Chapter 27: Pointing at the Scenic Beauty of Rivers and Mountains

  At the banquet, the princess smiled and asked about the scenery of the world. Wang Fu agreed, and so they set out to issue an order. Before the order was issued, Prince Qi had already arrived, and the three princes gathered together, enjoying themselves immensely at the banquet, completely forgetting that the chaos of the Xiang Yu rebellion was approaching.

  Yong Shi - Ji Wang Lie Zhuan

  "Haha, good idea, this can't bring me down." The crown prince had just finished speaking when a bright and clear voice came from afar. Everyone looked over to see that it was King Qi Li Xian walking towards them with an air of ease. Behind him were Wei Zheng and Xia Houyan Feng. The expressions of the crown prince and Duke Yong changed, while Qin Yi smiled wryly, never expecting his residence to be so lively today. He gave a glance to his wife, and Qin Yi stood up, saying: "What wind has blown today that King Qi has come to my humble abode? I, Qin, am truly honored."

  Li Xian blocked Qin Yi and paid his respects, smiling: "As it happens, General, you may not know that I was thinking of going out to play with Xiahou Yuan. Who knew we'd run into Lord Wei on the road? When he mentioned that both Big Brother and Second Brother had arrived at your esteemed residence today, I thought, how could I miss such a lively gathering?"

  Li Zhe and the Crown Prince both put their minds at ease, knowing that Li Xian was someone who would stir up trouble even when there wasn't any, so it was strange if he didn't come today.

  Everyone sat down again, and the three sides were clearly divided. At this time, Mrs. Qin had already bid farewell and left. So, the Crown Prince, King Qi, Li Han You, and Lu Jing Zhong sat together in one place. Wang Yong, Jiang Zhe, and Sima Xiong sat together in another place. Wei Yi, Xia Hou Yu Feng, and Qin Yi, Qin Qing sat together in a third place. Qin Yong had already excused himself and left. With so many nobles gathered here, their attendants and guards must be numerous. Qin Yong must have gone to take care of them.

  Li An ordered several jars of strong wine to be brought up, and also took out large wine cups that could hold four taels of wine in one cup. If you drank three cups, even if your drinking capacity was not bad, you would inevitably become drunk. He smiled and said: "Today's wine order is as strict as a military order, I don't know who will be in charge of it?"

  Jing Chi hastily stood up and said: "I, the last general, am illiterate, so let me take command instead."

  Li Zai smiled and said: "Nonsense, the person who holds the palm order must be well-read in poetry and books, how can you hold the palm order?"

  Li Xian's eyes rolled and he said: "We all have to follow the rules, General is a martial family, if you look for a strong martial artist in the house, they are everywhere, but if you look for someone who has read poetry books, it's hard to find. Since it was the county master's suggestion, why not let the county master take charge?"

  Li Han's face turned cold with anger: "I, a weak woman, can't hold the order. Who doesn't know the rules of playing orders? The person holding the order has to accompany wine, regardless of whether they win or lose, they have to drink a cup. Are you afraid that I, Li Han, won't die from drinking?"

  Li Xian spread his hands and said: "In that case, why don't we find a deputy commander for the county master who only needs to drink wine?"

  Everyone looked at each other in dismay. Who would have thought that Li Han's deputy commander had a decent capacity for liquor, but it was somewhat embarrassing to be his vice-commander.

  At this time, Li Xian suddenly said: "Alright, you come here." He pointed at one person.

  Everyone looked over, and Li Xian pointed to Xiao Shunzi standing behind Jiang Zhe with his hands clasped together. Although Xiao Shunzi was just a servant, everyone present knew that he was a top-notch expert. Probably only someone like Jiang Zhe would dare to treat him as a slave, otherwise even the Crown Prince or the King of Yong would treat him as an honored guest.

  Li Han was overjoyed in her heart, she had originally just wanted to take the opportunity to probe Jiang Zhe's true intentions, and if she could gain his favor that would be even better. She hadn't expected the sudden cooperation of Qi Wang, putting Xiao Shunzi in a conspicuous position, allowing herself to seize the chance to win over these two people with her tactics, at least alleviating their hostility towards her. If not for Qi Wang's inferior status, Li Han would have truly considered suggesting to the Sect Master that supporting Qi Wang was much easier than supporting that foolish Crown Prince.

