Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 276 The younger generations of the nine major surnames, Caotang Poetry Society!
[You gently raised your eyes, and your gaze lingered on the sixth daughter of the Li family for a few more breaths. You saw that her face was as beautiful as a flower and as beautiful as the moon. You recalled the look of avoidance that Xie Yuan had when he mentioned her, as if he had met a snake or scorpion. You couldn't help but smile and shook your head.]

[“Miss,” Xiaodie beside her lowered her voice, “I heard from the mistress that Xie Yuan is a good student and extremely smart. She also said that he will be able to enter the famous academy in the future and become a pillar of the Qi Dynasty. But Xiaodie, I don’t believe a word of it! Isn’t this just Wang Po bragging about herself?”]

[“Miss, as the saying goes, good wine needs no bush, but we have heard recently that he doesn’t have a good reputation. In the past, Xie Yuan was a complete playboy. He was a frequent visitor to Xifeng Tower and had a lot of female friends. Oh, Xiaodie, I feel sorry for you. How could such a beautiful girl get involved with such a person?”]

[“As the old saying goes, a prodigal son who returns is worth more than gold, but there is also a saying that a dog can never change…”]

[You see the maidservant standing up for the young lady and chattering away, and her private temper is similar to Wutong's.]

[However, it can also be seen from this that this Sixth Young Lady is a master who treats servants very well and has a tolerant temperament. Otherwise, if it were any other young lady, which servant would dare to do this? ]

[The Sixth Miss of the Li Family finally put down the book in her hand, a helpless look appeared on her beautiful face, and she smiled and said, "Xiao Die, your little mouth is becoming more and more like those maids!"]

[After hearing this, Xiaodie was not annoyed at all. Instead, her eyes lit up and she said, "Miss, is what you said true? I want to be a nanny in the mansion in the future, so that I can teach those ignorant girls!"]

[The sixth young lady of the Li family had a look on her face that was neither laughing nor crying. The two of them grew up together and were indeed like sisters, like younger sisters.]

[She looked at you again and said, "My lord, I'm sorry. I don't know how to behave myself. I spoke without restraint and disturbed your peace."]

[After a lot of effort, he put on a serious face and said: "Xiao Die, quickly apologize to the young master!"]

【Xiao Die then remembered that there was a strange young man in the pavilion, and she was shocked. If this man was from the Xie Mansion, it would be troublesome. If the wife of the Xie Mansion knew about these gossips and spread them back to the Li Mansion, she would be punished.】

[Thinking of this, she stuck out her tongue and said quickly: "I am pouring tea for you, sir. Look at my mouth. A great man should not bear grudges. Please don't take it to heart."]

[You waved your hands, indicating that it was okay.]

【Xiaodie is smiling again.】

【She saw that your manners were unusual, so she couldn't help but ask: "Sir, are you from the Xie Mansion?"】

[“I guess so.”]

[This unexpected answer made Xiaodie curl her lips, thinking to herself, how can you answer like that? What do you mean by "count it as such"? ]

[“What should I call you, sir?” she continued to ask.]

【“Thank you!”】

【Hearing this, Xiaodie took out a small notebook from the bamboo box beside her and flipped through it carefully. The young lady might marry into the Xie family in the future, so she naturally began to collect information about the Xie family. She blinked and thought to herself, "Xie Guan? There doesn't seem to be this name in the Xie family tree." After that, she flipped through a few more pages and finally found it! 】

[A bastard of the Xie family, his mother’s name is not recorded in the family tree.]

[Xie Guan? Isn't that the one in the Xie family anecdote that caused a stir in the city?]

【Xiao Die couldn't help but ask in surprise: "Xie's illegitimate child?"】

【“Xiaodie!”】

[Ms. Li frowned and interrupted: "Don't be rude."]

【Xiaodie knew she had said something wrong, but she apologized sincerely. It is always wrong to expose someone's scars.】

【But you are not angry, your expression is calm. 】

[Miss Li saw this and closed the book in her hand. She glanced at Xiaodie with a reproachful look, stood up, bowed and said, "It turns out to be Master Guan. I am sorry for the offense."]

【“My daughter, Li Shuwan.”】

[After hearing this, you realized that she was indeed the sixth daughter of the Li family.]

【At this time, there was laughter outside the pavilion again. 】

[Li Shuwan raised her beautiful eyes slightly and looked outside the pavilion, only to see a few more people coming. After seeing who they were, she couldn't help but sigh slightly, knowing that this quiet place to read books that she had finally found was probably gone again. . ]

[A surprised voice said excitedly: "Shuwan, what a coincidence."]

[“I just told Yunniang that the scenery is unique and it’s a good place to enjoy the view. I didn’t expect Shuwan and I had the same idea.”]

[Xiao Die muttered to the side: "It's this annoying guy again." But she didn't dare to show any impudence on her face. ]

【“Master Su Yun!”】

[“Just call me Su Yun!”]

