Maybe it was because she realized that her aggressive attitude made most of the Yanbei girls unhappy, Yan Ningshuang showed her demeanor this time, and let Ren Yaoqi ask the question first, and she answered the source.
Ren Yaoqi also wanted to try the depth of this Miss Yan, and without rejecting it, he thought about it for a while, and said, "What the future expects is not out of the ordinary. Farmers and workers have both, men and women have food and clothing. The common people are rich, officials and deacons... "
Before Ren Yaoqi could finish speaking, Yan Ningshuang interrupted: "It's from "The Biography of Emperor Mu." She glanced at Ren Yaoqi and bent the corner of her mouth, "It's your turn. There is a golden platform in the sea. Qiao Li, exhausted with magic, Hengguang Yanzhu, Yan Yao Xinghan.' Where did this sentence come from?"
Ren Yaoqi also answered quickly: "From "Netherworld Records"."
Yan Ningshuang was a little surprised. "Netherworld Records" was a novel, she didn't expect Ren Yaoqi to read it too.
Next, the two of you came back to me to write questions for each other. In order to explore Yan Ningshuang's background, Ren Yaoqi chose various books such as history books, Ming Jing, travel notes, geography and so on. To Ren Yaoqi's surprise, Yan Ningshuang can even tell the source. Although she took some common books, it is very good that Yan Ningshuang can read and remember them all at her age. No wonder Yan Ningshuang dares to talk to her. test.
Yan Ningshuang had the purpose of winning Ren Yaoqi, and she even studied books such as astronomical calendar, medical book and pharmacopoeia, Buddhist scriptures and Taoism. But Yan Ningshuang was shocked that no matter how biased the source of the sentence she said, Ren Yaoqi could really answer it. Because of her unforgettable ability, she memorized all the books in her study room. Whether she can understand her is secondary. She doesn't believe that Yaoqi has the same ability as her! But the two were standing face to face, and Ren Yaoqi obviously had no way to take chances.
The two of them come and go, but the people below watch them with relish. Except for the three adults, there are all women here. Ren Yaoqi and Yan Ningshuang have some book titles that they have never even heard of, but these two people can say it into chapters and recite a paragraph or a sentence at will.
The reason why Ren Yaoqi and Yan Ningshuang were able to answer each other's questions was because the collection of books in both Pei Zhiyan's study and Yan's study basically included most of the books circulating on the market. Especially in Pei Zhiyan's study, many people decorate the study according to Emperor Pei's collection of books. Unless it is some rare rare book, it is easy to refuse to show it.
Seeing that it was noon, the two still did not decide the winner, and neither could stun the other. The princess looked at the sky and discussed with Mrs. Xu: "Can you think of a way to decide the winner faster?"
Pei Zhiyan, who was sitting beside him, heard their conversation, and said leisurely, "I have a way to make them write quickly and decide the winner."
The princess smiled and said, "Mr. Pei, if you have any ideas, why don't you talk about it?"
Ren Yaoqi and Yan Ningshuang also looked at Pei Zhiyan when they heard the words.
Pei Zhiyan smiled slightly and asked Ren Yaoqi and Yan Ningshuang, "Are both young ladies familiar with "Qiuyang Miscellaneous"?"
Just now, Yan Ningshuang said a sentence in "The Miscellaneous Comments on Qiuyang" for Ren Yaoqi to guess, that's why Pei Zhiyan asked this question. This book "Qiuyang Miscellaneous" is not a masterpiece, just some essays about customs and geography, calligraphy, painting, song and dance, flowers, birds, fish and insects written by an old scholar in the previous dynasty.
Ren Yaoqi said: "I can't say that I am familiar with it, but I have read it a little."
Yan Ningshuang glanced at Ren Yaoqi: "I also looked at it briefly."
Pei Zhiyan nodded and said with a smile: "That's just fair, I ask a question about this book, how about whoever answers it wins?"
Pei Zhiyan looked at Ren Yaoqi. It was Yan Ningshuang's question before. Miss Yan took the initiative, so strictly speaking, Ren Yaoqi suffered a loss. The other two adults and the aunt sent by the queen mother felt that they had no opinion.
