Those grating words came from Commandery Princess Fumin.
Earlier she had been forced to swallow a bellyful of anger on account of Princess Changping and choke it all back down. When had the habitually proud and willful Commandery Princess Fumin ever suffered such a silent grievance? She had been holding her breath, waiting for the chance to win it back.
All the while she worked on her painting, Commandery Princess Fumin kept a close watch on Ling Jingshu’s every move.
When she saw that Ling Jingshu had not stirred so much as a muscle for nearly half an hour, Commandery Princess Fumin’s heart bloomed with delight, and without the slightest hesitation she let out a cold, disdainful laugh.
Ling Jingyan flushed a furious red with indignation. “You—”
“What does Commandery Princess Fumin mean by that?” Ling Jingshu swiftly cut in and seized the exchange. If the hot-tempered and impulsive Ling Jingyan were to trade words with Commandery Princess Fumin, she would in all likelihood come out the worse for it.
Commandery Princess Fumin shot Ling Jingshu a contemptuous sideways glance. “Isn’t what I said clear enough? Could it be that you fail to understand? Everyone here at the banquet today is accomplished in poetry and painting. You, a country bumpkin from Dingzhou — best not embarrass yourself and make a fool of us all.”
Princess Changping’s brow furrowed with a flicker of displeasure.
This Fumin — why was she so intent on singling out Ling Jingshu today?
Had it been any other occasion, she honestly could not be bothered to interfere. But today’s banquet was hers — she was the hostess. Fumin’s brazen, overbearing manner was putting people in an awkward position, and that left her, as the host, feeling none too pleased herself…
Though Ling Jingshu had been so openly insulted and mocked, she remained perfectly calm as ever and replied at an unhurried pace, “I was born and raised in Dingzhou, and compared to the young ladies of the capital, I am indeed far behind. However, when it comes solely to poetry and painting, I believe I should not be inferior to the Commandery Princess.”
Commandery Princess Fumin: “…”
Commandery Princess Fumin erupted in rage and shot to her feet. “Ling Jingshu! How dare you speak to me in such a manner!”
Ling Jingshu also rose swiftly to her feet, turned toward Princess Changping, and gave a bow with an apologetic expression. “A petty personal grievance between myself and the Commandery Princess has now intruded upon Your Highness’s presence and disturbed the elegant pleasure of this occasion. This was truly not my wish, and I beg Your Highness to forgive the intrusion.”
The tight furrow between Princess Changping’s brows smoothed out. She said with an air of casual indifference, “Never mind. This Princess is not an unreasonable person. Today’s incident was largely Fumin’s doing — you cannot be blamed for it.”
Commandery Princess Fumin nearly believed her own ears had deceived her, and she turned with a face full of astonishment. “Elder Cousin Sister, you are actually taking her side!”
A flash of impatience crossed Princess Changping’s eyes. Her expression cooled. “Sit down first.”
Commandery Princess Fumin sat down in aggrieved resentment, casting one furious glare at Ling Jingshu from across the room.
What a brainless fool, indeed!
What Princess Changping cared about was not who was right or wrong, nor what grievances lay between them — it was that the lotus-viewing banquet she had taken pains to arrange had been thrown off its rhythm.
To put it plainly: Princess Changping was, above all else, a woman who prized her own dignity. She would tolerate no one behaving outrageously in her presence.
A flash of cold amusement passed through Ling Jingshu’s eyes, and she made her voice all the more deferential and gentle. “This humble girl is bold enough to put forward a proposal, and humbly requests Your Highness’s permission.”
Princess Changping gave an intrigued sound. “What proposal do you have? Speak and let me hear it.”
Ling Jingshu said with a smile, “Commandery Princess Fumin keeps insisting that my skills are no match for hers, and I find myself somewhat unconvinced in my heart. I would like to complete a lotus painting and inscribe a poem on it, and compete against Commandery Princess Fumin in a contest between just the two of us. I respectfully request that Your Highness serve as the judge.”
Infuriating! That country bumpkin from Dingzhou actually dared to openly issue a challenge!
Commandery Princess Fumin ground her teeth in fury.
