Insufficient balance

  March 26th is said to be a lucky day on the Yellow Calendar, so Taiping Princess chose today as the day for selecting attendants and scholars.

  Originally, only the Crown Prince had a Shangshu scholar, and ordinary princes were not qualified to set up this official. Taiping Princess naturally didn't have one either, but she actually openly declared that she wanted to recruit a Shangshu scholar. It's said that when the Emperor and Empress heard about it, they just smiled slightly and didn't show any signs of anger. Even those sharp-tongued officials who usually criticized everything also chose to turn a blind eye to this obvious violation, pretending not to know about it.

  Who made Taiping Princess the darling of the emperor and empress? It's really because no one dares to provoke her! To put it simply, as long as this little ancestor doesn't openly declare rebellion, no one will dare to be reckless with their words. What's more, a person without any official rank or position, just a idle person raised by the princess's own household, can be called a "Servant Scholar" if they want, anyway, the imperial court won't give them a salary.

  On the twenty-sixth day, Taiping Princess's mansion was bustling from early morning.

  It's not even dawn yet, and the gates of Princess Taiping's mansion have already been opened to welcome guests. Those slightly prestigious officials in the capital, scholars, monks, nuns, or Taoist priests who received invitations sent by Princess Taiping's people would naturally not arrive so early for such a dignified occasion. They would wait until there are more people before showing off. So, most of the people arriving now did not receive an invitation.

  The princess's mansion has already spread the word, as long as you think you have some skills in painting and calligraphy, you can find someone who received an invitation to recommend you. In other words, one invitation card can admit two people into the mansion. Apart from this, self-recommendation is also allowed. As long as you bring your own artwork for the person in charge of reception to see that you really have some skills, you can also enter.

  In short, the more people the better, the noisier the better! It's all about making an impact!

  At the third watch, more than a dozen self-recommended people had already entered, and many others were queuing up with their own paintings, waiting for the official in charge of the mansion to appraise them. At this time, people who held invitations began to arrive one after another. Each person handed over the invitation to the doorman, who loudly announced their names and invited them in. This always triggered a wave of envious discussions among the people queuing up.

  It was already nine o'clock in the morning, and some big names invited to the literary gathering at the Princess's mansion began to arrive one after another by carriage. Most of them were officials with titles, while others were sons of noble families or famous scholars who had withdrawn from public life. At this point, the atmosphere seemed to become even more lively. The number of people waiting at the gate of the Princess's mansion with their own works of art, queuing for admission, not only did not decrease but increased instead.

  Only a little over 20 people have entered, but nearly a hundred more are coming in succession. Those who have been washed away also refuse to leave, standing on the street side by side, discussing and watching the excitement in groups of three or five. With so many celebrities and high officials appearing together, even if they can't get in, it's worth waiting to see and experience a bit before leaving, isn't it?

  Yan Liben was the last one to arrive, and his arrival completely drove those two or three hundred people waiting for a show crazy.

  Yan Laosheng, a second-grade official, is the Minister of Works and a loyal minister of the current dynasty. He is also an absolute master in the painting world today. He was specially invited to be the appraiser, and it's only fitting that he arrived last.

  It was said that he had arrived, and at this time the princess's mansion should have closed its doors, and the grand ceremony inside should have begun. However, unexpectedly, just as those who were eliminated and had no chance to enter were preparing to leave, everyone discovered that the gates of the princess's mansion not only did not close, but instead became even more majestic, with many more guards and attendants, giving the impression that an even more important and higher-ranking person was about to arrive.

  The crowd that was about to leave couldn't help but stop in their tracks again, exchanging nervous glances. In fact, everyone had the same thought: who could be more important than Yan Lao Shangshu and yet to arrive? Could it be the Emperor himself?

  Two or three hundred people each thought to themselves, then in groups of three or five whispered a few sentences, and surprisingly not many people left, everyone stayed behind, wanting to see who the person coming next was.

  The rear garden of the princess's mansion is the venue for today's grand gathering, and indeed, almost all of Chang'an's literati who are good at poetry and painting have gathered here. Those with high status and special identities were invited to rest in a small pavilion, while others gathered in groups of three or five to discuss elegant topics, although the formal program has not yet begun, there is already some atmosphere.

