After Marrying a Vegetative Princess, I went crazy with joy! - Chapter 101

Chapter 101

“Su Li’s poems exhibit a versatile style. Among them, the ones that delve into various life experiences and insights are particularly thought-provoking. It’s hard to believe they all came from the same person’s hand. Interestingly, every single one can be hailed as a masterpiece that withstands time. I must acknowledge that Su Li truly possesses a genius for poetry!” Zhangsun Chong said with an air of sincerity.

After his statement, others began to ponder the situation. As they said, the speaker’s intentions might differ from the listener’s interpretations.

Moreover, Zhangsun Chong’s words deliberately set a trap for Su Li. Many of those present were already talented individuals with a certain reputation, deeply enthralled by the art of poetry.

Seeing Su Li’s poems, they were instantly amazed. These days, they had been immersed in reading them, often applauding in admiration whenever they read them with enthusiasm.

No one in attendance even remotely doubted Su Li’s authorship of these poems. After all, during this era, there were hardly any impostors seeking fame, especially among literati who valued their reputation. Deceiving others was a surefire way to tarnish one’s reputation. People would avoid and shun him, and even matchmakers would stay away when his children sought marriage proposals.

No one with any standing would deign to converse with him, and anyone with even a semblance of identity would steer clear. This was a fate no one could endure, far more potent than the later generations’ credit systems.

Given this pressure, who would dare to forge such works? Furthermore, it was true that there were no substantial benefits to be reaped from copying poems in the Tang Dynasty.

Even during the prosperous era of the later Tang Dynasty, while remarkable poets abounded, none ever reached the pinnacle of life solely due to their exceptional poetry.

Even the legendary poet Li Bai, who sought officialdom throughout his life, maintained his charm and ease in the emperor’s presence but never secured a position that allowed him to realize his aspirations.

Du Fu, comparable to Li Bai, suffered even greater hardships.

What did this signify? Writing good poetry didn’t guarantee wealth or officialdom. It held little practical value. The consequences of copying poems were dire. Effort and reward were not proportionate.

In such circumstances, who would waste time copying poems when there were more productive ways to study or establish connections with the nobility?

However, upon hearing Zhangsun Chong’s words, these scholars suddenly realized the truth.

Indeed! Copying poems might be a fruitless endeavor for others, but it was a different story for Su Li.

Su Li was a consort, enjoying the vast resources of the Princess Mansion and living a carefree life. In terms of his career, he had no particular ambitions. Given his humble background and lack of notable skills, it was unlikely that he would be appointed to any official position by His Majesty.

However, this situation raised a question. Other consorts either came from prestigious families or had martial prowess. Su Li lacked these advantages and was naturally overshadowed by other consorts.

Su Li lacked prestige, which affected Princess Changle’s status. This was compounded by the recent rumors circulating in Changan. Everyone present seemed to have grasped the underlying meaning…

Following this, many individuals displayed signs of displeasure. They felt that Su Li had deceived them, leading to a disillusionment similar to the collapse of a belief.

Considering all this, Zhangsun Chong naturally observed the situation but refrained from exposing the matter. Instead, he continued with a smile, “Ladies and gentlemen, I intend to hold another poetry gathering in a few days. At that time, I will invite Su Li to attend. Everyone is welcome to participate, discuss the art of poetry with Consort Su Li, and learn from him.”

Zhangsun Chong’s statement immediately garnered enthusiastic responses. However, based on their sullen expressions, it was evident that the next poetry gathering would not merely be a fan meeting but an expose event.

As Zhangsun Chong had anticipated, after the poetry gathering, the evaluations of Su Li underwent a rapid shift. As his statement spread, some individuals began pondering the matter. Although Su Li’s poems were not numerous, they displayed varying styles and formats.

In a short period, more people started questioning Su Li’s authenticity as a rising star in the poetry scene. This criticism naturally reached the ears of Princess Changle and Li Xueyan.

In the study of the Princess Mansion, Li Xueyan’s face was full of guilt as she looked at Su Li. “I’m sorry, I didn’t expect things to turn out this way,” she said apologetically, her expression one of frustration.

Changle, holding onto Su Li’s arm, displayed worry. “My husband, I… I didn’t anticipate that people would say such things!”

Both of them were filled with self-reproach. From their perspective, none of these issues would have arisen if they hadn’t insisted on organizing the poetry gathering to raise Su Li’s profile.

Su Li smiled and patted Changle’s arm before turning to Li Xueyan. “Initially, it was just a leisure activity in my free time. Moreover, your intentions were good. How could I blame you?”

“Zhangsun Chong has already made his intentions clear by inviting you to the poetry gathering. He must have ulterior motives!”

Su Li calmly responded, “Even if he does, I’m not worried. Let them say what they will. The truth will reveal itself in time.”

The look of guilt on Li Xueyan’s face intensified. As a royal family member and a close confidante of Princess Changle, she understood Changle’s history better than most. It was expected that Zhangsun Chong would be hostile towards Su Li.

However, this time, Zhangsun Chong’s approach was particularly malicious, and his intention seemed to tarnish Su Li’s reputation entirely. Li Xueyan hesitated for a moment and then advised, “Zhangsun Chong is coming aggressively. This is a setup. I suggest you lay low for a while.”

Due to Queen Zhangsun’s warning, Su Li hadn’t produced any new poems recently. Li Xueyan, however, never doubted him. She had witnessed the entire process of Su Li’s rise to fame. Who could better understand the ins and outs of this matter?

Su Li’s recent lack of poetry output was easily understandable. Writing poetry wasn’t like flipping a switch. It required inspiration.

“Avoid his limelight? If I may be frank, Zhangsun Chong isn’t worthy of that,” Su Li said casually.

His words surprised both Changle and Li Xueyan. They didn’t understand Su Li’s decision. After all, if he wasn’t willing, Zhangsun Chong couldn’t forcefully drag him to the poetry gathering.

But Su Li had a different perspective. He hadn’t intended to be like Yang Ming, copying poetry. In essence, he was just trying to make Changle happy. He hadn’t copied much in the first place and still had plenty of poems in stock.

However, he wouldn’t mind confronting certain people if someone wanted to implicate him. Su Li didn’t believe there was another time traveler in the Tang Dynasty who would come forward to accuse him. If they couldn’t produce evidence, then he wouldn’t be polite about it. He would tell these people, “Everyone here is garbage!”

Su Li didn’t feel that he owed these doubters anything. He was ready to defend his reputation if they wanted to challenge him.