Outside Yizhou City, a fierce battle raged.
But outside Nanjing City, the night was equally vibrant.
The seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the annual poetry gathering, was being held by the Qinhuai River.
A yacht sailed upstream along the Yangtze River.
Li Shimin stood on the third-floor deck, looking at the countless flower boats on the Qinhuai River, and asked in confusion.
"Boy, what is this all about?"
Fang Er smiled slightly. "Father, today is Qixi."
Chonglou added from the side, "Your Majesty Emperor Taizong, this is a poetry gathering held by the scholars of Nanjing to win the favor of the courtesans."
Li Shimin was furious upon hearing this.
"The Tatars are invading beyond the passes, and rebels are rampant within. These scholars, instead of serving the nation, have the leisure to seek out women! "
"Sail the boat over. I want to see what nonsense they can come up with!"
Fang Er gestured to Ge Luoyang, who was steering the boat, and the yacht slowly moved towards the flower boats.
As they got closer, they saw countless scholars gathered by the riverbank, waiting for something. Upon seeing the yacht, which they had never seen before, they began to discuss.
"Whose boat is this? It's so novel!"
"It travels so fast without oars or paddles. This boat is extraordinary!"
"The boat is entirely snow-white and uniquely designed. I believe it must belong to Mr. Hengbo."
"No, no, in my opinion, only Miss Yuanyuan is worthy of such a boat."
"Nonsense, only Madam Hedong is qualified to use this as her pleasure boat."
While they were discussing, a small boat sailed from among the flower boats towards the riverbank, with a young woman standing at the bow.
The woman was dressed as a maidservant. When the scholars saw her appearance clearly, some recognized her identity.
"Huh? That boat... it's not Mr. Hengbo's pleasure boat?"
Mr. Hengbo, Gu Hengbo, was one of the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai.
The woman on the small boat was her personal maid, Ping'er.
As Ping'er reached the riverbank, she first curtsied slightly to the scholars and then said with a smile.
"This year, on Qixi, my lady has prepared three challenges. If you answer them satisfactorily, you may join her on her pleasure boat for a drink."
"The first challenge is to compose a poem with Qixi as the theme."
Just then, another small boat sailed over, also carrying a young woman. Upon reaching the riverbank, she announced loudly.
"My lady Hedong also has a challenge. This one is not about romance."
"Madam Hedong said that the most important matter in the world is national prosperity and peace. Please compose a poem with this as the theme."
As if by agreement, a third boat appeared by the riverbank, and the woman on it also presented a challenge.
"Don't rush, don't rush! My sister Yuanyuan also has a challenge!"
"Tonight, the bright moon is in the sky, so compose a poem with the moon as the theme."
Following closely, came the fourth and fifth boats...
In the end, a total of eight small boats docked by the riverbank, awaiting the scholars to recite their poems and prose.
Fang Er thought of something and asked Chonglou, "Are these the maidservants of the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai?"
Chonglou nodded. "Lord's eyesight is sharp. Currently, only these eight have such influence along this ten-mile stretch of the Qinhuai River."
Li Shimin asked curiously, "Tell me what's going on!"
Chonglou quickly replied truthfully.
"The Eight Beauties of Qinhuai are Gu Hengbo, Liu Ruoshi, Chen Yuanyuan, Dong Xiaowan, Bian Yuqing, Li Xiangjun, Kou Baimen, and Ma Xianglan."
"Each of the eight has their own unique qualities, beyond their striking looks. They are also skilled in various arts."
"For example, qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, and singing and playing musical instruments, etc."
"Although they are courtesans, they are all virtuous and only display their talents and skills, considered as 'pure courtesans'."
"It is worth noting that Chen Yuanyuan had not yet met Wu Sangui at this time, nor had Liu Ruoshi married Qian Qianyi."
After listening to Chonglou's explanation, Li Shimin became interested in these eight famous courtesans of Qinhuai.
"Boy, these women are perhaps driven by circumstances, but these scholars displease me greatly. Go, disrupt this event!"
Fang Er: "???"
Does this old lecher want to ruin the poetry gathering so he can take over?
Fine, he didn't have a good impression of these scholars anyway, and since he had nothing else to do, disrupting it wasn't out of the question.
With that thought, he walked into the cabin, fetched a megaphone, sat on the deck, crossed his legs, and began to shout into the megaphone.
"Misty water embraces the moonlit sands, at night I anchor by the Qinhuai near the wine houses."
"The singing girls know not the sorrow of a fallen nation, across the river they still sing the 'Song of the Southern Dynasties'."
*Swish!*
Du Mu's poem "Anchoring by the Qinhuai" was delivered to the ears of every scholar by the megaphone.
Everyone instinctively looked over.
Someone pointed at Fang Er and accused, "What sort of clown are you? Are you trying to attract the attention of the ladies with this method?"
Fang Er chuckled. "Why, didn't Madam Hedong's maid say earlier to compose an essay on national prosperity and peace?"
"I, Fang, am not talented enough to write a masterpiece, but I believe this poem is very fitting!"
The scholar became even angrier after hearing this. "Presumptuous! The world is at peace today. Although there are petty villains, they can be eliminated in an instant. Where is the danger of national demise?"
"I believe our Great Ming dynasty is prosperous and its court is upright, what hardship can't we overcome?"
"Do not speak such nonsense here, or you will find your place in the prisons of Ying Tian Prefecture!"
Fang Er had initially intended to just play along and disrupt the poetry gathering.
But the scholar's words ignited his fury. He casually called over a small boat selling wine on the river, threw a piece of silver, and took the small boat to the scholar's side.
"You say the world is at peace today?"
He stared into the scholar's eyes and asked in a chilling tone.
The scholar did not flinch from his gaze and pointed to the flower boats on the Qinhuai River. "With such singing and dancing, why is it not national peace?"
*Slap!*
Fang Er slapped him directly and then pointed at his nose, scolding him.
"The singing and dancing you see are bought with the lives of countless soldiers!"
"There is no such thing as a peaceful age; it's just that others are carrying the burden for you!"
"You, you dare to hit me?"
The scholar was stunned by the slap and pointed at Fang Er, shouting.
"Heh, heh heh~" Fang Er sneered. "Dare not, dare not. How could I dare to hit you without knowing your identity?"
"Then just now..."
*Slap!*
Before the scholar could finish speaking, Fang Er slapped him again.
"Beyond the passes, over a hundred thousand soldiers are fighting the Tatars with blood!"
"Within the passes, hundreds of thousands of soldiers are busy suppressing rebels!"
"This is the national peace you see!"
"I not only dare to hit you, I dare to kill you! Do you want to try?"
Seeing Fang Er's fierce gaze, the scholar's legs felt weak. He opened his mouth a few times but dared not say anything.
Just then, someone next to him stepped forward and cupped his fist towards Fang Er.
"My good sir, I am Mao Xiang. No matter who you are, this is a poetry gathering, not a martial arts arena. We do not welcome brutes like you!"