Lady Weichi promptly agreed and, with the help of a maid, carefully attached the calligraphy of Yang Mengchen and Chu Dieyi to the wooden boards.
Upon seeing the writings of both, everyone present inhaled sharply, their eyes wide with shock.
Not to mention the content of the poems, just the sight of Yang Mengchen’s running script flowing like water, or Chu Dieyi’s wild and unrestrained cursive looping back on itself, could straighten the viewer’s eyes and shake their soul.
Especially those with a slight understanding of calligraphy, who repeatedly expressed their amazement and admiration; it was a pity that Princess Chen had just mentioned women’s work should not be circulated outside. Otherwise, they would have surely taken those pieces home to treasure.
Long Fengying seemed slightly better off, her eyes glittering with shock and annoyance, while the Ma sisters turned pale, filled with regret and fear.
The young ladies who had echoed Long Fengying’s sentiments now wished there was a crack in the ground they could hide in, lest Princess Chen take the chance to punish them.
Princess Ning and others, along with Rong Youyan, glanced at Long Fengying and her cohorts, their eyes and brows filled with a chilling clarity.
After taking a look at Hai Tang, Hai Tang promptly stepped forward to roll up the two pieces of calligraphy and take them back. Yang Mengchen said indifferently, "Now it’s time to appreciate the works of others." Saying this, she cast a meaningful glance at Long Fengying and the Ma sisters.
Long Fengying managed to maintain a normal facade.
However, the Ma sisters guiltily lowered their heads because just before, as they were writing, they had stolen glances at Yang Mengchen and Chu Dieyi, noting how calm and collected the two were, without any signs of stage fright. For some inexplicable reason, the sisters were filled with an inexplicable panic, and the result was naturally far worse than their usual writing.
Possibly intentionally or unintentionally, Lady Weichi just then posted the sisters’ calligraphy. Those who knew them well whispered to each other upon seeing this, making the sisters so ashamed they wanted to disappear, clenching their handkerchiefs tightly, cursing Yang Mengchen and Chu Dieyi in their hearts, and even more resentful towards Long Fengying for suggesting the poetry challenge. If it weren’t for Long Fengying, they wouldn’t have lost face in public.
The sisters kept blaming others, oblivious to the fact that had they not harbored malicious intentions, this embarrassment would never have occurred.
It was truly said that heaven might forgive one’s unintentional misdeeds, but self-inflicted miseries offered no way out.
Her and Ah Lan’s calligraphy had been retrieved; as for whether to make copies of the others’ work to show to the gentlemen, Yang Mengchen wasn’t interested. She was about to call on Princess Ning and others to leave when Madam Xu suddenly arrived: "The banquet is about to begin, ladies and misses, please take your seats."
Yang Mengchen and Princess Ning, along with others, proceeded to the banquet with the maid from the Hou Mansion, followed by the rest of the company.
"Yinyin, what’s the matter?" Madam Xu held on to her eldest daughter as she could sense the atmosphere was amiss upon arrival, and the looks she received from other ladies were clearly mocking.
Biting her lips, Ma Ruyin replied in a low voice, "It’s nothing. Let’s hurry and attend to the guests."
If the elders found out she and her cousins had ruined things, they would surely punish her and her cousins. Even if they couldn’t cover it up completely, at least they wanted to wait until after the banquet. By then, Princess Chen’s reputation would be utterly destroyed, and the elders naturally wouldn’t blame them anymore.
Ma Rulin and Ma Ruqing from the second family nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Seeing that her daughter and nieces were clearly troubled, but knowing it wasn’t the time to probe, Madam Xu subdued her questions and proceeded to the banquet hall with her daughter and nieces.
On the other side, Prince Jing, not having obtained the calligraphy of Yang Mengchen and Chu Dieyi, was filled with irritation and dissatisfaction. Contemplating his next moves, a streak of malicious determination flashed across his eyes, and then he joined the other gentlemen at the front courtyard to take his seat at the banquet.
Yang Mengchen had foreseen that the banquets at Hou Mansion mainly targeted her and Ah Lan. To prevent any accidents, she still took out the pills, discreetly making sure that several women from close families took them. The men of these families disdained the Xinyang Marquis Mansion, and therefore none had come.
Halfway through the banquet, a maid came up to add tea, refilling the cups of Long Jingxi and Princess Kang who sat to either side of Yang Mengchen, and finally attending to Yang Mengchen herself.
Noticing the maid seemed somewhat nervous, with her left hand clenched into a fist at her side, Yang Mengchen wondered if she could be a new maid to the household, or was she simply in awe of her status causing her this much tension just to pour some water? Probably neither, thought Yang Mengchen with a calm expression, a smile that was not quite a smile tracing her lips. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel-com
For some reason, the maid suddenly lunged forward, and her whole body, along with the teapot in her hand, seemed poised to fall onto Yang Mengchen, who swiftly stood up and stepped back to the right to avoid the maid and her teapot.
At the same time, Hai Tang subtly flicked her right hand, concealed by her sleeve, causing the maid to lose her balance and crash onto the table. The teapot flew out of her hands in an arc and, as fate would have it, landed on Ma Ruyin across the table. Ma Ruyin screamed, instinctively standing and batting the teapot away which then flew towards Ma Rulin. Another scream ensued, drawing the attention of all the women at the banquet.
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