Gu Shaoyan quickly winked at Liang Xiao, while Luo Qingxue tugged at Liang Xiao's arm incessantly, her heart filled with anxiety.
Mu Hong, trying to smooth things over, had already said his piece, yet here he was, facing a rebuff from Liang Xiao.
Liang Xiao smiled, "Not at all."
Mu Hong, suppressing his resentment, asked, "Then why are you unwilling to show us your skills?"
"Brother Mu, I never said I wouldn't show my skills." Liang Xiao maintained his smile.
The crowd found Liang Xiao's words increasingly perplexing.
Liang Xiao immediately called for a guard to bring the table with the inkstone, brush, and paper before him.
Another guard promptly placed a wine jar on the table.
"Wine?" The confusion deepened among the onlookers.
Because it was sealed so tightly, the aroma of the wine couldn't be detected unless one was close.
Liang Xiao turned to face Luo Qingxue, pondered for a moment, and then picked up the brush.
Luo Qingxue understood and quickly walked over to grind the ink for Liang Xiao.
Mu Hong, spotting the white paper affixed to the wine jar, chuckled, "I see! You intend to write on the wine jar itself!"
The crowd suddenly understood, shaking their heads in unison, "This Liang Xiao is mad!"
What was the point of writing on a wine jar?
At that very moment, Liang Xiao began to recite softly.
"If life were always like the first meeting, why would the autumn wind lament the painted fan?"
As soon as the words fell, the entire assembly felt a surge of emotion!
"This..." Yi Rou's heart trembled violently.
What a tragically beautiful line!
Mu Hong and Gu Shaoyan's eyes lit up as they gazed at Liang Xiao in astonishment.
Dugu Xiao, on the other hand, felt as if he were facing a formidable enemy!
"The hearts that once changed indifferently, now say that the hearts that once loved have changed."
Another line, eliciting a cascade of gasps from the entire hall.
No matter how much these high-ranking officials and nobles affected an appreciation for the arts, they were, at the very least, literate and not deaf; they understood the poetry!
Exquisite!
After Liang Xiao finished reciting, he wielded his brush with a flourish, writing the two lines on the white paper pasted to the jar. He then turned to face the crowd.
"If life were always like the first meeting, why would the autumn wind lament the painted fan? The hearts that once changed indifferently, now say that the hearts that once loved have changed..." 138 reading network.
As the crowd recited the lines, including Yi Rou, nearly half the women and a quarter of the men recalled past events, their tears flowing freely.
Liang Xiao chuckled inwardly: he had almost forgotten, most scholars in the Great Gan Dynasty were rather idle and prone to sentimentality.
"What a wonderful poem..." Yi Rou wiped away her tears, gently covering her red lips with one hand, gazing at the two lines of poetry, utterly enraptured.
Gu Shaoyan exclaimed with even greater admiration, "A superb poem! And splendid calligraphy!"
Dugu Xiao trembled with anger, momentarily at a loss for words.
Luo Qingxue looked at the poem, then at Liang Xiao. Her beautiful eyes flickered, her face flushed.
Was this written for her?
Could it be that Liang Xiao was reminiscing about their first meeting? They had been childhood sweethearts then, only to be separated for many years.
"Does he think I've changed my heart? But I've never loved anyone else." Luo Qingxue felt a pang of guilt and a touch of grievance.
He was clearly still jealous of the Heavenly General; how should she comfort him...
Mu Hong also sighed in admiration several times. Returning to his senses, he asked, "Liang Xiao, this should only be half a poem, shouldn't it?"
The crowd quickly regained their composure and chimed in, "Please, Second Young Master Liang, complete this poem!"
"Second Young Master Liang..."
Hearing the crowd's change in address towards Liang Xiao, Dugu Xiao slumped onto his chair, dejected.
Liang Xiao nodded, "Indeed! This poem, I shall write it only once, and it is written here."
The crowd was astonished.
Writing it only once, this was clearly an attempt to turn it into a unique piece of calligraphy!
Gu Shaoyan was the first to speak, "I understand! Liang Xiao, although it may be somewhat out of place, I will offer one hundred taels for this masterpiece!"
"I offer two hundred taels!" a middle-aged merchant exclaimed excitedly.
