Chapter 27: Composing Poetry While Appreciating Snow

  Stand up, I face the small lake, poetic inspiration bursts forth, and I loudly recite: "Distant gaze at the cold mountain obstructs my vision, endless snow like lotus. Far away, I lament the plum shadow reflecting off the remaining moon, secretly sighing at the bamboo soul writing on the emerald sky. The fragrance is cold, no need to invite the crowd to appreciate, the flower is red and entwines alone. Jade people dance with crystal silk, slender hands lightly brush the flute strings."

  After reciting a poem, I couldn't help but laugh with joy, stretching out my hand to catch the snowflakes that fell onto it and melted instantly. At this moment, someone in the distance laughed loudly and said: "Mr. Jiang is so delighted, why not invite the host to come over?" I turned around to look, and saw King Yong of Li, Li Zuo, wearing a light fur coat, with several advisors standing behind him, all smiling, and two attendants walking behind them, one holding a large wine jar and the other holding a food box.

  I smiled slightly and said: "Your Highness is busy with official duties, a wandering cloud like me is just an idle person from the mountains and fields, how dare I disturb Your Highness and several others?"

  Li Zai walked into Linbo Pavilion, brushed off the snowflakes on his body and said: "I, a worldly person, have come to disturb your elegant gathering. This wine is a fine wine bestowed by the Emperor himself, sir, don't miss it."

  I smiled faintly and said, "Everything has its order, since today is the first to arrive, then you must listen to me. Xiao Shunzi, come and warm up the wine. After three rounds of drinking, everyone needs to recite a poem, the topic is 'Ode to Snow'. If it's a good poem, drink one cup of wine, if not, you'll be fined three cups."

  Li Zai, seeing that I was not dissatisfied, happily said: "Since Mr. Jiang has set the rules, this king cannot but follow them. Alright, listen up, if you can't write good poetry, you'll have to drink three cups of royal wine. This king will tell you, this royal wine is rich and fragrant, if you drink a few more cups, not hearing Mr. Jiang's good poetry would be a lifelong regret."

  We sat down in a circle, and one servant placed several kinds of fruit and pastries from the food box on the table. Another servant opened the mud seal of the imperial wine, and the fragrance wafted up to our noses, rich and mellow. Guo Jian smelled the wine and said, "If it weren't for wanting to hear Su Yun's great work, I'd really like to get drunk."

  Li Zai waved his hand to let the servants retreat, and smiled: "Good, tomorrow I'll send a jar of wine to you, and let you get drunk." Guo Jian hurriedly thanked him: "Your Highness must not regret it."

  It wasn't long before Xiao Shunzi brought up the first pot of warm wine and filled our cups. I slowly drank down the cup, and suddenly felt a fragrance in my mouth and warmth spreading throughout my limbs. I couldn't help but say: "This is really good wine! Although the wine from southern Chu is excellent, it can't compare to the richness of northern wine."

  Shi Yu smiled and said: "Since Sui Yun likes it, let's have a few more cups."

  Li Zai smiled and raised his cup, and everyone drank several cups in a row, feeling as if they were floating like immortals. The atmosphere also became more lively. Li Zai laughed and said: "We just listened to Su Yun's masterpiece, so we should recite poems first. Yongquan, your poetic talent is the most agile, let you come first."

  He stood up and looked at the flying snow outside the pavilion, saying loudly: "Good, let me come first. The half wall of snow is paved with late sunshine, and a lake of warm jade is painted with cloud smoke. Enjoying this beautiful scenery is the most delightful, not envying Peach Blossom Spring nor envying the immortals."

  Li Zai first said: "Good, although the meaning is ordinary, it is so close to the present prosperity, let's have a drink."

  I also laughed and said: "Half of the snowy plain is paved with late afternoon sunshine, a warm jade lake is painted with cloud and mist. Brother Yongquan indeed has quick poetic talent, you all along with Prince Yōng's mansion below, outwardly relying on the righteousness of monarch and subject, inwardly truly as close as flesh and blood, up and down without any discord, in this winter day, drinking wine and having fun, is indeed not envying Peach Garden nor envying immortals."

