Marquis Jiang Kun of Yue Land, a man given to debauchery from the previous generation, saw Dai Yu's beauty when he first took office and wanted to forcibly claim her.

Now over fifty, with a host of wives and concubines, Jiang Kun met Dai Yu, who was but eighteen and a person of lofty ideals who would not comply.

The two sides were at an impasse for quite some time until Jiang Kun, unable to bear it any longer and preparing to use force, was punished by the Emperor.

Dai Yu was spared from a disaster.

Even though Jiang Kun was killed, Dai Yu was still left with a shadow in her heart, thereafter disguising herself as a man and developing a significant aversion to men. Thus, when she saw the newly appointed Wang Xiaoqiang with two beautiful women, Dai Yu became wary and deliberately distant towards him.

Moreover, from that day on, even at home, Dai Yu continued to disguise herself as a man.

When Old Ge visited Dai Yu's home, Dai Yu was meeting with a few literary friends, discussing the upcoming Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival.

Old Ge explained his purpose for visiting.

The literary friends wanted to use the occasion of the lantern festival to hold a poetry meeting.

A poetry meeting is different from a lantern festival, as lantern festivals require a spacious location, while poetry meetings need a relatively enclosed space.

The group was worried about finding a place to hold the poetry meeting. When they heard that the new Lord Marquis Wang Xiaoqiang had graciously offered to lend them the garden in the Marquis' Mansion, they were all very pleased.

However, Dai Yu decisively rejected the offer.

Dai Yu tactfully said to Old Ge, "Old Ge, please go back and thank the Marquis for me. Tell him I appreciate his kind offer, but we have already found a place, and besides, the Marquis' Mansion isn't a place for people like us..."

Angered, Old Ge really wanted to strike Dai Yu down with his sword, but recalling Wang Xiaoqiang's instructions, he gritted his teeth and said, "Very well, this old man will take his leave."

Frustrated, Old Ge returned to the Marquis' Mansion with pent-up anger, reported to Wang Xiaoqiang, and through gritted teeth said, "Lord Marquis, this Dai Yu is truly despicable..."

He had only just spoken when Wang Xiaoqiang's expression turned furious and he sternly exclaimed, "Scoundrel, do not insult her..."

Realizing his slip, Old Ge quickly covered his mouth and slapped himself, anxiously saying, "Lord Marquis, I... I was wrong, please forgive me..."

Wang Xiaoqiang coldly glanced at him and said, "Enough, you may leave. Don't meddle in this matter anymore."

"Yes, this subordinate will take his leave!" Old Ge wiped the sweat from his brow and hastily made his exit.

As the Marquis of Yue Land, Wang Xiaoqiang was also quite reputable.

His courageous and valiant performance at the Armor Snatching Tournament, as well as his defiance of powerful authorities, had long been well known.

Of course, this also included his appearances in the Eight Desolation Mirror; he was known to everyone as both a heroic incarnation and a formidable figure, commanding both admiration and fear.

Old Ge rarely saw Wang Xiaoqiang angered and was nearly scared out of his wits when he did.

The purer Dai Yu seemed, the more Wang Xiaoqiang liked her, and the more he wanted to conquer her. For such a woman, conquering her added a greater sense of achievement.

In Luoo River City, a grand lantern festival was organized by the locals every Mid-Autumn Festival.

There are two locations for the festival: the square in Luoo River City and outside the city on the Luoo River.

Although Immortal Realm was a cultivation world, it also had its scholars and poets.

Much of the time, these poets were women.

They liked to gather together, compose poetry, and compete in talent.

This group of literary friends of Dai Yu's planned to take advantage of the Mid-Autumn lantern festival to hold a poetry meeting.

Dai Yu declined Wang Xiaoqiang's kind offer and gave up the garden in the Marquis' Mansion, opting instead to rent a large painted pleasure boat to hold the poetry meeting on the Luoo River.

Time flew swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, it was already Mid-Autumn Festival.

That evening, the sky was clear, the bright moon hung high, and the stars were brilliant. A full moon was suspended in the night sky, showering down moonlight and starry radiance like splendid silk, exceptionally enchanting.

Under the night moon, the bustling Luoo River City was brightly lit.

