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The madam, who had been all smiles, suddenly changed her expression upon hearing Su Qi'an's words. She quickly interjected, "Young Master Su is a man of great talent. It is Xiao Wan's fortune to accompany you. However, Xiao Wan is, after all, the top courtesan of the Spring Breeze House. Today, so many scholars and students have gathered here. If Xiao Wan were to leave with you just like that, I'm afraid..."
The madam trailed off, but everyone present understood her implication. They had all come for Xiao Wan. While Su Qi'an was indeed a renowned talent, if he were to take Xiao Wan away so casually, it would undoubtedly leave a sour taste in everyone's mouth.
In just a few words, the madam had pitted Su Qi'an against the other scholars. It was no wonder she had been dealing with scholars for years. If Su Qi'an didn't respond appropriately, it could lead to trouble.
Su Qi'an remained calm. He glanced at the madam and chuckled lightly, "It seems I wasn't clear enough. When I said 'accompany,' I meant a casual gathering over drinks, not an overnight stay. Do you think I am the kind of person who is greedy for wealth and lust? Is the top courtesan of the Spring Breeze House so grand that I, Su Qi'an, am not even qualified for a casual gathering?"
"That's right, madam. What do you mean by this? Are you looking down on my brother?" Ye Zhong chimed in, backing Su Qi'an up.
The madam inwardly groaned. She had been dealing with people for many years and prided herself on her ability to read people. Yet tonight, within just a quarter of an hour, she had nearly offended Su Qi'an twice.
Just as the madam was about to explain herself, Xiao Wan, who had remained silent until now, spoke up. "It is my honor to have caught Young Master Su's attention. Whether or not the young master composes a poem, I will still join him for a casual gathering."
Su Qi'an was inwardly surprised and couldn't help but view this top courtesan of the Spring Breeze House in a new light. With just this one sentence, no matter how dissatisfied or angry the others were, their emotions would dissipate instantly. After all, what kind of man would hold a grudge against a woman? That would be utterly unmanly.
Su Qi'an smiled gently at Xiao Wan. "Since Miss Xiao Wan has spoken, I naturally won't take this matter to heart. Rest assured, I will keep my word and compose a poem."
After a moment of contemplation, Su Qi'an began to recite:
"Guan guan the ospreys,
On the islet in the river.
The fair and gentle maiden,
A fit match for the gentleman.
Long and short the water plants,
Left and right they flow.
The fair and gentle maiden,
Awake and asleep, he seeks her.
Seeking but not finding her,
Awake and asleep, he thinks of her.
Long and wistful,
Tossing and turning.
Long and short the water plants,
Left and right they gather.
The fair and gentle maiden,
With qin and se, he befriends her.
Long and short the water plants,
Left and right they pluck.
The fair and gentle maiden,
With bells and drums, he delights her."
As the poem concluded, the room fell silent. Everyone was savoring the poem Su Qi'an had composed. Unlike the half-line he had recited earlier, this was a complete poem. It was clear that Su Qi'an had already conceived the full poem beforehand.
The silence in the Spring Breeze House didn't last long. Soon, praises began to pour in.
"Truly, Young Master Su is unparalleled. This poem is a perfect match for Miss Xiao Wan. 'The fair and gentle maiden, a fit match for the gentleman'—such a simple yet profound line. It's truly a masterpiece."
"Indeed, but I particularly like the line, 'Seeking but not finding her, awake and asleep, he thinks of her.' It perfectly captures the deep affection for Miss Xiao Wan. I am in awe. Young Master Su is truly a man of great talent."
"Young Master Su, may I ask if this poem has a name?"
Amid the chatter, the madam's voice rang out. Su Qi'an replied softly, "Since this poem was composed for Miss Xiao Wan, let's call it 'Guan Ju for Xiao Wan.'"
"Excellent, excellent! With Young Master Su's poem, I am certain this will become another masterpiece after tonight."
The madam's joy was evident. She turned to Xiao Wan, whose eyes sparkled, and addressed the crowd. "Originally, the opportunity to spend time with Miss Xiao Wan was to go to the highest bidder. However, Young Master Su's poem is a perfect match. If any of you gentlemen believe you can surpass Young Master Su's talent, you may also compete with a poem."
"If no one objects, then tonight's opportunity to be close to Miss Xiao Wan will go to Young Master Su."
The faces of the scholars below shifted, but no one spoke up. To be honest, the poem "Guan Ju for Xiao Wan" was tailor-made for the occasion. They knew they were no match for Su Qi'an. Though some were envious, there was nothing they could do. After all, who could rival Su Qi'an's talent? They had no choice but to concede.
Seeing the scholars' silence, the madam nodded in satisfaction and announced the result.
Standing beside Su Qi'an, Ye Zhong sighed with envy. "Brother Su, you truly are a man who remains silent until the moment he speaks, and then astonishes everyone. I told you, bringing you here was the right decision. You must cherish this time with Miss Xiao Wan. Oh, and Brother Su, if you have time in the future, teach me how to compose poems. If not, I'll buy your poems."
Ye Zhong's eyes gleamed as he looked at Su Qi'an, as if he were gazing at a gold mine. The Ye family lacked many things in Lingbei County, but money wasn't one of them. If he could buy Su Qi'an's poems, preferably all of them, then in the future, when he visited these high-end establishments, the courtesans would be at his beck and call.
