Chapter 078
Chapter 78: Why Do I Feel Like You’re Saying I’m Blind?
“Second young master, who would’ve thought? You’re surprisingly good at holding a child. If His Majesty hadn’t told us this was the fourth young miss, we’d have thought she was your own daughter.”
“Exactly, just look at how you’re holding her. That posture’s more proper than even my sister’s.”
“But seriously, why would second young master bring such a young child to a place like this? What if the noise gives her a headache?”
As soon as Mo Yuan Lin’s attention shifted away from Yun Wan Ye, Wei Chao Hui and the others immediately swarmed over, chattering in hushed amusement.
Yun Wan Ning grew visibly displeased and began grumbling in her heart: [The one who said I looked like second brother’s daughter, step forward! What’s going on in your head? Second brother hasn’t even come of age, hasn’t married, where would he get a daughter from? And you over there calling me little sister—thanks for the concern, but let me make something clear: I came here because I wanted to. I love lively events. Noise doesn’t give me headaches.]
Yun Wan Ye: [My little sister really has the leisure for this… replying to each of their nonsense one by one.]
“You all need to back off, you’re blocking my little sister’s sunshine.” He arched a brow and spoke lazily, leaving the whole group speechless.
When had he ever been this considerate?
“Don’t be like that, we haven’t even gotten a good look at her yet. Come on, let us see.”
None of the young lords budged—instead, they leaned in closer, gazes filled with curiosity as they looked toward the swaddled Yun Wan Ning.
The little milk bun’s eyes sparkled like black grapes, twirling about as she stared back at them. The young lords’ eyes lit up in turn, faces blooming with gentle “auntie smiles,” their hearts melting to a puddle.
“Wow, second young master’s little sister is way too adorable. No wonder he treasures her like this. If I had a sister like that, I’d dote on her too.”
“Exactly! She’s cuter than every baby I’ve ever seen.”
“Well, are we really surprised? Look who her brother is. Our second young master is practically a calamity-level beauty. Would his sister be anything less?”
“No kidding. Honestly, Uncle Yun and Madam really hit the jackpot with their kids. All four siblings are stunning. When little sister grows up, I bet she’ll be just as breathtaking as the eldest miss.”
[…]
[You all… really out here telling the brutal truth, huh.]
[What a bunch of honest kids. I guess saving you that time wasn’t for nothing.]
Yun Wan Ning recognized these faces—they were the same loafers who always hung around Yun Wan Ye in the original plot. By now, they should have either been beheaded or exiled.
Clearly, everything had changed since she’d rescued Yun Wan Ye. Because he hadn’t attended that fateful gathering, the chain of events that followed was disrupted, sparing them all.
So, in a way, she had saved their lives.
Yun Wan Ye: [Telling the brutal truth”? Is that how she puts it?]
[And who exactly are the “kids” here?]
[Maybe little sister should take a look in the mirror before calling others children.]
On the stage—
Jiang Zi Tang had just finished her first poem and set down her brush with grace. Four grand scholars promptly stepped forward to lift the rice paper bearing her calligraphy, examining it with scholarly intensity.
Meanwhile, Jiang Zi Tang began seeking inspiration for her second poem. Her eyes swept over the blooming plum blossoms. Suddenly, one delicate petal caught her gaze—suspended mid-air by a thread of ice, trembling ever so lightly.
She stepped closer, studying it intently as elegant lines of verse began to bloom in her mind.
Yun Wan Yao looked away from her, and happened to catch sight of Lu Huai Jin and Yun Wan Ye standing with a group of young lords nearby.
These two rarely got along—every encounter ended with sharp glares and biting words. Yet today, they stood in peace, each minding their own space. Perhaps it was the setting that kept them civil.
Lu Huai Jin, though, seemed to be watching someone—his gaze fixed on the heroine.
Yun Wan Yao’s eyes twitched, her nerves tightening as Yun Wan Ning’s heart voice echoed in her mind—reminding her of the role this man would play in Princess’s tragic story.
How could she forget something so important?
This Lu Huai Jin… he would one day be the one to bring about Princess’s ruin.
“Princess, may I ask something? Young Master Xie never leaves A’Tang’s side, yet why isn’t Lu Huai Jin sitting with you?”
Yun Wan Yao leaned toward Mo Zhao Zhao, whispering softly, her voice deliberately suggestive.
It was her first time trying something like this. Her heart raced with nerves and uncertainty, but she didn’t hesitate.
“Oh, that?” Mo Zhao Zhao blinked. “Huai Jin was called away by a friend.”
