The Emperor's heart is won, she sits on the Phoenix Throne! The Divine Physician's Eldest

"Miss Song, so you are the painting master! I have a book that I particularly like. Could you please write an inscription for it?"

"Master of painting, you are too modest. You are my role model!"

"How did you create such an amazing painting? You're a painting master, please teach us!"

"Master of Painting, I'm sorry, I misunderstood you before."

"The God of Painting..."

……

More than half of the contestants surrounded Song Siyao.

Those who came to participate in this painting competition were all painting enthusiasts, and some were even painting fanatics.

The "God of Painting" is a god-like figure in the art world.

Now, when they see Song Siyao, it's like mortals seeing a deity; their eyes are filled with worship, their tone is full of piety, and they wish they could prostrate themselves before her.

"Alright, everyone stop crowding around, our match isn't over yet."

Yang Qian shouted loudly, and the crowd surrounding Song Siyao dispersed.

He continued, "Miss Song Er won first place in this painting competition. Our first-place prize is an original painting by the Painting God, and the opportunity to become the last disciple of Master Nie, the academy's foremost painter. Now, Miss Song Er is indeed the Painting God, and this prize..."

He hesitated, looking very troubled.

He couldn't bear to give away that original painting. As for becoming Nie Lan's last disciple, no one in the entire land could be her master, given Song Siyao's status.

“Headmaster Yang, it is an honor for the academy that the painting master has come to participate in the competition. The prizes can be called gifts instead of prizes. We thank the painting master for coming, which makes this painting competition held by the academy go down in history,” Nie Lan suggested.

“Okay, Mr. Nie is right, let’s do it that way,” Yang Qian said with a smile.

Nie Lan added, "As for the matter of me taking on a closed-door disciple, let's give up on that. I still need to learn from the Goddess of Painting, how could I be qualified to take her as my closed-door disciple? I once wanted to take on a disciple to inherit my mantle, but now that the Goddess of Painting has appeared, with her here, the painting skills of the Great Zhou will have successors. Moreover, I believe that the Goddess of Painting will cultivate even more outstanding talents in the future, so I don't need to worry. From now on, I will withdraw from the painting world, cultivate my character, and no longer live in the world."

“Mr. Nie, you don’t need to do this. The academy needs you.” Song Siyao said sincerely.

"The Yangtze River's waves push the previous waves forward, each wave higher than the last. Master Painter, I am old, you are the hope and future of the Great Zhou."

Nie Lan looked at Song Siyao like a kind elder looking at an outstanding junior, or like a believer looking up at their god.

“Alright, I will certainly live up to Mr. Nie’s trust,” Song Siyao replied.

Mr. Nie was very satisfied and admiring. Song Siyao had extraordinary talent, but she was not arrogant or impatient, and she was polite and well-mannered. She was the most special woman he had ever met.

"If I have time in the future, I hope to enjoy tea and appreciate paintings with the God of Painting, and talk about life together." Nie Lan stroked his beard, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Mr. Nie is always welcome," Song Siyao said with a slight smile.

Those around them, listening to Song Siyao and Nie Lan's conversation, felt as if they were dreaming.

This was a conversation between the academy's top painter and the painting master. Although they were just standing by and listening, it was as if they were personally participating.

Nie Lan's presence in the academy is like that of the God of Painting in the Great Zhou Dynasty—both are god-level. To receive even a little guidance from him is considered extremely auspicious, let alone Song Siyao.

Previously, the god of painting only existed in legends.

Now, the god of painting stands before them, smiling and talking to them—such excitement is enough for them to boast about for a lifetime.

"Yan Wei, go and retrieve the masterpiece by Master Huo, a renowned artist from the previous dynasty, which is treasured in the academy, and present it to the God of Painting," Yang Qian instructed.

"Yes, Headmaster." Yan Wei quickly retrieved the painting.

Yang Qian presented the painting to Song Siyao, saying, "Miss Song, this is a gift from the academy. I hope you won't find it offensive."

"I don't mind at all, I really like it, thank you." Song Siyao stroked the scroll, her eyes shining.

She had seen Master Huo's paintings, and they matched her aesthetic; she genuinely liked them.

Yang Qian was pleased to see that Song Siyao liked the gift he had chosen. He announced loudly, "Now I declare the painting competition officially over."

The participants left one after another.

Song Siyao bid farewell to Yang Qian, Nie Lan, Yan Wei, and Jiang Hexia, and then left the academy, with Shen Pei following behind.

“I will escort you to the palace,” Shen Pei said.

"it is good."

Hearing their conversation from behind, Shen Xuan immediately caught up. He smiled and said to Song Siyao, "Miss Song, my brother has difficulty walking. Let me escort you to the palace."

Song Siyao looked at Shen Xuan with an expression that seemed to say, "Do we even know each other?"

"No need, lest I accidentally displease the prince. When the prince gets angry, the earth shakes and mountains tremble. I can't afford to offend him."

Hearing Song Siyao's sarcasm, Shen Xuan was embarrassed, but he did not give up.

“Miss Song, there are many misunderstandings about what happened today. Why don’t I escort you to the palace and explain things to you on the way?”

Song Siyao is now someone Emperor Changlong values, so it's alright for him to be humble and aggrieved, since Song Siyao has value to him.

"Did Your Highness just say that Prince Ling has difficulty walking?" Song Siyao asked.

“Yes.” A hint of sarcasm flashed in Shen Xuan’s eyes. “For example, when you need help getting in and out of a carriage, even my elder brother can’t help you, but it’s different for me…”

"Your Highness, do you need a groom?" Song Siyao interrupted Shen Xuan and asked Shen Pei.

"I don't need it," Shen Pei replied earnestly.

Song Siyao looked at Shen Xuan and smiled slightly, "Your Highness, I don't need you for now. I will definitely let you know when I do need you."

After she finished speaking, she got into Shen Pei's carriage.

As Shen Xuan watched the carriage gradually depart, the smile on her face slowly faded, eventually turning into a cold expression.

"Your Highness, it seems that Miss Song just said you were only fit to be a groom for Prince Ling," Xing Tu reminded him from the side.

A flash of anger suddenly appeared on Shen Xuan's icy face. "I'm not stupid. Do you think I don't understand? Do I need you to explain it to me?"

"Your subordinate knows he was wrong," Xing Tu quickly admitted.

"Let's go! Back to the manor!" Shen Xuan watched as Song Siyao and Shen Pei's carriage disappeared from sight, then turned and got into his own carriage.

Inside the carriage, his eyes were filled with malice, and his whole body exuded a sinister aura; this was the real him.

The gentle and refined Prince Yu that outsiders usually see is just a disguise.

“Princess, Song Siyao is just a divorced woman, so why are Prince Ling and Prince Yu both vying for her?” Caijiao asked Wei Hongjin.

Standing on the stone steps, Wei Hongjin watched the two carriages disappear into the distance, her eyes blazing with anger. She spat out, "She's nothing but a vixen, what's so great about her? How long can she last by using her looks to seduce people?"

"Indeed, unlike you, Princess, who would never stoop to selling your beauty. Everyone knows you are very talented." Caijiao seemed to have forgotten that Wei Hongjin hadn't even made it into the top three in this painting competition.

Wei Hongjin really liked this kind of flattery. She was so proud of herself that she said disdainfully, "Only lowly people rely on selling their beauty to make a living. We upper-class people naturally don't need to."

"Princess Hongjin, who are you cursing?"

At that moment, a fierce and icy voice came from behind.