Chapter Fifty-Three: Name Someone You Love

Changsun Chong ignored the others and continued composing his poem. “In spring, a few tender shoots emerge; in summer, a lush green thicket grows.” As he finished the first two lines, everyone frowned—this level of poetry was rather mediocre.

But then, Changsun Chong shifted his poetic style. “In autumn, the blade scrapes the bone with pain; yet undaunted through the bitter chill of winter!”

“Bravo!” While the lines were not exceptional, the final couplet did add a touch of brilliance. For an impromptu effort, it was passable.

“Haha! Well done! Brother Changsun has passed this round. Sanzi, it’s your turn!”

Sanzi resumed his stirring drumbeat, and now everyone began to play tricks.

“Weichi Blackie, toss the ball to me, don’t hold on to it!”

“Li Zhen, what are you doing, why pass it to me all of a sudden?”

“Hey, stop flinging it around at random!”

Drums ceased, the ball stopped—Changle was the lucky one this time.

Holding the ball, Changle’s face flushed with embarrassment. Her eyes flickered as she cast a pleading glance at Li Yi.

“Oh! Changle, you’re really lucky today! Don’t look at me with those eyes—it’s useless. I’m utterly impartial!”

Changle was vexed and indignant. This blockhead—couldn’t he help me out just a little? Hmph!

“Big Brother Li, where are your two brothers?”

“You mean Ye Si and Ye Xu? They went out to play and won’t be back for a month!”

“Oh. Isn’t it about time we had something to eat? I’m starving!”

“Hungry? But the food isn’t ready yet. Bingyu, why don’t you brew some of the tea we roasted yesterday for everyone?”

“What’s so great about tea? Why don’t we play cards instead?”

“Heh, Changle, do you think a stern, handsome, and utterly impartial judge like me would let you change the subject?”

“Why should you be the judge?”

“Rest assured, when the game ends, I’ll compose a poem, sing a song, and draw a slip myself to entertain all the brothers!”

Everyone cheered at his words—what a loyal friend!

Changle’s cheeks puffed up in indignation. “Hmph! I’ll draw a slip—I don’t believe you can come up with anything perverse!”

Fuming, she strode over to Li Yi, snatched a slip at random, and tossed it to him. As she left, she shot him a glare and stomped on his foot, making him wince in pain.

“This brat—can’t take a joke, can she? She didn’t even check what she drew before tossing it to me. Isn’t she afraid I’ll cheat? What the—?” Li Yi was dumbfounded as he looked at the slip. What in the world was this?

“Brother Yi, what did the Princess draw? Hurry, let us see!”

“Yeah, stop dawdling, Brother Yi!”

Changle, realizing she might have caused a problem, straightened up and watched Li Yi nervously.

Li Yi forced a laugh and read aloud, “Name the one in your heart.”

Changle’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Li Yi, desperate to know how he could come up with such a fiendish question and why she had to pick it. How could she answer something like this in public? Tears welled in her eyes as she glared at Li Yi with silent reproach.

Li Xueyan, too, turned a look of blame on Li Yi, making him uncomfortable. The others were equally stunned—this was quite a sensational question!

Li Yi glanced around, realizing that if he didn’t step in, things would get awkward.

“Well, I originally thought only men would be present, so I wrote this question. But now that Princess Changle has drawn it, and as you all know, such things aren’t easily spoken by a young lady. So, I suggest I compose a poem for this round instead—what do you say?”

But Changle was not so easily appeased. “No, you have to add a song as well! Hmph!”

Li Yi smiled wryly. “Very well, so be it. Any objections, brothers?”

“None at all, Brother Yi. We’ve long heard of your talents—today, let’s see them in action!”

Just then, Bingyu and a few servants entered with tea, handing a cup to each guest.

The moment they tasted the tea, everyone was amazed—the brew was crystal clear, exuding a subtle fragrance. A sip revealed its sweetness and smoothness, leaving a lingering aftertaste that refreshed the mind.

