Ye Chutang knew Prince Chen would come, but Kong Ru did not.
With a look of surprise, Kong Ru remarked, "I never expected Prince Chen, who never attends any banquets, to show up today."
Then, she glanced at Ye Chutang and added with a mocking tone, "It seems Chutang has quite the influence."
Ye Chutang smiled gracefully. "Naturally, a bit more than Madam Ye."
With that, she turned her gaze toward the awe-inspiring and revered God of War—Prince Chen.
Qi Yanzhou wore a black brocade robe, its hem and right shoulder embroidered with silver bamboo patterns, accentuating his tall and imposing figure.
His dark hair was tied up in a crown, his features sharp and profound, exuding an air of icy detachment that kept others at bay.
Beside him stood a handsome man dressed in a light green gauze robe, his face adorned with a warm smile that made him seem approachable.
Ye Chutang recognized him as the man who had been secretly watching her from the teahouse private room earlier.
At that moment, Steward Chen announced the man’s identity.
"Master Qin has arrived!"
Noticing Ye Chutang’s gaze on Qin Muyun, Kong Ru said, "The man beside Prince Chen is Qin Muyun, the eldest grandson of Prime Minister Qin. A truly outstanding young man."
Just then, Qin Muyun caught sight of a flash of red at the entrance of the rear garden, his attention instantly captivated.
The red dress blazed like fire, radiant and enchanting, stirring the soul.
Seeing Ye Chutang again, his heart raced uncontrollably.
When their eyes met, a smile bloomed on her face.
His ears burned, and he shyly averted his gaze.
Qi Yanzhou noticed Qin Muyun’s unusual reaction and followed his line of sight to Ye Chutang standing at the garden entrance.
The young woman was dazzlingly beautiful, her charm irresistible.
His brows furrowed slightly as he debated whether to dissuade Qin Muyun’s budding interest.
An official who had been about to approach Prince Chen to greet him, noticing the displeasure on his face, immediately retracted his half-extended foot.
After a brief glance at Qin Muyun, Ye Chutang withdrew her gaze, unaware that Qi Yanzhou was also watching her.
She turned to Kong Ru with a smile, responding to her earlier introduction.
"Madam Ye, why didn’t you mention that Master Qin is also the capital’s number one playboy?"
Dan'er had told her plenty about the capital’s so-called "celebrities" the night before.
Princess Anping topped the list, with Qin Muyun coming in second.
Kong Ru’s smile remained unchanged. "Though Master Qin may be a bit unconventional, his character is impeccable."
Ye Chutang believed that—after all, birds of a feather flock together.
If Qin Muyun could be friends with Prince Chen, they must share similar temperaments.
Steward Chen’s slightly hoarse voice rang out again.
"The Crown Prince has arrived!"
Ye Chutang glanced at Ye Anling, who aspired to be the Crown Princess, before turning her attention to the Crown Prince himself.
Though his looks couldn’t compare to Qi Yanzhou or Qin Muyun, the Crown Prince was still handsome.
His innate royal bearing added to his appeal.
Kong Ru lowered her voice in warning. "Don’t even think about the Crown Prince. The Empress already disapproves of Anling—she’d never consider you!"
Ye Chutang looked away. "Rest assured, I’m not that desperate."
Even if she were interested in someone, it wouldn’t be a scoundrel who exploited commoners and soldiers alike.
Kong Ru suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "Good. Keep it that way."
"Eunuch De has arrived!"
At Steward Chen’s announcement, all the men who had been stealing glances at Ye Chutang immediately averted their eyes.
No matter how alluring the beauty, their lives mattered more.
The guests stepped forward to greet him, their deference even greater than what they had shown the Crown Prince.
"Greetings, Eunuch De!"
Ye Chutang found it rather amusing.
A group of high-ranking officials groveling before a scheming eunuch—utterly ridiculous.
Kong Ru noticed Ye Chutang’s disdainful expression and said with a headache, "Chutang, don’t be disrespectful to Eunuch De!"
"What can I do? He came empty-handed, and I only show courtesy to those who bring gifts."
"..."
"In the Beichen Kingdom, only His Majesty receives gifts from Eunuch De. Don’t cause trouble!"
Ye Chutang’s eyes suddenly turned sharp.
"Don’t worry, Madam Ye. I won’t provoke unless provoked."
Kong Ru’s headache worsened, sensing that today might spiral into chaos.
"All the guests are here. Come with me to entertain the ladies."
There was still nearly an hour before the banquet.
Guests gathered in small groups, admiring the flowers, chatting about family matters and the latest gossip in the capital.
Princess Anping, spotting Ye Chutang’s approach, deliberately suggested, "Since we’re idle, why not play the Feihualing poetry game?"
