It was March in spring. The weather had become warmer and the sun was shining brightly in the past few days. Clusters of azaleas were blooming particularly lively. After enjoying them, everyone went to the pavilion to rest. The maids and women hurriedly brought some flowers for their masters. Get the cloak.
Shi Dingrou's cloak was actually embroidered with an ink painting, which made her look extremely elegant.
Mrs. Shen praised: "Young little Dingrou is getting more and more handsome! Did you embroider this cloak yourself? You are such a good and ingenious boy. He actually outshines all the beauties in our Shen family." .”
Mrs. Shi is a master who dares to climb up even if she is given a bamboo pole. When she heard the old lady's praise, her face covered with white powder suddenly showed a proud smile, and boasted: "My Xiaorou embroidery workers, even Xianyi Pavilion All the Yao Niangs are ashamed of themselves."
Shen Yunyan's beautiful eyes scanned the ink drawings on her cloak, her eyes were disdainful, but a hint of envy flashed through her eyes. She tightened the cloak sewn with Shu brocade and said softly: "It's cloud satin produced in Yunzhou, listen. It is said that the nobles of Qi State are very popular!"
Shi Dingrou glanced at Shen Yunyan's Shu brocade cloak and knew that she was sarcastically saying that the material of her cloak was not as good as hers. Looking at the exquisite plum blossom embroidery on her cloak, she knew that it was rewarded by the palace. She smiled sweetly and said: "But It was embroidered by Ah Rou to pass the time when she had nothing to do. After all, it is not as gorgeous and exquisite as the Shu brocade cloak worn by my sister."
A simple sentence, obviously admitting defeat. In fact, it not only made it clear that she embroidered the cloak casually for fun, but also hinted that her embroidery skills were excellent. It also made it clear that the cloak on Shen Yunyan was gorgeous and exquisite, but she did not embroider it herself. Yes, comparing the fruits of other people's labor with hers makes Shen Yunyan look down on others and is narrow-minded.
What a great move to turn retreat into advance!
When Shen Yun first saw their superficial sisterly love and secret exchanges of words, Shen Yunyan couldn't help but find it funny. Shen Yunyan, who grew up being held in the palm of Webster's hand, was inferior to Shi Dingrou in terms of demeanor, and she was not as witty as the other party. Naturally, Not Shi Dingrou's opponent.
However, some people can easily defeat all enemies with their unparalleled looks. With a smile, countless men risk their lives to protect each other. In her previous life, she gave everything and tried her best, but she lost to Shen Yunyan's allure alone. appearance.
Mrs. Shen looked at Shi Dingrou with an even deeper look, "Dingrou is a smart kid. Although she is two months younger than our Yan Niang, she still knows how to advance and retreat."
Shen Yunyan didn't hear the deep meaning in the words. She thought she was better than Shi Dingrou, and her mood suddenly improved, "Although the afternoon wind is soft, it is still a bit cold. If you are exposed to the sun, you won't feel the cold. Now Only when I sat in the pavilion without moving did I understand what the ancients meant when they said, 'It's suddenly warm but it's still cold'."
Mrs. Shen smiled calmly and said, "You young people are full of energy. Why don't you just sit with us old ladies? Why don't you do something meaningful and stretch your muscles while the weather is nice."
Shen Yunyan glanced at Shi Dingrou and suggested, "How about we recite poems with azaleas?"
Shi Dingrou smiled sweetly, her smile not reaching her eyes, "My sister is the most talented woman in Kyoto. Naturally, no one can match her poems and songs. Two days ago, Arou saw her brother copying the calligraphy of the King of Jin. The title on it was my sister's peony banquet last year. The poems I wrote above, so when it comes to composing poems, let’s just admit defeat, don’t you think so, Sister Yunchu?”
She suddenly asked the question to Shen Yunchu, who had remained silent, and deliberately mentioned that Xiao Ming's copybook was written by Shen Yunyan's poems, deliberately trying to arouse Shen Yunchu's resentment towards Shen Yunyan.
Shen Yunchu lowered his eyes to cover the sarcasm in his eyes, as if he didn't understand the deep meaning of her words. He glanced at her pretty face and did not answer.
Shi Dingrou's grandfather, Shi Jianwu, was a Hanlin scholar and a leader in the literary circles of the dynasty. She was personally taught by her grandfather since she was a child. She became famous in Kyoto for her song "Ode to the Goose" when she was seven years old. She created her original song when she was ten years old. "Buffalo" has been sold to dandies in Kyoto for 3,000 taels of silver, and her good calligraphy has been highly praised by the scholars.
However, the title of the most talented woman in Kyoto has never belonged to her. Because this crown has always been chosen by the children of the aristocratic families in Kyoto of the Liang Kingdom by throwing flowers at the peony banquet held by the Queen. Although Shi Dingrou is still pretty, Even though she is pretty, she is not as beautiful as Shen Yunyan. She is always a little less charming.
If a person is not as good as you in character, not as talented as you, and even not as good as you in means, but she has been able to outdo you with her beauty since childhood, will you become a true best friend with her?
Shen Yunyan thought that Shi Dingrou was mocking Shen Yunchu for not knowing how to write poems, so she took the opportunity to provoke her: "Arou, why do you have to compare yourself to my eldest sister? Those who don't know better would think that you are deliberately humiliating my eldest sister for not being able to write poetry!"
