These past few days, the profits from hand warmers have been quite substantial, and Shangguan Tianlin has been so busy that he hasn't had a moment to spare, leaving him no time to go out and cause trouble. It can be said that this is a double blessing.
As a result, Master Shangguan was all smiles every day. In private, he increased the monthly allowance of the meritorious official Tianyun by a lot. While she was immersed in the joy of her increasingly full treasury, he spoke to her with words full of expectation.
"Now that you've received the money, you'd better give it your all in tomorrow's drawing quiz!"
Tianyun's small hand, which was counting money, trembled immediately, and she looked over in alarm.
What kind of drawing quiz?
——
I'm sure everyone is taking today's quiz very seriously.
The clapper had just struck the clapper at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM). Usually at this time, there would only be a few scattered figures in the classroom, but today it was packed with people.
The women's section formed a circle, and their discussions were constant; you could hear them every now and then as you passed by them.
"How about we make a bet?"
“Miss Yu is an extraordinary person, having studied under Mr. Liu Wu.”
“She was first place last time.”
Such remarks were made.
Who exactly is this Miss Yu? How could she attract so many noble ladies to praise her?
Tianyun curiously tugged at a round-faced girl in the seat in front of her and asked, "What are you ladies talking about?"
The plump girl turned her back to look at her, and was genuinely stunned for a moment.
The woman before me had pale skin, dark, lustrous eyes, and pink lips. The three colors complemented each other yet contrasted sharply, making her absolutely stunning at first glance.
How could such a beautiful woman not attract any attention in the classroom?
Taking advantage of the dim light in the corner, Tianyun blushed slightly and tucked the scrawled calligraphy copybook on her desk under her sleeve before telling a little lie.
"I just arrived yesterday, so it's perfectly normal that you haven't seen me before."
The plump girl suddenly realized, her wide eyes looking quite adorable. She explained to her, "You're new here, so you naturally wouldn't know. The questions for each quiz are all come up with by several master painters from the Famous Painting Hall. The difficulty is comparable to climbing to the heavens!"
She had a furrowed brow and looked very distressed. Tianyun felt a sense of empathy for her, as he had also experienced the fear of being dominated by stainless steel objects in the real world.
This quiz was so difficult. If I get a bad grade, wouldn't I be letting down Master Shangguan's expectations?
Tianyun bit her red lips and pondered deeply, not knowing what to do for a moment.
Xie Wuyun added, "However, if one can achieve first place in the preliminary test, not only will the painting have a chance to be included in the Hall of Famous Paintings, but if one is lucky, one may also receive a calligraphy bestowed by His Majesty, which would be a great joy that brings glory to the family!"
Tianyun nodded as if he had been taught a lesson, his expression softening slightly. "I just overheard everyone talking about this Miss Yu. Who is this young lady...?"
She went through it all in her mind, but couldn't find a single piece of information about this person.
"Miss Yu Shanlai is the daughter of the Imperial Censor and studied under the master calligrapher and painter, Mr. Liu Wu."
Miss Yu is exceptionally talented; even though she doesn't attend classes often, she always ranks at the top of her class. She is also kind-hearted; usually, instead of attending classes, she goes to provide food and porridge to disaster victims.
After saying that, the plump girl covered her lips with her hand and whispered to Tianyun, "Some people have joked that every time there is a quiz, it is a battle of magic between Miss Yu and Miss Mu! Their painting skills are evenly matched, and it is no exaggeration to say that they are fighting like gods. Therefore, everyone is guessing who will win this time."
Tianyun understood immediately. This drama was nothing more than a struggle between the female lead and the supporting female lead. It was quite exciting, but I was too busy taking care of myself right now.
For this young lady, all I can do is light a candle for you!
"Thank you for informing me, sister." Tianyun's eyelashes curved as she smiled gratefully. "I am Shangguan Tianyun, a newcomer who doesn't know anyone. May I ask your name, sister?"
Xie Wuyun waved her hand and said, "We are about the same age, you can just call me Wuyun. My father is Xie Panzhi, the Prefect of Jingzhao."
"In that case, you may call me Tianyun as well."
The girl's light-colored pupils seemed to be coated with icing sugar, making her even more adorable. Xie Wuyun, facing this beauty up close, couldn't help but blush.
Sometimes, the friendship between daughters really only needs to go to the outhouse together once and chat about gossip once.
After getting to know each other, the two agreed to go to a teahouse together to listen to storytelling when they had time.
As the two were talking, Mu Yaozhi entered. Her eyes were dark and bluish, suggesting she hadn't slept well the previous night.
Mu Yaozhi hadn't slept well either. She had spent the entire night thinking about how to crush Yu Shanlai under her feet today!
Today, to facilitate the invigilation of the examination, the heavy curtain in the center of the classroom was pulled back, and the huge screen was removed.
With the obstruction gone, Tianyun looked up and saw a young man about to write on his right rear.
Those who practice martial arts are more alert than ordinary people. Xiao Ziwu seemed to sense something and glanced in this direction.
The woman smiled at him, her bright eyes like a deep, dark vortex that drew him in.
Tianyun sighed, resting her chin on her hand: "They really are like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, separated by the Milky Way."
I took another closer look at his bandaged hand to make sure he was applying the medicine obediently before I felt relieved.
Just then, Yu Shanlai arrived late—
She arrived on a gentle breeze, a few strands of hair playfully clinging to her carefully made-up face. Only when all eyes were on her did she calmly walk up to Xiao Ziyan and bow to him.
"Shanlai has lived up to your expectations. In Your Highness's name, he distributed rice and porridge to the refugees in Longzhou and arranged accommodations for them. The people are very grateful for Your Highness's kindness and have even written this list of ten thousand names for me to present to Your Highness."
Upon hearing this, Tianyun's eyes widened in shock. It was yet another woman who had selflessly devoted herself to Xiao Ziyan!
Xiao Ziyan quickly helped her up and led her to sit down beside him. He casually brushed a stray hair from her cheek with his right hand, and when his fingers touched her skin, it caused the beauty to tremble slightly: "Shanlai, you've had a hard time. Was the trip smooth? Were you injured?"
She blushed and gently shook her head: "It's not hard at all. For Your Highness, everything is worth it."
The two's intimacy, oblivious to others, made Mu Yaozhi's face turn ugly. She knew that this hypocritical woman would put on a big show for others as soon as she returned.
Every time it's like being put on a monkey show, doesn't she get tired of it?
Xiao Ziyan glanced at Yu Shanlai and saw the faded silver ornaments on her ears: "The Emperor bestowed a pair of pearls upon you a few days ago. The color suits you very well. I will send someone to deliver them to you tomorrow."
Dongzhu is a wonderful thing. Her eyes lit up, and she thanked him gladly, "Thank you, Your Highness. As long as Your Highness understands my heart, anything Shanlai does for Your Highness is worthwhile!"
"I understand, of course." Xiao Ziyan smiled even more gently.
Women need to be rewarded with small favors from time to time to make them more obedient, just like training a dog.
It's a pity that his good younger brother will probably never understand this principle in his entire life.
Xiao Ziyan glanced meaningfully in Xiao Ziwu's direction.
Xiao Ziwu ignored it, and instead looked at Yu Shanlai’s ecstatic appearance thoughtfully. Do women all like these gold jewelry?
And what about her?
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