What a unique hobby
Three days later, the Ruan family's carriage stopped in front of the gate of Li Shangshu's mansion. Unlike the red doors with gold nails commonly used by the powerful in Beijing, the door of Li's mansion was made of a whole piece of ebony, with only sparse bamboo patterns inlaid with silver threads. A sandalwood plaque hung on the lintel with the three words "Shou Zhuo Garden" inscribed on it, and the strokes were as thin as bamboo branches.
As he stepped into the mansion, even the usually picky Ruan Qinghe held his breath.
There is no brilliance of gold and jade in the garden, but there is the spirit of mountains and rivers. Xiangfei bamboos are planted scattered along the bluestone path, and ceramic wind chimes are hung under the corridor. When the wind blows, the sound is as ethereal as the sound of springs hitting rocks.
The so-called "flower viewing banquet" did not see a single gorgeous peony, but only a few branches of white-hearted wintersweets and a few clusters of mossy dendrobiums in the white porcelain vase on the table. Occasionally, a few pots of weeping jasmine could be seen in the corners of the wall, and the faint fragrance was all of a cold, proud and clear charm.
Li Shuying came out in a moon-white skirt, with only a green jade hairpin in her hair. Her smile was like a spring breeze blowing through the snow: "Madam Ruan and her sisters are willing to come, which makes my humble home shine."
She paused as her eyes passed over Ruan Yunsheng. "Is this the sister Yunsheng who won the favor of the Grand Princess? She is indeed very smart."
Ruan Qinghe hurried forward and presented the brocade box: "Sister Shuying, this is the pine smoke ink I specially looked for..."
Li Shuying took it with a smile but did not open it. She just raised her hand to lead the way: "Please follow me, everyone. Today I have cooked Mengding snow buds. The water is the plum blossom snow harvested last year."
After passing through the nine-curve bamboo corridor, I suddenly came upon a vast waterside pavilion. There were no chairs in the pavilion, only cushions and low tables, where guests sat cross-legged. On the water, a dark lotus leaf dish, filled with seasonal fruit, floated slowly on the current. A white-robed zither player sat on a floating platform, his guqin playing a melody like drifting clouds across the mountains.
Liu Ruyan sat down with a smile on her face. The cushion under her butt was so hard that it hurt her. Ruan Qinghe stared at the plain plate of lotus seeds, and her mouth twitched slightly. This bland banquet made the colorful clothes she had prepared a joke.
However, when she thought about what was about to happen in the future, she was secretly proud of herself and endured it.
After three rounds of tea, Li Shuying picked up the plain ceramic pot and refilled the water for everyone. Her voice was as clear as a spring hitting jade: "In previous years, the flower viewing banquet has always been about a specific flower for poetry. Either peonies or roses are too boring. This year, let's make an exception and all the flowers in the garden can be included in the poem. Let's use the flowing water tea cups as the order."
She gently pushed the lotus leaf saucer on the table with her fingertips, and the ceramic cup filled with clear tea slowly floated down the winding waterway. "Whoever the cup lands in front of must compose an impromptu poem, using the last character of the previous poem as the first character."
She glanced at the crowd with a smile, "It tests your quick wits and also demonstrates your true talent. What do you think?"
There was a sudden chorus of agreement at the table. There were many scholars and literati participating in this banquet, who loved this kind of elegant game. Several old gentlemen from the Hanlin Academy were stroking their beards and smiling, obviously they were confident.
Ruan Qinghe's face turned pale. Although she was well-versed in literature, she could not compare with those masters who composed poems and essays every day. Now that the rules had changed, the erotic poems she had memorized would be of no use!
But... she looked at Ruan Yunsheng who was bored at the side, and couldn't help but puff out her chest with pride, at least there was someone to take the blame for her.
My dear sister, just wait to make a fool of yourself. So what if you have the protection of the eldest princess?
The first time the pottery teacup stopped in front of an old gentleman in a green robe, he calmly picked up the cup, looked out the window at the green plum blossoms, and chanted: "Sparse shadows slant across the shallow water, and a faint fragrance floats in the moonlight at dusk."
Good! Everyone cheered.
The cup floated again and again, and stopped in front of several people one after another, with beautiful sentences coming out frequently. Suddenly, the lotus leaf plate spun, as if it was stopped by something, and stopped in front of Ruan Yunsheng's desk!
All eyes in the room were instantly focused on her. Ruan Qinghe couldn't help but curl up the corners of her mouth in a look of anticipation, and put away her hands that had just been touching her secretly.
Everyone's eyes were instantly focused on Ruan Yunsheng. Ruan Qinghe couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth with a hint of gloating, and quietly withdrew his hand that had just been stirring the lotus leaf saucer in the water.
Ruan Yunsheng's eyes turned slightly, and she sneered in her heart. How could such a small trick be hidden from her?
But as a modern soul who has received nine years of compulsory education and been immersed in Tang and Song poetry, how could she be afraid of such a scene?
