Chapter 58: Intimidation (Part 3)
Among literary men competing with poems and essays, what they fought for was pride—even if they lost the contest, they couldn't lose composure or bearing. People like Gu Yanzhen were quite accustomed to such matters, and seeing the beginning, they could mostly guess the outcome.
Generally everyone said there was no first place in literature, and slightly inferior poetry usually wasn't a big problem. But with Chen Jiwen present and the Su brothers being truly terrible, after the mockery their opponents pushed over the ink, brushes, paper and inkstones, Su Wending and the others didn't dare write more for fear of becoming a laughingstock again. Outside, this situation might even lead to fights, but with so many spectators present, fighting at this gathering would mean being dragged out by the soldiers maintaining order. For a moment their faces flushed red and they couldn't speak.
When Li Pin came upstairs and showed he knew the Su brothers, escaping this situation became impossible. Then Chen Jiwen openly issued a challenge, and when news reached this side, Gu Yanzhen and Shen Miao laughed—this boring argument had finally become somewhat interesting.
Who knew that with just a few words over there, both sides that had been at daggers drawn seemed doused with cold water. The confrontation continued, but that sharp edge seemed invisibly suppressed. Li Pin merely exchanged greetings and went aside with his companion, apparently not interfering further. Those originally wanting to write poetry hesitated, unable to put brush to paper. Gu Yanzhen had seen their poetic talent earlier, especially Chen Jiwen—holding his brush as if with some concern in his heart, seeming to have verses but constantly hesitating to write. How could such a thing happen?
Unable to hear the conversation from here, they could only let information slowly spread over. The bizarre atmosphere spread among the talents watching the show, with whispers and pointing. The Su brothers relaxed their emotions but similarly seemed unable to write well or decide their next move, looking at each other and glancing toward Li Pin's side.
"Dexin's arrival actually makes Chen Jiwen hesitate to write? When has such a thing happened?" Gu Yanzhen frowned, though having been away from Jiangning for years, he was also somewhat shocked.
Shen Miao shook his head: "He just challenged Dexin earlier, how can he not write now?"
"Could it be he thought he had a good poem earlier but now realizes he hasn't thought through one line?"
His companions speculated thus, then one person left his seat: "Let me go see."
That person circled several seats, went to ask among the whispering crowd, then looked toward Li Pin and the others' seats by the window before showing some understanding. He then returned, laughing: "So that's it—not because of Dexin, but because of the person beside him. Chen Jiwen and his group are truly unlucky this time..."
"That man is young—who exactly is he?"
"Ning Yi."
"...Su mansion's Ning Yi? Ning Liheng?" Shen Miao was stunned, then laughed in realization. "Ah, no wonder... The one who could make Chen Jiwen hesitate this long turns out to be him. This person never participates in social events, no wonder we don't recognize him. If I went to write poetry I'd probably struggle for a long time too. Running into him by chance, Chen Jiwen is in trouble this time..."
"The Ning Liheng of 'Water Melody Prelude' and 'Green Jadeite Bowl'? Even in the Eastern Capital I often heard the reputation of 'When will the moon be round,' but for it to reach this degree..." Gu Yanzhen frowned, first doubtful, but then stopped speaking, watching the scene opposite while pondering those two poems, alarmed and uncertain.
Chen Jiwen hesitated for a long time before finally putting brush to paper. Those who came with him surrounded him as if granted amnesty, seeming to breathe a sigh of relief. Then they took the poem to the other side, though their gazes kept lingering toward the window. The previous arrogant declarations and constant mockery had completely vanished. What remained were merely some polite phrases, then somewhat nervously waiting for the reaction from that side.
Ning Yi sat by the window, by now somewhat aware of the confrontational situation here—not as friendly as he'd first seen. But this had nothing to do with him, and his mood wasn't focused on this.
When coming upstairs, lights flashed outside and he seemed to see something, though thinking about it, even he couldn't be certain.
It seemed just an inadvertent impression, suddenly recalled in a moment when his mood settled—that glimpse during the Lantern Festival when writing "suddenly looking back." Honestly, he hadn't been able to see the female assassin's appearance then, only noticing those eyes. Thinking of it now, four months had passed. What he'd sensed coming here with Li Pin—even he felt uncertain about.
When wandering around the venue earlier, he'd actually seen Captain Song Xian chatting and laughing with people, accompanied by personal guards, which also reminded him of that female assassin. Tonight had some similarities to the Lantern Festival scenery—perhaps because of this, creating excess emotions. He made this judgment in his heart, but after sitting down, he still looked down intentionally or unintentionally. In his field of vision crowds came and went, that impression growing ever thinner.
He must have been mistaken.
During the moment he paid no attention to the restaurant confrontation, Chen Jiwen on the other side was indeed hesitating over the name Ning Liheng. Ning Yi didn't know the other's reputation, but the other couldn't possibly not have heard of "Water Melody Prelude" and "Green Jadeite Bowl." This was mainly because Ning Yi had taken an unconventional approach, calculating people's hearts and public opinion to the extreme. Others wanting to gain fame as talents wrote dozens or hundreds of poems, showing off at every gathering. But Ning Yi had only two, with coincidental timing, the technique of suppressing before praising in between, plus that casual "the Taoist chanted two poems" and his subsequent low-key character. Others could at most say he was a reclusive eccentric with a strange personality, but they could no longer ignore his existence.
And recluses, due to their mystery, sometimes seemed even more unfathomable.
