Chapter 60: Intimidation (Middle)

The Son-in-LawEpisode 2: The Pool of Hidden Strife

"…Regarding poetry, if you don't understand it, don't pretend you do. If this poem gets out, it's not just your reputation that will suffer; people will think Miss Tang has no taste..."

"Exactly, Miss Tang. It's best not to bother with such unlearned individuals. My words come from the heart; Brother Qingting and I have long admired Miss Tang, and we simply cannot stand to see her insulted like this..."

At the Ink & Scroll Tower, a noisy commotion filled the air. The dominant party was mocking those at a disadvantage in their own way. Such arguments never arose out of nowhere; in fact, Su Wenfeng, Su Wending, and others had long-standing grievances with the opposing group. However, being caught at a disadvantage like this was truly awkward.

The words sounded flattering, seemingly considerate of Tang Jing's reputation. Yet, Tang Jing knew full well that the other party was merely spouting nonsense, using her to embarrass Su Wending and the others. But she had little fame, and her opponents possessed influential backgrounds. As a humble courtesan, she simply couldn't afford to offend such people, nor could she openly side with Su Wenfeng and his companions. And since the other party was determined to humiliate Su Wending and his group, she lacked the standing or the skill to gently mediate. A few words from her were cleverly suppressed by them, leaving her helpless.

It wasn't just the two warring factions present; many onlookers had gathered. At this point, anyone who truly lost their temper would be the one to lose face later. Thus, although Su Wending's face was flushed and he couldn't utter a word, someone from his group managed to retort, "In literature, there's no absolute best; in martial arts, there's no second best. Do you truly believe your poetry is so superior?"

"The depth of one's skill is apparent at a glance. With so many people here, should we ask each one? Do we need to repeat the evaluations of Brother Shen Miao and the others from earlier?"

"Lin Ziyi, to utter such words clearly shows you're incoherent and trying to force it. Haha, never mind. When this gets out, it will just prove what kind of company those who associate with common folk like Su Wenfeng and Su Wending keep."

"If you're not convinced, let's keep competing! Come on, everyone, let's write something and have it judged. Su Wending, speechless? Or are you brewing a masterpiece? Excellent! Brother Jiwen, let's go first, taking this opportunity. Once we're done, I'll grind the ink for you, how about that?"

The chaotic scene, with warring factions, gawkers, debaters, cold observers, and casual talkers, infused the entire second floor of the Ink & Scroll Tower with a lively atmosphere. Gu Yanzhen watched the uninteresting spectacle, then glanced towards the nearby staircase. Li Pin, whom he had just seen, along with the man accompanied by a maid, were now ascending from the stairwell. He was considering how to greet Li Pin when he noticed that after a brief pause, Li Pin and the man were heading towards the ongoing dispute.

It seemed the man with the maid knew the Su brothers, who were currently being ridiculed. The man appeared young, barely in his early twenties, yet carried himself with a certain dignified air. His scholarly ability was unknown, but at such a young age, and as someone Gu Yanzhen had never encountered before, his learning was likely limited. However, with Li Pin by his side, the situation seemed poised to become complicated.

Several people nearby also recognized Li Pin and began conversing with those around them. Gu Yanzhen then recalled something: "Dexin is currently at the obscure Yushan Academy. Isn't that academy run by the Su family, who operate the cloth business?"

Someone pondered for a moment before nodding: "In that case, Dexin probably knows the Su brothers. Now, he might just step in to help them out?"

"Now this will be interesting," someone chuckled.

Li Pin's scholarship was renowned, on par with Cao Guan and Gu Yanzhen; everyone present had witnessed it and held great admiration for him. However, Chen Jiwen's literary fame was also considerable. In past poetry competitions, he could even hold his own against talents like Cao Guan and Gu Yanzhen. Even if he couldn't surpass them in reputation, a true literary duel would only enhance his renown. Moreover, with both sides clearly inflamed, neither would want to lose face in public. If Li Pin tried to resolve the situation with a gentle approach, it would likely be difficult. It seemed a battle of wits and words was imminent, and everyone was eagerly preparing to watch the spectacle.

Gu Yanzhen also watched with a faint smile. He no longer held Li Pin in high regard, believing that associating with such unlearned individuals was a self-inflicted decline. Nevertheless, he still acknowledged Li Pin's literary talent. He figured the impending contest between Li Pin and Chen Jiwen would hold little suspense, merely serving to boost both their reputations, with the true beneficiary likely being the famous courtesan from the pleasure house. Feeling a wave of boredom, he naturally didn't show it, instead laughing and chatting with the others as they watched.

However, just as everyone's anticipation peaked, with the tension between both sides at its highest, the subsequent turn of events completely defied all expectations. For a moment, it was utterly incomprehensible...

Ning Yi and Xiao Chan had been wandering around the venue, having watched about half an hour of performances.

