Poet Immortal, Poet Sage, Duke of the State!

"Your Highness, His Majesty is currently discussing matters with Grand Scholar Zhou..."

"Get out of the way!"

Princess Zhaoyue pushed open the door to the imperial study. Emperor Da Ning was sitting behind his desk, his hand supporting his forehead, looking exhausted.

Standing beside him was Grand Scholar Zhou. Upon seeing Princess Zhaoyue enter, Emperor Da Ning's eyes flickered slightly, and he then waved to Grand Scholar Zhou.

"You may step back now."

"Your subject takes his leave."

Grand Secretary Zhou bowed and quickly withdrew.

The palace gates were closed.

Only the father and daughter remained in the imperial study.

Princess Zhaoyue stood in the hall, gave a slight bow to the Emperor of Da Ning, and said softly, "Father, regarding the bet with the Yan Kingdom..."

The Emperor of Da Ning asked, "You knew all along?"

Princess Zhaoyue nodded slightly.

The Emperor of Da Ning stood up, walked around the dragon desk, and stood before her. He sighed and said, "The envoy from Yan proposed a wager in public. If I do not agree, this matter will spread throughout the land tomorrow. The rulers and ministers of Da Ning are cowardly; they dare not even accept a written challenge. Do you know that the Yan army is eyeing us covetously on the border? Once such news spreads..."

Princess Zhaoyue said softly, "I understand."

The Emperor of Da Ning breathed a sigh of relief and solemnly said, "Rest assured, I will not let you marry into that family. In the competition three days from now, I will gather the most skilled couplet writers in the capital and prepare rigorously. We will not lose. The Yan envoy underestimates Da Ning. I refuse to believe that such a vast country as Da Ning cannot find a few people who can compose couplets!"

After hearing this, Princess Zhaoyue knew there was no turning back, so she clasped her hands in a fist and bowed, saying, "Your subject takes his leave."

After leaving the Imperial Study, Princess Zhaoyue went straight back to her residence, Mingyue Palace.

Qing Shuang immediately rushed forward, her face full of worry, and asked, "Princess, what should we do now? What if Da Ning loses? Are you really going to marry that beast from Yan?"

Princess Zhaoyue stood by the window and remained silent for a moment.

She knew her father's character. Although she was usually pampered, he would not hesitate to abandon her when it came to the country.

The literary scene in Da Ning is in decline. Even the most learned scholars couldn't match that couplet. We can't count on them for the competition three days from now.

Those so-called talented men in the capital are not as good as a few Grand Secretaries.

She couldn't just sit there and wait for death.

At that moment, a figure suddenly flashed through her mind.

He only thought for a moment before easily coming up with a matching couplet that had stumped the entire court.

The envoy from Yan came prepared, and the couplet he would present three days later would surely be even more difficult than the previous one.

If he can play then...

She looked at Qing Shuang and decisively said, "Go find that young master from before; only he can save us..."

Qing Shuang was stunned for a moment, then immediately ran out of the hall.

Princess Zhaoyue looked out the window and let out a soft sigh of relief.

That person was her only hope...

Just as Qing Shuang was searching the streets for Chen Chang'an, Chen Chang'an was standing at the gate of a small courtyard in the south of the city.

He can't go back to the Chen family, and he doesn't want to.

Before leaving, he asked the Chen family for three thousand taels of silver and a mansion. Although he really wanted it, he knew that his cheap father and wicked stepmother would not give it to him.

Chen Wenyuan is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, a high-ranking and powerful official. Zhao Shi also has the support of the Grand Tutor, who has a large faction in the court. If he goes back now, he will be walking into a trap.

Fortunately, he won ten taels of silver in a bet with the girl, and rented a small courtyard from the broker, which provided him with a place to stay where he could shelter from the wind and rain.

At the entrance of the courtyard, the broker looked at Chen Chang'an and said with a wry smile, "Alright, two taels it is, one month's deposit and three months' rent in advance, no rent increase for a year... Young master, with your silver tongue, it's a waste that you're not in business."