On the streets, trees gleamed like silver flowers and thousands of colored lanterns decorated the city tower covered in lanterns and streamers…

The myriad lights, overflowing with radiant colors, adorned Luoo River City into a city of lights.

Corresponding to this, outside the city was the Luoo River.

At this moment, under the moonlight, closely lined pleasure boats on the Luoo River were also adorned with lanterns. The varied lights reflected on the water, transforming into a drunken haze of colors, shimmering with the water's ripple, complementing the stars and moon in the sky, dreamlike and illusory.

Wang Xiaoqiang, fully sated with food and drink, walked out of the Marquis' Mansion accompanied by two guards. He first strolled around Luoo River City, letting his Divine Sense loose, but he did not find Dai Yu's figure, so he then went to the Luoo River and boarded a pleasure boat.

The pleasure boat shuttled back and forth on the Luoo River, and soon, Wang Xiaoqiang located the oversized pleasure boat where Dai Yu was present.

On that oversized pleasure boat, there were sounds of reciting poetry and bursts of laughter…

"The round moon shines bright above, flowers smile at me, I say the flowers are infatuated, the flowers shyly smile!"

"Luoo River reflects the silver moon, branches cut through the fresh breeze, pleasure boat carries Luoo River, figures in the water of Luoo."

"Leisurely chanting in the Luoo River, everything feels everlasting, if there were no moon tonight, another autumn would just pass by vainly."

…

Listening to the sound of poetry from the boat, Wang Xiaoqiang couldn't help but find it amusing, thinking that the level of poetry was quite poor, falling far behind the poetry of great Huaxia, missing by a mile. Even he could compose such childish poetry.

However, Wang Xiaoqiang was not in the mood for poetry at that moment; his purpose was to find Dai Yu.

To lure Dai Yu out of the pleasure boat, Wang Xiaoqiang thought of a Song Poetry piece that felt very fitting to recite on this Mid-Autumn night. Thus, he forcefully projected his voice and loudly recited:

"When will the full moon appear? Wine cup in hand, I ask the blue sky. I do not know what time of the year it would be tonight in the heavenly palace. I want to ride the wind back, yet I fear the crystal palace would be too high and cold. Dancing with my shadow, how different it is from living among mortals?"

Just having recited this much, the sounds from the oversized pleasure boat immediately ceased, followed by a wave of amazed and admiring exclamations. Then, a group of literati instantly poured out from the boat.

Among this group of literati, there were seven women and three men, including Dai Yu who was still disguised as a man. Under the flickering light, Dai Yu appeared even more striking.

This group of ten people frantically looked around, ultimately fixing their gaze on Wang Xiaoqiang.

Wang Xiaoqiang, with his hands clasped behind his back, did not even glance at the group of literati but looked up at the moon instead, continuing to chant, "Round the vermillion tower, below the ornate windows, shining on the sleepless. There should be no resentment, why does it linger enlarging the parting? Humans have sorrow and joy; separation and reunion, the moon has its phases. This has been an ancient difficulty everlasting. Only wishing for the long-lasting of people, thousands of miles sharing the beauty."

…

After Wang Xiaoqiang had finished chanting, the scene was still utterly silent; the group of literati, including Dai Yu, stared intensely at Wang Xiaoqiang, their eyes radiating with astonishment and enthusiasm.

Three seconds later, the scene erupted into a tide-like applause and cheering.

"Excellent, truly excellent! Never have I heard such beautiful words!"

"This literary friend can compose such beautiful and deeply artistic words, truly a divine being!"

"Senior, may we have the honor of your presence on the boat for a drink and to admire the moon together?"

Although Wang Xiaoqiang was indeed the Marquis of Yue Land, very few had actually seen him; amongst this group of literati, aside from Dai Yu who had met Wang Xiaoqiang, the others had no chance to be acquainted with him, so they did not recognize him.

While the poetic skills of this group were mediocre, their appreciation levels were still present. Suddenly witnessing such an enchanting poetry being chanted by a young man like Wang Xiaoqiang, they were instantly revered as if seeing a Heavenly Being.

Even Dai Yu was astonished by Wang Xiaoqiang's poetry, her beautiful eyes intently fixing on him, radiating a fervent glow. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for it and give it a monthly vote. Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)

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