Chapter 126

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Miss Wanying harbored some affection towards Hou Yuebai. Seeing him embarrassed, especially ridiculed by a mere servant, she couldn't hold her peace. She quickly interjected, "The question posed by Master Hou was filled with elegance, yet your response was utterly crude."

‘A crab was posed, I replied with a spider; lady they are in their unsightliness, so why does this supposed top scholar proclaim my response to be crude?’ Rumor had it that this Wanying was some sort of constable. Lin Wanrong held her in low regard. With her pretentious airs, she was likely relying on a bit of authority, playing the part of a fox assuming the grandeur of a tiger.

"Big brother, that can't be allowed." A woman's voice echoed from behind. Lin Wanrong recognized it and turned around to see Luo Ning, the top female scholar of Jinling, slowly approaching. Only then did he remember that he was in her territory. With those fools trying to build their poem chain and ridicule his response, he suspected she had been hiding nearby, chuckling to herself.

Luo Ning cast a smile at Lin Wanrong. "Brother Lin," she said, "your reference is to a spider, does it not also mock us? I might take it lightly, but wasn't Miss Xiao also a famed female scholar in her day? You wouldn't want to drag her into this, would you?" Having said this, a playful smile graced her face, apparently curious about how both Miss Xiao and Lin Wanrong would respond.

"Nice to see you, Miss Luo," Xiao Yuruo greeted her respectfully. It seemed these two women had met before, though they weren't particularly familiar.

Luo Ning laughed, "Where's the need for such formalities, Sister Xiao? Having such a capable man under your command, I must admit, I'm impressed."

Hearing Luo Ning's words, and noting her addressing Lin Wanrong as "Brother Lin", suggesting she was familiar with this Lin San, Miss Xiao cast a curious look at him. This Lin San seemed to have a wide circle of acquaintances, including the son and daughter of the Governor. She couldn't help but wonder how many secrets he was still hiding.

Hou Yuebai, Jinling's top male scholar and a devoted admirer of Luo Ning, noticed Miss Luo's familiarity with this Lin San. Having been ridiculed by Lin Wanrong earlier, he was afraid he had made a bad impression on Miss Luo. Hastily, he interjected, "Miss Luo, this servant lacks knowledge and manners, skilled only in the art of speech, learnt from God knows where. Please don't take his words to heart."

Damn it, Lin Wanrong had never been too keen on these so-called scholars, male or female. Even the stunningly beautiful Luo Ning couldn't stir his interest. How could he fear this damned top scholar?

Nevertheless, Luo Ning's earlier remark hit the nail on the head. His analogy of the spider was meant for women; by saying it, he had unintentionally offended all the women present, including Miss Xiao. This Luo Ning was indeed clever. With one swift comment, she had him cornered.

With his own thoughts brewing, Lin Wanrong glanced at Miss Xiao, playing to her standing. "In that case," he said, "let me reply with 'Phoenix filled with eloquence', as an explanation for all the beautiful young ladies present."

The couplet proposed by Hou Yuebai had in itself an insulting innuendo. The first response Lin Wanrong provided was a matching insult. While it was brilliant, it couldn't be deemed elegant. But this new response, "Phoenix filled with eloquence," was both neat and filled with imagery, lifting the entire couplet to a higher level.

This response left no one in the gathering able to dismiss this servant any longer, even Miss Wanying, who had been steadfastly defending Hou Yuebai, found herself nodding in agreement. This servant, it seemed, did indeed possess some talent.

Needless to say, Hou Yuebai felt as if he had swallowed two flies. His original intention was to show off his scholarly prowess. However, no sooner had he voiced his verse than Lin Wanrong had returned two, receiving a rebuke and losing face before Miss Luo Ning in the process. He had provided the ammunition for his own humiliation, and the bitterness was indescribable, stuck in his throat with no way to vent his frustration.

Lin Wanrong, ever the showstopper, took great delight in his quick-wittedness. The two couplets he had spun, one crude, one elegant, had showcased his versatility, and he was feeling rather pleased with himself.

Luo Ning looked at Lin Wanrong, reflecting on how she had underestimated him in the past. She had regarded him merely as a crafty merchant, believing his couplet to be something he had learned from elsewhere, but now, it appeared he had genuine skill. The pair of couplets he had crafted in a moment’s notice held completely different implications, revealing a quick wit not to be taken lightly.

Miss Xiao glanced at him with surprise and delight, saying with a smile, "Lin San, you're in the company of Jinling's renowned scholars and poets, try not to embarrass yourself further."

