Chapter 229: Listen to the Wind and Sing for a Half-Day Tour
After drinking it, Su Wan fell in love with this wine instantly. She must find out the source and keep some at home.
After Su Jing drank the remaining two cups, everyone started to urge him to write a poem.
The Flowing Water Banquet and the Hibiscus Garden would be a shame if I didn’t write a poem about it.
Moreover, everyone wanted to appreciate the talent of the top scholar.
Su Jing was coaxed by everyone. As a man of letters, under the atmosphere at this moment, he really had the urge to write a poem.
Su Wan clasped her hands together and looked at him with anticipation, like a little fangirl.
Just for his sister's sake, he was willing to make such a fool of himself today.
"Then I will present my poem to you. If it doesn't express my feelings, please don't laugh at me." Su Jing had said this beforehand.
"No, we believe that the top scholar's style can stand out among thousands of students and take the top spot. How can a golden fish be kept in a pond? Don't laugh at us for being so ignorant and incomprehensible that we can't understand the profound meaning of your poem."
Everyone was still deliberately praising Su Jing. After all, he had great potential to become a rising star in the court. If he became a favorite of the emperor in the future, he would be extremely rich and powerful. He could not be offended. He could not be offended.
Even if Su Jing didn't do well today, they still had to applaud him.
Su Jing knew that these were all false and a little too fake, but he saw through it but didn't say anything.
So, he closed his eyes and meditated carefully, and everyone waited patiently for him to speak.
"Hibiscus blossoms fill the branches, their subtle fragrance wafting across your face, captivating your eyes. A dazzling array of colors reflects on the autumn water. Let's spend half a day listening to the wind sing."
(Unfortunately, the author is uneducated and has racked his brains to come up with something that rhymes. It's just okay to read, but it's not worthy of being published in a refined setting.)
Su Jing's poem hits the point. The magnificent scene of hibiscus blooming on the branches, with its subtle fragrance catching the eye, and the colors of the hibiscus are brilliant. The Hibiscus Garden is by the river, and it is autumn now. They gather here today and chat for half a day. That's about the meaning.
Ning Zhiqian was the first to applaud and praise. After all, it didn't take Su Jing much time to write this poem, and it was really written impromptu.
Everyone applauded and praised Su Jing for his brilliant literary talent.
Of course Su Jing couldn't let them go, so he asked them to write poems as well.
But unfortunately, they were all half-baked, and apart from him, there was no one truly talented at the scene.
Even Ning Zhiqian was just a student and had not yet passed the examination to become a scholar.
This was very awkward. Su Wan was drinking hibiscus wine, wanting to laugh but not daring to, as he looked at their embarrassed expressions.
Moreover, Su Jing has already set the standard. Unless the poem you write on the spot is worse than his, you can still show it off. But the problem is, if you are not as good as him, why should you embarrass this person?
He really shot himself in the foot.
Fortunately, Ning Xiaomei was smart. She immediately spoke up and changed the subject:
"In this situation, I'd like to play a piece of music. I'm not very talented, but I've learned the guzheng quite well. If you don't mind, why don't I play a piece for everyone to listen to?"
"Sister Ning plays the piano, so I will play the flute." The governor's daughter also joined in the fun.
"Then I'll play the pipa!" The chief secretary's daughter was not willing to be left behind.
There were four female members of the family at the scene, three of them came out to perform, and only Su Wan was still immersed in the hibiscus wine, drinking one glass after another.
At this time, someone suddenly mentioned her.
"Sixth Miss, do you have any musical instruments you are good at? How about we play a song together?"
Su Wan said, I don’t know anything.
"I'm sorry, apart from knowing a few words and reading a few books, I'm not proficient in any of the following: music, chess, calligraphy, or painting. Please forgive me for making fun of you."
She didn't feel embarrassed. She wouldn't play with them often anyway. Making it clear in advance that she didn't know anything would make her feel quieter. In the future, if there were such occasions, no one would bother her.
Several young ladies were a little embarrassed. They didn't expect that Su Wan didn't know anything. She had a brother who was the top scholar in the imperial examination. Is the gap between siblings so big?
Seeing this, Su Jing quickly spoke up for his sister:
"My daughter Wanwan is a carefree person and doesn't like being bound by rules. Our family doesn't have high expectations for her. We just hope that she can live a happy and carefree life for the rest of her life."
As soon as these words came out, the girls present were jealous. They all had brothers, so why was there such a big difference between them?
Other people’s brothers and sisters don’t have to learn anything, just be happy. But their brothers are afraid that you don’t know enough and will embarrass yourself in other people’s homes.
In Hibiscus Garden, the sound of leisurely music could be heard. The men were drinking and chatting happily, and the women were discussing musical instruments with each other. Only Su Wan was out of place, drinking with his head supported.
Her mind was not on listening to the music at the moment, but thinking that it would be nice to see such scenery with Jiang Yu.
He also likes Furong, so he should like this place, right?
To be honest, even though the alcohol content of hibiscus wine is not high and it is not easy to get drunk, it will still make you feel dizzy if you drink too much.
Su Wan realized that something was wrong with her. Her cheeks turned red and hot, and looking at those hibiscus flowers seemed a little unreal.
Looking at the shimmering lake from afar, Su Wan suddenly wanted to find a quiet and deserted place to sit alone.
So she whispered to Su Jing:
"Brother, I'm going to find a place to sit for a while, get some fresh air, and sober up. I seem a little drunk."
Upon hearing this, Su Jing looked around and saw Liuyun and Liuying waiting outside the pavilion.
Seeing her red cheeks, Su Jing knew that she was a little drunk.
"Take Liuyun and Liuying with you, don't go too far, and be careful."
Su Wan nodded, then stood up and left, holding a pot of hibiscus wine in her hand.
She took Liuyun and Liuying into the depths of Hibiscus Garden, and found a big rock to sit on by the lake.
There was still music, but the breeze from the lake made her feel very comfortable, and the hibiscus flowers helped block the sun, so she didn't feel hot.
Before I knew it, it was already afternoon.
Ning Zhiqian noticed that Su Wan had left the table and Su Jing was being pestered by two young masters for a drinking contest, so he found an opportunity to leave.
When I found Su Wan, she was sitting by the lake drinking alone, feeling a little lonely.
Liuyun noticed him coming and became a little wary.
"Sixth Miss, why are you drinking alone here? Aren't you used to it?"
Su Wan didn't find it strange that he came. She thought, I know you're still asking.
"No, I just wanted to enjoy the scenery by the lake."
As Ning Zhiqian approached, Liuyun looked at him more vigilantly.
He had something to say to Su Wan, but since the two maids were here, he couldn't speak.
"Gentlemen, could you please allow me to speak to the Sixth Miss alone?"
He directly asked Liuyun and Liuying to leave, but since Su Wan didn't say anything, they didn't dare to go far.
Su Wan knew what he was going to say, and she also wanted to make things clear with him, so she nodded to the Liuyun sisters.
"Go ahead and just watch from a distance."
To be honest, she was a little tipsy now, and after being exposed to the breeze for a while, she felt even more tipsy.
Liuyun had no choice but to do as he was told and left with Liuying, standing in the distance and watching.
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