themonasnovels Chapter 101 Admiration
Chapter 101 Admiration
Meanwhile, the Northern Qi delegation released an old man from the prison cart they had brought. He had also been imprisoned for many years, and his body exuded an aura of decay, but his eyes were bright and he carried a sense of vicissitude and resilience. This old man was Xiao En, the former head of the Northern Qi intelligence agency.
This prisoner exchange, which should have been full of political maneuvering and diplomatic rhetoric, seemed to fizzle out and was hastily concluded after the thrilling "verbal battle" that had just taken place.
Yan Bingyun returned to the ranks of Qing Kingdom officials and glanced at the young King Qin, who remained calm and composed, as if the spectacular "Hundred Poems Shaking the Hall" performance had nothing to do with him.
Meanwhile, Xiao En, supported by officials from Northern Qi, took a deep look at Emperor Qing on the golden throne.
He glanced again at Ye Tian, the "Poet God" who seemed so unfamiliar to him, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. Then he lowered his head and, surrounded by the members of the delegation, prepared to leave this place of trouble.
He knew that the world was about to change drastically because of that boy's appearance.
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At the state banquet, the event was meticulously planned by Emperor Qing.
The "literary duel," which ultimately ended with Zhuang Mohan's reputation ruined and Ye Tian's rise to fame as the "Poetry God," has had far-reaching consequences.
Just as the Northern Qi delegation was ready to depart from the capital and escort the former intelligence chief Sean back to Northern Qi, Ye Tian unexpectedly appeared in front of their farewell procession.
"Senior Sean, please wait." Ye Tian, dressed in a brocade robe, stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent.
Upon seeing Ye Tian, the members of the Northern Qi delegation all tensed up, especially the officials who had witnessed his "hundred poems shaking the hall," who instinctively bowed, their eyes filled with awe. As for Xiao En, the elderly man who had been imprisoned in the Qing Kingdom's jail for nearly twenty years and whose emotions had long been dulled by time, a glint of shrewdness flashed in his deep-set eyes when he heard Ye Tian's voice.
He pushed aside the Northern Qi officials who were helping him, slowly walked up to Ye Tian, and said in a hoarse voice, "Your Highness, the Prince of Qin, you have come to see this old man off in person. This is too much for me."
Ye Tian smiled slightly: "Senior, you flatter me. When my mother was alive, she mentioned to me several times that she had shared a period of hardship with you and Master Kuhe in the frigid far north. My mother also greatly admired your wisdom, courage, and resilience. Now that we are parting, the mountains are high and the rivers are long, and I don't know when we will meet again."
Upon hearing the words "my mother" and Ye Tian's mention of "the far north," Sean's weathered face twitched slightly, and his eyes revealed a complex and unfathomable emotion—a mixture of reminiscence,感慨, and a deep sense of apprehension.
He remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking: "Miss Ye, no, the Empress Dowager, is indeed the most extraordinary woman I have ever seen in my life, a true, divine being. If it weren't for her guidance and gifts back then, I would have long been a withered skeleton in the North, and Ku He might not have achieved what I have today. She has given us both a second life."
Sean's voice trembled slightly, clearly indicating that the name Ye Qingmei and the memories associated with it were also deeply etched in his mind.
He raised his head and gave Ye Tian a deep look: "Your Highness, you and the Empress Dowager are very similar, especially that unfathomable composure and domineering aura." He paused, then bowed slightly to Ye Tian, a boy old enough to be his grandson, "Although our two countries have diplomatic relations, it is only thanks to Your Highness's fame and power that you have made throughout the land and shaken the Qing Kingdom's court that I have been able to see the light of day again. Otherwise, my old bones would probably have rotted in the Qing Kingdom's prison for another ten or twenty years. I will remember this 'gratitude.' If I have the opportunity in the future, I will definitely repay it."
Ye Tian accepted the bow with composure and said with a faint smile, "Senior is too kind. You and my mother have a past relationship, so I should treat you with courtesy. The journey to Northern Qi is long, so please take care on your journey. Perhaps we will meet again in the future, and I hope that at that time, we will not be on opposing sides."
Upon hearing this, Sean's eyes flashed again. He gave Ye Tian a deep look, said nothing more, and simply nodded. Surrounded by Northern Qi officials, he boarded the carriage to return to Northern Qi.
Ye Tian watched the delegation depart into the distance, his eyes deep and unfathomable, lost in thought.
.
With the departure of the Northern Qi delegation, Ye Tian's reputation as the "Poetry God," along with his formidable reputation as a "Grandmaster at fourteen who defeated the Sword Saint in one move," spread like wildfire throughout the seven kingdoms and nine provinces of the world at an incredible speed!
