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It was indeed Zeng Mingxin beside Zhu Minran.
Zeng Mingxin glared fiercely at Qing Wu, fuming, "Her master is the ‘Ghost Hand Painter’. When it comes to painting, she naturally has an advantage over others. Let her compete with us; if it's just ordinary techniques, that's fine. But if it's this kind of deliberate difficulty, isn't it intentionally giving her an edge and making us fail?"
As soon as she spoke, Zhu Minran sensed something was wrong. By the time she tried to stop her, it was already too late. Everything that should and shouldn't have been said had come out.
Seeing Zeng Mingxin like this, Zhu Minran felt her face flush with anger and embarrassment.
She shot an angry glare at Zeng Mingxin, only to hear gentle laughter echoing around them. Looking around, she saw mocking gazes everywhere. Even among the onlooking youths, many showed signs of disdain.
At this moment, Zeng Mingxin realized her mistake.
She had only wanted to ask for "fairness" for Zhu Minran, but she had forgotten that her earlier words clearly acknowledged that Qing Wu was much stronger than others.
Realizing this, Zeng Mingxin's face turned as colorful as a dye shop, even more vivid than Zhu Minran's earlier expression.
However, Zhu Minran considered that refuting her friend at this moment would not be a wise move. It would only make people believe even more that Qing Wu should win.
With a quick thought, she pursed her cherry lips into a sweet smile and sighed, "Although it is indeed quite difficult for us, I am not someone who easily bows to challenges. If I can win against Liu Young Lady under these circumstances, that would truly be a testament to real skill."
"Exactly."
A voice from the South Side echoed in agreement, firmly supporting Zhu Minran. Then the tone softened slightly as it continued, "Miss Zhu, just do your best. If you win, it is well-deserved. Even if you cannot take first place, it will not be your fault."
The young man speaking was quite talented in Capital City.
People around who were friendly with the Zheng Family and knew him, albeit vaguely, were laughing and saying, "Young Master Zheng is really putting in a lot of effort for Miss Zhu."
Good-natured laughter echoed around.
It turned out that this person was the eldest son of Zheng An. By publicly defending Zhu Minran, he had become the target of teasing from acquaintances.
Originally, the Zhenyuan Marquis had not sent him an invitation. However, this banquet did not set boundaries and rules too strictly, and Master Wen wanted Qing Wu to have a lively time, so it was decided that anyone who received an invitation among every three people could enter.
Now hearing Young Master Zheng's words, Master Wen and Wen Qingyue's expressions darkened immediately, filled with clouds of discontent.
Wen Qingyue was about to refute and say a few words on behalf of Qing Wu. Unexpectedly, Master Wen casually glanced at the ladies' table and caught sight of an unexpected yet reasonable figure, startling him. He quickly signaled Wen Qingyue with his eyes.
Wen Qingyue did not understand why his grandfather was acting this way and paused for a moment. He stepped forward a few paces, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. He gently shook his hands to indicate to Qing Wu and the others that they need not say much.
Qing Wu and Shen Shuihua were unaware of Wen Qingyue's intentions. Although they were upset about the previous actions of Zhu Minran and Liu Young Lady, they still held their tongues.
After glancing back at his grandfather to confirm that he had not misunderstood earlier, Wen Qingyue showed hesitation on his face. As thoughts raced through his mind, he made up his mind, forced a smile, and insincerely said, "Everyone has a point. Young Lady Liu seems rather casual in learning from a master; it does seem a bit unfair to others."
As soon as he said this, the expressions of those around varied. Some smiled in appreciation while others frowned in displeasure.
Shen Shuihua, Zou Kefen, and Lu Pingting were furious and wanted to argue but were stopped by Qing Wu.
Wen Qingyue also felt that his words might have gone too far; he couldn't quite understand his grandfather's intentions. He pressed his lips together, intending to add a few more words. However, Master Wen timely cleared his throat as if to hint that he should not act impulsively and should proceed cautiously!
Wen Qingyue's palms began to sweat slowly.
The discussions around grew louder.
The courtyard was extremely spacious. Aside from the tables for the Competition and the two areas for casting votes for Willow Branch, there were tables and chairs set up on both the east and west sides for resting and watching. These were meant for family members who did not need to participate in the Competition or vote for Willow Branch.
