The Prodigal Son

After a short rest, the Empress Dowager invited everyone to climb to a high place to enjoy the snow.

It's called "climbing high," but it doesn't mean climbing to the top of a mountain. It just means going to places with high elevations and good views in the surrounding area.

Along the way, Qin Yu was so focused on looking at Lü Si and Shi Lian'er that he didn't pay much attention to Yu Jing and Gao Yao.

Lu Si and Shi Lian'er disliked each other, and Qin Yu could often see Lu Si's mouth moving.

If I'm not mistaken, it should be a tirade against the historian's ancestors for eighteen generations.

Upon arriving at the snow-viewing spot, everyone accompanied the Empress Dowager to admire the surrounding snow scenery.

The mountains are covered in snow, a uniform color from near to far.

Frost has settled on the bare branches, obscuring any other colors.

The sky was vast and desolate, a cold wind blew gently, and snowflakes fell softly...

Not far away, an artist was painting on site.

The Empress Dowager was in high spirits, but Qin Yu was really not interested.

Well, it's not like you can't enjoy the snow!

However, none of them could be completely at ease in front of the Empress Dowager and Zhao Luan!

The ground is covered in snow, a silver-white world, perfect for snowball fights, skiing, and building snowmen...

This is the kind of fun normal people should have!

What's so interesting about just staring at it like that?

Feeling utterly bored, Qin Yu moved closer to Lü Si.

"Stay away from me!"

Lu Si took two steps back, putting distance between himself and Qin Yu.

Judging from Qin Yu's smug look, he's just here to disgust him!

"You're a fucking dog, you turn your back on me like that!"

Qin Yu, annoyed and with an irritating grin, asked, "Didn't anything happen between you and your shitty thing in the carriage?"

"I……"

Lu Si's face stiffened, and he glared angrily at Qin Yu: "Can you fucking stop mentioning that shit?"

That bastard!

He feels uncomfortable all over if he doesn't feel disgusted with himself.

It's all that shitty stuff's fault!

I would never marry that piece of shit!

"Okay, okay, let's not talk about it anymore!"

Qin Yu chuckled and asked in a low voice, "What are you planning to do next?"

"Mind your own business!"

Lu Si snorted softly and turned his face away, secretly making up his mind.

After beating up Shi Lian'er, say that Qin Yu gave her the idea!

Yes, that's it!

Let him disgust himself!

Zhao Luan turned her head and saw Qin Yu whispering to Lü Si.

Zhao Luan lowered her head and pondered for a moment, then a thought suddenly struck her.

"Qin Yu!"

Zhao Luan spoke.

Qin Yu looked up, glanced at her with a puzzled expression, and bowed, saying, "Your humble servant is here!"

Zhao Luan smiled and said, "Today, the Empress Dowager is enjoying the snow immensely. Faced with such a beautiful scene, why don't you, the foremost scholar of Da Ning, compose a poem to add to her enjoyment?"

Depend on!

What was bound to happen has finally happened!

I knew I couldn't escape this step.

Qin Yu sighed inwardly, then quickly shook his head: "Your Majesty, my talent is limited, I truly cannot compose a good poem! Besides, with Elder Su, the literary champion of Da Ning, here, how could it be my turn to compose a poem?"

As he spoke, Qin Yu pointed to Su Yu standing to the side.

Upon hearing Qin Yu's words, Su Yu immediately objected, "Lord Qin, don't underestimate yourself! Back in the Peony Garden, you single-handedly outshone all the civil and military officials and talented individuals, composing numerous poems in succession! Now, all I'm asking you to do is compose a poem to entertain the Empress Dowager—isn't that a piece of cake?"

That damn thing!

Still trying to use yourself as a shield?

"No, no!"

Qin Yu quickly moved closer to Su Yu, "Let Elder Su do it! My limited knowledge won't offend the Empress Dowager's ears."

"Come here, come here!" Su Yu refused.

"No, no, it's Old Su!"

"You should do it! I'm too old, my mind isn't what it used to be."

"My inspiration has dried up; I am truly unable to compose a poem..."

Neither of them showed any courtesy and neither intended to compose a poem.