[Two men and one woman walked over quickly, and the person who was talking couldn't wait to overtake them and walked straight into the pavilion.]

[This person has just come of age, with a purple gold crown on his head, a golden headband with two dragons fighting for a pearl tied to his eyebrows, a red sleeve with two-color golden butterflies and flowers, and a pair of small court boots with a green satin and pink base. His clothes are rich and luxurious, showing his extraordinary status.]

[She was only slightly inferior in looks, and could only be considered pretty. Her ears were prominent and her earlobes were very large. Her eyes were now “fully focused” on Li Shuwan.]

[Listen to Li Shuwan's reminder, the surname is Su!]

[The descendants of the Su family. The Su family is the head of the nine major families, powerful and influential. Everyone in Bianjing knows about it.]

[There was also a man and a woman following behind, each with four or five servants. ]

[The man looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old, dressed in fine clothes, handsome, holding a green jade flute in his hand, with a hint of arrogance in his eyes.]

[I don't know if it originated from your father or the ancestor of the Xie family back then, but it is said that he became rich because a young lady from a wealthy family saw his handsome appearance.]

[These few generations of Xie family's sons are all handsome and good-looking. ]

[You also know this person, the seventh young master of the compound, Xie Xuan.]

[You only saw him at the banquet, and you are not familiar with him. Although his mother is not from one of the nine great families, she is also a wealthy merchant and is somewhat favored in the mansion.]

[You have already stood up and said: "Hello, Seventh Brother!"]

【Xie Xuan was stunned, looking you up and down, and he actually forgot who you were.】

[And the woman behind Xie Xuan was even more eye-catching. She wore a lotus-colored silk jacket, a scarlet fur coat, and a yellow embroidered long skirt. She was as slender as a willow in the wind, with narrow shoulders and a thin waist, an oval face, and a pair of eyes that were as gentle as water and full of charm. She was completely different from the other ladies and had her own unique charm.]

【Li Shuwan said: "This is Xie Guan, Master Guan."】

【Thank you for watching! 】

【Xie Xuan raised his eyebrows, thinking of this illegitimate brother, who has gained some fame in the courtyard recently.】

【He nodded slightly and didn't care. 】

[Su Yun was initially suspicious and stared at the young man sitting in the pavilion with Li Shuwan. When he saw that the two of them seemed unfamiliar, he finally felt relieved.]

[Among the three people who came in, Su Yun was naturally the central figure. He introduced himself briefly:]

[“Shu Wan, this is Xie Xuan, the son of Uncle Xie Ling. You may not have seen him before, but he is also a talented person.”]

【Xie Xuan also said politely: "Hello, Miss Wan."】【Then, Su Yun changed the subject, with a bit of pride and solemnity in his tone: "As for this person, I have to introduce her in detail! Shu Wan, you should have heard of her reputation, right? She was evaluated by the famous Mr. Jin Zitan from the academy. She is one of the eighteen masters in Bianjing."】

[He paused and recited a poem: "Yunniang could play the zither at the age of eight, and the spring breeze blew down the sound from the sky. One sound made Yongmen cry, two sounds made the red carp reveal its mane, and three sounds made the white ape spread its arms and cheeks."]

[“The most outstanding zither artist in Xifeng Tower is Hu Yunniang.”]

【Jin Zitan, this gentleman in the academy, is the most famous critic in Da Qi for his good comments.】

[He would hold a Yaping at the beginning of each month every year to evaluate the people in the world.]

[Back then, Xie Ling quickly became famous in Bianjing because of his comment that "Xie's tiger son should be the first in martial arts." ]

[Jin Zitan's comments were not limited to the people in the court. He especially liked to comment on the famous prostitutes and actors in Bianjing. Once these actors or prostitutes were commented on by Jin Zitan, their value would often increase a hundredfold and they would become the object of everyone's pursuit.]

[Therefore, in the red-light district of Bianjing, this centenarian could often be seen being courted by women and chosen as their guest of honor.]

[The "Eighteen Families of Bianjing" is the highest praise Jin Zitan gave to the actors and prostitutes of Bianjing. These women are not only talented, but also beautiful, talented, and have dignified and polite personalities.]

[This Hu Yunniang is one of the zither players among the eighteen families, and is also the most beautiful courtesan in Xifeng Tower.]

[I wonder how many men in Bianjing have dreamt of her.]

[Her fame was so great that she hardly showed up in public, and the people she associated with were all the real rich and powerful children in Bianjing. If it weren't for Su Yun's connections in the Su family, it would probably be difficult to invite this courtesan to visit the mansion.]

[Hu Yunniang bowed gracefully, smiling gently, and said to Li Shuwan, "Meet Miss Wan."]

[Li Shuwan was a little surprised and said: "It turns out to be Mr. Hu. What a pleasure to meet you."]

