I’m the MC, Why Do I Suck at Cultivation

At the center of the square, the elderly man took out a poem and read it aloud.

“Now, this old man will recite the poem which won the first place.” As his voice sounded, countless talented scholars looked towards the elderly man. Many people were looking forward to hearing their own work.

In the mundane world, everyone would only remember the first place.

Just like in his previous life, everyone only remembered Mount Everest, but they didn’t know what the second-highest peak in the world was.

The elderly man looked at the poem in his hand, and then he slowly spoke:

“The royal streets are moistened by a creamlike rain.”

“Green grass can be perceived afar but not nearby.”

“It’s the best time of the year.”

“Absolutely better than the time hazy willows becloud the Imperial City.”

His voice rang out, and suddenly, silence filled the area.

Everyone grew silent, and the noisy Lantern Festival became extremely quiet, in an instant.

In the River View Tower.

When Lu Changsheng saw this scene, he was calm. He took a glass of wine and drank it slowly.

He possessed an unspeakable, natural and unrestrained beauty.

“Hey! Teacher, your poem has been chosen as the best.”

“Senior Brother, your poem is the first place, but why is the crowd not responding at all?”

Qian Qiye and Liu Qingfeng both spoke up. They were a little surprised, not because Lu Changsheng took the lead, but because of everyone’s reaction. They were so silent.

It shouldn’t be like this.

Calmly glancing at the center of the square, Lu Changsheng smiled slightly: “Let the bullets fly for a while [1].”

Qian Qiye: “???”

Liu Qingfeng: “???”

They didn’t understand what he meant.

But the next moment, voices exclaimed.

“Good poem! Good poem! This will be the most famous poem throughout the ages!”

“The royal streets are moistened by a creamlike rain; green grass can be perceived afar but not nearby. It’s the best time of the year. Absolutely better than the time hazy willows becloud the Imperial City. It is very good, magnificent. It’s so beautiful.”

“It’s a perfect line, Yanliu Mandu! Good, I’m satisfied that this poem won first place.”

“Da Guo, what does this mean? I don’t understand. Why do I feel that it’s worse than my poem? The light rain is falling, and the trees fill the city, it’s easier to understand.”

“Don’t embarrass yourself here.”

“This poem is so beautiful. On the streets of the Imperial Capital, the fine spring rain, smooth and refreshing, the color of the grass can be faintly perceived from a distance, but it appears sparse when you look up close. The most beautiful of the year is early spring, better than the end of spring when the city is full of green willows. Good, beautiful, I admit that it’s beautiful from the bottom of my heart.”

“This poem is so beautiful.”

“I didn’t think it was beautiful before. But when you say it like this, I think it’s beautiful.”

Everyone shouted and caused a huge uproar.

And in the River View Tower, Lu Changsheng watched silently.

He admired the beautiful scenery of the Imperial Capital and the ancient buildings, indulging in its beauty.

This was the place where people couldn’t tear themselves away from.

It’s a pity that he didn’t have any ink, otherwise, he could write a poem like Xin Qiji [2]: At night the East wind flowers thousands of trees, and brings showers of glowing stars down the streets. Fine steeds and carved carriages with perfume strew the way; the Phoenix flute music spread away. The jade-pot lanterns revolve its ray, while all night long the fish and dragon lanterns sway [3].

It’s a pity, without that literary talent, he could only be reticent and handsome.

Time flew by.

The awarding ceremony was over.

Fifty thousand kilograms of spirit stones were also sent there.

He let Liu Qingfeng keep the spirit stones. After all, Qiye was here, if he kept it, it would affect his image.

“Teacher, do you want to visit the night market tonight?” Qian Qiye asked.

“No need! Go back and rest early, come and have fun again tomorrow.” Lu Changsheng replied. He planned to go back to rest.

“That, my father has prepared a house for you, Teacher.” Qian Qiye mentioned.

Only a moment had passed when suddenly, the sound of footsteps was heard.

The sound was even and crisp.

The bustling of the night market was brought to a halt in a few seconds.

