Poet Immortal, Poet Sage, Duke of the State!

Inside the Imperial Study.

The Emperor of Daming was reviewing memorials at his desk, occasionally opening a jade-green porcelain bottle on the table, putting it under his nose and gently sniffing it.

He thought to himself, "This Chen Chang'an is truly a rare talent."

He was skilled at composing couplets and writing poems. His invention, "Clear Frost Dew," was an invaluable tool for refreshing the mind and greatly reduced his fatigue from reviewing memorials every day.

It would be a great pity if such a talented person could not be put to use by the court.

His only concern was that Chen Chang'an was the son of Chen Wenyuan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and Chen Wenyuan was the son-in-law of the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty.

The Grand Tutor was a veteran official who had served three emperors. His cronies firmly held key positions in the court. Even if it was an imperial order, it would be difficult to implement without the Grand Tutor's approval, which was a major concern for him.

If he were to give Chen Chang'an a second important position, and then reconcile with the Chen family in the future, wouldn't that only further embolden the Grand Tutor's faction?

At one point, a figure entered the Imperial Study.

Yun Zhan, the leader of the secret guards, walked into the hall, knelt on one knee, and said, "Your Majesty, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Lord Chen, just arrived at Young Master Chen's residence with three servants, intending to take him back to his mansion. However, Young Master Chen publicly berated him, and the two have now completely fallen out. Lord Chen said he wants to sever his father-son relationship with him..."

The Emperor of Da Ning put down his vermilion brush, a hint of doubt appearing on his face. He muttered to himself, "Given his talent and temperament, how could he have tolerated me at the Chen residence until today?"

Yun Zhan thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps he always held onto hope for Lord Chen, but unexpectedly, his own father was so heartless towards him. Heartbroken, he could no longer bear it and revealed his true nature..."

The Emperor of Da Ning nodded slightly and said, "His biological father conspired with his stepmother to frame him for molesting his cousin. If this case is proven to be irrefutable, his future will be ruined, and he will never be able to hold his head up again. No one would tolerate this any longer..."

Yun Zhan thought of something and looked surprised. He spoke again, "Your Majesty, this Young Master Chen is also a martial arts prodigy."

The Emperor of Da Ning raised his head, surprised, and said, "Oh?"

Yun Zhan said, "Lord Chen just tried to forcibly take Young Master Chen away with three servants, but Young Master Chen easily dealt with them all by himself. He fought three against one, and the three of them were almost powerless to resist..."

The Emperor of Daming asked, "Did he learn martial arts before?"

Yun Zhan thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "He probably hasn't learned it. Judging from the martial arts moves he used just now, it should be the Xiao family's 'Breaking Army Technique.' Qing Shuang just taught him this skill, but I didn't expect him to have developed internal energy from it. Such martial arts talent is one in a hundred years..."

The emperor looked astonished and murmured, "I never imagined he was a man of both literary and military talent..."

Chen Wenyuan's son has given him so many surprises.

His falling out with the Chen family was not necessarily a bad thing for the imperial court.

Chen Wenyuan has completely lost face this time. The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel was scolded by his own son in the street and was surrounded and talked about by the people. Before tomorrow, the news will spread throughout the officialdom of the capital.

This left no room for reconciliation between the father and son, and allowed him to confidently and boldly appoint Chen Chang'an.

He pondered for a moment, looked at Yun Zhan, and said again, "Send some men to secretly protect Chen Chang'an, in case Chen Wenyuan and the Zhao family come up with any more underhanded tricks. However, don't take action unless absolutely necessary. It's not a bad thing for young people to experience some trials..."

Yun Zhan bowed and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "As you command!"

Meanwhile, at the Zhenyuan General's Mansion.

As soon as Qing Shuang stepped through the gate, the steward rushed up to her with a smile and said, "Miss, you're finally back! People from the palace have arrived and are waiting for you!"

Qing Shuang was taken aback: "Someone from the palace is waiting for me?"

The old steward beamed with joy and said, "His Majesty has bestowed many gifts upon you. You should go and take a look; the eunuch who delivered the decree has been waiting for quite some time."

Qing Shuang strode to the main hall and saw a eunuch holding an imperial edict standing in the hall, with several eunuchs behind him carrying trays with gold, brocade, pearls, and a plaque covered with red silk.

The eunuch who delivered the imperial edict smiled and nodded at her, then unfolded the edict and read out the Emperor of Da Ning's bestowal of rewards from beginning to end.

After hearing this, Qing Shuang pouted and muttered under her breath, "Only one hundred taels of gold..."

Before he could finish speaking, he received a sharp rap on the head.

"Ouch!"

Qing Shuang covered her head and turned around. General Xiao was standing behind her at some point, looking at her with annoyance, and said, "One hundred taels of gold is not enough? Your father fought a year's war at the border, and the court's reward wasn't even this much. His Majesty is so kind, and you're being picky!"

The eunuch delivering the imperial decree pretended not to hear Qing Shuang's rude words and smiled as he took his leave: "General Xiao, Miss Qing Shuang, I have to return to the palace to report, so I'll take my leave now."

After seeing off the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree, General Xiao dismissed his attendants, leaving only the grandfather and grandson in the main hall.

He sat down in the armchair and asked directly, "Alright, there are no outsiders here now. Tell me honestly, who wrote those couplets and that poem?"

Qing Shuang blinked, feigning ignorance, and asked, "Grandpa, what are you saying? What couplet? What poem?"

"Don't play dumb with me." General Xiao snorted and said, "Everyone knows your limitations, but do you think I don't? I made you memorize the Three Character Classic when you were little, and you only memorized the first two lines after three days, which made your teacher run all over the yard. Someone like you, what kind of word-splitting couplets or radical couplets can you come up with? Can you write 'An old steed in its stall still aspires to gallop a thousand miles'?"

Qing Shuang blushed when her grandfather exposed her secret, and pouted, saying, "Couldn't I have just figured it out later?"

"Have you finally figured it out?"

General Xiao glanced at her sideways and said with a chuckle, "Then explain to me how to write the four characters '老骥伏枥' (an old horse in its stall)?"

Qing Shuang opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

She can't even recognize all those characters, let alone write them.

General Xiao sighed, his tone softening slightly: "Girl, Grandpa didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted to thank them in person. If it weren't for that poem, I don't know how long I would have been paralyzed at home..."

Qing Shuang hesitated for a moment, then, remembering Princess Zhaoyue's instructions, shook her head and said, "Grandpa, I can't tell. The princess said we can't let him know our identities..."

General Xiao was slightly taken aback.

Is this matter also related to Princess Zhaoyue?

He looked thoughtful and didn't ask any further questions.

Since the princess had given her order, he couldn't force her.

"Alright, since the princess has given her orders, I won't ask any further." General Xiao waved his hand and added, "However, please tell that friend that I, Xiao Zhenyue, will remember this favor. In the future, if there is anything the Xiao family can do for us, just ask."

Qing Shuang smiled and said, "Grandpa, don't worry, I will repay him for you."

She already considered Chen Chang'an her best friend besides the princess, and even taught him the Xiao family's unique martial arts. Of course, she wouldn't stand idly by if Chen Chang'an was in trouble.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

The Xiao family steward stood at the entrance of the hall, his expression somewhat strange, and said, "Master, Miss, two young ladies just arrived outside. They said they are from the Yaoguang Poetry Society and have come to challenge Miss..."