Chapter Seventeen: Packaging

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  Although he knew it in his heart, he still had to pretend to be unaware on the surface. Gao Gang was surprised and asked: "This gentleman's insight is beyond ordinary people, but I don't know how to address him?"

  That man let out a sigh and bowed deeply, saying: "I am Zhou Bangyan, also known as Meicheng. I have no particular talents in life, except for composing ci poetry and music. I have met with Minister Gao before. How dare I boast about my understanding of poetry in front of the minister? The poem 'Yi Yu Hua' is one of my few masterpieces in life, which I thought could rival those of Su Shi's. Little did I know that just now, Minister Gao's criticism of using substitute characters would make me feel ashamed!"

  He couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief: I'm the one who should be ashamed, not only did I plagiarize Xin Qiji, but also Mr. Wang Guowei, and used it to bully you, a great poet who has been "buried" for hundreds of years. Ashamed, ashamed! He hurriedly clasped his hands together and said: "So it was the true gentleman himself, forgive me, forgive me! Then that poem 'Yi Yu Hua' I heard outside just now, is it really your work?" In front of famous scholars, the tone of address was a bit more acidic.

  When Bai Chenxiang saw Zhou Bangyan come out, his face suddenly sank and was quite unpleasant. At this moment, when he heard the mention of the author of "Jieyu Flower", he immediately became angry: "Zhou Bangyan, what did you promise me that day? Is the author of this poem you?"

  This remark sounds suspicious, this phrase has been passed down for thousands of years, how could it not be Zhou Bangyan? Then why did he say so? Gao's heart was filled with doubts, and he thought back to the time when he had discussed this with Yan Qing. For several years now, there had been no new works by Zhou Bangyan, but rather Xiangxiang, a young woman from Rongle Fang, had repeatedly come out with new lyrics that were sung throughout Bianjing's streets and alleys. The reason for this was probably about to be revealed. He exchanged a glance with Yan Qing, who remained silent on the side, quietly observing the two men talking.

  But then Zhou Bangyan let out a long sigh and said: "Xiang Xiang, that day you won the ci poetry competition against me with your poem, but until now you still refuse to tell me who actually wrote it. You only taught me how to write ci poetry for you, and now two years have passed, and with someone as important as High Commissioner Gao here, are you still not willing to let me go?

  Gao was shocked: "This is a bit mysterious, someone actually won against Zhou Bangyan three years ago? Who could that be? I've never heard of such a person in the history books!" He hastily asked: "Is this true? Can Xiangxiang please tell me more about it?"

  As soon as he spoke, Bai Chenxiang didn't dare to be slow and immediately told the secret of the brothel with a smile, for this young official was both a generous patron and a talented scholar, making him a first-class guest who couldn't be invited casually.

  Two years ago, Zhou Bangyan got drunk and entered the Rongle Fang, calling for Bai Chenxiang to sing a song. However, he didn't know which nerve was wrong, and everything he heard was not satisfactory. He loudly said, "After Qin Guan, no one knows how to write lyrics." At that time, Bai Chenxiang was extremely ashamed and angry, and in just a few words, she made a bet with Zhou Bangyan. Within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, both parties would fill out a new lyric, and anyone in Rongle Fang could try out. Later, they would each find fault with the other's work, and whoever lost would admit defeat. Old Zhou was a bit drunk at first, and secondly, he was self-satisfied with his talent, so he readily agreed. He composed this "Yujiehua" poem, thinking it was his masterpiece, but just as he was feeling proud, Bai Chenxiang took it inside and threw it out in an instant, pointing out that the two words "Guihua" were not suitable.

  Old Zhou hesitated for a long time, and just as he was about to admit defeat, he suddenly remembered that the other person's poem had not been read yet. He hastily asked for it to be brought over, but was shocked to the point of breaking out in cold sweat all over his body, unable to utter a single word. He lost with a sense of resignation. This one loss led to Old Zhou being forced to compose poems for White for the rest of his life, without being allowed to sign his own name, thereby trapping this old talented scholar from then on.

