Su Xuan began with Su Dongpo's "Bamboo" to fire the opening salvo, but he noticed Song Tianbao looked somewhat perplexed. Su Xuan guessed the man might not have heard of it, but that didn't matter, he quickly switched to another poem in his mind.
"Let me change to Du Fu's 'Cutting Bamboo' for you: 'The temple's abandoned, its bamboo hues are dead, the officials' residence, would they keep it instead? Frost roots gradually follow the axe's sever, the wind's jade still knocks at autumn's door. A troubled poet from Jiangnan, where to send the lingering sorrow?'"
Many had heard of Du Fu's name, yet few were proficient in all his poetry; the style sounded genuinely like his.
Just as everyone began to doubt, a person known as the Song Family's all-knowing talent stood up and loudly said, "Indeed, this is truly a work of the esteemed Mr. Du Fu."
Whether they believed him or not didn't matter to Su Xuan, as long as the matter could withstand scrutiny afterwards.
