The First Empress - Chapter 85

Chapter 85 Talent Contest
Linglong was too far away to hear what Princess Zhenxi and Concubine De were saying, but she could tell that the atmosphere was a little tense.

Sure enough, after throwing out a brick to attract jade, Emperor Rui Yi also stepped onto the stage. Emperor Rui Yi was different from Baoluo and Zhen Xi. Her birth mother was a picking daughter. It could be said that she was accidentally lucky enough to have the Emperor to have her. Therefore, she was not usually regarded highly by others. She was very willing to go outside the palace to get married. Fortunately, she understood the Tian Clan better than anyone else.

When she was a few years old, this high-ranking father abandoned her mother, so much so that her mother’s long door was completely ungroomed. In the end, she vomited a lot of blood before dying. Even when she died, she was still talking about the Emperor. She had no feelings for the Emperor.

However, she had to seize this opportunity today.

Because Princess Zhen Xi’s dance just now was truly stunning, so now that she chose to dance, there was nothing outstanding about it. Huiqi and Ji Zhu Hua only gave a few words of praise, and Rui Yi unwillingly stepped down from the stage. It didn’t matter if there were other talent competitions, only two wins in three rounds would be enough.

Thinking of this, she slowly walked off the stage and accidentally bumped into Linglong. She hurriedly accompanied her. Linglong looked at her and felt that her background was pitiful. She couldn’t help but say, “Do you want to perform well?”

Empress Rui Yi naturally wanted to perform well, so she immediately nodded and said, “Does Empress Jie Yu have any good ideas?”

“Hurry up and prepare ink, ink, paper, and inkstone. This palace recommends that you compete in chess, calligraphy, and painting. The Emperor likes this.” Linglong nodded and Rui Yi hurriedly went down.

There was a saying that the wise coincided. Sure enough, Huiqi on the stage lacked interest in watching. Ji Zhuhua noticed that the Emperor no longer wanted to watch the dance. He quickly stopped the musician from choreographing. The room fell silent. Ji Zhuhua looked at Linglong and said, “Bu Jieyu, I discussed with you last time. What should we do next?”

Linglong had never hosted such a family banquet before, Looking at so many familiar and unfamiliar faces, He couldn’t help but feel a little nervous, However, before De Fei could finish her sentence, she said with a sigh of relief, “According to the following …” She said, “Your concubine should let the princesses compete for talent. Anyway, I have nothing to do. Cough cough …” Linglong originally wanted to say this, but she didn’t expect that she would say it. Seeing De Fei’s chest heave so heavily, Linglong felt heartache.

“Your Highness means what I mean. May I know what the Emperor and the Empress think?” Linglong didn’t dare to speak rashly. She just climbed along the pole. She glanced at Ji Zhuhua and smiled. “What does the Emperor think? If you still want to continue, follow Bu Jieyu’s suggestion, right?” Ji Zhuhua smiled.

Hui Qi also wanted to take a look at the princess’ homework. No matter what, the children of the Tian Clan should be like this. Now is the time to accept the results. Thus, he said loudly, “Just follow Bu Jieyu’s instructions. Qin, weiqi, calligraphy and painting are required in our Tian Clan, but I prefer calligraphy and painting in elegance.”

“I’m ready.” Ji Zhu Hua smiled deeply and clapped his hands. There were already fifteen or sixteen tables placed on the table by the eunuch. Each table was covered with ink, ink, brushes, and a large water cheng. Next to each table stood a maid. Everyone looked down with a smile.

“Then let’s try out the paintings and calligraphy of the princesses’ emperors. Let’s start with the paintings and limit the time to one stick of incense.” After Hui Qi finished speaking, he closed his eyes slightly. Linglong held Baoluo’s hand tightly under the stage. “Don’t be soft-hearted. This is the last chance. Follow Concubine Bu’s instructions. Do you remember?” Linglong looked at Bao Luo worriedly. Bao Luo naturally nodded and stepped onto the stage.

Apart from Baoluo and Zhen Xi, the remaining two princesses were insignificant. One was still young, while the other was old, but their appearances were truly unflattering. The Emperor did not think highly of the remaining emperor’s concubines. The Emperor probably couldn’t even remember their names. Linglong smiled bitterly as she stood below the stage.

