Chapter 100
On the other side, during the night, a grand poetry gathering was taking place at the residence of Prime Minister Zhangsun Wuji. People mingled, toasted in the garden, and enjoyed a lively banquet atmosphere.
Meanwhile, not far from the garden, in a room, porcelain shattered as it hit the ground, emitting a crisp sound. Zhangsun Chong angrily destroyed everything within his reach. The sound of silk and bamboo music drifted in from the window. Zhangsun Chong felt increasingly agitated, breathing heavily, his face still filled with anger.
As the organizer of the poetry gathering, he should have been enjoying the compliments from the attendees. Just a quarter of an hour ago, he was doing exactly that. But then, someone recited a poem by Su Li at the gathering.
“Su Li!” In the darkness, Zhangsun Chong gritted his teeth and muttered angrily to himself. The frequency of poetry gatherings in Changan City had recently surged. Organizing these gatherings had become the favorite pastime of the nobility. While Zhangsun Chong’s literary talent was lacking, it didn’t stop him from participating in this cultured pursuit.
The nobles and ladies held poetry gatherings to appreciate poems and enjoy the aesthetics of nature. However, this didn’t mean noble sons like Zhangsun Chong lacked interest in this area. Their social needs were indeed flourishing. Since organizing poetry gatherings was in vogue, Zhangsun Chong had no reason to decline. His literary skill might not be exceptional, but his interest in the arts was genuine.
As the son of the Prime Minister and the Assistant Director of the Imperial Clan Court, if he expressed interest in poetry, talented individuals from all around Changan would be willing to participate to save his face. But who would have thought that someone without any sense would recite Su Li’s poem in front of him?
Zhangsun Chong’s marriage to Princess Changle was originally widely known. However, due to an unexpected turn of events, Su Li, a nobody at the time, benefited from the situation. Because of this, Zhangsun Chong couldn’t suppress the anger in his heart. He spread rumors to tarnish Su Li’s reputation, trying to discredit him.
However, his actions were soon discovered by Zhangsun Wuji. His father’s earnest advice made Zhangsun Chong promise not to trouble Su Li anymore. Unexpectedly, before he could put that promise into action, Su Li’s poetic talent gained fame in Changan.
Upon learning this news, Zhangsun Chong was utterly surprised. The reasoning his father used to console him still echoed in his ears. His father had said that he and Su Li were not meant to be in the same league, that the greatest achievement in Su Li’s life was becoming a consort, nothing more.
And yet, in the blink of an eye, Su Li transformed into the most celebrated poet in the current Tang Dynasty. This realization infuriated Zhangsun Chong. He had been telling everyone that Su Li was just a lucky peasant, and suddenly, the guy had become a master poet.
Was there anything more embarrassing in the world?
What made it worse was that he had seen Su Li’s success firsthand. The mere thought of Su Li’s prosperity made Zhangsun Chong uncomfortable.
He had even tried to convince himself otherwise. After all, poetic talent was just a trivial matter for people like them, a mere pastime. No matter how good someone’s poems were, they were still insignificant in his presence.
He tried to convince himself that Su Li was just a waste, spending his days in the princess’s mansion, indulging in romantic affairs. His love poems were insipid and would only be admired by women.
Zhangsun Chong was disdainful.
But today, at the poetry gathering he organized, hearing Su Li’s poem in person, Zhangsun Chong couldn’t control his emotions. He was taken off guard. The profound discomfort, both mentally and physically, shattered his facade. He could no longer deceive himself.
In that moment, all he could think about was how to get back at Su Li. He tried to calm himself down and started plotting his revenge.
After a while, he had an idea.
“A mere peasant becomes a consort and suddenly gains such poetic talent. It’s a ridiculous turn of events! Su Li, I’ll let you be if you’re content being a wealthy consort. But you dare to use Changle’s influence to make a name for yourself! Don’t blame me for revealing your true colors!” Zhangsun Chong’s voice was tinged with excitement inside the room as he muttered to himself.
In this era, almost every literate person knew how to write a few poems. Zhangsun Chong had written poems himself, so he understood the nuances of poetry. He was also well-versed in Su Li’s life story, particularly since he regarded Su Li as an enemy.
In summary, Su Li had spent the first twenty years of his life facing challenges and hardships. Despite all that, he had risen to prominence in the Princess Mansion, something that Zhangsun Chong couldn’t overlook.
With such a background, merely recognizing a few words would be impressive for a person, even if they couldn’t be considered a cultured individual. But writing poetry? How could that be possible? Each enduring masterpiece must come from the author’s genuine feelings, not just exceptional literary skills. Considering Su Li’s past experiences, which of his recent poems would match that? Moreover, the styles of those poems were so diverse, clearly not the work of a single person!
Zhangsun Chong couldn’t believe that a person’s talent could extend to such an extent. He believed that Su Li’s poems were not genuinely his own. They couldn’t be. Perhaps his earlier rumors had worked, leading Su Li to claim these works falsely.
Considering the speed at which fame could be achieved nowadays, poetry led the way. Zhangsun Chong believed he had everything figured out and felt invigorated by his revelation. He thought he had found a weakness.
He thought he had unearthed the truth, that Su Li’s poems were not his own. It was impossible that a person’s talent could progress to such an extent. He concluded that the poems had to be plagiarized.
As he pondered his newfound insight, Zhangsun Chong rubbed his face, adjusted his attire, and emerged from the room with a smile. When he arrived at the poetry gathering, a group gathered around him, showing concern. He maintained his usual smile and asked what they were discussing.
Someone immediately responded, telling him they were discussing Su Li’s poems. They praised the exquisite nature of his poetry, whether describing scenery or emotions. Others chimed in, sharing their admiration for Su Li’s skill, indicating that his poetry had surpassed theirs.
Listening to their praises of Su Li, Zhangsun Chong showed no change in expression. Instead, he continued to smile and added his own praises. Inside, he was sneering. He believed Su Li’s poetry had to be fraudulent due to plagiarism.
The crowd continued to praise Su Li’s poetic prowess, but Zhangsun Chong remained unmoved. Inwardly, he was coldly laughing at the situation.
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