Although Situ Qiang was a concubine-born daughter, she was the Crown Prince’s first child and had been raised from childhood according to the standards of a legitimate daughter.
Tang Rui had grown up outside the palace—how could she possibly compare?
Situ Che furrowed his brows. “Tang Rui just returned not long ago. As for the contest…”
“Seventh Brother!” The Crown Prince interrupted with a smile. “It’s just a bit of fun between children. We adults shouldn’t interfere, right?”
Tang Rui’s eyes darted around. “Then… Uncle Crown Prince, is there a wager?”
The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow. “You want a wager too?”
“Yes!” Tang Rui had taken a liking to his jade pendant at first sight. “Your jade pendant is quite nice. If I win, can I have it?”
Princess Consort Li quickly hugged Tang Rui. “Ruirui, don’t—”
“Fine!” The Crown Prince readily removed the pendant from his waist. “I’ll go along with you. This jade will be my wager.”
“Uncle Crown Prince is so generous!” Tang Rui then looked at the other princes, her lively eyes rolling around. “Uncle Crown Prince has already put up his wager.”
The implication: What about yours?
Third Prince Chen gave a barely perceptible smile and also removed his jade pendant. “This is my wager. With this pendant, you’ll have free passage through Chen Manor.”
Fifth Prince Rui also took off his pendant. “A pendant—it’s not like I don’t have one.”
“One more pendant. I’d like to see what this little thing can do.” Sixth Prince Xiang removed his pendant and tossed it onto the table.
“I didn’t bring my pendant out today!” Ninth Prince Jin pulled out a stack of silver notes. “Little Zhaohua, will ten thousand taels of silver notes do?”
“That works, that works!” Tang Rui nodded like a pounding pestle, then looked at her own father.
Situ Che was speechless. “I need to put up a wager too?”
Tang Rui didn’t say a word, just silently stared at the pendant at his waist.
“…You win!”
Situ Che removed his pendant.
Princess Consort Li’s eyes widened from the side.
Others might not know, but she did—this pendant of the Prince’s could mobilize all the guards of the manor.
And he was just giving it to Tang Rui?
Tang Rui was satisfied and turned her gaze to the Emperor.
Receiving her gaze, the Emperor took a long moment to react before pointing at himself. “I… need to put up a wager too?”
Tang Rui lowered her head and fiddled with her chubby little hands, mumbling softly, “Actually, it’s not necessary. After all, I love Imperial Grandfather the most, so I won’t make him part with anything.”
The Emperor: “…” Your expression says otherwise.
Fine, fine!
This girl was clever as a fox, utterly adorable, and sweet-tongued—she said she loved him!
Most importantly, she was Seventh’s child, and he was happy to spoil her.
The Emperor said with a chuckle, “Zhaohua, what wager do you want?”
Tang Rui immediately fixed her gaze on the imperial jade seal on his dragon desk.
The Emperor’s brow twitched, and the other princes’ eyes twitched wildly.
Are you out of your mind? Did you eat a dragon’s gall?
How dare you be so bold?
The Crown Prince’s eyes darkened. Before he could say “How presumptuous,” Tang Rui’s eyes rolled upward and fixed on the oversized Eastern Pearl on the Emperor’s crown.
Good heavens, were you a treasure-hunting divine beast in your past life?
First the imperial seal, now the Emperor’s dragon crown?
The Crown Prince said darkly, “Father, she’s far too bold.”
Tang Rui looked utterly innocent. “Uncle Crown Prince, I haven’t said anything at all. How am I bold?”
“You—” The Crown Prince was choked.
Indeed, Tang Rui hadn’t actually said anything—she’d just been letting her eyes wander.
Situ Qiang said irritably, “Are you going to compete or not?”
“Of course I am! But…” Tang Rui stared fixedly at the large Eastern Pearl on the Emperor’s dragon crown.
Her left cheek said “I want it,” and her right cheek said “Give it to me.”
The Emperor rubbed his forehead and glanced at the chief eunuch, Chen Defu.