Zhao Luan couldn't stand it any longer. She coughed twice and stared at Qin Yu: "I asked you to compose a poem! If you can't, I will punish you!"

"His Majesty……"

Qin Yu looked at Zhao Luan speechlessly, "I truly cannot compose one!"

Could this female demon be eyeing my money?

So what if he lost 100,000 taels of silver to himself?

Is it really that serious?

She's an empress, after all; she should be more magnanimous!

"Lord Qin, I have heard about what happened at the Peony Garden in the past!"

Gao Yi smiled and looked at Qin Yu, "With Lord Qin's talent, composing a poem shouldn't be difficult, right? We'd also like to witness the talent of the greatest scholar of Great Ning!"

As soon as Gao Yi spoke, Yu Jing, Gao Yao, and others began to stir things up.

"Yes, with Lord Qin's talent, composing a poem would be a piece of cake!"

"Lord Qin, His Majesty has specifically asked you to compose a poem, so please don't hold back!"

"Indeed, who doesn't know that Lord Qin is the foremost scholar of Great Ning?"

"Lord Qin, please compose a poem quickly..."

Lu Si's eyes darted around, and he bowed to Zhao Luan: "Your Majesty, when we were having pastries earlier, Qin Yu guessed that the Empress Dowager would have someone compose poems to liven things up today, and even said he would sell me two of my poems!"

Qin Yu's face twitched violently as he glared fiercely at Lü Si.

That bastard!

When they ask for help from themselves, they treat themselves as their ancestors!

When they don't rely on themselves, they turn around and betray themselves!

Damn it, I shouldn't have helped him on the first day of the lunar new year. He got beaten up badly by Shi Lian'er's people!

Meeting Qin Yu's gaze, Lü Si immediately grinned.

You fucking disgust me!

Come on! Come on!

Keep disgusting me!

"Oh, is that so?"

Zhao Luan's gaze fell on Qin Yu. "It seems that you're unwilling to compose a poem because I didn't give you enough money, right?"

Zhao Luan deliberately emphasized the word "silver".

Qin Yu understood Zhao Luan's meaning.

She's talking about how she was cheated out of 100,000 taels of silver!

But Gao Yi heard it differently.

Did I fail to give you money?

This was clearly a questioning of Qin Yu, asking if he felt the reward given to him was insufficient!

Or perhaps he was dissatisfied with the fact that he was stripped of his title and dismissed from his post!

Correct!

That must be it!

Otherwise, His Majesty wouldn't have emphasized the word "silver" so much!

Thinking of this, Gao Yi looked at Qin Yu with a half-smile, "Lord Qin, His Majesty has rewarded you with a considerable amount of silver. Now that he's asking you to compose a poem, you wouldn't dare to defy the imperial decree in public, would you?"

Qin Yu glanced sideways at Gao Yi.

Why is he everywhere?

This isn't how you try to get noticed!

Qin Yu pondered silently for a moment, then looked at Zhao Luan with feigned difficulty, "Your Majesty, do you really want me to compose a poem?"

Zhao Luan raised an eyebrow. "Haven't I made myself clear enough?"

"Then, let me think about it!"

As Qin Yu spoke, he stared intently at Gao Yi.

Gao Yi felt extremely uncomfortable under Qin Yu's gaze and frowned, saying, "Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Looking for inspiration!"

Qin Yu responded expressionlessly.

Looking for inspiration?

Gao Yi frowned even more.

He stared at himself, searching for some inspiration.

After a moment, Qin Yu smiled and looked at Zhao Luan: "Your Majesty, I was staring at Prime Minister Gao for a while and caught a glimpse of inspiration, thinking of a poem! If it's inappropriate, please forgive me!"

"Um!"

Zhao Luan nodded slightly.

Shangguan Youyi immediately picked up his pen, ready to record the poem composed by Qin Yu.

The Empress Dowager also looked over with a smile, wanting to hear what kind of poem this talented scholar could compose.

"Cough cough..."

Qin Yu cleared his throat slightly before continuing to stare at Gao Yi, reciting with a swaying head:

"The imperial court vie to admire the snow, displaying its elegance; the prime minister's sycophantic nature remains unabated."

"The cold chills the three armies beyond the pass; how can they see autumn in their hometown without sleep?"