Everything suddenly seemed very quiet.

“Guards!”

Qian Qiye frowned slightly. She couldn’t help but make a face when she looked at the group of Imperial Guards.

“What happened?”

Liu Qingfeng was curious.

“I don’t know, but there are only four people who can dispatch the Imperial Guards in the Imperial Capital. One is my father, the others are my eldest brother, second brother, and me. This sudden deployment of the Imperial Guards obviously meant that something big happened. So I’ll find out soon, Teacher. Please wait here for a while.” Qian Qiye replied, then got up and left.

Inexplicably, Lu Changsheng felt a bad omen.

“Senior Brother, I don’t know what’s going on, I suddenly feel that something went wrong.”

Liu Qingfeng on the side suddenly spoke. He also felt that something bad was about to happen.

“Probably not.” Lu Changsheng said. But seeing a large number of the Imperial Guards appear, he couldn’t help but be worried slightly.

Soon, Qian Qiye came down the River View Tower.

She looked at the indifferent commander of the Imperial Guards who was leading the troops, and couldn’t help but ask: “Who sent you here?”

The Commander of the Imperial Guards glanced at Qiye upon hearing her question.

Kneeling on the ground in an instant: “I pay my respects to the Princess!”

“At ease.” Qian Qiye stood with her left hand on her right and then said: “Today is the Lantern Festival, and it is the most solemn festival I have attended. You have the guts to wreak havoc?!”

Qian Qiye spoke, and her beautiful face revealed a frosty expression.

“Please don’t blame us, Princess. These subordinates are also acting upon orders! I hope the Princess will forgive us!”

The commander of the Imperial Guards knelt on the ground and pleaded with fervor.

Perhaps in Lu Changsheng’s eyes, Qian Qiye was like a problematic girl. But in the Empire of Da Qian, who didn’t know the horrors of Qian Qiye?

She was an existence that even overpowered the Princes. If Qian Qiye was a man, she would definitely inherit the Empire of Da Qian.

And Qian Qiye was also extremely likely to become the first female emperor in all the dynasties!

Of course, it’s a mere possibility. It’s theoretically impossible.

But it showed Qian Qiye’s influence.

“Little sister!”

Just then, a voice sounded.

Qian Qiye looked over at once.

A man wearing a golden armour, who looked extremely heroic, had appeared. Standing at a full two meters tall, he exuded a terrifying aura.

“Eldest brother! Is it you who dispatched the Imperial Guards?”

Qian Qiye questioned when she saw the man.

“Yes!” This was the Prince of the dynasty, Qian Yiyuan, a prestigious and extremely noble existence.

“You don’t know that today is the Lantern Festival?” Qian Qiye asked.

“I know.” Qian Yiyuan was full of anger.

“You know, but you are still dispatching the Imperial Guards. Aren’t you afraid that the Emperor Father will trouble you tomorrow?”

Qian Qiye was a little mad.

“Look, Little sister. Today, I sent a lantern in the Lantern River. Do you know what happened?” Qian Yiyuan asked angrily.

“What happened?”

Qian Qiye was a little curious. Her eldest brother, who had a mild temper on ordinary days, was really angry, so something must have happened.

“See for yourself!”

Qian Yiyuan handed the note to Qian Qiye.

The latter took the note, and soon a line came into view.

[You are? ]

[Your dad – Liu Qingfeng]

In an instant, Qian Qiye’s expression couldn’t help but change.

“Audacious!”

She spoke subconsciously. The Prince’s father was the Emperor. Such remarks were simply rebellious.

But soon after seeing the message, Qian Qiye was taken aback.

Liu Qingfeng?

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TL Notes:

[1] Let the bullets fly means giving the entanglement of stakes, sentiments, nuances, actors, narratives, voices, and competing meanings a chance to come to the fore.

[2] Xin Qiji was a Chinese poet and military leader during the Southern Song dynasty.

[3] An excerpt from the poem ‘Green Jade Table: Lantern Festival’ by Xin Qiji, trans. by Zhang Shuyue and Wang Feng