Despite her words, the smile on her face was one she couldn't hide. She had been a merchant for many years, and while she had met these privileged young ladies from official families a few times, she never quite managed to integrate herself into their circle. At the end of the day, it was due to the lower status of being a merchant. Today, Lin San's entrance had given them a taste of their own medicine, bringing honor to the Xiao family. How could she not be delighted?

For Lin Wanrong, the couplet challenge was nonsense. What truly brought him satisfaction was his previous response in the poem chain, "Cannons boom boom boom." How potent it was! It was a shame these scholars and poets couldn't appreciate his tail-end response that lacked any sense of parallel structure.

Luo Ning nodded at Lin Wanrong, gave a subtle smile, and then turned to Miss Xiao. "Sister Xiao, you used to be a frequent visitor to our society. However, ever since you took over the Xiao family business, your visits have become scarce. Today, on behalf of the sisters, I must impose a penalty upon you and have you recite a poem as a small punishment. And just to remind you, many of the sisters here are waiting for you. They're all curious about the mysterious perfume and its miraculous properties."

This Luo Ning was both threatening and enticing, showing quite a knack. She truly deserved the title of Jinling's top female scholar.

Miss Xiao, too, was a scholar at heart. However, her years in business had pushed this part of her life aside. Now, hearing Luo Ning's invitation, she responded with a gentle laugh, "If Miss Luo invites me, how could I refuse?"

She pondered for a moment, then began to recite softly, "In the tedious night I lay late, with willow green, winds calm, and birds on branches rest. Hard it is to share my heart's affairs, I tell them to the clear sky and the bright moon instead."

‘Darn, she's talented!’ Lin Wanrong looked at the Eldest Miss with a face full of admiration. He hadn't expected her to be capable of reciting poetry. She was indeed hiding her abilities well. However, there was a faint sense of melancholy in her poem, lamenting the difficulty in finding someone who understood her. This Eldest Miss truly had a lot on her mind.

Seeing him staring at her intently, Xiao Yuruo blushed, gave him a glare, but then lowered her head.

When Luo Ning had joined this literary society, Miss Xiao had already taken over her family's business, so the two didn't have much interaction. Today, hearing Miss Xiao recite poetry and recognizing her talent, Luo Ning couldn't help but feel a touch of admiration. She reached out and took Miss Xiao's hand, saying, "I'm not as bright, but I'd love to be your confidante and share your thoughts."

Seeing Luo Ning's straightforward approach, Miss Xiao, despite being a powerful woman in the business world, was still a young woman after all and didn't have many friends. She felt a sudden fondness for Luo Ning and took her hand, saying, "You flatter me, Miss Luo. Being able to have heart-to-heart talks with you is what I've been wishing for."

"Me too, me too." A woman named Wanying, a constable masquerading as a poet, hurried forward, taking the two women's hands and saying, "Sisters, I admire you both so much. I hope you'll look after me in the future."

Xiao Yuruo smiled and nodded, then waved at Lin Wanrong. He quickly brought over a small parcel he had with him.

Miss Xiao took out two small bottles from it. She handed one to Wanying and said, "Miss Wanying, this is rose perfume produced by my family's business. It suits your cheerful and lively personality."

Wanying took it, sniffed it, and a blissful expression came over her face. She happily exclaimed, "Sister Yuruo, is this the perfume? Oh my, I've heard about it before, but due to the limited quantity, I haven't been able to buy any."

Xiao Yuruo took out another small bottle and handed it to Luo Ning, "Miss Luo, this is our newly produced orchid perfume. It suits your mild and tranquil character. Try it and see."

Upon uncapping the bottle, a light scent of orchid drifted out. It was subtle and not cloying. Luo Ning smiled and nodded, "Thank you, sister." As she spoke, she glanced at Lin Wanrong, as if she knew something.

The fact that Lin Wanrong was the creator of the perfume was a closely guarded secret, mainly to avoid unnecessary trouble. For example, he had been kidnapped by the White Lotus Cult because of it. But it seemed Luo Ning knew that he was the maker of the perfume, which was why she gave him that special look.

After a moment's thought, Lin Wanrong understood. It must have been Qiaoqiao who told her. When the rose perfume was first produced, he had given a bottle to Qiaoqiao, who was good friends with Luo Ning, so she must have seen the perfume.

