Chapter 27: The Southern Yue Delegation Arrives, I, the King of Cross-Dressing
The next day, at the Golden Dragon Hall.
Zhao Yi yawned, standing among the military officials, his eyelids fluttering with fatigue.
He had spent the entire night dreaming of sudden wealth, and thus hadn’t slept well.
The atmosphere in the court was heavy with the oppressive tension of an impending storm from the very start.
The Empress Wu Mingkong sat upright on the dragon throne, her complexion as cold as if three layers of frost were scraping down her face.
Just moments ago, an urgent border report, rushed over eight hundred miles, had been delivered directly to the Golden Dragon Hall.
The Southern Yue delegation had arrived uninvited.
They hadn't submitted their credentials in advance, nor did they go through any official channels. Instead, they swaggered brazenly into Luoyang city and only then lazily sent word to the Court of State Ceremonial, claiming they were here on a “friendly visit.”
What kind of visit was this?
This was blatant provocation! A brazen act of rubbing the dignity of the Great Zhou into the dirt!
The Empress was furious enough to kill.
Every civil and military official in the court was as silent as a cold corpse.
Soon, footsteps echoed outside the hall as a delegation led by Ye Qingliu, Grand Academician of the Southern Yue Imperial Academy, strode into the main chamber.
Ye Qingliu appeared to be in his forties, clad in a splendid brocade robe, his face as refined as carved jade, with three wisps of long beard lending him an impressive appearance.
But in his eyes lurked an unmistakable arrogance that no one could conceal.
“Southern Yue envoy Ye Qingliu pays respects to Her Majesty, the Empress of Great Zhou.”
He gave a perfunctory bow and then straightened up.
The Empress didn’t even bother lifting an eyelid, her voice icy and clear.
“Grand Academician Ye, may I ask what brings you to Great Zhou?”
“Heh,” Ye Qingliu chuckled lightly, his demeanor more like a peer engaging in conversation than a subordinate showing respect.
“Your Majesty flatters us.”
“We have long admired the grandeur of Great Zhou, and hearing of the many talented young scholars and the flourishing literary culture, we came to learn a thing or two, to exchange and debate.”
At this, many of the civil officials’ faces in the court visibly darkened.
Exchange and debate?
Who didn’t know that those Southern Yue folk loved to pick fights in literary games, using them as a pretext to humiliate other nations!
Sure enough, Ye Qingliu shifted tone, stroking his beard with a smile.
“Coincidentally, when I arrived at the riverbank, I came across a couplet that has troubled me for a long time, as I could not find a worthy response. Might I be so fortunate as to ask the esteemed ministers of Great Zhou to solve this conundrum for me?”
Before the Empress could respond, he loudly recited:
“Wangjiang Tower, gazing at the river’s flow; atop Wangjiang Tower, one gazes at the flowing river; the tower stands eternal, the river flows eternal!”
At once, a collective intake of breath filled the hall.
This was a renowned couplet of the ages!
Its parallelism was impeccable, its imagery vast and profound—an absolute masterpiece!
Prime Minister Wang Defa furrowed his brow and, after a moment of contemplation, stepped forward.
“I have a pair to offer, if it pleases the court.”
“Appreciation Moon Terrace, admiring the bright moon; atop Appreciation Moon Terrace, one admires the bright moon; the terrace lasts ten thousand years, the moon shines ten thousand years.”
This response was structurally sound.
But comparing “ten thousand years” to “eternal” lacked the same grandeur.
Ye Qingliu smiled wryly, bowing slightly.
“Prime Minister Wang is most talented, but... the imagery falls a bit short.”
Minister of Works Sun Decai also racked his brain, eager to make an impression before the Empress.
“Let me try!”
“Listening Rain Pavilion, hearing the rain’s sound; within Listening Rain Pavilion, one hears the rain’s sound; rain pavilion momentary, rain sound momentary.”
Upon uttering this, his face flushed with embarrassment.
“Eternal” versus “momentary” was an utter disgrace.
“Hahaha!”