  Of course, there are still many people who seem to be chatting and laughing, but their eyes are actually wandering around. The beautiful maids in the princess's mansion are indeed pleasing to the eye, but what everyone is most concerned about is not this. What everyone is wondering in their hearts is: where is the host? Where is the princess?

  So many distinguished guests have arrived at the mansion, and it's only proper that the host should come out to greet them. Of course, as a princess, she can get away with not doing so if she chooses to. But now that everyone has arrived, even Old Minister Yan is here, why is there still no sign of the princess?

  Those who knew him well asked Xue Shao, the second son of the Xue family, about his close relationship with the princess and couldn't help but pull him to ask why the princess hadn't come out yet.

  Xue Shao wore a white robe today, looking very spirited and elegant, with the demeanor of a refined scholar. As a member of the aristocracy, he had studied music, chess, calligraphy, and painting as part of his education, and had some skill in these areas. Today, he was determined to make a good impression at this grand gathering, in order to win the favor of Princess Chengyang. As for the position of Imperial Scholar, he was even more determined to get it, and had specially asked his mother to visit the residence of Yan Old Minister to ask for his support. Since Princess Chengyang, the Emperor's sister, had also made an appearance, how could Yan Old Minister not give him face? Therefore, although the grand gathering had not yet begun, Xue Shao was already feeling very confident and superior.

  However, now facing his good friend's question, he couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed, because he didn't know where the princess had gone either! He could have asked Du Gu, but after asking the princess's personal maid Qing Nu, he found out that Du Gu wasn't in the mansion today and had left early in the morning. When he asked what she was doing, she just smiled and didn't answer, leaving him scratching his head in frustration.

  Of course, Xue Er Gongzi was determined not to lose face, he put his hands behind his back, standing tall and proud, "This, today so many people came, the prince naturally wants to dress up carefully, so now the prince must still be dressing up, what's the hurry?"

  Everyone nodded in agreement, of course, what woman doesn't like to dress up, and besides, they're going to meet so many people later!

  At this moment, Xue Shao suddenly saw Qing Nu walking in from the entrance of the garden. He was overjoyed in his heart, but pretended to be calm on his face and said: "Look, Miss Qing Nu has arrived, I suppose the princess should also be here soon!"

  As they spoke, Qingnu was about to walk away, and Xue Shao hastily took a few steps forward to greet her, smiling: "Miss Qingnu, may I ask if the princess has finished dressing? Is she coming out?"

  Qing Nu glanced at Xue Shao with a slanted eye, seeing his elegant appearance in white clothes, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh softly. Her eyes curved into a beautiful crescent shape as she smiled, "How did Young Master Xue know that our princess was dressing up? Did you place a spy by the princess's side?"

  Xue Shao smiled complacently, feeling that Qing Nu's intimate tone was a great face-saving thing for the several friends standing behind him to hear. As for why Qing Nu, who had been making things difficult for him every day, suddenly gave him face today, he didn't have time to consider it for the moment.

  His tone suddenly became intimate, "I dare not make such a joke, if the prince finds out I will be wrongly accused!"

  Qingnu couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh, and as she did, the golden pheasant-patterned bellyband on her dress quivered with the movement, as if there were two plump rabbits hidden underneath. Xue Shao couldn't help but swallow his saliva at the sight, thinking to himself that if he had to choose a servant girl based solely on physical appearance, Qingnu would be far superior to Dugu, not just by one level, but by several. Qingnu's figure was plump yet slender, and her movements were lithe and agile, truly making her a rare treasure among servant girls that any master would covet.

  "One day in the future, I'll make Taiping mine..." He couldn't help but start daydreaming.

  Qing Nu's smile was just in time to see his distracted expression, and a hint of disdain flashed in her eyes. She rolled her eyes and suddenly laughed: "Now our princess is not in the mansion, right?"

  "What? Not in the mansion?" This question was almost shouted out by several people, including Xue Shao. Xue Shao suddenly became a bit flustered, "Your Highness... she's not in the mansion... where did she go?"

  The green slave glanced at him with a complex expression, "Going to pick someone up?"

  "What?!" The crowd was shocked again. Who is this person that the princess must personally go to receive? Hasn't Old Minister Yan already arrived?!

