EES - Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"You mean another man's wife?" An Lin asked back.

Song Ling felt she had already blown her cover before Emperor Xuanming and Empress Wude by admitting she was a transmigrator from the future, so she spoke without hesitation, laying out everything she knew. "Of course it's my idol, Yang Sheng!"

Flames seemed to practically manifest in her eyes. "Wen Yiqiu is the name of my idol's wife. Historical anecdotes record that she fell for him after reading his poetry and prose, captivated by his brilliance."

Although Song Ling constantly referred to Yang Sheng and Qi Donghan as her idols, she wasn't exactly delusional. Her admiration was more akin to a reverence for historically brilliant figures, so she harbored no ill will toward their wives. In fact, she quite liked Wen Yiqiu. Perhaps because, despite being jokingly dubbed Yang Sheng's biggest fan and leader of the Qiancai fan club, historical records showed her 'fangirl behavior' was always measured and never annoying, making her highly relatable.

Moreover, she had successfully won over her idol through relentless effort. She was practically the role model for every fangirl!

"I see," An Lin understood, nodding thoughtfully. "Lusting after another man's wife is indeed inappropriate."

According to Song Ling's account, Wen Yiqiu was a brilliant, beautiful, and wealthy young lady. The title "Twin Beauties of Zhaozhou" had even been recorded in historical anecdotes. The Wen family of Zhaozhou could almost be considered a prestigious clan. Three generations prior, they had produced notable figures who served as Grand Secretaries in the court. Two generations ago, lacking scholars suited for the civil examinations, they pivoted to commerce.

Since the largest academy in Zhaozhou was founded by the Wen family, and they had donated numerous books to it, literati did not look down on them for engaging in trade. Instead, they praised their charitable contributions.

Brilliant, virtuous, and wealthy. Qiancai's wife was excellent. She couldn't let the short-term tool Liu Guanglin ruin her.

An Lin nodded silently in agreement, then heard Song Ling add, "And the Wen family is truly filthy rich. Unofficial histories say that before she married my idol, she was so fond of his poetry that she set up a publishing house specifically to print his collections. I bet this guy isn't just lusting after Wen Yiqiu's looks; he's after her money too!"

"That's absolutely outrageous!" The sense of immersion hit instantly!

Originally, An Lin hadn't felt much, merely reinforcing her assessment that Liu Guanglin lacked moral character. But putting herself in Song Ling's shoes, she imagined: what if someone was originally willing to fund her academies, support her armies, and mass-produce agricultural tools for promotion, only for some random interloper to swoop in and steal away her wealthy benefactress...

They would be mortal enemies. Absolutely mortal enemies!

Plus, Qiancai's future wife would basically be mine... Ah, no, not in this case. But Qiancai's future wife could still spend money on me!

At this moment, the little personification of An Lin's inner thoughts wanted to take the hand of her dear minister, who knew nothing yet, and say, "Qiancai, you've suffered enough. Just hang on a little longer. Once Liu Guanglin's usefulness is completely drained, I will make sure to vent your grievances properly."

Unaware that Ji Wanshuang was outwardly Empress Wude but inwardly Emperor Xuanming, Song Ling held back her initial anger. After cooling down, she didn't rashly charge out. Instead, she pulled Ji Wanshuang along and quietly trailed the group emerging from the restaurant after their meal.

With sharp eyes, she noticed Liu Guanglin's gaze constantly drifting to Wen Yiqiu's well-proportioned maid as they walked side by side. Her disgust, initially sparked only by the plagiarism, spiked dramatically.

She really didn't want to admit that she shared the same status as this idiot (a fellow transmigrator) even if that was their only common ground.

......

On the other side, Liu Guanglin, having just stepped out of the restaurant, had no idea his shameless behavior had been fully exposed to another transmigrator. Riding his momentum, he pretended to recite a poem in front of Wen Yiqiu, basking in her admiring gaze.