Li Ke took a sip, closed his eyes to savor it, and remarked, “Excellent tea, truly superb. Every time I come to your place, Brother Yi, I gain something new. I concede defeat!”

Li Zhen sipped as well. “Fine tea, truly fine!” He relished the flavor in silence, for savoring tea suited his style perfectly.

Wei Shuyu tasted it and nodded. “The Jade Qilin’s reputation is well deserved!”

But when it came to Cheng Chumo and Weichi Baolin, the conversation took a turn.

“Weichi Blackie, can you taste anything special?”

“Nope! How about you, Cheng the Fiend?”

“Nothing here, tastes just like hot water to me!”

“Exactly!”

Li Yi stood up and walked to the window; for some reason, he always felt that reciting poetry by the window gave him extra flair.

“Hmm, I have it—‘The moon of Qin, the passes of Han, / Long marches, yet none return. / If only the flying general guards Dragon City, / No barbarian steed would dare cross Yin Mountain!’”

After hearing the poem, Li Ke jumped up. “Splendid! ‘If only the flying general guards Dragon City, / No barbarian steed would dare cross Yin Mountain.’ Such heroic spirit, Brother Yi!”

“Yes! It sets my blood boiling—so much better than those effeminate verses!”

Li Xueyan and Changle, though well aware of Li Yi’s talent, couldn’t help but admire him all the more, while Bingyu, covering her mouth in astonishment, listened to Li Yi’s poetry for the first time and marveled at her young master’s literary prowess.

Li Yi chuckled modestly. “Well, the poem is done; now for the song. I once composed a verse for my grandfather, and today I’ll set it to music and sing it for you!”

He walked to Sanzi, took up the drumsticks, and began to beat a steady rhythm.

“Smoke of war rises, gazing north across the land.
Dragon banners furl, horses neigh long, sword-gleam cold as frost...”

When the song ended, everyone was stirred with passion—especially the three Cheng brothers and the two mighty sons of the Weichi family, who leapt up, faces flushed with excitement.

Fang Yiai exclaimed, “What a powerful song!”

The Cheng brothers and Weichi duo, flushed and exuberant, echoed, “Indeed!”

Wei Shuyu added, “What a vigorous and robust verse!”

Again, the Cheng brothers and Weichi duo responded in unison, “Indeed!”

Changle said admiringly, “Big Brother Li’s talent is truly extraordinary!”

Again, “Indeed!”

Li Ke cried, “Brilliant!”

Again, “Indeed!”

Li Yi smiled bashfully. “It was nothing, really. Let’s keep a low profile. Now, since lunch is about to be served, I’ll draw a slip; the remaining poem and song I’ll present during the meal—how about that?”

“Agreed!”

Li Yi shuffled the slips, closed his eyes, and drew one at random. To his surprise, it was the very same one Changle had picked: “Name the one in your heart.”

Li Yi chuckled. “Well, this can’t be blamed on me—I picked at random. I suppose there’s no need for me to answer, is there?”

“Bah!” The others, ready for entertainment, were left disappointed. There was no mystery about who Li Yi loved—he had already declared it shamelessly in advance.

Li Xueyan, beaming with happiness, walked to Li Yi, took his hand, and nestled into his arms amid the playful jeers of the others.

As Li Yi glanced around, he caught Changle’s wistful and sorrowful gaze.

“Surely not—could she possibly be interested in me? That’s absurd! Though Changle is indeed wonderful, being a royal son-in-law in the Tang dynasty is a fate worse than a dog’s, and there’s the hurdle of Emperor Taizong! Heavens! Perhaps it’s not good to be too outstanding. Buddha, grant me peace in the household, may the years be tranquil. If all remains well, I swear I’ll never seek immortality!”

After a round of boisterous laughter, they finally left the hall, each bearing their own tangled emotions—Changle’s longing, Xueyan’s joy, Li Ke’s resignation, Li Xuan’s delight, Changsun’s hope, Yuzhang’s backward glance, some lost in love, others in worry—like a bubbling stew of age-old feelings—and made their way to the dining hall.