Chapter 105: Chapter 101: The Silent Beauty

Pan Jiaojiao told Shen Jingxian that for today’s meeting, Song Yun and Shen Ming specially held a poetry gathering on the Guan Fang.

Regardless of gender, anyone with real talent could participate.

If one’s poetry was slightly inferior, those outstanding in painting, calligraphy, or music could also join.

Drinking and singing, reciting poetry in match, playing the zither for fun, this is the elegance of talented individuals.

It sounds good, but Pan Jiaojiao said this poetry gathering was just a cover to save Song Yun’s face.

Having a secret meeting with one’s sister’s fiancé doesn’t sound nice, but once they wrapped it in poetry recitation clothing, they could meet openly and even earn a reputation as a talented woman.

Moreover, the poetry gathering claimed that anyone with real talent could enter, but those actually allowed in were all friends of Shen Ming and Song Yun.

Shen Jingxian couldn’t help but be curious. The capital is so big, the circle of talented individuals is even smaller. Shen Ming couldn’t possibly win over everyone.

If a famed talent who didn’t get along with Song Yun or Shen Ming wanted to participate, could Shen Ming refuse? Since they held the poetry gathering so grandly, they couldn’t, could they? Aren’t they afraid of trouble?

But Pan Jiaojiao shook her head, “Cousin Shen Ming ranks first among the four great talents of the capital, and the three others of equal fame are also his close friends. With them overseeing the event, no accident could happen in the poetry gathering.”

Shen Jingxian understood that there were also hierarchies among scholars. Now, Shen Ming and his three brothers are obviously at the top level, no wonder they were so blatant.

Besides, she remembered that in the original text, Song Yun earned the title of a talented woman by playing the zither and composing poetry, relying on Shen Ming’s identity, which should also facilitate her secret meeting with Shen Ming.

Since Shen Ming dared to meet Song Yun so openly, he was sure that no matter what happened, he could smooth it over.

As the carriage moved, Shen Jingxian could slowly start to see the Guan Fang.

The Guan Fang floated on the water. From a distance, Shen Jingxian saw several tall lacquered red and gold pillars, and the colorful paintings between the beams were bright and eye-catching. It was clear this was not a place merchants could sustain.

Behind the Guan Fang, who knew which dignitaries it relied on.

“Jiaojiao, you can stop here.”

Pan Jiaojiao was a bit surprised. Wasn’t the Princess going with her?

“What I have to do today is not just attending the poetry gathering. You still have some things unclear. Better not follow me and alarm the snake.”

Pan Jiaojiao knew the Princess was referring to Song Yun’s matter. Although she wanted to go with the Princess, after weighing it, she chose to leave.

“Then I’ll go find Song Yun. If you need anything, Your Highness, please send someone to deliver a message.”

Shen Jingxian nodded, and Pan Jiaojiao then quietly left with her maid.

Shen Jingxian walked closer to the Guan Fang and realized the place was truly lovely, with fragrant water plants and aucklandia in the water and polygonum flowers and reed leaves on the shore, a picturesque scene in full view.

At the entrance, there were brushes, inks, papers, inkstones, and a zither. When Shen Jingxian arrived, someone was composing poetry on the spot based on a topic.

Whether the poetry was good, Shen Jingxian didn’t know. She didn’t have talent in this area; her only criterion for judging poetry was whether it was easy to memorize.

As everyone knows, soy sauce poems are easy to memorize, while those with profound meanings and required full memorization in language textbooks are hard to memorize and profound!

Shen Jingxian listened to this person’s poem just now and didn’t remember it, so it should be alright.

Thinking so, Shen Jingxian saw this person being let in.

It seemed it might indeed be alright.

This must be what Pan Jiaojiao referred to as “real talent.”

So there’s an exam to get in.

Shen Jingxian immediately reflected on herself.

She didn’t know poetry.

Though there were some poems memorized long ago, but those were masterpieces by others. How could she shamelessly use others’ poems to show off?

Poetry, pass.

She could play some zither, but only a few pieces learned by rote memorization. In urgent situations, she’d be done for.

As for painting, she stuck to stick figures of Qiuming Mountain, unrelated to her landscapes and freehand scenery.

Shen Jingxian seriously considered how to get in. When catching an affair, it’s best to be legitimate.

Causing a scandal citywide is the worst strategy; the best way is to act natural, and then, no matter what happens, it’s just bad luck.

Shen Jingxian cheerfully looked at the topics hung at the Guan Fang’s entrance. She found most were object-themed poems, with very few about emotions.

Little did she know, while she looked at the topics outside, people from various places were watching her.

Today, before stepping out, Sister Xiao Ming didn’t give Shen Jingxian a complicated hairstyle, only styled a simple Princess bun, with a pearl flower hairpin with tassels cascading.

As she walked around looking at the topics, the tassels swayed gently.

It wasn’t just the tassels that swayed, but the hearts of countless onlookers as well.

Besides Shen Ming, there was another character on the Guan Fang today, the Eldest Prince of Fang Yao Country, Gong Yu.

Gong Yu appeared suddenly, and Shen Ming wasn’t prepared, but given the good relations between Fang Yao Country and Yunyi Country, and the fact that the Eldest Prince’s mother is Shen Ming’s aunt, the two had a good relationship.

After Shen Ming explained his plans for the day, Gong Yu was intrigued and insisted on seeing the exceptional beauty who caused Shen Ming to go to such lengths.

To not be passionate in youth is wasteful; Gong Yu was just a young lad, naturally interested in beauties.

Unexpectedly, as soon as they finished speaking, surprised exclamations arose nearby, and many scholars couldn’t resist abandoning their demeanor, scrambling to the second-floor windows, craning their necks to see what was happening.

Gong Yu, curious, wondered if some impressive figure had arrived, and accompanied Shen Ming to a window to look in the direction of the exclamations.

The focus of attention was a woman with a fair face and delicate skin.

Her brows were long and picturesque, her eyes bright as stars.

A small nose bridge, thin lips, and as she looked at the topic in her hand, she seemed to think of something, her mouth slightly upturned, yet a hint of sorrow in her eyes.

Her entire face radiated vibrant beauty, but her aura was so elegant and transcendent, as if untouched by worldly affairs.

The simple white blouse with sheer floral patterns she wore made her even more like a lotus rising from the water, untouched by dust.

Gong Yu was stunned.

He had never seen such a beautiful woman before.

At home, he had reached the age of marriage, and his mother had introduced him to many noble women, but he wasn’t interested in any of them.

He felt those noble women had been molded into one form, very dull.

But now, seeing the woman downstairs, a thought suddenly popped into his head.

If it were her, it would be fine.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep