
Under the bright moon, the prince wished to host a banquet to entertain all the esteemed guests who had traveled from afar. "Come here, inform those in the east to bring the wine," he commanded.
Prince Xin no longer lingered on his previous conversation with Gu Ping. He turned to address everyone present on the rooftop, saying, "The banquet hosted by the noble family of Zhido is open for participation. It is an opportunity that many desire but few can attain."
"Both of you stay here, Dong Lai, to help me liven things up, shall we?" Prince Xin suggested.
He glanced at Zhang Chenyu. After the earlier misunderstanding with Gu Ping, Prince Xin realized that the young man accompanying Zhang Chenyu was likely not someone simple. He thought to himself that sending someone to fetch wine was merely a cover; in reality, it was a way to investigate Gu Ping's background.
Well, it didn't matter; he wasn't worried about money. Zhang Chenyu agreed with Dong Lai, while Gu Ping could only smile bitterly from the side.
"Ah," Gu Ping whispered to Zhang Chenyu, "I really don't think things through sometimes."
"What do you mean you don’t think things through?" Zhang Chenyu retorted at Gu Ping's self-deprecation.
"I mean how could I have agreed with Dong Lai? That guy has already sent someone to check his background. He doesn’t have anything worth investigating, but if they look into his identity records, they’ll equate him with me. That means he’s seen as equal to Jingzhao Mansion. If they truly have ulterior motives, they could use this fabricated identity issue to tie Jingzhao Mansion into their schemes. If Mei Ba gets involved, my father would definitely be in trouble."
"What?!" Zhang Chenyu exclaimed upon hearing Gu Ping's analysis, feeling that the situation had worsened significantly. "What should we do?"
Gu Ping couldn't hold back his laughter any longer and chuckled heartily while clutching his stomach. After casting a soundproofing spell, he said, "You call me thoughtless? I really am! I didn’t even consider that my father might know what Prince Yong is up to. He probably thinks he’s trying to matchmake me with Prince Yong. Those Rabbit Spirits have likely planned everything out already; I don’t need to worry about it."
"So what should I do?" Zhang Chenyu asked anxiously.
Gu Ping pointed at himself and replied, "In five days, the academy will have its final exams. By then, I’ll be just another student at Mok Ming Academy. Do you think a carefree prince without any authority would dare disturb the students of the academy? That would be incredibly naive."
"Am I really sure I can take the exam?"
Upon hearing that, Gu Ping nearly choked on his own saliva. What kind of thinking was that? It was one thing to want to take the exam, but there were plenty of people who could actually do it.
"Why are you suddenly quiet? Did I guess right? You just love to brag," Zhang Chenyu mocked Gu Ping with a smug grin, but Gu Ping didn’t seem interested in explaining himself.
"Please, this way." A servant who had brought over chairs from Lou Dong approached them, guiding the two to a rather nice spot right in front of Prince Xin, close to the lakeside.
Gu Ping didn’t let Yoyo sit in his lap anymore, fearing that it would scare the others. He wrapped her in his arms instead, worried about their envious gazes. Bu Luo noticed that not many truly cared about the fox; those noble families from Lu State had long since grown accustomed to such rare sights and were no longer surprised.
As they settled down, the sun was beginning to set in the west. The servant from the east had just brought over drinks and started serving food. After much effort, they managed to combine several small tables into one large table and squeezed in a dozen chairs, which truly put the servants to the test.
"Everyone here for the College Entrance Examination, I wish you all great success and may you achieve high marks."
The crowd responded enthusiastically and promptly downed their drinks. Lu State prided itself on being a land of etiquette; their drinking vessels were nothing like the large bowls used in Great Jin. Instead, they used small porcelain cups, each about one-tenth the size of a bowl. A single pot of wine could serve more than ten cups.
"To all of you from Tiandong, may you be the pillars of our future," Mingyue said as they gathered together. "Indeed, what a beautiful night it is! Let us drink another cup together."
Gu Ping glanced at the delicate cup and reminisced about the times spent with Liu Lao Jiu, drinking from a gourd with wide openings. Back then, he hoped that a mouthful of wine could wash away a thousand sorrows. Gasping for breath now, he realized that drowning his sorrows only made him feel worse; it was nothing like the carefree times he once had.
"Everyone is so generous! Since Mingyue has arrived, let’s toast to the Hundred-Year Moon Viewing Pavilion and Liu Dong’s masterpiece for future generations to admire. If we mention that blue brick, it could truly become a name remembered through the ages."
"Prince Xin" said, pointing at the blue brick overhead. Those who frequented this place knew that only poems and songs composed by great figures of the past could be inscribed on that blue brick. However, "Liu Dong's" own handwriting could not be accepted without the approval of the "Ming Academy's" "Outer Court" director. That would not be a good way to leave a name in history.
Everyone began to ponder what they should write to suit the occasion, to praise "Yi Dong" and "Prince Xin," while also showcasing their own talents.
"Gu Ping" observed the expressions of those around him, shook his head, and poured himself another cup of wine, which he drank in one go.
Seeing "Gu Ping's" demeanor, "Prince Xin" seized the opportunity to speak: "Brother, do you feel a sense of disparity in your heart? Do you think those foolish people lack your abilities when it comes to composing poetry and songs?"
"It's not that easy," "Gu Ping" humbly replied to "Yi Dong." He continued, "There is indeed a poem by 'Bu Luo' that I felt inspired by while standing at the back of the building. If you all don't find it boring, I can share it."
"Oh, if there are good lines, please do share."
The others were secretly pleased that someone had stepped forward; they could take this chance to refine their own words and make their poetry more polished, and they all cheered in agreement.
"Gu Ping" thought for a moment and then recited:
"Innocent foxes delight in fine feasts,
The watchtower overlooks the rivers and skies.
Autumn winds flow smoothly,
Painting the maple forest,
With no thoughts of virtue,
Carrying beauty along,
High stakes and lofty aspirations,
The moon casts sparse shadows.
Longing for the blue brick stone face,
Each word engraved,
Following the ancients,
Leaving my name behind.
Narrow seats and small cups of jade,
Lacking flavor, the wine brings no intoxication.
Silken brocade railings carry a foul odor,
Awakening just to sleep again,
Occasionally seeing boats,
Catching mackerel with nets,
Fish swallowing lake water.
Look at the vast waters,
"Wen Li" is complete,
Yet how many tears remain?"
After finishing, "Gu Ping" stood up and left with "Yoyo." Watching him depart, "Zhang Chenyu" followed suit. Only "Liu Dong," "Prince Xin," and those aspiring for their names to be inscribed on the blue stone remained, exchanging glances with one another.
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