"Your Highness, disaster has struck!"

In the depths of winter, when the cold bites to the bone, heaven and earth are frozen.

In a secluded palace hall, an old eunuch over fifty years of age anxiously awaited to report.

Lee Joon-bae stood tall, his long fur coat ruffled by the biting wind. The frigid air lashed against his face, like knives slicing through flesh.

He watched as the snowflakes fell like willow catkins, letting out a soft sigh. His handsome face looked somewhat pale.

"Master Yang, what the Emperor means is, if I cannot compose a good poem at today's poetry gathering, he will send me to Lin Shun City to be the county magistrate?"

Old Eunuch Yang Zhong nodded, anxiously saying, "Yes, Your Highness. What should we do...."

Lee Junho felt a bit down.

Having crossed into an ancient dynasty where no history exists, his soul has been attached to Li Jun, a man of the same name and birth for a year.

Strangely enough, he Li Jun turned out to be a prince, the sixth son.

But, he was a bastard.

He was the son of an emperor who, drunk one night, took a maidservant as his consort. As a result, the emperor never really cared for him.

When Li Zhengang traveled through time, he thought that even if the treatment was poor, it wouldn't be too bad. After all, he was a prince. Even with this status, he could still get by.

But reality dealt him a heavy blow.

Of the six princes and three princesses in this palace, none were particularly fond of him. The third prince and fifth prince especially gave him trouble.

This is not the most important thing!

>Most importantly, his cheap emperor father disliked him even more and always wanted him to leave the capital.

This is not it.

Through the capital poetry society, I want to get myself to that lawless area, Liming City, where bandits run rampant and are already half outside the control of the imperial court.

That damned place, several county magistrates and deputy magistrates have been sent there, but they were all chopped to pieces by bandits. The imperial court has dispatched troops to encircle and suppress the city many times, but it has been unable to gain complete control of Linshun City!

Now the emperor wants to send him there to be a county magistrate. Just think about it, what else could he possibly have in mind?

However, this is also Li Zhunjiu's own doing.

The former Lee Jun was looked down upon. Being a side branch was one aspect, but most importantly, he was neither cultured nor martial, a complete wastrel!

From a young age, he was bullied by the various princes and princesses. He was meek and weak, and besides having an extraordinarily handsome face, he was truly devoid of any other talents!

Given that the prince is so incompetent, it's understandable that the emperor wants him to leave the capital and fend for himself.

Well, I guess so.

Now, Lee Jun is not the same as he used to be!

He, Lee Jun, came from the 21st century. There's no way he would be a waste!

Writing poems?

Interestingly, he was a master of Chinese literature before he traveled through time!

Chinese civilization has a history of five thousand years, with poetry and prose shining brightly throughout the ages. If you can't do it yourself, won't you even plagiarize?

To want to send oneself to Lin Shun City to die, impossible!

After crossing over a year ago, Li Jun only wanted to live a peaceful life in ancient times. Why bother with anything else?

Well, then let you see what the future is like!

"Manager Yang, lead the way."

Li Jun opened his mouth, a smile appearing in his eyes.

Yang Zhongju immediately said, "Yes, Your Highness........"

It seems that His Royal Highness has reached a point of no return.

Yang Zhongxin felt some sympathy, and also some sadness.

Li Jun was not good at studying or martial arts from a young age. What kind of good poetry could he possibly write?

Even something like rhyme schemes, I'm afraid they wouldn't understand.

I'm afraid I'll be disgraced today. It seems I'm going to Lin Shun City.

It is a pity.

Yang Zhong had followed Li Jun since he was young. Seeing his master end up like this, he truly felt a pang of pity.

"Your Highness, at today's poetry gathering, other princes might also be present. At that time, they might inevitably tease and mock Your Highness. However, please bear with them."

As Yang Zhong led Li Jun out of the palace, he whispered words of caution.

Yang Chung-sheng was afraid that what Li Chun had done a while back would happen again.

Before, Lee Jun was bullied by other princes and mostly endured it silently without fighting back or arguing. But recently when the fifth prince targeted him, Lee Jun actually fought back verbally, angering the fifth prince to no end.

This was Yang Zhong's first time seeing Li Jun so domineering.

Today at this poetry gathering, those princes would probably sneer and make fun of him. He's afraid that Li Jun will retort to the other princes on the spot, which would be a disaster.

Li Zhun nodded and said, "Okay, General Yang, I remember."

