The emperor faked his death? Never mind, I will ascend the throne directly!

His voice was weak, but every word was clear as he repeated, "The poetry gathering, remember this."

Song Yuwei nodded and said softly, "Don't worry, Daddy, I know."

In the golden autumn of October, with the sweet fragrance of osmanthus in the air, the first poetry meeting in the capital was held in the royal garden.

Nestled against the mountains and beside the water, with pavilions, terraces, rockery and flowing water, it is a paradise on earth.

Today is even more lively with lights and decorations.

There was an endless stream of carriages from various families, and the wheels rolled over the bluestone road, making a rumbling sound like an ancient march, foreshadowing that a war without the smoke of gunpowder was about to begin.

The well-dressed Confucian scholars waved their folding fans, shook their heads and chanted poems and composed couplets. Each of them boasted of being romantic and dashing, as if they had a lot of knowledge and could speak eloquently.

They gathered in groups of three or five, talking loudly, and occasionally let out a few sharp laughs, attracting the attention of people around them.

The children of the aristocratic families were dressed in gorgeous clothes, looking arrogant and competing with each other on the accessories they wore and the power of their families, their words full of a sense of superiority.

The officials in the court had serious expressions on their faces, sitting upright, discussing the situation in the court in low voices, and occasionally looking in Song Yuwei's direction with complicated eyes.

Chen Ling followed Chen Qiyuan out of the carriage, looking impatient: "Dad, what's the point of this poem? It's better to go to Zuixianlou and listen to some folk songs."

Chen Qiyuan glared at him and said, "You little brat, you only know how to play! Today's poetry gathering is going to be a good show! Be smart and don't embarrass yourself!"

Amidst the hustle and bustle, a figure sat quietly in a secluded corner.

She was wearing a simple dress and a light veil on her head, which covered most of her face, leaving only a pair of clear and bright eyes, observing everything around her with great interest.

This person is Cheng Ruxue.

With a loud shout of "The Emperor has arrived!" everyone knelt down and saluted.

Li Chengfeng walked up to the platform with the gait of a dragon and a tiger, surrounded by a group of guards, to accept the worship of everyone.

He was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe today, which made him look even more majestic and domineering.

The whole place fell silent, and everyone saluted in unison: "Your Majesty!"

Li Chengfeng waved his hand casually, "Everyone, get up. Today is a poetry gathering, no need to be formal."

He walked straight to Song Yuwei and asked in a low voice, "Are you ready?"

Song Yuwei smiled slightly, "Everything is ready, Your Majesty."

She walked gracefully onto the stage, looked around, and said in a clear voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, today's poetry gathering is titled 'Women in Official Positions,' and aims to explore the role of women in the court."

“I hope everyone will speak freely and express their views.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a whisper arose from the audience.

"Women and the country? What is Song Yuwei up to?"

"A woman's job is to stay home and take care of her husband and children. It's inappropriate for her to show up in public!"

"This little emperor is so foolish! He actually let a woman preside over the poetry gathering!"

"Is Song Yuwei trying to turn the imperial court into a market?"

"Humph, I think this poetry gathering is just a cover, the real purpose is not to drink!"

Although the old scholars didn't say anything, they all had disdainful expressions on their faces, stroking their beards, and looked like they were "the world is going downhill."

Although these discussions were not loud, they were clearly heard by Song Yuwei.

Her expression remained unchanged and she maintained her elegant smile.

"If you have any good works, please show your talents."

Chen Qiyuan and his son sat in the front row. Chen Ling nudged his father and said, "Dad, Song Yuwei looks pretty, but she's not very smart."

Chen Qiyuan glared at him, "Shut up! Don't talk nonsense!"

He cleared his throat and said loudly, "Sir Song, before that, I have a question."

"Poetry gatherings are supposed to be elegant and enjoyable events, so why are they charging tickets? Is someone trying to profit from this?"

As soon as this statement came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

Chen Qiyuan's words clearly intended to lead to the rumor that Song Yuwei accepted bribes.

Song Yuwei's expression remained unchanged. She smiled faintly, as if she had known he would ask this question. "Master Chen, you are wrong."

"The ticket issue has already been made public."

"This money is used to support the education of children from poor families and to train Daqian's troops. It is all used on the cutting edge of the sword. Your Majesty is also aware of this."

"Does Lord Chen think that contributing a little money to the cause of the court is something unacceptable?"

"Or is it that Master Chen's family is so tight on money that they can't even afford a few taels of silver?"

Chen Qiyuan was choked by Song Yuwei's words and was speechless, his face turning pale and blue.

He wanted to take this opportunity to humiliate Song Yuwei, but unexpectedly, he was ridiculed by Song Yuwei instead.

Chen Ling chuckled and whispered, "Dad, it seems that Song Yuwei is not someone you can easily mess with."

Chen Qiyuan glared at him fiercely and said nothing more.

Li Chengfeng looked at the father and son and secretly memorized their appearance. It seemed that this was one of the "highlights".

Seeing the Chen family father and son being humiliated, Song Yuwei felt secretly pleased and continued, "Alright, enough small talk, the poetry gathering officially begins!"

A white-haired old scholar stepped forward first, shaking his head and reciting, "A woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent. Embroidering at home is the best thing for her. Don't be like those men who show up in public and cause trouble."

Li Chengfeng frowned. Is the cultural level of this dynasty so low?

Shouldn't it be "A woman's lack of talent is her virtue"?

However, everyone applauded after hearing it.

Not to be outdone, another Confucian scholar chanted loudly, "What's the point of a woman studying? It's better to marry a man early. Supporting a husband and raising children is your life. Don't dream of serving the emperor."

This poem was more explicit and made some people laugh.

Chen Ling couldn't help but sneer after hearing this: "What kind of crap are these pedantic guys writing? It's just bullshit!"

Chen Qiyuan quickly covered his mouth and whispered, "Shut up! Do you want to die?"

Most of the poems that followed had similar themes, which simply belittled women and advocated male superiority over women.

These poems are extremely vulgar and have no literary grace, but they have won the applause of many people.

As Song Yuwei listened to these unbearable poems, her face became increasingly ugly.

She suppressed the anger in her heart and tried to maintain a calm appearance.

Li Chengfeng was sitting on a high place, and his face was visibly cold.

He didn't expect that these so-called Confucian scholars were so pedantic and full of foul language.

The head of the Ouyang family, Ouyang Xiu, stood up at this time.

He waved his folding fan in one hand and stroked his beard with the other, shaking his head and chanting:

"When a hen crows at dawn, it brings bad luck to the family. When a woman is in power, the country is at peace. Men govern the outside world, women govern the inside world. This is the way of heaven and cannot be violated."

Although this poem by Ouyang Xiu is also a doggerel, it is slightly better than the previous ones. At least it rhymes and uses allusions.

When everyone heard this, they applauded.

"Master Ouyang is indeed a well-read man. This poem is truly profound and thought-provoking!"

"Yes, yes, a woman should stay at home to take care of her husband and children. How can she show her face in public?"

"Patriarch Ouyang is right. When a woman is in power, the country will be in turmoil. This has always been the case throughout history!"

Ouyang Xiu smiled smugly and looked at Song Yuwei provocatively, "Sir Song, I wonder what you think about this. Why don't you debate it with poetry?"