It wаs but а briеf moment, likе а flееting drеam. Only whеn Нan Yan sеt down her brush аftеr thе finаl strоkе, opеned her eyes, and gаvе the сrowd а swееt smilе did evеrуоnе snаp bаck to reаlitу.
"Is the уoung lady finishеd?" the Emрress askеd. Shе hаd tаkеn а liking tо this young girl, аnd nоw, seеing Наn Yan shinе so brilliаntlу, her admirаtiоn grew еven deeрer.
"Repоrting tо Yоur Mаjesty, not уеt," Нan Yаn rерliеd. With а turn оf her bоdу, she rеaсhed out аnd lifted а jug оf winе from thе silvеr trау held by a рalace maid bеside her. "Mаy I borrоw a drор of finе wine?" Holding a wine cup in one hand, she poured the wine into it, then dipped her fingertip and lightly brushed it across the paper. Instantly, a faint, bright yellow hue appeared on the painting.
This wine was Flower-Brewed Nectar, made from a variety of fresh flowers. Its flavor was light and sweet, and its color was a bright, clear yellow. Now applied to the painting, it contrasted with the black ink on the white rice paper, making the subtle yellow appear exceptionally vivid and radiant.
Han Yan nodded slightly, and two young palace maids stepped forward to spread the rice paper on a golden wooden base cushioned with red silk, presenting it to the Emperor and Empress. When the Emperor saw the painting, his gaze paused, and he remained silent for a long while.
Those at the banquet, unaware of what was happening, grew anxious as the Emperor remained silent. At the same time, their curiosity about the painting intensified. Zhuangshan and Li Jiaqi exchanged glances, both filled with confusion. Seeing the Emperor's expression, which did not seem joyful, they felt even more gleeful, guessing that Han Yan's painting was so poor that it had angered the Emperor. The Empress observed the painting with an inscrutable expression. Just as everyone was growing restless with anticipation, the Emperor suddenly burst into hearty laughter. "Attendants, let everyone see this painting!"
The palace maids hurried over, spreading the rice paper before the crowd. When the image on the painting came into view, the entire banquet hall fell into a hushed silence.
It was merely a scattering of ink strokes, masterfully layered in light and dark shades. The ink on the painting seemed to have been applied with effortless spontaneity, yet it was exquisitely refined. Beneath the city tower where beacon fires rose, triumphant soldiers returned on horseback, with the troops below. In the distance, a distinct patch of bright yellow unmistakably depicted the figure of the Son of Heaven.
What Han Yan had painted was a grand scene of an army returning victorious from battle—the Emperor in his lofty position, and the realm flourishing in prosperity!
What was most astonishing was not the content of the painting itself, but the short poem inscribed in the blank space:
A hundred battles shatter iron armor in the sandy field,
The southern city is already surrounded by layers of siege.
Breaking through the camp, he shoots down the general of the Huyan tribe,
Leading the remnants of his troops, a thousand riders return.
With just a few strokes, the image of a brave general, renowned for his military exploits, was vividly portrayed. The young girl, merely eleven or twelve years old, seemed as though she had personally experienced such scenes. Most striking of all was the calligraphy—bold as iron strokes, graceful as silver hooks, vigorous and majestic, simple yet elegant. It was like shattered ice from a jade pot or the radiant moon over a jade terrace, graceful as a tree, solemn as a clear breeze. Such masterful ink work—if not seen with one's own eyes, who could believe it was the work of a young girl with her hair tied in twin buns, smiling sweetly? Even the most talented scholars in the capital could not produce such exquisite calligraphy or compose such a fine poem!
This was what it meant to be a genius!
