Chapter 1204: Eldest Martial Sister Had Gone Crazy From ‘Killing’!
Translator: Lordbluefire
“A light mist and dense clouds shroud a long day in melancholy, the fragrance of an exquisite essence scatters from the gilded beast-shaped burner. Come again has the season of the Double Ninth, through the silk drapes and the embroidered pillow, chilliness begins to penetrate in the middle of the night.”
“I sip at my wine by the east fence past the twilight, chrysanthemums and their subtle scent keep in my sleeves. How could anyone not agree that this is soul lifting? Yet when a westerly raises the screen, I realize I have withered thinner than those yellow petals and leaves.[1]”
After Li Ziqi was done reciting this, everyone was in dead silence again.
The men were fine, but the women’s eyes instantly turned red, with hints of tears. The last line of the poetry brought out the life-like image of a submissive wife who was missing her husband, incurring one’s pity.
“I didn’t expect a man like Sun Mo to be able to write such a sentimental, delicate, and emotional poem!”
Li Xiu thought back on this poetry, feeling a lingering fragrance in her mouth. She had a strong urge to immediately write it down and put it up in her bedroom to admire it every day.
However, Li Xiu gave her niece an obscure glance.
(Isn’t there something wrong with your expression? Don’t tell me you’ve fallen in love with Sun Mo? He’s your teacher!)
However, even if she were to have fallen for Sun Mo, Li Xiu felt that it was understandable. Sun Mo was too outstanding.
He was tall, handsome, smart, talented, and had a great status and reputation at such a young age. A man like this was definitely a husband that was hard to come by!
If Li Xiu didn’t have a husband, she would have taken the initiative to invite Sun Mo to be in an intimate relationship with her in the dark. She would keep him by her side to dispel her loneliness.
“Give her great rewards!”
The Qi Emperor clapped his hands. If a concubine from his harem could recite this poem to him with a plaintive expression, he would immediately confer her the title of consort!
“It’s such a great day, so it’s too sad to talk about a topic like the Double Ninth Festival. Ziqi, why don’t you recite a happier poem?”
The empress laughed. “Given how much Great Teacher Sun likes you, he must have written you a poem before, right? Why don’t you recite it for us?”
“Hehe!”
Grand Tutor Su chuckled inwardly. Although the empress was over 40 years old, there was a young girl living in her heart. She clearly wanted to listen to a poem Sun Mo had written for ‘her’.
“Alright!”
Li Ziqi naturally wouldn’t reject her. She was about to recite the poem when she was interrupted by Qin Yaoguang.
“Eldest Martial Sister, have a drink first!”
Li Ziqi had drunk a little too much and was a little muddled. Hence, she didn’t think much about it and raised her head to drink another mouthful of wine. Then, she started her quadruple kill!
“Delicate and graceful when she has barely turned thirteen, like tender cardamom sprigs come February’s new moon. Spring breezes waft along the three-mile-long Yangzhou Avenue, up rolled many beaded screens, yet there is none that is her equal in view. [2]”
The moment the little sunny egg finished the recital, cheers rang out.
“Amazing!”
“Give her great rewards!”
“F*ck!”
Everyone turned around and glared at this dampening fellow.
The empress glared at him with murderous intent.
“If you don’t know how to praise someone, then shut up. A good poem was ruined by you.”
The empress was furious. “Someone, take him out!”
This was a young man who had made meritorious achievements. He wasn’t well learned and the only comment he could make was ‘f*ck’.
He was used to saying this when he had visited brothels and pleasure boats. After all, the prostitutes did not dare to provoke him. But now, he was in the palace’s great hall.
“Give him 30 strokes of the paddle!”
The Qi Emperor instructed.
This poem made his emotions fluctuate and he had the urge to show favor to a few young ladies.
As an old lascivious man, the Qi Emperor was unlike most people. He could sense a young lady’s innocence, playfulness, and adorableness from this poem. What went into his mind was the old days when he was still the crown prince and the nervousness and agitation he felt when he showed favor to a young palace maid for the first time!
That was when he had truly become a man.
He would never forget about that afternoon in this lifetime.