Holding a banquet was, after all, purely for amusement and entertainment. This unexpected interlude was rather interesting.
Princess Changping’s interest was piqued. She cast a glance at Commandery Princess Fumin, whose face was flushed crimson with anger. “Fumin, what is your view?”
Commandery Princess Fumin let out a string of cold laughs. “This proposal suits me perfectly.”
Princess Changping clapped her hands together with delight. “Excellent, excellent. Since you both agree — this Princess will serve as judge. Ninth Miss Ling, this Princess is Fumin’s elder cousin-sister. Are you not afraid this Princess will show partiality in Fumin’s favor?”
That last remark was not without a teasing edge.
Ling Jingshu smiled with composure. “As long as it brings Your Highness joy, the outcome is of no great importance.”
What a remark — “the outcome is of no great importance”! Even knowing full well it was flattery, it was more than enough to put one in high spirits.
Princess Changping broke into a bright smile. “That tongue of yours truly knows how to speak well. Rest assured — this Princess will be entirely fair and impartial today, showing no favoritism whatsoever.”
Anyone with discernment could see that regardless of the outcome, the greatest winner of today’s “contest” was already Ling Jingshu.
In sharpness of wit, in poise, in quickness of response — Commandery Princess Fumin had fallen far, far short of Ling Jingshu at every turn.
Seething inwardly, Commandery Princess Fumin pressed her lips together and said stiffly, “Since this is a contest between just the two of us, we might as well raise the stakes a little. If I win, you must jump into the lake and retrieve a lotus blossom.”
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances.
This wager was truly going too far.
Young ladies of good families from distinguished households prized their gentle and dignified bearing. Their idle pastimes amounted to little more than reading, practicing calligraphy, composing poetry and painting, tending flowers, and keeping birds. What girl of a noble family would know how to swim?
Even if some did know how to swim, jumping into a lake in full view of so many people to retrieve a lotus blossom was simply not the conduct of a well-bred young lady of any standing.
Ling Jingyan and Jiang Rongyue’s mother each shot Ling Jingshu an anxious look.
A’Shu — this kind of wager, you must not agree to!
Yet Ling Jingshu’s expression did not change in the least, and she accepted at once without hesitation. “Very well — I agree.” She then raised an eyebrow and asked in return, “And if the Commandery Princess loses — what then?”
Without a moment’s thought, Commandery Princess Fumin replied, “Then I shall be the one to jump into the lake and retrieve a lotus blossom!”
“It is settled!” Ling Jingshu swiftly cut in and sealed it.
No one else had even a moment to interject — the two of them had already declared it “settled.” The speed of it left everyone utterly dumbfounded.
Commandery Princess Fumin raised an eyebrow at Ling Jingshu with a cold smirk, then swiftly bowed her head and set to work on her painting.
Commandery Princess Fumin was undeniably willful and proud — but that did not mean she was a worthless, hollow pretender either. In the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting in particular, she had been instructed by renowned masters since childhood. Over the years at gatherings among young ladies, she had frequently drawn a tide of praise and admiration.
She might fall slightly short compared to Su Ying — but surely she was ten times, a hundred times better than that country bumpkin from Dingzhou!
Brimming with fierce confidence, Commandery Princess Fumin found inspiration flowing freely, her brushstrokes sweeping across the page with fluid ease.
Princess Changping, seated at Commandery Princess Fumin’s side, gave a quiet, approving nod.
On Ling Jingshu’s side, by contrast, there was not the slightest trace of urgency. She languidly rolled up her sleeves, languidly began mixing her colors… the agonizingly unhurried pace of her movements would have driven anyone to distraction.
“A’Shu,” Ling Jingyan could no longer bear to watch and said in a low, anxious voice, “There is less than half an hour left. If you don’t start now, it will truly be too late.”
Though she and Ling Jingshu were cousins, one had always lived in the capital and the other in Dingzhou — she had absolutely no understanding of Ling Jingshu’s level of skill in poetry and painting.
Ling Jingshu gave Ling Jingyan a smile and said with easy, unruffled composure, “Don’t worry. There is plenty of time.”