Chapter 38: Men Cry, Cry, It Is No Sin

"Master Yuwen, all the civil and military officials of the court are watching. We even have the Empress Dowager and His Majesty as witnesses. You made this wager in front of the entire world, and now you want to just let it slide like a fart?"

"If you truly do that, you won't be able to show your face in Jian'an City ever again. No, there won't be a place for you anywhere in the entire Great Qi."

"A spineless coward who goes back on his word and betrays his promises will have people pointing fingers and cursing his name wherever he goes. You had better think this through clearly."

Xie Ning’s words were like blades, piercing deep into Yuwen Yue’s heart.

Yuwen Yue’s entire body began to tremble violently. He knew that everything Xie Ning said was true. For a scholar, integrity and reputation were paramount. If he reneged on his debt today, his life would truly be over. His reputation would be utterly ruined. He would become the laughingstock of the entire Great Qi, and his family would be shamed because of him.

What should he do? What on earth should he do? His heart was in a state of frantic turmoil. On one side was a humiliation worse than death; on the other was the bottomless abyss of total disgrace. He felt as though he had been backed to the edge of a cliff with nowhere left to retreat.

"I... I..."

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Tears, against his will, streamed down from the corners of his eyes. He was crying. This peerless talent of the capital, this dashing young gentleman admired by countless maidens, was now sobbing uncontrollably like a child.

Seeing him in this state, many present could not help but feel a flicker of sympathy. After all, when the rabbit dies, the fox mourns; Yuwen Yue’s plight today could well be their own tomorrow. Even Li Qingning frowned slightly. Although she disliked Yuwen Yue, seeing him in such a wretched state, she felt a pang of pity. She was just about to open her mouth to plead for him when Xie Ning stepped in first.

He crouched down, looked at Yuwen Yue, and his expression turned stern.

"What are you crying for? Like some weakling. Tell me, was my poem good or not?"

Yuwen Yue choked back a sob and nodded subconsciously. "Good..."

"Then, was your loss unjust?" Xie Ning asked again.

Yuwen Yue remained silent for a moment, then weakly shook his head. "Not unjust..."

"Then, do I have the qualifications to be the Grand Princess's consort?"

Xie Ning’s voice rang out with resonance. Yuwen Yue fell silent once more. After a long while, he replied in a voice no louder than a mosquito’s buzz.

"You do..."

"Speak up! I can't hear you!" Xie Ning roared.

"You do!" Yuwen Yue screamed with all his might. His voice was filled with boundless despair and resentment.

"That's more like it." Xie Ning nodded in satisfaction and stood up. "Since that is the case, stop wasting time. Fulfill your wager. I will ask you one last thing." Xie Ning looked at him and said every word clearly: "Do you submit, or do you not?"

Xie Ning’s voice echoed throughout the Imperial Garden. All eyes were fixed on Yuwen Yue, who was slumped on the ground. To submit or not to submit? This was a question that would determine his fate.

Yuwen Yue raised his head, his handsome face now streaked with tears and despair. His lips trembled, wanting to say something, but not a single word would come out. To kneel down and call Xie Ning "Grandfather" in front of the entire world was more painful than death itself. His dignity, his pride, his everything—all would be thoroughly crushed in this moment.

But if he didn't submit? He could not afford the consequences of refusing. He would be disgraced, his entire family would be implicated, and he would become a man of broken promises, loathed by the world. The dilemma was enough to drive him mad.

Just as the tension reached its peak and everyone held their breath, a cold and majestic voice suddenly rang out.

"Enough."

It was Li Qingning who spoke. She stood up from her seat and walked slowly into the center. She did not look at Xie Ning, nor did she look at Yuwen Yue. Her gaze was fixed directly on the Empress Dowager, whose face was pale with anger up on the viewing stand.

"Mother," she said calmly. "Today's contest is only the first round. According to the rules, it is a best-of-three. Although Master Yuwen lost the first round, it does not mean he has lost the entire contest. Isn't it a bit too early to make him fulfill the wager now?"

Her words were reasonable and logical; no one could find a single fault with them. The moment Yuwen Yue, still slumped on the ground, heard this, a glimmer of hope burst into his eyes.

Yes! There were still two rounds left! He still had a chance! As long as he could win the next two rounds, he wouldn't have to suffer that unthinkable humiliation. Though, after witnessing the masterpiece Xie Ning had produced, he had no confidence left in himself, it was, at the very least, a glimmer of life.

The Empress Dowager’s expression softened slightly. She had not expected that, at a time like this, it would be Li Qingning who stepped forward to speak for Yuwen Yue. She looked at her daughter with a complex expression. Could it be that Qingning still had feelings for Yuwen Yue? Was she just momentarily blinded by that Xie Ning? This thought reignited a spark of hope in her heart.

"Qingning makes a valid point." The Empress Dowager nodded, taking the opportunity to step down from her rigid stance. "It was I who was a bit impatient. In that case, let the wager wait until all three rounds are concluded before a final verdict is reached."

Her words effectively gave Yuwen Yue a chance to breathe. As if granted a pardon, Yuwen Yue struggled to his feet and cast a look of gratitude toward Li Qingning. However, Li Qingning didn't even bother to glance at him. She only looked at Xie Ning, a hint of affirmation in her beautiful eyes. She did not want to see Xie Ning become the target of universal condemnation in the future.

Seeing the look in her eyes, Xie Ning instantly understood her intentions. This woman was still too kind at her core. Although she appeared decisive and cold on the surface, deep down she still held onto the pride and mercy befitting the royal family. She disdained to use such means to humiliate an opponent who had already been thoroughly defeated.

"Sigh," Xie Ning sighed helplessly in his heart.

*Fine, fine.* Since his wife had spoken, he had to give her this face. In any case, Yuwen Yue couldn't make any more waves, so letting him jump around a little longer didn't matter.

Thinking this, Xie Ning shrugged and said with an air of indifference, "Alright then, since the Empress Dowager has spoken, I'll listen to her. I'll let you be smug for a little longer."

His words remained as infuriating as ever. What did he mean by "letting him be smug for a little longer"? It sounded as if he had already won for certain. The glimmer of hope that had just ignited in Yuwen Yue’s heart was instantly extinguished by half by Xie Ning’s words.