Ren Yaoqi didn't care when he heard the words, he bowed his head and said respectfully, "I have no opinion."
Although Yan Ningshuang on the surface took advantage, there was no joy on Yan Ningshuang's face, and her head was already sweating. Originally, I thought that if I read a lot of books, I would definitely be able to easily outperform Ren Yaoqi, but I didn't want to be as powerful as Ren Yaoqi. Now Pei Zhiyan said that the question will be asked, although she believes that Pei Zhiyan will not help Ren Yaoqi to plot against her, but Yan Ningshuang is still a little cautious about things that are not guaranteed to win.
Now she is the only person sent by the Queen Mother. She can't lose to Ren Yaoqi, otherwise she will have no way to deal with the Queen Mother, and she will not be able to raise her head in the Yan family in the future.
But Miss Yan wanted to think about it, but the people around her didn't give her a chance to think about it. After all, everyone was a little hungry after sitting here for a long time. The maids sent by the queen mother were afraid that Yanbei Wangfu and Ren Yaoqi would regret it, and they were busy helping Yan Ningshuang to respond.
Pei Zhiyan leaned back on the back of the chair, tilted his head and pondered for a moment, then asked, "Wei Xiucai once went to a place called Tiger's Au by the locals. What are the staple foods that the villagers in Tiger's Au eat in winter?"
Yan Ningshuang was stunned when she heard the words, thought about it carefully, and then said: "Master Pei, this is not mentioned in "Qiuyang Miscellaneous"."
Pei Zhiyan smiled sympathetically: "Miss Yan sure? Where's Miss Ren?"
Ren Yaoqi stood there with a strange expression on her face, a scene she was all too familiar with.
"Miss Ren?" Seeing that Ren Yaoqi didn't speak, Pei Zhiyan called her again.
Ren Yaoqi coughed lightly and said, "It's sweet potatoes and woks."
Pei Zhiyan raised his eyebrows, the smile in his eyes dizzy, nodded, and praised: "Not bad."
Yan Ningshuang's face changed, and she distinguished: "The Autumn and Yang Miscellaneous Stories does not mention the winter staple food of the villagers in Tiger Ao."
Pei Zhiyan looked at Ren Yaoqi and said with a smile, "Miss Ren, what do you think?"
Ren Yaoqi suddenly wanted to laugh, but she still replied seriously: "The miscellaneous note about "Tiger's Au" really didn't mention it, but the same book wrote about "Yuyang Mountain" in Ziyang, a neighboring county. In that article, it was said that Wei Xiucai and his friends met a woodcutter during the Double Ninth Festival.
Pei Zhiyan looked at Yan Ningshuang again: "Miss Yan?"
Yan Ningshuang bit her lip, her face was pale and her eyes were red.
The grandmother on the side quickly said: "Master Pei, should you ask another question? The two young ladies are not ready yet."
Pei Zhiyan glanced at the grandmother with a half-smile but not a smile, lowered her head and drank tea without saying a word.
Someone below laughed: "Yeah, it's better to ask something Miss Yan knows that Miss Ren doesn't know, so that the "two young ladies" are ready."
This time, the mammy's face can't be hung, but this is in Yanbei, even if she is the queen mother's person, these tricksters will not sell her account.
On the other hand, Ren Yaoqi was very authentic: "Master Pei will ask another question." Otherwise, she would always have a feeling of going home and complaining and calling the adults to bully Yan Ningshuang, which is really not very kind.
Seeing what Ren Yaoqi said, Pei Zhiyan said, "Let's ask another question." He looked at Yan Ningshuang and asked with a smile, "Have you both read "The Collection of Mysteries" and "The Chronicle of Yinchuan County"?"
These two books are also what Yan Ningshuang asked Ren Yaoqi before. Anyway, from the bright side, Pei Zhiyan still takes good care of Yan Ningshuang.
Ren Yaoqi nodded, and Yan Ningshuang also nodded.
Pei Zhiyan said in a soothing voice: "In "The Collection of Legendary Monsters", it is mentioned that there is a siren with a bird head and a snake body with fleshy wings. How long did it take for more than a hundred people to migrate from Minchuan County to Yuyang County in the summer of the 22nd year of Guangyuan?"