  Gao Jian was amazed, how could there be someone in this generation who could make Zhou Qingzhen suffer such a great loss? Just as he was about to see the words that would make Old Zhou surrender, Bai Chenxiang smiled and turned behind the painting screen. In an instant, she came out again, holding a piece of paper in her hand.

  When he took it over and looked at it, he only saw a few lines of words written on it with fine brushwork in small regular script. The calligraphy was elegant, refined and beautiful, as if it were the handwriting of a woman. His heart moved: "Could it be that person?"

  As I read the poem again, a sudden realization hit me. The familiar words flowed through my mind, and before I could even distinguish them, they naturally came out: "...the eastern fence has wine in the late afternoon, with a subtle fragrance on its sleeves. Don't say it's not enchanting, the curtains roll up in the western wind, people are thinner than yellow flowers."

  Who else could it be? Who else could there be?! Besides Li Yi'an, who has been lingering in his dreams since he was a teenager, who else is there?!

  A blank space in his mind, after a moment he slowly came to, grasping Bai Chenxiang's warm and delicate small hand, but had no heart to savor this gentle feeling, repeatedly asking: "Where is this person now? Can Xiang Xiang introduce me to him?"

  Bai Chenxiang didn't struggle, but covered her face and smiled, revealing a radiant complexion: "The official indeed has the demeanor of a renowned scholar, this reaction is similar to that of Mr. Zhou on that day! However, seeing this person would be quite inconvenient, I dare not introduce him to you, sir."

  Gao heard the words and his mind cleared up, it seems that this word is indeed from Li Yi'an's hand. This Bai Chenxiang and she are likely to be close friends in private, and on that day, Old Zhou happened to bump into these people who were guests here, and this nail hit really made their heads broken and bloody.

  It's not the right time to ask about this matter, but it's better to ask why Bai Xiangxiang has been forcing Old Zhou to fill in words for her: "Since Miss Xiang has some inconvenience, I won't force her either. However, Mr. Zhou has filled in so many words for you here, and logically speaking, he has already lost enough. If we continue to pressure him, it will suppress his talent, and the result will not be beautiful. What do you think, Miss?"

  Bai Xiangxiang slightly inclined her head, thought for a moment and said: "What the official says also makes sense. Mr. Zhou has indeed produced fewer excellent works recently. It seems that famous scholars should be carefree, and it's not very interesting to force them to stay. Never mind," she said, walking up to Zhou Bangyan and curtsying: "I've been fortunate enough to receive many new lyrics from you in recent years, thank you."

  Zhou Bangyan was overjoyed and hastily bowed to thank Gao Qiang and Bai Chenxiang. But before he could finish speaking, he saw Bai Chenxiang walk up to Gao Qiang, wrap her arm around his, and press her soft and plump body against him, with a smile that spoke of irresistible charm: "Since the official has gone to such great lengths to clear Mr. Zhou's name, surely you will take responsibility for it? From now on, this humble woman's compositions will have to rely on the official!"

  "Ah, are you trying to play a trick on me? Gao Qiang was taken aback, this bowl of soul-stirring soup is not something that can be easily gulped down. He hurriedly smiled and said: "With Xiang Xiang's heavenly voice and her beauty that shines like the nation's treasure, whatever song she sings will surely be a masterpiece that people will enthusiastically praise. And I, Yan brothers, and even Zhou Xiansheng will all compose lyrics and music for you, Miss. Why must you worry?" He wanted to extricate himself, but he had to pull in a few scapegoats, this logic was naturally unassailable.

