Chapter Twenty-Two: Two Great Noble Clans

Night had fallen, and a breeze swept through the streets of Chang'an.

The Goulan District was bustling with activity, a constant stream of high-ranking officials and nobles arriving. A mahogany carriage pulled slowly into view, bearing the character "Cui" inscribed upon it. Upon hearing that Cui Wenbin, the young master of the Cui clan, was visiting, the madam of the pleasure house ignored all other guests and hurried out to greet him. The Goulan District was, in fact, an enterprise owned by the Cui family, and Cui Wenbin, as the eldest son, was effectively their young master.

"Oh, my! To think that the Golden Phoenix has brought the young master here himself. Please, come inside quickly; the night is dark and the air is chill," the madam said, her tone shifting instantly as she fawned over him. She promptly ushered him in.

"I heard a new songstress had arrived tonight. Had my men not mentioned it, I would have remained in the dark," Cui Wenbin remarked. He was in his early twenties, holding a folding fan. Thanks to the prestige of the Qinghe Cui clan, they had thrived in recent years regardless of the political turmoil across the land.

The madam’s expression was grim. She knew that Su Chen and Cheng Chumor were also inside. With Cui Wenbin—the young master of the powerful Qinghe Cui clan—now present, the situation was becoming increasingly complicated. It seemed the girl had attracted quite a crowd, and the madam realized this was becoming a problem she might not be able to handle.

"Young Master, she is just an ordinary girl, nothing more. People outside have simply exaggerated," the madam said, already trying to downplay the situation. She knew that being too much of a spectacle was dangerous; if it invited real trouble, the Goulan District would be unable to cope.

Cui Wenbin, gently flicking his fan, ignored her and headed straight for the inner private chambers. He had his own dedicated room there, one that no one dared to occupy. The madam could only heave a heavy sigh. She had initially been delighted by the girl’s arrival, hoping she would be a draw for the house, but now she felt the girl was less of a windfall and more of a liability.

In one of the private rooms, Su Chen sat drinking. Observing the commotion outside, he realized Cui Wenbin had arrived.

"The Qinghe Cui clan is becoming truly arrogant," Cheng Chumor remarked, clearly disdainful.

The five great families of the Tang Dynasty were a far cry from the likes of Su Chen and Cheng Chumor. The second generation of these families lived very different lives; while Cheng Chumor and his peers relied on their fathers' military merits, the Cui clan relied on the collective power of their entire lineage. Each of these great families controlled vast resources, which made it difficult for Li Shimin to exert full control over the economic lifelines of the Tang, despite his position on the throne. His wariness of these families only emboldened them to act more recklessly in Chang'an.

"They say this Cui Wenbin is a pedantic fop. It seems he’s just here to join the fun. Since this is their property, there might be some underhanded tricks during the competition later," Li Huairen added, equally unimpressed by the aristocratic youths. They would often exchange fake pleasantries when crossing paths on the street, but there was no real substance to their interactions.

Su Chen, however, did not take Cui Wenbin seriously. He was watching the clock. Li Shimin would eventually deal with these five great families; he could not allow them to keep a stranglehold on the nation's pulse. If they did, it would no longer be the Tang Dynasty. People of this era were shortsighted, believing that such power allowed them to challenge the imperial court. In truth, the only real power was military, and everything else would eventually be reclaimed. History showed that Li Shimin would soon begin moving against these clans.

"They won't be able to act so freely for much longer. There’s no need for us to bicker with them," Su Chen said firmly. Such families were destined to fall.

Cheng Chumor wondered if Su Chen had heard something from Li Chengqian. "Is this about the Crown Prince?" Just as he was about to ask, Li Huairen shook his head repeatedly. Some things were best left unsaid, especially since they were currently on Cui family territory.

At that moment, enchanting music began to play outside. The madam had arranged for the songstresses to begin their performance. Everyone had come to relax, and with so many dignitaries present, entertainment was inevitable. But tonight was different; everyone was waiting for the madam to announce the girl's challenge, each hoping to test her.

"It seems the show is starting. We’ve waited long enough. If there’s any trickery tonight, I’ll tear this place down myself," Cheng Chumor said, impatient.

The madam, now sweating, found the situation truly troublesome. "Honored guests, tonight is a rare and lively occasion for our Goulan District. We have welcomed Yang Wan'er from Gusu City. The fact that a young girl, fresh to this place, has received such a warm welcome truly brings honor to my humble house," she announced, launching into a flurry of polite platitudes.

The crowd finally learned the girl's name, and the room began to stir, the guests eager for the madam to bring her out.

"Since we are all here, you can't disappoint us. Bring her out for us to see. If she’s worth it, she stays; if not, she can return to wherever she came from," someone shouted.

A sharp reprimand followed; the heckler was from the Taiyuan Wang clan. Wang Dan had also arrived tonight. Su Chen glanced out and spotted him. The Wang family had arrived late and stayed in the main hall rather than a private room.

"That Wang family previously tried to provoke trouble at the clinic. They’re no good," Cheng Chumor muttered. He remembered how Wang Dan had brought Wang Wei to the clinic to cause trouble, only to be thwarted by Su Chen's medical prowess.

"Ignore them. We'll deal with them all in due time," Su Chen replied. He didn't want to be bothered now; his focus was on dealing with Zhangsun Chong in a month's time, and he had no energy to fight so many families at once. These powerful clans were not to be trifled with, and even Li Shimin was cautious. While Su Chen lacked the strength for a full-scale confrontation, he knew he had to remain wary of the likes of Wang Dan.