Chapter 172: Chapter 174: Marvelous Skills, Poetry and Painting as One
“Although they are father and daughter, this is just shaless.”
The civil servants at the banquet could no longer stay seated.
Xiao Junci also clapped his hands and laughed.
“Princess Feng, I thought you were capable of sothing great. Of all the poems to copy, why copy your father’s? I’m embarrassed for you.”
“This poem is not Feng Zhanlian’s work. Why can I not use it?”
Feng Bailing’s words were shocking.
“Unfilial daughter, your audacity grows ever larger. This poem was composed by in passing, surely you have seen it and now wish to claim it as your own.”
Feng Zhanlian’s neck reddened as he pointed at Feng Bailing and cursed.
“Sister Bailing, you can’t even rhy properly, how could you possibly compose a poem? Quickly apologize to the Regent King, the Crown Princess Consort, and father.”
Feng Xiangxue also looked tense as she stood up to reprimand Feng Bailing.
“Exactly, you, who were once expelled from Yuxiu Academy without attending a single poetry class, how could you compose poetry? If anyone doubts, there’s a classmate from our Yuxiu Academy nad Mo Qianqian in the outer gardens, ask her and you’ll know.”
Feng Ruoyan was thrilled to see Feng Bailing make a fool of herself.
The Duchess Chen quickly ordered soone to call Mo Qianqian in.
Mo Qianqian ca in trembling and entered the pavilion.
Seeing Dugu Wu sitting on the side, her heart fluttered.
“You are a female student from Yuxiu Academy. I ask you, is she your classmate, and does she usually compose poetry?”
Xiao Junci pointed at Feng Bailing.
Mo Qianqian was startled and looked towards Feng Bailing sowhat at a loss.
“Don’t be afraid, no matter what you say, it will not trouble you.”
Nalan Yan’er spoke softly.
Her voice seed to carry a silent strength. Moved, Mo Qianqian said,
“Bailing has never composed poetry; she studied cooking and the three courses of managing and riding.”
After speaking, she looked nervously at Feng Bailing.
Feng Bailing just gave her a faint glance.
“What an unfortunate family, truly disgraceful. Soone, send her back ho.”
Feng Zhanlian’s face was full of disgust.
“Feng Zhanlian, as a fourth-rank official, what right do you have to send my daughter away? If Bailing says the poem is not yours, then it is not.”
Dongfang Lianhua stood up and slamd the table.
The table cracked with the impact, and Feng Zhanlian trembled.
Dongfang Lianhua, with a face cold as frost and eyes emanating a chilling aura, looked alien to him; this overwhelming presence almost made Feng Zhanlian feel an urge to kneel.
“Dongfang Lianhua, what a fine daughter you’ve raised, spoiled by your indulgence. A lenient mother is the ruin of her children.”
Feng Zhanlian spoke, his voice filled with resentnt and heartache.
“Feng Zhanlian, you say the poem is yours, I say it is not. ‘A man says what a man says, a woman what a woman.’ Since that is so, why don’t we write out also the first half of the poem?”
Feng Bailing said with a smile.
There is a first half to this quatrain?
Feng Zhanlian suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.
He wiped his forehead.
Those who understood poetry knew that a good poem required repeated sculpting before it ca into being.
Even though Feng Zhanlian was once the top scorer, he did not have the talent to compose a poem in seven steps.
“Please.”
Feng Bailing made a gesture of invitation and imdiately ordered soone to fetch pen and ink, then picked up the brush to write more.
Feng Zhanlian stalled for quite a while before coming forward.
He swallowed and attempted to sneak a peek at what Feng Bailing had written.
Feng Bailing’s writing was tiny, and Feng Zhanlian squinted for a long ti but failed to make it out clearly.
Xiao Junci stepped forward for a closer look and read in a deep voice,
“The spring whispers silently, lanting the gentle stream, the shade of trees reflects on the water, loving the tender warmth of the sun.
Tiny lotuses begin to poke out their sharp little tips; dragonflies have already alighted upon them.”
Reading this, Xiao Junci suddenly visualized a sumr scene with wild lotuses, sunlight, and gentle water.
At this mont, a stir arose among the guests.
“Look quickly!”
“It’s nothing short of miraculous!”
He was taken aback when he looked at the painting again.
At twilight, under the afterglow of the setting sun, a red-tailed dragonfly flapped its wings and flew into the waterside pavilion.
The dragonfly lightly touched the painting with its red tail, landing on a bud that was just about to bloom.
Upon the monochro wild lotus, a touch of red was added.
And it was this touch of red that brought the painting to life, like the finishing stroke to a dragon’s eyes, the essence of the wild lotus leaped off the page.
What a scene of tiny lotuses and dragonflies perched above.
An exquisite fusion of poetry and painting.
Upon such examination, Dugu Xiaojin’s painting and Feng Bailing’s poem lded seamlessly; the poem within the painting, and the painting within the poem.
Looking back at Dongfang Jin’s painting, not only was it a re copy of Old Grand Preceptor’s work, but Prince Consort Feng, such a man of talent, how could his poem be so out of sync with the artistic conception of his painting?
For a mont, even Nalan Yan’er was lost for words.
Feng Bailing couldn’t help but smile, thinking about the dragonfly as she glanced at Dugu Xiaojin, who stuck out her tongue towards her.
If Feng Zhanlian bullied the Queen Mother, he would ensure Feng Zhanlian’s utter downfall.
“Prince Consort Feng, you’ve been grunting and groaning for quite so ti yet nothing has co out, it seems even making poetry can cause constipation.”
Dongfang Qi teased.
Feng Zhanlian’s face turned red, and he gave a slight bow.
“I am not feeling well, please forgive .”
With those words, he hurriedly left, leaving Lady Nan Feng embarrassed, and the Feng sisters speechless as if their mouths were stitched shut.
Mo Qianqian also had an awkward look, as she hadn’t anticipated that Feng Bailing truly had the talent for poetry.
“You have nothing to do with this; you may step back.”
Duchess Chen had not expected such an outco either.
“The Imperial Grandson and Young Master Dugu are both of great talent, yet in terms of poetry, Princess Feng is a cut above. However, this contest was about painting…”
Duchess Chen paused as she looked towards Feng Bailing, hesitating as if to suggest that Feng Bailing should provide a way out for both Nalan Yan’er and Xiao Junci.
But Feng Bailing wouldn’t have it. She was the sort to hold grudges and kick the ladder from under those above her.
“Then I must trouble the Regent King to be outside the Princess’ Mansion at dawn, waiting at the 5 a.m. hour.”
Feng Bailing said with a smile in her eyes, completely unapologetic.
Xiao Junci’s hand trembled, almost crushing the wine cup he was holding; he wished he could strangle Feng Bailing.
“Jinjin, in the future you must learn more from Xiaojin.”
Nalan Yan’er, with her refined face and a perfect smile, pulled Dongfang Jin closer and spoke.
Dongfang Jin bit her lip, her mouth full of the taste of blood, her eyes venomous as she glared at Dugu Xiaojin not far away.
Holding the painting, Dugu Xiaojin received a head pat from Dugu Wu, a rare smile spreading across his handso face.
Seeing that Feng Bailing and her son had not embarrassed themselves, Xiao Junci felt his enthusiasm wane.
These Chu people are truly tedious.
With their petty sches hidden in their hearts, always presenting a false front, if Xiao Junci were to play dirty, that would be real cunning.
He cast a glance at Lady Nan Feng and Feng Xiangxue by her side.
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