  But then Bai Chenxiang let out a soft sigh and said, "Just now the official also mentioned that famous scholars are elegant and refined, but I'm just a humble courtesan with a slender figure, and I've grown accustomed to the ups and downs of this brothel. Who knows when another outstanding flower girl will appear in the future, and capture the hearts of all you esteemed gentlemen?" As she said the words "esteemed gentlemen", she bit down slightly harder, her eyes sweeping across the faces of the three men, causing their souls to flutter. "At that time, where would I go to find new lyrics and melodies?"

  It seems that this Bai Chenxiang is a person who is extremely enthusiastic about the entertainment industry and deeply understands the importance of occupying music resources. Her consciousness can be said to be ahead of her time, and it coincides with the modern entertainment circle. So, she might as well say: "Miss, are you originally going to occupy the top spot in this industry for a long time? If I follow my own calculations, I'm afraid it won't be difficult for Miss to become the number one flower of the Great Song Dynasty!"

  These words fell into Bai Xiang's ears like a strong stimulant, and she saw her delicate face as if it were about to emit light: "The little woman's lifelong ambition is to be the first among flowers. She often thinks that if she can make a name for herself in a foreign country, let outsiders know that my great Song Dynasty has a famous song girl named Xiang Xiang, then even if I die, I will have no regrets! What plan does the government have? The little woman will follow it!"

  You're a clever one, indeed! With this mindset of yours, you and I can see eye to eye! Just as I was about to elaborate, I caught a glimpse of Mr. Zhou seemingly trying to slip away unnoticed. I immediately laughed and said: "Mr. Zhou, please wait! This plan of mine requires your assistance, so please come over and let's discuss it together."

  Zhou Bangyan was tied up for two years, and at this moment his mood was like that of a free bird about to fly into the sky, but was pulled back by Gao Qiang's words. However, he couldn't afford to lose face in front of him, after all, Gao had just pleaded on his behalf. So he turned around and went back to listen to what Gao had to say.

  With a bold and resolute spirit, he expressed his own ideas. From a modern perspective, it's nothing special, but he proposed buying a large wine house in the bustling area of the capital to renovate it. The decorations, furnishings, and food were all exquisite. After its completion, they would put up a sign that read "The Number One Flower of the Capital" and every ten days, Bai Chenxiang would take the stage to sing new songs. With Zhou Bangyan, Yan Qing, and his own plagiarism, as well as Li Qingzhao's guest appearance, such a strong lineup would be unbeatable in the capital. The backing of the Commander-in-Chief's mansion and the current favorite minister, Gao Huan, was enough to intimidate the smaller players. This operation would surely make them famous.

  Several people listened to Gao's explanation and felt that this matter was feasible. Bai Chenxiang was naturally using this to make a name for himself throughout the world, and Zhou Bangyan, who signed his own name at the beginning of his ci and qu, could also follow suit. Considering that the current official Zhao Ji was famous for his love of music and lyrics, it was only logical that such a brilliant method would be transmitted to the palace. If officials could reach the emperor's ears, they would soon be able to rise to prominence.

  Gao smiled as he watched the two men excitedly, thinking to himself that it was good that they were moved. He had set up this big scene just to attract the attention of Zhao's family, otherwise when would he ever have a chance to make his presence known to him? And how could he then offer his help to Cai Jing to regain favor? Hmph, this was Gao's first move after arriving in this era 900 years ago, and it had to be a shocking one!

  Several people have discussed and decided, Bai Chenxiang smiled with a smile like a flower, repeatedly calling for wine to be added and the lanterns to be reopened, and again wanting Gaoqiang to sing new lyrics. Looking at this momentum, it seems that they want to have a crazy night.

  If one could spend a night with such a beauty, it's likely that no man would be unwilling. However, in his heart, Gao had an additional concern: this white-haired girl was originally meant to be used to curry favor with the Zhao family. If he were to take her for himself and thereby steal the show from the Zhao family, who knows how the frivolous Emperor Zhao would react if someone were to speak ill of him in front of the emperor? It's better to have one less problem than one more; it's best for this official to leave early.

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