Chen Defu understood instantly and said with a smile, “Princess Zhaohua, the Eastern Pearl is far too precious, and we truly don’t have any spares. How about… a night pearl instead?”
“Fine!” It could serve as a light bulb at night—very practical.
Tang Rui was satisfied and finally deigned to acknowledge Situ Qiang. “So what are we competing in?”
Situ Qiang snorted coldly. “I won’t bully you. We’ll compete in reciting poetry—on the theme of lotus flowers. Whoever can’t recite anymore loses.”
“Oh!” Tang Rui understood. “Then you go first!”
Situ Qiang rose, straightened her back, and said proudly, “Hastily the years flow like water; bright and fair, twin lotus blooms on one stem.”
Tang Rui seamlessly continued: “The lotus leaves stretch to the sky in endless green; the lotus flowers glow uniquely red beneath the sun.”
“Excellent!” Fifth Prince Rui, the most learned of them all, savored the verses with an appreciative expression. “Using the boundless green lotus leaves to set off the strikingly red lotus flowers under the sunlight—it enhances the emotional impact and visual imagery. Zhaohua, I’ve never heard this poem before. Did you compose it just now?”
“No!” Tang Rui thought to herself, It’s from Three Hundred Tang Poems. “Aren’t we reciting poems? This is… this is a poem my master composed.”
“You have a master?” Prince Rui said in surprise. “May I ask who your master is…”
“Master is just master! She’s the one who sent me to find Father!” She couldn’t reveal the location of Divine Doctor Valley, nor her master’s identity—otherwise, her master would beat her.
“Well…”
“Fifth Uncle, this is between her and me right now.”
Situ Qiang interrupted Prince Rui’s words with displeasure.
Prince Rui rolled his eyes in exasperation and said bluntly, “You’re already eight, and Zhaohua is only five. Even if you win, it’s hardly a fair victory.”
Situ Qiang’s face darkened.
Of course she knew that, but her heart was too unbalanced to care.
Besides, this was a chance to shine in front of the Imperial Grandfather. If she won, maybe he would see her talent and grant her the title of Commandery Princess too!
Situ Qiang composed herself and continued reciting: “The moonlight is hazy as it shines upon the small pavilion, its clear radiance scattering across the lotus-filled pond.”
Tang Rui seamlessly picked up again: “By the Ruoye Creek, a lotus-picking maiden, smiling across the flowers as she chats with others.”
“You…” Situ Qiang gritted her teeth, thought for a moment, then continued: “Summer rain… summer rain falls without a trace upon the heart, emerald leaves and pink lotuses fill the courtyard with fragrance.”
“When the lotus has shed its umbrella-like leaves, the chrysanthemum still stands proudly with its frost-defying branches.”
…
The two went back and forth, but Situ Qiang’s pace grew slower and slower, her recitations more and more halting.
Tang Rui, backed by her arsenal of three hundred Tang poems, responded seamlessly without a moment’s hesitation, the verses flowing from her lips as naturally as breathing.
Every single one was a masterpiece that would echo through the ages.
The other princes were impressed enough, but Prince Rui’s eyes were practically gleaming as he looked at Tang Rui, wishing he could immediately meet her teacher and discuss poetry at length.
By the end, Situ Qiang had nearly exhausted the little knowledge she had. After a long pause, she finally managed: “In the pond, the lotus… has just… just begun to show its tips, little specks of tender green… tender green… so endearing.”
“Lovely lotuses stand tall and auspicious, rising gracefully from the water. A single stem stretches forth its green, twin shadows share the pink hue. Their color outshines the singer’s face, their fragrance tangles in the dancer’s sleeves. The famed lotus is worthy of remembrance—how much more so when two hearts beat as one!”
After reciting, Tang Rui flashed a sweet smile at Princess Consort Li. “This poem is for Mother and Father.”
“Excellent!” Prince Rui was beside himself with excitement. “For such a young child as Zhaohua to memorize so many poems, each one a timeless masterpiece—your teacher must surely be a great scholar of both virtue and talent.”