She calmly picked up the teacup, her eyes swept across a red plum blossom outside the window, and she chanted aloud:
"A few plum blossoms bloom alone in the corner, braving the cold. I know from afar that it is not snow, because of the subtle fragrance."
After the four lines were spoken, the whole garden became silent.
Suddenly, a white-haired old Hanlin stood up abruptly, smashing the teacup in his hand to the ground. "Brilliant! Brilliant! The snow sets off the plum blossoms, the fragrance conveys the spirit, and these twenty words capture the essence of the poem!"
The audience erupted in amazement, with several literary giants applauding and asking, "Whose family is this young lady from? With such incredible talent, why has she never been seen at poetry gatherings before?"
Li Shuying stood up with a smile, her voice clear as a chime: "This is Yun Sheng, the second daughter of the Ruan family, the only daughter of Princess Luohe."
As soon as the words "Princess Luohe" were uttered, the elders at the table all showed signs of realization and nostalgia. One elderly lady wiped her tears and sighed, "No wonder she's so gifted! Back then, the princess's rendition of 'Ode to the Soul of the Plum Blossom' was the best in the capital. Her family truly carries on this tradition!"
Hearing the familiar name, Liu Ruyan dug her nails into her palms. The ghost of the lingering woman had been dead for more than ten years, but she was still like a mountain pressing down on her head!
She had put in so much effort over the years to squeeze into the circle of noble ladies in the capital, but they all laughed at her dirty behavior behind her back.
But what had she done wrong? She just wanted to live a better life! Are they innocent?
The praise for Ruan Yunsheng grew increasingly fervent throughout the banquet. Ruan Qinghe's fingertips trembled with jealousy. He suddenly stood up and shrieked, "She must have copied this poem! She was abandoned in the countryside of Chuzhou when she was little and can't even read. How could she possibly have written such a quatrain?"
Before she finished speaking, Liu Ruyan's face suddenly changed. Isn't this publicly exposing his abuse of his daughter? She grabbed Ruan Qinghe's sleeve, her nails almost digging into her flesh: "Shut up! What nonsense are you talking about!"
Turning around, she forced a smile and said to everyone, "My daughter is young and her nonsense is irrelevant..."
But everyone at the banquet had already heard it clearly. An old lady sneered, "So the Ruan family abandoned their eldest daughter to fend for herself in the countryside? No wonder the second young lady hasn't appeared in all these years. It seems that your Ruan family is truly vicious and can't stand to see others prosper."
The head scholar of the Hanlin Academy slammed down his teacup. "How unreasonable! If Princess Luohe were still alive, she would be heartbroken to see her only daughter being treated like this. Tomorrow I will petition His Majesty to thoroughly investigate the Ruan family's mistreatment of their legitimate daughter!"
Liu Ruyan was so frightened that she fell to her knees, her voice trembling, "My Lords, please calm down! From now on, I will treat Yun Sheng as my own child. I beg you to consider my master's service to the country..."
When she kowtowed, her golden hairpin fell to the ground, her hair was disheveled, and she looked in a mess.
Li Shuying said calmly, "If Madam Ruan truly knows she's wrong, she should swear an oath in front of everyone. Otherwise, we'll have no choice but to report today's events to the censors."
Liu Ruyan was forced to swear a poisonous oath and hurriedly left the table with Ruan Qinghe in the face of countless contemptuous gazes. As soon as the carriage drove out of the Li Mansion, she slapped Ruan Qinghe in the face: "You are more likely to cause trouble than to help!"
After she finished venting her anger, she asked, "Have you finished everything I asked you to do?"
Ruan Qinghe covered her face and cried, "Don't worry, mother. Today I will make sure that Ruan Yunsheng is ruined!"
After the banquet, everyone went to the back garden to enjoy the flowers. Ruan Yunsheng's poetry amazed everyone and became the focus of attention.
The young girls surrounded her and asked her for her skin care secrets, while the young boys competed to recite poems and compose couplets like peacocks spreading their feathers, trying to attract her attention.
When they reached the Nine-Bend Bridge, a girl in a goose yellow dress suddenly cried out "Ouch!", her foot slipped, and she actually grabbed Ruan Yunsheng's sleeve. Ruan Yunsheng was not paying attention for a moment, and they both fell into the icy pool!
The scene suddenly became chaotic. Li Shuying hurriedly ordered the maid to bring cloaks to wrap the two girls, and then instructed the housekeeper: "Take the two girls to the Nuanxiang Pavilion to change clothes quickly, so as not to catch a cold."
Soon the servants led them to a secluded room. Ruan Yunsheng frowned when she stepped into the room. There was a sweet incense burning in the room. Suddenly, she had an idea. This scene was very similar to the plot in TV dramas where a good woman was framed!
In order to verify her guess, Ruan Yunsheng immediately tore off the lining of her skirt, soaked it in tea, covered her mouth and nose with it, and hid behind the carved screen.
Sure enough, after just a moment, the girl who fell into the water quietly opened the door and whispered to the outside of the corridor: "Master Sun, Sister Qinghe is inside..."