  Gou Jian saw an opportunity and said, "Your Highness treats us like family, so why not let us serve you in the same way? Let's experience the joy of being in a paradise on earth together!"

  I smiled slightly and said, "Zi Yun has no other strengths, only being good at poetry. Let's start with a poem to repay your kindness, sir. When will the maple leaves fade? The famous flowers are lightly attached to the branches. In the courtyard, the bird's shadow flaps its cold wings, and the small banquet is warm with the stove cloud. The three-foot qin opens with plum blossoms on jade, and the four sides sing with mist returning to clear skies. I call myself carefree without worries, with a vast sky and a single stroke of the brush."

  Dong Zhi clapped his hands and said, "What a great 'self-proclaimed magnate without worries, with a vast sky to throw away', it can be seen that Su Yun's heart is as clear as the moon in a sunny sky, so vast and empty. Let's have a cup of wine."

  I took the wine cup handed over by Xiao Shunzi and smiled: "When Suiyun was in South Chu, although his position was low and humble, he was especially diligent and careful, not daring to be slightly slack. Now that I have finally escaped from the cage, it is said that 'returning to nature' is true. Why did Brother Yongquan ruthlessly trap me into disloyalty and force me into a cage?"

  Since Guan Yu was at a loss for words, he could only smile wryly. I, however, smiled and said: "In the past, we discussed military formations with Brother Dong; today, I must learn from Brother Dong's poetry."

  Dong Zhi clasped his hands and said, "I've made a fool of myself, I've made a fool of myself." After speaking, he stood up and recited: "The Dipper's handle wants to point east, but my brother is traveling north. Without an intermediary to inform the wise lord, I lost my chance with the feudal lords. The night snow seeps into my shoes, the morning frost congeals on my worn-out fur coat. From afar, I know the guest house is drinking, and in the drunken village, I hear the spring magpie."

  As I heard this, my hand shook and a cup of wine almost spilled on the table. When I first entered South Chu as an official, although I didn't originally have the ambition to serve a wise ruler and unify the world, later events made me secretly regret my choice. If I had been brought to Chang'an by King Yong back then, perhaps I wouldn't have suffered the pain of national destruction and family ruin. Now that I'm a guest in Chang'an, unable to see the misty clouds of South Chu, this desolate loneliness is heartbreaking, even for someone like me who abandoned their homeland with mixed feelings. Raising my cup to drink the fine wine, the wine enters my sorrowful gut, making my sorrows even more sorrowful.

  In a drunken state, I picked up a silver chopstick and tapped on the wine jug while singing: "Bring wine to the Pavilion of Ripples. Looking at the wise men, they seem so similar to Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei. Where did the magpie fly in between the trees? Treading on the remaining snow on the pine tips. Wanting to break my hat and add more elegant hair. The remaining water and mountains have no attitude, being sparse plum blossoms, arranged into a scenic view of wind and moon. A few geese are also withering. The beautiful person is reluctant to part again. Sighing at the clear river, the sky is cold and cannot be crossed, the water is deep and icy. The road is broken, the wheels have grown square, travelers on this path have perished. Who made you come here to be so sorrowful? Forged into the present, our longing has gone wrong, I suppose from the beginning, we swallowed all our heart's blood. The long night flute blows a crack!

  Having sung it once, I sang again: "Now that we are together, our longing is in vain. Alas! In the past, I exhausted my heart and liver with blood. The long night flute blows a crack!" I thought of the time when I helped Prince De plan, often unable to sleep at midnight, but unfortunately ended up being respected from afar. Thinking of the memorial that spoke directly, it ended up never being used again. Unconsciously, sorrow arose from my heart and tears fell like rain.

  Dong Zhi hastily stood up and apologized: "It's my fault for bringing up Su Yun's past troubles, please forgive me."

