As time passed, Shi Lidie's painting gradually came to an end.

It took her more than an hour to finish the painting "Emperor's Palace Night Banquet". After she stopped writing, she bowed to the emperor:

"Your Majesty, the painting is finished."

At this time, the singing and dancing had just ended, and the entire Qing'an Hall was very quiet. Shi Lidie's voice reached everyone's ears, and everyone turned their heads, looking forward to seeing what her paintings looked like.

As before, the emperor asked the palace maid to present Shi Lidie's paintings.

As the painting was very long, two palace maids were needed to hold the rice paper on the left and right to display the entire painting.

Two maids stood in the center of the hall, holding the painting toward the emperor.

At a glance, the emperor was surprised:

"This is... you drew the picture of today's night banquet!"

"Yes." Shi Lidie nodded. "I come from the countryside. This is my first time attending such a magnificent palace banquet. I want to paint the scene in front of me as a souvenir."

"Lifelike, exquisite!" The emperor exclaimed, "Although this painting took a short time, the lines are smooth and the colors are bright. The whole scene in Qing'an Palace is fully included in it, whether it is drinking, eating, playing the piano, or dancing, all are vividly portrayed on the paper! Shi Lidie, how many surprises do you have that I don't know about!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.

You know, after Fang Ruoruo finished painting, His Majesty did not comment, but asked for other people's opinions. No matter what Concubine Shu or the court officials said, His Majesty never agreed.

But His Majesty gave such high praise to Shi Lidie's paintings.

The Queen glanced at Concubine Shu at this time, then looked at the shocked courtiers, smiled, and said:

"I am worrying too much. Miss Fang's paintings are indeed unrivaled among the noble ladies in the capital, but Princess Yun'an's paintings are rarely comparable even in the entire Dayin Dynasty."

"If you don't believe it, you can come and see for yourself."

After hearing this, the people present could no longer hold back and immediately stood up, walked to the six-foot-long painting, and began to look at it carefully.

Originally, everyone thought that the two girls' paintings were equally good. They all thought that the Queen's words were just to compete with Concubine Shu and praise Shi Lidie so highly.

But unexpectedly, as soon as they saw Shi Lidie's work, they were instantly speechless.

Both the technique and the emotion are top-notch.

The most rare thing is that this painting gives people a sense of being immersed in the scene. At just one glance, it seems as if you are in this magnificent palace banquet, like a dream, with the sound of stringed instruments and the singing of birds and dancing of swallows.

When I woke up and looked around, I found that I was indeed in a palace banquet. The combination of the scene in the painting and the real scene made it difficult for me to tell whether it was a dream or not.

Qin Che, the person who initiated this competition, could no longer praise Fang Ruoruo against his conscience after seeing this painting.

Fang Ruoruo, who had been confident of victory, now looked even paler.

At this time, Madam Fang pinched her arm and whispered:

"At the chrysanthemum viewing banquet at the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion, I thought you were deliberately giving in to her, but I didn't expect that you really couldn't compare to her! Ruoruo, I have trained you for more than ten years, and you have disappointed me so much!"

"Today is the palace banquet. All the civil and military officials above the third rank and their families are here. It is much more grand than the one at the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion. Now everyone knows that you can't compare to Shi Lidie. It's really embarrassing!"

Fang Ruoruo felt pain from being pinched, but she pursed her lips and dared not say a word.

In the past, my father was kind and gentle, and my mother was loving, but it was all because her reputation was the best in the capital and could bring more benefits and advantages to the Earl's Mansion of Loyalty and Bravery.

Now, she has suffered several defeats at the hands of Shi Lidie and is no longer the perfect daughter she used to be.

So, her father became impatient with her and her mother was disappointed in her.

Fang Ruoruo lowered her head, tears in her eyes:

But it doesn’t matter, fortunately she was well prepared and had set up the plan early.

The comparison of the two paintings yielded a result, and everyone agreed that Shi Lidie's painting was better.

Then the Emperor said:

"Although the palace banquet is held once a year, no one has ever thought of painting it. I like this painting of Princess Yun'an very much. Come, take the painting down and keep it well, and then find an experienced hand to frame it properly."

"I have collected this painting and will pass it down from generation to generation in the future."

"Shi Lidie has made great contributions to painting, and there will be a generous reward!"

The so-called generous reward was all kinds of precious jewels and jades, real gold and silver, and many good things from the emperor's private treasury, which were taken out and presented to Shi Lidie.

This scene made everyone present extremely jealous.

They only hated that they didn't have the ability to please the emperor.

After the reward, the queen said:

"Xiaodie, you won the competition, come and get your prize!"

Those prizes had already been placed on a tray and kept by Eunuch Huang. Among them were the mutton-fat jade provided by Qin Che, the jade ring provided by the third prince, the agate beads provided by the fifth prince, and so on.

Of course, there is also the red hairpin given by the Queen and the step-shaking ornament given by Concubine Shu.

All of these things are of top quality and priceless, and the total number added up is a very impressive number.

Shi Lidie walked up to Eunuch Huang, took out the red hairpin given by the Queen, and said:

"Just take one of the prizes. I will sell the rest and give all the profits to General Qi to be used as military expenses for the Tiger Wing Army's Tianshu Camp and Tianquan Camp, and to improve the food for the soldiers fighting against the southern barbarians and eliminating the bandits."

When Qi Jingze heard this, he immediately stepped forward and said with a smile:

"On behalf of the soldiers in the south, I would like to thank Lady Yun'an."

When the emperor saw Shi Lidie's move, he nodded slightly with a look of approval on his face.

That's how it should be!

She fleeces the nobles, but does not covet money. Instead, she is always concerned about the soldiers on the front line. Shi Lidie can truly be described as a person of great righteousness!

Those who lost their prize dared not speak out in front of the emperor.

After Shi Lidie put away the red hairpin given by the Queen, she said:

"Oh, by the way, this hairpin is a prize given by Concubine Shu to Miss Fang. I dare not deal with it on my own. I'd better let Miss Fang decide for herself."

As she spoke, she took her hairpin and walked towards Fang Ruoruo.

At this moment, everyone's eyes were on Fang Roruo, but unexpectedly, Fang Roruo suddenly covered her mouth and retched several times:

"vomit……"

At this moment, the whole place was silent.

After a while, someone in the crowd said:

"The Miss Fang looks like she's pregnant."

Madam Fang angrily retorted, "Nonsense! My Ruoruo hasn't even gotten married yet, so how can she be happy? She just had an upset stomach and is feeling a little uncomfortable!"

The Queen heard this and said:

"Mrs. Fang, please don't be angry. Miss Fang's health is very important. I have already prepared a royal doctor, who is waiting in the side hall. If you have any specific situation, please call him over to take her pulse and we will know the answer after asking."

After saying that, she sent someone to call for the imperial physician.

The hall was still quiet, and many people looked at Fang Ruoruo with gossipy eyes.

If this is really morning sickness, that would be interesting.

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