When Yang Zhong heard Li Jun's promise, he let out a slight breath of relief, but he didn't dare to relax too much.

He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he felt that since some day a year ago, his master had become different in some way. He couldn't quite put his finger on what was different.

But then again.

Lee Joon is increasingly fond of doing some strange and peculiar things.

For example, bicycles, electric fans, Zhuge Liannu (multi-barreled repeating crossbow), gunpowder, chess, mahjong, and so on.

He couldn't remember, but all the things Lee Joon made were piled up in the warehouse, a huge amount.

I still like to come across some unheard-of terms, such as: "Damn," "masturbate," and "butterfly."

After leaving the palace, the two arrived at Wenqu Guan, a gathering place for scholars in the capital city.

Today's capital city poetry gathering will be held here.

Yang Zhong was waiting outside, while Li Jun walked in alone. Inside, there were already many scholars and literati, with various poetic voices echoing throughout the room.

Li Jun immediately saw his elder brother, Li Qian (the third prince) and Li Zhongzheng (the fifth prince) sitting upstairs.

They also saw Lee Joon at a glance, the two immediately locked eyes and smirked.

"Sixth brother, you're finally here."

The Fifth Prince, Li Zhong, sneered and spoke, looking down at Li Jun from his elevated position:

"The Emperor has ordered that my brother and I come today to personally witness Sixth Brother's poetry. Sixth Brother, are you ready?"

The Third Prince, Li Qian, also smiled, "Indeed, Sixth Brother, you must perform well today. This round, even if I and your Fifth Brother wanted to help you, it wouldn't be easy. Father specially sent Imperial Tutor Shen here."

A middle-aged scholar beside him immediately nodded slightly.

This man is Shen Kuo, a scholar of the Hanlin Academy. Because he was well-read and exceptionally talented, he was appointed to the Hanlin Academy and concurrently served as Taifu, as both the teacher of the prince and the emperor's tutor!

Can be called the first university scholar of the dynasty!

First literary master!

"I've met Third Brother, Fifth Brother, and Master Shen!"

Li Jun glanced at Shen Kuo, bowed slightly, being respectful but not subservient, and said:

"That must be the question that Third Brother and Fifth Brother came up with today, then."

Indeed!

My own cheap father is determined to make me leave the capital!

So, that's why the Third Prince and Fifth Prince, who are most at odds with me, were put in charge. It was clearly meant to make things difficult for me!

But!

Poetry, after all, Chinese civilization has five thousand years. Those poets have done nothing they haven't covered, and unfortunately, this Li Jun doesn't know Tang poetry, Song lyrics, Yuan drama, etc., either.

It's just a poem, casually written.

Li Zhondao laughed: "You're right, sixth brother. But Sixth Brother, I also know what you learned. Even if it's a simple question, I'm afraid you would find it difficult. Why don't we do this? Seeing that you are struggling, just promise to study hard and make progress, and my elder brother and third brother will go to Father Emperor and ask him to exempt you from your trip to Shun City. How about it?"

"Indeed, Sixth Brother, it would be better to directly admit fault to Father Emperor. Acknowledge that you have been idle these past years and guarantee you will reform in the future. Then my elder brother and I will go plead with Father Emperor on your behalf, perhaps sparing you from a journey to Shun City." Li Qian also smiled faintly.

They both know exactly how much Li Jun weighs.

Today's poetry gathering, while called a gathering of capital city literati, was essentially set up for Li Jun.

This is where Li Jun's embarrassment lies. The two of them are certain he can't write a single poem.

However!

Li Jun shook his head and said, "Thank you, Third Brother and Fifth Brother, for your kindness! Please, Third Brother and Fifth Brother, give us the questions!"

Both of them frowned instantly.

Well done, kid! You really know how to play hardball!

Li Zhong's face turned a few shades colder, and he said, "Since that's the case, Sixth Brother, then listen to my riddle!"

He glanced at the icy landscape outside. Snow swirled on top of the moat, where a lone boat crossed and a fisherman in oilskins stood alone fishing. He let out a cold laugh:

"This one is easy, Sixth Brother. Just use this scene of snowy rivers for a quatrain."

Is this also simple?

Lee Joon-gi sneered!

But, for him, it's actually simple!

He immediately remembered a classic poem!

And, what is being described precisely is the scene before our eyes!

(Editor in charge:gothic novels)