[I have heard of this Hu Yunniang's reputation before. She is often talked about among the children of the nine major surnames. It is said that she is not only good at playing the zither, but also good at writing poetry and songs.]

[Hu Yunniang's voice was gentle, and her beautiful eyes seemed to be able to move people's hearts. She said softly:]

[“My slave, I have met Master Guan.”]

[She looked at the young man in the pavilion whom she had never seen before. He was dressed in a plain blue and white suit. He was not exquisite and noble, but his temperament and appearance were rare and outstanding.]

[Women like them have been hanging around in the "Enke Field" for a long time and have become very good at dealing with people. Although Hu Yunniang can see that you are not valued, you still cannot lose the proper etiquette.]

[Sometimes, these unfavored bastards, with a little "attention" and a few gentle words, are like moths to a flame, and are more "desperate" than those favored legitimate sons of the noble families. ]

[Under Hu Yunniang's skirt, I wonder how many illegitimate sons from the nine major surnames are willing to "go through fire and water" for her.]

[Her every smile and frown, her eyes moving around, seem to fall on you intentionally or unintentionally.]

[You return the greeting calmly and say softly, "Meet Miss Hu."]

[Ms. Hu?]

[This name seems quite unexpected. On weekdays, people either affectionately call her Yunniang, or respectfully call her Mrs. Hu or Miss Hu. Few people call her "Miss Hu."]

【However, no one paid much attention to this. 】

[After everyone is seated in the small pavilion, sit around the stove. You and Li Shuwan sit on one side, while the other three sit on the opposite side.]

[However, you deliberately kept a distance from them, appearing quite unfamiliar.]

[Su Yun said happily: "Shu Wan, I have another good news to tell you. Did you know that Yun Niang has agreed to join our Caotang Poetry Club?"]

[“I tried my best and talked my mouth off before I got Yunniang to agree.”]

[“From now on, with Shuwan and Yunniang, two talented ladies, supporting us, our poetry gathering will finally have some success.”]

【Speaking of this! 】

【Xie Xuan couldn't help but show a bit of pride on his face. Being able to have one of the eighteen families in Bianjing join the Caotang Poetry Society was enough to make other children of the rich and powerful envious.】

[In the circle of dignitaries in Bianjing, they were not the only ones who founded poetry societies. Several dignitaries’ children who had bad relations with them also founded their own poetry societies.]

[After all, the one who is close to the water gets the moon first. Whoever becomes Hu Yunniang's lover will surely become famous in Bianjing the next day.]

[However, the man these women commit themselves to must be an extremely outstanding person.]

[Not to mention, even if it is from an imperial family, it must be a real noble family. ]

[The Caotang Poetry Society was founded by Su Yun. As the first president, he invited young talents who were famous in Bianjing to join, and Xie Xuan was one of them.]

[His mother at home often told him to get closer to Su Yun. Su Yun was quite favored in the Su family, but he did not like to study and become an official, but liked to recite poems and write essays.]

[Su Yun did not show much interest in the Four Books and Five Classics of Confucianism, but he had a special liking for the Book of Songs, and he was familiar with the poems of all dynasties.]

【Xie Xuan nodded and agreed: "After Mr. Hu joined the poetry club, many talented people came to admire his reputation. This reputation is indeed priceless."】

[Although Xie Xuan thinks highly of himself, there is no lack of "fawning" on Su Yun in his words. Otherwise, when Su Yun came today, he would not have accompanied him personally and shown his courtesy.]

[This move not only reflects his respect for Su Yun, but also means "showing off" his connections and abilities in front of the young masters and young ladies of the Xie family.]

[The people Xie Xuan made friends with were definitely not ordinary people.]

[Hu Yunniang chuckled and said, "How can I be compared with Master Yun and Miss Wan? They are the hallmarks of the poetry club."]

[“Mr. Xuan is also a member of the poetry club. The most I can do is play a piece of music to show off my elegance while you are reciting poems and composing couplets.”]

[Su Yun's face was flushed with joy, and he looked extremely happy. He had never expected to meet Li Shuwan here.]

[He fell in love with Li Shuwan at first sight in his early years, and Miss Li was well-versed in poetry, so he thought they were "made for each other."]

[“How about we not stick to the rhyme today, just come up with a topic, and each of us write a few poems?”]

【Hearing this, Xie Xuan readily agreed.】

【Hu Yunniang saw that Su Yun was very interested, so she nodded in agreement.】

[Although Li Shuwan showed some hesitation, she finally nodded and agreed.]

[Su Yun was overjoyed and said: "If today's poems are spread out, they will surely cause a sensation in the entire Bianjing city tomorrow."]

[“I have asked my servants to prepare the pens, ink, paper and inkstone, but we are still lacking someone who is good at calligraphy to write with ink.”]

【Xie Xuan suddenly remembered something, turned his head and looked at you and said:】

[“I remember that my brother Guan was quite accomplished in calligraphy.”]

(End of this chapter)