Insufficient balance

  There were indeed hundreds of people waiting for him.

  And it was several hundred people who were indignantly angry and furious, with spittle flying everywhere in a common enemy!

  Following Taiping Gongzhu into the back garden, hundreds of sharp gazes pierced over, Xiao Ting had nowhere to hide, but fortunately, everyone's attention was still not on him, but on Taiping Gongzhu beside him.

  Most of the people present were seeing this famous and renowned first princess for the first time, and they couldn't help but stare blankly at her. Even if they had been angry just a moment before, it seemed like all their anger was suddenly forgotten, and they could only gaze intently at the stunningly beautiful princess.

  Among the crowd, only a few people had seen Taiping many times before, so although they were also momentarily dazzled by her stunning beauty, they quickly came to their senses and fixed their piercing gaze on Xiao Ting walking beside her.

  But compared to the hundreds of gazes, these few gazes didn't amount to much. Seeing that everyone's attention was on Tai Ping, it seemed he hadn't become a public enemy after all. Xiao Ting couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief. However, just as they had walked into the garden for only a few steps, Tai Ping deliberately stopped and waited for him to catch up, then walked alongside him with an air of extreme familiarity, instantly drawing over half of the crowd's jealous and almost furious gazes, making Xiao Ting inwardly curse his bad luck.

  There are some figures standing in this courtyard, he guessed that if possible, no one would be willing to offend them, let alone offending so many people at the same time!

  The lady official finished her announcement and the two of them had already walked shoulder to shoulder into the crowd in the backyard.

  At this time, several connoisseurs who had been resting and drinking tea in the pavilion walked out accompanied by Qingnu. Everyone bowed to Princess Taiping, who quickly stepped forward to support Old Minister Yan. After ordering everyone to dispense with the formalities, Taiping whispered to Yan Liben, presumably explaining her previous actions.

  At this time, the eyes of the green slave standing in the corner of the crowd had slipped onto Xiao Ting's body.

  This guy... um, doesn't look bad!

  Just then, Xiao Tuo was stared at by hundreds of eyes and couldn't take it anymore. He turned his head around, and the two people's eyes met, then they both subconsciously dodged away. However, just as their eyes had barely parted, the two people simultaneously turned their heads back to look at each other again. This time when their eyes met, they were both taken aback for a moment, and then they exchanged slightly awkward smiles.

  At this time, the young slave girl suddenly seemed to have transformed into a delicate and elegant maiden. Her eyes met his for an instant, and she was like a startled deer, glancing around in all directions before quickly lowering her head, like a timid water lily that couldn't withstand the cool breeze, blushing with shyness. Xiao Teng still thought he had embarrassed the young girl, so he hastily revealed a warm and gentle smile.

  When being stared at by hundreds of people, as if having a thorn on his back, he still thought about understanding the thoughts of a little girl, this kind of thing can only be done by him!

  (He seems like a country bumpkin!)

  She took the opportunity to lower her head and smiled to herself, as a servant girl, the future chosen by Her Highness is also her own future, how can she not take a good look!

  She lifted her head again, and her eyes were already shining like ripples on water. There was a hint of girlish shyness in her gaze that left Xiao Teng momentarily stunned, but he quickly came to his senses.

  How is it that this little girl of sixteen or seventeen seems even more charming than Yang Liu?

  Xiao Ting turned his head away and didn't dare to look at her again. Just then, Tai Ping had finished talking to Yan Liben and smiled as he looked over at Xiao Ting.

  "Gentlemen...” Taiping stood on the steps in front of the pavilion, scanning around with a smile and said: "I was delayed because I went out to pick up a talented scholar, so it's not early now. Today's literary gathering is about to begin. As for the purpose of convening this literary gathering, I don't need to say more. I suppose all of you understand clearly. Next, I will directly announce the topic. After discussing with Yan Laoshe, I have decided on today's topic, which is... a painting!"

  Her gaze remained on Xiao Ting as she walked down, her beautiful skirt fluttering down the stairs like a lover's caressing palm, exuding an air of luxury and nobility. However, most people in attendance didn't have the mind to notice this stunning scene, everyone was more concerned about Tai Ping's first sentence!

  (To pick up a talented young man? It seems that it's really going to pick up this little guy! Really using the imperial carriage......to pick up such a poor little guy?)

  "This palace doesn't care what you paint or how you paint, just look at the final work!" Taiping continued, "The necessary brushes, ink, paper, inkstone, painting case and so on can be obtained from the lower officials in my mansion. The time limit is three hours, within three hours, your paintings must be handed over to Yan Laosheng and others in the Liang Pavilion for their appraisal. They will select a batch of good works, and then this palace will choose one painting from among them. Its author will become the Shidu Xueshi of Taiping Gongzhu Mansion."

  She spoke as she walked, her eyes never leaving Xiao Ting's eyes, and naturally the gazes of the people in the garden followed suit.

  "She's still just a little girl, after all. Maybe in her eyes, I'm just an interesting plaything that she can toss around and surprise everyone with? Because of my deliberate distance, it has instead piqued her interest? The plaything of a rebellious noble girl? This feeling isn't very good!"