“A’Yao, you know he’s different from Young Master Xie. That one is aloof by nature—doesn’t interact with anyone besides his elder cousin. But Huai Jin’s always liked making friends with like-minded young lords. In a setting like this, of course he’s with his friends. They have more in common to talk about.”
Yun Wan Yao said nothing at first.
Then, with a thoughtful sigh, she added meaningfully, “Is that so? I thought I saw him watching Su Qian Xue just now.”
“And speaking of which, back at my little sister’s full moon banquet, wasn’t it Lu Huai Jin who pulled Su Qian Xue from the water?”
What???
Lu Huai Jin… was watching Su Qian Xue?
Mo Zhao Zhao’s expression changed in an instant. Her eyes darted toward the crowd, and sure enough—Lu Huai Jin’s gaze was locked onto Su Qian Xue.
She hadn’t noticed before. And now that she had—he wasn’t even trying to hide it?
Her hands clenched into fists, fury rising like a tide.
She got angry even when her own elder brother looked at Su Qian Xue for a second—let alone her own fiancé.
Lu Huai Jin!
You’ve got some nerve!
Mo Zhao Zhao’s eyes gleamed darkly as she silently recorded this offense deep in her heart.
“Princess, your wedding is only a few months away. This is a lifelong matter. Don’t you think… you should reconsider? Are you truly sure about marrying Lu Huai Jin?”
“A’Yao, why would you say that?” Mo Zhao Zhao turned to her in confusion. “The date is already set. What’s there to think about?”
Yun Wan Yao let out a soft sigh and said, “Princess, forgive me if this offends you. But I must speak the truth. I’ve always felt Lu Huai Jin isn’t worthy of you.”
“In scholarship, he’s far beneath Young Master Xie, who became top scholar at only thirteen. In martial strength, there are plenty of noble sons more accomplished than he. As for his character, he’s done nothing admirable. And his background—well, best not even mention that.”
“What kind of status could a concubine’s son possibly claim as a birthright?”
“Even his looks—countless others surpass him. A princess, born noble and graced with beauty, should be matched with the finest man under heaven.”
Mo Zhao Zhao narrowed her eyes, speechless.
Yun Wan Yao tilted her head and said teasingly, “A’Yao, why do I get the feeling you’re calling me blind?”
The way A’Yao put it, Lu Huai Jin seemed to have absolutely no redeeming qualities.
She let out a soft sigh. “Maybe he isn’t outstanding in every way, but he treats me well. In Great Wu, there’s a law that any man who marries a princess cannot serve in court.”
“When I was young, besides you and Elder Cousin, I had no other companions. Those sons of noble families treated me like some monstrous plague and avoided me like the wind.”
“But only Huai Jin didn’t care whether marrying me meant forfeiting an official career. After he met me, he would always take the initiative to visit.”
“I wasn’t allowed to leave the palace back then. Each time he came, he’d bring rare little trinkets from outside and run wild with me in the palace grounds.”
“There was one time I got too curious and tried to climb a tall tree. Halfway up, I slipped. I thought I was going to die for sure—but the pain I braced for never came.”
“He’d caught me. He’d thrown himself underneath and became a human cushion. I broke several of his bones. He lay in bed for months.”
Mo Zhao Zhao’s gaze softened as she sank into those distant memories.
Lu Huai Jin, though born of a concubine, and though favored by Marquis Chang Le, had a difficult childhood. The marquis still had to consider the face of the main house and the honor of his lawful wife. In those days, Lu Huai Jin lived far from the ease and glory he now enjoyed.
Yet despite that, he gave her all the warmth and joy he could.
Those memories—those genuine, irreplaceable moments—no amount of status or wealth could ever replicate.
Yun Wan Yao’s lips pressed into a flat line. [Foolish princess. Yes, Great Wu does have a law forbidding officials from marrying a princess. But not everyone dreams of court life.]
[Lu Huai Jin is the son of a concubine. Who’s to say his ambition wasn’t the title of Young Marquis all along?]
[And all these things you just described… to an outsider like me, they sound far too rehearsed. With Little Sister’s heart voice confirming it, there’s no doubt—she’s trying to win our sympathy.]
[A calculated charm offensive.]
[Now that Lu Huai Jin has squeezed out the marquis’s legitimate heir and claimed the title for himself, who dares say that wasn’t his goal from the start?]
She sighed silently. [A chill that seeps this deep doesn’t form in a day. If you want her to wake up, it won’t happen overnight.]
Yun Wan Yao reluctantly let go of the idea of sowing further doubt—for now.