  I waved my hand and said: "After many days of melancholy, all gone with a sweep, thanks again to Brother Dong's good poem."

  Dong Zhi didn't dare to persuade him again, thinking that he still had deep feelings for Nan Chu. What could be done about it? He looked at King Yong, and Li Zuo's face was filled with both admiration and sadness.

  Guan Ju saw this and hastily said: "My literary talent is shallow, please don't laugh at me." After speaking, he stood up with a wine cup and said: "Inspecting the remaining snow on the winter solstice, loving the phoenix and enduring the cold. Carrying a bamboo staff, every household has wine, in every mountain there are sedan chairs. Adding to my old age, transforming foolishness, thanking TIAN for teaching me to be idle in my old age. The Taoist priest repaid the debt of the mandarin ducks, in the paper window, the plum blossoms, and the drunken dream."

  Everyone burst out laughing, and Gou Jian was choked by the wine in his cup. Wiping away tears, he said: "Old Guan, I never knew you were so humorous. Today, I've learned a lesson."

  I couldn't help but smile lightly, raising my cup to say: "Guan brother's words are excellent, Ziyun humbly admits inferiority." The crowd laughed and the atmosphere became lively.

  Xiao Shunzi had just seen me feeling sad and couldn't help but secretly glare at Dong Zhi. Then, he saw a poem by Guan Xiu, which made me smile, and my heart was filled with great joy. I hastily poured the wine that had just been warmed up for Guan Xiu to the brim. The joyful look in my eyes flashed by, but it was caught by Shi Cong, who had been smiling and observing from the side. He thought to himself: "This is a truly loyal and devoted servant."

  Everyone saw me happy and finally breathed a sigh of relief. They didn't come to annoy me, and there's still more to the story. They can't let me get annoyed too early, right?

  "Mr. Jiang, I, Shi Mou, have met you too late, unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to learn from you. This cup of wine is offered to you, wishing you good health and peace."

  I also stood up and said: "Mr. Shi is like this, Su Yun is ashamed and dare not accept it. Su Yun has long heard that Mr. Shi is Xiao He of the King of Yong's palace. When the king goes out to battle, Mr. Shi takes care of the rear for the king. If there was no Mr. Shi, the king would probably be attacked from both front and back. Your great talent, Su Yun has always admired it very much."

  Shi Yun smiled and said: "With Cloud's such high praise, it makes me feel ashamed instead."

  King Yong stood up and said, "It's not flattery. If it weren't for you, sir, I wouldn't have today." He thought back to the days when he went on expeditions, and the crown prince was always behind him, holding him back. If it weren't for Shi Tuo standing in for him and handling things from behind, how could he have won every battle? Li Zhi raised his cup and said, "Today, I offer a toast to you, sir, to express my heartfelt gratitude."

  Shi Yu hastily raised his cup to thank him, with tears in his eyes. After a moment, Shi Yu said: "My poetic talent is not high, I made an effort to do it, please don't laugh at me, Your Highness and everyone." Then he recited:

  "Chang'an snow after like spring return, accumulated frost congeals jade continuous dawn light.

  Color borrows jade saddle bewildered dawn riders, light adds silver candle flickers morning clothes.

  West Mountain fallen moon holds up the sky, North Temple clear cloud presents the Forbidden City.

  Hearing that the immortal youth sings White Snow, it's rare to have someone harmonize with me."

  I smiled and applauded, saying: "Your poem has the air of a prime minister from the very first glance. It's a pity that you are not suited to stay in the capital for long, otherwise I would certainly see your majestic demeanor leading the crowd."

  Shi Yu smiled wryly and said: "If Su Yun is willing to yield, Shi Yu would be happy to vacate the left side to wait for him."

  I smiled slightly and said, "Jiang Mou is a leisurely cloud and wild crane, unable to bear the heavy responsibility. If sir says so, wouldn't it shorten the lifespan of his later years? I have a small poem to return as a gift, to thank sir for his kind intention."