This is the capital city, and he originally planned to rent a small courtyard for three taels of silver a month, but the other party managed to haggle it down to two taels.

He had never encountered such a difficult customer.

Chen Chang'an twitched the corner of his mouth.

In my past life, I worked as a sales director for eight years and dealt with clients ten times more shrewd than this dentist. What's a little haggling to me?

After signing the contract and paying the money, the broker left with the silver.

Before leaving, he turned back to look at Chen Chang'an and shook his head helplessly.

After seeing the broker off, Chen Chang'an closed the courtyard gate and took a deep breath.

Although this courtyard is small and dilapidated, you don't have to worry about anyone's feelings.

He rolled up his sleeves, drew a bucket of water from the well, and began to clean.

His body was too weak. He had to rest three times in between. By the time the yard was cleaned up, he was so tired that his back ached, he was seeing stars, and his stomach was rumbling.

Chen Chang'an went out and bought a few steamed buns. He sat at the stone table in the courtyard and wolfed them down with well water.

After eating and drinking my fill, a wave of drowsiness washed over me.

He mustered his last bit of strength to walk into the room, collapsed onto the hard bed, and fell into a deep sleep almost the instant his head hit the pillow.

At that moment, Chen Chang'an was unaware that while he was drifting off to sleep, a tremendous upheaval had already swept through the entire capital.

The news that the Yan envoy had proposed a three-day agreement in the court spread throughout the city in less than half a day.

The topic was being discussed everywhere—in restaurants, teahouses, and on the streets.

"Have you heard? In three days, the Yan Kingdom and the Da Ning Kingdom will have a couplet competition. If Da Ning wins, the Yan Kingdom will lose a city to us. If Da Ning loses, they will have to marry Princess Zhaoyue to that beastly prince of the Yan Kingdom!"

"Bullshit! This beast doesn't deserve to marry our princess!"

"Is this fake?"

"It's absolutely true! His Majesty has issued an imperial edict, summoning talented individuals in the capital skilled in couplets to enter the palace in three days to compete. Anyone who can provide the first line of a couplet from the Yan Kingdom will be richly rewarded!"

"I'll come! I want to see just how much the Yan people are worth!"

……

The news of the couplet competition between Yan and Daning spread far and wide.

Books related to couplets and other traditional Chinese couplets sold out in major bookstores.

The talented scholars in the capital were eager to learn and were frantically studying couplets.

Long queues also formed at the registration desk outside the palace gates.

This competition was a matter of national honor, and the entire capital city was abuzz with excitement.

The Chen residence.

Chen Wenyuan placed several books in front of Chen Changxuan and solemnly said, "Xuan'er, study these books on couplets carefully. That rebellious son has already left home. As long as you show your face in the written examination in three days, I will have the confidence to speak to His Majesty to change the choice of Princess Zhaoyue's consort to you."

Chen Changxuan's eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "Thank you, Father!"

A smile appeared on Zhao's face, but she feigned concern and said to Chen Wenyuan, "Master, Chang'an, he..."

Chen Wenyuan's face darkened, and he flicked his sleeve, saying, "Don't mention that rebellious son to me. From now on, the Chen family has nothing to do with that rebellious son!"

A smile appeared on Zhao's face, but she quickly concealed it.

At the same time.

On the streets of the capital, Qing Shuang had been searching for Chen Chang'an for two whole hours.

She chased him all the way from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, asking countless passersby, but no one had ever seen that young master. The princess didn't even know his name; how was she supposed to find him...?

After searching for more than half an hour, as darkness fell completely and the shops along the street closed their doors, Qing Shuang stood at the entrance of an alley in the south of the city, covering her face, her voice trembling with tears, and said, "Young master, where are you...?"

In a small courtyard in the alley, Chen Chang'an turned over, found a more comfortable position, and continued sleeping...