In an instant, the name "Ye Tian" became the most sought-after and most awe-inspiring name on the entire continent.
Inside the bridal chamber of the Prince of Qin's residence.
Fan Ruoruo was immersed in immense happiness and pride every day. Her husband was a world-renowned martial arts master, and also a highly talented "poetry god" who could compose poems on the spot! Whenever she thought of these things, she felt her heart was filled with sweetness and pride.
She meticulously copied down each of the poems Ye Tian "impromptu" at the state banquet, framed them with the most precious brocade, and read them day and night, cherishing them dearly.
"My lord, look, Ruoruo has framed all your poems, they're so beautiful!" She nestled in Ye Tian's arms, pointing to the dazzling array of poems on the wall, her eyes sparkling. "Whenever I see these poems, I feel that all the beauty and talent in the world are concentrated in you, my lord. To be able to add fragrance to your life, to spend every day with you, is the greatest happiness and honor of my life!"
Her love was pure and passionate, without a trace of impurity, like the clearest spring water, nourishing Ye Tian's heart, which had become somewhat cold due to revenge. Looking into her eyes, which were filled with adoration and love, Ye Tian couldn't help but feel a warmth in his heart.
Princess Chang's residence, Li Yunrui's bedroom.
Unlike Fan Ruoruo's pure happiness, Princess Li Yunrui's feelings for Ye Tian were completely trapped in a morbid, almost insane obsession and possessiveness.
Ye Tian's astonishing feat of reciting a hundred poems at the state banquet, along with his arrogant and disregard for etiquette, completely captivated her, leaving her utterly infatuated. In her eyes, Ye Tian was not merely the "child" she had raised, but the most dazzling, powerful, and perfect being in her life, the one who could fulfill all her desires!
She also meticulously copied down every word of Ye Tian's "composed" poems, treasuring them in an exquisite book box made of golden nanmu wood. However, her way of appreciating these poems was completely different from Fan Ruoruo's. She would bathe and burn incense, change into her most alluring sheer dance dress, spread the manuscripts all over the bed, and then toss and turn on the manuscripts, constantly murmuring Ye Tian's name, emitting moans that were sometimes coquettish and sometimes painful, as if only in this way could she feel the trace of Ye Tian's breath remaining between the lines.
Inside her palace, at some point, the walls were covered with portraits of Ye Tian—some depicting his majestic appearance in royal robes, others his dashing figure in white robes with a sword, and still others, which she imagined, showing Ye Tian shirtless with bulging muscles in a "valiant" pose.
In the stillness of the night, she would light aphrodisiac incense and, alone, gaze at the portraits, pouring out her twisted and burning emotions. Sometimes her gaze would be tender and plaintive, as if she were weeping; sometimes it would be coquettish and angry, as if she were arguing with her lover; and sometimes she would let out bursts of frenzied and satisfied laughter, as if Ye Tian were her own possession, and no one could take him away.
She even began to imitate some of Ye Qingmei's habits from back then, to learn her tone of voice, and to study the few words she left behind, all in order to get "closer" to Ye Tian's heart, to let Ye Tian see more of his "motherly" side in her, and thus make it even harder for him to leave her. This crazy infatuation had completely made her lose her mind.
The Lin residence, Lin Wan'er's boudoir.
Princess Lin Wan'er, far away in her own residence, was completely captivated by Ye Tian's extraordinary talent and domineering demeanor, falling into boundless admiration and despair.
She confined herself to her small boudoir, spending her days in tears.
Again and again, she used the finest needle to embroider Ye Tian's name on the handkerchief, and then again and again, she shredded it with scissors.
She softly recited the poems "written" by Ye Tian, especially the line "If life were only as beautiful as our first meeting, why would the autumn wind bring sorrow to the painted fan?" With each line she recited, her heart ached a little more, and she shed a few more tears.
She knew that between her and Ye Tian lay the difference between ruler and subject, his principal wife Fan Ruoruo, and perhaps even an insurmountable chasm. This love had long since seeped into her bones, transforming into an incurable heartache that made her increasingly haggard, unable to eat or sleep.
Yet, as if drinking poison to quench her thirst, she greedily collected all information about Ye Tian, repeatedly chewing over those rumors about him in her heart, savoring the illusory sweetness while also enduring the hopeless bitterness.
She didn't even dare to ask for too much; she only hoped that in some unexpected moment, she could catch a glimpse of him from afar, and that would be the greatest satisfaction of her life.
Northern Qi Dynasty, Imperial Palace.