Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Melody of the Proud Wanderer

The night in Chang'an slipped away unnoticed. Outsiders had no idea how Su Chen had spent his night at the Goulan Pavilion. It began with a discussion about Yang Wan'er’s irregular menstruation, but as the conversation deepened, Yang Wan'er found herself increasingly captivated by Su Chen. Whether it was astronomy, geography, music, or poetry, Su Chen handled every topic with effortless ease.

"Young Master Su, I never imagined such a brilliant talent existed in Chang'an. I am certain your future will be boundless." Yang Wan'er could see it clearly. Had she not been burdened by a mission, she would have liked to pursue a deeper acquaintance with him. But now, her godfather's mission was paramount; she could not afford to entangle herself in personal feelings.

"You flatter me. For now, I am nothing more than a commoner; I am not as grand as you say," Su Chen replied. He did not wish to reveal too much just yet; what needed to be hidden must remain hidden.

It was nearly the fifth watch. Dawn was approaching. Time had flown by faster than even Su Chen had anticipated. It seemed that time truly passed quickly when chatting with a beauty, and an entire night had vanished before he realized it. It appeared his self-discipline still needed some work.

Yang Wan'er felt the same. This was the first time she had ever conversed with a man for so long. "The day is breaking. Let me play a piece for you, Young Master Su." She felt Su Chen was worth knowing; over the course of the night, she had come to view him as a confidant. Typically, she would never play for anyone else.

Meanwhile, Cheng Chumo and Li Huairen had not left. At first, they had expected Su Chen to emerge quickly, as the madam had told them Yang Wan'er was a "pure performer" who sold her art but not her body. They assumed he would be out within the time it took to burn a stick of incense. Who could have guessed they would talk for so long? The two men had been dozing at their table, waking up only to doze off again.

"Brother Su Chen is truly incredible. To talk all night until dawn—don't tell me they actually got down to business?" Cheng Chumo looked toward the second floor. The room was still lit, and outsiders were not allowed up; even the madam could do nothing. Some performers of high standing kept formidable bodyguards, making it difficult for ordinary people to approach.

"Brother Su Chen is truly a hidden gem. Who knew he was so skilled with women? No wonder the Princess..." Li Huairen realized he had said something wrong and quickly clamped his mouth shut. Initially, they had believed the rumors that Su Chen had been disrespectful to Princess Changle, as he had been that kind of person before. Later, it was explained away as Su Chen treating her illness, though some remained skeptical. Being his close friends, they knew him too well to believe that excuse.

"Hush, don't go spreading that around. Changsun Chong is already looking for trouble with him." The Su family was no match for the Changsun family. Even if Su Chen's sister stepped in, it would not change much. The Changsun family was currently second only to the Emperor, holding immense power within the court.

"I know the trouble he's in. Plus, he offended the Taiyuan Wang and Qinghe Cui clans tonight. There will be endless trouble ahead," Li Huairen frowned. They had been the playboys of Chang'an, walking with swagger, but they knew which people were best left alone. Who could have imagined that ever since Su Chen provoked Princess Changle, everything would change? That was when Su Chen had begun to reveal his secrets one by one.

"Huairen, are we still brothers?" Cheng Chumo, sensing Li Huairen's worry, stood up. If they were brothers, they should be ready to stand by each other through thick and thin.

"Of course we are brothers," Li Huairen replied firmly.

Cheng Chumo nodded. "Then it’s settled. Su Chen’s business is our business. I’ve decided: I stand or fall with our brother." In truth, Cheng Chumo had no other choice; he knew his father had already sided with Su Chen. With the Niu family and Li Jing also behind him, Cheng Yaojin could not afford to be left out. Since his father had chosen a side, so would he.

Li Huairen hesitated for a moment before realizing the situation. Cheng Chumo knew he couldn't stay out of this, and he wanted to pull as many brothers into the fold as possible. "You’re right. That’s what brotherhood is about. I will stand with you all." He understood that with the Cheng and Niu families and Li Jing supporting Su Chen, he had to join them. It was a clear matter of choosing a side; regardless of what happened later, he had to commit now.

Just then, music drifted from Yang Wan'er's room. The madam had not expected Su Chen to be the one chosen. Everything had been prepared for Cui Wenbin, but he was too incompetent; even after a day of preparing poems, his work was nowhere near as good as Su Chen's.

Yang Wan'er played a melody, elegant and gentle. It reminded Su Chen of another piece—it was similar, yet lacked the perfection of the one he had in mind. Seeing Su Chen lost in thought, Yang Wan'er blushed slightly; it seemed her performance had earned his approval.

"Young Master Su, what do you think?" she asked.

Su Chen snapped back to reality. "This piece reminds me of another, though I cannot write musical notation." This was a weakness of his; he could hum a tune, but he didn't know how to write down the staff notation.

Yang Wan'er smiled and took out some blank sheet music from a table. She composed her own music, so she always carried staff paper. "If you can hum it, perhaps I can record it for you."

Su Chen was delighted that she could act as his scribe. "Alright, I will go slowly." He began to hum. It was the "Song of the Smiling Proud Wanderer." It was similar in style to Yang Wan'er’s, but far more enchanting. Yang Wan'er froze as she listened. It was the melody she had been searching for all along, yet she had never quite captured it. She hadn't expected Su Chen to improve upon her own composition so perfectly after hearing her play just once. As Su Chen hummed, he deliberately slowed his pace so Yang Wan'er could clearly transcribe the music.