Chapter 105: Stop by the Maple Forest at Dusk, Frosty Leaves Bloom in February
Originally, the literary meet was just a small gathering. After all, in this world, most people focused on cultivation, and only a small portion had an interest in poetry, song, and literature.
It was a niche field. Not everyone aspired to be like Emperor Wenqu, who had attained the Dao through literature. That was an extraordinarily unique case, and most people simply pursued these arts as hobbies.
However, once the Crown Prince announced his intentions, everything changed! All the sects and clans, including those women who had previously shown no interest in elegant matters, began cramming in their studies.
They burned the midnight oil, reading and memorizing feverishly. If the Crown Prince were to notice them, even if it was just to serve as a maid, it would be like soaring to new heights!
Time was running short, and many sects had already set off, with some even coming from the southern, western, and eastern regions of the Dao Domain, traveling vast distances to participate.
According to estimations, even with a threshold set for participation, the number of attendees would be at least ten times that of previous years! What started as a niche gathering had now become a grand event filled with talented women.
—
Lin Qi’an’s carriage was still en route. He was leisurely enjoying the scenery along the way, taking his time to relax. However, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for Zi Lianyou.
These past few days, her mood had been quite low, yet she continued to grit her teeth and secretly study, trying to improve her literary skills. Normally, she was very playful, but now she didn’t even come out to play anymore.
Just as they passed through a forest of maple trees, the entire mountain was ablaze with vibrant red leaves, creating a breathtaking view.
“Stop the carriage. How far are we from Yunmo Dao Palace?” Lin Qi’an asked.
“Your Highness, it’s about 400 li away. We’ll be there soon,” one of the guards replied.
“No rush. The scenery here is quite beautiful. We can stop for a while and enjoy it.”
Following his orders, the carriage landed, and Lin Qi’an dismissed all the sword guards to patrol ten li away, ensuring no one would approach. This transformed the maple forest into a private playground for him and his maids.
“Come on, let’s go have some fun,” Lin Qi’an said as he stretched and stepped down from the carriage.
“The scenery here is so beautiful! I’ll take out some spirit pets for a walk,” Ran Yuwei said cheerfully.
Su Xueni and Zhao Qingmeng also followed him down from the carriage.
“What about you, Lianyou? Aren’t you coming?” Lin Qi’an asked.
“I… I’ll pass. You all have fun!” Zi Lianyou responded, even though she wanted to join them.
However, she knew that hard work was more important right now. It’s okay to be a little slow as long as I work hard. The Crown Prince will surely notice me! she thought.
After playing for a while with the others, Lin Qi’an suddenly signaled to Su Xueni with a look. “Su Xueni, why don’t you keep Qingmeng company for a bit? I’ll go grab something from the carriage,” he said.
Su Xueni’s eyes flickered with understanding. She nodded, “Yes, Your Highness.”
At this moment, the sword guards were far away, Ran Yuwei was out with the spirit pets, and Su Xueni was accompanying Zhao Qingmeng.
The area around the carriage was deserted. Zi Lianyou, meanwhile, was inside, lying by the window and studying diligently. Her fragrant shoulders were half-exposed, and her purple fairy dress hugged her figure beautifully.
However, as she encountered parts of the text she didn’t understand, her delicate eyebrows furrowed in frustration, making her look adorably stubborn.
“Still studying?” Lin Qi’an asked with a smile as he entered the carriage.
“Your Highness! Why did you come back all of a sudden…” Zi Lianyou was startled and quickly closed the book, a blush rising on her bright, beautiful face.
“I came back to see you,” Lin Qi’an replied.
“See… me?” Zi Lianyou’s heart began to race as Lin Qi’an sat beside her, unexpectedly close.
“You’ve been working so hard, studying diligently. Could it be that you’re hoping to show off your literary talents at the literary meet so that I’ll notice you?”
Lin Qi’an playfully lifted her delicate chin, his smile teasing.
“…Yes, that’s right,” Zi Lianyou admitted shyly, lowering her head. She wasn’t one to hide the truth.
“Let me ask you this: do you believe I can compose poetry?” Lin Qi’an asked.
“Hmm… uh… yes, I do!” Zi Lianyou initially shook her head instinctively but quickly switched to nodding rapidly, like a chick pecking at rice.
“Well, it seems like you don’t believe me. I happen to have a verse that suits this scene perfectly,” Lin Qi’an said with a grin.
“Your Highness, you must be joking with me! Are you trying to make fun of me because you think I’m a little slow?” Zi Lianyou pouted, sensing a trap.
“Why don’t you listen first and find out?”
“Alright, Your Highness. I refuse to believe you can compose a good poem!” she challenged.
“Stop the carriage… Frosty leaves are redder than February’s flowers.”
—
Meanwhile, Zhao Qingmeng was muttering, “What’s taking Lin Qi’an so long? Why isn’t he back yet?”
“Well, I don’t know. Didn’t he say he was just going to grab something? Let’s keep playing,” Su Xueni said with a smile.
“I’m not playing anymore. I’m going back to check!” Zhao Qingmeng insisted.