Two hundred taels for a poem?
The crowd was taken aback, but quickly came to their senses.
This poem was so exquisite; two hundred taels for this unique piece of calligraphy was truly not expensive!
Unless Liang Xiao committed treason, even if he achieved nothing in the future, this poem would still hold literary value!
Furthermore, they realized that Liang Xiao's calligraphy was truly exceptional, even within the entire Great Gan Dynasty!
It was not improbable that, in the future, Liang Xiao's fame would soar, and this calligraphy could fetch thousands, even tens of thousands of taels!
Everyone grasped the crucial point: the paper on the wine jar was not firmly attached and could seemingly be easily removed, making it a genuine "masterpiece"!
"Two hundred taels? Do you take me for a beggar?" Liang Xiao burst into laughter.
The merchant was displeased, "You are not a world-renowned literary master. My offer of two hundred taels is for the intrinsic value of the poem itself!"
Luo Qingxue walked behind Liang Xiao, tugged at his arm playfully, and pouted, "I'll give you all my dowry money; write this poem for me..."
Liang Xiao whispered in response, "Isn't all my money yours in the future?"
Upon hearing this, Luo Qingxue, who had been eagerly expectant, instantly blushed crimson and turned her head away, too embarrassed to look at Liang Xiao.
How could this fellow speak so openly in public...
Understanding Liang Xiao's implied meaning, Luo Qingxue felt both shy and incredibly sweet.
Yi Rou, having recovered her senses, sighed, "Two hundred taels is already not a low price, is it? It seems Second Young Master Liang is a bit of a money-grubber..."
Before Yi Rou could finish, a wave of wine aroma suddenly permeated the hall.
It turned out that Liang Xiao had opened the seal on the wine jar, removed the lid, and the rich aroma of wine wafted out!
"Hiss—"
Gasps of astonishment rippled through the entire assembly!
This aroma of wine...
"Such fine wine! Even the 'Pine Spirit Wine,' a palace specialty, doesn't possess such a rich aroma!" Mu Hong's voice trembled.
Gu Shaoyan sighed, "I, Gu, have savored fine wines from across the land, but an aroma like this is utterly unparalleled. I'll make a bet: if this wine is not an exceptional vintage, I will pay for everyone's drinks tonight!"
Many people crowded forward, as if they were about to pounce at any moment.
The guards of the Liang manor stood vigilant by the table, their gazes sharp, yet their throats were dry as they inwardly roared.
Young master's wine is simply too damn fragrant!
The crowd dared not move rashly. Gu Shaoyan anxiously inquired, "Liang Xiao, how much are you selling this wine for?"
"Gu Shaoyan!" Dugu Xiao could bear it no longer and reprimanded him.
Gu Shaoyan, however, acted as if he hadn't heard, his eyes fixated on the wine jar.
Dugu Xiao immediately lost his temper.
He could see that Gu Shaoyan was not intentionally slighting him, but was genuinely captivated by the wine!
Liang Xiao shook his head, "Brother Gu, don't you understand my intention yet? Poetry and wine, sold together, never separately! Once sold, I will complete the poem on the spot!"
The crowd was startled.
Luo Qingxue whispered in amazement, "Clever!"
A masterpiece of a poem, half of which was yet to be completed, paired with a jar of peerless vintage wine, was simply a perfect match. The value of both poetry and wine would skyrocket!
"Second Young Master Liang, please name your price quickly!" someone couldn't help but urge.
Yi Rou's beautiful eyes were fixed on Liang Xiao, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "He's a clever one..."
But what truly filled her with anticipation was the latter half of the poem!
At this moment, her heart was also wrestling with indecision: should she bid for it?
That poem had truly struck a chord with her!
Mu Hong and Gu Shaoyan could no longer hold back, and both urged Liang Xiao, "Name your price quickly. We have considerable spare funds, and should be able to acquire it!"
Liang Xiao resealed the wine jar and smiled, "Starting bid one thousand taels, highest bidder wins! Poetry and wine seek a kindred spirit!"
"Well said, 'Poetry and wine seek a kindred spirit'!" Yi Rou finally exclaimed in admiration, looking at Liang Xiao with newfound respect. Glancing at Luo Qingxue behind him, she felt a twinge of jealousy.