It was another inexplicable question. Yan Ningshuang estimated the distance from Yuyang County, Minchuan County. Although the Kraken had fleshy wings, according to the records in the book, they needed to forage before they could fly for too long, and their movements were slow. , if you convert it, it will take more than a month. But Yan Ningshuang didn't dare to say this answer casually, she couldn't help but glance at Ren Yaoqi.
There was no superfluous expression on Ren Yaoqi's face, and he couldn't tell whether he knew the answer or didn't know the answer.
Seeing that Yan Ningshuang hesitated, Pei Zhiyan added leisurely: "If the two of you have the same answer, then the one who gave the correct answer first wins."
Ren Yaoqi was about to speak when Yan Ningshuang hurriedly said, "It will probably take more than a month."
Pei Zhiyan was noncommittal and looked at Ren Yaoqi again.
Ren Yaoqi said: "They can't reach Yuyang anymore. It is recorded in the Annals of Yinchuan County that from the late spring of the 22nd year of Guangyuan, a large-scale plague occurred near Dazhou and Lizhou. Minchuan County and Yuyang County were both in In the hardest-hit area, there are ten rooms and nine empty spaces, and it is hard to see living people."
Pei Zhiyan laughed, nodded, and said "yes". Then, regardless of the grandmother who was beside him, she winked at him, and stood up and left the table.
The blood on Yan Ningshuang's face quickly faded, and she didn't believe that she would lose to Ren Yaoqi. There were faint laughter from the audience, Yan Ningshuang felt that these voices were mocking her, and the words she started to say to Ren Yaoqi now seemed to be hitting her in the face.
Ren Yaoqi saw Yan Ningshuang's dismayed look, and didn't say anything to her, and went back to his seat. The ten ladies of the imperial court have all appeared one by one. Although there are still many ladies in Yanbei who have yet to appear, everyone knows that the highlight of this year's daughter-in-law banquet has passed.
Ren Yaoqi almost single-handedly defeated the ten ladies sent by the Queen Mother, and won very beautifully, not only won face for Yanbei Wangfu, but also other ladies in Yanbei are also honored. Ren Yaoqi made a big splash this time and became famous in Yanbei. Although there are many people who are envious of her, most people in Yanbei would rather Ren Yaoqi win than Yan Ningshuang and the others.
The princess was in a good mood today, and after saying a few scenes, she was ready to leave the stage. After taking a break from lunch, the Qianjin Banquet will continue, but Ren Yaoqi's task has been successfully completed. She breathed a sigh of relief when she got off the stage.
When the princess saw it, she couldn't help but smiled and praised: "It's really beautiful to win today."
Xiao Jinglin also said on the side: "I thought the people who were carefully selected by the queen mother were amazing."
Ren Yaoqi was a little embarrassed, remembering that Xiao Jinglin hid a bowl from someone else's girl before, she couldn't help but ask, "You can do tricks too?"
Xiao Jinglin curved the corners of her mouth: "What kind of trick, it's just a quick action."
Ren Yaoqi asked curiously, "Then where did you hide other people's bowls?" The little girls were crying angrily.
Xiao Jinglin coughed lightly, leaned over and whispered, "When I waved my sleeves, my hands loosened, the bowl fell on the vamp, and was hidden under my skirt by me."
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help laughing out loud, but Xiao Jinglin was a little embarrassed by her laughter.
They were originally going to go back to Lanyue Pavilion with the princess for dinner, but they didn't want to go back to Lanyue Pavilion. Concubine Yun's maid came over, and Concubine Yun invited Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin to go to her Feiwu Pavilion for lunch.