Shen Yunchu glanced at them briefly, and said with a leisurely smile: "I think Ah Rou didn't mean it. I grew up on a horse with my father since I was a child. How do I know these elegant things? If you write lyrics and compose poems, you can't do anything. Don’t count me out.”
The old lady was a little displeased when she heard her demeaning herself in such a way, and showed off to Mrs. Shi: "Although our first lady doesn't like to recite poetry, her tea art was taught by Master Xun himself. Master Xun also said, Let Chu Niang go to the Young Master's Mansion tomorrow to cook tea and learn the art."
Only then did Madam Shi take a closer look at Shen Yunchu. She saw that she had an extraordinary appearance and elegant demeanor, and the skirt she was wearing was actually made of Shu brocade. She also heard that she was admired by Master Xun, and her eyes suddenly became much more eager. , smiled and said: "Our young lady has also learned the tea ceremony from Lu Sanniang. If we have the opportunity to follow Chu Niang to the Young Master's Mansion to listen to the guidance of the saint, then we will live up to the blessings she has cultivated for many years."
Mrs. Shi was dismissive of her just now. After hearing that Xun Yang had given her advice, she was willing to greet her with a smile. Shen Yunchu did not expect that Xun Yang was so charming. Looking at Mrs. Shi's earnest eyes , she had no choice but to smile and nod, in agreement with Mrs. Shi’s words.
Does Xun Yang really have such prestige?
But she suddenly thought of his wild and unruly appearance. He said those shameless words to her in an elegant manner, but she couldn't see through him. On the surface, he was a saint like a fairy in the clouds, but behind his back, he was speechless. A prodigal son who does not follow secular etiquette, is black-hearted, hypocritical and cunning. What kind of person is he?
The old lady didn't want the Shi family to take advantage of them, so she hurriedly stopped the conversation in front of Yun Chu and said: "We are here and they can't have fun. Why don't you come with me to see those wild peach blossoms?" .”
Shen Yunchu lowered his eyes and suppressed the sarcastic look in his eyes. People in the capital said that the two old ladies were on good terms with each other, but that was not necessarily the case in her opinion. The more years they had been good sisters, the more they wanted to scheming. Shi Dingrou and Shen Yunyan , we often get tired of being together as best friends, and they are just using each other. There is no such thing as unreasonable giving in this world!
Why should Xun Yang protect her?
Shi Dingrou silently looked at Shen Yunchu, thinking that Xun Yang was cold-hearted, aloof and difficult to get along with. He even looked down upon His Highness the Crown Prince and actually treated the concubine of the general's palace differently. This shows that Shen Yunchu doesn't care. As timid as she seemed on the surface, she affectionately pulled up Shen Yunchu's sleeve corner and said, "Sister, can you take Ah Rou with you when you go to the Young Master's Mansion again?"
Just now she was sister Yunchu, now she is called eldest sister. Shen Yunchu smiled and said: "You go and recite poems and paint, I'll just watch."
Shi Dingrou was deep in thought and immediately heard Shen Yunchu's suggestion. Painting is not as good as reciting poetry. Poetry may have been written by a gunman early in the morning. She just recited it, but painting was about sketching and rendering in full view of the public. They are all real skills. So, does Shen Yunchu's words imply that Shen Yunyan's previous poems at the Peony Banquet were all written by others?
When Shi Dingrou thought of this, she felt inexplicable excitement in her heart. She held Shen Yunyan's hand affectionately and said, "Good sister, let's compare it to painting. You have to let Ah Rou!"
Shen Yunyan's pretty eyebrows frowned in displeasure, and she winked at Shen Yunhong next to her. Shen Yunhong understood and took the initiative to interject: "It's natural that painting is not a problem for Sister Arou, but Yunhong can only compose poetry. Woolen cloth!"
Shi Dingrou bit her lip. If she didn't take the opportunity to find out Shen Yunyan's background, she would still be outclassed at this year's Peony Banquet. She said with an unhappy face: "Sister, I don't know how to paint, and I'm not as shameless as you." If you want to compete with us in boxing and kicking, you don’t have to be afraid if a person doesn’t have talent, but you just have to be afraid of someone who doesn’t have magnanimity! Right, Sister Yan?”
Shen Yunchu watched them quarreling with cold eyes and smiled in his heart. He didn't expect that Shi Dingrou was so sharp-tongued. Her words not only separated the two identities of legitimate concubines, but also mocked Shen Yunhong for not being aware of himself yet and forcing him to do so. In order to prove that she has magnanimity, Shen Yunyan should not stick to winning or losing and compare paintings with her.
Shen Yunyan's beautiful little face suddenly darkened, and she secretly hated Shi Dingrou for being aggressive. However, she had to maintain a dignified and virtuous image, so she had to pretend not to understand the meaning of her words, and persuaded in a stiff voice: "Third sister is thin-skinned. , Sister Rou, please stop bullying her, she has been studying poetry with me recently and she wants to show off today!"
Shi Dingrou turned his head and said in a disdainful tone: "In front of me, you still want to stand out?"
Shen Yunhong suddenly laughed strangely. Although the laughter was gentle, it had an indescribable flavor of conspiracy, as if something he had planned for a long time was finally coming true.
Shi Dingrou followed her gaze and looked over, suddenly picked up a handkerchief and covered her mouth. Shen Yunchu felt a chill behind her. She looked back and let out a low scream.