Clouds and Moon Shadow

Chapter 315 What the hell is this about deserting in the face of battle!

Everyone: Could it be something you created yourself?

"You figured this out yourself? Gu is truly a talented woman!" Liu Zichan's eyes lit up even more, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Wait, Liu Zichan called Gu Qingyue "Sister Gu"?

Qiu Lin and Dong Zhiyuan were glaring at each other!

The three of you met Gu Qingyue together, so why did you dare to approach her first? Shameless!

Gu Qingyue: What should we do if this is a bit too much of a boast?

"Could you paint one for me?" Cui Jiaojiao asked anxiously, tugging at Gu Qingyue's sleeve.

"I want one too."

"I want to draw too."

Seeing the expectant looks on everyone's faces, Gu Qingyue had no choice but to nod in agreement.

"I'll draw for you when I have time," Gu Qingyue said to the girls.

The girls were overjoyed, and the young men looked at Gu Qingyue with sparkling eyes. Gu Qingyue smiled but didn't say anything.

Does that mean they're no longer involved?

Liu Zichan and the other two were filled with regret. Did they no longer have a chance to get Gu's sister's painting?

Suddenly, the three of them looked at each other. Wasn't Gu Yuanchen in the Imperial Guard?

The one near the water and the tower gets the moon first!

The next second, the three of them rushed forward, vying to put their arms around Gu Yuanchen's shoulders and get closer to him. They pushed and shoved each other, creating a tense atmosphere, leaving Gu Yuanchen completely bewildered.

Gu Qingyue watched the group laughing and joking with amusement, thinking that they had a really good relationship with her second brother!

Of course, no matter how smart she was, she couldn't have imagined that the sudden commotion was just a ploy to curry favor with her.

Gu Qingyue smiled at the group and shrugged.

"Alright, we'll talk about it another time," Gu Yuanen said quickly, understanding immediately from his sister's expression.

As soon as Gu Yuanen spoke, the men quieted down, almost forgetting that they were in front of Gu's younger sister, and that their image was the most important thing.

"Who are the most talented men and women in the capital today?" Gu Qingyue suddenly asked Gu Yuanming beside her, thinking of the talent show that had just ended.

"The final result hasn't come out yet. We'll collect everyone's poems tonight, and based on that, along with today's and yesterday's talent performances, we'll make the final selection," Cui Jiaojiao said.

"Oh, I almost forgot about the poems after visiting the garden," Gu Qingyue said thoughtfully.

In her opinion, this spring appreciation banquet was a very formal and serious talent show.

Of course, it's different from the talent shows of my previous life.

This is a true talent show that excels in poetry, calligraphy, painting, music, chess, and even the six arts of a gentleman.

The selected top talents in the capital must be highly accomplished and possess genuine abilities.

Gu Qingyue was still a little hopeful.

"What poem will you choose later?" Zhang Yuying asked, leaning closer.

"What do you mean, choose what?" Gu Qingyue asked blankly.

"The main point is that the poems recited at the end of the Spring Appreciation Banquet every year must be about flowers. What flower will you write about?" Zhao Yunnan asked.

Gu Qingyue: ......

"Is it okay if I don't write it?" Gu Qingyue asked.

“It’s possible, but it would be a shame,” Cui Jiaojiao said, frowning.

"You won in both music and painting today. If you also win in poetry, you might become one of the top ten talented women."

Gu Qingyue: No need, thank you!

She shook her head vigorously, "No, I'm not interested in any talented women."

Everyone: ......?

Seeing everyone's puzzled looks, Gu Qingyue quickly explained, "I'm just not interested, I don't have the ability, and I don't want to."

"What a pity," Zhang Yuying said regretfully.

After everyone explained, Gu Qingyue learned that the poem about flowers was proposed by the late Empress, who is now the Empress Dowager.

Since it is a spring appreciation banquet, it would be more appropriate to use spring flowers as the theme.

It also better showcases the exquisite ingenuity of talented men and women.

