Chapter 138
Chapter 138
“What business is it of yours?”
Shen Lang approached him and said in a low voice.
“We’re all men here. How can you grovel before a woman like that, praising her until she forgets who she is? That’s an act called ‘inflating a woman’s price.’ The reason men can’t get laid is because of sycophants like you.”
Shen Lang’s voice was very soft, but all the skilled martial artists present heard it. Most of the dignitaries had no choice but to pretend they hadn't. As for Zhu Wenhua and Zhang Chunhua, they were on the verge of exploding. Zhang Chunhua, in particular, was furious.
‘Shen Lang, you piece of trash, you vile scoundrel. So you did save me, but only after shoving me into a cesspit first just to pull me out?’
The Fourth Prince, Ning Jin, spoke up.
“‘Inflating a woman’s price’? Shen Lang, do you realize that with words like those, you’ll make enemies of every woman in the world? Do you have a talent for coining such vulgar phrases? Just hearing it makes me want to shut your mouth.”
The term was exceedingly coarse. The character ‘cha’ referred to a woman’s private parts. How crude could one be? Shen Lang simply smiled and said nothing more. Zhu Wenhua inwardly rejoiced at Shen Lang’s misfortune.
‘Shen Lang, let’s see how long you can stay smug. His Highness the Fourth Prince will deal with you himself.’
Seeing Zhu Wenhua’s expression, Shen Lang cursed him for a fool in his mind. The Fourth Prince Ning Jin was only adding fuel to the fire. Although he had pointed out the vulgarity of Shen Lang’s words, once this story spread, the crass phrase would become like an idiom. Many ancient adages began as casual remarks that gained widespread use. Though Shen Lang’s words were crude, they would surely spread through the streets and be on everyone’s lips. When that happened, Zhu Wenhua would become the poster child for men who fawn over women, and Zhang Chunhua would be akin to a courtesan whose price had been driven up. That was why she was so enraged.
In a situation like this, would Governor-General Zhu Rong really risk splattering mud on himself? Did he want to become a character in a vulgar, proverbial tale? Governor-General Zhu Rong had to be known as a renowned statesman of his generation; he would not involve himself in such a foul matter. If he were to act as a matchmaker for Zhu Wenhua now, wouldn't he become one of the figures in that crude idiom? Moreover, with the Fourth Prince having already spoken up and fanned the flames, he had no choice but to abandon his plan to facilitate the match.
Zhu Wenhua, still oblivious to the situation, glared at Shen Lang and said.
“You claim my poem is no good. Since there are esteemed judges here, why don’t you, Brother Shen, compose a verse for Miss Zhang Chunhua? I must see for myself just how grand and magnificent your talent truly is.”
It was a despicable tactic. Zhu Wenhua was being a typical spineless man. If Shen Lang wrote a poem belittling Zhang Chunhua, he could say, ‘See, Miss Zhang? See how well I, Zhu Wenhua, treat you? Look at Shen Lang, writing a poem to insult you.’ But if Shen Lang wrote a poem praising her, he would become just as much of a sycophant as Zhu Wenhua.
Shen Lang smiled and said, “Actually, I have composed a poem.”
Zhang Chunhua perked up her ears. She had no interest in Zhu Wenhua’s poem; it didn’t concern her, and hearing it only made her nauseous. But a poem from Shen Lang was something to look forward to. No matter how vile, he was bound to write something that would provoke her. After all, Shen Lang was a piece of human garbage with outstanding literary talent.
“However, this poem is not for Miss Zhang Chunhua. It is for Miss Chi Yu.”
Hearing this, Zhang Chunhua immediately snapped her chopsticks.
‘Shen Lang, I will kill you one day.’
The elegant beauty Chi Yu, who had remained quiet, was taken aback.
“But this is the first time I have met you, Young Master Shen.”
As a merchant’s daughter, she was not drawn to men like Shen Lang. She preferred men like Zhang Jin, who could achieve great deeds and establish a legacy. Thus, she had to draw a clear line against any relationship that could lead to misunderstanding.
“Miss Chi may not know me, but I have already connected with you on a spiritual level.”
There it was again, that talk of a spiritual connection. A smile remained on Chi Yu’s face, but her heart turned as cold as ice. Shen Lang was trying to flirt with her.