After Concubine Yun's people left, Xiao Jinglin looked at Ren Yaoqi and frowned, "If you stay, I'll go over by myself, and I'll say you're uncomfortable." Xiao Jinglin also saw it last time, too, Mrs. Yun The concubine doesn't like Ren Yaoqi, especially when that happened yesterday, who knows if her grandmother will take Ren Yaoqi out of her breath
Ren Yaoqi also knew that Concubine Yun didn't like her, so she was not sure why Concubine Yun would invite her over for dinner, but Concubine Yun was an elder after all, and an elder who had opinions on her. Ren Yaoqi didn't want to. It is too offensive to her. After all, there is not much conflict between the two, and there is no conflict of interest. If they can live in harmony, they can live in harmony, and if they can't live in harmony, they can't be hostile.
Ren Yaoqi thought about it, and then went to ask the princess.
The princess thought for a while and said, "Since the concubine asked you to come over for dinner, you should go over there."
Seeing that the princess said the same thing, Ren Yaoqi changed her clothes and went to Feiwu Pavilion with Xiao Jinglin.
Concubine Yun was still sitting on the Luohan bed in the second room, her face was still cold. When Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin went to greet her, she nodded and let them sit down.
As last time, the atmosphere was somewhat silent.
Concubine Yun instructed her maid, "It's time to set the meal."
While waiting for the meal, Concubine Yun finally spoke after drinking a few sips of tea: "Have you read a lot of books?"
Ren Yaoqi glanced at Concubine Yun, not knowing what she meant by her question, so she could only answer safely: "I have read some books in my father's study."
Concubine Yun nodded: "I have a good memory."
Ren Yaoqi blinked, wondering if Concubine Yun meant to praise her, she could only smile, but she didn't know how to answer.
Concubine Yun seemed to see that Ren Yaoqi was cautious in front of her, and didn't want to ask any more questions. So the three of them started drinking tea one by one.
Fortunately, the meal was ready soon, and Concubine Yun took them to their seats. There were only the three of them eating, but the dishes were filled with a table of the Eight Immortals.
Concubine Yun didn't like to talk, and the maid behind her smiled and said, "Does the princess look at today's dishes?"
Xiao Jinglin nodded and said, "Most of them are what I like to eat."
The maid smiled and said, "This is what the Empress Dowager ordered herself to do."
Xiao Jinglin was a little surprised, and then quickly said, "Thank you, grandma."
Concubine Yun nodded and didn't say anything. She just grabbed an eggplant box and signaled that Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi could move their chopsticks.
The maid should be used to serving by Concubine Yun, with a very amiable smile on her face, and said to Ren Yaoqi: "What kind of dishes does Miss Ren like, you can tell the servants later, the servants are good to remember. Come down. Next time you come to the concubine for dinner, the servant will ask the cook to make something you like."
Ren Yaoqi was almost flattered when he heard this.
The maid's words are obviously showing her closeness. She is the confidant maid of Concubine Yun, that is to express her closeness on behalf of Concubine Yun.
Ren Yaoqi glanced at Concubine Yun, who was silent, and replied carefully: "I'm not picky about food, I like everything the county master likes."
The maid smiled sweetly when she heard the words, and came forward to help her with a bowl of soup.
During the meal, Concubine Yun didn't say a few words from beginning to end, Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin didn't talk much, and the three of them finished the meal in silence.
After lunch, the maids waited on them to wash their hands, rinse their mouths, and then serve tea.
Concubine Yun didn't tell them to leave, so they continued to sit with Concubine Yun to drink tea in the second room.
When the tea was almost finished, Concubine Yun suddenly said, "Go and get the things."
The maid withdrew in response, and came out holding a pair of red lacquer carved boxes in a short while.
"Give each of them one." Concubine Yun whispered.
So Ren Yaoqi put a six-inch square red lacquer carved box inlaid with cloisonne in his hand, and he was a little heavy at the beginning.
Ren Yaoqi glanced at Xiao Jinglin, and with an inquiring look, Xiao Jinglin shook her head at her, saying that she didn't know what was going on.
The maid smiled and said, "The county master and Miss Ren open it up and take a look."
When Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin heard the words, they opened the box in their hands. Ren Yaoqi looked down and was stunned. There were some heads and jewelry in the box. A gem set on a golden step is in excellent condition.
"Grandma is this?" Xiao Jinglin asked, raising her eyebrows.
Concubine Yun said: "I don't need it, you can wear it."