Chen Jiwen wasn't without talent—if he prepared, he could indeed compete with Li Pin and others. But thinking of the other's two poems now, then thinking of what he'd prepared, he could only constantly deliberate. After finally gritting his teeth to write it out, he still lacked confidence and could only watch for the reaction from the other side.
By the window, Ning Yi paid little attention to activities here. Li Pin was the first to react—when Chen Jiwen was writing poetry, he roughly inquired about developments and then came back laughing to explain. Looking at Chen Jiwen's complex expression over there, he finally understood why the other had spoken that way and couldn't help laughing. Then looking at Su Wending and Su Wenfang, he stood up and went over.
At this time they were bringing over Chen Jiwen's poem, trying to say polite phrases without offending anyone, deliberating quite painfully before saying: "Young Master Gu Yanzhen and the others are also over there. Hmph, ignorance is ignorance—the earlier comments weren't mine alone!"
Li Pin looked toward where Gu Yanzhen and others sat. Su Wending and the others hurriedly gave him the poem to evaluate. Li Pin held it and smiled: "Things seemed chaotic earlier, I haven't greeted Miss Tang yet—how rude." These words were first directed at Tang Jing, who'd been left aside.
Only then did Su Wending and others react—forced into embarrassment earlier, they'd even forgotten this. Tang Jing hadn't known what to do before, then suddenly hearing names like Li Pin and even Ning Yi, Ning Liheng, she stared wide-eyed not knowing how to greet them. Su Wending hadn't introduced her either, leaving a not-very-old girl coldly neglected to the side, quite pitifully. Only now could she finally exchange greetings with Li Pin, and Ning Yi had also come over: "I didn't greet Miss Tang earlier—truly rude."
Tang Jing was delighted in her heart and hurriedly bowed: "This humble woman Tang Jing greets Young Master Ning. Young Master Ning is too kind—I should have greeted Young Master Ning first."
"Heh, actually speaking of it, Miss Tang was dancing on the central drum earlier, right? I didn't expect you knew Wenfang and Wending."
"Young Master Ning also saw this humble woman's performance?" Tang Jing's face instantly reddened, staring somewhat nervously.
"Naturally I watched—you danced beautifully." Ning Yi smiled and nodded. "Dexin was there too, wasn't he?" Tang Jing was overwhelmed with favor: "Thank you Young Master Ning, Young Master Li." Then she glanced at Su Wending. The atmosphere here almost completely dissolved. After quite a while, they finally discussed meeting through literature. Ning Yi looked at the poems on the table, and Li Pin handed over the one in his hand: "Good poem, Liheng take a look." He turned and bowed to Chen Jiwen.
Ning Yi smiled as he finished reading and nodded: "Mm, good poem." He also bowed. Only then did Chen Jiwen's expression relax as he returned the bow without saying much.
"This one is also a good poem." Not long after, Ning Yi took out the one Su Wending had written to look at, then handed it to Tang Jing. "What's valuable is the sincere heart—Miss Tang should keep it well."
The several poems on the table were mostly praising beauties. Ning Yi handed over the worst one, and Tang Jing quickly nodded: "Yes." She tucked the poem into her bosom.
These few casual remarks left others unable to find any words to say, even if they wanted to.
"...What's valuable is the sincere heart?"
Gu Yanzhen's side had been watching developments over there as news spread over. He'd also mocked that poem earlier, but from the other's mouth it became a good poem with one sentence, and Tang Jing had preciously tucked it into her bosom. For a moment he felt this somewhat absurd. He was also a proud person confident in his talent, and seeing this scene, he felt quite complex emotions. He recalled those two poems, originally thinking he wasn't much worse, but after careful consideration, he realized if he had to write, he'd probably hesitate too.
There was no more show to watch on the other side. Chen Jiwen had lost his edge for the moment—though displeased in his heart, he had no good works to prove himself with. Shen Miao smiled: "Dexin is there too, shall we go greet him?"
Gu Yanzhen shook his head: "No need. Miaomiao's performance is starting soon, let's go down first. We can exchange greetings later... Today's events were truly interesting."
How the incident at Literary Ink Building—where Li Pin and Ning Yi's appearance made Chen Jiwen not dare to write—would spread by tomorrow was hard to say. For Ning Yi it was perhaps a small matter; his mood wasn't focused on this. But for Tang Jing, Su Wending and others it was a major event, especially Tang Jing. She didn't have much fame yet, and meeting Li Pin and Ning Yi this time, with both praising her dancing, left her feelings beyond words.
Everyone chatted upstairs for a while. When Xiao Chan brought some snacks, Ning Yi saw Song Xian's figure appear downstairs, seemingly leisurely wandering with several soldiers before disappearing to the other side of his vision. He frowned and stood up.
"I have some matters, going down for a bit. I'll be back soon."
"Mm?" Xiao Chan was putting a small crystal bun1 in her mouth. She raised her head at this, patting her hands and preparing to follow. Ning Yi smiled and patted her shoulder: "No need to come along. You eat something upstairs first. I'll be right back—we still need to watch performances together later. Brother Li, everyone—if you have matters, no need to wait for me."
After speaking, he turned and went downstairs.
Some things always needed to be confirmed for peace of mind...
On the other hand, not far from Literary Ink Building in a crowd, Gu Yanzhen had separated from his group and was somewhat puzzledly following a black-robed young master not far ahead. That black-robed young master was tall and slender, holding a folding fan and wearing a scholar's cap. From a distance he seemed quite distinguished—the type of pretty boy2 who could easily attract women's attention. He was walking while looking left and right, as if watching for someone...