After their initial shock, Zhuangshan and Li Jiaqi were left with nothing but boundless resentment. Han Yan was now stealing the spotlight, leaving Zhuangshan with no chance to take the stage. Why? If she were the legitimate eldest daughter of the Zhuang family, the praises filling the hall would have been hers. At this thought, her gaze toward Han Yan grew even more filled with envy.Yet Li Jiaqi was seething with hatred. The more she looked at Han Yan's smiling face, the more she felt it was hypocritical. How could she hide such talent so well? And earlier, she had pretended to be hesitant, letting Li Jiaqi rejoice—she was clearly toying with her. The dignity of the Right Chancellor's daughter was insulted, and in her heart, she had already marked Han Yan as her greatest enemy in this life.
Han Yan quietly winked at Deng Chan, signaling that everything was fine. Deng Chan was both excited and puzzled—since when had Han Yan's calligraphy become so exceptional? When Han Yan stood in the hall writing earlier, Deng Chan almost felt it wasn't her, for the elegance of her back was both unfamiliar and dazzling, almost too bright to look at.
While everyone's thoughts swirled, Han Yan alone stood in the center of the hall, yet it seemed as if she stood beyond the mortal world. Gazing at the ink strokes, scenes from her past life flashed before her eyes like a revolving lantern.
No one knew what price had been paid for such masterful calligraphy. After the incident with the bandits in her past life, she had shut herself away, confining herself day after day in the Clear Autumn Pavilion. Every night, plagued by nightmares and unable to sleep, she would light an oil lamp and pass the time by writing and painting, temporarily forgetting those shadows.
There are not so many geniuses in this world—only familiarity. The same characters and paintings, practiced a hundred times, a thousand times, even the worst would achieve seventy percent mastery. Thus, although her calligraphy had been mediocre in her past life, after so many sleepless nights, she had attained the graceful artistry of today.
The smile on her lips carried a trace of bitterness. The world only ever sees the glory before others; who knows the blood and tears behind it?
The handsome young man observed the little figure in the hall without showing any expression. The obvious loneliness and sorrow in her once again stunned him and made him even more curious. All signs indicated that this young girl did not behave like a typical twelve-year-old. What had happened to her?
The Emperor laughed heartily, repeating the word "excellent" three times: "I never expected our Great Dynasty to have such talent! Such breadth of mind truly shows that women are no less than men!"
Indeed, compared to Princess Yunni's dance and Li Jiaqi's zither melody, this calligraphy painting abandoned the delicate softness typical of young women and achieved victory through uniqueness. It is said that one can judge a person by their handwriting—looking at the free and elegant brushstrokes, one could see the young girl's open and honest heart. Which young lady would paint a battlefield? It showed that Fourth Miss Zhuang had a broad mind and more insight than other young ladies. In comparison, Li Jiaqi's musical piece fell short.
Among those present were many valiant soldiers, who admired Han Yan even more. It was rare to encounter such an unpretentious young girl, whose words were frank and innocent, making it impossible not to like her.
Han Yan bowed once more before smiling and saying, "This painting celebrates the Great Dynasty's great victory in the northwest. General Cheng fought bravely on the battlefield and is truly a hero of the Great Dynasty, as expressed in the accompanying poem. With a wise ruler like Your Majesty and loyal ministers like General Cheng, the Great Dynasty will surely become even more prosperous and flourishing."
After speaking, she smiled at General Cheng. Cheng Lei was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting Han Yan to say such things. Meeting her clear eyes, he couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed: "This humble subject merely fulfilled his duty. I dare not claim the title of hero."
But the Emperor laughed heartily: "General Cheng, there is no need to be modest. I know you were the one who contributed to this victory. Miss Zhuang is right—with you, the Great Dynasty's realm will surely become even more prosperous and flourishing!"The atmosphere instantly grew lively. Seeing the Emperor in high spirits, the ministers all praised General Cheng's great achievements and boasted of the Great Dynasty's divine favor. Han Yan breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. Although it was a talent competition among the noble young ladies, today's palace banquet was, after all, to celebrate the great victory in the northwest—the main purpose should not be overshadowed. Her words had pulled the focus back and also indirectly extended goodwill toward General Cheng. This General Cheng was an upright and honorable man, and in the future, he would become an important confidant within the Crown Prince's faction.
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