After her mind was read, the spoiled brat became the darling of the whole group.

The princess of the Southern Kingdom glanced at Xie Xing and snorted coldly, "Truly cheap."

Xie Xing looked back at her and smiled: "Princess, you should take a better look at yourself. It would be funny if you lost to my cheap painting."

Aruo retorted angrily, "You're the one who's funny. Look at your hands, they're pitch black and unkempt. Let's see what kind of good paintings you can produce."

Xie Xing didn't say anything.

She sharpened her charcoal pencil and calmly began to draw on the paper.

The two were facing the Emperor and Empress. Xie Xing sketched out this scene as she painted. She painted modern Q-version characters, each one vivid and lifelike, and then added color with paint.

A painting can be completed in less than two hours.

"Your Majesty, I've finished drawing." Xie Xing stopped drawing, wiped her dirty hands with a handkerchief, took the drawing paper down, and walked to the center to present it to Emperor Chu with both hands.

The Chu Emperor sent a eunuch to take the scroll, and looked at the painting with some surprise.

"Like, very similar."

The painting vividly depicts the flowers adorning the back garden and the lively atmosphere of banquets, even down to the details of each minister, whether they are looking this way or holding a wine cup.

The Empress also took a look, her eyes widening slightly before glancing at Xie Xing kneeling in the middle: "What kind of painting is this? Are the figures on it me and His Majesty?"

Xie Xing smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty and Empress, I am not skilled enough to capture even a fraction of the majesty of Your Majesty and the ministers."

"These little figures are some of my childhood fun, which are both dignified and cute."

All the ministers craned their necks in curiosity, eager to see what kind of painting it was.

The painting reached Jun Lanjin's hands. He looked at it and raised an eyebrow:

"It's a fine painting, unlike anything I've ever seen before."

The painting in Xie Xing's hand was then passed around among the guests.

When people first saw this type of thing, they were both curious and puzzled.

Xie Xing's painting can be said to have perfectly replicated the colors, but the style is somewhat cartoonish, which makes it interesting.

Meanwhile, Princess Aruo was halfway through her painting when she saw that Xie Xing's painting had already spread, and her expression became somewhat anxious.

When the painting reached the hands of the envoys from the Southern Kingdom, their expressions were somewhat strange.

"This style of painting is unheard of and unseen before. Did you create it all by yourself?"

"Forgive my bluntness, but it is certainly novel, though not quite astonishing."

Xie Xing, with his hands behind his back, smiled and said, "You think you can win over the princess just by being novel? I'm not convinced."

"But there is no other painting in this world that can be painted in this style."

"In terms of rarity, novelty, and completion time, it can definitely surpass Princess Aruo, right?"

As he said this, Xie Xing turned his gaze to Princess Aruo's painting.

It is a standard ink wash painting in the ancient style, and the painting quality is indeed quite good. If you put Xie Xing's painting next to it for comparison, people will subconsciously look at Xie Xing's painting.

It's so novel that it makes you want to figure it out.

Furthermore, unlike water-based inks, carbon inks do not require drying.

The envoy from the southern kingdom looked grim.

"Princess, do you admit defeat?" Xie Xing asked Princess Aruo with a smile in his eyes.

Aruo's face darkened, and she threw down her paintbrush: "What are you so smug about? You only won because of a little novelty. If it's a contest of ink painting, you naturally can't beat me!"

Xie Xing said innocently, "If that's the case, then if we're comparing charcoal paintings, Princess, you certainly can't beat me."

"A loss is a loss; there's no need to make excuses."

These words left Aruo speechless, and she stomped her foot in anger.

"Hahaha!" Emperor Chu laughed heartily. He had lost face in front of the Southern Kingdom's envoy earlier, but Xie Xing had now won him back. Emperor Chu was naturally happy.

"In this round, Xie Xingsheng deserves a reward!"

The Chu Emperor waved his hand and bestowed many rewards.

During the banquet.

Madam Xie's face darkened. She turned to look at Madam Xie and said, "Xie Xing is your daughter, yet you know nothing about her. What have you been doing all this time?!"

Madam Xie questioned in a deep voice.

She was even secretly relieved that, thankfully, after returning to the manor, she hadn't completely abandoned her granddaughter because she cared about Jun Lanjin and Xie Xing's relationship.

At least they didn't lose heart with Xie Xing, otherwise how would the Xie family know that Xie Xing wasn't a useless person?

On the contrary, this little girl is extremely intelligent and visionary, and is capable of great things.

If, because of this, we miss out on a woman who could bring glory to the Xie family, Old Madam Xie would be filled with regret.

Madam Xie's face turned pale. She hurriedly explained, "Mother, I...I don't know either. It's all that wretched girl Xie Xing's fault. She's been keeping it from me!"

Madam Xie sneered: "Who will tell you about your attitude towards her in the Xie family?"

Madam Xie gripped the teacup tightly.

She resented Xie Xing for hiding himself more than once in her heart, for pretending that she knew nothing and acted timid and cowardly.

But he secretly gave her such a big surprise.

the other side.

Xie Mingzhu bit her lip, looking at the painting Xie Xing had drawn, her fingernails digging deeply into her palms.

I originally thought Xie Xing was just a country bumpkin who didn't know anything, but I never expected that she could actually draw!

She even shone brightly at palace banquets.

From today onwards, everyone's impression of Xie Xing will change. In addition, since she is the true daughter of the General's Mansion, given time, she will be able to replace her and become the true eldest daughter of the Xie family.

What about her?

Where is she located?

Xie Mingzhu was extremely anxious.

Especially this morning, when Xie Yuhe and the others ignored her and instead invited Xie Xing to sit with them, Xie Mingzhu felt a deep resentment.

He said he treated her like a younger sister.

But I no longer love with the same wholehearted devotion as before.

Xie Mingzhu felt utterly desolate.

Is blood relation more important?

Even though she had lived in the general's mansion for more than a decade, she could not overcome the intimacy brought by kinship and blood ties.

Xie Mingzhu couldn't take it anymore. She suddenly stood up, turned around, and left the table.

"Mingzhu, my little sister?" Xie Jiaojiao was startled and called out to Xie Mingzhu.

Xie Mingzhu ignored her and left the table.

Over there, although Luo Cheng'an was amazed by Xie Xing's painting, he was more worried about Xie Mingzhu.

Seeing Xie Mingzhu leave, Luo Cheng'an was extremely anxious.

After speaking to the emperor, he left the banquet.

Luo Hanfeng, who was watching the play, also quietly left since no one was paying attention.

At the palace banquet, many people were silently absent.

[Host, Xie Mingzhu and Luo Hanfeng left the banquet together. If you're lucky, you'll probably run into Luo Hanfeng, and their romantic relationship will develop.]

If they're unlucky enough to run into Crown Prince Luo Cheng'an, Xie Mingzhu and Luo Hanfeng might have a tragic ending.

The system's voice startled Xie Xing.

"Be" means the mission has failed, and she would never allow the mission to fail under any circumstances.