  As I finished speaking, I sang calmly: "The frosty clouds are deep, the gentle breeze is shallow, and the cold air deceives the green fields. The light snow accompanies the early plum blossoms as they flutter and fall. The bright sunshine makes everything beautiful, but it's all fleeting. The jade-like person sings, in the painted tower with wine, this scene suddenly becomes more valuable. In the flower-selling alleys and lanes, the eternal lamp towers. What a wonderful time, how can we bear to part with it lightly? Thanks to the gentle breeze, the mist is blown away, and the clear night is revealed. The jade dust is spread, the osmanthus flowers are full, and in the pure light, it's even more enjoyable to take a stroll.

  After singing, I laughed and said: "Now that it's a beautiful day with fine scenery, it's just right for a pleasure trip. Why talk about military and national affairs, which only add to one's worries? In the past, a superior man wrote 'Picking Ferns', but Jiang Ziya was not talented, and could not avoid eating the millet of Zhou Dynasty, but also did not love the salary of Zhou Dynasty."

  Everyone listened and was disappointed for a moment. Li Zuo stood up and said: "Sir's ambition is noble and pure, I admire you."

  I smiled and said: "Your Highness is the master of this place, it's only right that you compose a poem to express your aspirations."

  "So, sir, please laugh at me." After saying that, Li Zai loudly recited: "Blue haze merges with morning mist, red scrolls hide behind evening clouds. Leaves gather in dense cloud colors, frost spreads across snowy flowers. The bright tower is as white as powder, reflecting the curtain and gathering suspicious sand. Willows float and fly like cotton, plum blossoms are scattered like pieces of jade. The round moon shines on the jade platform, pearls scatter through the dew. The pure and clean short and long stairs, the jade clusters high and low trees. Reflecting the white of the treetops, embracing the lotus in simplicity. The interrupted air is about to sink, wandering around the cloudy dusk. Cherishing the treasure and ashamed of hidden virtue, displaying auspiciousness and waiting for a prosperous year. In the garden, flying forbidden swallows, cranes dance in the Yi River. Suddenly reciting the elegant orchid melody, sharing joy with the yellow bamboo chapter."

  I savored it for a long time, and respectfully said: "Your poem is majestic and powerful, with a strong and bold tone, exuding an imperial aura. This is a natural talent, whereas our own poetry, although beautiful, is crafted with effort. I, Ziyun, admire you deeply."

  Li Zai smiled and said, "I am the prince, these four words 'emperor's demeanor' I dare not claim for myself. Sir, don't harm me, it's fortunate that I haven't lost face. The king is already satisfied, please ask Random Cloud to compose a poem to mark a good beginning and a good end."

  I laughed and said, "If I continue like this, I'll exhaust my talent." Already seven parts drunk, I felt my body burning with heat. I opened the collar of my light cloak, walked to the edge of the pavilion, and sang out loud in the wind: "Don't offend the flying dragon's scales if you have a body, don't tie up the fierce tiger's whiskers if you have hands. Look at the old days in Chang'an Market, the white-haired immortal hid in the jade pot. Ziyu heard the wind moving the window bamboo, inviting each other to get drunk on wine in cups. What's different about Lishui from Shanyin times? White snow and flying flowers confused people's eyes. If your family has wine, what do I have to worry about? Many guests, joyful and drunk, holding candles and strolling around. Xie Shan can dance like a swallow, and Ziyu can take off his frosty cloak. When the excitement ends, we'll cross the river with drums and oars, thinking of each other from a thousand miles away in the Mingyue Tower."

  After finishing the long poem, I returned to the table, picked up my wine cup and drained it in one gulp. With a drunken haze, I laughed loudly: "Today we disperse with joy, thank you, Your Excellency, for your hospitality."

