At the banquet, many young girls with outstanding talents and looks gathered together to compete with each other in beauty. It was also a visual enjoyment. The girls gathered together to stroll around the elegant back garden of Boya Xuan, talking and laughing, chatting and making noises, and it was very lively.
But no matter how much they laughed and joked, everyone maintained the noble self-respect and etiquette that came from their scholarly family.
It forms a sharp contrast with the undercurrent at the lakeside pavilion.
Several young ladies gathered together to admire the chrysanthemums and could not help but exclaim: "The gorgeous and noble black peony, the pure and clean rouge-dotted snow, the magnificent purple dragon lying on the snow, the elegant and noble jade phoenix, and the graceful shy girl are all precious varieties. The flowers are in full bloom, which is simply amazing!"
"Look at that old osmanthus tree. It looks quite old. It must be at least a hundred years old. A hundred-year-old osmanthus tree is very rare in Beijing, let alone one that is so full of vitality. It is probably the only one of its kind in Beijing. Boyaxuan really lives up to its reputation."
"I've heard that the older the osmanthus flower is, the more fragrant it is. It seems to be true. I've never smelled such a sweet, refreshing, yet not cloying fragrance. If I use this old osmanthus to make osmanthus cake, it will surely taste great."
"You want to eat everything you see. Hundred-year-old osmanthus is hard to come by, so elegant and precious. I think it would be better to use these osmanthus flowers to make flower dew."
Since these young ladies have come to attend the banquet, who wouldn't want to stand out and get attention? It's a rare occasion for them to get together, and although they seem to be just chatting and laughing, who doesn't have some little thoughts and plans in their mind
Some wanted to show that they were knowledgeable and well-informed by using chrysanthemums as an introduction, while others wanted to use old osmanthus to praise Boya Xuan, which was also a way to please people. Of course, using old osmanthus to show their own virtue and versatility was also common.
It's just that they get together, compete to show off, and compare with each other.
Although the scenery in Boya Pavilion is beautiful, after walking around for a while, there is nothing special anymore, and everyone's interest in sightseeing has faded: "Lin Yingxin is indeed worthy of being a famous talented woman in Beijing. Whether it is temperament or appearance, there are probably not many people in the whole capital who can compare with her."
"I was fortunate enough to attend the Qianjin Banquet three years ago. At that time, Senior Sister Lin sang a song called "Yangchun Baixue". Its overtones were like the sound of nature, giving me a sense of being in the air. The lingering rhythm under her fingers was subtle, long, ethereal and changeable. It amazed everyone at the table and amazed everyone."
"Ms. Lin's piano skills are extraordinary, and she is indeed unmatched. I heard that she has made some achievements in calligraphy and chess. She is truly worthy of the title of a talented woman. Boyaxuan invited her to be a judge for the Qianjin Banquet, and she really deserves it."
Everyone praised Lin Yingxin, with envy and even jealousy in their tone. After all, Lin Yingxin's fame and talent were there, and it was truly beyond the reach of others.
"Hey, who is that woman who has been sitting in the pavilion in the middle of the lake with Miss Lin? She looks quite pretty, but she is unfamiliar. She doesn't look like a famous lady in the capital. Why would Boyaxuan invite her to the banquet?"
"With your eyesight, you can't even recognize Xia Ruya. Who in the capital doesn't know Xia Ruya's name? As for her grievances with the Wen family, there are still many people in the capital talking about her behind her back."
"It's actually her! Why would Boyaxuan invite her to attend the Qianjin Banquet? She is notorious, and everyone in the capital knows her. Although she did have some talent in the past, how can someone like her be qualified to attend the Qianjin Banquet?"
"I have attended several banquets with Xia Ruya before. Xia Ruya loves to be in the limelight. How could Xia Ruya miss the Qianjin Banquet held by Boyaxuan? She is no longer the illegitimate daughter of the Xia family or the adopted daughter of the Wen family. She has become the heir of the Li family in Gangcheng. It is easy for her to get an invitation to the Qianjin Banquet."
"This Xia Ruya is too shameless! What kind of place is a banquet for wealthy ladies? All the wealthy ladies who come to attend are talented, virtuous and virtuous women. For someone like her to dare to attend the banquet is simply unlucky."
"She has turned over a new leaf now. She is in the limelight and in high spirits. How could she not come out to show off? We look down on her, but she looks down on us. Otherwise, how could she not try to get close to us after coming to Boyaxuan for so long? Instead, she would try to get close to Lin Yingxin."
Everyone talked about Xia Ruyu, and their tone was sharp and disdainful.
In fact, it is normal. After all, everyone comes from a scholarly family. Whether it is character, talent, or virtue, they are all very good. Xia Ruya has a bad reputation. Everyone is skeptical about her being able to attend the Qianjin Banquet. Of course, more people are dissatisfied. A woman who is proud of her talent and virtue is naturally unwilling to interact and meet with people with a bad reputation.
"Speaking of Xia Ruya, I suddenly remembered that there was a rumor in the capital these past two days that Wen Family's eldest daughter, Wen Xinya, would also attend the Qianjin Banquet! However, the Qianjin Banquet is about to begin, and Wen Xinya doesn't seem to have come yet. I don't know if she will not come."
"She will come, after all, there have been rumors about her recently. If she doesn't come, she can't afford to lose face. I heard that as soon as she returned to the Wen family, she studied music, chess, calligraphy and painting with Mr. Mo. She is quite talented. I've seen her play "Fighting the East Wind". Except for the unfamiliar fingering and the fact that she didn't practice it carefully, it's really good."
"Humph, you are so polite when you say things. Wen Xinya is just relying on having a grandfather who is a great scholar in the literary world, so she can jump around so recklessly in the capital. It's just some tricks to attract attention. I don't think she is talented or famous!"
"That's right. Think about it. Ever since Wen Xinya returned to the Wen family, the media has become hers. There are always some incidents, good or bad, but in the end, isn't she the one who benefits? For example, all the rumors about her recently, aren't they just because she wanted to copy her reputation as a talented woman?"
"That's right. Although the Wen family is a well-known wealthy family in the capital, they don't report it every other day. It is said that family disgrace should not be made public. But which famous family or wealthy family would be willing to report it all day long? If not for plagiarism, what else could it be for?"
"You can't say that. I think Wen Xinya is pretty good. I heard that two years ago, she participated in a key high school literature exchange meeting held in Beijing, and she seemed to have won two championships and one third place!"
"Although the arts of music, chess, calligraphy and painting are compulsory for talented women, in today's society, there are still few people who study this ancient culture. Even if she is not very good at them, it does not mean that she is just trying to win popularity. At least her academic performance is good, so she deserves the title of talented woman."
When people talked about Wen Xinya, unlike Xia Ruya, they were not overwhelmingly disdainful, but there was quite a bit of controversy, with mixed praise and criticism, and different opinions.
"Okay, stop talking, Wen Xinya... is coming!"