"Xiao Ling's words were indeed rude. Not only did she slander Miss Qi Yun, but she also slandered the Sage Emperor. Who the Sage Emperor favors is the Sage Emperor's private matter. When is it our turn to gossip as officials? If these words reach the Sage Emperor's ears, even I will be implicated. Even if Miss Qi Yun doesn't chase her out, I will break off all ties with her!”The moment Nangong Zijuan spoke, she refuted Feng Wanhua's intention to accuse Yuan Zi Nuo of hurting the princess and even confirmed the yellow-robed woman's crime. The Nangong Manor guards at the side received orders and scooped the yellow-robed woman out and carried her out.
Nangong Zijuan's words were reasonable, and Feng Wanhua didn't want to continue pestering her. They were all unmarried women, so it was indeed against the rules to openly discuss the Sage Emperor's private matters. Moreover, they knew such a private matter very well and even leaked it out. It would arouse the Sage Emperor's suspicions, and if they investigated thoroughly, they might remove their spies in the palace, which would be detrimental to everyone.
It was as if the incident with the yellow-robed woman had never happened. Everyone automatically ignored her. Not only today, but from now on, she would no longer be able to enter the noble circle. Her marriage would also be affected.
"It's just that admiring flowers is so boring. Why don't we pool some money and have a competition?”After witnessing Yuan Zinuo's methods, even though that green clothed woman was a little scared, but because Feng Wan Hua's methods were even more ruthless, she could only continue to listen to her.
"En, this is not a bad idea!”Feng Wanhua nodded in agreement. This was what they had discussed beforehand. The last time she was tricked by Yuan Zinuo, she was unconvinced. Today, she must trample Yuan Zinuo under her feet.
"Then what does the princess intend to offer?”Nangong Zijuan knew that Feng Wanhua was deliberately targeting Yuan Zinuo. Everyone here knew that Yuan Zinuo came from the countryside. Although there were rumors that she was stunning at the " World's First " convention, it was just a legend. These self-proclaimed noble women of the Saint Capital didn't believe it, so they set up this trap.
"Last year, on my birthday, Grandpa gave me a necklace made of black pearls from the South Sea. Today, I'll take it out as a prize. Whoever wins the painting competition will get this pearl necklace!”Feng Wanhua waved her hand, and the servant girl next to her took out an exquisite agarwood box. Inside was a string of black pearls that shone brightly. The pearls were the size of a thumb, round and shiny, and of the same size. Black pearls were rare to begin with. Furthermore, they were so big. Such a neat string was even rarer. In the market, it was impossible to buy them even with money.
"These pearls are so beautiful!" The green-robed woman was the first to sigh. The other young ladies also sighed.
"Since Princess Wan Hua has already taken out the prize, as the master, it would be too petty of me not to take it. Men, come and take my Warm Jade Ruyi!”Nangong Zijuan gestured to the servant girl behind her. The servant girl hesitated for a moment before turning around and leaving.
"Warm Jade Ruyi? I heard that it was given to you by the late emperor two years ago to celebrate your thirteenth birthday!”Murong Shanshan was the first to exclaim. If Feng Wanhua's pearl necklace was priceless, then Nangong Zijuan's Ruyi scepter made of warm jade was a priceless treasure. Warm jade was rare to begin with, and it was even rarer to make it into a Ruyi scepter. Wearing it often could also treat many chronic diseases.
"Yes, I took it out today as the prize for winning the song and dance event!”The Nangong Family was a century-old aristocratic family with a rich family background. Although this warm jade was rare, it was not something that was so precious that it was not something that she could not bear to part with. Feng Wanhua had already taken out such a dazzling prize. She absolutely could not lose to Feng Wanhua.
"Since everyone has taken it out, I have no choice but to take it out!”Yuan Zinuo looked at Feng Wanhua. The people here were either rich or noble, and their families all had some background. As a member of the royal family, Feng Wanhua had countless treasures in her family. She did this because she wanted to see her make a fool of herself." Just now, everyone said that this cloak looks good. Today, I will take it out as the prize for the chess event!”
Some of the young ladies 'eyes were already shining. The pearl necklace was very beautiful, but painting and calligraphy had always been Feng Wanhua's forte, and they couldn't compare to it. Singing and dancing were also Nangong Zijuan's forte, and they couldn't even catch up. Miss Qi Yun was born in the countryside, so her chess skills could not be very good, so she was the most likely to get the prize.
Murong Shanshan took off the bracelet from her wrist." I came here in a hurry today and didn't bring anything precious. This is the jade bracelet passed down in the Murong family. Although it's not as precious as the three young ladies, it has a story."”
"What story?" Yuan Zinuo asked curiously.
"The ancestor of the Murongs was the descendant of the God Farmer. After the Six Realms were separated, he left the Human Realm to benefit mankind. The God Farmer left this jade bracelet, saying that it had divine power.”Murong Shanshan was also very reluctant, but under such circumstances, if she didn't take it out, it would embarrass the Murong family. Besides, with her zither skills, she could still win it back." I'll use it as a prize for the zither project!”
After that, the other young ladies also took out all kinds of rare treasures as prizes.
"Alright, since we have the prizes for each event, let's set the rules for the competition!”Nangong Zijuan stood up and said," It's the same as before. You can choose to participate in the same event, or you can choose to participate in a variety of events. Each participant will draw a picture, write a poem, dance, sing a song, or play the zither. Everyone will vote collectively, and whoever gets the most votes will win! The performance time for each event did not exceed 15 minutes. The chess skills would be left to the end, and the opponents would be decided by drawing lots!”
