My Wife is Unbeatable in the Whole World, Touch Me If You Dare!-Chapter 249 - 131: There is a Jiaren in the North!

Jade Sound Pavilion.

Phoenix looked at Li Nuo and blinked, asking, "Does the young master understand poetry?"

Li Nuo glanced at her and said, "Looking down on people, aren’t you? How about I write one, and you check the merchandise first?"

Phoenix smiled slightly and said, "Sure..."

Three months ago, he had offered two birthday poems to Old Mrs. Song at the birthday banquet in the Song Residence.

One was merely a playful piece.

The other, though refined, was rumored to have been written by his father for him.

This was the perfect opportunity to test the veracity of that rumor.

Li Nuo asked, "What kind of poem do you want?"

Phoenix said, "Something similar to the one just now."

Li Nuo looked at Phoenix with a strange expression.

The poem just recited had been straightforward and simple in its content.

The whole poem had one purpose, which was to praise how beautiful a woman was.

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She really must have more money than she knew what to do with if she would spend a hundred taels of silver for someone to write a poem praising her beauty.

Li Nuo found himself with a new understanding of her vanity.

Phoenix walked to the table, spread out a piece of paper, and said, "I’ll grind the ink for the young master."

Li Nuo shook his hand and said, "No need, I need some time to think. I’ll give it to you when I pass by Jade Sound Pavilion tomorrow."

His mental library of poetry, though far from deficient, required modification and couldn’t be used directly.

Moreover, writing on the spot would reveal his real handwriting, which was hardly presentable.

He could write it at home and have Gu Yanran transcribe it for him tomorrow when he went to the Ministry of Justice.

After returning to the Song Residence and finishing his meal, Li Nuo returned to his room and started to select from his memory.

Quickly, he settled on a lyric poem.

Butterflies adorn the embroidered skirt, a feast by the eastern pond, first encounter. Rouge lightly applied, idle blossoms faint in spring.

Examined closely, each trait delights, all say, a waist slender as willow. Yesterday the hills in disarray, clouds rest on clothes as if anew.

This "Drunk Whip" was written by Mr. Zhang for a courtesan at a wine banquet, describing a beauty and was one of his more famous works, fitting Phoenix’s request.

However, the line "a feast by the eastern pond, first encounter" needed to be changed. His first encounter with Phoenix had been at Jade Sound Pavilion. Aside from that line, not a word needed alteration.

This verse from Mr. Zhang was famous; if he sold it to her for eighty taels, she’d be getting a great deal.

Hardly had Li Nuo finished copying the modified verse when the figures of several teachers from Qingfeng Academy appeared at the doorway.

During the past few days, he had been busy with affairs of the Anti-theft Bureau, making the four elders come for nothing several times. Li Nuo decided to talk to them for an extra half-hour today.

Not long after he and the four elders left, two figures slowly entered the courtyard.

Song Jiaren walked into the room, sat at the table, poured herself a cup of tea, and then suddenly noticed a piece of paper on the table.

She picked up the paper and looked at it, her face revealing a puzzled expression.

Butterflies adorn the embroidered skirt, Jade Sound Pavilion, first encounter; she knew what these words meant—but "Rouge lightly applied, idle blossoms faint in spring," she recognized every character, but together their meaning eluded her.

The subsequent line seemed to be about a woman’s slender waist, but "Yesterday the hills in disarray, clouds rest on clothes as if anew"... what was that about?

...

Song Yu was asleep when someone rudely shook him awake.

He climbed out of bed and looked at the little girl standing beside the bed, asking, "Ning’er, what’s the matter?"

Song Mu’er said, "I’m Mumu, not Ning’er..."

She handed him a piece of paper and asked, "Brother Yu, can you help me understand what this poem means...?"

Song Yu took the paper, glanced at it, yawned, and said, "This is a lyric, not a poem. Butterflies adorn the embroidered skirt, Jade Sound Pavilion, first encounter..., this line is reversed. The correct sequence is, Jade Sound Pavilion, first encounter, butterflies adorn the embroidered skirt..."

Song Mu’er asked, "What does that mean?"

Song Yu explained, "It means that when he first saw a girl at the Jade Sound Pavilion, she was wearing a skirt embroidered with butterflies, and Rouge lightly applied, idle blossoms faint in spring..., it’s saying that this girl was born beautiful, and even without makeup she is lovely like a small flower in spring..."

Song Mu’er appeared startled and suddenly felt an ominous premonition.

However, Song Yu’s interest was piqued, and as he looked further at the next part of the lyric on the paper, he continued, "Examined closely, each trait delights, all say, a waist slender as willow, means everyone talks about the girl’s good figure, but the lyricist thinks everything about her is wonderful; Yesterday the hills in disarray, clouds rest on clothes as if anew, you might not understand this line, but you just need to know it’s complimenting the girl as being as beautiful as a celestial being in heaven..."

Song Mu’er bit her lip, already regretting coming to ask on behalf of her sister Jiaren.

Song Yu, surprised, looked at the lyric and asked, "Who wrote this? I’ve never heard it before. It’s about a girl from Jade Sound Pavilion, is it Yuan Yang? No, Yuan Yang doesn’t deserve such praise..."

Although Song Yu liked Yuan Yang, he had to admit Yuan Yang didn’t match this verse.

A look of astonishment crossed his face as he murmured, "It’s not Yuan Yang, certainly not the nightingale, she doesn’t have the figure, the only one at Jade Sound Pavilion worthy of this lyric is Miss Phoenix..."

