The Beauties of the Cold Palace A Subtle and Alluring Woman

Chapter 6

As they went up, the man playing the flute suddenly said to the peerless young man playing the zither, "Brother, you have truly broadened my horizons today. It reminds me of the saying, 'This music should only exist in heaven.'" Everyone nodded in agreement.

But later I learned that this piece was far from being considered a masterpiece.

The peerless young man smiled faintly, unconcerned: "Brother's flute is truly flawless. I only use it for leisure. Since we've agreed to drink and enjoy ourselves with Brother while listening to Miss Danyi's music, I can only resort to these trivial skills to fool you. I hope you'll forgive my poor skills."

Only then did everyone realize that the two had participated in the competition merely to listen to music and drink—how carefree and unrestrained! The defeated young masters were furious, completely disoriented. "What arrogant fools!" some thought resentfully, following them all the way, eager to see them make a fool of themselves.

Upon arriving at the competition venue on the second floor, everyone began to speculate about the identity of the mysterious person inside.

At this moment, the mother, who had been following behind, squeezed forward, coughed, and said in her still sweet and melodious voice, "Congratulations to the two young masters for passing the first test. Now let me introduce you to the young master inside, who is known as 'the best couplet maker in the world,' Master Shun." As soon as she finished speaking, the news spread like wildfire in the crowd. It was said that this Master Shun loved to compose couplets and occasionally wrote poems for fun, and he was unmatched in the world when it came to matching couplets.

The mother paused for a moment, then continued, "The two young masters only need to fight against Young Master Shun, one inside and one outside. If Young Master Shun admits defeat, he will come out to see the two of you."

Those present began to worry that the two legendary men would lose, but the peerless young man remained calm and smiled, saying to the other man, "Brother, I'll leave this round to you. I'm not very knowledgeable and won't cause any trouble."

"Is that so?" The noble man leisurely played with the jade flute in his hand and replied calmly, "Very well, I will do my best as your elder brother."

At that moment, a calm voice came from inside: "You two are ready, let's begin. I'm going to start."

"The pearl tree itself is a timeless beauty."

He replied, "The flowers of the brush bloom throughout the four seasons of spring."

Another line reads: "Lotus flowers on four sides, willows on three."

The noble man pursed his lips slightly and replied, "A city of mountains and half a city of lakes."

“Good match, I haven’t met such a good opponent in a long time. Then, the waterwheel pumps water, the water follows the wheel, and when the wheel stops, the water stops.”

The man pondered for a moment, then gracefully opened the ink fan in his hand and calmly replied, "A fan blows the wind, the wind comes from the fan, the fan moves and the wind is generated."

"The sun rises over the mountain, the moon rises over the mountain, the sun and moon shine brightly on the mountain."

"Qinghai Lake, a lake of water, with clear water and a beautiful lake."

Then: "Silkworms spin cocoons and spin silk, weaving brocade and satin to warm the world."

The man smiled slightly at the boy and said, "A wolf can use its hair to make a pen and write magnificent articles that will be passed down throughout the world."

"The heavens are the chessboard, the stars are the pieces; who dares to play?"

Before anyone could react, they exclaimed, "The earth is the pipa, the road is the string, who can play it?"

"Good, good couplet, let's do it again."

Tuning the piano, tuning a new tune, tuning a new tune, tuning a new tune, tuning a new tune, tuning a new tune, it's wonderful.

"Plant flowers well, and they will all be fragrant."

"The sun over the vast sea, the rosy clouds of Chicheng, the snow of Emei, the clouds of Wuxia, the moon over Dongting, the mist of Pengli, the rain of Xiaoxiang, the peaks of Wuyi, and the waterfalls of Lushan—all these wonders of the universe are depicted on the walls of my study..."

"The poems of Du Fu, the paintings of Wang Wei, the prose of Zuo Zhuan, the history of Sima Qian, the paper writings of Xue Tao, the calligraphy of Wang Xizhi, the Zhuangzi, the rhapsodies of Sima Xiangru, and the Li Sao of Qu Yuan—collecting the finest works of ancient and modern times, I place them by my mountain window."

"If the world slanders me, deceives me, insults me, laughs at me, belittles me, despises me, hates me, or cheats me, how should I avoid such situations?"

Upon hearing this couplet, the crowd erupted in commotion. Wasn't this the famous, timeless line? Even the author himself probably didn't know how to respond; wasn't this deliberately making things difficult? The crowd felt indignant on behalf of the two men.