Right now, all the men were wearing gentle expressions as they sank into their memories. After all, who wouldn’t have a first love? No matter how bad it was, they’d at least have a crush on someone before.
“Are there any poems on women?”
The Empress wasn’t satisfied. Her appetite had been raised. She wanted a poem, one that could be given to her.
“Of course there is!”
Li Ziqi smiled. Her eyes were curved and she looked really cute.
“Eldest Martial Sister, give us a quintuple-kill!”
As Qin Yaoguang spoke, she lifted the wine jug with both hands and fed Li Ziqi another mouthful.
“Splendid clouds and flowers remind us of her beauty, her charm is ever-present in sill-crossing spring breezes and condensate dews. You’d see her where gods reside, either at the peak of the Celestial Mountains, or on the Jadeite Terrace under a heavenly moon.[3]”
Clank!
There was no need to read the rest. When the empress heard the first two lines, she stood up in shock. Then, her expression turned to that of pleasant surprise.
This ‘A Song for Peaceful and Tranquil Times’ really wrote the beauty of a woman right down to her bones.
“I want it!”
When Li Ziqi finished reciting, the empress smiled. “Ziqi, was this poem written by Great Teacher Sun?”
“Of course!”
Li Ziqi nodded.
Sssss!
Many people drew in a cold breath. Because up until now, each of the five poems that Li Ziqi had recited could be said to be a great work throughout all ages.
They could be passed down through history.
“Then who did he write this for?”
After the empress asked this, her hands under her sleeves trembled with excitement.
“For whom?”
Li Ziqi frowned. The teacher had never mentioned it before. These poems were thrown to her when her teacher was giving her additional lessons to handle the Calligraphy Battle.
The empress was delighted to see Li Ziqi’s expression and asked impatiently, “So, this poem was written by Sun Mo in his leisure?”
“En!”
Li Ziqi nodded.
The empress didn’t say anything and waited for Li Ziqi to get the hint and continue the conversation. However, the little sunny egg had drunk too much today, and her reaction was a little slow.
It was Qin Yaoguang, who was quick-witted, who spoke up to save the situation.
“My teacher’s poem was written for the empress. He also said that it’s a blessing for the Great Qi to have you as the country’s motherly model!”
“Haha, Great Teacher Sun has flattered me!”
The empress said modestly, but anyone could see that her smile was so wide that the wrinkles on her face could crush a crab. “Men, give out a reward! A great reward!”
“What is Junior Martial Sister Yaoguang doing? Why did she have to say something that Teacher had never said?”
Lu Zhiruo pouted. Her teacher was not such a frivolous person.
“It’s just a poem. It’s useless for us to keep it. However, by giving it to the empress, we can get her appreciation. With this relationship, when you guys come to Qi Country in the future, you definitely won’t have to be afraid of being bullied.”
Tantai Yutang explained.
Qin Yaoguang’s personality was very mature. She knew how to maximize benefits.
Sure enough, after the empress gave out a reward, she took out a jade pendant. “Ziqi, take this jade pendant. In the future, when your fellow disciples come to the Qi Country, you can come to the palace to look for me!”
There were many youngsters from Qi Country who had made meritorious achievements today. Hence, when they saw this scene, their eyes turned red with jealousy.
The palace was not a place that anyone could enter as they pleased.
“This old woman got it cheap.”
Li Xiu’s red lips, which were covered in rouge, pouted as she felt indignant.
In history, not many empresses could leave their names behind. However, with Sun Mo’s A Song for Peaceful and Tranquil Times, Empress Qi could absolutely have a place in historical records.
If this poem was given to those renowned courtesans, their values would definitely increase tremendously. They would immediately become top courtesans and would even recommend themselves to serve Sun Mo.
Li Xiu wasn’t the only one. The other women present were so jealous that they were going crazy.
“Sigh, this poem is enough for Teacher to patronize many courtesans for free. It’s such a loss to be giving it to the empress!”
The usually quiet Jiang Leng suddenly said a long sentence.
Amidst her agitation, the empress was still not satisfied after getting the poem. “Then does Great Teacher Sun have any works regarding lovesickness and love?”