  Xiao Shunzi's attention was originally focused on Jiang Zhe, and as for others in his eyes, they were divided into two categories: 'those who pose a threat to the young master' and 'those who do not pose a threat to the young master'. Li Han You belonged to the former category. Just thinking about it made him want to kill her with one palm, she had almost killed the young master after all. If Jiang Zhe hadn't whispered to him: "Don't be in a hurry, there's still plenty of time." He wouldn't have been able to hold back his patience any longer.

  Now hearing Qi Wang's suggestion, Xiao Shunzi's expression changed, and his eyebrows were filled with icy killing intent. His eyes shot out cold glints, causing everyone to raise their vigilance. At this time, Jiang Zhe said calmly: "This is also a good idea, but Xiao Shunzi has a low alcohol tolerance, so taking the wine for the county master is also very hard work. If the county master is willing to heavily reward him, then even if he doesn't move, I will."

  Li Zai's expression relaxed, and he said: "This is also true, but since it was Big Brother who proposed the plan, and Sixth Brother recommended Xiao Shunzi to assist, then the two of them shouldn't be stingy either."

  Li Han-yu revealed a pure and flawless smile, saying: "I came in a hurry, if you don't mind, take this as a reward." As she spoke, she took out from her waist a pair of gloves as thin as cicada wings. The crowd looked at it strangely, asking each other, when Xia Hou Zuo-feng smiled and said: "The princess is indeed generous, this must be the heavenly mountain ice silkworm's woven gloves, which are impervious to knives and guns, and resistant to a hundred poisons, just what someone skilled in palm techniques would love."

  Li Han-you looked at Xiao Shun-zi, as long as he showed a slight change in expression, she would have achieved her goal. But unexpectedly, Xiao Shun-zi just gave a faint glance and said "Thank you, Princess." His expression didn't change at all.

  Li Han let out a sigh in his heart. If Xiao Shunzi were to see this and feel delighted, it would mean that his realm was still unable to escape the temptation of external objects. In that case, Li Han would know his depth, and if he relied more on these gloves, his martial arts would be even harder to progress. Unfortunately, seeing him so calm and collected meant that either he already knew this principle or had already transcended the realm of relying on external objects. Since he didn't have a famous teacher guiding him, it meant that his martial arts had already reached that realm.

  King Qi smiled and said, "There's nothing valuable on me. How about this? In my palace, I have a copy of 'Dreams of Splendor', an ancient edition that I happened to acquire, containing some long-lost Yuefu poems. Is this gift precious enough?"

  Xiao Shunzi's expression changed slightly. He had served Jiang Zhe for many years and had heard him mention this book before, seemingly regretful that he had never seen it. Unable to help but reveal a joyful expression, he said: 'Thank you, Your Highness Qi Wang.'

  Li Han You and others were stunned, thinking to themselves that this person didn't like martial arts but instead liked books. Then they saw a faint hint of joy on Jiang Zhe's face. Li Han You felt both happy and worried in his heart, it seemed that the only weakness of this little Shunzi was Jiang Zhe. However, with the importance the King of Yong placed on Jiang Zhe, if Jiang Zhe were to submit to him, he probably wouldn't dare use him either. Forget it, it seemed that he could only use thunderous methods now. A resolute glint flashed in Li Han You's eyes.

  Crown Prince Li An cursed his bad luck, thinking to himself that he should return the gifts. The presents from Li Han and Li Xian were both very valuable and unique. If he had given them gold, silver, or jewels, it would have been somewhat tacky. He was hesitating when Xia Jin-yi, who had been standing behind him all along, suddenly whispered something in his ear. Li An's face immediately lit up with a smile as he said: "You can't decline my gifts either. Jin-yi, you can send Green Pearl and Jade Swallow over tomorrow. These two women are the crown prince's favorite dancers, so be sure to enjoy them fully."

  As soon as the words were spoken, the air seemed to carry a hint of chilliness. Although no one explicitly stated it, everyone tacitly understood Xiao Shunzi's identity. If he were an ordinary person, he could only endure this slightly mocking gift. However, Xiao Shunzi was a top-notch expert; if he were to lash out in anger, probably no one here would be able to escape unscathed. Not only did the Crown Prince and the King of Qi's personal guards become more vigilant, but even the King of Yong, Qin Yi, and several generals under his command carefully observed Xiao Shunzi's movements.

