Time Travel: I'm a Flower Thief

As the melodious music lingered, Bai Letian's gaze fell upon Xie Xiaoyi, and he laughed loudly:

"I had the pleasure of listening to your poem 'Bamboo and Rock' yesterday. It truly possesses a dignified and awe-inspiring spirit. May I ask the young man's name and origin?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Xiaoyi bowed slightly to Bai Letian and smiled casually:

"My name is Xie Mo, just a wandering swordsman."

"Having nothing to do, I casually composed a short poem, which, by sheer luck, caught the eye of the Master. I am unworthy of such praise from the City Lord."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a soft sigh of praise came from under the willow tree:

"You are too modest, young master. I was fortunate enough to read that poem."

The line "Though battered and bruised a thousand times, it remains firm and strong" perfectly captures the bamboo's unyielding spirit and also reveals the integrity of the human heart; it is no ordinary work.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Fu Yaoqin playing the zither.

These words immediately stirred up the scholars on both sides of the winding stream. Many of them looked at Fu Yaoqin with envy and disappointment in their eyes.

This arrogant owner of the Ya Yin Fang actually looked at a wandering swordsman with special regard.

Just as Xie Xiaoyi was about to exchange a few polite words with the beauty and show off a bit, he was interrupted by several voices.

The leading man in the blue robe lightly waved his folding fan and said in a clear voice:

"Young Master Xie, you are mistaken. In the realm of poetry, how can one dismiss it as merely an 'occasional composition'?"

His gaze swept over Xie Xiaoyi's black outfit, and he understood something.

The folding fan snapped shut, the bone fan tapping against his palm, his eyes revealing undisguised disdain.

"A wandering swordsman?"

Hmph, I think they're just a bunch of brutes who rely on their strength and hang around in the streets!

How dare you presume to talk about poetry?

In my opinion, that "bamboo and rock" was definitely not your work.

"These are probably scraps of writing picked up from some scholar's wastebasket. How dare they offend Master Fu's ears and sully this clear, winding stream!"

After he finished speaking, someone next to him immediately chimed in:

"Even a wandering knight should have some real skills and knowledge in order to gain a foothold at the Orchid Pavilion Gathering."

Xie Xiaoyi was about to retort when someone else chimed in before he could even speak.

"Brother Tang is absolutely right! Master Fu has probably been fooled by this brat's sweet talk."

What kind of spirit can a wandering swordsman who can't even hold a pen, ink, paper, and inkstone properly write?

In my opinion, he's just trying to curry favor with the shop owner by using his beautiful verses, hoping to gain some empty fame!

Then another person chimed in:

"In our opinion, since he has already produced a fine work, he should recite another one so that we can distinguish the genuine from the fake."

Upon seeing this, the surrounding scholars immediately erupted in uproar:

"Aren't these four the four great talents of Qingjiang City: Tang Jin, Zhu Lan, Wen Yan, and Xu Zhao?!"

"That's right!"

These four individuals are renowned throughout Qingjiang City for their talent; they are proficient in poetry, calligraphy, and painting, and ordinary people would never dare to discuss poetry in their presence!

"This is going to be good! That wandering swordsman will be utterly humiliated when he faces off against the Four Great Talents!"

Xie Xiaoyi's gaze swept over the four people.

These four who jumped out to make things difficult are the same ones who were praising Fu Yaoqin so much just now, even looking away from her.

No wonder he speaks with such veiled barbs and sarcasm, every word dripping with bitterness.

Just you wait!

At this moment, the scholar in the blue robe from yesterday, stroking his beard, preemptively spoke up for Xie Xiaoyi:

"Although the four of you are all very talented writers, your previous evaluations were poor."

The essence of poetry lies in one's character and integrity, not in one's social status or family background.

My friend Xie's simple statement, "Though battered and bruised, it remains steadfast, unmoved by winds from any direction," already surpasses many pretentious and pedantic arguments. Why be so aggressive?

Upon hearing this, Tang Jin abruptly stopped waving her folding fan, her expression slightly darkening.

"Master's words are biased!"