Watching Miss Xiao using these two bottles of perfume to win over Luo Ning and Wanying, Lin Wanrong felt a pinch in his heart. Those two bottles were worth two hundred taels of silver! Qiaoqiao had worked so hard in the restaurant all day, only to make a small profit. However, he understood Miss Xiao's intentions. This was a public relations expense, and it was necessary.

Jinling's number one scholar, Hou Yuebai, noticed several women chattering off to the side, while a servant named Lin San seemed to be enjoying himself as if he had no care in the world. Having long pursued Luo Ning, and having just lost some face, he feared that she might overlook him. He quickly suggested, "Miss Luo, shall we go to the Poetry Society?"

Miss Wanying eagerly agreed, "Exactly, exactly, Sister Yuruo, there are many sisters upstairs waiting for us."

The women ascended the steps arm in arm. The two scholars followed behind, while Lin San, carrying a parcel, trailed behind the group. Unable to join in the girls' conversation and finding it fruitless to converse with the scholars, he simply followed at his own pace, comfortably alone. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ NøvᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, they spotted a garden in the distance with an elegant pavilion nearby. As they entered, Lin Wanrong was taken aback. Inside the pavilion were dozens of women, all apparently from wealthy backgrounds, likely daughters of officials. For a moment, the place was alive with the sound of chirping voices and laughter.

These women were all poetry enthusiasts. They all recognized the two scholars and continuously greeted them. Among them, there were some bold ones who discreetly sent flirtatious glances toward the two scholars, making Lin Wanrong's skin crawl.

Luo Ning slightly nodded, and said to the women with a smile, "Ladies, today's gathering mainly revolves around two topics. First, we have invited Master Hou Yuebai to share with us his experiences from his travels."

Hou Yuebai gave a slight smile, stepped forward, and graciously bowed to the crowd, "Thank you for your kind invitation, Miss Luo. As a humble scholar, I was taught from an early age the wisdom of traveling a thousand miles and reading ten thousand books. Therefore, I am fond of traveling. I have journeyed across several provinces of our great nation, west to Huangshan, north to Taishan, south to Wuyi, and east to Chongming Island. Throughout these travels, I have taken in the picturesque scenery of our country, and indeed, it is so enchanting..."

True to his reputation as Jinling's top scholar, Hou Yuebai gave a detailed account of his journeys. He recounted his travels, his mountain climbs, and even recited some of the poems he had composed atop those peaks. The women in the hall were enthralled, particularly Wanying, whose eyes shimmered as she listened, lost in his narrative. Even Miss Xiao and Luo Ning nodded frequently, a glint of longing in their eyes.

In this era when travel was inconvenient, these well-bred young ladies rarely ventured beyond their own gates. Therefore, it was natural for them to be fascinated by such stories.

However, Lin Wanrong found it all quite amusing. This Hou Yuebai claimed to have traveled across many provinces, but had merely wandered around a few provinces near Jiangsu. Huangshan is in Anhui, Taishan in Shandong, Wuyi Mountain in Fujian; all just a few provinces away from Jiangsu, never exceeding a thousand miles. Dare he claim to have travelled across the whole country? That was a laugh. To call him a travel enthusiast would have been more accurate.

Hou Yuebai spoke at length, eloquently describing the landscapes of renowned mountains and rivers he had visited. The women listened with rapt attention, but Lin Wanrong had nearly drifted off to sleep.

Seeing Lin Wanrong's disdain, Luo Ning's eyes flickered with mischief. Once Hou Yuebai had finished his presentation to enthusiastic applause, she rose to her feet with a smile. "Today, aside from Master Hou, we also have a distinguished guest, Miss Xiao Yuruo, who is already well-known among the sisters in our academy. Before Miss Xiao introduces us to her perfumes, could we also ask her to share her experiences from her extensive travels? To my knowledge, Miss Xiao has also visited many places."

Xiao Yuruo had come today to promote her products, completely unprepared to discuss any travelogues. Although she had indeed visited many places, they were all for business purposes, leaving no room for sightseeing, let alone time to appreciate any scenery. Luo Ning had deliberately put her in a difficult position.

"Lin San, what should we do?" Miss Xiao gritted her teeth. Right now, it was only the two of them who were on the same side, and the feeling of facing adversity together once again surged in her heart.

Lin Wanrong glanced up at Luo Ning, seeing the sly smile on her face, he knew this young lady intended to put him in a tight spot.

‘Fine, a speech it is,’ he thought. ‘Your Brother Lin here has been earning his keep with his tongue since day one, never fearing anyone when it came to verbal sparring.’ Slowly rising, he gave Miss Xiao a reassuring smile before stepping forward.

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