Empress’ Game: Make-up Master Chapter 66 - What It Means to Humiliate Yourself

Wu Jinghua ignored Wu Sheyue’s objection and directly drew one from the pile. She did not hand it over. Instead, she opened it herself in front of everyone and showed them the character on it: “flower.”

Then she smiled at Wu Sheyue and said, “Third Sister, didn’t you agree to play the game? This character is very simple.”

Although she was a little disappointed that she had not drawn a rare character, after thinking about it carefully, it did not matter. This fool had spent the past ten years eating bugs and had never studied or written. What difference did the character make? It was precisely because of this consideration that she had organized everyone to play this game.

Wu Sheyue thought for a moment. Countless poetic lines instantly flashed through her mind.

Seeing Wu Sheyue silent, Wu Jinghua thought she was troubled. Her heart grew even more pleased, and she continued with a gloating kindness, “Third Sister, don’t be nervous. Just say a few lines. Don’t be afraid.”

Zhao Mo’er cooperated perfectly with Wu Jinghua and smiled as well. “That’s right. We’re only playing among ourselves. We won’t demand too much precision. Third Miss, just say whatever comes to mind. We won’t make things difficult for you. Even if our own literary talent is lacking, those young masters over there are well-read. Perhaps they can help you revise it.” As she spoke, her flirtatious eyes swept toward the young masters and ladies.

The girls who had gone to the lake with Wu Jinghua earlier also chimed in one after another.

Han Yi looked like he was watching a show. He leaned close to Yu Jing’s ear and said, “Tsk, this Second Miss Wu is very narrow-minded. But have you heard? They say this Third Miss Wu only just recovered from a foolish illness. Tsk, tsk…”

“In any case, who humiliates whom is still uncertain.” As Yu Jing spoke, he casually snatched Han Yi’s fan and used it to fan himself.

Han Yi raised his brows and asked in a low voice, “Oh? You’re not saying Third Miss Wu can actually compose something, are you?”

Yu Jing did not answer. Han Yi watched Wu Sheyue with even more interest.

Wu Jinghua could think of the fact that Wu Sheyue had never studied, and naturally others could too. Several young ladies and gentlemen felt that the game was making things difficult for Wu Sheyue, but this was a matter between sisters, and they could not casually interfere.

Only after Wu Jinghua and Zhao Mo’er finished saying all their “kind words” did Wu Sheyue lean back, unable to help crossing her legs, and say lazily, “Since everyone is being so tolerant of me, I’ll just say something casually.”

“Third Miss Wu, please speak. It’s all right.”

Wu Sheyue thought for a moment and said, “Among the flowers, one jug of wine; I drink alone, with no one dear beside me. I raise my cup to invite the bright moon, and with my shadow, we become three.”

As soon as she finished, the surroundings fell silent. No one spoke. Wu Sheyue added, “Did I pass?”

Still no one spoke. The atmosphere was extremely strange. Wu Sheyue was a little puzzled. She turned and saw Wu Jinghua glaring at her with eyes full of fire. A thought suddenly flashed through her mind. Could it be… they had heard this poem before?

Since coming to the Prime Minister’s Residence, Wu Sheyue had read many works from this dynasty, but she had not paid attention to literature. She awkwardly tried to smooth things over. “Wh-what’s wrong? I said that casually. If it’s not good, I’ll do another one… ‘Wild flowers are about to dazzle the eye, and shallow grass can barely hide a horse’s hoof.’ How about that?”

After Wu Sheyue said this, from the corner of her eye, she saw several young masters nearby looking at one another. She grew uncertain. No way. Did they know Bai Juyi too?

In the month since she had transmigrated into the Prime Minister’s Residence, Wu Sheyue felt for the first time that she might not be able to control the situation. Forcing herself, she added, “Then… ‘At the times I mourn, flowers splash with tears; in parting grief, birds startle the heart’?”

But as soon as she said that line, she regretted it. If they knew Li Bai, would they really not know Du Fu? Why bring up Du Fu?

Wu Sheyue sighed. She had originally wanted to be lazy and borrow great poets’ lines directly, but now it seemed… she would have to spend effort thinking of one herself.

At that moment, a young master suddenly asked, “Third Miss, have you attended a private school? Or hired a teacher? May I ask the teacher’s name?”

After he asked, everyone finally began sighing in admiration.

“Third Miss reacts so quickly!”

“I think she’s very impressive.”

“Three lines in a row, and every one is a masterpiece!”

Hearing these words, Wu Sheyue was stunned. So… she had not been exposed?

Han Yi, who was watching from the side, widened his eyes and clicked his tongue. “Oh? She’s capable.”

Yu Jing only smiled. He could tell that Wu Sheyue’s awkward expression just now did not look fake. She truly was interesting.

Listening to everyone’s praise, Wu Jinghua went from disbelief at first to burning rage afterward. How was this possible? She could not believe that Wu Sheyue could compose such fine poetry, and three lines in a row at that.

She had hoped Wu Sheyue would publicly lose face, or perhaps… after realizing she was being teased, would strike someone the way she had last time. But… how had she managed to compose? No, she should not know poetry.

At this moment, all of Wu Jinghua’s old and new grudges with Wu Sheyue surged into her mind. She suddenly raised her voice and demanded loudly, “How could you possibly know how to compose poetry?”

At this shout, everyone around them looked at Wu Jinghua in astonishment.

Wu Sheyue smiled calmly and asked, “Then why shouldn’t I know?”

Wu Jinghua stared wide-eyed and said righteously, “You were clearly a fool before. You never read a single day’s worth of books. How could you possibly have learned poetry? Tell us, where did you copy these from?”

After she said this, everyone turned to look at Wu Sheyue again.

“Oh? Second Sister knows I never studied? As for whether I copied them or not… could I have known in advance what prompt Second Sister would draw for me?” Wu Sheyue had always liked people like Wu Jinghua, who never learned no matter how many times they fell.

Wu Sheyue’s sentence choked Wu Jinghua. Wu Jinghua was certain Wu Sheyue had copied them, but when she wanted to prove Wu Sheyue lacked the ability, she could not say anything.

Zhao Mo’er feared Wu Jinghua would ruin her own reputation, so she hurriedly stood to smooth things over. “Ah, Jinghua, don’t be like this. Third Miss is clearly… an extraordinary woman. But true, Third Miss has only just recovered and already composed such excellent poems. It really is beyond what we expected. Why doesn’t Third Miss Wu recite two more lines, so everyone can set aside their doubts?”

“In any case, Third Miss has this ability. What is there to fear?”

“That does seem reasonable…”

Those who supported them echoed one after another. Watching this, Wu Sheyue truly wanted to applaud Zhao Mo’er. Zhao Mo’er was wasting her talent by willingly being Wu Jinghua’s little follower. She claimed to be smoothing things over, but she was clearly encouraging Wu Sheyue to compose more poems.

Wu Jinghua finally reacted. Wu Sheyue could not possibly have real literary talent, so she hurriedly changed her tone and explained, “I was only… only curious.” She tried hard to put on a good expression, but it only made her features twist.