Chapter 9
"Don't say that the south wind only warms guests; the fragrance of jasmine is most delightful."
"Jasmine flowers bloom, filling the garden with fragrance; the sweet scent of jasmine flowers is intoxicating."
"Fragrance enters my dreams, and deep affection lingers."
......
The servant read through the slips of paper one by one; they were all standard, conventional phrases, until he read one of them:
"The smoke and dew are thick with fragrance, I remember meeting you under the moon on the Jade Terrace."
Upon hearing this line of poetry, everyone couldn't help but applaud and cheer.
Song Xuan turned his gaze to the girl on the upper seat. There was a pavilion in the palace called Yaotai, which was also where he and the girl first met.
He remembered that it was when the crescent moon was high in the sky, and the fragrance of jasmine was strong. The young girl had drunk wine at the palace banquet, so she rested on the Jade Terrace to dispel the smell of the wine.
Upon their first meeting, the girl seemed like a frightened rabbit. After spotting him from afar in the Jade Terrace, she hurriedly bowed, lifted her skirt, and rushed away.
That night, the two only saw each other from afar, and he didn't even get a clear look at her face. It was only after the accompanying eunuch reminded him that he said she was Miss Shen.
And she remembered it so well...
Song Xuan withdrew his gaze, his thoughts somewhat complicated.
The servant in front then recited another line: "It is naturally of heavenly ice and snow, possessing all the riches and fragrances of the human world."
This line of poetry also drew cheers from the audience.
Many people whispered that the poem must have been written by Shen Qingnian, since she loved jasmine so much and her poem must have been praising jasmine.
Lin Yue'er sat at the table, listening intently to the low speculations of those around her, her expression enigmatic.
Shen Qingnian lowered her eyes, a slight smile playing on her lips. Beside her, Madam Shen asked in a low voice, "Was this a poem written by the Crown Prince?"
The Crown Prince loves and appreciates poetry, and these two stunning lines of poetry were undoubtedly written by him, reflecting his thoughts at that moment.
“It’s the Crown Prince,” Shen Qingnian said softly.
At this moment, a maid carrying wine entered through the hall and began to pour wine for the distinguished guests at each table.
The poetry gathering has now reached its climax, and we need to add some drinks to liven up the atmosphere.
Everyone had just enjoyed the beautiful poem and was in high spirits. They picked up their wine glasses and drank, and with the alcohol taking effect, they relaxed a bit.
Being young noblemen and ladies, they became less reserved after drinking the sake and grew bolder, no longer caring about Song Xuan's presence, and began to express their opinions one after another.
The first to speak was a young man, his cheeks slightly flushed, who said excitedly, "The misty smoke and dewy fragrance are rich and lingering; I remember meeting you under the moon on the Jade Terrace. This poem is very much to my liking, and I deserve to win first place!"
"I agree! As the saying goes, if life were only as beautiful as the first time we met, that would be the most wonderful thing in the world."
"The first meeting with someone you love is something you'll never forget. This kind of poetry can resonate with so many people. Good poetry is nothing more than this."
"I agree! It's just that the name Yaotai sounds somewhat familiar..."
"Haha, if someone were to describe my encounter with her in this way, I would marry no one but her!"
"Dream on! Why don't you go to the lake and look at yourself in the mirror? Look at yourself, you silly thing!"
......
Those who support this poem form their own group, each offering their own reasons, which all resonate with the sentiment of longing for love.
What is said unintentionally may be taken to heart by the listener, especially when the subject of the poem is the speaker themselves.
Song Xuan lowered his eyes slightly, seemingly lost in thought.
At this moment, Shen Qingnian, who was seated at the head of the table, spoke up. Her voice was soft and gentle: "I think the poem, 'It is born of heavenly ice and snow, and enjoys all the riches and fragrances of the human world,' is very well written."
Her eyebrows curved, and her eyes were filled with laughter. The sunlight gilded her, making her look like a fairy from the heavens. The jasmine-embroidered dress she wore made her even more dazzling.