  But Xiao Shunzi didn't get angry, instead he smiled, and his figure flashed, already standing in front of the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince was greatly shocked, while Li Han You, Qi Wang, and Qin Yi all launched a simultaneous attack, but stopped at a distance of several feet away. This was because Xiao Shunzi was clearly standing very far away, yet he was the first to arrive in front of the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince hadn't received any harm either. This was because Xia Jin Yi was already blocking the way in front of the Crown Prince. If Xiao Shunzi had made a move, he definitely wouldn't have been able to kill the Crown Prince in one blow. In this case, they naturally wouldn't dare to make a rash move.

  Li Zai also stood up and looked at Jiang Zhe, saying: 'Li Shun, what are you going to do?'

  All eyes fell on Jiang Zhe, and at this time, probably only he could stop Xiao Shunzi.

  I looked at the anxious faces of Prince Yong and others, and I said: "Your Majesty, on behalf of Li Shun, thank you for your reward. Your Majesty must think that he has been working hard every day, so you sent two maids to help him share his worries."

  Li An now had some regrets. Xia Jinyi originally asked him to send two excellent maids, but he was momentarily excited and sent two dancing girls instead, with a tone that implied mockery, which brought trouble upon himself. Although this person was still several steps away from him, Li An felt a chill emanating from his body. As soon as Jiang Zhe spoke, he hastily said: "Yes, you have high martial arts skills, but always do some menial work, I think it's not worth saying."

  Xiao Shunzi suddenly revealed a faint smile, bowed and said very respectfully: 'Thank you, Your Highness, for the reward.'

  Everyone let out a sigh of relief, Li Han thought to herself, it's good that this little Shunzi has other weaknesses. She didn't know that just now, I and little Shunzi had already detected her probing and attention. Coincidentally, the gift from King Qi made little Shunzi reveal his greatest weakness - me. So I deliberately showed a joyful expression. In fact, that book was not bad, but it wasn't enough to make me unable to conceal my joy. My intention was to let people start with me. With little Shunzi and King Yong's protection, there shouldn't be any problems. However, little Shunzi soon discovered this, so he took advantage of the Crown Prince's mockery and pretended to be furious, as if he couldn't bear to take action. This would make people think that his self-cultivation was not enough, and they wouldn't specifically target me. I knew his intentions, but could only let him do this. After all, in his heart, my safety was more important than anything else.

  As soon as Xiao Shunzi returned to my side, Li Han smiled and said: "Our wine game should begin now." In fact, everyone had already lost interest, but since it was already agreed upon, they naturally had to proceed, and also stored a comparative meaning, so this tense atmosphere of the wine game began. Before the wine game started, Wei Xiang vaguely said a sentence that many people didn't notice, but I heard it clearly. He said: "Today is really wonderful, these people gathering together to scheme against each other are more interesting than any play." I couldn't help but smile bitterly in my heart, when did I also become a good show for others? In the past, I was always the one watching the show.

  At this time, Li Han said with a smile: "The rules of this wine order are not difficult. First, say a place name, and then you need to recite a few lines of poetry. If what is said is appropriate, the order will be recognized. If it's not well said, then three cups of wine will be fined. We can't learn from others to hit bones and transmit flowers, so let's specify the order by the host of this order. Regardless of rank or assistant order, we'll take the crown prince first. Please come first, Your Highness."

  Li An had calmed down, and as the crown prince, even if he wasn't proficient in poetry, he had read a few poems, so he began to speak: "Chang'an - early summer is suitable for spring scenery, warm light rises from the Forbidden City. Zhurong will hold the imperial seal, Emperor Yan will open the vermilion gate. The sun sends away the late flowers, the wind blows through the imperial garden. The suburbs float with wheat fragrance, the ponds emit lotus blossoms. Tree shadows move on the mountain, birds fly into the Han River. Fortunately, we meet the harmony of Yao and Yu, fully expressing the emotions in the valley." Everyone applauded and praised, I was one of them, but in my heart, I thought that this person's favorite poems lacked a bit of imperial air, it seems that indeed he didn't have the fate to be an emperor. Li An drank a cup, Li Han You also slightly touched his lips, while Xiao Shunzi also got to drink a full cup.

  Li Han said with a faint smile: 'After the Crown Prince, it should be His Highness King Yong.'

  Li Zai said: "Youzhou - the wild grass is connected to the sky at dusk, the border wind moves the earth in autumn. Without a reason I followed the distant path, and ended up wearing Wu's hook." After speaking, he drank a cup by himself.