Ren Yaoqi is really going to be flattered now, she almost thought that it was just her illusion that Concubine Yun didn't want to see her before.
Concubine Yun paused and said, "I know you don't lack these, but it is always the will of the elders, you can accept it."
Xiao Jinglin looked at Concubine Yun, then at Ren Yaoqi, then smiled and accepted the box: "Thank you grandmother."
Ren Yaoqi only accepted the box that Concubine Yun gave her: "Thank you Concubine."
Concubine Yun nodded and sat silently for a while. She waved her hand and said, "You guys go down and rest, you are tired today. Tell the princess, I won't be going in the afternoon."
Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi responded, then got up and backed out.
After leaving Feiwu Pavilion for a long time, Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi looked at each other, and then returned to Lanyue Pavilion in silence.
The two took the jewelry box given by the concubine to the concubine's place together.
The princess opened their jewelry box and looked at it, and said lightly: "Just keep it for you."
Seeing that there were no outsiders in the house, Xiao Jinglin spoke very straightforwardly: "Mother, doesn't grandma dislike Yao Qi? What's the matter today?"
Concubine Yun gave her jewelry in the past. After all, she was her own grandmother. Although her attitude was relatively cold on weekdays, she also gave her something during the festivals, which was not bad for her. But the last time we met, it was obvious that Concubine Yun had an opinion on Ren Yaoqi. How did the attitude change so quickly
The princess didn't answer Xiao Jinglin's words directly, she thought for a while, then turned to look at Ren Yaoqi: "What do you think of Yaoqi?"
Ren Yaoqi looked at the princess and felt a little embarrassed. After all, she was not from the Xiao family, and the princess and Concubine Yun were the mother-in-law and nephew.
The princess smiled: "There are no outsiders here, you can say whatever comes to your mind, and no one will blame you if you are wrong."
Ren Yaoqi asked tentatively, "Is it because of what happened yesterday?"
The princess smiled and nodded: "You are a smart child. So accept it with peace of mind."
Ren Yaoqi glanced at the princess, nodded, and stopped talking.
Xiao Jinglin was about to ask, when Xinmao came in. It seemed that she had something to report to the princess. Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin had to go out first.
When the two returned to the room, Xiao Jinglin asked Ren Yaoqi, "You just said that your grandmother's attitude changed because of what happened yesterday?"
Ren Yaoqi nodded, handed the jewelry box to the maid to put away, then pulled Xiao Jinglin to sit by the kang: "If it wasn't Yun Qiuchen and Yun Wenfang yesterday, but someone from another family, Yanbei Wangfu How will you deal with them?"
Xiao Jinglin thought for a while: "It's hard to say whether I can save my life."
"Then why are Yun Qiuchen and Yun Wenfang okay?" Ren Yaoqi asked with raised eyebrows.
Xiao Jinglin understood at once: "Naturally it is because of my grandmother's protection."
Seeing that Xiao Jinglin understood, Ren Yaoqi stopped talking.
Concubine Yun protected Yun Qiuchen and Yun Wenfang, and let them return to the Yun family unscathed, and did not hold the Yun family accountable. Naturally, there was a compromise from the Yanbei Palace.
Concubine Yun understood in her heart, so she also sold the princess and Xiao Jingxi the same face. So today, Concubine Yun helped her out again, told her to go to dinner, and brought a box of jewelry over. In fact, it was because she was wronged by the princess and Xiao Jingxi.
Although she knew that Concubine Yun did not do this because she had changed her mind, Ren Yaoqi was not disgusted by Concubine Yun's behavior.
As the biological mother of King Yanbei, the mother-in-law of the princess, and the grandmother of Xiao Jingxi, Taifei Yun did not feel that everything she did was taken for granted. At least she knew that it was her fault after she had done something to cover up her mother's family. , know to find ways to remedy compensation. There are too many people in this world who like to rely on their own status and age to do whatever they want. In comparison, Concubine Yun is more understandable.
As for whether Concubine Yun likes her or not, Ren Yaoqi does not insist. There is no way for any one person to be all-encompassing to be liked by everyone. It is good to be able to respect each other.
After the noon break, the afternoon banquet continued.
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