Unable to dissuade her, Su Xueni had no choice but to follow. As they approached, Zhao Qingmeng squinted her eyes. “That’s strange… why does it look like the carriage is shaking?” she asked.
“Cough, cough… Your Highness, perhaps the Crown Prince is, uh, occupied. It might not be the best time to disturb him,” Su Xueni said, trying to hold her back.
“What could he possibly be busy with? Wait a second…!” Zhao Qingmeng’s voice suddenly got caught in her throat as she realized something.
We all left the carriage… and the only one still inside is Zi Lianyou…
“Lin Qi’an!” she shouted, her eyes losing their sparkle.
Unfortunately, without cultivation, Zhao Qingmeng couldn’t break free from Su Xueni’s hold to storm over and catch them in the act. The frustration burned inside her, leaving her fuming with helplessness. How infuriating!
After resting for several hours, the carriage resumed its journey. Inside, the atmosphere was quite tense. Zhao Qingmeng stared at Lin Qi’an with wide eyes, clearly upset.
Su Xueni, on the other hand, covered her mouth, trying to suppress her laughter. Zi Lianyou sat curled up, her head lowered without saying a word, but her face was flushed red with embarrassment.
Despite this, her heart was filled with joy—her Spiritual Insight had just opened seven new meridians! The speed at which the world’s spiritual energy flowed into her body had increased significantly.
She was ecstatic. ‘Finally, I can hold my head up high! she thought. Who needs to read any more books? I’m done with that!’
—
At Yunmo Dao Palace, it was bustling with activity. Countless sects had arrived for the upcoming literary meet, and among them, each sect had brought women of exceptional beauty.
Their purpose was clear: to take a chance and possibly transform their fortunes! If they could catch the attention of the Crown Prince, even becoming his maid would be like riding a rocket to success.
“Everyone, my deepest apologies! It’s not that Yunmo Dao Palace is unwilling to host all of you, but the scale of our sect is limited, and we simply can’t accommodate everyone,” one of the elders in charge of reception explained.
“If everyone tries to participate, we fear that our Yunmo Dao Palace won’t be able to handle the crowd… so we had no choice but to establish a rule.”
“The rule is simple: those who wish to participate must first pass an initial test.”
“The test is straightforward: it’s a traditional ‘Flying Flower Order.’ We will assign a character, and participants must, within the allotted time, recite a poem containing that character.”
“Anyone wishing to participate, please line up.”
As soon as these words were spoken, a wave of discontent erupted from the crowd.
“What? We have to take a test just to join a literary meet?”
“Don’t take Yunmo Dao Palace too seriously!”
“Yeah, we’re only here out of respect for the Crown Prince. We don’t even care about Yunmo Dao Palace!”
“Get out of the way, or we’ll force our way in!”
Hundreds of sect members were blocking the entrance, and the crowd, numbering in the thousands, looked like a vast, oppressive sea of people. The suffocating pressure made it difficult to breathe.
Among them were various powerful elders—veteran cultivators—who had personally escorted their younger disciples to the event, only to be turned away. Naturally, this infuriated them, and their fearsome auras became stifling.
The elder in charge of reception was drenched in sweat, too terrified to even breathe. He knew better than to offend anyone. But what could he do?
—
Saintess Mo Shuiqiu was watching from the shadows, her heart in turmoil. It was her first time seeing such a grand spectacle.
Yunmo Dao Palace wasn’t like Tianjian City; it wasn’t equipped to handle such a large crowd. But they also couldn’t allow so many people in all at once, or chaos would ensue.
Even the sect leader was at a loss, left fretting in vain.
Suddenly, a loud roar echoed from the sky and everyone looked up. They saw a nine-headed beast pulling a carriage as it strode through the clouds.
Dozens of sword guards dressed in white stood around the golden carriage, flying on their swords, their presence awe-inspiring. Wherever they passed, golden light illuminated the surroundings, and clouds billowed beneath them.
“It’s the sword guards of Beiyang!”
“The Crown Prince! The Crown Prince has arrived!”
“My heavens, that ferocious beast is terrifyingly majestic! As expected of the Crown Prince!”
As the carriage descended, hundreds of sects bowed their heads.
“Welcome, Your Highness!”
“Welcome, Your Highness!”
Mo Shuiqiu felt a surge of relief. The Crown Prince had arrived. She hurried out to greet him. As Lin Qi’an stepped out of the carriage, the crowd parted to make way for him.
The Crown Prince was incredibly handsome, and his maids—each one more beautiful than the last—were dazzling to behold.
“Your Highness, please come in!” the elder said hastily, not daring to show even the slightest hint of neglect.
Unlike typical protagonists, who might be ridiculed when entering a new place, Lin Qi’an was treated with the utmost respect—this was the difference in status.
“What was all the commotion earlier?” Lin Qi’an asked.
“Your Highness, it’s because there are simply too many people…” the elder explained nervously.
Lin Qi’an listened and then smiled slightly, “That’s fair. Since a test is required to enter, let’s begin.”