Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard Chapter 093.5: Let Her Compete! (5)

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Beiling Yu’s final score was just one point behind Lu Junqi’s.
Du Xiaoli attentively watched every single onstage performance. She knew Lu Junqi was skilled, so the latter’s highly graded result was as expected. Beiling Yu’s performance, however, surprised Du Xiaoli. Considering the relationship that Du Xiaoli had formed with Beiling Yu, she sincerely wished that the latter could continue living blissfully.
The following three performances were nothing notable and passed just like that. Soon, it was Zhao Zirui’s turn.
Men Weiren went on stage to announce the previous person’s score before heading down again. As he was leaving the stage, he saw a few imperial guards carrying two canvases on stage. He glanced at the canvas screens in confusion before turning around and leaving.
After the imperial guards carried two blank canvases onto the stage, more people carried up a table, a palette with various colors, as well as an array of brushes. Seeing all this, everyone present was similarly puzzled. Wasn’t this a dance competition? Why were they bringing up tools for drawing?
“Marquis Zhen, is the princess planning to enter the drawing competition?” Han Mingze said with a smile when he saw the things on the stage.
“Painting is part of her performance,” Zhao Zhen replied.
A noble, who was sitting beside Zhao Zhen, overheard and exclaimed in surprise, “Could it be the princess plans to dance and paint at the same time?!”
“Indeed. It’s just as this nobleman has heard.” Zhao Zhen smiled and looked toward the stage.
That was right. Although Zhao Zirui’s dancing skills were about the same as Lu Junqi’s, she had an extra ability that Lu Junqi didn’t, which was the ability to paint beautiful art while dancing. This skill was something that she had kept a secret to outsiders precisely for a moment like this so that her performance would shock everyone!
Fu Yalan looked at the canvas and art supplies on the stage and asked, “Xiaoli, is she planning to paint?”
“It seems like so,” Du Xiaoli answered, nodding her head.
It seemed like the information Han Mingyi gave her yesterday was correct. Zhao Zirui was indeed planning to dance and paint at the same time.
Du Xiaoli also planned to paint, but it was in a different way to how Zhao Zirui planned to do it. In the end, it would depend on whose dancing was more pleasing and whose painting was more beautiful!
As she looked at Han Mingyi, who was standing in a corner with Ji Liufeng, Du Xiaoli felt curious. Zhao Zhen had hidden Zhao Zirui’s secret so well. Just how had Han Mingyi been able to discover it?
Feeling Du Xiaoli’s gaze, Han Mingyi turned his head toward her. He gave her a subtle smile and a reassuring look.
Zhao Zirui walked onto the stage in a turquoise dance skirt and curtsied toward Han Mingze and Zhao Zhen. Then she rechecked the distance between the canvas and painting supplies before nodding her head at the musician, who began playing soon after.
Du Xiaoli retracted her gaze and attentively watched Zhao Zirui dance.
Zhao Zi Rui didn’t hold a brush in her hand at the start. She finished dancing a small section of the dance before twirling to the front of the table. Dipping the brush in the ink slab, she then to the canvas on her left. She made quick strokes on the white paper, and when the brush left the canvas, there were already two bamboo trees drawn on it.
Waving the brush twice in the air, Zhao Zirui bent her right leg and leaned toward the right while lifting her left leg to be the same height as her body. Her left hand held onto her right sleeve, and her right hand dipped the brush back into the ink slab. When enough ink had been absorbed by the brush, she exerted strength from her waist and was instantly leaning to the left again. The distance from the table to the canvas was just near enough for her to draw on the latter.
“Amazing!” The people watching the onstage performance were all stunned by Zhao Zirui’s skill. She could actually combine painting and dancing into one, and her dancing was still this beautiful!
“Bravo!” A few people clapped their hands and called out. This performance really broadened their horizon.
The expressions of Feng Ming’s officials were ugly. With a performance like this, would Du Xiaoli be able to win instead of Zhao Zirui?
“The princess’s skill is indeed exceptional!” Han Mingze evaluated truthfully.
Zhao Zhen revealed a look of satisfaction in his eyes. He just knew that Zhao Zirui wouldn’t disappoint him!
Zhao Zirui danced and painted simultaneously. Soon, the canvas on her left was complete.
When the dance entered its third section, Zhao Zirui held a brush in both hands. One hand held a writing brush while the other held a coloring brush. The other canvas was painted with a few round spots of yellow before she used the writing brush to add outlines.
Du Xiaoli watched from offstage. Be it Zhao Zirui’s dancing or art, they were both extremely pleasant to look at.
Ji Liufeng opened his mouth and said, “To think that there’s actually this sort of dancing... This princess’ dancing ability is great. Will Xiaoli be able to win against her?”
Unexpectedly, Han Mingyi’s expression seemed to have relaxed a lot. He said, “Just enjoy the performance. What use is there in worrying about the result right now?”
“Uh… Okay, whatever you say then.”
When the last musical note ended, Zhao Zirui’s paintings were also completed. One was an ink painting of bamboo trees, while the other featured autumn chrysanthemums. This dance was a bit lengthier than the average dance, but it was still quite hard to complete two paintings by the end of such a short period of time. Thus, although the two paintings were relatively simple, they still received praises from everyone.
Zhao Zirui curtsied toward the audience and then glanced at Du Xiaoli before turning around and leaving the stage. It was only after she left the stage that enthusiastic applause broke out.
When Du Xiaoli heard the ear-splitting applause, she smiled faintly. It seemed like she had to bring forth all of her skills!MoonWhisperer, Cubic's Thoughts

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