Time Travel: I'm a Flower Thief

Xie Xiaoyi tilted his head back and drank the wine in the cup in one gulp.

He held the empty wooden cup in his fingers, his gaze falling on the "Orchid in a Secluded Valley" painting that Fu Yaoqin had unfolded.

"Since Miss Fu has chosen orchids as her theme, then I shall make a fool of myself."

Having said that, the poem flowed from his lips:

Standing atop a thousand peaks,

The deep crevice of the protruding rock is filled with a wonderful fragrance.

It's not that there are no floating clouds beneath one's feet,

They came without knowing each other, and left without staying.

As soon as the poem was finished, the entire hall fell silent for a moment.

Immediately, cheers erupted one after another.

The scholar in the blue robe suddenly opened his eyes wide, his hand stroking his beard freezing in mid-air:

"What a powerful line, 'Coming without knowing, leaving without staying!' This spirit perfectly captures the solitary elegance of a secluded orchid in a secluded valley!"

Bai Letian also clapped his hands in praise:

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

Ordinary poems about orchids often depict their elegance, but this young master has captured their pride and detachment—a rare quality indeed!

Xie Xiaoyi still wore a nonchalant, roguish smile, but inside he was overjoyed.

Aren't the four great talents of Qingjiang City just being stubborn?

I'll throw down a poem by Zheng Banqiao, "Ode to the Orchid," and see how you can still be so sour!

A look of amazement flashed in Fu Yaoqin's eyes as she gently placed her hand on the painting:

"Young Master Xie's poem is so well-written, every word of which is closely related to the orchid in the painting, yet it also transcends the painting itself, truly living up to the spirit of the orchid."

Tang Jin was jealous; her face turned ashen, and her earlier smugness vanished completely.

Zhu Lan opened her mouth to point out a mistake, but found that the poem was metrically perfect and had a lofty artistic conception, making it impossible to find fault with it.

As for Wen Yan and Xu Zhao, they remained stubborn and muttered under their breath:

"Perhaps it was pre-arranged with Master Fu, otherwise why would he only take out the scroll when he was composing poetry?"

Fu Yaoqin frowned, ready to refute.

Unexpectedly, Xie Xiaoyi came to the rescue in advance:

"Master Fu, there's no need to worry about this!"

Our meeting was like the fragrance of plum blossoms meeting snow. We have always been innocent, yet some people have doubts.

I'll compose another poem to add to this elegant occasion.

After she finished speaking, the anger in Fu Yaoqin's eyes dissipated, and she nodded gently: "Since Young Master Xie is in such a good mood, Yaoqin is all ears."

Bai Letian personally picked up the wine pot, strode over to Xie Xiaoyi, and poured him a full cup:

"What a beautiful line: Plum blossoms meet snow!"

Young Master Xie's open-mindedness is something we cannot match!

"Today, I will drink this wine with you, and I will certainly listen to this poem!"

Since the city lord Bai Letian is in such a state, if others were to say anything else, they would seem like they lack humor. As a result, people who "know humor" have started to emerge.

"Thank you for your quick recitation, Young Master! We've been eagerly awaiting to see you demonstrate your skills again!"

"Yes, shut up that stubborn person who was just now!"

Even the maids under the eaves stopped pouring wine and stared intently at Xie Xiaoyi.

Xie Xiaoyi downed the wine in one gulp and raised his hand to give a traditional Jianghu salute to everyone.

"I am deeply unworthy of your kind words. Since that's the case, I'll just offer them as a way to amuse you all!"

Having said that, he recited aloud:

Graceful flowers and long green leaves,

The fragrance in the valley cannot be hidden by the wind.

Not because it is suitable to be worn as an ornament,

Even when no one is around, it still blooms beautifully.

As the poetry finished, the cheers almost lifted the eaves of the corridor.

The scholar in the blue robe suddenly stood up:

"good!

What a beautiful line, "Even when no one is there, it still blooms beautifully!"

The previous poem, "Coming without knowing each other, leaving without staying," reflects the unrestrained arrogance of a wandering swordsman.

This poem perfectly captures the pure and noble character of a gentleman! The contrast between strength and gentleness is masterfully portrayed by the young master!

