Chapter 342: But no one forced her, right?
Qian Duoduo echoed, "That's right. The guards at Hibiscus Garden have already stated that anyone who pays a hundred taels of silver can enter the garden. We followed the rules and paid the money."
Lan Xiyue's eyes flashed with cunning, and a playful smile curled up the corners of her mouth. "In my life, I've only pursued two people. Compared to the feats of some people who keep male favorites, I'm really nothing. Speaking of being a slut, I, Lan Xiyue, am ashamed of myself. Wen Lingling, are you hiding something in your words, referring to someone else?"
Before he finished speaking, Nalan Mei's face suddenly changed and she shouted angrily, "How dare you! Lan Xiyue, how dare you make up stories about my mother?"
For a moment, the atmosphere at the scene suddenly became tense. Everyone was silent, but they were secretly thinking in their hearts: everyone in Dongyao Kingdom knew that there were many male favorites in the Princess's Mansion. This matter had long been an open secret in the capital.
Lan Xiyue blinked, her expression innocent yet playful. "Your Highness, you are too kind. I, Lan Xiyue, have never fabricated anything the Princess said. Isn't this what Miss Wen Lingling said herself?"
After she finished speaking, she turned her gaze to Wen Lingling who was cowering beside her. The latter seemed to feel the sharp gaze from Nalan Mei and shrank her neck unconsciously, but she mustered up the courage and whispered a few words in Nalan Mei's ear.
After hearing this, Nalan Mei's eyes became even sharper. She looked at Lan Xiyue with a sarcastic smile on her face. "I heard that Miss Lan is extremely talented and unmatched. It's just right. Today, talented men and beautiful women have gathered in the garden to compete in talent. Why don't you write a poem, Miss Lan, so that everyone can see your true talent?"
Lan Xiyue heard this and a proud smile appeared on her lips, with a hint of disdain in her tone: "Well, it's indeed good. My talent is naturally unmatched. However, I am not interested in writing poetry today."
Wen Lingling covered her mouth and laughed secretly, "Lan Xiyue, you are really funny. Everyone in the capital doesn't know that you are a fool, but your talent is unmatched. You are just bragging without thinking!" She paused,
Wen Lingling continued, "Miss Lan, you're truly boastful! You even claim you're unrivaled. If that's the case, why don't you compose a poem on the spot and let everyone see if your talent is truly as extraordinary as you claim? It's a good thing we have so many talented people here, so they can offer their opinions on Miss Lan."
Lan Xiyue scratched her ears, seemingly turning a deaf ear to Wen Lingling's words. She said lazily, "Are you deaf? I've already told you I'm not interested!"
Wen Lingling disagreed. A cold smile curled her lips as she snorted, "Miss Lan, you wouldn't dare! Anyone can say empty words, but when it comes to the real deal, you're just a coward."
There were many gossipers in the crowd around. After hearing Lan Xiyue's previous boasts, they all echoed her: "That's right. You said that your talent is unmatched. I think you are just bragging! I dare not compare with you. I'm afraid you can't even write a doggerel." His words were full of contempt and disdain.
Lan Xiyue heard this and a faint smile played on her lips. She swept her eyes over the crowd as if she were looking at a bunch of clowns. She thought to herself: What a bunch of ignorant ancient people! I can beat you to a pulp just by reciting a single ancient poem.
But he kept his composure, rolled his eyes slyly, and said, "It's okay for me to write a poem, but there has to be a prize, right?"
Wen Lingling frowned slightly when she heard this. She asked, "What do you want to win?"
Lan Xiyue raised her hand, pointed at the gate of Hibiscus Garden, and said calmly, "If the poetry I write is better than any of you present here, then how about giving me all the tickets to Hibiscus Garden today?"
Wen Lingling's face lit up with disgust when she heard this. She sneered, "What? After severing ties with the Wuguo Marquisate, has Miss Lan become so greedy?"
Lan Xiyue laughed instead of getting angry when she heard this. She pointed at Nalan Mei and said with a hint of joking, "Hey! The eldest princess doesn't like the smell of copper coins. Why is she charging for opening Hibiscus Garden? Princess, Wen Lingling is implying something about the eldest princess."
When Wen Lingling heard this, her face turned pale instantly and she hurriedly explained, "Princess, that's not what I meant..." Before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by Lan Xiyue.
"Then what do you mean?" Lan Xiyue laughed, with a hint of provocation in her tone.
Nalan Mei glared at Wen Lingling, then turned to look at Lan Xiyue with a serious look in her eyes: "Okay, I can promise you, but what if your poem is not as good as those present?"
Lan Xiyue, dressed in a light blue dress with a simple white jade hairpin in her hair, had a cold yet somewhat unruly expression. She raised the corners of her mouth slightly and said to Nalan Mei, "I decided the prize, so you guys can decide the punishment."
Wen Lingling's eyes flashed with calculation. She was delighted when she heard the words, and her voice was filled with urgency: "You said it, don't go back on your word!"
After receiving Lan Xiyue's affirmative answer, Wen Lingling curled her lips into a smug smile, "If you lose, you can destroy your own appearance."
As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar all around, and everyone was shocked by Wen Lingling's cruelty.
Lan Xiyue just nodded slightly, without any emotion in her eyes.
Nalan Mei pretended to be worried and said, "This is not good. If I lose, I will destroy my appearance. Isn't this too much?"
Wen Lingling said, "Princess, Lan Xiyue agreed on her own initiative. No one forced her, right?"
Nalan Mei secretly calculated in her heart that if Lan Xiyue really lost and her face was ruined, then her wedding with the Regent might be cancelled. Then she would present the beauty she had secretly cultivated to the Regent. If she was favored by her uncle, then her uncle would owe her a favor. Besides, she didn't propose the bet. Even if her uncle got angry, she could put the blame on the idiot Wen Lingling. Thinking of this, a smile flashed in her eyes.
Nalan Mei turned to look at Lu Jingzhou, a talented calligrapher from a family of gentlemen, with a graceful demeanor like a bamboo, a man universally recognized as a man of talent. She opened her red lips slightly and said, "In that case, I'll have to trouble Mr. Lu to compete with Miss Lan."
Lu Jingzhou frowned when he heard that. Lan Xiyue was the sister of his good friend Lan Shenye, and he didn't want to compete with her. But looking around, he was even more worried about comparing Lan Xiyue with others. He thought to himself: No matter what kind of masterpiece Lan Xiyue makes later, I just need to be slightly inferior to her, and she won't lose, and she won't fall into the desperate situation of disfigurement.
Lan Xiyue smiled faintly upon seeing this. She glanced at the hibiscus flowers in the garden and said, "Okay, how about we write a poem about the hibiscus flowers in the garden?"
Lu Jingzhou nodded his chin lightly, his voice as gentle as jade echoing in the garden: "Yes, it's okay, this is also appropriate."
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