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Chapter Seventy-Three: Poetry

  A stunning beauty slowly walked into the hall from outside, dressed in a magnificent attire, with her hair falling on her shoulders, holding a jade-green flute, but what caught people's attention most was a pair of enchanting eyes, two black pupils seemed to have a hint of sky blue color, making one get lost in them and unable to extricate oneself.

  Xu Haifeng took a cold breath, such an absolute beauty, no wonder she could surpass all the other beauties, and stand shoulder to shoulder with Tang Rou'er and Fang Yingying. I really don't know what kind of extraordinary woman that little princess who is about to be married off to the Xiongnu is.

  If only in appearance, apart from Tang Rou'er, the other two women, although they can be called absolute beauties, are not unbeatable. However, there is a special aura on their bodies, which plays a crucial role in making them stand out and distinguishing them from ordinary women.

  "Everyone, please take a seat." Min Zhitang surprisingly stood up personally to welcome them.

  He welcomed her as a prime minister, which was an honor, but Xia Ya Jun and the people present saw nothing unusual about it, as if it were a matter of course. This shows that this woman's status in people's minds is very high, far beyond that of a musician.

  Xia Yajun slightly bowed to Min Zhitang, then turned her head and stared at Xu Haifeng for a long time, asking: "May I ask who the general is?"

  Xu Haifeng did not expect her to dare ask his name so boldly in front of everyone, and he couldn't help but blush slightly. He quickly stood up and said: "I am General Xu Haifeng."

  Xia Yajun's eyes lit up and she looked at him deeply, bowing to say: "So it was General Xu who has recently shaken the capital, I apologize for my mistake."

  Xu Haifeng hastily returned the courtesy, but saw her lightly smile, like a hundred flowers blooming, and for a moment he was slightly dazed. When he came to his senses, Xia Yajun had already quietly taken her seat.

  Tang Rou'er hummed softly and cursed in a barely audible voice: "Fox spirit."

  Fang Yingying, who was sitting next to him, heard this vinegar-filled scolding. Her beautiful eyes scanned between Xu Haifeng, Xia Yajun and Tang Rou'er, she really couldn't understand what made Xu Haifeng so outstanding that two beauties would look at him with different eyes at the same time.

  Everyone saw that only Xu Haifeng received such treatment from Xia Yajun, and most of them showed a few points of jealousy in their eyes. Many people's gazes towards him were not kind. How could he not feel this change? Although he was sitting on the comfortable leather chair, it was like sitting on pins and needles, his whole body feeling uncomfortable.

  In the dark alley of his heart, he wondered if today was the day he'd walk into good fortune with a beauty. Thinking again, being able to stand out among hundreds and win the favor of a lovely woman wasn't without some self-satisfaction.

  In fact, Xia Yajun values Xu Haifeng not because he has any exceptional qualities, but because his behavior is too eye-catching.

  Xia Yajun is not only exceptionally skilled, but also has a clever mind. As an ordinary musician, she can stand shoulder to shoulder with the favored Tang Rou'er, Fang Yingying and other noblewomen, as well as the princesses of high birth, and gain recognition from the world. Apart from her stunning beauty and unparalleled skills, her ability to strategize and create opportunities is also crucial.

  She knew that no matter how beautiful a piece of music was, once it was heard too many times, it would become ordinary and lose its preciousness. So she made a rule for herself to play only one piece per month.

  By then, her reputation had spread far and wide, even the Xiongnu Chanyu Modun, who was 180,000 li away, had long heard of her name. He especially sent an envoy to invite her to perform in Xiongnu on his sixtieth birthday.

  This matter will push her reputation to another peak.

  Every time she finishes playing, there is a long period of silence, allowing the listeners to savor the atmosphere. However, Xu Haifeng quickly regains his composure, and from his movements and expressions, it can be seen that he is not a person who does not understand music, but rather someone who is giving heartfelt praise and applause.

  The more this kind of person is, the longer they should be infatuated, and how can they wake up in a short time. Because of this question, she deliberately paid attention to Xu Haifeng for a while.

  The four golden flowers of the capital gathered together today, with three people meeting in one hall, a rare occasion. In just a moment, the atmosphere in the hall became lively again, but with beauties by their side, everyone's movements became more refined and elegant.

  This time, among the three heroes of the Cheng family's younger generation who entered Beijing, Cheng Yingjie mysteriously disappeared and has not been heard from until now. Cheng Yingtai was seriously injured, leaving only one Cheng Yinghao sitting in the seat of the Cheng family. He stood up with his cup and said: "Today is the 50th birthday of the Prime Minister, I propose that everyone take turns writing a poem to help celebrate, what do you think?"

  The Prime Minister's family was hosting a banquet, and most of the guests were men of letters. In such a setting, if someone spoke out in opposition, it would be tantamount to openly provoking Cheng Yinghao. Even Xu Haifeng, who was unwilling at heart, could only go with the flow, raise his cup, and drink to show his approval.

  Under the encouragement of Cheng Yinghao and Cheng Ming, several people recited their original poems. Some had prepared in advance and produced excellent works, while others with quick wit composed on the spot, at least creating timely pieces. It can be seen that the Great Han was not only flourishing in martial arts, but also thriving in literature.