All women loved these themes…
Li Ziqi smiled and opened her red lips slightly, entering a super-transcendent state!
“Clouds float like works of art; stars shoot with grief at heart. Across the Milky Way, the Cowherd meets the Maid. When autumn’s Golden Wind embraces Dew of Jade, all the love scenes on earth, however many, fade.[4]”
It wasn’t just the Empress’s beautiful eyes that were shimmering with an alluring glow as she recited the poem in her heart. Even Li Xiu was immersed in it.
This was how domineering ‘Immortal at the Magpie Bridge’ was. It could capture a woman’s heart!
After Li Ziqi finished reciting it, the empress asked impatiently, “Are there more? Recite another!”
“Your Majesty!”
Even the prime minister, who was usually very composed, felt displeased. (You should give us a chance to set the topic too.)
The empress ignored him and stared at Li Ziqi.
“I listen to cicadas singing dolefully in the cold from across the gallery at dusk, the sudden rain has just come to a halt! [5]”
The little sunny egg didn’t disappoint. Once the ‘Lyrics to Tinkling Heavy Rain’ was recited, the entire crowd fell silent once again. Many women started to cry, feeling dejected.
“Your Highness, are there any poems on reminiscing about the past?”
The prime minister quickly asked while everyone was immersed in Lyrics to Tinkling Heavy Rain.
It had been many years since he last returned to his hometown. Moreover, there was a high chance that he would die while still in office. After all, the Qi Emperor had relied on him, an important official of the country, to stabilize Qi Country.
He had requested to resign from office many times, but the Qi Emperor had always rejected his request..
Li Ziqi glanced at the old prime minister.
“The sky is blue with clouds, the ground covered in leaves yellowed. To the water’s edge spread autumn colors, cold mist hovers over green waters! [6]”
The moment Fan Zhongyan’s ‘Lyrics to Sumuzhe’ came out, this prime minister broke out in tears as he thought of his life as an official over several decades.
There was indeed bitterness and sweetness. It was hard to convey many of his emotions to outsiders!
“Your Majesty, I’d like to resign from my position!”
The old prime minister stepped forward and knelt to ask for approval to return to his hometown.
The Qi Emperor was just about to refuse when over ten old officials stood up.
“Your Majesty, I would also like to resign from my position!”
“Count me in!”
“I miss home. I can only feel at ease after dying in my hometown and returning to my roots!”
The Qi Emperor felt a headache.
“Dear subjects, you are my trusted subordinates. If you were to leave, what would happen to my empire? What would happen to my people?”
The Qi Emperor persuaded.
The old officials remained silent.
“Ziqi, quick, recite a poem about great ambitions and ideals!”
The Qi Emperor urged.
“A serving of spirit in a golden chalice has a price of ten thousand pence, and ten times more for delicacies dished out on a platter made of jade. Yet in the face of such a feast I could not bring myself to taste, with wrath I drew my sword and looked around, feeling completely at a loss. [7]”
Li Ziqi opened her mouth and recited one immediately. When she said this, she kept feeling that it was bland and tasteless. Hence, she shouted, “Zhiruo, bring me wine!”
“Here you go, Eldest Martial Sister!”
The papaya girl handed her wine.
With the Poet Immortal’s ‘A Trying Journey’ recited, everyone was shocked!
All the people present had high statuses—nobles, empress, and consorts, as well as great teachers and high-ranking officials. They could be said to be winners in life. Even the palace maids who served others had to go through layers of selection before they could enter the palace.
After hearing the Poet Immortal’s A Trying Journey, they instantly thought back on the hardships they had been through in their life, as well as the aspirations they had when they were young.
No one wanted to waste their lives!
Everyone wanted to live like a great person!
The few high-ranking officials suddenly had the urge to work for another 50 years and achieve a perfect life!
After Li Ziqi recited this, she raised her head again and continued drinking.
By now, she was completely drunk. And because she had recited the Poet Immortal’s great work, her emotions welled up too.
She started reciting poems before anyone gave her a topic.
“Do you not see, the waters of the Yellow River come pouring from the sky, rushing toward the sea and never coming back?”
