Lin Shu choosing painting was simply making things difficult for Ji Yinshu.

It wasn’t because her skills were inferior, but because her painting skills were too good.

But to shake off this persistent pest, she had to let Lin Shu gain the upper hand once. However, painting?

For her to win would be easy, but to lose without leaving a trace was truly too difficult.

Seeing her still hesitating, Lin Shu smiled and continued provoking her. “What, don’t you dare?”

“It’s not that I don’t dare. Since I said you could choose, and you chose painting, then it’s painting.”

“Good!” Lin Shu shouted to the people around him. “Set up the materials.”

So everyone scattered to both sides. Some went in to move those desks aside, leaving only eight tables combined together. Paper and brushes with ink were all prepared and spread out on top.

It truly looked like a competition!

Lin Shu raised his eyebrows and asked, “The *Jiangbei Huainan* painting—do you know it?”

Ji Yinshu: “I know it.”

Please, the *Jiangbei Huainan* painting was excavated from a tomb in Pingqiu County, Shaanxi. Coincidentally, she had participated in that project and had personally seen the restored *Jiangbei Huainan* displayed before her eyes.

The image depicted a battlefield killing scene, with a general leading soldiers charging into battle on a smoke-filled, blood-flowing battlefield.

At the time, she didn’t know how震撼 she was!

Lin Shu said, “Good that you know. Then using *Jiangbei Huainan* as reference, create a painting. How about it?”

“As you wish.”

Lin Shu thought for a moment. “Since it’s a competition, we can’t be without a judge.” As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Shang Zhuo. “Shang Zhuo, everyone in our academy knows your copying skills are excellent, and your painting skills are excellent too. Every time the teacher reviews paintings, he has you beside him. Since that’s the case, for my competition with this Scholar Ji, you be the judge. How about it?”

After Shang Zhuo had earlier helped Ji Yinshu with a word, he had wanted to continue hiding in the crowd silently observing. Now being pulled out as a judge, he couldn’t very well decline.

He could only say, “Alright.”

Actually, everyone knew that Lin Shu’s painting skills in the academy were second only to Shang Zhuo. Sometimes, Master Yu would even praise his paintings for having more spirit than Shang Zhuo’s paintings.

So they thought Ji Yinshu was asking for trouble!

Lin Shu lifted his brush and began painting on the paper, full of energy and confidence.

Compared to him, Ji Yinshu was much more indifferent. She wasn’t thinking about how to win, but how to lose.

So much so that a long time passed before she lifted her brush to paint.

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, both finished their paintings!

The surrounding students all crowded up, leaning forward.

On Lin Shu’s painting was a scene corresponding with *Jiangbei Huainan*—also a battlefield killing scene. It depicted a great general riding on horseback, the horse’s front hooves raised high. The general’s armor was covered in fresh blood, gripping a long sword, fiercely thrusting toward a small soldier. The expression on the face was carved very well, though it wasn’t refined due to time constraints.

But it could already be considered a masterpiece.

When everyone slowly moved their gaze to Ji Yinshu’s painting…

A burst of mocking laughter, full of ridicule!

They all pointed and said, “What kind of painting is this?”

“This counts as a painting? Don’t joke around.”

“Even a baby who just learned to hold a brush could paint better than this.”

…

All kinds of harsh and mean comments came out.

Ji Yinshu smiled, not caring at all. Looking at the chaotic lines one after another on her painting paper, she was quite satisfied in her heart. She could only blame others for not understanding.

But that was good—it was exactly the effect she wanted!

Lose!

The two paintings placed together—even a child could tell which was better. Whether from the originally agreed-upon theme or from the painting skills, Lin Shu had won.

Lin Shu’s face was full of pride. He tilted his chin toward Shang Zhuo. “You’re the judge. Tell us, who won?”

Of course I won!

Shang Zhuo’s eyes sank slightly. He looked at both paintings for a long while before speaking.

“Lin Shu won.”

Lin Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief. He straightened his back, eyes full of arrogance, looking with great contempt at that painting full of lines. “I thought Scholar Ji’s painting skills were exceptional. Turns out, they’re just so-so.”

His tone was mocking!

Ji Yinshu instead breathed a sigh of relief. “I have lost, and I admit my painting skills are crude, offending everyone’s eyes. Moreover, I cannot help but admire Young Master Lin’s painting—in just the time it takes to burn an incense stick, painting this painting with such spirit. I bow in admiration.”

She cupped her hands and bowed politely.

“Actually, your painting isn’t bad either. At least the lines flow smoothly.”

“Now that we’ve finished competing and I’ve lost, I take my leave.”

After speaking, she prepared to leave. But Tang Si wasn’t so easy to dismiss.

She thrust her body forward and stood before Lin Shu. “Your painting can’t compare to A’Ji’s at all. I’ve seen the paintings A’Ji has done. The portraits she paints look just like real people—that’s what you call miraculous skill. This painting of yours simply can’t enter her eyes. Can’t you see she was letting you win?”

“Little girl, if you keep talking nonsense, I’ll pull your tongue out. So many pairs of eyes were clearly watching. Whose painting was slightly better, everyone can tell. Are you trying to say all our eyes are blind?” Lin Shu was furious.

“That’s right, all your eyes are blind. My A’Ji wouldn’t deign to compete in painting with someone like you.”

Ji Yinshu immediately pulled her over. “Miss Tang, we should go.”

“A’Ji, you clearly painted better than him. Why did you let him win?”

“My skills are inferior to his.”

“That’s not true. I’ve seen the paintings you did before—they were clearly better than his.”

“You…” Ji Yinshu was truly at a loss for words.

Big sister, just give me a way out, okay?

Lin Shu mocked, “Haven’t read books, that’s what it means to not have read books. Can’t even tell if a painting is good or bad, yet keeps spouting shameless big words. So I’m right—women should stay in their chambers, embroider flowers, weave cloth, support husbands and teach children. Yet here you are showing yourself in public, shamelessly staying so close to a man without any shame.”

If Tang Si hadn’t understood what “only women and petty people are difficult to raise” meant earlier, she understood and heard completely these three words “without any shame.”

The instant fury rushed to her head, her eyes turned red.

Combined with the mocking laughter from those around, like a chemical agent, it fiercely stimulated that impulsive nerve in her brain.

She gritted her teeth and roared, “I’m not like you bookish people who only know how to use your mouths!”

With those words!

The silver whip coiled around her waist was drawn out!

As the whip was pulled out, it brought with it a cold, piercing wind.

The long whip swung out, silver light dazzling.

Following the custom of Houliao people, the first lash—she fiercely struck it on the ground.

Crack!

That sound echoed throughout the vast lecture hall, deafening!