Chapter 449: The first chance to show off
“The Empress Dowager and the emperor has arrived!”
With the eunuch loud voice, Empress Dowager Zhou and Mo Chuan slowly walked into the lake pavilion.
Chen Ning was feeling very bored.
Although these girls seemed smart at first, however they were filled with stupidity. Even their sarcasm was repeated several times, not saying anything new. She was already tired of listening to them.
When she heard that Empress Dowager Zhou and Mo Chuan were finally back, she woke up.
“Have you all ate enough?” Empress Dowager Zhou revealed a kind manner, smiling at the four girls sitting in the pavilion. When her eyes finally fell onto Chen Ning, her eyes paused for a second.
There was no doubt that she was not idle while they were bickering. There was a pile of fruit peels on the table in front of her.
She raised her hand and the eunuchs and maids all came in. They took away with food and wine and placed a purple red cloth on the table. They also placed pen, paper, and ink of various colours on the table.
The three girls became nervous, knowing that the most important thing today was about to begin.
Empress Dowager Zhou sat in her chair and Su Jin served her tea.
She lifted the cup’s lid and then pulled out the tea leaves floating on top. She slowly took a sip before placing the tea cup on the table.
The three girls seemed like they were holding their breaths as the watched Empress Dowager Zhou without blinking. Their heart kept beating, making them feel nervous and excited.
They had waited a long time and now they finally had a chance to show off in front of the emperor. They had to seize this opportunity and firmly attract the emperor’s eyes onto them.
The three of them slightly looked down and their faces flushed red with excitement, but they tried to look modest.
Empress Dowager Zhou looked at the three girls and then she looked at Xia Yu Yan.
“When this widow was walking in the garden, I saw white flowers blooming with butterflies and bees dancing around it, creating a beautiful spring picture. Miss Xia, you are the number one talent in the capital and after seeing this beautiful scene, I must turn it into a prose. Miss Xia, are you willing to create a springtime poem to help add a bit of colour to this spring?”
She finally spoke and the first one she called was Xia Yu Yan.
Xia Yu Yan looked down and hid the excitement in her heart. She proudly stood up and bowed to Empress Dowager Zhou and Mo Chuan, speaking in a voice as sweet as an oriole’s.
“Yu Yan is willing.”
She was grateful that Empress Dowager Zhou gave this first opportunity to her. As long as she created a good poem, would she have to be afraid of not attracting the emperor’s affections?
She was confident in her appearance and she was even more confident in her skills.
Liu Wan Ting gritted her teeth and suddenly said, “Empress Dowager, Wan’er has heard of big sister Xia’s fame and also heard that big sister Xia can compose a prose in just seven steps. How about the Empress Dowager have big sister Xia do it in seven steps, making it as light as the spring light?”
She could not stand Xia Yu Yan taking the spotlight, so she was making it hard for her on purpose.
Xia Yu Yan’s expression fell and she looked at Liu Wan Ting with a look filled with hate.
Liu Wan Ting smiled as she clapped her hand. Looking like the model of innocence, she smiled and said, “That’s right, Empress Dowager, while you and the emperor were waking in the gardens, big sister Xia and the Princess Consort made a bet, saying they want to compete in poetry. If big sister Xia can compose a prose in seven steps, then the Princess Consort will be able to do so as well and open our eyes to the world.”
Hearing this, Chen Ning couldn’t help feeling admiration towards her.
This Liu Wan Ting was young, but she was straightforward and very innocent. Her mind was not as developed as the other two girls, but this two pronged attack of hers was truly beautiful!