Chapter 624: Stealing Poetry: The Former Dynasty

"Second brother, could you please let this painting go to your younger brother?"

The Second Prince Chen Feng recognized this voice all too well, his expression growing colder.

The man speaking was handsome and imposing, his eyes gleaming like the stars of the Northern Dipper—truly a peerless man of the world.

His features were rugged, and with every glance, he radiated the oppressive weight of towering mountains.

Those present—Li Xiangjun, Feng Yaya, Jia Yu, and others—quickly bowed and said:

"Your Highness, Prince Yan!"

Chen Yong also smiled and greeted: "Greetings, Second Brother, Sixth Brother."

He Xiao and the others dared not be careless; this was their first time seeing the Sixth Prince, Chen Ting.

The Sixth Prince, said to embody the "Legacy of Prince Yan."

Princess Linxi's face darkened; she firmly supported her full-blooded elder brother, Chen Feng.

With the Crown Prince's seat vacant, the Second Prince and the Sixth Prince, Prince Yan, were the two most formidable contenders.

Prince Yan had deep roots in the military.

Second Prince Chen Feng's power lay within the Six Ministries of the court.

Both had grown their wings; now they waited only for the final victor to emerge.

Court officials were placing bets, while others watched silently, awaiting change, waiting for the truth to surface.

The Thirteenth Prince, Chen Mu, was Prince Yan's trusted confidant—and his own blood brother.

Seeing his Sixth Brother arrive, his face lit up with joy:

"Sixth Brother, you've come at the perfect moment—take a look at this painting. Is four hundred taels worth it?"

"This is laughable! A nobody's random scribble—how could it possibly be worth four million taels?"

After speaking, Chen Mu turned to Xie Guan with a string of cold sneers.

"You, a lowborn outcast, an obscure nobody—how dare you boast and sell this for four million taels?"

"I even suspect these poems were not written by you, but stolen from someone else!"

This accusation struck at the heart!

If such words came from a prince's mouth—with Prince Yan present—tomorrow, rumors about Xie Guan would flood the capital.

Xie Guan, already unknown, had produced poems so astonishing they had already pierced the hearts of the Nine Great Clans present.

Now, they had found their "perfect excuse"—they would all accuse him of plagiarism, pouring oil on the fire.

Even if Xie Guan did not suffer utter ruin, he would still be deeply affected.

The sons of the Nine Great Clans were experts at this!

Zhang Yuanlai's face flushed with fury, his fists clenched inside his sleeves—how could the quality of a painting be tied to one's birth!

Unable to find any flaw in the painting, Chen Mu subtly mocked Xie Guan's humble origins.

Among the common people of the Great Qi, folk rhymes said:

"Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes; mice are born to dig holes."

"A tiger father has no dog son."

These sayings, though crude, mocked the tangled power of the Nine Great Clans of the Great Qi.

Birth had become the standard for measuring everything.

Yet, princes and generals are not born of blood alone!

Zhang Yuanlai felt helpless and guilty—he was merely a Licentiate; how could he dare oppose a prince?

As Chen Mu's words fell silent:

Su Yun's eyes blazed with rage: "Chen Mu, how dare you speak such nonsense?"

"The poems of Lord Guan are his own work."

Chen Mu looked around at the crowd and smiled faintly:

"But who can prove it?"

His voice was quiet, yet clear to all nearby.

Jia Yu and the other two, having arrived with the Second and Prince Yan, had already stood silently to the side, not daring to breathe.

Under Chen Mu's gaze, everyone else lowered their heads in silence.

Li Xiangjun sensed the unusual tension.

The two princes were locked in silent combat.

Zhang Yuanlai turned to look behind him at "Xie Guan"—the boy's eyes were lowered, his expression calm and composed.

Over the years, the injustices the boy had suffered in the Xie household had clearly made him accustomed to them.

Zhang Yuanlai recalled that all this had come from his own doing—if he hadn't invited Xie Guan, none of this would have happened. His heart grew heavy.

He tried several times to speak.

Feng Yaya understood his thoughts; she gripped his sleeve tightly, shaking her head with pleading eyes.

This whirlpool of Bianjing's elite was no place for people like them.

The wind stirred by the shoes of these great men could crush them to dust, leaving no trace.

Zhang Yuanlai could only sigh silently—he could not abandon Feng Yaya.

Chen Mu's eyes gleamed with triumph as he stepped beside Prince Yan, Chen Ting.

Second Prince Chen Feng, having heard Chen Ting's words, suddenly smiled.

Chen Feng suddenly smiled, "Since."

Chen Ting's gaze shifted between Chen Mu and Xie Guan.

At that moment!

A personal eunuch stepped forward and respectfully handed the Sixth Prince a slip of paper.

Chen Ting unfolded it, studied it, then tucked it back into his sleeve, glancing again at Xie Guan.

He smiled broadly: "Since Thirteenth Brother says Xie Guan's painting is unsuitable—"

"I'll return it to Second Brother. I won't steal it from you."

Three words!

Two rounds of polite refusal!

The two most famous princes of Bianjing had seemingly agreed: Xie Guan had no talent, and was not worth four million taels.

Second Prince Chen Feng listened, his expression thoughtful.

The red-robed old eunuch who had trailed him stepped forward and whispered a few words into his ear.

Chen Feng finally nodded.

"I, Su Yun, never agreed to give it to you."