  Li Zai looked at Jiang Suiyun, today's snow appreciation was just an opportunity for him to let the crown prince come and pay his respects, and also get close to Jiang Suiyun. He didn't expect that Jiang Suiyun would be inspired by poetry, secretly responding to everyone's advice, without a single leak, and openly even more so, with poems that suppressed the whole scene. Such elegance and refinement, it was just unknown whether this person had the talent to change the course of history, but he couldn't let him go. Thinking of this, his heart became even more determined.

  At this time, Xiao Shunzi took the opportunity to come to my side, and whispered in my ear: "Someone is coming, young master be careful not to lose your words." Then he helped me tidy up my clothes and smiled: "Young master's body is not good, today you drank a few more cups, can't catch a cold."

  I was fully conscious and could also hear the faint sound of footsteps, which seemed to be four or five people. One of them walked unsteadily, with a light body, and appeared to be a child.

  I came back to myself and took the hot towel handed over by Xiao Shunzi, wiped my face and said: "Jiang Mou was drunk and lost his demeanor, please forgive me, Your Highness and gentlemen."

  Li Zai smiled and said, "Drinking and singing wildly is the style of a famous scholar. What's wrong with that? However, your servant is right, sir. You've just recovered from an illness and shouldn't catch a chill. Why not have a few more cups?"

  I sat back in my seat, took the warm wine and savored it slowly. My eyes caught a glimpse of Li Ze and others exchanging glances with each other, and I couldn't help but smile secretly in my heart.

  Then I heard a tender voice calling out: "Father King, Father King." When I looked up, I saw a little boy happily waving at us. The boy was only four or five years old, with a beautiful face and wearing yellow prince's attire. Behind him were two wet nurses, two eunuchs, and at the moment, his body was covered in snow stains, apparently from having fallen several times.

  Li Zai saw the boy and was overjoyed, saying: "Jun Er, why are you covered in snow? Come here and let your father take a look."

  That boy bounced and jumped into the pavilion, leaning against Li Zhi's knee, his black and white eyes spinning only on me. I smiled: "The humble subject has seen the young master."

  The boy walked up and pulled at my collar, asking: "Who are you, sir? Jun'er has never seen you before?"

  I said calmly: "Jiang Zhe, a humble commoner, with the courtesy name of Suiyun, is a native of South Chu. As a noble son, he naturally has never seen a commoner like me."

  Li Jun heard my name, muttered for half a day before saying: "I remember, sir's poem is well-written." Looking at the flying snow outside, he smiled and said: "A thousand mountains, birds fly away, ten thousand tracks, human footprints disappear. A lone boat, an old man fishing alone in the cold river snow. Sir's 'River Snow' is really good, but it's too desolate. Is the river in southern Chu really that desolate?"

  I smiled and said, "Although the south of Chu is a land of exceptional people and spiritual energy, there are still many places without human habitation. With numerous rivers, it's true that such places exist where all you see is cold river and snowy ice. That year, I followed my father on a distant journey, and as we were approaching New Year's, the river was almost empty of boats, with everyone gathering at home. My father took the helm himself, bringing me along to fish on the river. Although the water hadn't frozen over, everywhere was covered in white mist."

  Li Jun's eyes sparkled, and he said: "Sir, your father is really great! Every time I want my father to take me out to play, my father doesn't have the time. Sir, if you have the time, would you like to accompany Jun'er to the Wei River to go fishing?"

  I smiled and said, "The young master's body is worth a thousand pieces of gold, how can he be the same as us common people? If the young master likes fishing, why not just fish in this pavilion? I see that there are many golden scales in the lake, it must be very interesting to catch them."

  Li Jun said, "What's the point of fishing here? If I don't catch any fish, those servants will be so angry they'll practically hang the fish on my hook for me. My father, the king, has been fighting in battles since he was a teenager, and I want to be just like him. If I don't even leave the palace gates, how can I charge into battle and fight the enemy?"

