I can't keep a low profile when cultivating immortality; the sixth one is actually myself.

Since its founding, the Dali Dynasty has always advocated governing the country with civil administration and strengthening it with military force, combining both to ensure long-term stability and peace.

Furthermore, the Dali Dynasty encouraged ordinary people to study and learn literature.

Regardless of gender, anyone before adulthood could enter a private school to learn literacy, poetry, and prose.

This also led to a flourishing of literary culture in the Dali Dynasty.

Furthermore, because the Dali Dynasty had experienced three female emperors ruling during its history, women from Dali could also serve as officials in the court.

This further popularized the literary style of Dali. Even children generally knew some classical poetry.

In Dali, if you can't recite a couple of lines of poetry, you'd be embarrassed to even greet someone!

Therefore, poetry gatherings, academic debates, and other activities were held every year within the imperial city.

To encourage students to pursue their studies, almost all of these activities were government-sponsored.

The remaining tasks were handled by princes, nobles, and aristocratic officials.

In order to hold such gatherings, a spacious gathering square was specially built within the imperial city.

Every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, countless talented men and beautiful women come to visit, drawn by its reputation. They only attend one poetry gathering.

This plaza is the same place where Toyokawa registered for the competition.

Toyokawa now knows the origin of this plaza and related information.

This square is called Juxian Square.

In the center of Juxian Square, there is a high platform called Juxian Platform. Juxian Platform is generally used for presiding over important meetings.

There are also many famous pavilions around Juxian Square.

The three tallest pavilions are the most famous.

Its first name is Juxianlou, its second name is Wangyuelou, and its third name is Feiyunlou.

Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Starting in the morning, many talented men and beautiful women began to arrive at Juxian Square.

Although the poetry gathering wouldn't start until late in the evening, many people still arrived early, afraid of being late and not getting a good spot.

Moreover, not all those who came were talented men and beautiful women; there were also many onlookers.

Although they weren't directly attending the meeting, they couldn't resist the excitement!

Throughout history, wherever there is excitement to be had, there is never a shortage of onlookers.

Sure enough, it was only early afternoon, and a large number of people had already gathered outside the square.

In order to maintain order, even a large number of yamen runners were mobilized.

By this time, the square was already filled with tables and chairs.

Upon closer inspection, there were more than 500 of them.

At this time, although many talented men and beautiful women had already arrived, most of them were waiting in the restaurants and inns near the square.

As time went by, people began to take their seats at the tables and chairs in the square.

However, the first to arrive were all relatively unknown talented individuals.

In the blink of an eye, the sun had begun to set.

At this time, a large number of talented people began to enter the venue.

This drew gasps of surprise from the onlookers.

"Look, isn't that Liu Chengwen, the top scorer in Jizhou this year?"

"Oh, it really is! And he's not the only one! Look behind him, all ten of the top ten from Ji Province are here!"

"Oh my, it really is! Yu Fangshi, Ren Daoyuan, Yuan Jie, Bao Guifang, Fang Shujia, Ma Qianli, Meng Liang, Wang Zhi, Guo Taiping. Wow, they're all here!"

"Look, look! The top ten from Jinzhou have all arrived!"

Where is it?

"Over there, over there, over to the west!"

"Oh ho, it really is!"

"I heard that Luo Wenyuan, the top scholar in Jinzhou, is an expert in both poetry and prose! Do you think he has a chance of making it into the top ten at this poetry competition?"

"It's hard to say. Although he is the top scorer in Jinzhou, our Dali has a total of 37 states! If the top scorers from all 37 states come, it will truly be a chaotic battle!"

"You know what, it's actually quite possible. I heard from my great-uncle's second cousin that talented men from all 37 prefectures attended this year's poetry gathering."

"Really?"

"If that's the case, will Juxian Square have enough seats?"

"Don't you understand this?"

"To enter the Gathering of Heroes Square, apart from the top ten in each state, everyone else needs to be recommended by famous ministers and great scholars."

"Really? Then this poetry gathering is going to be interesting!"

"Look at what you're saying. In our Dali, which poetry gathering hasn't been interesting?"

"Hehe, that's true. Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue!"

"Look, look! It seems like talented men and beautiful women from three states are coming together from the east!"

"Hey~, it really is! Talented men and beautiful women from Yuzhou, Yuzhou, and Yuzhou have all entered together!"

"What's wrong with entering together? Isn't it just a coincidence?"

"How could it be a coincidence? Didn't you notice the atmosphere between the three of them was a bit off?"

"Haha, it seems like today's poetry gathering is going to be quite heated!"

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"Are you stupid? Yuzhou, Yuzhou, and Yuzhou—the pronunciations of these three prefectures are almost identical. Moreover, students from these three prefectures secretly compete with each other every year! Don't you think their purpose in coming to this poetry competition together is obvious? Isn't it to compete for first place?"

"Oh, oh, look! Talented men and beautiful women from three states have arrived from the west!"

"Hmm? Those are talented men and beautiful women from Huaizhou, Kaizhou, and Pingzhou."