He scrutinized the paper and said, "This is a love poem, an excellent declaration of affection that describes the lyricist’s love at first sight for a girl; the entire work is fresh and charming, especially the last two lines, which are both real and fantastical, imaginatively outstanding... Right, who wrote this?"

Snatching the paper back, Song Mu’er quickly said, "I don’t know, I found it outside!"

Holding the paper, she walked back to a certain room, smiling at Song Jiaren, and said, "Sister Jiaren, I asked Brother Yu. He said ’Rouge lightly applied, idle blossoms faint in spring’ means that the woman applied her rouge unevenly like wildflowers in spring, all messy, looking terribly ugly..."

Song Jiaren asked, "And the rest?"

Song Mu’er’s eyes spun around as she pondered and then replied, "Yesterday the hills in disarray, clouds rest on clothes as if anew meant ... it means that last night this woman went hiking, climbed until evening, and got her clothes all muddy; she thought the stains were as pretty as clouds. Sister Jiaren, this woman is really sloppy!"

Although what Mumu said seemed to make some sense,

Song Jiaren always felt something was off.

Song Mu’er placed the paper under a book and said to Song Jiaren, "Sister Jiaren, I’ve forgotten a few moves of that swordsmanship set, teach me again…"

…

To make up for the teachers, Li Nuo lectured for more than an hour this time before ending the course.

He was nearly hoarse from speaking and was just about to go back for a drink of water when he was dragged all the way to the Song Residence entrance by a small figure.

Before she could speak, Li Nuo asked, "Heaven King covers the Earth Tiger?"

Song Mu’er, with an anxious face, said, "What time is it to verify secret signals? A big problem has arisen!"

Moments later, after listening to Mu’er, Li Nuo looked astonished.

The poem was seen by his wife?

So what if she saw it? He wasn’t writing love poems to the Phoenix behind his wife’s back.

A poem was worth eighty taels of silver, his own earned silver, with special significance. He even planned to use this money to buy gifts for Mumu and his wife…

After hearing his explanation, Song Mu’er helplessly said, "Although your intentions are good, Brother Li Nuo, you have never written a poem for Sister Jiaren. If I were Sister Jiaren, I would be angry too, especially considering how stingy Sister Jiaren is…"

Li Nuo thought carefully and felt that Mumu had a point.

He had never been in love; how could he have noticed such details?

Luckily he had Mumu.

Moments later, Li Nuo walked into the courtyard and returned to his room.

Song Jiaren was sitting at the table, looking at a poetry book.

Li Nuo poured a glass of water and, after drinking it, suddenly said, "Wife, it’s been a long time since I drew for you, let me paint you something."

Song Jiaren was surprised and, putting down the poetry book, softly said, "Okay."

This time, Li Nuo took a different approach and painted her casting a glance back while sword dancing.

Although it was just a back and profile view, he captured her essence superbly.

That image had long been deeply imprinted in his mind.

A look of delight appeared in Song Jiaren’s eyes.

She liked this painting more than any other before.

It’s just that the blank space next to the painting was a bit too much, which felt somewhat abrupt, but she was already very satisfied.

Li Nuo put down his brush, and Song Jiaren thought the painting was complete.

At that moment, Li Nuo picked up his brush again, dipped it in ink, and in the blank space on the bottom left, he added a few lines of text.

Jiaren.

In the north, there’s a beauty, unparalleled and standing alone.

One glance can overthrow cities, another glance can overthrow states.

Rather than lose the beauty that can overthrow cities and states, she is irreplaceable.

…

Although Song Jiaren didn’t understand poetry, she had learned many characters by now.

Even if she didn’t fully comprehend the last two lines.

But she understood what unparalleled beauty meant.

And the meaning of overthrowing cities and states.

The painting was beautiful.

The handwriting was pleasing to the eye.

But most importantly, the name of this poem was also her name.

This made her complexion turn slightly red.

At this moment, she didn’t know what to say, her fists clenched tightly within her sleeves.

After finishing the painting, Li Nuo was covered in paint, and he went to the bathroom to bathe.

Song Yu was still catching up on sleep and was woken up by Mumu for the second time, helplessly asking, "Mumu, what is it now?"

Song Mu’er handed over a piece of paper and said, "Brother Yu, look at this poem again!"

Song Yu rubbed his eyes, took the paper, and despite being just three short lines, he stared at it for a while.

Song Mu’er glanced sideways outside and asked, "Brother Yu, how is this poem written?"

"One glance can overthrow cities, another glance can overthrow states. Rather than lose the beauty that can overthrow cities and states, she is irreplaceable…" Song Yu suddenly sat up in bed, muttering to himself.

At first sight, this poem seems exaggerated, but on closer inspection, it’s full of genuine emotion and leaves an enduring aftertaste.

Song Mu’er inquired further, "Brother Yu, what does ’Rather than lose the beauty that can overthrow cities and states, she is irreplaceable’ mean?"

Song Yu slowly said, "This line means that he would rather forfeit cities and states than give up the beauty in the poem, showing the man’s strong feelings of love for the woman. It’s also a confession poem…"

Song Mu’er pressed on, "Between this poem and the earlier one, which is better written?"

Song Yu didn’t hesitate to say, "Of course, this one. It’s a transcendent work that will be passed down through the ages, magnificent in its ancient charm. No one has ever depicted a beauty like this. How can those vulgar and worldly verses compare to this timeless masterpiece? Strange, where did you find this poem? How come I’ve never heard it before?"

Song Mu’er said with a chuckle, "Of course, you haven’t heard it; Brother Li Nuo just wrote it for Sister Jiaren. The name of the poem is also Sister Jiaren’s name. Brother Li Nuo is amazing, isn’t he…"