Emperor Zhaojing raised an eyebrow, then suddenly asked with a smile, "So, what talent are you going to perform?"
This topic has been veered off...
Rong Qingqing thought for a moment and said, "This humble woman has no particular talents, but since I have come to this plum blossom banquet today, I will try to be cultured and recite a few poems."
"Reciting poems?" Emperor Zhaojing found it amusing. Everyone else created their own poems, but she was reciting them.
Rong Qingqing nodded. "It is reciting poems, but I assure you, none of you here have ever heard of them before." She couldn't compose poems, but she had memorized quite a few classical poems, so she was quite confident in her abilities.
Princess Huaiyin, hearing the certainty in her tone, flashed a mocking look in her eyes and said, "Could it be some kind of folk doggerel?"
They could never have heard of the crude, folk-style doggerel.
She really is a good-for-nothing. Only a good-for-nothing would bring such vulgar doggerel to the table.
Rong Qingqing naturally noticed the sarcasm hidden in her tone, but said calmly, "I don't know if it's a doggerel, but I saw it in a book. If it's written in a book, it probably can't be too bad. I would appreciate it if Princess Huaiyin could give me her opinion later."
She spoke politely, but Princess Huaiyin narrowed her eyes.
This clueless woman thinks she's something special, so I'll wait and see how she makes a fool of herself.
"Then recite one for me to hear." Emperor Zhaojing didn't care whether it was a doggerel or not, because he thought of the boiled live fish at Wangchun Tower, which was also a popular dish. Perhaps the poem that Rong Qingqing recited would be original and amazing.
Upon hearing this, Rong Qingqing had no choice but to get up and leave her seat. Standing in the center of the area, she pointed to the plum blossoms on the branches and said, "Then this humble woman will recite a few poems about plum blossoms."
"Hmm, you can read it now." Emperor Zhaojing glanced at Xie Jingrun with a leisurely air.
Xie Jingrun ran his fingers over the delicate wine glass on the table. He didn't drink, so the glass was empty.
His dark, deep eyes reflected the girl pacing under the plum tree, pretending to be deep in thought.
He scoffed inwardly, thinking, "This girl is just putting on an act!"
"Several plum blossoms in the corner of the wall, blooming alone in the cold."
"From afar I know it's not snow, for a faint fragrance wafts by."
The girl's clear and melodious voice echoed in the plum garden after the snow, as beautiful as the sound of pearls falling onto a jade plate.
The noble ladies who were composing poems and painting suddenly stopped and looked at Rong Qingqing with some surprise.
Emperor Zhaojing took a long time to come to his senses. He racked his brains but couldn't recall ever reading the poem. He gave up, turned to look at everyone, and seeing their blank expressions, clapped his hands and praised, "This poem is truly exquisite. I've never heard of it before. Rong Qingqing, are you sure you didn't write this yourself?"
Rong Qingqing said helplessly, "I really can't write poetry. I just happened to read this poem and thought it was good, so I memorized it. Today I'm just offering it up for everyone's amusement."
Emperor Zhaojing nodded and said, "You girl, you're really honest. Even if you say this poem..." He paused and didn't continue, but everyone present understood what he meant.
No one had heard the poem Rong Qingqing had just recited. If she were to lie and claim that she wrote it herself, no one would know.
The Empress Dowager glanced at Rong Qingqing with some surprise, and upon hearing Emperor Zhaojing's words, she said frankly, "That's right, this girl has always been an honest person."
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