A young official from the Southern Yue delegation laughed loudly without restraint.
“So this is the level of Great Zhou? Truly... laughable!”
“In such a grand court, not a single person could respond?”
“I think Great Zhou, after all, is just this mediocre!”
Each word struck like a slap, harshly smacking the faces of all Great Zhou officials.
It burned painfully.
The Empress’s face darkened as if it could drip water.
Her knuckles gripping the armrest of the dragon throne turned white.
“Who says no one can respond?”
A lazy, slightly impatient voice came from the ranks of the military officials.
Zhao Yi stretched and sauntered forward leisurely.
His father, Zhao Zhao, behind him, stomped anxiously, wildly signaling with his eyes: Traitor! Come back here! Is this something you should meddle in?
Zhao Yi paid no heed to his father, walking straight to the center of the hall without even glancing at Ye Qingliu.
He winked cheekily at the Empress on the throne before deliberately speaking.
“Yin Yue Well, reflecting the moon’s shadow; within Yin Yue Well, the moon’s shadow is reflected; the well and moon endure ten thousand years.”
As soon as he finished, the entire hall fell deathly silent.
Then, thunderous applause erupted!
“Excellent!”
“What a perfect match!”
“Wangjiang Tower matched with Yin Yue Well! River flow paired with moon shadow! Eternal matched with ten thousand years! Incredible! Absolutely incredible!”
Prime Minister Wang Defa’s old face flushed with excitement.
On the Southern Yue side, every smile froze.
Ye Qingliu’s expression instantly soured.
Zhao Yi gave them no time to react. With hands on hips and chin raised, a cocky grin spread across his face.
“This is your so-called skill, and yet you dare to stir up trouble in Great Zhou?”
He stepped forward, finger pointing at Ye Qingliu’s nose, enunciating each word.
“Listen carefully! I am known as the King of Matching Couplets! Afraid of you? Watch me match you to death!”
The Empress, just lifting her tea cup, nearly spat out her tea at this.
Zhao Zhao nearly fainted on the spot, blacking out before his eyes.
This unfilial son!
What reckless words!
What are you? The King of Matching Couplets?! Why not claim you’re the Lord of the Underworld while you’re at it!
Zhao Yi ignored the horrified stares around him, cracking his neck.
“Enough wasting time.”
“Your little literary skills are no match for me.”
“Now, it’s my turn to pose a challenge. If any of you can match even one, I’ll admit defeat!”
He cleared his throat and slowly uttered five words.
“Smoke locks the pond willow.”
Simple words, yet like five bolts of thunder striking Ye Qingliu and the entire Southern Yue delegation on the head.
Metal! Wood! Water! Fire! Earth!
The radicals in these five characters concealed the Five Elements!
How could they possibly respond to that?
How the hell could they?
Cold sweat instantly beaded Ye Qingliu’s forehead.
His lips trembled as he tried to hold back words, but none came out.
“Alas, no good,” Zhao Yi shook his head, wearing a look of disappointment.
“Too weak.”
“Let me give you a simpler one.”
Counting on his fingers, he began his performance.
“Listen carefully!”
“Upper line: Lonely cold window guards solitude.”
“The brilliance here is that both upper and lower radicals are the ‘roof’ radical! Am I right?”
“Here’s another!”
“Upper line: Paints a lotus and a monk painting.”
“This is a palindrome couplet; read backwards it’s the same! Understand?”
By the time he finished, Ye Qingliu’s face was ashen, his body swaying as if about to collapse, almost foaming at the mouth.
Their vaunted literary talents were utterly crushed before this excessively young “King of Matching Couplets,” leaving not a trace behind.
“Well done!”
“Lord Zhao is magnificent!”
“Long live the glory of Great Zhou!”
The officials in the court erupted in cheers!
One after another, their faces flushed with excitement, their gazes filled with admiration and fanaticism for Zhao Yi.
Even Prime Minister Wang Defa, that old curmudgeon, couldn’t help but reveal a complex expression of approval on his stern face.
This kid... truly has talent!
Just that mouth of his—so damn cheeky.