It made him feel giddy. Emboldened, he reached out to take Wen Yiqiu's hand, hoping to advance their relationship.

But just as his fingers were about to brush hers, the maid trailing behind Wen Yiqiu suddenly squeezed between them. With a stern expression, she blocked his hand. "Young Master Liu, please conduct yourself with propriety."

Liu Guanglin's expression stiffened for a moment before he casually withdrew his hand. Pulling several delicate wooden tubes carved with openwork patterns from his sleeve, he offered them to Wen Yiqiu. "Actually, I intended to give these to Yiqiu. I noticed your lips are pale and your complexion lacks vitality, so I brought a few of these specially. This is a new lip rouge recently released in Qiong'an, called lipstick. It gives a brighter, longer-lasting color. Many noblewomen and ladies in Qiong'an are scrambling to use it now!"

After listening, the maid glanced at her mistress's expression. Her attitude softened slightly as she took the so-called lipstick for her lady. "At least you're thoughtful."

Seeing their reserved and dignified demeanor, Liu Guanglin felt a stir of annoyance in his heart.

Historically, when Wen Yiqiu saw Yang Sheng's poetry circulated in Zhaozhou, she had traveled thousands of miles to reach Qiong'an. On their second meeting, she had actively expressed her admiration. Why was she so standoffish with him now, refusing even a touch!

Though Liu Guanglin was arrogant, he knew there was a gap between himself and Yang Sheng. Yet regarding Wen Yiqiu, he remembered clearly from his knowledge of history that she had stated she only admired his talent, regardless of his appearance or family background.

Liu Guanglin had transmigrated right into Zhaozhou, giving him earlier access to Wen Yiqiu than Yang Sheng ever had. He had even recited Yang Sheng's most famous poems to her beforehand, and she had explicitly expressed her appreciation for his talent.

Frustrated and powerless, Liu Guanglin ultimately rationalized Wen Yiqiu's attitude as proof that women did care about looks after all, and that her words meant nothing. Outwardly, he maintained a deeply affectionate facade.

Today, a market surrounded the Qing River in Qiong'an City, and a lantern fair had been organized alongside it. As Liu Guanglin and Wen Yiqiu walked along the riverbank gradually adorned with lanterns, he noticed Wen Yiqiu pause. Wanting to deepen her fondness for him and show off his own skills, he spoke:

"Witnessing this scene stirs a poem in my mind."

"Please share it, Young Master Liu." Wen Yiqiu's voice was soft and gentle, soothing as a spring breeze.

Pretending to ponder, Liu Guanglin curled his hand into a fist against his chin. Then he slowly began to recite, "In brocade lanes, fragrant banquets unfold, / Orchid lamps blaze bright in early years. / Rich hues stretch far across the earth, / Profuse lights adorn the distant sky."

Though Wen Yiqiu's gaze was somewhat complicated, she still showed a trace of admiration upon hearing the verses (admirable, certainly, for the poem itself).

Pleased with himself, Liu Guanglin swayed his head, ready to continue with the second half. But before he could pretend to think further and utter the opening syllable of "continue," a woman's voice, thick with anger, cut in from the side.

"What you intend to say next is, 'Reaching Han, one doubts stars fall, / Leaning on the tower, it hangs like the moon. / Another thousand-gold smile appears, / To reflect before the nine-branched candelabrum.' Correct?"

The verse stuck in Liu Guanglin's throat. He and Wen Yiqiu turned simultaneously to look at the figure suddenly appearing beside them.

Liu Guanglin stared blankly for a moment before his brain caught up. Realizing what the sudden woman had said, his eyes widened in shock. He instinctively took a step back, pointing at Song Ling. "Y-you are...?"

"Exactly," Song Ling sneered. "How does it feel to steal another's poetry and prose, then strut around boasting in front of the original author? Very proud, aren't you?"

