Chapter 35 The Coming-of-age Ceremony, Part 2

It was Prince Jing who had spoken.

"Good idea." The Emperor nodded. "Shang'er, please paint another one now."

Before Yun Shang could answer, Li Luo spoke up. "Your Highness, are you afraid? Fake is fake, don't you agree?"

Yun Shang didn't answer. Instead she smiled and looked at her father. "I'm innocent, but there are always troublemakers." Then she turned to the annoying man. "Let's make a bet! If I win, you must do me a favor, and if I lose, I will do you a favor. Do you agree?"

"Okay, but I don't believe you can paint so well." tittered Li Luo.

On hearing the bet, other guests also chimed in. "Li Luo will win!"

"Please make a note." Yun Shan instructed Lord Zheng.

The excitement around the bet increased and a number of other guests joined in as well. However, they all seemed to be supporting Li Luo. When the game was about to start, a cold voice could be heard above everyone else's. "I wager the Princess will win, " said Prince Jing.

In the guests' hubbub, Yun Shang took the parchment from Zheng and handed it to her father. "I humbly request you to be the judge."

"Agreed!" The Emperor readily consented and sat back.

A servant quickly brought pen, ink, paper, and an ink stone. Yun Shang took the pen and smiled. "Besides lotus, I also like iris, which is said to be in the netherworld. I'm going to draw irises today."

As she began to draw, all eyes were fixed on Yun Shang. She drew with great decisiveness and skill.

Pretty soon, the painting was done. A servant took the paper and showed it to everyone.

With a smile, the Emperor spoke to a white-bearded minister who had not yet spoken. "As th

ing. "The first time I met her, I wrote her name in my heart..."

Yun Shang closed her eyes and recalled their story, right from acquaintance to marriage, and then to betrayal. She forced herself not to cry. As the music grew more affectionate, her hatred grew stronger.

After the song finished, no one spoke. Neither did Yun Shang. After a while, she looked up and smiled. "Pleasant. But I'm sorry. I have no ear for music, so I cannot fully appreciate it."

Hearing that, Mo Jingran stood up in defeat. The spark had left his eyes. Just as he turned to leave, a sachet fell out of his sleeve. He didn't notice it. But the woman next to him did. She picked it up and called out, "Your sachet, sir."

Mo Jingran paused and look back at the woman. "Oh..."

The woman was about to give it back, but then she frowned. "Eh, the embroidery on this sachet is the same as the one we saw today!"

Her remark caught everyone's attention. They began murmuring. "Yes, it is Hunan embroidery. Both the stitch and needlework are amazing. I'm afraid that no one is capable of such work, except one person..."