Tang Dynasty: Starting at Xuanwu Gate, this prince is better off not being one.

The moment Li Yu's eyes met Wenren An's, his gaze immediately became clear.

So he sincerely replied, "It's nothing, I just suddenly remembered something happy."

"real?"

For some reason, based on his intuition as a master, Wenren An always felt that he was about to be in big trouble.

"Why would I lie to you?" Li Yu smiled, appearing very sincere.

"..."

Ever since being tricked by Li Yu, Wenren An has been wary of him whenever they talk.

So when he saw Li Yu like this, he couldn't help but recall the scene when he was fooled a few days ago.

Li Yu's smile was just as genuine back then...

After shifting his feet a couple of times, Wenren An decided to keep some distance from this guy to avoid getting into big trouble.

.........

The Baoxie Road, an ancient plank road that has withstood hundreds of years of wind and rain, still looks old despite repeated repairs.

I wonder how many people died building this road.

Li Yu, a man from a later generation, also came here, but by then the Baoxie Road had become a ruin.

no way!

During the middle and later stages of the feudal dynasty, people cut down most of the mountains and forests due to a shortage of firewood.

Furthermore, since Chang'an ceased to be the capital, the imperial court became too lazy to spend money on repairs, and thus this ancient road, which had existed for thousands of years, gradually faded from people's memories.

There might be other reasons, but that wasn't what Li Yu was considering at the moment. Right in front of him was a guy about the same age as Cheng Chumo, sizing him up.

Just now, after embarking on the Baoxie Road, the group officially joined Niu Jinda's troops.

The other noblemen who had been found earlier were naturally among them.

"Who are you? Why do you look so familiar?"

After exchanging pleasantries with Li Chengqian and the others, Changsun Chong, who had also miraculously survived, encountered a dilemma when he reached Li Yu.

"I?"

Looking at Changsun Chong, who was also being chased but was nowhere near as disheveled as the three of them, Li Yu just wanted to curse.

Damn it, are we being given special treatment just because the three of us are imperial grandsons?

"This is my third uncle's son, Li Yu, the Prince of Songshan! You should have met him before, cousin," Li Chengqian introduced Li Yu.

"I almost didn't recognize you, please forgive me..."

Changsun Chong cupped his hands in greeting to Li Yu: "I am Changsun Chong, son of Changsun Wuji, the Duke of Shangdang County. The Princess Consort of Qin is my aunt."

After introducing himself, he thoughtfully introduced another person to Li Yu: "This is Du He, son of Du Ruhui."

After returning the greeting to Changsun Chong, Li Yu turned his gaze to the arrogant young man standing next to him.

This is the difference between the eldest and second sons in a family!

For the sake of the family's continuation, the eldest son was taught from a young age what he could and could not do.

In contrast, the discipline of the second son was much more relaxed.

As long as one doesn't do anything too outrageous, minor acts of arrogance won't be bothered by one's own father, nor even by the emperor.

Alas! Li Yu also wanted to be a playboy who frequented brothels, but unfortunately, he just happened to be the eldest son.

"Hey kid! I'm talking to you! Don't you have any sense of hierarchy?"

As he and Lao Du were both officials under the Prince of Qin's mansion, and they were all in the same boat, Niu Jinda couldn't help but reprimand Du He for his rudeness.

"I am Du He."

Du He was fine with the Li brothers, but looking at this dirty kid she had never even seen before, she couldn't feel any goodwill towards him.

Besides, I've heard of this Li Yu before, the so-called King of Songshan, but he's just a fool...

Li Yu had no idea what Du He was thinking, and he didn't bother to care.

This idiot who would risk his entire family's lives and go against his father-in-law Li Er just because his wife cheated on him, is someone I'd better avoid having anything to do with.

Li Yu didn't mind, but Li Chengqian, who had always disliked Du He, wouldn't tolerate him.

So the two traitors of Li Er started arguing. "You've only read a few more books! You're just average, not nearly as good as my cousin."

"..."

How did I get dragged into this again?

Not wanting to get involved in their argument, I was just about to go up and greet that big, simple-minded guy not far away. He seemed like an easy-going and honest person.

Suddenly, Li Chengqian grabbed his clothes. "Little Fish, write him a poem to deflate this guy's arrogance!"

Holy crap! You guys are arguing, so why are you dragging me into it?

Besides, how the hell do I know how to write poetry? I was clearly reciting poetry!

I only know a few poems. If I use them all up in the future, am I supposed to study poetry diligently to maintain my persona?

"Him? He's an idiot who can write poetry?" Du He looked utterly disdainful after hearing Li Chengqian's words.

Not only him, but even Changsun Chong was deeply skeptical of this statement.

Damn, so we're being looked down upon now!?

Having been put in a difficult position by Li Chengqian, Li Yu could no longer pretend to be nonchalant.

It would have been fine if I were still that fool, but now I've become a normal person.

If I don't step up now, the Zhao Prince's Mansion will become an object of contempt by everyone, and how will I ever be able to face anyone again?

Thinking of this, Li Yu began to recall.

Having no poems describing the Baoxie Road in my mind, I could only use poems about other ancient roads to substitute:

Clouds and mist blend in from all sides, and more than ten houses stand gracefully with weeping willows.

Pheasants fly and deer fly far over fragrant grasses; in the cattle lane and chicken coop, the spring sun sets.

An elderly father with delicate eyebrows drinks wine, while his daughter, with her sleeves adorned with wildflowers.

"As the carriage pulls its cart, I contemplate the dust and toil; by the stream, I write, my sorrow lingering on the fine sand."

"Having previously wandered through the Qinling Mountains, enduring countless hardships, I often thought of my hometown. Now, finally embarking on my journey home, I felt compelled to write this. I wonder what Brother Du's opinion is?"

Having had two previous experiences of plagiarism, Li Yu is now able to face the matter of plagiarizing other people's poems with equanimity.

Hopefully, when Du Mu passes through the ancient Shangshan Road again two hundred years later, he will have some new inspiration to express his sorrow of being a traveler...

After reciting a seven-character regulated poem, Li Yu noticed that everyone had fallen silent.

Moreover, apart from Cheng Chumo, who gets a headache just looking at books, several other teenagers with similar experiences, especially those with even a little knowledge, were overcome with sorrow and lowered their heads to shed tears.

"Kid, did you really make this?"

Although Niu Jinda, a military officer, couldn't understand what Li Yu was muttering, he found it quite strange that such profound-sounding poetry came from Li Yu's mouth.

Seeing Li Yu nod in affirmation, he became even more puzzled.

Could it be that Li Xuanba, that big, clumsy fool, could really have such an intelligent son?

Li Yu left in a hurry, leaving Niu Jinda still standing there, lost in thought.

If he didn't leave, Li Yu felt that the old ox would definitely pull him aside and recite another poem to him.

Each poem he recited was one less he could ever have, and he didn't want to waste two poems in this wretched place...

.........