“Sister, just rest assured.” Linglong held Chen Chongyi’s hand. How could Chen Chongyi be at ease? This was probably the way it would be used to raise soldiers for a thousand days in a single dynasty, She felt as if she was carrying a rabbit in her heart. She stared at Chen Chongyi with dissatisfaction and swept her gaze towards Concubine De. “Big sister, look at Concubine De. She is completely different from big sister. Even if she is nervous now, it is useless. Big sister, please rest assured.”

“But, but,” Chen Chongyi frowned and frowned fiercely, “Take a look at the Emperor.”

Linglong hurriedly raised her head. Emperor Hui Qi actually had the intention of taking a nap. The painting that she taught was mainly stunning. If one could not see the process and only saw the result, Bao Luo might not win. Thus, she moved to the front and saw Ji Zhu Hua sitting beside the Emperor. Linglong handed over a cup of tea in surprise. “Empress, look, what is Bao Luo doing?” Hui Qi deliberately raised his voice and opened his eyes.

Linglong put the tea away and at the same time, her gaze fell down. Baoluo easily poured a large amount of ink onto the rice paper, and a little crazily poured the water in the water cheng onto the paper. Huiqi’s eyes widened slightly, “What is this?”

Because Bao Luo was cautious about everything, this kind of action did not seem out of line, but instead looked very delicate and unique. Linglong’s heart was beating like Chen Chongyi’s, but Linglong looked at Concubine De. Concubine De was actually still calm.

Linglong was speechless. Imperial Concubine De was really a cultured person.

At this moment, Baoluo reached into the inkstone and made both his hands pitch black. Ji Zhuhua frowned slightly.

“What is Princess Baoluo doing?” Linglong was even more shocked. Huiqi seemed to have seen through the clue. She smiled and said, “This woman is rogue. She really has my true legacy.”

After a while, Bao Luo had finished painting. She reached into the water cheng and washed it clean. Then, she reported, “This son has finished painting. Please take a look, Father Emperor.”

After she finished speaking, the waitress beside her had already handed over the picture. At this time, Princess Zhenxi’s painting was only halfway done. She couldn’t help but be anxious. Seeing the messy piece of paper, she felt much more at ease. Some of the other emperors were laughing at Xiao Shuxuan and others were still disapprovingly completing their masterpieces. Baoluo had already retreated to the arena and stood there waiting.

The messy piece of paper was handed to the Emperor. Linglong’s heart beat fiercely. Chen Chongyi’s face turned ashen as she waited to see the Emperor’s preferences. She didn’t know if such an adventure would not be forgotten by the Emperor, so much so that the women beside her would also remember it. It would be best if a certain Imperial Destiny Madame saw the rumors. When the time came, someone would come to propose marriage and avoid the tragedy of Zhaojun coming out. Chen Chongyi nervously looked at Linglong. Linglong stood firmly and could tell that she was relaxed, but only she knew that she was not at all relaxed.

Huiqi held the piece of paper and looked at it. He couldn’t help but be overjoyed as he handed it to Ji Zhuhua. The light in Ji Zhuhua’s eyes showed that the painting had won. The remaining comparison was meaningless.

Ji Zhuhua’s gaze slowly fell on Baoluo. “Princess Baoluo is so powerful at such a young age. I really didn’t expect …” “This painting has the meaning of an Iron Horse Glacier. Although it’s a landscape painting, I can see the heroism of looking at swords with a drunken light. I really didn’t expect …”

“It’s all thanks to Chen Chongyi, right?” Ji Zhu Hua asked. He didn’t expect Chen Chong Yi to add more. “This depends on Bu” Before she could finish, Ling Long already knew that today was the end. However, Chen Chong Yi also understood. She quickly changed her tone and said, “I still have to rely on Old Mr. Bu Fei.”

“Nonsense! Bu Fei has already passed away for more than 20 years, so how could she possibly teach Baoluo a lesson? It can be seen that she is lying!” Huiqi looked at Chen Chongyi. Chen Chongyi was speechless. It would be a crime to deceive a monarch if he obtained the skill that a divine being imparted in his dreams. It was obviously impossible for him to bring it over ambiguously.