Whether intentional or not, while the host family had not deliberately arranged it, the east side was mostly occupied by male guests, while the west side had more female relatives.
At this moment, in a corner on the east side, a person sat leisurely in a chair. Although their posture seemed relaxed, the tightness at the corners of their lips gradually revealed a hint of seriousness.
This was indeed the person mentioned by others.
Perhaps others were unaware of the relationship between the Wen Family and Qing Wu, but Zheng Ning certainly was not.
He could not understand why Wen Qingyue did not speak up for Qing Wu.
However, seeing that Master Wen had made no other moves, Zheng Ning quickly pondered for a moment and ultimately suppressed his growing irritation, deciding to wait a little longer to see how things would unfold.
Just as the discussions reached their peak, causing frustration among those who remained silent, suddenly, a person slowly walked out from the female relatives' section on the west side.
She wore a garment in Qiu Xiang color. This heavy hue might have appeared somewhat old-fashioned on someone else, but on her, it did not diminish her beauty in the slightest.
She was strikingly beautiful and moved with elegance. Each step she took seemed like a scene from a painting, exuding an indescribable grace and charm.
Although fine lines had begun to appear at the corners of her eyes, indicating that she was no longer a young maiden, others could not discern her exact age.
This lady was unfamiliar to everyone in Capital City; thus, her appearance only briefly astonished them without leaving a lasting impression.
No one expected that as soon as she opened her mouth, all eyes would be drawn to her.
"I cannot agree with the absurd remarks made by those just now."
Her voice was gentle and pleasant, yet her tone was firm, carrying an undeniable authority.
Everyone turned their gaze toward her and heard her say, "Even if the 'Ghost Hand Painter' achieved fame at a young age, has he ever relied on the slightest bit of his teacher's reputation? It must be understood that in painting, talent, intention, and hard work are all essential. Talent is innate, intention is virtuous, and hard work is indispensable. However, these three factors have nothing to do with who one learns from. If this young lady has found a good teacher, it is reasonable that she has taken fewer detours than others and achieved early fame. But—"
Her gaze seemed almost tangible as it slowly swept across the young boys and girls in the room.
"But to gain a good master, one must also possess good talent and good intentions. With some people's malice and ignorance, any perceptive teacher would not choose her. Since that is the case, having a good mentor means this young lady has relied on her own abilities. So what right do you dullards have to criticize her?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the room erupted in an uproar.
No one expected someone to make such an extremely arrogant and unrelenting statement.
Someone stood up wanting to refute this lady.
However, she completely ignored him. She merely glanced indifferently at him before turning away, showing no further interest.
She exuded an air of superiority that made it difficult for anyone to continue arguing after a few exchanges.
It was the young master of the Zheng Family who looked at this lady with a furrowed brow. He pulled his awkwardly standing friend down into his seat again.
The discussions that had just begun around them faded away once more with his action of sitting down.
The lady listened as the surroundings finally quieted down, and her sharp gaze softened a bit as she glanced at the girl in the Dueling Grounds who was facing off against others.
When she saw the Hairpin on Qing Wu's head, she suddenly gasped, her eyes momentarily lost in thought. After a brief pause, she seemed to act as if nothing had happened and turned back to her previous position.
Although Qing Wu was not too far from her, for some reason, she was certain that the lady was looking at the Hairpin on her head. She couldn't help but reach up to touch it, feeling somewhat puzzled.
Earlier, she had taken out the Hairpin to recognize herself to her grandfather and brother, after which her grandfather explicitly forbade her from wearing it casually outside.
Qing Wu certainly would not treat her mother's relic so carelessly, so she entrusted the Hairpin to her grandfather for safekeeping.
However, when Wen Qingyue came to the courtyard looking for her, he handed this Hairpin back to her and advised her that it was her grandfather's idea and might come in handy.
Qing Wu did not understand the meaning behind this but did not ask further; she only let Huo Yun'ai help her wear it properly in her hair.
Now, seeing the beautiful lady's gaze for that brief moment, Qing Wu vaguely felt that her grandfather's arrangement was related to this. But beyond that, she could not know more.
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