Originally, Song Ling had planned to find an opportunity to drag the man into a dark alley, beat him up to vent her anger, and then threaten him into apologizing to the plagiarized victim to vindicate her idol. But seeing this shameless creature still proudly showing off those verses in front of Wen Yiqiu, her fury surged uncontrollably, and she charged forward.

Yet in that moment of charging out, she did not regret startling the snake.

"Don't slander people out of thin air!" Panicked, Liu Guanglin glanced at Wen Yiqiu and immediately denied it. He frantically tried to pull her. "Where did this crazy woman come from?! Yiqiu, let's go quickly!"

The maid beside Wen Yiqiu blocked his hand, preventing him from reaching her. Wen Yiqiu looked thoughtfully at the furious Song Ling and the guilty-looking Liu Guanglin, then smiled faintly. "No rush. Let this young lady speak. If there is any misunderstanding, it is best to clear it up soon."

"Precisely. Just stand here and explain yourself properly." Song Ling snorted coldly at Liu Guanglin. "If you claim I'm slandering you, why don't you tell us what you originally intended to write after 'Rich hues stretch far across the earth, / Profuse lights adorn the distant sky.'?"

"I..." His original lines had been stolen first. How could Liu Guanglin possibly compose a new matching couplet on the spot? Cold sweat broke out on his back. In his panic, he considered plucking a line of similar length and meaning from another poem to patch it together. He also reasoned that since this sudden transmigrator woman had already recited the preceding lines ahead of him, perhaps he could recite a different poem to match, allowing others to judge the correct one by tonal patterns and parallelism.

Sweating profusely, Liu Guanglin saw that Song Ling had arrived alone. A sudden spark of inspiration struck him. Calming down, he gave Wen Yiqiu a helpless look. "Yiqiu, this is someone I know. She saw my drafts at my home and came here deliberately to tease me!"

Turning back to Song Ling, he added, "You must have come looking for me for something else, right? Or do you need my help with something? If it's a private matter, we can go over there and talk."

He pointed to a lane not far away.

At this point, Liu Guanglin no longer cared about the gaping holes in his story. His only thought was that he absolutely could not allow this sudden transmigrator woman to continue speaking in public and in front of Wen Yiqiu, which would cement his plagiarism.

If it were proven, his status, wealth, reputation, and connections (all gained by plagiarizing those poems) would collapse overnight!

Upon seeing the direction Liu Guanglin pointed, Song Ling's raging anger paused slightly. She almost laughed.

The direction he indicated was exactly where Song Ling had just emerged from. Having impulsively rushed out without restraint, with Empress Wude waiting nearby, what reason did Song Ling have to refuse?

What was this called? You chose this path yourself.

Coincidentally, Song Ling had originally intended to threaten Liu Guanglin into publicly declaring whose work he had plagiarized, and then kneel before her idol, weeping bitterly to admit his guilt. No method of vindication was more effective than the guilty beneficiary stepping forward to confess. Of course, Song Ling could also expose Liu Guanglin through forged poetry collections or other means... there were plenty of ways. But proving the original ownership of those poems would be troublesome. People would question it, doubt it, and without irrefutable evidence, history might only record a vague "suspected to be XXX's poem" or "under verification."

With a grim expression, Song Ling followed Liu Guanglin toward the dark alley he had chosen.

Behind them, Wen Yiqiu watched their retreating backs with a deep, contemplative gaze.

"Miss, that surnamed Liu is truly no good!" Her maid leaned closer, indignation on her face. "Regardless of whether what that young lady said is true, he just claimed she was someone he knew and had entered his home... Moreover, that person kept staring at me. Shameless pervert! Pah!"

"..."

"I often wonder how one person can possess talents that inspire my admiration, yet make me despise him so utterly." Wen Yiqiu remained silent for a moment, then offered a gentle smile. "Now I know."

