ands. By taking this approach, I might actually have a chance to turn things around... It remains to be seen who will ultimately prevail."Although he said so, Li Yinhu secretly clenched his fists, hav...Chapter 399: The Wen Yuan Conference

Li Chen and the Crown Prince's verbal sparring, though yielding no results, did put an end to the heated atmosphere that had prevailed before.

The plan for the Prince of Wenwang to continue setting the pace and brainwashing the crowd with hatred towards the East Palace has thus failed.

"Prince Wenwang reacted very quickly, and his emotional intelligence was also high enough. He changed the subject immediately and said, "What Young Master Qin said is right. Since this is a poetry meeting, we can't put the cart before the horse. Everyone, the official poetry meeting begins now. I am not talented, so I will first offer a brick to attract jade. This poem was written casually in my leisure time and may not be elegant enough, but since it is a poetry meeting for raising funds for disaster relief, I will also have the audacity to present it."

Having said that, the Crown Prince of Wen raised his hand and beckoned.

Immediately, someone brought up a scroll that had already been mounted and framed. When it was opened, a poem was written on it.

Upon closer inspection, everyone agreed that the poem was well-structured, with a perfect rhyme scheme and elegant diction. Though perhaps not destined to become a classic, it was undoubtedly a fine piece of work, worthy of being shared. Only someone with genuine talent could have penned such verses.

"The poems written by the prince are excellent, with extraordinary imagery and pleasing to the eye. I am willing to offer five hundred taels of silver to purchase this poem!"

Five hundred ounces is no small sum.

An ordinary peasant family, if they didn't have two or three able-bodied laborers, wouldn't earn more than four or fifty taels of silver in a year. But here, they just opened their mouths and asked for five hundred taels, and this was only the beginning.

As the host and also respected as the Prince, everyone gave the Prince's poems face, his poem was sold for 800 taels at a high price in the blink of an eye.

"Eight hundred and fifty taels, thanks to Master Hu's generosity."

The final price was 850 taels of silver. Prince Wenwang personally handed the scroll to the young man with a flushed face, exchanged a few polite words, and then announced in a loud voice, “This 850 taels is a lucky opening bid. All the proceeds from today’s auction will be donated to the disaster victims. And here, I propose the establishment of the Wenyuen Society.”

"This WenYuan Hui is happy to welcome all discerning individuals. Those who participate in today's auction can join as members. There are no mandatory requirements within the society, it's simply a platform for everyone to exchange ideas. Members have no responsibilities or obligations, except one: those who enter WenYuan Hui should prioritize national affairs and help each other when facing difficulties."

For two sentences, Li Chen, who had been expressionless the whole time, suddenly frowned.

He looked at the Duke of Wen, who was still talking animatedly, and finally figured out the flow of his plan.

This Wenyuan Hui seems useless, and it's just been established, so it probably won't amount to anything. But Li Chen is certain that this is the real purpose of the Prince of Wenwang, or rather, the true intention behind Wenwang.

All these poetry gatherings and fundraising events are just ways to bring attention to the literary society, which is like a precious jade stone being revealed by throwing out these bricks.

A loose alliance formed by the princes' sons, all of whom were the children of high-ranking officials in the capital. If all these present were to join, then the Wen Yuan Hui's influence would swell instantly.

In the future, joining the Wenyuen Society will be a source of pride for all the young masters within the capital city. And behind every member of the Wenyuen Society lies an astonishing family history and a vast network of interests.

What would Wen Yuan be thinking by laying such a vast net What would the Crown Prince of King Wen be thinking

However, none of the people present were aware of this issue except for Li Chen.

Even Zhao Tailai was the first to speak excitedly, saying, "I'm in."

The Crown Prince Wenwang couldn't help but rejoice.

He brought it up when the atmosphere was heated, all he needed was someone with enough fame and status to lead the way. He was still figuring out a way, but Zhao Tai came forward proactively.ime with you.""Have the headmaster of your White Lotus sect come here, I have something to tell him." Li Chen seemed not to see Palace Emblem Feather's face full of refusal and said.Gong Huiyu looked...