Chapter 39: A Night of Dragons and and Fish Dance (Part Five)

A thousand blossoms released by the night breeze.

In the second-floor hall of the Old Rain Pavilion, Li Pin's clear voice reached everyone's ears. Beside him, Ning Yi's brush flew over the paper, writing swiftly. With just that first line, many in the audience began to react — some grew serious, listening intently for the next line, while others frowned, feeling an unease rising within them.

Among the group, Su Chonghua held the firm belief that Ning Yi was merely someone with modest talent. He didn't buy into the tale that Shui Diao Ge Tou was composed by a Taoist; yet, he knew well enough of Ning Yi's methods at Yushan Academy. Ning Yi's way of teaching, to him, was absurdly simplistic, as though he were trivializing the classics. Though he'd likely read through the basics of the ancient texts, Su Chonghua found it hard to believe Ning Yi was truly learned. Even though Song Mao himself had praised Ning Yi's teaching approach, Su Chonghua dismissed it as mere trickery that might serve in the short run but couldn't withstand the test of time.

In truth, he had no personal objection to how Ning Yi lived his days. Su Old Master's intentions were clear to him from the beginning, and Su Chonghua, having experienced the complexities of court life, could tolerate a good deal of nonsense. It was nothing to buy a poem to gain the reputation of a literary talent. He himself would have done the same in his youth if he'd had the chance. But hearing Song Mao's praise was different. When the Old Master had sought Ning Yi out for a teaching conversation on New Year's Day, Su Chonghua felt a profound sense of threat.

Ning Yi had always acted with restraint, avoided unnecessary connections, and gave others no reason to criticize him. As part of the Su family, with the Old Master's endorsement, Su Chonghua knew that trying to undermine Ning Yi within the family was nearly impossible. Yet, tonight presented a rare opportunity. His appearance here was no accident. The moment he spotted Ning Yi, he had resolved to act. After signaling Pu Yangyi to call Ning Yi up, he only had to suggest that Ning Yi compose a poem. With himself as the elder and Xue Jin urging things along, and the presence of so many scholars, Ning Yi had no way to refuse.

As the saying goes, "Writers are wont to belittle each other." Ning Yi's Mid-Autumn poem might have stolen the show, but if he had no more to show, who would truly respect him?

Su Chonghua's scheme was, in essence, no different from that of Wenxing and the others when Song Mao visited the Su mansion: using others to expose Ning Yi's inadequacies. Tonight, he was fully prepared to witness Ning Yi's reputation crumble. And everything had unfolded just as he had hoped. The murmurs around the hall showed that no one was going to let Ning Yi leave so easily. Xue Jin's dramatic performance was perfectly timed, with his final words pushing Ning Yi into a corner.

Yet, the glint in Ning Yi's eye as he met Su Chonghua's gaze took him by surprise. When Ning Yi casually lifted his brush, Su Chonghua's heart skipped a beat, sensing that something had gone wrong in his calculation. With the appearance of the first line of Ning Yi's poem, he instantly realized that he had been outmaneuvered just when he thought he was at his most triumphant.

Far too composed.

Despite their differing perspectives, he and Xue Jin both felt this — Ning Yi's calm demeanor left no doubt he had no shortage of talent. When Li Pin recited, "And scattered like stars in a rainstorm," the grand, majestic imagery of the poem began to take shape in everyone's minds, unfurling as the verses continued.

Swish, swish, swish.

"Chariots with jeweled horses… the streets fragrant with incense."

"The sound of the phoenix flute resonates…"

"The jade flask gleams as it turns…"

"A night of Dragon and Fish Dancing—"

With the first stanza complete, Su Chonghua let out a soft sigh, took a sip from his wine cup, and closed his eyes, realizing that his plan for the night had turned to dust. The feeling was as bitter as when a scheme failed in the court — a complete miscalculation. He now found the young man before him unfathomable. On the other side, Xue Jin gaped, unable to utter a word, his astonished expression revealing his shock. Silence fell over the hall, broken only by a few murmurs as people repeated the verses, while the sounds of revelry outside filtered in.

If Shui Diao Ge Tou had unfolded gradually with a serene beauty, leading to an unexpectedly magnificent climax, then this poem had opened with bold, sweeping strokes. Like an ink-wash landscape in wild cursive, it burst forth with vibrant imagery from the very start. "A thousand blossoms released by the night breeze. Scattered like stars in a rainstorm. Chariots with jeweled horses, the streets fragrant with incense. The sound of the phoenix flute resonates, the jade flask gleams as it turns — a night of dragons and phoenixes dancing." Even with only half the poem complete, the layers of rich metaphors had already captured the bustling splendor of the Lantern Festival night, compressing it to a single moment and presenting it vividly before them all.

The atmosphere in the hall grew somewhat solemn. Ning Yi paused, glancing back as if assessing everyone's reactions, but in reality, he remained focused on the moving green-clad maid. While writing, he had stolen a few glances at her actions. She merely cast a puzzled look in this direction, then concentrated on serving drinks, now slightly turned beside a pillar, her gaze directed at the corridor outside the window. Apart from Ning Yi, no one else in the hall seemed to notice her.

Ning Yi turned back, swirling his brush in the inkstone, murmuring, "The moths dance in the snow willows, golden threads..." Li Pin, not hearing clearly, responded, "Hmm?" Only when Ning Yi put down his brush did he grasp what was said.

"The moths dance in the snow willows, golden threads..."

