Liu Qingsong somehow managed to steer the conversation back, but what he said about Li Bai and his relation to the Li Tang royal family was like water already spilled, impossible to retrieve. With Xiao Song's keenness, he was bound to sense something amiss. Ran Yan looked worriedly at Liu Qingsong.
Liu Qingsong sidled up to Ran Yunsheng, shamelessly asserting, "This is a new story I've crafted, how about it, don't you think this tale will be popular?"
Ran Yunsheng was taken aback and said, "Dr. Liu speaks as if it were based on solid grounds; I thought it was a true account. It turns out to be merely a story, but indeed, it is a good one. Even just this poem alone is enough to cause an uproar in the literary world."
Xiao Song, though puzzled, didn't take it to heart, because it was typical of Liu Qingsong to speak nonsensically, often coming up with astonishing stories and poems—this time was just more brilliant.