She wanted everyone to see that this country bumpkin had nothing but a pretty face.
Kong Ru didn’t want Ye Chutang to embarrass herself—after all, she represented the Minister’s Mansion.
"Your Highness—"
Before she could finish her refusal, Ye Chutang agreed.
"Of course. Having grown up in the countryside, I’ve never seen the talents of the capital’s noble ladies. Today, I’ll witness them firsthand."
Princess Anping smirked. "As the hostess, Miss Ye can’t just watch. You must lead the game."
"Naturally. How about composing poems about the flowers in the garden?"
The suggestion stunned everyone.
Not only composing poetry but also writing it out—was she aiming for double humiliation?
Princess Anping, seeing Ye Chutang digging her own grave, was happy to oblige.
"A splendid idea! Madam Ye, please prepare the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone."
Kong Ru, confident that Ye Anling would win, no longer cared if Ye Chutang embarrassed the Minister’s Mansion.
She immediately instructed Qiu He to make the arrangements.
Ye Chutang added, "Just composing and writing poems isn’t exciting enough. Why don’t we each contribute a little something as a prize for the winner?"
Her mind was filled with countless Tang and Song dynasty masterpieces—winning against these sheltered young ladies would be effortless.
Such a golden opportunity to make money couldn’t be missed.
Princess Anping smiled. "Miss Ye’s suggestion aligns perfectly with my thoughts."
With that, she removed a golden hairpin from her hair and placed it on the stone table in the pavilion.
"My contribution."
As the highest-ranking, her lead prompted the other noblewomen to follow suit, removing their own accessories—
Jade hairpins, tasseled hairpins, jade pendants, pearl bracelets, earrings…
Soon, the table was piled high with valuables.
Even Princess Anping’s eyes gleamed with desire at the sight.
Ye Anling, envisioning the treasures soon to be hers, was in high spirits.
Before long, Kong Ru had two writing desks set up in the pavilion, furnished with the finest brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.
Princess Anping, clad in a golden gown, raised a brow at Ye Chutang.
"Hostess, you first."
Ye Chutang gave a slight bow to the group.
"Having just returned to the capital, I’m unfamiliar with the rules of Feihualing. May the ladies demonstrate first?"
A young woman in a pale pink gauze dress stepped forward.
"I’ll make a humble attempt."
She knelt on a cushion before the desk, picked up the brush, and wrote:
"April’s southern winds turn barley gold,
While jujube blossoms linger, leaves unfold."
[Note: From Li Qi’s "Seeing Off Chen Zhangfu"]
The poem, fitting the season’s harvest, was paired with delicate handwriting—a solid effort.
Princess Anping surveyed the garden, her gaze settling on the fiery pomegranate blossoms.
"Lonely pomegranate blooms, leaves deep and bright,
Like rosy clouds adorning azure light."
[Note: From Yuan Zhen’s "Pomegranate Blossoms"]
Her bold calligraphy matched her unrestrained personality—another commendable piece.
One by one, the noble ladies took their turns, none surpassing the "above-average" mark.
Finally, only Ye Chutang and Ye Anling remained.
Princess Anping turned to Ye Chutang. "Miss Ye, your turn."
"Since Miss Ye is the capital’s top talent, she should go first."
Ye Anling didn’t hesitate, kneeling gracefully before the desk.
"Only the peony reigns supreme in grace,
Its bloom stirs the capital with its embrace."
[Note: From Liu Yuxi’s "Admiring Peonies"]
Her elegant regular script was neat and refined—a top-tier performance.
Princess Anping smirked at Ye Chutang with evident satisfaction. "As expected of Ye Anling—her skill leaves everyone in awe."
With such a masterpiece presented first, this country bumpkin was bound to make a fool of herself!
"Miss Ye, do you still have excuses to decline?"
Ye Chutang smiled faintly. "There’s no need."
With that, she walked to the writing desk, bent down, and picked up the brush.
"Deep in the secluded courtyard, summer mats cool and serene,
Pomegranates bloom bright, their glow piercing the screen."
[Note: Adapted from Su Shunqin’s Summer Mood]
In terms of poetic composition alone, it might not match the grandeur of Ye Anling’s verse, but its imagery was exquisite—making it hard to declare a clear winner.
Yet her calligraphy surpassed Ye Anling’s by tenfold.
The two lines were written in five distinct scripts, each character meticulously crafted, no two alike.
Every single stroke could stand alone as a master’s work!
Ye Chutang straightened up and displayed the written poem to all the ladies present.
Finally, the paper came to rest before Princess Anping.
"Your Highness, what do you think of my poem… and my handwriting?"