  He secretly sighed, thinking that perhaps he shouldn't have attributed a history that hadn't happened yet to her. Although her behavior made him very uncomfortable, at least she was still just a playful little girl, far from the lascivious and promiscuous first princess of the Tang Dynasty in history.

  After successfully drawing everyone's attention to Xiao Ting, Tai Ping glanced around and noticed the undisguised provocative meaning in people's eyes. He couldn't help but smile slightly and said, "Let's get started now, please feel free!"

  As she spoke, she turned to Yan Liben and the others: "Lord Yan, and all of you gentlemen, please have some tea in the small pavilion. I need to return and change my clothes, so I won't keep you company for now!"

  As they spoke, two pretty little maids had already walked over and lifted the back of her skirt. After Yan Liben and others thanked them, Taiping stood up and left, brushing shoulders with Xiao Ting in the process, and couldn't help but whisper a sentence in his ear, "They can't wait to eat you up, be careful!"

  Xiao Ting was speechless, and Taiping walked away with a long stride.

  Yan Laishang and others had gone to the small pavilion to offer tea, leaving behind a crowd of people who were in a hurry, some of whom were busy preparing their painting tools, while a large number of others were staring intently at Xiao Ting.

  Xue Shao was the first to walk over, his face openly displaying anger, disdain, contempt, jealousy, surprise and doubt, a complex mix of emotions that seemed like an emotional supermarket.

  "Here comes Mr. Xiao," he said with a fist bump, his eyes gleaming like a knife, "I dare ask Mr. Xiao, since you've gone to the trouble of having Her Highness personally invite you, you must have some impressive skills, right? How about we have a little competition today?"

  Xiao Ting smiled and also made a fist, "May I ask who you are?"

  "In the lower part of Chang'an, at the Xue family home, Xue Shao's mother was Princess Chongyang, and as it turns out, I am actually the cousin of Her Highness the Princess!"

  "Ah!" Xiao Teng's mouth was wide open, as if he could swallow an egg. He didn't expect the first person to stand up and challenge him would be the first husband of Taiping Princess in history, Da Tang. It was getting more and more realistic!

  He closed his mouth, smiled and said: "It turns out to be Master Xue, uh, this is the case, I am absolutely not qualified to be a servant of Princess Gong's study, so I don't plan to come out and show my ugliness, so it's even more impossible to compare with Master Xue, please forgive me, forgive me!"

  Xue Shao was taken aback, originally thinking that he would encounter a formidable opponent. Since Taiping personally went to invite him, the person must not be simple, but who knew this guy retreated at the beginning and didn't even dare to compete with himself!

  (Look at his tattered clothes, he must be the son of a humble family... Hmph! Indeed, with a humble background comes a small capacity!)

  He sneered, "So Xiao Gongzi is indeed lacking in talent and learning! In that case, I'd rather not force you to come out and show your ugliness. You may as well do as you please!"

  It must be said that if a person born into a noble family has not learned the most important virtues of humility and prudence, but only acquired a sharp tongue to take advantage of others, then it is likely that he will not become a great figure in the future. From a historical perspective, Xue Shao's future fate seems to have verified this point.

  Eight feet tall with a face like jade, red lips and white teeth, elegant and refined. These words are often the most unbearable in historical accounts.

  Xiao Ting smiled helplessly and turned around to leave.

  He really didn't plan to take action, because he wasn't going to set foot in this *** at all. Even if a modern person went back to the Tang Dynasty, his dream was just to be a small landlord with enough food and clothing, so he wouldn't argue with a 20-year-old kid over a word.

  If calculated by psychological age, he might already be forty years old!

  Since I've come, it's not good to leave now, and I'm not ready to take action, so I might as well take the opportunity to sneak a peek at Taiping Princess's backyard, which is also a way to appreciate the aristocratic gardens of the Tang Dynasty.

  Under the eaves, Qing Nu also caught a glimpse of the scene earlier in the small pavilion. With her intelligence, although she couldn't hear the sound, from their expressions, she could roughly guess what was going on. She made an excuse to apologize to Yan Liben and several other connoisseurs, and after leaving the small pavilion, she followed them directly. Seeing that they were walking to a relatively quiet place with few people, she quickened her pace and caught up with them. "Xiao Gongzi, please wait!"

  Xiao Ting turned around in surprise and found that it was the shy girl who had made eye contact with him earlier.

  She called out to Xiao Ting and then walked over with her head down, as if she was too shy to control herself. Under the clear sunlight, her skin had a glossy whiteness like glaze, and because of her shyness, her slender neck seemed to be covered with a layer of delicate rose red. This kind of girlish bashfulness was so beautiful that it made one's heart skip a beat.

  "Xiao Gongzi, the princess has ordered me to remind you that among all the doctors in the land, those who receive royal salaries as imperial physicians have the most superior medical skills. If the madam's illness can be treated by them, it will definitely be cured!"

  After finishing speaking, she raised her head, her eyes somewhat dazed, as if she was just an ordinary maid, so ordinary that she couldn't understand why the princess would let her talk to him about this.

  Xiao Ting heard this sentence and was suddenly stunned.

  This... really hit me where it hurts!