"Good!" It was not the first time that everyone had attended such a banquet, so they had come prepared. However, they did not expect that there would be so many prizes this year and that they would be so precious.
The Nangong Family had already made preparations. In about fifteen minutes, all the items for the competition were carried to the garden.
After what happened yesterday and today, Yuan Zinuo knew that her and Ouyang Xu's path was still very difficult. She had to obtain the support of the officials in the court and the support of the people. However, the rumors about her were mostly bad, which made Ouyang Xu very difficult. This was also the reason why she had come to the banquet today. She wanted to amaze everyone here and let those who had misunderstood her know that she, the first daughter of the Qiyun family, not only had a beauty that could topple a country, but she also had shocking talent. Thus, Yuan Zinuo reported all the projects.
"The topic of today's painting is, of course, chrysanthemums!”Nangong Zijuan stood up and announced to everyone," However, there is a special requirement for today's painting. You are not allowed to draw chrysanthemums!”
"What? If he didn't draw chrysanthemums, how could he express his chrysanthemums?”Murong Shanshan was the first to give up." I'm not participating!”
"Wait, I have a suggestion!”Yuan Zinuo stood out.
"Miss Qi Yun, do you have any suggestions?" Nangong Zijuan waved her hand, signaling for everyone to be quiet.
"Just now, everyone said that it will be decided by voting. However, for the sake of fairness, I suggest that everyone's painting be inscribed behind the name. This way, no one will know who the painting belongs to.”In modern times and ancient times, this kind of voting sometimes did not depend on your strength, but on your popularity or family power.
"Alright, Miss Qi Yun's suggestion is very good. I agree!”One of the young ladies was the first to support. She believed that her strength was not inferior to Feng Wanhua, but every year, everyone had to vote for Feng Wanhua because of her identity.
"Alright, let's do it!" Feng Wanhua was proud. She never thought that she won because of her identity and status, so she readily agreed.
Hence, everyone chimed in. After about fifteen minutes, they had all finished their paintings. Everyone's paintings were placed in front of a bowl. Everyone held a bean in their hands. If you liked the painting, you could throw it into that bowl. Because each painting had no name, everyone voted purely based on the painting itself. There was no pressure and it was especially relaxed.
After a while, the voting ended and the roll call began.
"This painting won in the end!" The two maidservants counted the beans and took out one of the paintings.
Feng Wanhua, who had just won, immediately turned pale because the painting she took out wasn't hers.
"Look at the name behind it!" Nangong Zijuan reminded the servant girl, and the servant girl immediately flipped over the painting. On the painting, there were four big words, Qi Yun Zi Nuo, written in a flamboyant manner.
"So it's yours, Xiao Nuo!" Murong Shanshan had never been very good at painting, so she was really happy for Yuan Zinuo. She held Yuan Zinuo's hand and jumped and shouted.
Yuan Zinuo's painting was freehand style. There wasn't a single chrysanthemum in the painting, only withered branches on the ground, a butterfly flying in search, and an old man sitting alone by the thatched cottage sighing. The artistic conception of the painting was slightly lonely, but it expressed the longing and sigh of the old man who loved chrysanthemum.
"Not afraid of the wind and frost in the late autumn, when the flowers have withered. The earth is barren and the old garden has three paths of moss. The festival passes through the heavy rain of the Double Ninth Festival. Autumn boundless people want to get drunk, cold fragrance cold butterfly prophet. Shan Weng alone thought of the same old age, sitting in front of the secluded pavilion often poetry.”Nangong Zijuan looked at Yuan Zinuo with admiration." Miss Qi Yun has taken a different approach. She doesn't paint chrysanthemums, but a person who admires chrysanthemums. The artistic conception is profound, and her painting style is also very unique. She actually used splashing ink. With just a few strokes, she managed to draw the outline of the old man's broken branch lifelike. Her technique is superb, and her painting skills are exquisite. This poem was full of praise and love for chrysanthemums. It was indeed a rare masterpiece!”
"That's right. Today's first place in painting belongs to Miss Qi Yun!”The other young lady was convinced of her loss and praised.
"Alright, let's move on to the second segment, the singing and dancing competition!”Nangong Zijuan led everyone to the pavilion," The song and dance will also be based on chrysanthemums. Everyone will draw lots to decide the order!”
Feng Wanhua was still brooding over her loss in painting and calligraphy. She was not willing to be outdone by Yuan Zinuo just like that, so she resolutely signed up to participate in the singing and dancing competition. This was not her forte, so it was obvious that her performance was average.
She was the third one. After the performance, there were already people whispering, saying that she was the number one talented woman and so on. Feng Wanhua was so angry that she almost exploded. It was the green clothed woman beside her who stopped her.
When it was Yuan Zinuo's turn, she slowly walked to the center of the pavilion and sang as she danced."If the scenery is as picturesque as a painting, anyone can stop and I will be elegant. That boundless tea garden (Distant fragrance) is my home, picking a thousand chrysanthemums, dancing with her, crystal clear and flawless, I answer you with this coolness (you answer the tenderness in the ice and snow), the picture in the dream in the fog, like a flower that does not bloom, after many summers, can reach in the lost way, when I feel you holding my hand, I have a reason to persist, the future becomes a shining star, guiding us in front, from now on we are not afraid of how far, love accompanies us to go, since ancient times the world is big, white dreams extend to the horizon.”
The singing was ethereal and melodious. Yuan Zinuo had added her own creativity to the dance, dancing gracefully and with a fast rhythm, which surprised all the young ladies present.
After the song ended, the entire venue was silent. It was only when Yuan Zinuo saluted and bowed that everyone started clapping.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。