Even the man who had been answering so fluently was slightly taken aback.

Volume 1, Chapter 10: The Twin Fiends

Just then, a voice as clear as a spring rang out: "Just tolerate him, let him be, let him do as he pleases, avoid him, be patient with him, respect him, be courteous to him, dodge him, and then see him again in a few years."

Everyone turned around in confusion to find the source of the voice, only to find it was that peerless young man.

At this moment, a faint layer of anger filled his exquisite face, but he still smiled at the man, and then coldly spoke to the young master Shun in the pavilion: "Is that enough?"

All that could be heard from inside was Gongzi Shun's loud laughter, which was quite bold: "I just heard that you two gentlemen are very learned, and I couldn't help but want to test your knowledge. You two are indeed worthy of being called peerless. I usually enjoy playing with books and calligraphy, so why don't you join me for some fun?"

The voice remained cool and indifferent: "Whatever."

"Since we've met here today, how about we take the theme of 'longing' among courtesans as our topic?"

The peerless youth remained standing there coldly, not responding to a word.

Prince Shun was not angry, and continued reciting to himself:

I've finished writing on the red paper by lamplight.

The jade water clock drips slowly, its sound echoing across the fallen leaves in the rain.

In my dream, cold flowers bloom behind the jade flute.

Don't let Pisces miss Xie Bridge.

This poem was met with enthusiastic applause upon its release. The fish symbolizes letters; Xie Bridge represents the home of the beloved. The poet, even in his dreams, feels a great distance from his beloved, expressing the profound longing of a day apart feeling like three autumns. Truly a masterpiece by Gongzi Shun.

The extraordinary young man's expression shifted slightly, presumably indicating he also found it a fine poem, but his demeanor remained fearless. His composure and calm under pressure earned the admiration of everyone present. After a brief hesitation, his clear, cool voice rang out:

I stand leaning against the high tower, a gentle breeze blowing.

Gazing into the distance, spring sorrow lingers.

The sky rises in the darkness.

In the fading sunlight, amidst the green grass and misty haze,

Who can understand the unspoken thoughts of one leaning on the railing?

I intend to indulge in a drunken revelry.

Drinking and singing,

Strongly flavored but tasteless.

I will not regret it even as my clothes grow looser.

I've grown thin and haggard for her sake.

Upon hearing this poem, everyone was stunned. Although its structure was unusual, such a fine poem was hard to find in this world. According to the man who told the story, everyone present said afterwards that they felt their lives had been worthwhile after witnessing such an extraordinary young man.

They vaguely heard Prince Shun murmur, repeating, "I grow thinner and thinner, yet I have no regrets, for I am wasting away for her. I have lost, I have lost." Then he laughed and strode out. Only then did everyone realize that Prince Shun was tall and handsome, with striking features and a masculine appearance, unlike the weak and talented scholars they usually knew.

"A hero emerges from among the young! I admire you greatly. Please come up to the third floor, young master."

"You're too kind, senior. As the saying goes, new talents emerge in every generation, each leading the way for hundreds of years. There are still many outstanding people out there, so I dare not belittle myself. I am just presenting my humble work here."

Talented individuals emerge in every generation, each dominating the scene for centuries. Young Master Shun paused for a moment, then smiled with relief. "Take care, young master. Shunlin takes his leave now. May I ask how to address you today?"

It turns out that Young Master Shun's original name was Shunlin. Now he has asked the question that everyone was wondering about. Everyone's face is filled with anticipation.

The peerless young man was stunned, as if it took him a long time to react. He bowed slightly and said gently, "My name is An Jin, and I am not worth mentioning."

"Farewell, Young Master An."

The crowd erupted in excitement once more. It turned out this extraordinary young man was named An Jin. Later, the name "Young Master Juejin" became famous throughout the land. The crowd glanced at the other man, a man with a cool and aloof demeanor, still standing beside An Jin, smiling gently at him. Judging from An Jin's words, he was An Jin's elder brother, later known as the "Cold-Faced Nobleman." Their talents were collectively known in literary circles as the "Twin Demons." Of course, the real show was yet to come on the third floor with their literary duel. Let's first discuss the latter half of the competition.

Upon reaching the third floor, the guests were astonished by the sheer scale and grandeur of Yichun Garden. The walls were adorned with intricately carved murals, exquisite decorations, and thick carpets featuring bauhinia flower patterns. Although those who had accompanied them frequented the garden daily for its pleasures, none had ever been granted access to the third floor before. They were all utterly astonished, some even jaw-dropping, their eyes burning with fervor. Truly, it was the most luxurious brothel in Jiankang City.

