The Demon Prince

"Did I hear that right? What did the young master just say? 'The Great Xia Poet Immortal needs your permission?'"

"No way, no way, you don't actually think you're the great Xia Dynasty's Poet Immortal, do you?"

"Your Highness, stop fooling around. I'm about to laugh myself to death at last night's leftovers."

The officials all thought they were experiencing intermittent auditory hallucinations.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Gu Linyuan, on the stretcher, was amused by Xiao Xingyue's words and burst into laughter, "Young Master! How dare you?"

If Xiao Junlin said he was better than him in terms of being a man, Gu Linyuan would feel a little guilty!

But when it comes to poetry, Gu Linyuan studied diligently for more than ten years to achieve his current success. He is a true poetic genius, and it is not up to Xiao Xingyue, an illiterate man, to question him.

Gu Linyuan's laughter aggravated his wounds, and the pain reminded him that this was the perfect opportunity to ensure Xiao Xingyue's complete defeat.

"His Majesty himself acknowledged that I, Gu Linyuan, am a poet immortal. Are you suggesting that His Majesty is mistaken? This is blasphemy!"

As Gu Linyuan began to label people, the poets who had previously been the most vocal immediately echoed his sentiments, launching verbal and written attacks.

"Exactly! A prince who can't even read a single word dares to spout such arrogant words and question His Majesty!"

"This ignorant and arrogant brat is utterly ridiculous! Your Majesty, please punish the Crown Prince severely!"

Even those court officials who had initially remained neutral, or even sympathized with the Xiao family, shook their heads at this moment.

Has this Ninth Prince gone mad?

Speaking of which, the Xiao family lost the King of Zhen and eight of his descendants; perhaps their fate was in trouble.

So it seems that even the ninth prince was possessed.

This is... Heaven is going to destroy the Xiao family!

"You accuse me of deceiving the emperor? I know the old-fashioned fighting style better than you do."

Xiao Xingyue slowly stepped forward, and as he passed Gu Linyuan, he secretly kicked Gu Linyuan's thigh.

"Ah—Xiao Xingyue, you!"

"What's all the noise about? I'm talking to His Majesty."

Xiao Xingyue bowed to the emperor and said, "Father, what I mean is, the reason Gu Linyuan became a 'Poet Immortal' is because he copied my poems!"

boom!

If Xiao Xingyue's words just now caused a stir, then now, it is earth-shattering and magnificent!

Throughout the entire Golden Palace, everyone turned to the side to scrutinize Xiao Xingyue!

Plagiarism?

Gu Linyuan, the great poet of the Great Xia Dynasty, plagiarized Xiao Xingyue, the incompetent prince.

"You...you're spouting nonsense! You're shameless! You're despicable!"

Gu Linyuan laughed in anger, trembling with rage. The wound that had just stopped bleeding reopened, and fresh blood stained the gauze.

"Shameless! They are a disgrace to us intellectuals!"

"Xiao Xingyue, how dare you slander the Poet Immortal in order to escape punishment! What is your crime?!"

The poets of the Hanlin Academy went berserk again, wishing they could drown Xiao Xingyue in their spittle.

Li Wangshu rushed over from outside the palace.

She had just gone to ask her mother, Consort Shu, to help Xiao Xingyue get through this ordeal, but her mother refused.

They said that if Xiao Xingyue were truly punished, it would be a good opportunity to restore her freedom.

Li Wangshu was helpless, knowing that Prince Xiao and his eight sons had all died on the battlefield, the Zhenguo Mansion was now just a name, and his father was suspicious of the Xiao family because of the "Nine Pythons Devouring the Dragon".

No one in the court respects Xiao Xingyue anymore.

Unfortunately, Xiao Xingyue himself is now a disappointment. When Li Wangshu arrived, she overheard Xiao Xingyue slandering Gu Linyuan.

Li Wangshu was speechless.

Gu Linyuan is the great poet of the Great Xia Dynasty. Who can't see his talent?

Everyone knows better than anyone what kind of person Xiao Xingyue is!

Li Wangshu never expected that this fool would start talking nonsense in order to save his life!

Xiao Xingyue smiled faintly and glanced at everyone. Laugh...disdainful...I'll show you in a moment that I have the Three Hundred Tang Poems standing behind me!

"Ahem!" Xiao Xingyue cleared his throat. "Back then, when I had nothing to do, I wrote a thousand poems and showed them to Gu Linyuan. Who would have thought he would turn around and adapt them into his own!"

He looked at Gu Linyuan, a hint of pity in his eyes:

"Gu Linyuan, tell everyone, which of your famous works, 'Ode to the Capital,' 'Drinking Alone Under the Moon,' and 'Spring River Night,' wasn't written by me?"

Everyone was shocked once again.

Gu Linyuan's poems are all masterpieces and treasures of the Great Xia literary world.

