This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 180 The Dilemma of the Great Qian

Everyone eagerly awaited Emperor Wu's response.

However, after the Second Saint disappeared without a trace after entering the palace, the Talent Show proceeded as scheduled, and the enthusiasm of the crowd to watch the spectacle was instantly cooled down as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over their heads.

Contrary to expectations, there was no tension; everything was calm and peaceful, as if nothing had happened.

On the platform of talented individuals, everyone had their own thoughts. Although they were all watching the literary contest, their minds had already raced away like wild horses.

The fact that the Confucian Temple dared to use the territory of the Great Qian Dynasty as collateral is undoubtedly a ridiculous and laughable event.

For Dali, how could they easily let go of such a golden opportunity?

This is why Li Jinxian stole the show on the stage of talent today. With Wu Xie's encouragement, although we did not see the scene of Daqian and Daxia turning against each other, the atmosphere was filled with an unusually strong sense of tension.

The students of Daqian Academy have already created more than ten poems and essays. However, under the joint attack of various countries, the current situation seems extremely unfavorable for Daqian.

If this downward trend continues into the third day, then Daqian will be eliminated from the top three. This is not only an individual battle, but also a competition of points among the teams.

Considering the outcome of each round, Dali is currently in the lead, with Dayan and Manghuang close behind.

Faced with such results, even Huangfu Lingxue's face turned gloomy, not to mention the Crown Prince who was already furious.

The Crown Prince had no interest in the affairs outside the city. The academy was originally under his control, and its outstanding achievements during the Poetry Festival were a great accomplishment for him as the Crown Prince.

But after just one round of competition, he was shocked to find that the students of the academy were so incompetent. Their long-term comfortable life had fostered arrogance and conceit, while their skills had not improved at all.

The repeated humiliations fueled his rage, which erupted like a volcano.

"Have you all learned from dogs? Dali can't win, and now even the Wilderness is like an arrogant wolf, riding on your heads and defecating at will. Is this what you call loyalty to the emperor?"

"Where is the Master? Summon him here immediately! If you can't win a single game today, you will all have to apologize on the spot. My money doesn't grow on trees, how can I support a bunch of good-for-nothings like this?"

At this very moment, below the viewing platform, on the side belonging to the Great Qian Dynasty, the Crown Prince, his hair standing on end in fury, was cursing loudly like an enraged lion.

If he hadn't lost so miserably, why would he have disregarded the etiquette of a crown prince and personally stepped down to name and berate someone?

There is only one explanation: in terms of literary skills, the Great Qian Dynasty was truly like a deflated ball, weak and powerless, leaving people greatly disappointed.

This is certainly related to Emperor Wu hiding some of the most talented people, but the academy has also gone through a hundred years of trials and tribulations and has been passed down to this day. How can it not be so vulnerable?

The fourth prince was extremely uneasy and tried several times to rush out, but was stopped each time by Huangfu Lingxue beside him.

"I have to lend a hand, otherwise we will lose face today, and I will be too ashamed to face Wu Xie again."

This is not only a fierce clash between Daqian and Manghuang, but also a personal contest between him and Wu Xie. He will never allow himself to be inferior to Wu Xie.

Since the incident at Huayu Tower, the two have been locked in a fierce and irreconcilable conflict.

"Don't be impatient, there's still plenty of time, and it's still uncertain who will emerge victorious."

The eldest princess calmly reassured them, while her sharp gaze, like that of a hawk, swept over the states of Dali, Dayan, and the Western Regions. According to her latest intelligence, in addition to Dayan, two other delegations would be arriving today: one from Hua Xiaolou, and the other from Meng Qianfan.

These two individuals had always been her dream targets, hence her keen interest in the upcoming mission.

Hua Xiaolou is like a dazzling pearl of the Tianling Kingdom, while Meng Qianfan is like a representative of the water.

The Kingdom of Tianling got its name because it dwells atop high mountains and icy plains year-round, and is closest to the heavens.

As for the water areas, as the name suggests, they are like a kingdom of water spirits.

The kingdoms of Dali, Dayan, Daqian, and the Western Regions, along with Tianling standing atop the plateau and the waters roaming the ocean, together constitute the most powerful dynasties on the Nine Heavens Continent. The ultimate showdown of the Poetry Immortal Gathering will be passionately staged among these nations. Now that the waters have arrived, most of the participants in the Poetry Immortal Gathering have gathered, so there's no need to be impatient. Even if they lose, it doesn't matter, since the Martial Emperor has already concealed those who will participate in the final battle.

"How can you be so calm? I can't stand it anymore. I must get justice."

The Fourth Prince was an impatient man. He could tolerate Li Jinxian's feigned profundity, and the Dali were mortal enemies, which was undeniable. But the Manghuang were purely personal grudges, and the affairs of Daqian had nothing to do with him. However, when Wu Xie was insulted, no matter who the other party was, he would definitely go to speak up for justice.

"You son of a bitch Wu Xie, your grandpa's here."

Taking advantage of the contestants' break, Li Jinxian and Wu Xie had already been engaged in a heated debate. The Fourth Prince, like an arrow released from a bow, leaped forward. Last time, he had used this sudden appearance to successfully trick the Great Yan into handing over a Heavenly Sword. This time, Wu Xie was also waiting for his prey. Although the Fourth Prince was outspoken, it was undeniable that he was quite to his liking. If Wu Xie intended to do something, the Fourth Prince would become enraged and fall into their carefully laid trap. Wu Xie had long intended to lure the prince out, which was why his verbal sparring was becoming increasingly unrestrained. Seeing the Fourth Prince step forward...