While everyone was astonished by the opulent splendor, An Jin and Sima Langya wondered how a small brothel could be built so magnificently. Was someone behind it all, and what they saw was merely the surface? The real power lay hidden beneath… Who was this person… and what was the purpose of such a place…?

The persuader suppressed his surprise and looked away at the future Twin Demons. Unexpectedly, the two men remained indifferent, even somewhat apathetic, upon seeing such a magnificent sight, showing no interest whatsoever.

What detachment! He was stunned. However, the cold-faced nobleman's gaze towards the peerless young master was very strange; he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but rather felt a vague, unsettling suspicion.

Without further investigation, the mother led them to the entrance of the attic in the third level.

Although the mother was surprised that such a remarkable person had been encountered in such a small brothel, she was not alarmed. She suddenly recited a line of poetry: "'Peerless in the world, unparalleled in the realm' Now you all don't need me, your old mother, to introduce you, right? The name of this genius is known throughout the land. Gentlemen, you may need to find out the rules of the competition yourselves."

Everyone was stunned again. The prodigy—Fei Ming. His name was known throughout the land. It was said that he was a genius from a young age, composing poetry at eight, and at twelve, he anonymously participated in the imperial examinations, winning first place. To everyone's astonishment, he refused an official position and disappeared, wandering the world. Many talented men of his time, dissatisfied with his fame, constantly sought him out and challenged him, but no one could defeat him. It is said that he later lamented, "In this life, I will never know the feeling of defeat again." Though arrogant, he was indeed unmatched in the world. This year, he was only 26 years old, but having no rivals, he had already retired. Upon leaving, he uttered the words, "Peerless in his time, unparalleled in the world." From then on, this line of poetry represented the prodigy Fei Ming, and also his undefeated legend in people's hearts.

What exactly made him stoop to working in a small brothel? And who is the person behind it all?

Without any panic, the cold-faced young nobleman clearly stated, "Mother means we need to get that person to reveal the rules of the competition ourselves. So, what should we do?"

His mother gave him an approving look, then pointed to an inconspicuous corner. Everyone's attention was focused on the two young masters and the mysterious person inside, and they didn't notice the room full of dazzling musical instruments. "There are musical instruments that everyone in the world recognizes there. The two young masters can choose any one they like. As usual, you must use your singing and music to entice the young master inside to play along before he will reveal the rules. I won't disturb you any longer. Please, young masters."

The peerless youth narrowed his gaze, a faint smile appearing on his lips, and a melodious voice, as clear as flowing water, rang out, "Big brother, the usual."

The silver eyes gazed at the peerless youth with a dark, deep pool, its surface shimmering, yet its depths were tender and serene. But no one noticed.

His eyes were filled with a misty light as he slowly said, "Mm."

The peerless young man went into the room and casually picked up an old-fashioned zither that looked delicate. His mother suddenly spoke up with a hint of sadness: "Young master has good taste, choosing this 'Phoenix of Dawn'." The peerless young man was slightly taken aback, but quickly smiled with relief.

Finding a quiet spot, the young man sat down peacefully on the ground. He casually picked up a plucked string instrument to test the sound, then looked up at the silver-eyed man with a gentle smile, as if his eyes were rippling with clear waves.

Musical sounds suddenly arose.

Soon, the sounds of the zither and the flute blended together seamlessly, like the rushing torrent of a mountain stream in winter, or the babbling brook in a lush forest in spring and summer. Suddenly, they vanished into the distance, like the fleeting shadow of a lone plume of smoke in the sunset; then, they captivated the soul, like the enchanting chirping of swallows between painted beams.

The music swirled and lingered, rising and falling, striking deep into everyone's soul with its exquisite vocals.

The peerless young man played the zither and sang softly:

A Laughter in the Vast Sea

The surging tides across the two sides of the strait

Drifting with the waves, only remembering today.

The Heavens Laugh

The world is in turmoil

Who wins and who loses is only known to heaven.

Jiangshan Xiao

Misty Rain

The waves wash away the dust and grievances of the mortal world, leaving behind only pride.

Qingfengxiao

It actually caused loneliness.

The passion is still there

A lapis lazuli glow

A Laughter in the Vast Sea

The surging tides across the two sides of the strait

Drifting with the waves, only remembering today.

The Heavens Laugh