  Xue Shao, after all, was a member of the aristocracy and still had a keen eye for things. He only slightly hesitated before leaning forward, pretending to be intimate as he whispered: "Qing Nu, isn't it that the Emperor is coming?"

  Qing Nu didn't fall for his trick, she took a small step back and created some distance between them. Upon hearing this, she couldn't help but laugh, "Your Majesty? Your Majesty is busy with state affairs all day, how do you have time to come over? Our princess has gone to Changshou Fang to pick up a great talent! And it's said that the imperial carriage used was the one bestowed by Your Majesty himself!"

  After finishing, she smiled slyly. This girl is like this, when she says cute things, she is very lovable, when she says flirtatious things, she suddenly becomes charming and elegant, and when she says clever things, she suddenly becomes quick-witted and cunning.

  "Did you use the sedan chair? To pick up... a talented young man?" Xue Shao's heart was racing at this time, and his palms suddenly broke out in a thin layer of sticky sweat. "Uh, Qing Nu girl, forgive my ignorance, but isn't Longshou Alley where those poor people live? Where did the talented young man come from? I've never heard that Longshou Alley has a great talent living there. What's his name?"

  Qing Nu looked at him with a surprised expression, which made Xue Shao feel as if he was very ignorant.

  "Hey, are you saying there's no talented scholar in the poor village? Anyway, our princess says he is, so he must be. If you don't think so, go argue with our princess! She said with a spoiled and naive expression, then blinked her eyes and smiled: "Oh, right, you asked what that talented scholar's name is? His name is Xiao Ting, courtesy name Zi Mei, just a student from the Long'an County School. To be honest, his status can't compare to yours, Master Xue... Alas, but our princess thinks he's a talented scholar and even sent a sedan chair to invite him to attend the gathering. Who knows if he'll come or not? What can we do about it?"

  After finishing, she no longer paid attention to Xue Shao who was already stunned, and turned around to walk into the pavilion. The princess is not here, as a female official in the mansion, she has to represent the princess to convey her intentions to Yan Laishangshu and several other adults, it's not good to ignore them.

  But at this time, the outside of the pavilion was in an uproar. Qing Nu's words had been heard by many people, and soon one person told ten, and ten people told a hundred, and before long, the talented scholars in the back garden were all clamoring in protest like a pot of porridge.

  "What? Her Highness the Princess went to pick him up personally? And even used a sedan chair? Who is this kid, anyway? He's putting on quite an air!"

  "He's just a student from the county school, after all. With so many people of higher status here today, what makes him worthy of having Her Highness the Princess come to greet him personally?"

  "Your Highness is indeed, someone like him would probably laugh for three days and sleep soundly if given an invitation, why bother going to pick him up personally?"

  "It's not just that, but also mobilizing the imperial carriage. Since this half of the imperial carriage was bestowed upon her, Her Highness the Princess probably doesn't use it more than twice a year?"

  "This kid..."

  Actually, Taiping quite likes to show off, so she doesn't use the sedan chair more than a few times a year because it's too much trouble. Besides, in recent years, she prefers to dress up as a man and go out for fun, compared to the majestic and powerful feeling of sitting in a sedan chair, she finds that she gradually likes being free and easy-going more.

  The carriage stopped, and two maidservants bowed and lifted the curtain. Taiping, dressed in magnificent palace attire, leaned out of the carriage. The first thing that caught her eye was the soldiers and civilians kneeling on both sides of the road, followed by Xiao Ting's silly eyes staring at her.

  The common people were deeply sincere, and for the imperial carriage that represented the emperor's power, they were indeed worshiping with all their heart and soul. Not a single person dared to lift their head to see who was inside the carriage, let alone whether it was a full or half-sized carriage, which hardly anyone could tell apart.

  In their eyes, the person sitting in the sedan chair is a god.

  The fairy descended from the carriage with a gentle and elegant step, two maidservants following behind her, holding up the trailing hem of her long skirt to prevent it from getting stained by dust.

  The old lady sat on the wheelbarrow, naturally not kneeling down. At this time, she and her son were both staring foolishly at this Mr. Ping, who was walking elegantly like a fairy.

  She walked up to Xiao Ting, saw that he was still staring at her blankly, and couldn't help but purse her lips and smile, "Are you stupid?"