“Do you not see, our elders’ grievance over gray hair when the mirror they looked into, which was once ebony, is now as white as snow in their twilight years?[8]”
Reciting the Poet Immortal’s ‘Please Drink Up’, Li Ziqi recalled her past!
She was born with a photographic memory and was very talented, being doted on by her father and revered as the Great Tang’s first princess. Li Ziqi also saw herself as a genius, but everything was shattered after she had been refused in an attempt to acknowledge a teacher.
A Nine Provinces’ secondary saint, an influential character who stood at the top of the great teachers world, had refused to take her in as his student. Although he didn’t openly call her trash, the hidden meaning behind his words was clear.
From then on, Li Ziqi’s life sank into darkness!
The little sunny egg had thought that she’d be in eternal night, no longer able to see any hint of light in the future. She had thought of committing suicide more than once, but she was unwilling to do so.
She wanted to prove herself!
She wanted to prove that Secondary Saint Zhou was wrong.
However, she was so powerless and didn’t know what she should do until she met Sun Mo!
It was him who had broken this eternal night that was sealed up in ice and brought her into the morning to continue enjoying this warm and comforting sunlight.
“A steed with vivid shades of hair, a fur coat worthy of a thousand gold pieces. In exchange for more great wine, I’ll have my son pawn these, to share with you in smoothing away our millennia of sorrow, gloom, and grief.[8]”
After Li Ziqi was done reciting that, she raised her wine jug to the air. “Teacher, thank you for your guidance so that I have the right to stand here and compete against the various countries’ heroes, to have exchanges with high star-level great teachers, and to be able to stand in the limelight amidst the ten thousand people in the hall, washing off my reputation as trash!”
“This toast is to you!”
After saying that, Li Ziqi raised her head and drank the wine in one gulp.
Li Xiu had wanted to stop her so that Li Ziqi wouldn’t make a fool of herself. However, seeing her cry, Li Xiu recalled what her niece had gone through and gave up on trying to persuade her.
“Let her vent this once!”
Li Xiu was actually thanking Sun Mo from the bottom of her heart for giving her niece a new life.
The guests were silent and looked at Li Ziqi quietly.
She was the most doted on and most beautiful princess of the Great Tang’s emperor, Sun Mo’s first disciple. She had broken the record for being the youngest great teacher and the royal good-for-nothing rejected by Secondary Saint Zhou. The name Li Ziqi and her experiences were already well known by everyone.
Coupled with the Poet Immortal’s [Please Drink Up], a perfect complement, it perfectly portrayed the image of a passionate, bold, unrestrained, valiant, and hardworking girl who was unwilling to lose.
Li Ziqi shouldn’t just be Li Ziqi, but also the hope and role model for many lonely and anonymous youths who were deep in the swamp.
That’s right, refusing to lose, looking forward and running with all your might!
Everyone looked at Li Ziqi and reminisced about the Please Drink Up poem. Without realizing it, their chests were also filled with unparalleled boldness!
“This is what Teacher wrote for Eldest Martial Sister, right?”
Lu Zhiruo was envious. She also wanted her teacher to write her a poem.
Sun Mo’s other disciples were envious. Even Jiang Leng, who cared about such things the least, wanted one.
“These… These were all written by Great Teacher Sun?”
Someone felt really curious and asked. However, after saying that, he quickly explained, “I’m not suspecting anything. I just want to know how Great Teacher Sun is able to come up with so many good works.”
Li Ziqi ignored him. This kind of insight was small and insignificant like a mayfly. It was not worth her explanation.
“Ziqi, did Great Teacher Sun specially compose this poem for you?”
The Qi Emperor was curious. “What is its name?”
“[Please Drink Up!]”
Thinking of how well her teacher had treated her, the little sunny egg smiled. It looked very sweet and beautiful. Then, she quietly made a vow in her heart.
(Teacher, I won’t let you down. I must become a Saint and stand at the top of the Nine Provinces!)
Buzz!
When this thought popped up, a dazzling golden light erupted from Li Ziqi’s body.. Then, a ring of light radiated with her as the center.