They had originally entered with Li Pin and others but soon separated, each seeking out preferred acts. Ning Yi had some interest in the performances but lacked experience in choosing, so the decision-making fell to Xiao Chan. The young maid led him around according to her preferences. After watching the initial batch of performances, they encountered Li Pin, who was alone. After chatting for a while, they decided to go up to the Ink & Scroll Tower to rest and have some tea.

They had heard the commotion from downstairs. On their way up, they hadn't expected to run into Wending and Wenfeng. Initially, they hadn't exchanged many greetings at the entrance, so even if they met now, a nod would suffice. However, this time was different. As they ascended, Xiao Chan was still looking around for an empty table when Ning Yi spotted Su Wending not far away. Su Wending was also looking their way, first with a slight shock, then after a moment, his gaze became complicated, as if he wanted to greet them.

Ning Yi glanced around, finding the situation somewhat odd, though he couldn't quite discern the details. In any case, it had nothing to do with him. Given Su Wending's expression and their close proximity, merely nodding and leaving didn't seem appropriate. So, he casually nodded back, "Wending, Wenfeng, you're here too." Xiao Chan, trailing behind, complained a little, "Young Master, it seems there are no seats left."

"Uh, Elder Cousin..." Su Wenfeng reacted, nodding from not far away, his expression also appearing a bit strange. He and Su Wending were only slightly younger than Ning Yi, hence they addressed Ning Yi as "Elder Cousin." At this point, turning around and going downstairs was not an option, so Ning Yi and Li Pin approached them. Xiao Chan greeted them, "Young Master Wenfeng, Young Master Wending." Ning Yi observed the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones on several tables, some with completed poems. He assumed they were engaging in a literary gathering. Seeing a courtesan, whom he had just seen performing, standing nearby, he could only deduce they were writing poems to impress girls. He smiled and casually struck up a conversation.

"We walked around downstairs for a bit and got tired, so we came up to sit down. What a coincidence. Oh..." He gestured to Li Pin, introducing them to each other, "Perhaps you've met. Wenfeng, Wending... this is Li Pin... Haha, don't mind us..."

A group of talented scholars surrounding a courtesan would naturally want to eagerly showcase themselves. Li Pin could also discern the situation now and chuckled, "Don't mind us; we'll find our own way..." Before he finished speaking, someone from the other side greeted him: "Li Pin. Brother Dexin, I am Chen Jiwen. I've long admired your name."

Li Pin and Chen Jiwen had never formally met before, but they had engaged in unspoken rivalries at events like the Mid-Autumn Poetry Gathering, knowing each other by reputation. Li Pin chuckled and cupped his hands in greeting, "Ah, Brother Jiwen, you're here too. What a coincidence." Although there had been some tension between their groups previously, they paused momentarily. Those at Chen Jiwen's table, who seemed to be allied with Su Wending and Su Wenfeng, heard Li Pin's name and offered greetings. The two groups exchanged pleasantries for a moment, Li Pin casually mentioning things like, "Everyone's enjoying themselves..." Chen Jiwen thought for a bit before smiling and saying, "We were just composing poems and verses for Miss Tang Jing. Since Brother Li knows Brother Wenfeng and Brother Wending, why don't you join in the fun?"

To an outsider, this would have sounded like a direct challenge. Chen Jiwen knew his fame didn't match Li Pin's, but he believed his talent was no less, which prompted his remark. Li Pin, like Ning Yi, sensed the unusual atmosphere but didn't fully understand the situation, so he casually declined. Another man, who had picked up a brush but hadn't started writing because of Li Pin's arrival, now smiled and asked, "And who might this young gentleman be? Su Wending, aren't you going to introduce him to us?" Since Chen Jiwen had decided to challenge Li Pin, the others were naturally of lesser concern.

"He is..." Su Wending was about to say his name directly, but then he thought it better to emphasize the Su family first. "He is my second cousin's husband..."

The opposite side smiled, "Oh..."

Ning Yi seemed to recall something at this moment, frowning slightly as he turned to look at the staircase behind him, recalling certain things. Hearing the inquiry, he turned back, cupped his hands, and greeted Wending and Wenfeng's friends amiably: "Haha, I am..."

Laughter drifted from the other side: "Haha, so it's..."

They stopped mid-sentence, stunned.

Soon after, the two newly arrived men and one woman were seated by the window, next to the tense standoff. The young man with the maid was gazing downstairs, his expression suggesting deep thought. On the other side, the situation seemed to have reverted to a standoff. Brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones were all ready. The person who had been poised to teach the Su brothers a lesson with poetry had already picked up their brush. However, Chen Jiwen held his brush suspended for a long time, his expression complex, unable to put it down, seemingly lost in thought.

Whispers spread through the crowd. Moments ago, they had been openly enjoying the spectacle, and many understood what had happened. But now, the entire atmosphere had turned somewhat peculiar, as if everyone was sharing a secret.

Gu Yanzhen stared at them for a long time, slowly chewing a piece of food he had picked up, unable to comprehend the scene before him.

"What exactly happened?"