  I understand that the poem quoted by Prince Yong is actually the entire piece: 'The yellow pavilion opens its curtains, The vermilion steps serve the imperial chariot. High in rank as the Left Chancellor Tang, Power over all the Han vassals. Unchanged from the Zhou Nan culture, Still dividing the worries of Zhao Bei. Two banners pass through Yi Water, A thousand horsemen enter Youzhou. Border grass connects with the sky at dusk, Frontier wind stirs up the earth in autumn. No reason to follow a distant path, Ending with wearing Wu hooks.' This clearly shows that he wants to be just one of the vassals, although the Crown Prince certainly doesn't believe it, but can't find any fault with others.

  Next was Ziwang, Li Xian smiled slightly and said: 'Jin Si - Stepping into the deep forest at dawn, Spring pool is not rare to appreciate. Literary works are eternal, ancestral temple is a military uniform. Wild days are vast and white, sorrowful wind blows gently. No reason to see heroic strategy, lofty heart is against.

  I played with my wine cup, thinking to myself: "It turns out that the King of Qi has always been obsessed with pacifying Northern Han. It seems that he only wants to engage in battle with the fierce and brave cavalry of Northern Han, which is what he truly desires. This person actually has some self-awareness, knowing that he doesn't have the makings of an emperor, so he's determined to become a great general instead. Unfortunately, he's gotten entangled in the struggle for the throne, and I fear that his ambitions will ultimately come to nothing." As I looked at the King of Qi, my eyes were filled with regret, but then I saw Li Xian also looking over at me, his expression tinged with unspoken exhaustion.

  Qin Yi said faintly: 'Luoyang - I climb the northern slope of Mangshan, and gaze out at Mount Luoyang from afar. How desolate is Luoyang? The palaces are all burned to ashes. The walls and battlements are all in ruins, thorns and brambles reach up to the sky. I do not see the old villagers, but only new young people. There are no paths for me to walk on, the fields are abandoned and uncultivated. Travelers have been away for a long time, and do not recognize the roads and trails. The middle of the wilderness is so desolate, a thousand miles without any signs of human life. Thinking of my usual home, I am choked with emotion and cannot speak.'

  Others might have let it pass, thinking that Qin Yi was just nostalgic for his hometown. They all knew that Qin Yi was from Luoyang, but Li Zhi listened with rapt attention and couldn't help asking: "Has Luoyang really become so desolate?"

  Qin Yi remained silent, only quietly drinking a cup of wine. Li Zuo sighed and said: 'Luoyang is a place that has been ravaged by war for centuries, with years of continuous military disasters, resulting in the people's livelihoods being impoverished. I should speak up and ask the Emperor to rebuild Luoyang.'

  Li An felt displeased and thought to himself, "What's the point of your meddling? Don't I know how to advise my father the Emperor? If it weren't for you competing with me for the throne, I would have already devoted myself to handling state affairs." He thought this in his heart, but his face didn't reveal any expression.

  Next, according to official position, it was Xiahou Yunfeng's turn. He smiled and said: 'West Lake - the cold spring water is frozen and does not flow, where can the boat return with a song? The white lotus and red water lily in the west wind, the lake's light is a vast autumn color.'

  Everyone says Xiahou Xuan's poetry is elegant, but I just smiled faintly. This person has a deep and subtle mind, clever and quick to change, even when reciting poetry, he doesn't forget to conceal his true nature. If it weren't for that day when he came to admit saving the poisonous hand with an evil heart, I'm afraid I wouldn't have seen through this person's face either, and would have just thought of him as a romantic young master.

  Next, Lu Jingzhong said: "Changsha - three years of exile in this place, leaving only the sorrow of a Chu guest for eternity. Autumn grass searches alone after people have left, cold forest sees the sun slanting at dusk. Han Wen's way is still thin, Xiang River's condolences are unknowing. In the quiet mountains and rivers, I pity you for coming to the end of the sky." He recited with a rise and fall in tone, but his eyes glanced sideways at me. Except for Jing Chi and Sima Xiong who didn't understand poetry, everyone showed an awkward expression, knowing that Lu Jingzhong was mocking me, implying that even if I had great talent, I wouldn't be recognized by a wise ruler, and naturally, in his heart, the Duke of Yong would not become emperor. Moreover, Jia Yi died of self-inflicted injuries after the death of Liang Wang Sheng's fall from a horse, crying and dying. Lu Jingzhong's words were vicious, actually cursing me, this Chu guest, to lose the support of the Duke of Yong, making me another Jia Yi, who died at the age of 33. It seems that Lu Jingzhong won't let me live beyond that age either.

