On the other side, during the night, a grand poetry gathering was taking place at the residence of Pri Minister Zhangsun Wuji. People mingled, toasted in the garden, and enjoyed a lively banquet atmosphere.
anwhile, 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 complints from the attendees. Just a quarter of an hour ago, he was doing exactly that. But then, soone 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 beco the favorite pasti of the nobility. While Zhangsun Chongs literary talent was lacking, it didnt 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 didnt an 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 Pri 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 soone without any sense would recite Su Lis poem in front of him?
Zhangsun Chongs marriage to Princess Changle was originally widely known. However, due to an unexpected turn of events, Su Li, a nobody at the ti, benefited from the situation. Because of this, Zhangsun Chong couldnt suppress the anger in his heart. He spread rumors to tarnish Su Lis reputation, trying to discredit him.
However, his actions were soon discovered by Zhangsun Wuji. His fathers earnest advice made Zhangsun Chong promise not to trouble Su Li anymore. Unexpectedly, before he could put that promise into action, Su Lis poetic talent gained fa 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 ant to be in the sa league, that the greatest achievent in Su Lis life was becoming a consort, nothing more.
And yet, in the blink of an eye, Su Li transford 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 beco a master poet.
Was there anything more embarrassing in the world?
What made it worse was that he had seen Su Lis success firsthand. The re thought of Su Lis 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 re pasti. No matter how good soones 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 princesss mansion, indulging in romantic affairs. His love poems were insipid and would only be admired by won.
Zhangsun Chong was disdainful.
But today, at the poetry gathering he organized, hearing Su Lis poem in person, Zhangsun Chong couldnt control his emotions. He was taken off guard. The profound discomfort, both ntally and physically, shattered his facade. He could no longer deceive himself.
In that mont, 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 re peasant becos a consort and suddenly gains such poetic talent. Its a ridiculous turn of events! Su Li, Ill let you be if youre content being a wealthy consort. But you dare to use Changles influence to make a na for yourself! Dont bla for revealing your true colors! Zhangsun Chongs voice was tinged with excitent 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 Lis 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, sothing that Zhangsun Chong couldnt overlook.
With such a background, rely recognizing a few words would be impressive for a person, even if they couldnt be considered a cultured individual. But writing poetry? How could that be possible? Each enduring masterpiece must co from the authors genuine feelings, not just exceptional literary skills. Considering Su Lis 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 couldnt believe that a persons talent could extend to such an extent. He believed that Su Lis poems were not genuinely his own. They couldnt be. Perhaps his earlier rumors had worked, leading Su Li to claim these works falsely.
Considering the speed at which fa 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 Lis poems were not his own. It was impossible that a persons 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 erged 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.
Soone imdiately responded, telling him they were discussing Su Lis poems. They praised the exquisite nature of his poetry, whether describing scenery or emotions. Others chid in, sharing their admiration for Su Lis 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 Lis poetry had to be fraudulent due to plagiarism.
The crowd continued to praise Su Lis poetic prowess, but Zhangsun Chong remained unmoved. Inwardly, he was coldly laughing at the situation.
Reviews
All reviews (0)