Fu Yaoqin looked at Xie Xiaoyi and instantly became a little fangirl.

"Use orchids to symbolize the heart, and poetry to express one's aspirations."

These two poems by Young Master Xie not only dispelled the rumors but also brought the elegance of this gathering to its fullest.

Yaoqin's trip today has truly been worthwhile.

Bai Letian downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, then patted Xie Xiaoyi on the shoulder—

"That was satisfying! That was satisfying! Those sarcastic remarks from before are nothing compared to these two poems—like an ant trying to shake a tree!"

The surrounding crowd began to discuss the matter loudly.

"This is true talent! Both poems are excellent in their own way; there's no way they were pre-arranged!"

"The Four Great Talents of Qingcheng? In my opinion, compared to Young Master Xie, they are nothing but empty names!"

Xie Xiaoyi thought to himself.

This poem, "Ode to the Orchid," is not the work of some rustic scholar.

That was written by Aisin-Gioro Xuanye himself!

It is the most classic and widely circulated poem by Emperor Kangxi praising orchids.

How could they refuse to admit defeat?

City Lord Bai Letian downed another cup, his voice filled with delight:

"Today's gathering with wine cups floating on the winding stream has truly been worthwhile! Let's raise a big toast!"

Seeing this, Fu Yaoqin smiled and ordered the maid to unroll the remaining three scrolls on the table one by one.

These three calligraphy works—plum blossom, bamboo, and chrysanthemum—together with the previously mentioned orchid, complete the "Four Gentlemen of Flowers."

"Gentlemen, you may choose painting as your subject and express your thoughts freely."

When everyone saw that it was a painting by the beautiful Fu, wouldn't it be a sign of ignorance if they didn't appreciate it?

"Young lady, your painting skills are unparalleled; it is our great fortune to have you choose this subject as your theme!"

"Miss Fu's exquisite brushstrokes perfectly depict the Four Gentlemen; how could we, with our limited abilities, possibly conceal such a refined art!"

Despite the flattery, Fu Yaoqin smiled and nodded, unmoved.

The game continues.

The servant put the wooden cup back into the water, and it spun around, stopping in front of several scholars one after another.

Several scholars frowned and pondered, while others picked up their brushes and dipped them in ink. After a long while, they finally recited the verses one after another.

The poem about the plum blossom's proud spirit is nothing more than a variation on the phrase "a subtle fragrance wafting in the air".

Or, in praising the steadfastness of bamboo, one can only repeat the cliché of "humility and resilience."

Even if one praises the chrysanthemum for its reclusive nature, it is merely a cliché about "picking chrysanthemums".

With Xie Xiaoyi's masterpiece preceding it, the rest of the poems I wrote never quite reached the same level of fervor.

Bai Letian chuckled softly, slightly drunk, and shook his head without saying a word.

The scholar in the blue robe kept his eyes down, seemingly lost in thought, and showed no interest in offering any commentary.

At that moment, someone in the crowd shouted, their voice carrying a hint of someone who enjoyed watching the drama unfold.

"While your poems are elegant, they ultimately lack the spirit and integrity of Young Master Xie and Young Master Tang!"

In my opinion, instead of adding this superfluous touch, we should invite the four great talents of Qingjiang City to each choose a painting and compose a fine poem to top it off!

Upon hearing this, the entire audience erupted in cheers.

Tang Jin's ashen face softened slightly, a hint of arrogance flashing in her eyes as she sneered:

"That's exactly what I was thinking! The four of us will each choose one painting and compete with Young Master Xie again."

Zhu Lan immediately responded, her tone full of provocation:

"Young Master Xie's poem on orchids was truly remarkable. Would you dare to choose another piece to compete with us?"

Wen Yan also spoke up:

"Exactly! We'd like to see if Young Master Xie truly possesses a wealth of talent, or if he merely won by luck with a single poem!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Xiaoyi's roguish smile deepened, and his gaze swept over the three scrolls before finally settling on the ink plum blossom painting.

Sparse branches lean horizontally, and a faint fragrance drifts in the air.

This reminded him of the time when he used to pick flowers, and how he would always drink "plum blossom wine" from the taverns in the capital before committing his crimes.

"Fine, let's compare. I choose this one."