Chapter 443: Secretly competing in wits
Chen Ning could see that while these three girls were politely smiling on the surface and acting courteously, but they all had hostility in their eyes. The stories they told were all exaggerated, not being sincere at all.
She couldn’t help secretly feeling amused. Empress Dowager Zhou wanted to use the three of them to deal with her, but she never thought that they would be fighting between each other first.
She smiled as she picked up a piece of fruit and placed it in her mouth. She slowly chewed it as she narrowed her eyes to watch the play.
“Big sister Xia, Wan’er has long heard of big sister Xia’s talent with poetry, being able to compose a prose in seven steps. Seeing big sister Xia today, you really do have the air of a poet around you. I wonder can big sister Xia can open ours and the Empress Dowager’s eyes to the world and compose a prose in just seven steps?”
[TL Note: The time it takes to take seven steps.]
Liu Wan Ting was sitting right beside Xia Yu Yan, turning to her with a smile as she spoke.
Her smile was very gentle and her voice as soft as water.
The smile on Xia Yu Yan’s face froze for a second and she secretly gritted her teeth in anger.
She was the number one talented female in the capital in terms of poetry with no one being able to beat her. She wanted to come to this banquet and show off her works to promote her own talents.
But composing a prose in seven steps!
How was this enough time?
“Little sister Wan Ting is joking. The rumors are exaggerated and should not be believed. I have read a few more poems compared to these little sisters and have practiced writing a bit more. How could I compose a prose in seven steps? But this big sister has heard that little sister’s zither skills are unparalleled in this world, with even the birds would stop on their branches after hearing little sister’s zither, signing along with the music. Did little sister bring your zither with you into the palace? I’m sure the Empress Dowager also wants to hear little sister’s zither playing and see the miraculous sight of a hundred birds stopping to listen.”
Xia Yu Yan’s expression turned into a smile as she looked at Liu Wan Ting. After saying this, Lie Wan Ting’s smile also froze. Her eyes seemed to grow teeth, wishing she could take a bite out of Xia Yu Yan.
The so called summoning a hundred birds was just the praises people gave her. Was there a person in the world whose zither playing could summon the birds?
She was clearly trying to make a fool of her!
Wu Yue Er did not say anything, only smiling and listening. Then she placed a peeled lychee in front of Empress Dowager Zhou, whispering, “This lychee is fresh and sweet. If the Empress Dowager likes them, Yue Er can help the Empress Dowager peel a few more.”
Chen Ning’s eyes fell onto Wu Yue Er’s face, secretly thinking that Wu Yue Er was much more cunning compared to the other two.
Xia Yu Yan and Liu Wan Ting saw this and they woke up. At the same time, they glared at Wu Yue Er.
Wu Yue Er pretended not to see them. She poured a cup of fragrant red tea and placed it in front of the Empress Dowager, “Please have some tea, Empress Dowager.”
Empress Dowager Zhou had long seen through their infighting. She had seen plenty of this kind of fighting over her years and did not care about it at all. She picked up Wu Yue Er’s tea and said with a smile, “You really are the most considerate child.”
Chen Ning couldn’t help secretly feeling a little amused. This Empress Dowager Zhou was really interesting. Wouldn’t this sentence be adding oil to the flames? Was she hoping for these three girls to fight even more fiercely?
As expected, after Empress Dowager Zhou’s voice fell, Wu Yue Er lowered her head, hiding the proud look in her eyes. Xia Yu Yan and Liu Wan Ting stood up at the same time.
“Empress Dowager, let Yu Yan help you massage your shoulders. When Yu Yan is at home, I normally massage my mother’s shoulders and she always tells me it is very comfortable.”
“Wu, alright, alright.” Empress Dowager Zhou nodded with a smile.
Xia Yu Yan began to gently massage Empress Dowager Zhou’s shoulders.