Linglong hurriedly smiled and said, “The Ancient Cloud Master must have had Bu Fei’s masterpiece in front of her to make Linglong copy it.” Huiqi continued to look at the scene. “I didn’t expect that I could draw such a scene with my fingers. It’s very manly. Come on up.”

Bao Luo pointed at herself and Hui Qi coldly said, “Come up!”

Baoluo hurriedly walked in front of Huiqi and said, “Your son greets Father Emperor.”

“Get up. You’re a good painter. I rarely praise anyone. You know that.” As Hui Qi spoke, he looked at Bao Luo. Bao Luo nodded excitedly and looked at Hui Qi timidly. Hui Qi laughed loudly, “In the future, when you go to the study room, there will be countless pill-green ink treasures …”

At this time, Linglong felt relieved. Chen Chongyi burst into tears. Linglong smiled at Chen Chongyi. Chen Chongyi lost her composure and hurriedly wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with a towel. Originally, it was a happy scene, but she heard a harsh voice breaking the silence. “Cough cough … the Emperor also took a look at the paintings of Zhenxi and the other emperors.”

This sentence could be heard as a statement. Huiqi would not refute Concubine De in the crowd. Thus, he nodded. A waitress and Royal servant had already handed over their paintings. Huiqi had seen them one by one. It was truly a crab that was not a crab. Huiqi’s expression became even uglier.

In the end, he pinched it. It was also a landscape. However, this landscape was a bit more beautiful. Without Bao Luo’s bold saber and axe, he said, “Is this Zhenxi’s?”

Zhenxi took a step forward and was overjoyed, “It’s my humble work.”

“Not bad!” Huiqi nodded. “However, you lack the Qi of Opening and Closing. You have the temperament of a little girl. You are also a daughter’s family. It’s already not bad to be able to reach this level.” Linglong looked at Concubine De’s expression. Concubine De’s expression was expressionless. She could not see joy or excitement at all. She did not even smile.

“If you learn a little bit from Baoluo, you can also be on par with Baoluo. The two of you are no match for each other. However, you are still slightly inferior at the moment. Do you admit it?” As Huiqi said that, he brought Baoluo’s painting to her. Princess Zhenxi looked at it and nodded her head sincerely. “Sister Baoluo, let’s have a good spar in the future.”

Paulo didn’t know what to do, but she quickly nodded, “Alright.”

Everyone was delighted. Ji Zhuhua waved his hand and the tables and chairs on the stage had been removed.

“Apart from drawing, do you know how to write ink? Show me a couplet.” The Empress looked at the two tables on the grandstand and said, “Go.”

The two of them accepted the order and gently moved onto the stage. Baoluo looked at Linglong timidly and nodded heavily. Perhaps Ji Zhuhua saw Linglong’s expression and coughed slightly. Linglong quickly pretended to lower her head as if nothing had happened.

On the stage, Bao Luo had already finished writing a couplet. Princess Zhen Xi had also finished writing the couplet “Yu Xu Hua Hua Hong, Jin Tang Shui Bi Liu”. Thus, the two of them sent the calligraphy to Hui Qi. Hui Qi looked at it and opened his eyes wide, “Is this Bao Luo’s?”

The pair of “jade red hair, golden pond water jade flow” appeared in front of everyone. Anyone who knew a little bit of ink would know that the word was very old and spicy. It did not seem to be done in a flash, but rather, it seemed to have been practiced long ago.

Linglong looked at the words and commented, “It doesn’t seem to be written by a little girl at all. What does the Emperor think?”

‘”Great opening and great closing, even more so than mountains and rivers. I actually didn’t know that there was such a bright pearl and precious jade in our dynasty. Baoluo is indeed worthy of being the pearl of my palm.” Finally, Huiqi did not say anything obscure. Linglong was also proud and said, “Is the Emperor going to reward you?”

Hui Qi handed over the Southern Pearl in his hand without any hesitation, “Bao Luo accepts the reward.”

Bao Luo took the pearl, her hands still trembling slightly. This was the first time she had received Hui Qi’s reward. Chen Chongyi hurriedly urged Bao Luo to thank him. Only then did Bao Luo regain her composure. She nodded repeatedly and thanked him. Hui Qi’s expression was solemn. “Study well with Painter Bu Fei. Although you are separated by Yin and Yang, you have inherited the ink of the old Master. It is truly precious.”