Chapter 26: The Mysterious Woman

Among those frequenting the pleasure house were many scholars and poets. With the Tang Dynasty newly established, talented individuals from all over had flocked to Chang'an, only to find that their ambitions were not easily realized. Most, frustrated and restless, spent their nights in these establishments, nursing the hope that one day they might soar to great heights.

These men were, by and large, true connoisseurs. Already, some were murmuring to themselves: "This sentiment might be remembered, but at the time, I was already lost in bewilderment... Does this not speak the very thoughts of my heart?"

The crowd in the hall turned their gaze toward Su Chen. Those two lines had touched the hearts of many men who carried their own histories of love—the kind that was never meant to be, leaving only a helpless, lingering ache.

Cui Wenbin, having finished reading the poem, was stunned. He was no stranger to literature and had studied for years; he understood quality. Upon closer inspection, he realized the rhythm was flawless, the rhymes were excellent, and the content was beyond reproach. When he compared it to the verses his own men had produced earlier—which were nothing but drivel—the disparity was clear.

"No, this cannot be. You must have had someone else write this for you."

Cui Wenbin stared ahead, crumpling the poem into a ball and tossing it aside, clearly having lost his composure. The discarded paper was retrieved by a dejected scholar nearby—a man who would later make a fortune from that very scrap.

Cheng Chumo and Li Huaren were having none of this; they despised a sore loser. "I say, Brother Cui, can you not afford to lose? Do not think that just because this is your family's business, you can act so recklessly here."

Cheng Chumo was not one to be trifled with, and in Chang'an, there were few who dared to cross them. It was evident from the reactions of the surrounding crowd that Su Chen’s poem was truly exceptional. Even if Cheng and Li could not fully grasp the nuance, the consensus of so many eyes made the quality undeniable.

"That's right! Is your Cui clan so pathetic that you have to resort to force? Do you think being a prestigious family makes you all-powerful? Hah! We are not ones to be pushed around either," Li Huaren added, leading the crowd in a chorus of jeers.

Seeing the situation escalate, Wang Dan tugged at Cui Wenbin’s sleeve. "Young Master, it is not wise to make a scene today. It is only a woman; let Su Chen have this victory. It matters little."

Cui Wenbin’s face flushed with rage, but he knew Wang Dan was right. It would be foolish to ruin himself over a single woman.

"Su Chen, remember this. I will make you pay," Cui Wenbin muttered. He knew that with so many people watching, he had no choice but to leave. His parting words, however, fell on deaf ears.

The pleasure house erupted in laughter, for everyone knew that Cui Wenbin had suffered a total defeat. Su Chen’s poem was now etched into the minds of all present. Some were already stealthily pulling out paper and brushes, desperate to record the masterpiece before it slipped from their memory.

Cheng Chumo was thoroughly impressed. "I truly had no idea, brother! Your literary talent is so profound, yet you’ve hidden it from us all these years."

Su Chen, however, had not intended to offend the Cui family. He still had unresolved matters with the Changsun family, and with less than a month remaining, his time was running thin. He didn't need another enemy.

"Brothers, I will have to rely on you in the future. It was not my intent to antagonize them, but they were simply too weak. Cui Wenbin will surely hold a grudge and look for trouble, so we must be cautious," Su Chen remarked. He could see that Cui Wenbin was far from finished.

He had no time to deal with the Cui family now; he had a meeting with the beauty from Gusu to attend to.

Li Huaren patted Su Chen on the shoulder. "What is there to fear, brother? Even if the Cui and Wang families are powerful, we are not necessarily weaker. One day, we shall topple them."

Li Huaren had long despised these aristocratic clans. They held power everywhere in Chang'an and controlled the economic lifelines of the Tang, making them difficult even for Li Shimin to confront. Only Su Chen knew that the five great families would soon be eradicated by the Emperor; he only needed to survive this month.

"With your support, I am at ease. I cannot accompany you tonight, but we shall talk at length tomorrow," Su Chen said with a smile.

As he headed toward the second floor, he was met by two thin, sharp-eyed men blocking the way. "Only Master Su may enter. The others must return," they said.

Su Chen realized these were experts in disguise—a surprise to find such figures hiding in a place like this. He signaled to Cheng Chumo and Li Huaren, who were initially indignant, to stand down.

"Brothers, we have already won a great victory today. Let me take it from here; just wait for me below."

With his friends mollified and gone, Su Chen stepped forward toward the room of Yang Wan'er.