  Li Zai's face showed a look of appreciation, but his mouth said: "Jun Er must not talk nonsense, you will have to handle government affairs properly in the future, and you won't be like your father who personally led the army to kill enemies. When I unify the world under one rule, where would we still need you to go and kill enemies?"

  Li Jun disapprovingly said: "Father, what you said is not right. I heard the gentlemen say that one should think of danger in times of peace. If there are enemies again in the future and I don't know how to fight on the battlefield, how can I protect Da Yong? Therefore, governance must be learned, and fighting on the battlefield must also be learned."

  After finishing speaking, Li Jun showed an embarrassed expression and said: "So, Father King let me go out and take a look, I won't cause any trouble."

  Li Zai smiled and said, "You little scamp, you still want to go cause trouble, huh? If you want to go on the battlefield and kill enemies, you need to learn from Wan Ren Yi. First and foremost, you must be well-read in classics and history. What happened to the tutor your father chose for you last time? You chased him away again, didn't you?"

  Li Jun stole a glance at his father and said: "It's just that the master is not capable enough, I asked him one question and he couldn't answer."

  Everyone was excited, and Li Zai smiled and asked: "What question did you ask that made the master unable to answer?"

  Li Jun said with a pleased smile: "I heard my uncle and father talking about a case in the Dalu Temple, where a man's stepmother killed his father, so he killed his stepmother. The county official sentenced him to the crime of great irreverence and destroying kinship, but he refused to accept it and appealed. I asked Master, and he said that the judgment was correct, but this kind of reasoning is not understood, so I drove him away."

  Li Zai thought of this case and also remembered the verdict he had told his wife's uncle. This matter was unknown to outsiders, and it was indeed a good topic. He took a glance at Jiang Zhe and smiled: "You asked the wrong person, except for my father, everyone here can tell you how to make a judgment."

  As expected, relying on Li Zai's understanding of his son, Li Jun's gaze swept over several people and finally fell on Jiang Zhe. He believed that what his father said was not bad for others, but what about this person? He pulled at Jiang Zhe's sleeve and said: "Sir, can you tell Jun how to make a judgment?"

  I smiled faintly and said, "These matters have their own laws, I'm just a humble commoner, how can I be qualified to comment?"

  "If you can answer it, I will acknowledge you as my master. If not, then you shall be my follower."

  I glanced at Li Zai, but saw that he too was surprised, apparently it wasn't him who instructed the young master to say this. I couldn't help but laugh and said: "A humble commoner from southern Chu, a guilty minister, how can I be the young master's teacher? However, if the young master asks me, I'll say that although this person killed his stepmother, he was avenging his father. The stepmother murdered her husband, cutting herself off from her husband's family, so this person killing his stepmother is just killing an outsider. He can be charged with murder, but not necessarily with the crime of unfilial piety."

  Li Jun happily said: "Sir is indeed a wise man, I asked others and no one explained it as clearly as you did." After that, Li Jun knelt down in front of me and said: "Although I'm young, I also know what it means to keep one's promise. I'd like to ask Sir to be my teacher, will you take me to the Wei River to go fishing?"

  I burst out laughing, this kid has been going around in circles, but it turns out he just wanted me to take him out to have some fun.

  At this time, Xiaoshunzi's voice rang in my ear: "Young master should not agree."

  I felt a chill in my heart and said, "The young master is joking, the young master has a noble status, I am just a person from a fallen country, everyone here is more suitable to be the young master than me, Jiang Mou dare not accept." After speaking, I stood up and said, "Zhu Yun is not good at drinking, so I'll take my leave first."

  As I turned around, I heard Li Zai's disappointed voice say: "Mr. Jiang, are you really so heartless?" My body trembled slightly, and I didn't answer in the end.

  Note: This chapter involves a lot of poetry, most of which are excerpted from the internet, some of which are created by netizens, and it is impossible to list them one by one. I hereby declare this. In addition, I used many poems in this chapter, and I hope everyone will not think that I am piling up words. I carefully selected the poems because I want to express their intentions through poetry.