He continued his sarcasm, "You cowardly coward who's been hiding his face has finally shown himself? Look at how badly your Great Qian has been defeated. Where is your arrogance from yesterday?"

"Get out of my way! I haven't even made a move yet, who dares to say that my Great Qian has been defeated? Watch how I annihilate you all. Before my brother's poems, you are all like clay chickens and earthenware dogs, utterly vulnerable. I alone can take you down."

The fourth prince laughed wildly, his imposing manner was no less impressive. This was the first time he had boasted about how much better his brother's poetry and prose was than his own, arousing everyone's curiosity and making them wonder who this brother was.

"It's a pity, don't you know that there are rules to this competition? Who knows if you had some great scholars write poems for you to show off here? After all, your Great Qian has no bottom line, and you can even deceive yourselves. I dare not trust you."

Wu Xie's lips curled up slightly as he continued, "I knew you would say that. Many people have personally heard my brother's poems at the gate. You can tell whether they were written by him or not just by listening. If there is anyone whose poems are better than my brother's, this prince is willing to kneel down before you. Do you dare to accept?"

"I dare, of course I dare. How could I miss such a good thing? Men, make room for the Fourth Prince so we can listen to him recite poetry."

"Very well, then all of you listen up to me."

The fourth prince reached into his bag, pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, coughed lightly, and began to read it aloud.

At first, no one paid much attention to this pair of clowns. It wasn't the first time Wu Xie and the Fourth Prince had acted silly in public. What good things could they possibly do?

However, as the fourth prince recited, the crowd gradually quieted down, and even those important figures who were distracted turned their heads to look.

"A loving mother sews the thread in her hand, and sews the clothes on her traveling son's body. She sews them carefully before he leaves, fearing that he will be late in returning. Who can say that the heart of a small grass can repay the warmth of spring?"

The poem the Fourth Prince recited was the one Xiao Xingchen had written at the entrance of Yong'an.

Only a few people remembered his other poem because it contained rebellious intent, but he was not afraid. When he learned that the theme of the second "Talented People Platform" was filial piety, he was determined to make a big splash that day.

If it weren't for Tianjian's interference yesterday, he would have been in the limelight yesterday.

"How about that? Now you all know how formidable I am, don't you? Whoever can match me, I, the prince, am willing to take your surname."

The fourth prince, head held high and chest out, spoke in a booming voice, exuding a sense of triumph. Many were still immersed in the imagery of the poem.

"What a poem!"

"I never expected the Fourth Prince to possess such talent?"

"This was not done by the Fourth Prince, but by his brother, though I feel like I've heard of it somewhere before."

"The poem is excellent, but you may not know that it appeared alongside a treasonous poem. Only the Fourth Prince dared to recite it; anyone else would never have dared."

"Traitorous poetry? What makes you say that?"

"It seems you did not experience the battle when the Princess entered the city. Do not ask any more questions, and just wait and see how things develop."

Everyone turned to look, whispering amongst themselves, their voices rising and falling. The Crown Prince frowned deeply. He knew those words all too well; he had even considered using them in a contest. But then he thought of what Xiao Xingchen had done to him…

The various kingdoms were in an uproar. Even after racking their brains, they couldn't find any flaws in the poem. Li Jinxian, after careful reading, couldn't help but admire it.

"A fine poem, but unfortunately, it is not your masterpiece, Fourth Prince, so it cannot be counted."

"Fourth Prince, is the person who wrote this poem still alive? May I meet them?"

The young monk Miaowu actually took the initiative to ask a question.

"Haha, did you hear that? This poem is wonderful, but unfortunately it wasn't written by you. Besides, there are rules on this stage. Fourth Prince, do you want to break these rules? In my opinion, you should just kowtow to me as soon as possible. If you continue to act so recklessly, you will only make a fool of yourself and disgrace your Great Qian Dynasty."

Wu Xie said with a forced smile.

"Nonsense! How can it not count? Although my brother was unable to attend in person, he is still a member of our Great Qian Dynasty, and his poetry represents the highest level of our Great Qian. Stop talking nonsense, if you have the ability, show us your skills and compete with him!"

Everyone had already experienced the Fourth Prince's shameless behavior, so no one dared to confront him.

Yan Yi recalled the information about Xiao Xingchen, including a description of two poems. Her gaze, sharp as an arrow, pierced the Crown Prince, striking at his vitals.

"Your Highness, what is your opinion? Can this poem be considered valid?"

The Crown Prince frowned deeply. This woman always seemed to grasp the crux of the matter, which greatly displeased him. His words carried immense weight. If he said the poem counted, it would violate the rules of the competition; if he said it didn't, it would be a slap in the face to the Fourth Prince, essentially putting him on the hot seat.

"Yan Yi, I find you to be a truly repulsive woman."

The fourth prince's eyes were as cold as ice. Every time he tried to show off, this woman would ruin it. Yesterday it was the Heavenly Sword, and today it was the same.

"Hehe, Fourth Prince, you flatter me. Without rules, there can be no order. If the person is not present, it naturally doesn't count. If you can invite the person here..."

This statement directly negated Xiao Xingchen's poem, leaving the Crown Prince speechless. The Fourth Prince's face darkened, and his apprehension towards Yan Yi deepened. This apprehension wasn't limited to him; many people had long considered Yan Yi a major threat. This woman was the most troublesome figure in the delegation, often able to stir up trouble with just a few words. Her methods were truly astonishing, and even Huangfu Lingxue regarded her as a formidable rival.