“Miss Xia is too kind. I don’t know how to compose poems at all, I just threw together a few phrases of nonsense together. If we’re talking about scholastics, it should be miss Xia that teaches me.” Chen Ning smiled and helped Xia Yu Yan up.

  She was just speaking the truth, but in everyone’s ears, it sounded like she was being humble. She really was broadminded, completely different from Xia Yu Yan.

  Empress Dowager Zhou’s eyes paused on her face for a while.

  She felt like she had been wrong. This Ding Yuan Princess was not an idiot at all.

  Just looking at the two poems she wrote, one was very thought out and the other was very majestic. Not even a scholar with profound knowledge would be able to compose such poems.

  She couldn’t help feeling a bit depressed over the next two competitions.

  Because she knew from the affectionate way the emperor looked at the Ding Yuan Princess, her plans had all been in vain.

  She had wanted to use Xia Yu Yan’s talents to defeat Chen Ning and make a fool out of her. When the emperor saw just how useless she was, he would naturally lose his feelings towards her.

  But she never thought that her plans would be reversed. Her careful planning had not only failed to shame Chen Ning, it had even given her an opportunity to show off.

  Empress Dowager was very clear that these two poems would quickly spread and become masterpieces in the eyes of everyone that read them. The Ding Yuan Princess would no longer be known as an idiot and it would harm her instead.

  Perhaps the title of the most talented woman in the capital would also fall on her head.

  Wu, she really smashed a rock into her own foot.

  Empress Dowager Zhou stared at Chen Ning, feeling like she should be angry, but her heart was unknowingly filling with praise and admiration.

  Having this mind and temperament, and being this young. Even the younger her could not compare to her.

  Her eyes staring at Chen Ning made Chen Ning feel embarrassed. She thought to herself, this old lady keeps staring at me, she couldn’t have heard these two poems before, right?

  “Mother! Mother!” Mo Chuan called Empress Dowager Zhou twice and she came back to her senses.”


  “Un, emperor, what did you want to say?”


  “Your son wants to ask mother, do you want to continue with the next competition?” Mo Chuan asked with a faint smile.

  It had to be said, not only had Chen Ning’s poems shocked Empress Dowager Zhou, it had also shocked him.

  He did not care if Chen Ning knew how to compose poems or sing, but he was proud that she could show off in front of everyone like this.

  Empress Dowager Zhou wanted to say that there was no need.

  But seeing the way Mo Chuan looked at her, she changed her mind.

  “Of course. Yue Er, this widow has heard of your painting skills. Are you willing to paint a picture for this widow and emperor to see today?”


  Empress Dowager Zhou revealed a smile to Wu Yue Er.

  Wu Yue Er was very eager and was waiting for this opportunity.

  She gracefully stood up and bowed down, “Yue Er is will. Please give a topic, Empress Dowager.”


  Empress Dowager Zhou smiled and said, “Just paint using the scenery around us and you’re free to paint what you wish. Whether it is people or scenery, it is all up to you.”


  She then smiled at Chen Ning, “Ning’er, this widow heard from the emperor that you also have good painting skills. He said that your painting is very lifelike, making birds fly and fish swim, so this widow also wishes to see it. How about you also paint a picture for this widow and emperor to see.”


  After she finished speaking with a smile, Mo Chuan curled his lips. He couldn’t help glaring at Empress Dowager Zhou while grinding his teeth.