  Xu Haifeng hadn't read many books, and he could only recognize a few big characters, but if you asked him to write poetry, it was something that couldn't be done even if you killed him. So he sat at the table, pouring his own drinks, and was quite carefree. However, his five senses were particularly keen, and he always felt that the two women, Tang and Fang, sitting across from him were frequently staring at him. He could only put on a serious and dignified appearance, not daring to lean east or west, lest he lose face.

  Suddenly, a faint sound that was almost inaudible entered his ears. He knew at once that it was Xu Haiming using the "Transmission into the Ear" technique to speak with him. This technique could condense sound into a straight line and transmit it directly into the listener's ear, making it impossible for outsiders to detect. However, this extraordinary skill required a high level of internal energy to initiate, and only top-ranked masters could use it effortlessly. Xu Haiming was still slightly short of the necessary level at present.

  "General, Military Advisor has ordered me to pass on a message to you. That Cheng Yinghao has an ulterior motive for this move. He will definitely invite you to compose a poem later. If you don't perform well, you will leave a rough and unrefined impression in front of the beauty. So, as long as you do this and that... you can turn the situation around."

  Xu Haifeng nodded secretly, thinking that this Jiang Kongming was indeed thorough in his consideration. Cheng Yinghao suddenly proposed to compose a poem, probably with ulterior motives. He would play along and make him eat bitter melon - unable to express the bitterness.

  As expected, after more than ten people finished their toasts, Cheng Yinghao raised his wine cup and said to Xu Haifeng: "General Xu, I would like to be the first to congratulate you on your promotion to deputy general."

  Xu Haifeng smiled slightly and clinked his cup against his, thinking to himself that if he wanted to compete with him in drinking capacity, then he was more than welcome.

  "In the past, I may have offended you in some way. Please, General Xu, be magnanimous and don't hold it against me." Cheng Yingxiong refilled his cup with wine and downed it in one gulp.

  "The grown-ups said where did you hear that from? Such a small matter, Xu had long forgotten it." Xu Haifeng also accompanied him to drink a cup.

  Cheng Yinghao burst out laughing: "Good, indeed refreshing, truly worthy of being the pillar of talent of our great Han!"

  Suddenly, a person on the opposite table said: "What a talented pillar, but even if Lord Xu's martial arts are high, he is just a rough man and cannot enter the elegant hall."

  Hearing someone openly belittling himself, Xu Haifeng looked up and found it was actually Cai Junmang, the Minister of Rites.

  "Governor Cai's words are different, General Xu was not only brave in battle on the western front, but also had a unique literary style, he is one of the few with both civil and military talents."

  Everyone looked over and found it was Cheng Ming who had just returned from the Western Front with Gu Daoxiong.

  "Oh..." Cai Jun looked at Xu Haifeng with a hint of doubt and said, "If that's the case, then please have General Xu compose a poem on the spot."

  "Very well, I am also very curious. Please, General Xu, improvise a poem on the spot." Min Zhidao stroked his beard and smiled.

  Xu Haifeng cursed in his heart, truly a shameless and despicable person. When he was at the Western Camp before, he was useless in both literature and martial arts. Not like now, at least he had some impressive martial skills that could make him proud among his peers. What Cheng Ming said on the surface was to praise Xu Haifeng, but if he couldn't come up with a poem to match it, he would lose even more face.

  If it weren't for Jiang Kungming's prior reminder, he would have been caught off guard and at a loss. But now that he was prepared, with three beautiful women watching, he naturally had to put on a good show.

  He pretended to hesitate for a moment before saying: "Alright, since the Prime Minister has given an order, I can only offer my humble services."

  Gu Dao and others exchanged a glance, unable to conceal the surprise in their eyes. They had thoroughly investigated Xu Haifeng's background and knew that he had dropped out of school after only a few years. If he could still produce excellent poetry under such circumstances, it was indeed hard for people to believe.

  Xu Haifeng pretended to think for a while, until he had whetted everyone's appetite, before saying: "The other day, I went with my wife to Xiaozhou Mountain to watch the sunrise. Due to some reason, we arrived late, and it was already sunset by then. So I thought, since we couldn't see the sunrise, watching the sunset would be just as good."

  Xiao Zhoushan is a famous scenic spot near the capital, a great place to watch the sunrise and sunset, and most people here have been there. At this time, hearing Xu Haifeng suddenly mention this unrelated matter, everyone feels a bit strange.

  Xu Haifeng continued, "The sunset is indeed a magnificent sight. As I was watching it, I suddenly thought of a poem and would like to dedicate it to you, Prime Minister."

  Min Zhitang had already sensed that Xu Haifeng's next words would not be pleasant, but at this moment he could not avoid listening, so he reluctantly said: "Please go on..."

  Xu Haifeng looked at his slightly aged face and said word by word: "The sunset is infinitely good, only near dusk."

  The whole hall fell silent for a moment, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

  This ancient masterpiece by Li Shangyin stunned all the self-proclaimed literary scholars present, and the reason why this poem has been able to move people's hearts for thousands of years lies in the realm elevated by these two sentences, giving people a philosophical enlightenment. And this realm is exactly what everyone can comprehend.

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