When everyone saw that Princess Qingyun didn't make things difficult for Xing Yaqi but simply sat back down in her own seat, they couldn't help but admire Princess Qingyun's magnanimity. But then they heard the inner voice say that Xing Yaqi was just a child. Upon hearing this, everyone's lips twitched. They looked at Xing Yaqi, then at Princess Qingyun. Wait, which of you two is the child? Princess Qingyun, you're only eleven years old!

Lin Ruoqing couldn't help but chuckle when she heard Qin Qianluo's thoughts. Luo'er really is something! Lin Ruoqing, who was originally a little angry, was no longer angry at this time. After all, Luo'er herself was not angry, and she had already proven herself. Judging from Xing Yaqi's appearance, she was also quite discouraged.

Qin Xiang gave Xing Jianxing a warning look, but didn't say anything more. His youngest daughter had already let Xing Yaqi go, so he wouldn't really go looking for trouble with a little girl.

Xing Jianxing breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Prime Minister Qin had only given him a warning look and did not intend to make things difficult for him. Then he thought of his own daughter and compared her with Princess Qingyun. He felt like he was going to vomit blood. Princess Qingyun was so young, yet she had such a magnanimous demeanor. His own daughter was already sixteen years old and still so petty. He really had failed in his parenting.

The banquet was drawing to a close. As one of the young masters finished his sword dance, the banquet ended. After saying goodbye to his wife, Qin Xiang and his colleagues went to attend to state affairs. Qin Qianluo returned to the Left Prime Minister's residence with her mother.

Qin Qianluo returned to her courtyard, feeling a bit of a headache. There were no problems at the Minister of Justice's residence, and she still had to attend the banquet. Although she could see many beautiful women at the banquet, it was really tiring, and she would also have to deal with unexpected situations from time to time. It was really too difficult for her.

After the ladies returned to their residences, they discussed whose house would be next and what kind of banquet to hold. After these two encounters, everyone genuinely wanted to invite Princess Qingyun, not only to ask her to help look after the residence, but also to sincerely make friends with her. Many young ladies were also full of goodwill and curiosity towards this mysterious little princess and wanted to get to know her.

A few days later, Qin Qianluo received an invitation to a banquet. This time she went alone; her mother did not go with her. It was a poetry club banquet hosted by the Minister of Rites, which invited many young and talented men and women.

After leaving the court, Qin Qian changed into casual clothes and went to the poetry club banquet hosted by the Minister of Rites as promised. She was in a good mood, as she could observe the talents of the young masters and ladies of noble families in the capital up close and also gain some insight into the cultural heritage of the capital's nobility.

Upon arriving at the Ministry of Rites' residence, everyone greeted her again. Qin Qianlu smiled and said that this was a poetry club banquet, so everyone should relax and just show off their talents. She was looking forward to everyone's amazing performance.

Minister of Rites Ye Yunyao also strode over, smiling as she greeted Qin Qianluo, saying, "Princess Qingyun's presence is a great honor to our humble abode. Today, I have hosted this poetry gathering, and I am fortunate to have so many distinguished guests present, like stars shining in the sky. Your presence is like the moon descending to earth, making this place shine. I hope Your Highness will enjoy your company and share in the beauty of poetry with us."

Qin Qianlu smiled and returned the greeting, saying, "Minister Ye's hospitality is like a gentle stream, nourishing my heart, and like the melodious sound of a zither, lingering in my ears. Seeing all these distinguished guests gathered here, so many elegant scholars, it feels as if I am in a room filled with the fragrance of orchids. Minister Ye's wonderful words are like a gentle breeze carrying the scent of flowers, brushing against my face, full of poetic beauty. Now that I am in this wonderful place, I will certainly join you all in this poetic rendezvous, immersing ourselves in the fragrance of poetry, appreciating the spring flowers and autumn moon, and savoring the summer lotus and winter snow, so as not to waste this beautiful time and such warm hospitality."

Ye Yunyao smiled and led Qin Qianluo to her seat. She also liked this Qingyun Princess very much. Although the princess was very young, she was poised and generous in her dealings with others, never pretentious, and always gave people a feeling of warmth and comfort.