Su Yun roared: "Lord Guan's painting—I bought it!"

But!

Chen Ting merely shook his head slightly, utterly unconcerned.

Though Su Yun was the heir of the Su family, grandson of Minister Su, neither dared offend him lightly—yet their words deliberately sidestepped Su Yun entirely.

Even if Su Yun were willing to spend a fortune to buy the painting, it could not change the fact the two princes had already decided.

Xie Guan was not worth it—and might even be suspected of plagiarism.

Chen Mu sneered, turning to the boy by the table: "Xie Guan, what do you have to say?"

"Can you prove you didn't steal these poems?"

All eyes turned to Xie Guan.

Xie Guan said nothing.

Su Yun stepped forward, shielding Xie Guan: "Chen Mu, whether Lord Guan stole poems is none of your damn business!"

"Stop meddling where you're not wanted!"

Chen Mu smiled: "I can't control it—but justice resides in men's hearts."

He scanned the crowd; no one dared meet his gaze.

Chen Yong watched silently, studying the two "Imperial Brothers" and Xie Guan's painting, weighing his options—then remained silent.

Li Xiangjun sighed inwardly: though Su Yun came from the illustrious Su family, before these two princes who had fought their way through court politics for years, he still seemed too young.

He had already been led astray by their words—and didn't even realize it.

Today, Xie Guan had three poems that could have made Bianjing tremble—but now, this storm would surely bring even more rumors tomorrow.

Chen Yong smiled: "Lord Guan, this painting is indeed exquisite—but four million taels is no small sum."

"Lord Su spent a fortune on hairpins at the Qunfang Banquet today—surely he can't afford this now…"

Su Yun fell silent; all his silver had gone to buying hairpins today.

He simply could not produce four million taels.

"I, Su Yun, tomorrow—"

At that moment!

A soft, clear voice rang out:

"If the gentleman means it, I shall buy it."

Chen Mu froze, startled—who dared risk offending two princes to buy Xie Guan's poems?

Chen Ting narrowed his eyes and slowly turned around.

A woman in white robes walked forward, graceful and slender, her face veiled by a thin white gauze, revealing only a pair of eyes as clear as autumn water.

Though her full form was not revealed, she gave the impression of a celestial fairy descending to earth, as if she did not belong to this mortal world.

Zhang Yuanlai and the others could not help but turn their gazes toward the woman.

Her aura was simply too extraordinary; merely standing there, she became an undeniable scene, causing all to hold their breath in awe.

She was exquisitely beautiful, yet inspired no impure thoughts.

She may be admired from afar, but never defiled!

Li Xiangjun and Feng Yaya exchanged glances; in Xixiang Pavilion, such a woman existed only once.

The foremost courtesan of Qiyi Spring Quarter: Su Shishi.

Immortal Su!

The woman whose name echoed throughout the Jingshi Dao: "Long, arched brows like distant mountains, slender waist swaying like willow branches. One smile topples a city, a second topples a nation."

The people of Bianjing all called her "Immortal," saying she seemed to have stepped from a painted scroll, ethereal and otherworldly, not of this mortal realm.

Those in the hall who recognized Su Shishi gasped aloud.

Su Shishi had long ceased appearing publicly in Xixiang Pavilion; this Grand Banquet of Beauties was her grand finale.

The Second Prince, upon seeing her, beamed with delight and hurriedly said, "Shishi, how did you come here?"

But Su Shishi paid him no heed.

Li Xiangjun and the others were astonished: this Immortal Su had not bowed to either prince.

And yet she openly walked past the two princes toward Xie Guan.

Chen Feng's eyes darkened.

Su Shishi stepped to the table, carefully studying the painting of the Kunpeng on the paper, a flicker of surprise in her beautiful eyes.

"This painting… truly extraordinary!"

She lifted her gaze to Xie Guan. "Sir, your three poems just now were all superb. I wish to request one of them."

"Would four million taels of silver be enough for one painting and one poem?"

Yu Ke observed the woman quietly, a peculiar feeling stirring within him.

He felt Su Shishi's aura differed from those of the Kunxu Realm, evoking the same sensation he had once felt when he met Lu Yu in his past life.

This feeling made him glance at Su Shishi a few more times.

Yu Ke came to his senses. "Of course not a problem."

Su Yun's face lit up. He turned to Chen Mu and said, "Immortal Su has true discernment—unlike someone else, blind as a bat."

Su Shishi smiled, like the first rays of a clearing moon or spring ice melting into water. "Then thank you, sir."

Chen Mu's gaze turned icy, ready to speak—when Prince Yan, Chen Ting, shook his head slightly.

Chen Ting knew this woman's identity was extraordinary: she was a former princess of the fallen dynasty, and even Su Xiang had personally received her.

During the palace coup in Sui, the current Sui Emperor killed his own brother and seized the throne.

When the Sui Emperor purged the imperial harem, he never imagined a baby girl had been secretly swapped in her place.

The sorcerers of Mount Zhongnan divined that this princess carried a fraction of Sui's national fortune, and the Sui court had pursued her relentlessly.

As for why she ended up in Xixiang Pavilion, it was because she refused to become the current Qi Empress.

Su Xiang hid her in the glittering, song-filled brothels—no one would ever suspect a lost princess of the former dynasty was disguised as a courtesan.

(End of Chapter)