As he continued to write, Ning Yi's gaze shifted slightly. The green-clad maid turned again to pour wine for someone, her eyes subtly moving to the other side. Two men in blue shirts had already turned to look inside. Pu Yangyi seemed to have noticed this, and a relatively prominent attendee approached to inquire and negotiate, speaking softly at the entrance while others focused on the poetry, oblivious to the exchange.

Ning Yi raised his brush to write the next line: "Laughter and words linger, the fragrance departs."

The two blue-shirted soldiers dared not disrupt such a gathering of scholars. Their voices lowered, and they finally turned to leave the corridor, glancing back through the window. Ning Yi paused after finishing this line, watching as they disappeared from view. The green-clad maid, following a circular path, carried the wine jug toward the door, pouring drinks for people at a nearby table and pausing slightly, likely calculating the time it would take for the two men to ascend to the third floor.

"Searching for him a thousand times among the crowd..."

Li Pin's voice broke through, and Ning Yi noticed the maid's movements out of the corner of his eye. She stepped outside, glancing down the corridor, perhaps realizing the blue-clad men were no longer there. As she moved, the phrase "suddenly turning back" just sounded. The maid seemed to sense something, pausing briefly, her gaze turning toward this side, her brow slightly furrowed. With a fleeting glance, Ning Yi nonchalantly withdrew his gaze, focusing on writing the last line of the poem.

After the final stroke fell, Li Pin let out a soft sigh, his eyes scanning the surroundings: "Suddenly turning back... that person is but a faint light among the lanterns."

As the words settled, someone sighed in the silence: "Wonderful..." On the other side, the distinguished Qi Lan had already been captivated, her eyes sparkling as she heard the lines "Searching for him a thousand times among the crowd, suddenly turning back, that person is but a faint light among the lanterns." She involuntarily stood up, eager to say something or step over this way, only to realize it might be inappropriate. Biting her lip lightly, she fidgeted with her handkerchief and glanced sideways. Many others were still savoring the meaning of the poem's latter half, and Ning Yi set down his brush. Li Pin carefully lifted the rice paper, shaking it slightly, then scrutinized it once more before handing it to Pu Yangyi, who looked at Ning Yi with a sigh that conveyed unspoken admiration, stepping back and giving a bow.

The poem's upper half vividly depicted the grandeur of the Lantern Festival, its brilliant strokes capturing the bustling scene. Even just this half was already astonishing. However, the lower half extracted an essence from this most magnificent portrayal, juxtaposing the worldly with the transcendent, creating an immense impact that was hard to articulate. Among the audience, some pondered, some understood, but all sighed quietly, their expressions complex. This profound meaning, in this moment, was undoubtedly pointed.

Of course, a few were quick to notice the movements of others, such as Xue Jin, who immediately caught sight of Qi Lan's rising. Having just spoken, he now felt embarrassed, as the poem had turned his previous words into ridicule. While no one paid him much mind at the moment, he couldn't help but feel a mix of frustration and resentment, especially since it had been a confrontation between him and Ning Yi. After a moment, he couldn't help but say, "Then why did you tell your family elders that Shui Diao Ge Tou was composed by a Taoist?"

Ning Yi put down his brush, calculating how long the green-clad maid had been absent from the window. He had no feelings for someone like Xue Jin, and hearing his voice now, he smiled and replied, "Where did Brother Xue hear this?"

Xue Jin was taken aback: "Although it was hearsay, it was quite vivid. Did you... actually say that?"

Ning Yi stared at him for a few seconds, blinked, and then chuckled: "I did, but rumors end with the wise; perhaps Brother Xue missed half the sentence."

During their exchange, Xue Jin's tone was slightly elevated, but Ning Yi spoke calmly, his voice likely not carrying as far as Li Pin's. Nevertheless, upon hearing this, Su Chonghua's eyes widened in disbelief at Ning Yi's words. Xue Jin was dumbfounded and hadn't spoken yet when Ning Yi clasped his hands together: "I truly have urgent matters and am not deceiving anyone. I must take my leave. Farewell."

At this point, no one dared to stop him; some even clasped their hands in farewell, saying, "Brother Ning, if you have matters, do attend to them." Others added, "It's no trouble, no trouble."

Xue Jin stared wide-eyed: "You..." The words barely left his mouth when Ning Yi patted his shoulder, pretending to say something. Li Pin, Wu Qihao, Pu Yangyi, and others focused intently on him. After two seconds, Ning Yi said, "That Taoist, on that day..."

He continued, "…recited two poems."

His voice hadn't truly lowered. After saying this earnestly, Ning Yi nodded and turned to leave. Xue Jin's face flushed bright red, speechless. Xiao Chan, who had been quietly memorizing the lines behind others, quickly followed him out, the two of them disappearing down the corridor, one after the other.

The scene fell into a brief silence, as others struggled to find much to say. Li Pin glanced at the lines of the poem and remarked with a smile, "Now that this poem has emerged, writing on the Lantern Festival won't be easy."

Pu Yangyi nodded, flicking the rice paper and sighing, "What a beautiful poem..." He then began to circulate it among the others. Meanwhile, Qi Lan turned her gaze toward the window through which Ning Yi and Xiao Chan had disappeared, sitting down with a hint of melancholy. Moments later, she brightened up again, chatting casually with those around her to lift the atmosphere. She was waiting for the poem to come back around, eager to perform her part.

Half an hour later, this poem, "Green Jade Table(青玉案,Qing Yu An)," spread throughout Jiangning...