Chapter 366: Peerless Poetic Talent

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Tran

Only then did Empress Jia appear satisfied. She was about to continue speaking when Princess Xiangyang quickly interjected.

“Young Master Song is so talented. No wonder he caught Cousin Shen Rong’s eye.”

Empress Jia immediately frowned when she heard that.

Then, she looked at her daughter with a puzzled expression.

Could this girl not tell that her mother was thinking of her interests? Why did she have to mention Shen Rong at this point?

Song Rui’s expression also froze momentarily.

However, it was only a moment before his expression returned to normal.

“Your Highness must be making fun of me. Young Miss saved my life and introduced me to the Prime Minister’s family. I am extremely grateful to her. “Young Miss is beautiful and magnanimous. Your Highness must not take the rumors seriously.”

As soon as he said this, Empress Jia’s eyes instantly lit up.

However, Princess Xiangyang was annoyed.

What did this guy mean?

When he saw that her mother had the intention to take him in as her son-in-law, he did not even acknowledge his engagement with Cousin Shen Rong?

To think that she had thought that his talent was unparalleled before. Why was his moral character so abominable?

“So, Young Master Song, you don’t have any sweetheart?” Empress Jia asked with a smile.

The moment these words were uttered, everyone present was shocked.

Even the Emperor turned to look at his beloved wife.

Was it really good to ask so blatantly?

Empress Jia didn’t take it seriously and continued to look at Song Rui with a smile.

The more she looked at him, the more satisfied she was.

Such a good young man should be matched with her Xiangyang.

Song Que’s expression stiffened for a moment before he cupped his hands at Empress Jia.

Then, under Princess Xiangyang’s disdainful gaze, he said to Empress Jia,

“Your lowly subject has a sweetheart.”

Princess Xiangyang’s expression froze at once.

As for Empress Jia, her previously smiling face instantly sank.

Just as she was about to ask who the sweetheart was, Princess Xiangyang interrupted again.

“A woman who can win Young Master Song’s love must be extraordinary.”

When she saw that everyone was looking at her, Xiangyang didn’t feel awkward. Instead, she continued to say to Song Rui, “Young Master Song s poetic talent is unparalleled. Today, the view of the imperial garden is magnificent. Why don’t Young Master Song compose a poem and let Emperor Father, Empress Mother and me appreciate it together?”

The Emperor was the first to heave a sigh of relief.

After all, he was worried and was not prepared to settle his youngest daughter’s marriage so hastily.

Then, he turned to look at Empress Jia beside him.

At this moment, the anger in Empress Jia’s eyes had dissipated quite a bit.

As she couldn’t read her youngest daughter’s mind, she was no longer in a hurry to ask about Song Rui’s situation.

Therefore, she nodded and expressed her desire to take a look at Song Rui’s poetic talent.

Empress Jia’s gaze swept around the imperial garden and finally stopped on a lovely peony in full bloom not far away.

“Let’s use this peony as the theme,” she said.

Everyone looked at the peony and then at Song Rui with anticipation in their eyes.

Song Rui also looked at the peony, and his mind started to spin rapidly.

Then, he quickly bowed to Empress Jia and the Emperor.

Thereafter, he got up and slowly walked toward rhe peony.

As he walked, he recited,

“Common peony in yonder court is gorgeous but spineless,

Lotus in the pond is pure but passionless.

Only the tree peony is worthy of being the kingdom’s beauty,

During its blooming season, the whole capital is dazzled.”

As Song Rui recited the poem, everyone’s expressions kept changing.

In particular, when they heard the last two sentences,

“Only the tree peony is worthy of being the kingdom’s beauty,

During its blooming season, the whole capital is dazzled,”

everyone’s eyes lit up.

“Excellent! What an excellent finale for the poem! Well said!” After Empress Jia heard this poem, she even stood up and clapped her hands.

Among all the flowers, she loved tree peonies the most.

Tree peonies were graceful and noble and considered the queen of flowers.

Since ancient times, there had been many scholars who sang the praises of tree peonies, but Song Rui’s version was the best.

Song Rui humbly cupped his hands and bowed to Empress Jia, but did not reply.

“Young Master Song is indeed a peerless poet! With Young Master Song in our Great Jin State, the literary scene will flourish!” Empress Jia looked at Song Rui with admiration.

Only then did Song Rui reply, “Your Royal Highness, you praise me too much. I don’t deserve it.”

“Ah, it’s not over-praising. With your talent in poetry, you deserve the title of Immortal Poet!”

Song Rui was stunned.

Just as he was about to reply, Empress Jia had already changed the topic.

She chose a new topic and bade Song Rui continue to compose poems.

Song Rui did so obligingly throughout and composed poems upon request readily.

Every poem he composed was novel and of high quality, and Empress Jia thought even more highly of him after listening to his poems.

Even the Emperor looked at Song Rui with admiration.

The Emperor looked at his own youngest daughter again. Then he looked at Song Rui with renewed admiration. He subconsciously began to consider Empress Jia’s earlier intention.

Perhaps, the Empress’s idea was not that hasty.

Such a talent was indeed worthy of their Xiangyang.

Princess Xiangyang did not know what her Emperor father and Empress mother were thinking. As she listened to Song Rui compose poems, she asked someone to fetch a brush and ink.

She personally recorded all of Song Rui’s poems.

When she returned, she had to show Young Master Song’s poems to her Master.

She wanted to let her master appreciate the literary talent of their Great Jin State’s Immortal Poet.

The tea party lasted for an entire afternoon without the participants’ realization.

Princess Xiangyang recorded a total of twelve poems of different lengths.

Without exception, every poem was good enough to amaze the world.

After the tea party ended, Princess Xiangyang left the palace impatiently and rushed back to the Marquis’s residence.

Then, she excitedly took the poems she had recorded and went to look for Qin Xiaoyao.

At this moment, Qin Xiaoyao was enjoying the cool air in the courtyard. When she saw her precocious disciple coming toward her with something in her hand, Qin Xiaoyao was a little curious.

Thereafter, she heard from Princess Xiangyang about Song Rui’s performance in the palace today and had some guesses in her heart.

Her husband was indeed good at writing prose. He also had some talent for poetry writing.

However, he was not comparable to the great poets who had left their names in the annals of history in her previous life.

Nonetheless, although it was difficult for him to produce a masterpiece, he had heard her recite many poems to him.

Back then, in order to show her husband that she was a top student, she had recited many poems to him.

She even asked him to come up with a question for her to recite the corresponding poem as an answer.

Thanks to the large number of poems in her memory, her husband had noted down many good poems.

If he really memorized all those poems, his knowledge would probably not be much worse than hers. For most of the questions, he should be able to find the corresponding poem to answer.

Sure enough , after unfurling the papers that Princess Xiangyang brought back, Qin Xiaoyao saw the familiar poems.

Under Princess Xiangyang’s expectant gaze, she flipped through the entire stack of papers with the poems written on them.

However, Qin Xiaoyao didn’t show any surprise or shock.

“They are really good poems, right, Master?” Princess Xiangyang was obviously disappointed when she saw Qin Xiaoyaos reaction. Nonetheless, she still posed her query to Qin Xiaoyao.

“Mm-hmm. They are indeed masterpieces,” Qin Xiaoyao could only respond thus when she saw those poems.

Of course, they were all masterpieces. However, the real author of these masterpieces was not her husband.

Moreover, these poems were not written by one person…

Princess Xiangyang was a little disappointed when she saw Qin Xiaoyao s calm reaction.

It occurred to her immediately that since her master was a martial arts warrior, perhaps she did not understand the profundity of poetry or was not interested in poetry..