freenovelworld Chapter 572 Only Peony is the True Beauty of the Country
Chapter 572 Only Peony is the True Beauty of the Country
After a while, the outside became lively. More than a dozen servants came in carrying flower pots. Red peonies, pink peonies, and white magnolias were placed one after another in the middle of the warm room.
The most eye-catching are two pots of double-petaled camellias, with layers of petals so red that they seem to be dripping blood.
There are also several pots of rare green chrysanthemums, with shiny green leaves and petals curled into furry balls.
The flowers, covered with dew, filled the warm room with fragrance, and the noble ladies began to whisper to each other.
Although it is not difficult to compose poems about flowers, it is not easy to write poems that will impress people on the spot.
Concubine Liu lightly tapped the gilded teacup with her fingertips and glanced around with a smile:
“All of you ladies are from families that have inherited poetry and etiquette.
Why not write a seven-character quatrain on each of the peony, herbaceous peony, and magnolia flowers before your eyes?
As soon as the words fell, the sound of silk rubbing against each other was heard in the warm room. The hairpins and rings jingled as the ladies whispered to each other. Some of them began to frown and think about Mudan.
As soon as Concubine Liu said this, the warm room suddenly became so quiet that one could only hear the creaking sound of embroidered shoes stepping on the blue bricks.
The ladies looked at each other with their eyes wide open.
I thought writing one poem was hard enough, how come it suddenly became three?
And they have to use peony, peony and magnolia as titles respectively. Isn’t this just making things difficult for people?
Su Niantang's hand holding the brush trembled slightly.
She had indeed memorized quite a few poems at home, and even recited a few poems suitable for the occasion before going out, but who would have thought that she would write three poems in one breath?
And now that the names of the flowers have been specified, all the poems prepared in advance are useless.
Looking around, some young ladies were biting their lips anxiously, some were wiping the sweat from their foreheads with handkerchiefs, and some were whispering to the maid if they could borrow a collection of poems as a temporary solution.
"This...this is too difficult!" A timid voice broke the silence.
Concubine Liu just smiled without saying anything, picked up the teacup and drank tea slowly.
The only sounds left in the warm room were sighs, and the rustling sounds of the pen tip scratching on the rice paper became intermittent.
Su Niantang stared at the blank rice paper in front of him, his mind in a mess, and the poem he had memorized by heart was forgotten.
Now it's all like it was blown away by the wind, and I can't remember it at all.
When Concubine Liu said this, many people panicked.
Peonies and peonies are common, so I can still write a few words about them. However, magnolias are rarely seen, so how can I write about them?
Everyone frowned and rubbed their hands anxiously.
Su Niantang bit her lip and stared at the magnolia flowers in a daze. She dipped the pen in her hand into the ink again and again, but couldn't write a single word.
Looking at Bai Wanwan again, she was particularly calm.
She thought about it first, and then began to write a poem about peonies.
She remembered that Liu Yuxi's poem about peonies was particularly famous, so she wrote it down.
After writing about the peony, the peony and magnolia were not difficult for her and she finished them quickly.
At this time, others were still scratching their heads, some wrote and crossed out, and some were sweating with anxiety.
After an incense stick of time had passed, Concubine Liu clapped her hands and said, "Time's up, hand in all your poems!"
The maids began to collect the poems, and the scene was noisy.
In order to ensure fairness, Concubine Liu invited several famous literati to serve as judges, including editors from the Hanlin Academy and talented people from the poetry society.
As the news spread, many dignitaries came to watch the fun. The warm room was crowded with people, and everyone stretched their necks to see which young lady would win the first place.
Su Niantang's hands were shaking when she handed in the poem. She secretly glanced at Bai Wanwan, and seeing that she looked calm, she felt even more panicked.
The atmosphere was very tense, everyone was waiting to see the result, even the breathing could be heard clearly.
Hanlin Academy Editor Wang held the manuscript in his hands. His aged fingers trembled slightly, but his cloudy eyes shone with surprise. "Wonderful! Truly wonderful! This poem is perfectly natural, and the artistic conception is extraordinary!"
He cleared his throat and read in a loud voice:
"The peony in the courtyard is wild and without character, the lotus in the pond is pure and sentimental.
Only the peony is the true national beauty, and when it blooms, the capital city is moved!"
As soon as the words fell, the warm room suddenly exploded.
"This poem may look simple, but it captures the elegance of the peony!"
"The words are not fancy at all, yet they are unforgettable!" The ladies whispered to each other, and the sound of silk rubbing against each other was filled with amazement.
"Excuse me, sir, which young lady created this masterpiece?" A lady couldn't help asking.
Lord Wang pushed his reading glasses and pointed to the end of the manuscript: "It's Miss Bai Wanwan!"
Everyone turned their heads at once, their eyes fixed on the girl in the moon-white skirt in the corner.
Bai Wanwan was slowly adjusting her sleeves, looking as pretty as a newly blooming magnolia.
"How, how is this possible?" The crowd erupted in exclamations of disbelief.
"He looks so young, but he has such talent?" Even Concubine Liu put down her teacup and looked at him with interest.
Su Niantang stared at Bai Wanwan intently, his nails almost digging into his palms.
She just couldn't understand how this girl, who usually kept a low profile, could come up with such a quatrain so casually?
Bai Wanwan's lips curled up into a faint smile, and her eyes vaguely swept across Su Niantang's pale face: "Sister Su, this humble work of mine is just a flash of inspiration. I would like to hear your masterpiece?"
Su Niantang's fingertips turned white as she gripped the manuscript. Just as she was about to speak, she was interrupted by a sigh from Zhang, the editor of the Hanlin Academy.
"Miss Su's poem..." Editor Zhang stroked his beard and shook his head. "Although the words are well-written and the rhythm is good, it lacks a bit of spirit."
Another editor, Li, suddenly had his eyes light up, and he held up another manuscript and said aloud:
"Everyone, please listen to this poem about peonies!
I have never seen such a grand scene and such a fragrant smell before, with red lights flashing and green cages.
I woke up feeling terrified by my feelings and wondered what level of celestial palace I was in.
After he finished reading, there was silence in the warm room at first, and then bursts of exclamations broke out.
"This poem brings the peony to life! The four words 'vast and wild fragrance' are more vivid than a painting!"
A lady couldn't help but clap her hands: "Especially when you are in the fairy palace, it feels like you have fallen into the fairyland of Yaochi!"
Concubine Liu also nodded slightly: "It is truly rare to find such wonderful ideas hidden in plain words."
Su Niantang stared at the familiar handwriting, her ears buzzing.
Her poem was clearly her masterpiece, which she had written after much thought last night, but now it looked dull and overshadowed.
She screamed, "Impossible! She's so tiny, how could she possibly write something like that? This must be cheating."
The editors looked at her coldly and said:
"These poems are all things I have never heard of. Even if they are cheating, it is their own ability.
How could you destroy someone's reputation like this?"
Bai Wanwan remained silent. Wei Bianxiu's face was filled with surprise, and he could not wait to read aloud:
"The green branches are so strong that they attract the wind and grow, piercing the silver flowers and the jade snow fragrance.
Yunyou knows that people are kind, and she gently takes off her white dress behind the curtain."
Inside the warm room, everyone was immersed in this beautiful poem, and no one spoke for a moment.