Ye Lingzhou stared blankly at the young woman seated above him, muttering, "She is naturally of heavenly ice and snow, possessing all the riches and fragrances of the mortal world..."
These verses seem to have been written for Shen Qingnian, perfectly matching her current appearance.
Upon hearing this, the other guests also looked at Shen Qingnian and immediately expressed their complete agreement.
I don't know who wrote this poem, it's so incredibly profound.
Seeing the looks in everyone's eyes, Lin Yue'er pursed her lips and sneered: "I think the line from earlier, 'The smoke and dew are thick with fragrance, I remember meeting you under the moon on the Jade Terrace,' is even better."
Although the poem is fitting for Miss Shen, the initial word chosen was 'jasmine,' so this poem is clearly off-topic.
She didn't want Shen Qingnian to steal the spotlight!
As soon as Lin Yue'er said this, someone immediately stood up to argue with her, but Song Xuan, who had been silent until now, spoke up.
"The smoke and dew are thick with fragrance, I remember meeting you under the moon on the Jade Terrace, it is indeed better."
Song Xuan's voice was gentle, yet carried the authority of a superior. Those who had originally wanted to argue with Lin Yue'er instantly sobered up and fell silent.
When Lin Yue'er saw that Song Xuan had spoken up for her, her grievances immediately dissipated, and her expression became somewhat smug.
It seems that her brother, the Crown Prince, is still on her side...
Madam Shen, seated at the head of the table, smiled and said, "Then please vote."
The maidservants distributed the new letter paper, and after the guests had written their letters, they collected the paper and tallied the entries.
Song Xuandu has already expressed his opinion; although it was anonymous, everyone submitted their poems to Shen Qingnian.
After Madam Shen announced it, no one showed any surprise. However, when Madam Shen said that the poem was written by Shen Qingnian, everyone's expressions turned to surprise.
No one expected that the poem was written by Shen Qingnian.
Lin Yue'er exclaimed in surprise, immediately questioning, "How is that possible? You love jasmine so much, so why don't you praise jasmine and instead write about other things?"
Although the first half of this poem mentions jasmine, the emphasis is on the second half...
The others also stared at Shen Qingnian, clearly sharing the same doubts as Lin Yue'er.
Shen Qingnian lowered her eyes at this moment, as if she was recalling something, and her tone became much softer: "I love jasmine, and there is another very important reason for that, which is my first encounter with an old friend."
Her voice wasn't loud, and the venue was spacious. Apart from Song Xuan, who was sitting at the front, who heard her last sentence, no one else heard it.
Song Xuan's gentle face showed a momentary lapse in concentration.
Lin Yue'er sat next to Song Xuan, her face slightly turned towards Shen Qingnian. She didn't hear what the other person was saying, but frowned and asked, "What are you saying?"
But at that moment, the servant brought the mountain dwelling painting and handed it to Madam Shen, directly interrupting Lin Yue'er's words.
Lin Yue'er's face stiffened, and she felt embarrassed by being ignored, feeling extremely displeased.
Shen Qingnian composed herself, stood up, looked around, and finally fixed her gaze on Song Xuan.
She said softly, "Today is the day the Shen family is hosting, so I cannot accept this prize. I would like Your Highness to take it back to the palace and invite His Majesty and the Empress to enjoy it together."
Song Xuan looked at Shen Qingnian with a somewhat complicated expression, and said softly, "Then I will accept it."
Those around sighed again, "Prime Minister Shen truly loves his daughter dearly. If my father were like that, what wouldn't I have?"
The others nodded in agreement: "Apart from the Crown Prince, Miss Shen is probably the most outstanding person in the capital."
"That's a painting of mountain dwellings! If I could pass the imperial examinations, my father would probably be willing to find it for me..."
The more people said this, the more it made Lin Yue'er's earlier statement that her father had sent her to recuperate seem like a joke.
She stirred the handkerchief vigorously, unable to suppress a sour feeling: "What good is parental love, or rare treasures? There are still things we can't have."
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