Qin Qianlu followed Ye Yunyao to her seat, inwardly marveling to the system, "Wow, 001, how come I never noticed before? Minister Ye is so beautiful! He possesses both the grace of a gentleman and the heroic spirit of a hero. He's like a spring flower in full bloom, or a sword drawn from its sheath, gleaming with cold light. Truly worthy of being the Minister of Rites; his aura is truly exceptional."

001 glanced through Ye Yunyao's file and praised her, saying, "Minister Ye is indeed beautiful, and she's very conscientious in her work. From royal ceremonies to folk festivals, she handles everything with ease. Moreover, her demeanor is exceptional in diplomacy, much like Zhang Boxin of the Qing Dynasty—an honest and upright official who never showed any weakness in diplomacy."

Hearing this, Ye Yunyao, who was leading the way, blushed slightly and felt a little sweet inside. After all, she was an official who had been praised before, so she didn't need to envy others. It was indeed the right decision to invite Princess Qingyun alone and not invite other colleagues. Otherwise, with Prime Minister Su and the others around, Princess Qingyun wouldn't have been able to see her.

Hearing these heartfelt words, the young gentlemen and ladies looked at Ye Yunyao with admiration. She was a good official recognized by Princess Qingyun for her integrity and uprightness. As expected of the Minister of Rites, the poetry club banquet she hosted was full of scholarly atmosphere and charm.

Qin Qianluo had already taken her seat in the seat specially prepared for her. When she heard 001 compare Ye Yunyao to Zhang Boxing, she looked at Ye Yunyao in surprise.

He thought in astonishment, "Is this the same Zhang Boxin who wrote, 'Every grain of rice represents my integrity; every penny represents the people's hard-earned money. If I am lenient by even a fraction, the people benefit more than that; if I take even a single coin, I am worthless as a person.' The same Zhang Boxin who was renowned as the most incorruptible official in the land?"

001 confirmed, "Yes, Luo Bao, Ye Yunyao is honest and upright, fair in her dealings. When supervising the imperial examinations, she never accepted bribes from anyone, and even directly expelled those who offered bribes. She maintained impartiality without giving preferential treatment to her relatives. She is a very good Minister of Rites."

Qin Qianlu admired Ye Yunyao even more. There were very few people she liked in the Qing Dynasty, and Zhang Boxing was one of them, so you can imagine how valuable this metaphor was.

When Ye Yunyao heard the words, "Every grain of rice is a matter of my reputation; every penny is the people's hard-earned money. If I am lenient by a little, the people will benefit more than a little; if I take a single coin, I am worthless," her breathing became somewhat disordered. Hearing 001 compare herself to such an incorruptible official, she was even more delighted.

He silently clenched his fist, encouraging himself in his heart, determined to work even harder in the future, to live up to the praise from Princess Qingyun and 001, and to uphold integrity as an official.

The others were shocked to hear those words. What an incorruptible official he must be to be called "the most honest official in the world." Hearing 001's affirmation of Minister Ye, they felt even more admiration and pride. Their country's Minister of Rites was indeed outstanding.

Today's poetry club banquet was themed around spring. After exchanging pleasantries, everyone began to showcase their talents, and the banquet became lively and filled with excellent verses.

Qin Qianluo also received 001's message that the spy who spread the news was not at the Minister of Rites' residence. Everyone was relieved to hear this, and Ye Yunyao also breathed a sigh of relief, as long as he was not at her residence.

The banquet was in full swing, with everyone reciting poems and composing verses on the theme of spring. They captured the murmurs of swallows and transformed them into lively verses; they received the nourishment of spring rain and brewed intoxicating prose. In the embrace of spring, every poem was a blooming flower, and every verse was a gentle breeze, together composing a magnificent chapter of spring.

Now it was the turn of a young lady from an official family. This young lady had a pure and beautiful appearance and a sweet voice. She gently put down her teacup, looked around with her beautiful eyes, and then pondered for a moment.