‘I, Chi Yu, have no interest in a lowly commoner’s son like you, Shen Lang, who has nothing but a little bit of talent.’
This seemed to be a trait of merchant families. They fervently pursued power. In contrast, a noble lady like Jin Mulan was more likely to notice a man’s looks and talent. It seemed people sought to compensate for what they lacked, much like Jin Mucong’s name. (The character ‘Cong’ in Jin Mucong’s name means ‘intelligent.’ The implication was that since Jin Mucong was a fool, his name was meant to compensate for his lack of intelligence.)
Zhang Chunhua said, “I, too, would like to hear Young Master Shen’s poem. Miss Chi is so graceful and exceptionally wise; she is like a gift from the heavens. No amount of praise would be enough for her.”
“This poem is titled .”
Everyone perked up their ears, inwardly scornful of whatever might come. This was no brothel; writing a poem for a woman here, whether to praise or disparage her, would be considered in poor taste. Zhu Wenhua was even more displeased.
‘What good will it do you to flatter Chi Yu, Shen Lang? She’s going to marry Zhang Jin. She won’t even spare a glance for a commoner like you.’
Chi Yu lowered her head, neither accepting nor rejecting the gesture, maintaining a tranquil appearance. Shen Lang began to recite.
“The merchant Xu sought a powerful son, but Young Master Zhang, though skilled, was false of heart. Alas, a fearsome flame arose in the dead of night; Qianqian is gone, only a ghost’s soul in sight.”
Upon hearing the poem, the color drained from Zhang Jin’s face. Though it was presented as a gift to Chi Yu, the verse was a barb, accusing Zhang Jin of killing his wife by arson. It implied that Xu Guangyun had tried to ally with the powerful Zhang Chong through marriage, but his prospective son-in-law, Zhang Jin, was a man of talent but no virtue. Xu Guangyun’s actions had not brought his family fortune and glory, but had instead led to its ruin.
It was a well-written poem. The final line was especially cutting—that Qianqian was gone, and only a ghost remained, implying Xu Qianqian had died young and become a restless spirit. Do you want to marry Zhang Jin, Chi Yu? Look at the tragedy of his last fiancée, Xu Qianqian. For the first time, Governor-General Zhu Rong looked at Shen Lang directly. He had read *Boundless Wind and Moon* and knew Shen Lang possessed a quick wit. Now, having met him in person and heard his poetic talent, it was clear he was indeed remarkable. The key was that Shen Lang didn't write poetry to show off; he wielded it as a weapon.
The hall fell silent; no one dared to speak. Chi Yu’s expression was no longer composed, but had turned somewhat cold.
After a long while, the atmosphere in the banquet hall gradually returned to normal. Zhu Wenhua, seeing that the Governor-General had not offered to act as a matchmaker, finally realized that his proposal today had fallen through. In that moment, his resentment toward Shen Lang deepened. Viscount Zhu Nanting’s face was even more flushed with anger.
‘To ruin another’s good fortune! What business is it of yours, Shen Lang, if my son Zhu Wenhua marries Zhang Chunhua? Why must you interfere? I, Zhu Nanting, did not want to resort to drastic measures, but you brought this upon yourself, Shen Lang.’
Viscount Zhu Nanting clenched his teeth, hesitated for a moment, then abruptly stood up.
“Your Highness the Fourth Prince, this subject has something to report.”
The Fourth Prince, Ning Jin, was surprised. “Viscount Nanshan, please speak.”
Addressing him by his title was a sign of familiarity.
“Shen Lang previously wrote a book titled *Boundless Wind and Moon*.”
Everyone knew this; in fact, they had all read it. What of it?
“In that book, the character Ximen Qing has a concubine named Li Ping'er. I happen to know that Your Highness also has a concubine whose childhood name is Ping'er. By writing that book, Shen Lang has insulted Your Highness and your concubine. In *Boundless Wind and Moon*, a eunuch named Hua uses a pleasure device to abuse Li Ping'er, causing her to fall ill. Is this not a grave act of disrespect? I implore Your Highness to hold Shen Lang accountable for his crime.”
Hearing this, Shen Lang cursed inwardly.