Therefore, the poetry recitation after appreciating the spring was the grand finale of the spring appreciation banquet, and everyone felt it would be a pity if Gu Qingyue didn't participate.

Gu Qingyue gave an awkward laugh.

Actually, her best skill is beating people up. She might participate in a martial arts competition, but as for writing poetry... well, forget it, she really can't.

She doesn't want to cultivate a persona of a talented woman; she can barely accept being portrayed as a witch or a seductress, really.

"Is it alright if we don't compose poems?" Seeing everyone eager to try their hand at composing poems at the Spring Appreciation Banquet, Gu Qingyue asked again, a little embarrassed.

"It's nothing, it just means I can't participate in the talent competition," Gu Yuanen waved his hand, he could tell that his little sister really didn't want to participate.

Gu Yuanming and Gu Yuanchen exchanged a glance, both seeing a smile in each other's eyes.

Recalling Yuan En's description of his younger sister's ruthless and fierce killing, and then looking at the innocent and harmless smile on her face, it was truly... hard to put into words.

The title of "the most talented woman in the capital" really doesn't suit her.

"That's good, hehe," Gu Qingyue said, relieved.

As it turned out, what I feared most came to pass.

"Miss Gu, Headmaster Lin and the judges have asked me to come and collect your poem first."

Gu Qingyue looked at the respectful eunuch in front of her, feeling utterly bewildered.

Just as they returned from the garden to the spring banquet, the eunuch came over and announced that Headmaster Lin and the others wanted to see Gu Qingyue's poems now.

What's happening here?

"I have no poems," Gu Qingyue said, spreading her hands and smiling innocently.

Eunuch: ...Which young lady or gentleman attending the Spring Appreciation Banquet doesn't hope to gain the favor of the judges? Is Miss Gu the Third fool?

Why not take the opportunity that's offered to you?

"Really not," Gu Qingyue said earnestly, noticing the eunuch's gaze.

"Moon, did you really not write a poem? How can this be?" Upon hearing this, a calculating glint immediately appeared in Madam Liu's eyes.

"Who is Headmaster Lin? He has high hopes for you, so you must not let him down. Besides, our Duke's Mansion does not have any legitimate daughters who desert their posts. You should quickly compose a poem and let this eunuch take you away."

What the hell is this?! Deserting in the face of battle!

Am I the kind of person who would desert in the face of battle?

Okay, there was a moment just now when she really wanted to pee or something!

But once this old hag brings it into the open, it won't look good, and we won't be able to leave.

"Then please wait a quarter of an hour and come back to get it. I haven't decided yet," Gu Qingyue turned to the eunuch and replied politely.

The eunuch hesitated for a few moments, then nodded and withdrew.

Remembering the note her sister-in-law had given her, saying that her aunt and her two daughters-in-law had secretly instructed them to prevent anyone from arranging marriages for Gu Qingyue, preferably to sabotage them all...

The eldest sister-in-law said that she overheard it when she came back from changing clothes, and told Gu Qingyue to be careful so that her aunt would not set a trap for her.

Thinking of this... although she wasn't afraid of them causing trouble, she really had no patience left for the woman in front of her!

"Auntie is truly a talented woman. She must be quite good at poetry. I wonder if you were the most talented woman in the capital before? Please teach me!" Gu Qingyue looked at Liu Shi with an innocent yet eager expression, blinking her big eyes.

"You! How dare you, a junior, be so disrespectful!" Madam Liu tried her best to maintain her composure, but she was seething with hatred inside.

"Asking about my aunt's great achievements is disrespectful? Well then, I shouldn't have asked. It seems that my aunt must have been the most talented woman in the capital when she was young."

After Gu Qingyue finished speaking, she stood up and walked towards the table on the stage where people could write poems.

Liu was left standing there, furious. That wretched girl!

But the thought that she was going there to write poetry made a sinister smile creep onto his lips.

This girl grew up in the countryside, so it's possible she learned to read, but writing poetry—if you don't embarrass yourself, who will?!