Legs Trembling

Duchess Ma quickly smiled and said, “Princess Royal worries too much. Prince Ning is extraordinary and being able to be with him is a blessing that many people can’t even dream of. Besides, a man treats a woman he cares for differently.”

Hearing this, Princess Royal couldn’t help but think of her own husband and smiled, “That’s true. Let’s see if anyone has the fortune and can catch his eye.”

After Xie Wan came out of the courtyard, she returned to the Peach Blossom Forest.

The young men and women had already gathered around a long table and started playing games.

As soon as she arrived, all eyes immediately fell on her. Today, Xie Wan had become a prominent figure.

The girls who had belittled her before were initially unwilling to pay her any attention. However, they didn’t want Li Yu to have a bad impression of them when he arrived, so Kong Yueru, the legitimate daughter of the Minister of Rites, took the initiative to greet her, “Isn’t this Miss Xie from the Yongyu Marquis Residence? Come, come, they are taking advantage of their larger numbers and bullying us girls!”

Upon hearing this, the noble young men immediately objected and laughed, “Clearly, you couldn’t match up to us. Are you blaming us for not showing mercy?”

The noble ladies also refused to back down, “Clearly, you are taking advantage of your larger numbers.”

The young men and women laughed and argued, creating a joyful scene.

Xie Wan smiled and walked to the table.

Kong Yueru smiled and pulled Xie Wan to sit beside her. She pointed to the poems and essays on the table and said, “They chose ‘Peach Blossom’ as the theme, and we are competing in poetry. We have written some excellent works too, but in the end, they insisted that they had more outstanding works than us girls. They are simply using their larger numbers to bully us, aren’t they?”

“Quickly, compose a poem yourself. That way, the number of outstanding works will be about equal on both sides. Let’s see what they have to say then!”

As the saying goes, appetite comes with eating.

Even if they were aware of the situation at Yongyu Marquis Residence, they couldn’t prevent people from casting admiring glances at beauty.

It’s not just men who admire beautiful women; women do too.

However, their thoughts are different from those of men. Besides appreciation, women also compare, feel dissatisfied, envy, and sometimes even have the desire to destroy.

Xie Wan grew up in a Taoist temple and only returned to the capital a little over a year ago. She had never learned the poetry and activities of the noble young men and women, such as poetry competitions, flowing wine, throwing pots, and playing polo.

That’s why those girls said she only had a pretty face.

But now, Kong Yueru was pointing at the poems on the table, asking her to compose an outstanding poem to ensure the victory of the noble ladies.

It seemed as if the success or failure of the game rested solely on her.

All eyes were on her, with various thoughts in their minds.

Xie Wan looked at the poems on the table, but her peripheral vision remained focused on the outside. Finally, when she saw a glimpse of dark-colored clothing, she slowly raised a smile.

A gust of spring breeze brushed past, and a few petals of peach blossoms slowly fell.

The pink petals seemed to distinguish between beauty and ugliness as they swirled around the enchanting and alluring beauty.

The gaze of the crowd changed instantly, especially those noble young gentlemen. Some who had been merely spectators now revealed a hint of infatuation.

Xie Wan looked at the crowd calmly and said, “I can’t.”

The crowd immediately snapped out of their daze upon hearing her words. A beautiful woman with only her appearance was truly a pity.

One of the noble young gentlemen stepped forward with a smile, trying to mediate the situation. “It’s our fault for trying to win through quantity. Let’s choose the best poem from both sides. Let’s see who wins, shall we? We’ll determine the outcome with a single poem.”

With these words, he immediately gained the agreement of the infatuated noble young gentlemen. Kong Yueru smiled and said, “How is it possible that you can’t? Little sister, don’t be so modest.”

Xie Wan looked at her and smiled, “Why can’t I? Everyone here has been studying music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, as well as poetry and essays, since childhood. As for me, I’ve been studying the way of nature in the Taoist temple. I may not have learned what you all did, but do you, Sister, understand the way of nature?”

Kong Yueru naturally didn’t. She looked surprised and said, “But what’s the use of the way of nature? We women are destined to marry. We should strive to be good wives and make our husbands happy. Little sister, are you going to recite Mantra of Tranquility for your husband after marriage?”

As soon as she said this, someone couldn’t help but burst into laughter. The noble young gentlemen who had been infatuated with Xie Wan’s beauty suddenly had complex expressions on their faces.

Xie Wan remained composed, still smiling. “One of the essential aspects of practicing the way of nature is wisdom. By practicing the way of nature, I understand how to eliminate worldly impurities and find inner peace and tranquility.”

“The way of nature encompasses all things. After marriage, I will be able to understand my husband’s words, comprehend his difficulties, and alleviate his burdens. It’s easy to find someone to add fragrance to the red sleeves, but it’s difficult to find someone who understands your heart. Sister, don’t you think so?”

For a moment, Kong Yueru couldn’t find a response. If she agreed, wouldn’t it be equivalent to admitting that she was merely someone who added fragrance to the red sleeves?

But if she disagreed, she couldn’t come up with a valid argument.

Just then, a voice suddenly came from outside, announcing, “Prince Ning has arrived!”

Everyone immediately stood up and bowed, “Your Royal Highness Ning.”

Li Yu’s gaze swept across Xie Wan’s face, and he nodded lightly, “No need for formalities.”

As everyone stood up, Li Yu took the empty seat at the head of the table and glanced at the people standing, slightly raising his hand. “Please be seated. I will only stay for a while, so carry on with your activities. You don’t need to mind my presence.”

“Thank you, Prince Ning.”

After taking his seat, Li Yu looked at the people standing and then closed his eyes. He played with the jade bead bracelet on his wrist, flicking each bead one by one.

It seemed that he intended to rest with his eyes closed and ignore them completely.

Kong Yueru was now filled with regret. When Prince Ning had just sat down, she should have asked him to judge the poems. Today, without Ma Yushan’s presence, she was the most prominent woman present. It was such a great opportunity to be in the spotlight, and she had missed it.

Xie Wan glanced at her regretful expression, as she was torn between looking at the poems and stealing glances at Li Yu. She lowered her eyes and remained silent.

After struggling for a moment, Kong Yueru clenched her fingers and stood up. “Your Highness, I wonder if you could evaluate a poem for us? Today, we have composed poems on the theme of peach blossoms, and when men and women are compared, it’s difficult to determine a winner. If Your Highness could select the best poem from both sides, we would all be convinced.”