Su Qi'an couldn't bear Ye Zhong's intense gaze and quickly nodded in agreement.
Just as Xiao Wan was about to invite Su Qi'an to a private room for their gathering, and the scholars below were casting envious glances, an untimely, grating voice suddenly rang out.
"So this is the top courtesan of Lingbei County? Hmph, I thought she was something special, but it turns out she's just the daughter of a criminal. I thought she had died in exile, but instead, she ended up in the Spring Breeze House and became the so-called top courtesan. How amusing."
The harsh words caused Xiao Wan's expression to change. Her eyes narrowed, and she stared intently at the private room on the second floor. The voice had come from the room next to Su Qi'an's, and it was a familiar one—Wei Yun.
Su Qi'an, Qin Huai, and Ye Zhong all frowned. They knew Wei Yun was in the adjacent room. They had thought he had learned his lesson after staying quiet earlier, but they hadn't expected him to speak up at this moment.
Su Qi'an understood Wei Yun's intentions perfectly. Xiao Wan was the top courtesan, and after having so many scholars vying for her attention, Su Qi'an had used his reputation to compose a poem, further elevating her status. Just as the atmosphere reached its peak, Wei Yun had stepped in to play the spoiler, maliciously tarnishing Xiao Wan's reputation.
If what Wei Yun said was true, not only would Xiao Wan's reputation as the top courtesan suffer, but Su Qi'an would also be implicated.
Sure enough, as soon as Wei Yun finished speaking, another voice from his room chimed in. "Oh? The daughter of a criminal? Brother Wei, do you have any evidence?" The speaker was someone Su Qi'an also recognized—Wei Yun's lackey, Song Wen.
"Hmph, this woman's name is Lu Xiao Wan. The Lu family was once a prominent merchant family in Chuandu County, living a comfortable life. Unfortunately, her father wasn't content with his good fortune and attempted to rebel."
"Rebel?" Song Wen played along.
"Yes, you must have heard of the rebellion of Marquis Laiyang a year ago. Although it was successfully suppressed, Marquis Laiyang had many remaining followers, and the Lu family was one of them."
"And then?"
"Then, of course, the Lu family was executed, their property confiscated, and the rest were exiled. This Lu Xiao Wan should have been exiled, but somehow she ended up as a government courtesan and even became the top courtesan of the Spring Breeze House. Truly, fate works in mysterious ways." Wei Yun sighed with mock sympathy.
"Ah, Brother Wei, what's so mysterious about fate? This daughter of a criminal is lucky to be alive and serving as a government courtesan. Isn't it her duty to serve gentlemen like us? Who knows, maybe one day some talented scholar will take her home, and her fortunes will turn around."
"A talented scholar? Which scholar would dare take such a criminal's daughter home? That would be a huge liability."
"Ah, Brother Wei, you're mistaken. Didn't that great talent from Lingbei County just compose a poem for this criminal's daughter? The poem is a perfect match."
"'The fair and gentle maiden, a fit match for the gentleman.' Tsk tsk, truly, a criminal's daughter is a perfect match for a talented scholar. Hahaha."
"..."
Song Wen and Wei Yun's conversation was loud and unsubtle, as if they were deliberately speaking for Su Qi'an and the other scholars to hear.
If Wei Yun's initial remark had only caused some dissatisfaction among the scholars, by the time they finished listening, coupled with the whispers of those who knew the truth, any scholars who had wanted to defend Xiao Wan immediately fell silent.
It wasn't that they feared Wei Yun, but if what he said was true, then defending Xiao Wan could bring them great trouble. After all, she was the daughter of a criminal. Though no one knew how the Spring Breeze House had managed to bring her here, anyone associated with rebellion carried a stigma that no one dared to challenge.
Wei Yun and Song Wen were clearly targeting Su Qi'an. Though their conversation seemed harmless on the surface, it was laced with hidden malice. Not only did they want to ruin Xiao Wan's reputation, but they also aimed to drag Su Qi'an down with her.
If their accusations held, even if Su Qi'an possessed extraordinary talent, being associated with the daughter of a rebel would be an indelible stain on his record, greatly affecting his future career. Their intentions were undeniably sinister.
The room was silent, and no one dared to speak up. However, this didn't mean no one was willing to stand up.
Inside the private room, Ye Zhong's face was flushed with anger, his fists clenched so tightly that veins bulged. Su Qi'an was his guest, and he had brought him here to foster goodwill. Yet, with Wei Yun and Song Wen's interference, not only were Xiao Wan and Su Qi'an's reputations being tarnished, but Ye Zhong's own face was being slapped.
Ye Zhong couldn't tolerate this. He stormed out of the room, kicked open the door to the adjacent private room, and shouted, "Damn it, Wei Yun! If you want to mess with someone, I don't care, but if you mess with me, do you really think the scholars of Lingbei County are pushovers? Today, I'll beat you until your head looks like a blooming flower, or I'll take your surname!"
"Ye Li, stop standing there! Call in the Ye family's men. I'll take responsibility for whatever happens today. Beat them hard!"