Empress’ Game: Make-up Master Chapter 67 - A Reliable Best-Friend Bond

The girls who had come with Wu Jinghua all chimed in.

“Third Miss Wu, do another one.”

“Yes. Your poems are so beautiful. Let us experience a few more.”

“All right, all right.” As Wu Sheyue spoke, she suddenly rose and walked straight past Wu Jinghua. Under everyone’s astonished gazes, she came to the table where the paper slips had been placed.

Wu Sheyue did not pick or choose. She casually picked one up and opened it. “Sky… Mm. ‘A crane cleaves the clear autumn sky and draws my poetic heart to the blue heavens.'”

Then she picked up the second slip. “Stars? ‘Such stars and such a night are not as they were before; for whom do I stand in wind and露 until midnight?'”

The third. “Spring again. Someone wrote a repeated character, didn’t they? ‘Who cut these slender leaves? The spring wind in the second month is like scissors.'”

“Water: ‘Through flowers, canyon butterflies appear deep and hidden; skimming water, dragonflies fly slowly.'”

“Lotus: ‘In Jiangnan, one may pick lotus; how lush the lotus leaves are.'”

“Moon…”

Each time Wu Sheyue picked up a slip, she immediately recited a matching line. Some were ones she had memorized, and some, when she could not search her memory in time, she composed on the spot. Without exception, every line was splendid.

Just like that, she opened all the remaining half of the slips on the table. The air fell silent. Everyone around seemed stunned, and not one person spoke.

Wu Sheyue raised her brow. “Does anyone still have any doubts? Stand up and give me a topic on the spot. If you don’t bring it up now, don’t gossip later.”

Han Yi chuckled and was the first to speak. “My, my. Prime Minister Wu has truly hidden her away. We never knew he had such an impressive daughter before.”

Yu Jing said meaningfully, “Third Miss has many impressive qualities.”

Since the young prince and Heir Han had both spoken, the others naturally praised her as well. Seeing Yu Jing regard Wu Sheyue so differently, Wu Jinghua’s mind went blank. Zhao Mo’er grew anxious and went over to tug at Wu Jinghua’s sleeve, desperately signaling for her not to act impulsively.

Wu Jinghua’s eyes held tears, and she pressed her lips together, struggling to say, “Forget it. I was only questioning it a little. Third Sister is so outstanding. I… of course I’m happy.”

Clearly Wu Sheyue was the one who had been questioned, yet Wu Jinghua looked as if she had been wronged.

As soon as Wu Jinghua finished speaking, a clear female voice cut in from nearby. “There are so many people here. What are you all playing?”

Everyone looked over. The speaker was Jiang Ying, dressed in a fiery red long skirt. Beside her was Wu Liuyun in pale purple gradient robes.

The crowd sighed in admiration. Today, not only were the young prince and Heir Han present, even the top two among Qinan’s Four Beauties had come. Half of Qinan’s prominent figures had truly gathered here today.

For the women, Wu Liuyun’s arrival was not a good thing. But for the wealthy young masters, they now had something to discuss.

Immediately, several men began talking in low voices.

“It’s Miss Wu and Miss Jiang!”

“They’re so beautiful. They really are unmatched…”

“Actually, I think Third Miss Wu isn’t much worse.”

“But there is a difference between legitimate and concubine-born. Ah…”

Wu Jinghua was so angry she almost spat blood. Wu Liuyun was like someone who glowed. As long as she appeared, she basically took away everyone’s attention. Wu Sheyue had just made her lose face, and now Wu Liuyun had come to ruin the scene too.

She mumbled, “Eldest Sister and Miss Jiang came at just the right time. We’re playing a game here.”

As they were speaking, Wu Sheyue suddenly sensed something wrong with Ning’er behind her. She looked back and saw that Ning’er was very tense, even a little afraid. Wu Sheyue found it strange. Could these two who had just arrived make her afraid?

Ning’er often saw Wu Liuyun, so it should not be Wu Liuyun. Could it be because of this Miss Jiang?

Wu Liuyun addressed Yu Jing and Han Yi directly. “Heir Han and the young prince are both here.”

Yu Jing gave a sound of assent.

Han Yi was much warmer. He smiled and said, “Long time no see.”

“Yes, long time no see.”

Han Yi suddenly looked toward Yu Jing beside him and asked curiously, “Hey, why didn’t the crown prince come today?”

Yu Jing ignored him, while everyone else was curious why he would ask that. How could the crown prince deliberately come here?

Wu Liuyun’s expression remained cold and unreadable.

Jiang Ying continued asking Wu Jinghua, “What are you playing? Is it difficult?”

Wu Jinghua was not very willing as she said, “Just now we were composing poems…”

“Then are you done?” Jiang Ying immediately smiled happily. “It’s so lively here. Include me too. Liuyun, what do you think?”

As soon as Jiang Ying’s agreement fell, Ning’er’s body began to tremble. Wu Sheyue suddenly reached out and held Ning’er’s hand.

Ning’er’s hand was very cold, and her palm was full of cold sweat. She was frightened, then suddenly felt warmth coming from her hand. Just like that, Ning’er gradually calmed down. Miss was here. What did she have to fear?

Seeing that Ning’er seemed fine, Wu Sheyue let go again.

With people joining twice in a row, the scale of the game became larger. And now that Wu Liuyun was present, Wu Jinghua no longer had the right to speak.

As soon as Jiang Ying pulled Wu Liuyun down to sit, she excitedly said to everyone, “How about matching couplets? Poetry is done by one person, but matching couplets involves two.”

Seeing no one object, Jiang Ying smiled slyly. “Just matching couplets is dull. Why don’t we add stakes?” As she spoke, she slipped a beautiful bracelet from her wrist.

Under everyone’s curious gaze, Jiang Ying placed the bracelet on the table. “How about this. Everyone puts up an item as a stake here. Each person takes turns giving an opening line. Whoever responds fastest and responds correctly may take one item. If no one can answer, the person who posed the line may take two. How is that? Interesting, right?”

After she said this, everyone fell silent. The mood cooled at once. Once money was involved, everyone naturally had selfish thoughts.

When attending a banquet at someone else’s home, who would wear anything poor? An inferior item would be embarrassing to put out, but an expensive item might not be won back.

Not everyone present had a prominent background like Yu Jing or Han Yi and could spend money like water. If they could not answer later, losing face would be bad enough, but mainly, they would not recover their stake. Would that not be a loss greater than the gain?

While everyone murmured without answering, the first to respond to Jiang Ying was Wu Liuyun, who was usually the most indifferent.

She removed the only hairpin from her head, took off the orange-red crystal tassel hanging from it, and casually placed it beside Jiang Ying’s bracelet.

Everyone was surprised and sighed in admiration. She had actually put up a crystal directly as a stake, so casually and without concern. As expected, the Prime Minister’s Residence was wealthy and generous.

What shocked people even more was that immediately after Wu Liuyun, the second person to respond was actually Wu Sheyue, who had just shone so brightly. Wu Sheyue had thought it through. If sitting obediently would still lead to harassment, then she might as well be direct. Who couldn’t play games?