If... if these really were plagiarized by Gu Linyuan...

Does that mean that Xiao Xingyue in front of us is the real Poet Immortal?

A peerless poet whose talent surpasses Gu Linyuan's by hundreds or thousands of times.

"Nonsense!"

"Spreading rumors and misleading the public!"

"Slander! He slandered me!" Gu Linyuan cursed angrily.

Xiao Xingyue continued slowly, "Speaking of which, your poem 'Ode to the Capital' still shows some signs of being artificially crafted in its structure. It is clearly an early work of mine, yet you treat it as a treasure."

As for "Drinking Alone Under the Moon," you only copied the form, but not my soul, drunk on the battlefield, laughing at the changing winds and clouds...

If you don't believe me, then I'll recite a few poems right here and now, to open your eyes.

The scene was deathly silent; no one agreed to his poem because no one believed it.

Xiao Xingyue felt a little embarrassed... The fast-paced action novels he used to read weren't like this!

"It seems you all are eager to see me compose a poem on the spot, so I shall gladly oblige!"

Xiao Xingyue's words created an awkward atmosphere.

Li Wangshu tried to stop him, saying, "Nobody wants to hear you compose poetry..."

The next moment.

"Have you not seen the Yellow River's waters come from the sky, rushing to the sea... never to return!"

As Xiao Xingyue's voice echoed through the hall, Li Wangshu's rebuke came to an abrupt halt, replaced by an expression of unconscious contemplation.

"Have you not seen the sorrow reflected in the bright mirror of the high hall, where white hair grieves, as black as silk in the morning... turned to snow by evening!"

Just two sentences, like the resounding tones of a great bell, instantly awed the entire audience!

That magnificent, desolate, and heroic spirit made everyone's sarcastic words get stuck in their throats.

Seeing that the situation was going well, and that this was exactly the kind of show-off scene he wanted, Xiao Xingyue continued reciting at an accelerated pace: "Enjoy life while you can, for tomorrow you may die!"

"Everyone has their own unique talents, and even if I spend all my money, it will come back again!"

……

"The road to Shu is harder than ascending to heaven!"

"Above, the six dragons turn back to the sun, a lofty peak; below, the surging waves and reversing currents of the river!"

……

Each and every line is a timeless masterpiece, full of grandeur and magnificence!

Those present, whether scholarly or martial, all possessed some degree of discernment.

They can appreciate the talent and artistic conception in poetry.

Compared to these poems, Gu Linyuan's so-called famous works are simply clumsy imitations, like children's scribbles!

"Excellent! Beautiful imagery! Wonderful lines!"

"Your Highness's literary talent is truly remarkable! I am in awe!"

Even the old Duke, who had previously looked down on Xiao Xingyue, now looked at him with admiration, saying, "Those poems... they're simply otherworldly! Could it be... that Gu Linyuan really plagiarized them?"

"Your Highness, Xiao Xingyue is your husband. He has such great talent, why didn't you say so sooner?"

"Exactly! We all wish to read the Crown Prince's masterpiece as soon as possible!"

At this moment, Li Wangshu's mind was buzzing.

The shocking verses spoken by Xiao Xingyue exploded in her mind like thunderclaps, making her feel dizzy.

Dazzled and mesmerized, she stared blankly at Xiao Xingyue, the man she had always thought was illiterate, who seemed to be shrouded in a radiance of talent!

Li Wangshu's face quickly furrowed as she looked at Gu Linyuan on the ground: "Gu Linyuan! You really plagiarized?"

"Ninth Princess! It's me!"

"You plagiarized, fine, but you only copied the surface, completely lacking any of the original's spirit!"

Gu Linyuan was dumbfounded. Oh no, you should at least wait for my explanation!

Because Li Wangshu took the lead, some officials present sighed with regret:

"Gu Shixian, Gu Shixian, even if you're going to plagiarize, at least plagiarize a few decent ones! These poems you copied... they're obviously just the young master's amateurish practice pieces!"

"Everyone, please calm down. We're not even sure if it was plagiarism yet. To be fair, the title of 'Poet Immortal' is indeed more fitting for the young master..."

"Yes, yes! But it's precisely because the young master is too low-key that some fame-seeking scoundrels have become the 'Poet Immortal,' isn't that right, Gu Linyuan?"

These seemingly neutral remarks are actually quickly distorting public opinion.

Some members of the poetry gathering even began to sever ties:

"Gu Linyuan! I really misjudged you!"

I even went out of my way to advocate for you before!

You plagiarized the Crown Prince's poem, which was bad enough that he didn't hold it against you, but you dared to push your luck and bite back, even coveting Her Highness the Princess!

Utterly shameless!

"Yes! My Great Xia Poetry Society! Today, we have nothing to do with you anymore!"

"Wait!" Gu Linyuan roared, desperately explaining, "I didn't! I didn't plagiarize!"