Chapter 1115: Literature and Painting

"Just now it was a martial arts competition, next is a literary competition!"

Princess Lina's words caused a commotion.

Most people think that she is overestimating her own abilities and is struggling desperately even after losing.

Strictly speaking, this is cheating and shameless.

Princess Lina raised her head arrogantly and looked at Qiao Ran:

"Princess An Ning wouldn't dare to compete, right?"

"Compared to what?"

“Compared to painting, musical instruments and dancing.”

"it is good!"

Qiao Ran's decisiveness made Princess Lina's stubbornness appear even more obvious. Everyone looked at Princess Lina with contempt and ridicule, which made Princess Lina's face darker and her resentment towards Qiao Ran even stronger.

The first round of Wenbi, painting.

"Noble ladies are usually good at painting plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums, but we're going to compete in something different! Do you dare to challenge me in portraits? We'll each choose someone to paint their portrait, and the one with the most realistic portrait will win."

Princess Lina raised her head proudly and decided on the theme of her painting.

You know, she just disdained to be like the ordinary noble ladies and daughters of the boudoir, who only pretended to be elegant and painted flowers, plants, mandarin ducks, birds, rabbits, fish, etc.

She has her own personality, which is to be different, live freely and comfortably, and she is often proud of it.

In this regard, she felt that Princess An Ning of Dayue would not be able to compare with her.

The status of women in Dai Viet was even lower than that in their Western Liang Kingdom. While Western Liang had women serving in military camps and riding horses to fight in battles, Dai Viet did not even have female military doctors. Women were confined to the harem, taking care of their husbands and children, competing for favor and causing jealousy.

This Princess An Ning must be like other women, only able to play the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and only able to paint flowers, plants and small animals.

Little did she know that her suggestion made Qiao Ran laugh inwardly.

When it comes to painting, her paintings of flowers, birds, insects and fish are just average, good enough to participate in international art exhibitions.

But when it comes to drawing characters, isn't she, who comes from a special organization, a master at it?

The competition began, and Princess Lina chose her second brother as the model.

In fact, she wanted to choose Mo Beihan. She fell in love with this man at first sight. He was so handsome and extraordinary. She felt it was a pleasure to be able to stare at his face and paint.

However, just as she turned her gaze to him and before she could speak, he had already taken the initiative to walk up to the so-called Princess An Ning. After they exchanged a few words, Princess An Ning spread out paper and pen to draw him.

Helpless, Princess Lina could only stomp her feet in hatred and go to find her second brother with a pout.

The competition lasted for one stick of incense, but before half an incense stick of time had passed, Princess Lina had only drawn an outline. Before she had time to detail it, Qiao Ran had already stopped writing.

The Zhou steward beside the emperor is the old steward Zhou who used to serve him. Because there are no concubines in the harem now, the emperor does not necessarily need to be served by eunuchs, so the old steward Zhou entered the palace and became the steward.

Steward Zhou was the host of the competition. When he saw Qiao Ran stop writing, he quickly stepped forward, picked up the drawing paper on the table in front of her, took a look at it, and immediately smiled from ear to ear. He quickly took the painting to the emperor.

When Emperor Jingwu saw the painting, he was also shocked.

"Great! What a great painting! So lifelike!"

Hearing the emperor's praise for the painting, everyone else was eager to see how lifelike the painting was.

Emperor Jingwu admired the painting for a long time before signaling Chief Steward Zhou to pass it to others.

Manager Zhou picked up the drawing paper and walked around in front of the guests.

Almost everyone couldn't believe it the moment they saw the painting. How could someone draw a figure so three-dimensionally and realistically?

Not only are his facial features three-dimensional and lifelike, but even his eyes seem to be alive, as if they are staring at people.

The whole painting looks like King Dingbei has been shrunk down and placed on the drawing paper, and every bit of his spirit is exactly the same as the real person.