……

As time went by, 36 out of the 37 prefectures of the Dali Dynasty had all arrived at the scene.

Currently, only Lizhou, where the imperial capital is located, remains, and the talented men and beautiful women have yet to make their appearance.

As the sun gradually sets in the west, it is now the time when the last rays of the setting sun are cast.

Finally, accompanied by a high-pitched chant, the talented men and beautiful women of Lizhou began to enter the venue.

"On the night of the full moon on Mid-Autumn Festival, talented scholars make their names known."

A scholar in white robes gracefully entered the square.

"Wow, it's Zhong Nanshan, the talented scholar from Nanshan!"

"Nanshan's talented scholar, we love you!" A group of beautifully dressed women kept shouting.

The talented scholar from Nanshan politely bowed to the surrounding crowd before entering.

"Thousands of doors unlock and ten thousand lights shine; the capital city is abuzz in mid-August."

Another poem was recited.

"It's the talented Luo Fuyun!"

"Talented scholar, you are our idol!" another group of young women shouted in unison.

The talented scholar, Fuyun, also bowed with both hands and then entered the room.

"As dusk settles, the city lights begin to shine, yet poetry is hidden everywhere in this ancient city."

It began with the recitation of a poem.

"He is the talented scholar of Guangling, the governor of Guangling."

As the city lights begin to twinkle, one can't help but admire the picturesque landscape, a testament to the passage of time.

"It is the talented woman of Qingyun, Li Qingyun."

"The ends of the earth are far away, the corners of the sea are long, what does it matter if ten thousand lights turn in the sky?"

"Ah, it's the talented scholar Duan Tianya."

Next to appear were some of the most famous talented men and beautiful women in the capital.

They are all ranked in the top five of Lizhou Prefecture.

These people all fought their way out from the most prosperous and thriving parts of the Dali Dynasty.

The value of these people far surpasses that of ordinary talented men and beautiful women.

They are:

Mo Dongting, a talented scholar from Dongting.

He Qinghuan, a talented woman of refined taste.

Luo Shishi, a talented woman known for her poetry.

Ma Zhiyuan, a talented scholar.

And at the top of the list is the talented scholar from the East, Xiang Dongfang.

At this point, all the top ten talents from the 37 states of Dali have arrived.

Subsequently, many talented men and beautiful women arrived late.

However, these talented men and beautiful women are mostly important figures with profound backgrounds.

They were either royalty or sons of officials.

After waiting a while longer, most of the talented men and beautiful women attending the event had entered.

At this moment, the eldest princess, who was presiding over the conference, also arrived with a large group of poetry competition judges.

To host this conference, the eldest princess pulled many strings and invited numerous renowned officials and scholars.

Even the current prime minister invited two of them.

The Left Chancellor was He Zhizhang; the Right Chancellor was Luo Qingling. One was male and the other female.

There were also dozens of civil officials and more than ten great Confucian scholars.

The eldest princess led dozens of people into Juxian Tower.

According to their rank, they took their seats on different floors.

Finally, the eldest princess, accompanied by her brothers and sisters, as well as the left and right prime ministers, arrived at the highest level.

As the sun set and the moon rose, the poetry gathering officially began.

First of all, to express our gratitude to the talented men and women from all over the world who came to attend the event.

The eldest princess specially arranged an opening performance.

Downstairs, a group of women with outstanding looks and figures, each carrying musical instruments such as zithers, lutes, and pipa, went up to the Juxiantai.

Then, a chorus of songs and music, and a hundred flowers in full bloom, created a feast for the eyes and ears.

The talented men and beautiful women downstairs watched with great interest and high spirits.

However, upstairs, the eldest princess and the third princess seemed somewhat distracted.

They were all looking down at the square, their eyes constantly searching for a figure that was both strange and familiar.

Although we only met once, this figure is unforgettable.

In the end, they actually found it.

However, that figure sat in the very corner.

But it doesn't matter, it's good that he's here!

Actually, according to the poetry gathering's schedule, there was no place for Toyokawa.

However, some spots in the far corners of the square were all vacant.

Because nobody wanted to sit there, but Toyokawa didn't mind.

So he sat down without a care in the world.

Actually, he and Xiao Cai had already arrived just as the sun was about to set.

However, they didn't rush to take a seat.

They came not to make a name for themselves, nor to curry favor with others.

It was all for two scrolls.

So, after all the seats were taken, he randomly picked a spot in the far corner and sat down.

At that moment, Toyokawa felt two pairs of eyes watching him from upstairs.

Then, he looked up.

But just as he was about to see who it was, those two gazes suddenly withdrew.

There were too many people upstairs, and he didn't pay attention to who was watching him.

Meanwhile, the two princesses upstairs looked as if they had been caught red-handed thieves.

Her face was flushed, and her heart was pounding wildly.

Seeing that Toyokawa hadn't noticed them, the two of them secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Afterwards, the eldest princess composed herself and began to preside over the poetry recital.