Consort Shu wore a smile. Ever since the Jade Bone Regenerating Ointment was exposed in the harem, Lu Yinghong had indeed caused her trouble a few times, but none of it was anything serious. After all, she didn't have direct evidence to prove that Lu Yinghong was behind it.
She wouldn't let all her years of maneuvering in the harem be ruined by a mere plaster. Even though the Emperor no longer favored her as much, she still had the Fifth Prince!
When she met Song Yaozhu's gaze, she couldn't help but raise her eyebrows slightly, a hint of provocation in her eyes.
"The princess is probably not skilled in calligraphy and painting. I wonder how good the princess is at needlework?"
Some people at the scene also chose embroidery and are already embroidering with handkerchiefs.
Today's talent show was originally intended to raise some money. Time was tight, so the talented women with a foundation in the craft would not choose anything too difficult to show off their skills, but would instead opt for something safe, such as embroidering a small butterfly or drawing a flower.
"Your Highness, please don't refuse. You must have something special to make the Prince devote himself to you!"
Song Yaozhu remained expressionless, her smile never fading. Many people, seeing her like this, couldn't tell whether she was confident of victory or just putting on a brave face.
"Since everyone is so kind, I will make a fool of myself."
Some people who disliked her, upon hearing her say this, complained inwardly, "It's as if everyone is begging her to show off."
"Yes, yes, everyone knows her reputation. What could she have learned in the countryside to show everyone how to feed pigs?"
Those who overheard her speech couldn't help but cover their mouths and laugh.
Song Wenyue's eyes were also fixed on Song Yaozhu. She really wanted to see her older sister make a fool of herself. She wished the whole world would know that Song Yaozhu was just a good-for-nothing!
The only talented woman in the Song family is Song Wenyue!
"Your Highness, please!"
Song Yaozhu walked to the table that had been set up, on which were placed writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, silk handkerchiefs, embroidery needles, and other items for her to choose from.
She didn't want to waste her energy on such a thing, so she picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote several large characters on the paper with flowing strokes.
Everyone initially thought she was just scribbling something carelessly, but to their surprise, her calligraphy was powerful and vigorous, exuding a majestic aura.
The only downside was that she wrote—"I'm hungry, serve the food."
The handwriting is good, and the content...
Lu Yinghong and the others also looked grim. They had originally intended to give her a hard time, but they hadn't expected her to be so shrewd!
"Your Highness, you must have practiced for at least ten years to write this kind of calligraphy, right?" Consort Shu chuckled as she walked to Song Yaozhu's desk, picked up the paper, and carefully examined it.
“For someone without talent, it really does take more than ten years to do what others can do in one or two years,” Song Yaozhu replied with a provocative look.
Consort Shu's face stiffened slightly, knowing that she was being mocked. Despite her scheming and plotting, she hadn't made any progress in over a decade.
Is she trying to stagnate? She doesn't understand the urgency in her heart at all!
Consort Shu's expression darkened slightly, and she said to the eunuchs, "Take it to the front hall and let the ministers see it."
In the front hall, Yuwen Wuji and his ministers sat around a stove chatting, their purpose being nothing more than to get these people to contribute more money.
"Ah Li, it's been so long since we last met. How have you been these days?" Yuwen Wuji looked at Xie Liwei, not missing any opportunity to show his deep love for his wife and his concern for his brother-in-law.
Xie Liwei twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "Your Majesty, I am well."
"That's good. A few days ago you said the princess was pregnant, and I haven't really rewarded you much yet. Later, you and Li Wei can go to my private treasury and choose whatever you want."
"Your Majesty has forgotten that when the Princess Consort was found to be pregnant, you sent the imperial physician to examine her pulse, and you already rewarded her. Now the national treasury is tight, and my family is poor and has no savings. I can only express my gratitude for her life by helping her."
Everyone: "......"
Shameless!
If you don't accept any reward and consider it a donation, then what are these people to you?
Are they rich? Or are they unlucky?
"Your Majesty, everything is settled in the harem."
Yuwen Wuji nodded, and soon after, palace maids filed in carrying trays.
"This is a silk handkerchief embroidered by the third young lady of Minister Jiang's family. Please, gentlemen, take a look."
"This is calligraphy and painting by the eldest daughter of Lord Wang's family. Please, esteemed gentlemen, appreciate it."
......
A dazzling array of women's embroidery and calligraphy and paintings were quickly displayed. Everyone looked at them one by one and thought they were all quite good, but none of them were particularly outstanding.
Therefore, when Song Yaozhu's wild cursive calligraphy appeared, it caught everyone's attention.
"This..." The elders looked at the calligraphy with admiration, but the content...
Seeing the handwriting, Xie Liwei couldn't help but chuckle. His sister rarely practices calligraphy now, but her skill is still there.
When Yuwen Wuji saw the words, he was first stunned, and then his hand trembled involuntarily.
The handwriting was exactly the same as Xie Wanqing's!
Seeing his emperor's expression, Li Wei subtly handed him a cup of tea.
Yuwen Wuji glanced at him, his eyes filled with admiration. Li Wei was still the most reliable; he knew what Yuwen Wuji wanted with just a look.
Whose handwriting is this?
"Your Majesty, it is the courtesy name of the Princess Consort of Xiaoyao."
Today's fundraising focuses on the artwork of unmarried young women, using this as a gimmick for the auction. How did Lu Yinghong manage to get Princess Xiaoyao involved?
And how could she possibly write the same handwriting as Xie Wanqing!
Yuwen Wuji could hardly suppress the shock in his heart, and an absurd thought appeared in his mind.
—Could Song Yaozhu be Xie Wanqing?
"Oh my, Your Highness, you must have put in a lot of effort to improve your handwriting!" someone complimented Xie Liwei.
"She certainly put in a lot of effort." Xie Liwei glanced at Yuwen Wuji, who was slightly stunned, and laughed, "She hasn't rested a day or two in order to perfect her calligraphy."
Hearing his words, Yuwen Wuji breathed a slight sigh of relief. It turned out that he had practiced calligraphy to please Xie Liwei.
Considering the opinions of outsiders about the Prince Xiaoyao's Mansion, Xie Liwei, who is so difficult in matters of the heart, must have put in a lot of effort to be able to dote on her alone.
Thinking of Song Yaozhu, who was becoming more and more like Xie Wanqing, Yuwen Wuji felt a surge of anger in his chest.
This guy is making his wife look more and more like his sister, isn't that his way of showing off to him?
Xie Liwei harbors ill intentions towards his deceased sister!
Realizing this, Yuwen Wuji's eyes turned bloodshot, and his killing intent towards Xie Liwei reached its peak.
"Your Highness, I'd like to offer eight hundred taels of silver to buy this painting by the Princess. What do you think?"
Xie Liwei chuckled lightly: "My lord, you shouldn't have asked me. Isn't today's winner the highest bidder?"
The official's original intention was to curry favor with Xie Liwei, but after hearing what he said, he touched his nose somewhat awkwardly.
"Then, could someone share the same preferences as me? If not, then I must..."
Before he could finish speaking, Yuwen Wuji said, "I will give one thousand taels!"
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