Unaware of Wen Yiqiu's thoughts, Liu Guanglin hurried into the dark alley. The panic and anxiety on his face gradually settled. He turned to face Song Ling. "We are both transmigrators from the future. Why push things so far? Tell me, what do you want? Wealth? Status? Position? Just don't go around revealing the original authors of those poems."

"If I wanted those things, wouldn't I acquire them myself using my future knowledge?" Song Ling wore a mocking expression. "Don't say 'we are both transmigrators from the future.' Even sharing just that single trait with you makes me sick. Don't reveal the original authors? Even if you only plagiarized poets from later dynasties, I wouldn't be disgusted to this extent."

"But you actually plagiarized Yang Sheng's poetry right in front of him! And used his verses to approach Wen Yiqiu?! How cheap is that?!" Song Ling never usually used the word "cheap" to curse people, but this idiotic plagiarist had disgusted her so thoroughly that she couldn't hold back.

Conversely, Liu Guanglin argued righteously, "I didn't want to either, but I have to survive in this dynasty! You just transmigrated and probably don't know how difficult life was back then. Besides, even if I took those poems and replaced them to leave my name for posterity, isn't it often said in our original world that even if a transmigrator steals their works, they would still compose new poems that achieve eternal fame? So borrowing those original poems to help me survive properly in ancient times shouldn't be a big deal."

Song Ling was left dumbfounded by this shamelessly unapologetic rhetoric.

At this very moment, she realized with crystal clarity that her moral compass differed fundamentally from this transmigrator's, as if they were not even the same species.

She couldn't help but wonder if such a person had ever received basic education, taken moral character classes, or read the Eight Honors and Eight Shames like she had.

Realizing this, she exhaustedly abandoned reasoning. Suppressing the urge to argue with an idiot, she decided to threaten directly. "Forget it. There's nothing left to say. It's impossible to keep the truth hidden. You have two choices now: either I expose your actions, or you confess publicly yourself. The latter is at least more dignified. Don't think you can brush this off. Do you know who I am in this identity? The granddaughter of Song Jinyuan..."

Just as Song Ling was about to use this identity to intimidate Liu Guanglin, he had stopped listening by the latter part of her sentence. Only rage remained in his heart. He deemed this transmigrator woman ungrateful and overly aggressive. Seeing her continue to talk, malice flared. One hand lunged for her hair while the other raised high to strike. "Shut up!"

Song Ling's expression shifted. Instinctively, she prepared to kick the groin of the man attacking her. But he dodged as if he had anticipated this move entirely. A smug grin spread across his face. "Women only know how to use that trick. Now let's see what you can do! Still trying to threaten me?"

Help!!! She was about to crash!

Under crisis, Song Ling's mind snapped into focus. Forgetting she had come out with Ji Wanshuang, she struggled wildly, resorting to stomping, scratching, and biting. Yet Liu Guanglin gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, determined to strike her.

Seeing Song Ling's fear, Liu Guanglin's pent-up frustration finally eased, replaced by a surge of satisfaction.

After all, wasn't she just scared once he fought back? This arrogant transmigrator woman probably hadn't considered that if he managed to marry her and lock her up at home, no one would believe anything she said afterward. Claiming she recited poems ahead of time could be explained as having seen drafts at his home. Accusing him of plagiarism would just be labeled as madness... As he thought this, Liu Guanglin's smile widened. Just as his palm was about to land on Song Ling's face, and his grin reached its peak, a hand reached out from behind and gripped his swinging arm.

"Still planning to hit someone? That's boring, isn't it?" A clear, pleasant female voice sounded behind him. "Though it deviates slightly from the original plan, your early exit doesn't affect things much."

Who was it?!

Liu Guanglin's eyes widened in terror. He saw the hand gripping his wrist was fair-skinned and perfectly proportioned, yet the pressure on his joint felt as though his bones were about to snap.

Song Ling cried out in relief. In the narrow escape, she forgot to call her "Miss Ji" and instead blurted out the form of address she often used in her thoughts.

"Your Majesty!"

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