Qin Qianluo also looked over, her eyes full of curiosity and anticipation. She always had high expectations for pretty girls and also enjoyed listening to women's soft voices.

The woman seemed to have finally made up her mind, and softly began to recite: "The spring breeze caresses the willows, green as silk ribbons; a profusion of flowers vie for beauty. Swallows dance in the clear sky, their cries crisp and clear; the mountains and rivers are like a painting, their melodies lingering."

Everyone applauded and praised, and Qin Qianluo nodded in agreement. Indeed, it was a fine poem, and her voice was melodious and pleasant, like a clear spring, making the listener feel comfortable.

Moreover, the entire poem, from willows, blossoms, and swallows to mountains and rivers, moves from near to far, combining movement and stillness to vividly depict a magnificent spring scene, showcasing the vitality, splendor, and harmonious beauty of spring.

After everyone savored the poem for a while, it was the next person's turn to compose a poem. After going around in circles, only the Minister of Rites and Qin Qianluo remained silent. The Minister of Rites smiled and glanced at Qin Qianluo. Seeing that Qin Qianluo was indicating that she should go first, he did not refuse.

After pondering for a moment, Ye Yunyao lowered her head and said slowly, "Spring waters ripple and nourish the green fields, spring mountains are shrouded in mist and haze. Spring flowers are vibrant and captivating, spring birds sing sweetly around the willows."

After listening, everyone savored the entire poem. Minister Ye's poem, themed around spring, used four typical images—spring water, spring mountains, spring flowers, and spring birds—to depict a colorful, dynamic, and poetic spring scene from multiple perspectives, including visual and auditory, employing vivid words and rich imagination. It fully showcased the vitality, beauty, and mystery of spring and beautifully expressed a deep love and praise for spring.

Qin Qianlu couldn't help but sigh. They were all such talented people. Should she not come and embarrass herself? They were not even on the same level. But would it be inappropriate if she didn't compose a poem? Headache. Maybe she should memorize a poem about spring. After thinking about it, she rejected the idea.

Seeing everyone looking at her and waiting for her to speak, Qin Qianlu lowered her eyes and thought for a moment. When she looked up, she saw a light rain falling outside the window and a swallow flying into the eaves. A flash of inspiration struck her.

With a smile, she looked at everyone and began to say: "The spring breeze caresses the cheeks, making them blush; the spring rain wets the flowers, reflecting the sky. Swallows build nests and dance on the beams; orioles peck at buds among the trees. The verdant spring mountains add to the charm of poetry; the spring waters flow with affection into the wind of verse. The fragrant spring buds reward distant guests; the spring peach blossoms bloom like brocade, smiling amidst the fragrant bushes."

After carefully considering the poem, everyone couldn't help but sigh that Princess Qingyun's talent was indeed as outstanding as rumored, and the poem was very appropriate for the occasion.

Moreover, this poem revolves around the word "spring," and through descriptions of typical spring elements such as spring breeze, spring rain, spring swallows, spring orioles, spring mountains, spring water, spring buds, and spring peaches, it uses rich imagery, delicate brushstrokes, vivid personification, and parallelism to showcase the beauty, vitality, agility, and affection of spring from different perspectives, creating a rich poetic atmosphere that makes the reader feel as if they are in a colorful and vibrant spring world.

The atmosphere at the banquet became even more lively, and everyone let their thoughts wander, sipping tea and reciting poetry, having a wonderful time. Ye Yunyao also sat down next to Qin Qianluo, wanting to get closer to this young princess.

Qin Qianluo and Minister Ye chatted while paying attention to everyone's poems, giving excellent feedback from time to time to make everyone feel less reserved and more relaxed.

As the banquet drew to a close, everyone submitted their favorite poems. Since Qin Qianluo and Ye Yunyao only wrote one poem and did not participate in the prize competition, the prize winner was chosen from among the young masters and ladies.

Qin Qianluo and Ye Yunyao each chose their favorite poems and asked their maids to help them count them. Everyone waited for the final result.

(Please be gentle with your criticism of this poem; the author's skill is limited, so please be lenient. Just take it as a casual read.)

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