We, who have studied diligently for decades, have mastered the rules and regulations of poetry, how can we allow a wandering swordsman to belittle our refined taste with the words "an occasional work"?

Zhu Lan immediately echoed:

"Exactly! If he truly possessed talent, he should demonstrate it publicly; otherwise, it must have been plagiarized!"

As soon as he finished speaking, all eyes in the room turned to City Lord Bai Letian.

Bai Letian raised his hand to quell the noise and said loudly:

"Please be patient, everyone!"

Today's gathering at Lanting is meant to be a chance for friends to exchange poems, so why argue until we're red in the face?

Why not follow the rules of the winding stream party—the wine cups float downstream, and whoever the cup stops in front of must compose a poem.

As for its merits and demerits, let the public judge for themselves, shall we?

Upon hearing this, everyone cheered loudly.

Immediately afterwards, the servants of the city lord's mansion placed the wooden cups filled with sake into the winding stream.

The wooden cup swirled along the babbling water, skirting the weeping willows on the bank and avoiding a few jagged pebbles, before drifting straight to Tang Jin's feet.

A low chuckle immediately filled the room, and someone joked:

"Good heavens! We just announced the competition, and the wine cups have already come knocking!"

"Brother Tang truly deserves to be called the foremost talent in Qingjiang City. Your luck is so good, it seems even the heavens are on your side!"

A hint of smugness flashed across Tang Jin's face. He bent down, picked up the wooden cup, tilted his head back, and drank the wine in one gulp.

"Since it is fate, then I shall make a fool of myself!"

Having said that, he paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the green bamboo on the bank, and recited:

Emerald shadows sway in the breeze, entering the painted screen.

The tall tree still bears the dewy condensation.

Do not say that plants and trees have no true nature.

It also stands tall and upright towards the world.

As soon as the poem was recited, cheers erupted from all around.

"What a wonderful line, 'Standing upright towards the world!' Brother Tang's poem, praising bamboo and expressing aspirations, is truly exquisite!"

Bai Letian clapped his hands and nodded, his tone carrying a hint of approval:

"Nephew Tang's poem about bamboo is well-structured and has a proper theme. It captures the integrity and virtue of bamboo. Very good."

The scholar in the blue robe stroked his beard and nodded: "The wording is sound, and the rhythm is quite good. If we're talking about a piece written for the occasion, it can be considered a fine work."

The surrounding scholars immediately echoed their agreement, and applause and praise rose and fell.

Tang Jin's smugness deepened, and when she glanced at Xie Xiaoyi, her gaze carried a hint of provocation.

Then, the servants began exiling Mu Shang.

The wooden goblet, carrying the aroma of wine, drifted leisurely down the babbling stream, past the bluestone, brushed against the duckweed, and came to a steady stop at Xie Xiaoyi's feet.

Someone exclaimed, "What a coincidence! What a small world!"

Xie Xiaoyi bent down to pick up the wooden cup, tilted his head back, and drank it down.

At this moment, Fu Yaoqin, who was under the shade of the willow, suddenly stood up and raised her fair hand. The maid behind her then slowly stepped forward with a scroll in her arms.

She unrolled the scroll, and there was a cluster of orchids in a secluded mountain valley, growing in the crevices of rocks on the Xuan paper, with sparse flowers and leaves and a faint fragrance.

"Young Master Xie, please hold off on composing your poem. Today's gathering is more like a different activity."

I have a painting called "Orchids in a Secluded Valley". Would you be so kind as to write a poem based on the painting?

If I could acquire a masterpiece, I would personally inscribe it on this painting.

After speaking, Fu Yaoqin looked at City Lord Bai Letian and asked, "What are your thoughts, City Lord?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Letian laughed loudly and downed his cup of wine in one gulp.

"Miss Yaoqin's idea is brilliant!"

Using a painting as the theme and responding with a poem not only complements the elegant charm of a traditional banquet with flowing wine cups, but also adds a touch of novelty. I think it's a good idea!

A faint, cold smile appeared on Tang Jin's face:

"The orchid subject is the most demanding, and ordinary people in the world don't know anything about the qualities of orchids."

I want to see what kind of vulgar sentences Xie Mo can come up with.