After saying that, he left quickly.
A man in brocade clothes pushed the door open and came in, his face flushed and breathing rapidly, obviously he was also poisoned by the fragrance. Ruan Yunsheng looked closely and saw that it was the idiot grandson of the Minister of War that Liu Ruyan had repeatedly told her to please.
Young Master Sun rubbed his penis and smiled: "Don't be afraid, Xiao Qinghe, brother is here to take care of you..."
Ruan Yunsheng rolled his eyes from the bottom of his heart, how ugly!
Seeing that Young Master Sun pounced towards her with lustful eyes, Ruan Yunsheng patted the hem of her skirt in disgust and kicked him away with such force that he fainted on the spot.
Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly stopped and a cunning light flashed in his eyes.
"If you dare to plot against me, I'll make you suffer the consequences of your actions."
Relying on her memory of the trip, she quietly groped her way to the pigpen next to the kitchen of the Li Mansion. A chubby little spotted pig was grunting and nibbling on vegetable leaves. Its fur was shiny and watery, and it was very cute.
"God is really helping me!"
Ruan Yunsheng's eyes lit up, and she swiftly climbed over the fence and held the piglet in her arms. The piglet squirmed restlessly, but she gently scratched its chin and it calmed down.
When they returned to the room, Master Sun was still unconscious. Ruan Yunsheng placed the piglet next to him and raised his hand to pinch his nose.
What a sin! She burned incense in her heart for the man surnamed Sun.
"Ah!" Young Master Sun cried out in pain as he woke up. The effect of the aphrodisiac incense had not yet worn off, and he gasped with bloodshot eyes, "Qinghe... Qinghe..."
In his blurred vision, he saw a tender pink figure twisting beside him, emitting a faint humming sound. He rushed forward in ecstasy and hugged her: "My baby..."
The piglet screamed in fear and kicked its hooves, but Young Master Sun hugged it tighter and rubbed its ears obsessively: "Don't be afraid, let your brother love you well."
Ruan Yunsheng suppressed his smile, quickly left the room, and kindly closed the door behind him.
Soon, the sound of tearing, the howling of pigs, and the man's intoxicated muttering came from the house: "The beauty's skin is so smooth."
Oh, that's really insulting.
The girl in yellow who had fallen into the water had already slipped back to the banquet. When asked about Ruan Yunsheng's whereabouts, she only stammered, "Sister Ruan said she wanted to rest for a while. I don't know what happened."
Li Shuying frowned and stood up: "Yun Sheng is frail, don't let him catch a cold, I'll go to Nuanxiang Pavilion to take a look."
A group of people also said that they wanted to follow, so they walked through the corridor. Before they got close, they heard strange noises coming from the side room, like heavy breathing mixed with sticky water sounds, and occasionally strange humming.
Several unmarried girls listened curiously: "Are there animals in this house? Why is it so noisy?"
The men present suddenly looked embarrassed. Someone coughed dryly and said, "Maybe it's a fight between wild cats. Why don't we look for them somewhere else?"
Before she finished speaking, the girl in yellow suddenly rushed forward and slammed the door: "Sister Ruan! Come out quickly, everyone is waiting!"
She pretended to make a mistake and pushed hard.
"Bang!"
The door was wide open, and candlelight poured in, illuminating the mess in the room. Clothes and rags were scattered all over the floor. Young Master Sun was lying naked on the couch, hugging a whining little pig, kissing and rubbing it, and muttering to himself.
"ah--!!!"
The girls' screams nearly blew the roof off the house. The old lady fainted on the spot. The Hanlin scholar was so angry that his beard trembled: "It's immoral! It's immoral!"
Just as everyone was gaping at the absurd scene in the wing, Ruan Yunsheng leisurely emerged from behind the pillars and approached the crowd with an innocent look on his face, "What are you all doing here? Have you found anything new and interesting?"
Before anyone could stop her, she stood on tiptoe and peeked into the room. Then, her acting skills exploded, and she suddenly covered her mouth and exclaimed, "Oh my God! This, this is outrageous!"
His voice was trembling, but there was a cunning glint in his eyes.
Before he finished speaking, several young masters from aristocratic families had already recognized the person on the couch: "Isn't this Young Master Sun from the Minister of War's family! He actually has such a strong sexual craving, what a unique taste."
The whole place was in uproar! The ladies covered their faces and looked away, the scholars were heartbroken, and the unmarried girls blushed with shame.
Whispers spread like a tide: "The Sun family has produced such a scum."
"I've heard he loves visiting brothels, but I never thought he could be so vile!"
Li Shuying's face was covered with frost as she shouted sternly, "Come here! Carry Master Sun to the side courtyard to sober him up."
She turned around and gave everyone a forced smile. "I've neglected discipline in the mansion and disturbed everyone's enjoyment. Shuying would like to apologize."
Although the guests knew that it was not as simple as "drunkenness", they still felt that the banquet ended in such a ridiculous way, so they had to leave in embarrassment.
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