‘Zhu Nanting, you bastard. I’d have to be a ghost to know Ning Jin’s concubine is named Ping’er. If that’s a crime, then no wordsmith in the world would be safe.’
The Fourth Prince, Ning Jin, frowned in displeasure. Viscount Zhu Nanting continued.
“The merchant Deng Xian, who printed the book, is equally guilty. I have already had him arrested.”
Deng Xian was the brother of the Prefect of Yangwu Commandery’s concubine, a man with backing. He was not someone Zhu Nanting could arrest on a whim. But by dragging the Fourth Prince into it, the Prefect of Yangwu could no longer protect him. Though the Prefect did not get along with Zhang Jin, he was still part of the Crown Prince’s faction, and the Fourth Prince was the Crown Prince’s right-hand man. He could not afford to offend him. Thus, Elder Deng Xian of the Chunhua circle was caught in an unexpected disaster and dragged here. He had truly been wronged for no reason.
Soon, a shabby-looking Deng Xian was brought in. His hands were bound with rope, and his body was covered in wounds, clear evidence that he had been beaten after his capture. He was a pitiful sight. After he entered, Zhu Wenhua strode forward and kicked him, forcing him to his knees. The moment Deng Xian saw Shen Lang, he cried out as if he had seen his savior.
“Young Master Shen, save me!”
The Fourth Prince, Ning Jin, was inwardly furious.
‘Zhu Nanting, who are you to stir up trouble? Why are you making a fuss? Do you think I haven't read *Boundless Wind and Moon*? Do you think I don't know that Ximen Qing has a concubine named Li Ping'er in it? I was pretending not to know, so who are you to dredge it up and find fault?’
This was not because the Fourth Prince was magnanimous; rather, in the State of Yue, it was practically unheard of for someone to be convicted for their words or writings. If one were to attack an enemy by seizing upon a portion of their writing, it could lead to a literary inquisition that would spare no scholar in the land. Ning Jin could not bear the responsibility of causing a literary inquisition. Besides, he had only taken that concubine a month ago. How could Shen Lang, who was no immortal, have known her childhood name was Ping'er?
In the past, Li Wenzheng had suffered a miserable fate because of the four characters Shen Lang had hidden in an acrostic poem: “Heaven shall punish the sovereign.” But now that Viscount Zhu Nanting had exposed this matter, the prince could neither ignore it nor let it go unpunished. Otherwise, some might think Ning Jin was a pushover, remaining unmoved even when his own concubine was insulted. Zhu Nanting was not unaware of this, which was why he hadn't initially used this to attack Shen Lang. He knew that pressing the issue would displease the Fourth Prince. But now, he could no longer restrain himself.
‘Shen Lang, you ruined my family’s joyous occasion first, so don’t blame me for being despicable.’
However, Zhu Nanting knew that this alone was not enough to bring Shen Lang down. Until the Count of Xuanwu's Estate fell, no matter what outrageous things Shen Lang did, he could not be harmed. With everyone waiting for the Jin Clan’s demise, no one wanted to introduce any unexpected variables. If Shen Lang were killed, what if the Count of Xuanwu threw a fit and refused to settle the dispute over Gold Mountain Island through a contest? Shen Lang had to die, but now was not the time. However, if he could have Deng Xian killed, it would be like landing a vicious slap across Shen Lang’s face.
‘Deng Xian published your book, Shen Lang, and now he’s about to die because of you. Isn't this your fault? You can't even protect the life of a dog that follows you.’
The Fourth Prince, Ning Jin, had no desire to entertain Zhu Nanting’s accusations, but for the sake of appearances, he had to punish the unlucky Deng Xian. He planned to order twenty or thirty strokes of the cane and be done with it. That way, he would have administered a punishment without appearing too harsh. He was about to give the order to reprimand Deng Xian when Zhang Chong suddenly spoke with a smile.
“Your Highness, this matter could be seen as a fault, but it could also be seen as no fault at all. I have an idea.”
“Prefect Zhang, please speak.”
“Did Shen Lang not just demonstrate his overflowing talent by composing a poem? Before we drag Deng Xian out for punishment, why not have Shen Lang compose a verse in his defense? If the poem is good and of high quality, we can declare Deng Xian innocent. What do you think?”