  The Yong King's eyes flashed a deep, cold light. He wasn't angry at Lu Jingzhong for cursing him, as an enemy, it was nothing to be surprised about, but Lu Jingzhong's curse on Jiang Zhe made his heart burn with anger. Since being stabbed, Jiang Zhe had been very weak and he often worried that I would die from illness, so he was furious at Lu Jingzhong's behavior. Just as he was about to erupt, I laughed and said: "Lu Shao Fu says well, Zhe also admires Jia Yi, if there is a chance to go to Changsha, we must go to pay respects to his former residence." I drank the wine in my cup, and my pale face suddenly flushed with blood. Xiao Shunzi looked at Lu Jingzhong with a fixed gaze, and a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

  Lu Jing felt a slight twinge of regret in his heart, thinking that he shouldn't have been so rude. However, since this person entered the Yong Wang Fu, he had always felt that his plans were no longer going smoothly, and he had been feeling stifled for a long time. This time, he couldn't help but mock Jiang Zhe, half to vent his frustration, and the other half because he was quite skilled in medicine, seeing that Jiang Zhe was weak and frail, he actually hoped to scare him to death.

  Wei Yin saw the atmosphere was not good, so he opened his mouth and said: "It's also my turn, Zhongnan - Zhongnan yin ling xiu. Accumulated snow floats on the horizon. The forest is bright with a clear sky, and the city is getting colder in the evening." After he finished speaking, he took a sip of wine, and the atmosphere improved slightly. I thought to myself, this Wei Yin is indeed the son of a prime minister, not disappointing as the son of Wei Xiang, this poem is elegant and refreshing, but unfortunately it's still about wealth and glory, Zhongnan shortcut, everyone knows that.

  Next, it was the turn of several generals, all of whom had difficult expressions except for Zhangsun Ji. Just then, someone hastily walked in, a general from the Qin manor. He glanced at the people seated and also had a difficult expression. He walked up to Qin Yi and whispered something in his ear. Qin Yi's body shook, and he waved his hand to dismiss the general. At that moment, several people from different factions almost simultaneously burst into the training grounds - they were the attendants of the Crown Prince, the King of Yong, and the King of Qi. I heard clearly what they said: just a short while ago, someone had attacked the military depot's armory on the Wei River, burning all the military supplies there and leaving behind a mark - a small piece of white silk from South Chu with three large characters written in blood: "Brocade Alliance".

  At this moment, the Crown Prince, King Yong and King Qi all wanted to get up and bid farewell. Li Han You pretended not to know about this change and got up saying: 'Others can leave if they want, but we must wait for Mr. Jiang to give a toast before leaving. Mr. Jiang is a talented scholar from southern Chu, how can he just leave like that.'

  I knew she had set a trap for me. If I said I liked the south, she would accuse me of not forgetting my old country. If I liked the big city, she would mock me for not cherishing past love. I had long understood this, so when I heard her naming names, I simply replied: "The good drum clouds and se, often hear the emperor's son's spirit. Feng Yi emptily dances alone, the Chu guest cannot bear to listen. Bitterly tuned qin and stone, clear sound enters the void. Cang Wu comes with longing, white zhi moves laboriously. Flowing water transmits Xiao Pu, sorrowful wind passes by Dongting. The song ends, people are not seen, on the river numerous peaks are green. -- Zhe once heard that at Dongting Jun's Xiang Fei Temple, there were often people who heard the sound of qin and se in the middle of the night, each thinking they would see it but could not get it. Today I use this as a wine order, do you think it is acceptable?"

  Li Han's delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and Jiang Zhe's selected poems had a haunting atmosphere, yet seemed to leave something unsaid, impossible to guess. She could only smile angrily and say, "Jiang sir, you're right." After slowly drinking a small amount of wine, although Li Han only accompanied each person with a little wine, the strong liquor of the Qin manor was unparalleled, and at this moment, she already had a red glow on her face, making her even more stunningly beautiful. Her slight frown and shallow smile were even more captivating, and even the Crown Prince, who was in a hurry to deal with his troubles, and the worried Yong King, couldn't help but be enchanted. Qin Qing was stunned, his eyes fixed only on that breathtaking beauty.