This was a long game. The plan must unfold slowly, step by step.
Soon, Jiang Zi Tang completed her second poem. The scholarly elder presiding as master of ceremonies, along with four renowned scholars, took turns reading it over. One by one, they nodded with pleased expressions.
The master, beard flowing and eyes twinkling, turned to scan the gathered nobles and young talents. His deep, resounding voice rang clearly across the venue.
With his rousing speech, the crowd’s attention—young lords, noble daughters, even the notorious rascals led by Yun Wan Ye—returned to the stage in full.
Wei Chao Hui stared lazily at the platform and drawled, “Well, the opening remarks are over. Now it’s time for the famed Miss Jiang’s new compositions. Let’s pay attention, all of us.”
[Finally, after all this waiting, the winter banquet is officially underway.]
[Let me think. What’s the sequence of events again?]
[Step one: everyone arrives. Step two: take your seats. Step three: the master opens with a speech. Step four: Jiang Zi Tang presents her poetry. Step five: critiques. Step six: friendly exchanges.]
[And what are ‘friendly exchanges’?]
[It means today, anyone with talent gets to show off to their heart’s content. This banquet is a perfect opportunity for aspiring scholars and gifted ladies to make a name for themselves.]
[If you write a brilliant poem or an impressive essay, you could become famous in Haojing overnight. You might even catch the eye of an official and be offered a rare promotion.]
[And for those still unmarried, this is a golden chance to get first pick in the marriage market. People always wear rose-colored glasses when it comes to the talented.]
[The friendly exchange goes on for a while. Then comes the part where the master and great scholars discover promising new literary stars.]
[After that, it’s free mingling between the guests.]
[Every year, the winter banquet leads to a few new matches—that’s its ultimate goal.]
Tsk. Just attending this banquet had Yun Wan Ye expanding his vocabulary.
Words like “making a name,” “channels,” “priority in choosing a spouse,” “halo effect,” and “potential stock”—he wouldn’t have known what any of them meant alone, but strung together like that, he could sort of grasp the meaning.
And just like that, his understanding of the winter banquet changed completely.
“Everyone, these are our talented Miss Jiang’s latest works. Please, enjoy them together.”
Seeing the room’s focus fully restored, the master cleared his throat and began to recite Jiang Zi Tang’s two new poems.
The first:
“Winter Banquet: Snow-Cloaked Mountains and Rivers”
Snow dances upon mountain and river, unfurling a painted scroll.
Ink and brush tell of bold hearts.
Facing the wind, defying the snow, poetic inspiration flows—
Ten thousand miles of wintry grace beckon spring’s return.
The second:
“Winter Banquet: Fallen Plum Blossoms”
Fallen red knows not love’s sorrow,
Spinning down to winter’s mire.
A silver thread, the blossom pities itself,
Welcoming the cold wind with one final dance.
Clearly, the second poem had been inspired by the plum blossom Jiang Zi Tang had just seen earlier.
Both compositions resonated beautifully with the snowy ice lake surrounding them. Everyone had already witnessed Jiang Zi Tang’s literary skill before today. These two new poems might not be astonishing, but they were certainly solid and respectable. So as the master finished reciting, murmured discussions quickly filled the hall.
As expected, the two poems were exactly as Little Sister had described with her heart voice. That meant Su Qian Xue’s upcoming work should go off without a hitch.
Yun Wan Yao was both excited and tense. Excited because everything was unfolding as planned, and tense for fear of some sudden, uncontrollable twist.
“‘Facing the wind, defying the snow, poetic inspiration flows. Ten thousand miles of wintry grace beckon spring’s return.’ Just hearing that makes me want to get up and compose something myself,” Zhu Yong Cheng muttered, lips twitching.
But the moment he spoke, mocking voices rained down from all sides.
“You? Please. You’re good at brawling, sure—I’ll give you that. But poetry? You’re out of your depth.”
“Exactly. I agree. How many characters can you even recognize? You think you can write poems?”
“Hahaha! What, did you hit your head this morning?”
“……”
Zhu Yong Cheng was dumbstruck. [Can’t a man even make an offhand comment anymore?]
Off to the side, Su Qian Xue’s lips curled into a confident, victorious smile.
As expected—this world’s so-called talented ladies didn’t amount to much.
Two meaningless, overly sentimental pieces like that, and they dare call her the “foremost prodigy maiden”?
She could summon better lines in her sleep. In fact, her head was already packed with hundreds of superior works.
Soon, she would show this crowd of narrow-sighted bumpkins what a true masterpiece looked like.
Today, she would blind them all with brilliance—again.