When faced with this kind of situation, those who are timid and afraid of trouble usually have two options: either drink and accept the punishment, or cry and act pitiful.
If they are reckless and forceful, then we must reason with them to determine who is right and who is wrong.
Neither of these was Zhao Shu's wish. She chuckled and bowed slightly with Sun Yun, saying, "Greetings, Fourth Sister-in-law."
Sun Yun then called out "Fourth Prince's Consort," a title that pleased Sun Yun greatly. Although she concealed it well, Zhao Shu could still see a hint of smugness in her eyes.
Sun Si was the eldest daughter of the Sun family, and marrying a prince was not considered a high social status in today's society. If we consider her status, she would not have shown any arrogance. Therefore, the only explanation is that she was genuinely in love with Zhao Bi.
"Let us drink and sing, for life is short. Drinking is meant to be enjoyable, so why has it become a punishment for Fourth Sister-in-law? I'm fine with drinking this punishment, but I'm afraid the other sisters might have some complaints, and then it will be difficult for Fourth Sister-in-law to entertain them. What do you think, Fourth Sister-in-law?" She stood up straight and smiled lightly.
After saying that, before Sun Si could reply, she turned to Sun Yun and pretended to be worried, saying, "I wonder if there are any other young ladies who are later than us? If they are, I'm afraid they will not only be punished with drinking, but also with composing poems."
Upon hearing this, Sun Yun raised an eyebrow at Zhao Shu with a sly look, feigning great confusion. "Poetry, wine, and tea are elegant pursuits, yet the Fourth Prince's Consort insists on using them as punishment. Ah Jun, guests should follow the host's lead. Regardless of whether you arrive early or late, let's drink." She repeatedly addressed the Fourth Prince's Consort, not as Fourth Sister, and Sun Yun did not correct her, indicating that their relationship had reached a freezing point.
However, Sun Yun didn't say anything, and she didn't intend to ask too much. Sun Yun wasn't some delicate flower in a greenhouse. If she were, she would have given Sun Si a hard time by now and wouldn't be pretending to be friendly with him here.
The two women chatted back and forth, neither of them taking Sun Si seriously. Although she maintained a smile, her delicate hands inside her wide sleeves had already clenched into fists. "Look at what you two sisters are saying. I was just joking with you. How could I punish you? His Highness has been instructing me for days to take good care of you two. How could I, as your sister-in-law and elder sister, refuse?"
She was genuinely afraid that Zhao Shu and Sun Yun would shamelessly escalate the situation. In any case, they were just trying to intimidate her. If they failed, there was still plenty of time and opportunities.
"Just kidding, Fourth Sister-in-law, you really know how to joke. You scared me so much that my palms are sweating. I hate drinking the most in my life. When I drink, my hands move faster than my brain, and I often hit people without thinking." She said half-jokingly and half-seriously, vividly describing the scene, which made Sun Si look stunned and smile apologetically.
She had never met Zhao Shu before, and had only heard rumors about her. In recent years, Zhao Shu's reputation had improved a lot, and she was a well-known young lady in the capital. This first encounter was just a test of Zhao Shu's abilities.
He led Zhao Shu and Sun Yun to a pavilion in the mountain stream. The pavilion was built over a pool of water and was surrounded by stacked rocks and artificial hills, interspersed with ancient trees that were lush and verdant.
On the artificial hill, there was also a pavilion, and it seemed that someone was on it. The Fourth Prince's Consort led Zhao Shu and the other two to sit down in the pavilion and instructed the servants to set out fruit, tea and snacks. "Please wait here for a while, my two sisters. The other sisters are watching the scenery in the Zhanjing Pavilion. They will probably come down soon. If you two sisters are interested, you can go up and take a look."
"No, it's too hot." Zhao Shu refused immediately, took a sip of tea. The tea was top-quality Biluochun, and there was nothing wrong with it. She figured Sun Si wasn't stupid and wouldn't tamper with the tea. If he really wanted to use some underhanded methods, he wouldn't have done it so early.
"Please excuse me for now, my two sisters. I will come back to apologize to you later." She still needed to attend to the other guests. Apart from the rockery, there were other pavilions for resting, and she could faintly hear laughter.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, go ahead and get busy," Zhao Shu replied with a smile, not minding at all, while Sun Yun pretended to be a wooden doll.
Sun Si led the maids and servants away, and with fewer people in the pavilion, the atmosphere immediately became much more relaxed.
Just as Fang took a sip of tea with peace of mind, a string of silvery laughter rang out, "Sister's writing is truly excellent; I'm afraid I can't even come close."
Zhao Shu followed the sound and saw two or three young ladies walking along a small path, each followed by two maids. Among the three young ladies, Zhao Shu recognized Guan Yurong, who was being surrounded by the other two young ladies and was thoroughly enjoying their flattery.
Naturally, she would still put on a humble demeanor, saying, "Sister, don't belittle yourself. I'm not as good as you say; I've just read a few more books."
After saying that, she saw Zhao Shu and Sun Yun sitting in the pavilion drinking tea as if they hadn't seen her. Immediately, she felt a surge of anger. She knew Zhao Shu very well what she used to be like, but now Zhao Shu's reputation was even better than hers. She could hardly contain her anger.
"A gentle summer breeze, lush green trees, and babbling brooks create a dreamlike scene. The princess has studied under a learned teacher who is well-versed in both ancient and modern knowledge, and is extremely knowledgeable. It is likely that the princess's literary talent is beyond our reach. I wonder if the princess would do us the honor of composing a poem to broaden our horizons?" She gracefully walked to Zhao Shu's side and politely curtsied.
Sun Yun stood up and returned the greeting as a peer, then sat down next to Zhao Shu without saying a word and continued drinking tea. However, he was already thinking to himself that such things would probably happen many times throughout the day.
She was quite worried about Zhao Shu. This was Zhao Shu's first interaction with someone since returning to the capital. If anything went wrong, the good reputation she had built up would be ruined.
However, Zhao Shu raised an eyebrow and glanced at Guan Yurong, "What if you do me the honor? What if you don't? Just because I've found a good teacher, does that mean I have to write a poem for everyone I meet? Miss Guan, why haven't you made any progress these past few years?"
Guan Yurong's face showed slight anger, but she controlled herself and did not show it too much. She then said, "Princess, are you perhaps too hungry to dare to do so?"
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