jdhmnovel Chapter 390 Talent Showdown (2)
Chapter 390 Talent Showdown (2)
Li Desheng learned his lines from Su Nuannuan, and then he memorized them day and night. For someone his age, memorizing such long lines was no easy task, and Li Desheng really suffered for it.
As soon as Li Desheng finished speaking, the maids holding signs entered the venue in neat steps and in an orderly manner. They stood in a row, holding up the signs high, each sign listing a different talent, such as cooking, calligraphy and painting, singing and dancing, and so on.
"Everyone, don't rush to choose. Take your time to think it over. Once you've decided, you can choose your side," Su Nuannuan said loudly, smiling at the whispering court ladies below.
Just then, a young lady dressed in a light blue dress suddenly stood up. She gave Su Nuannuan a proper bow and then said somewhat shyly, "Your Highness, I would like to demonstrate the art of tea, but I do not see any sign that says 'tea art' here."
Su Nuannuan nodded slightly, turned to look at Li Desheng standing to the side, and softly called out, "Li Desheng."
"This old servant will go and prepare immediately," Li Desheng said, bowing respectfully.
Then I went down to arrange for someone to prepare the tea ceremony materials.
"Your Highness, if someone wishes to participate in two talent competitions, what should be done?" A young lady in gorgeous attire stood up, gracefully curtsied, and asked softly.
Su Nuannuan smiled slightly and explained softly, "That's alright. You can participate in one talent first, and then participate in the other after you've finished that. In addition, you can bring a maid to serve you."
She paused for a moment, then continued, "Oh, I almost forgot to mention, apart from those participating in the competition, everyone else is a judge, including myself."
Su Nuannuan looked around and continued, "Each contestant will have a number plate and a personal ballot box. You can put your votes into the ballot box you approve of. Of course, if you particularly admire a certain contestant, you can also cast all your votes for that person."
As soon as she finished speaking, Su Nuannuan saw the crowd below the stage begin to whisper among themselves, clearly discussing how to vote.
Just then, Li Desheng returned with all the necessary items for the tea ceremony.
"Li Desheng, just place the tea table here!" Su Nuannuan pointed to the empty space in front of her and gave the order.
Upon hearing this, Li Desheng quickly responded and swiftly arranged the tea table. Afterward, the others withdrew, and Li Desheng returned to stand beside Su Nuannuan.
"Anyone else want to join a team? If not, you can head to the corresponding area to take on the challenge now!" Su Nuannuan asked again with a smile, her gaze sweeping over the chaotic queue.
After waiting a short while and seeing that no one else stepped forward, Su Nuannuan nodded slightly and gave a look to the maids standing to the side holding up signs, indicating that they could begin guiding everyone to their respective challenge areas.
The maids, having received their instructions, immediately sprang into action. Led by the maids, groups of people left in an orderly fashion, heading to the areas corresponding to their chosen challenges. The scene was both lively and well-organized, with everyone eagerly anticipating showing off their skills.
As the crowd gradually dispersed, Su Nuannuan stood up and raised her voice to the ladies present, saying, "Ladies, you are welcome to wander around and visit this garden as you please, but please be careful not to disturb the contestants who are currently participating in the competition."
The ladies nodded in agreement, indicating that they understood.
Then, Su Nuannuan turned her gaze to the four little ones, a smile playing on her lips, and said softly, "You four can go play now, but remember, don't cause trouble, or Grandma will spank your little bottoms." With that, she playfully waved her fist, pretending to hit someone.
Upon seeing this, the four little ones burst into laughter, and then, led by their respective nannies, they ran joyfully towards the cooking area in the backyard like a herd of wild horses.
Watching the four cheerful figures gradually disappear into the distance, Su Nuannuan couldn't help but smile slightly and mutter to herself, "Food is the most important thing for people. No matter when or where, delicious food is always the most attractive thing."
"I wonder if we can even choose a suitable princess?" Su Nuannuan sighed and muttered to herself. She thought to herself that choosing a princess was no easy task. Not only did she need to be beautiful and talented, but she also needed to be virtuous, gentle, and kind. She wondered if there was even one woman among all these women who met these standards.
Jinse helped Su Nuannuan up and asked softly, "Your Highness, which area should we go to first?" Su Nuannuan came to her senses and replied with a smile, "Let's go to the dance and song area first. We'll have to wait a while to see the results of the other areas' competitions. Besides, there are people supervising there, so we don't have to worry about them cheating."
With that, Su Nuannuan led Jinse towards the dance and entertainment area. Along the way, she saw many officials' families whispering amongst themselves, seemingly filled with anticipation for the upcoming talent competition. Su Nuannuan couldn't help but marvel at how nearly all the officials' families from the capital had come; it was truly a lively and bustling event!
Suddenly, Su Nuannuan seemed to remember something and asked in confusion, "I don't recall sending out that many invitations. How come so many people are here?"
Jinse smiled and explained, "Your Highness, some people came in with others. Your Highness's invitation did not say that bringing people was not allowed, so those with connections and influence would naturally try to get someone to bring them in once they heard the news."
Upon hearing this, Su Nuannuan suddenly understood. She smiled helplessly and said, "It seems that I unintentionally let them make a fortune. I've actually lost out this time."
“Your Majesty, we can’t look at things like that.” Jinse said softly with a smile, “Although the process of choosing a princess may have some twists and turns, as long as we can successfully choose a suitable princess in the end, it will be a huge win for us.”
She paused briefly, observing Su Nuannuan's reaction. Seeing that Su Nuannuan didn't seem to be completely convinced by her words, she continued, "Your Majesty, think about it. Once this princess is chosen, the prince can get married, and the Empress Dowager's wish will be fulfilled."
Jinse spoke eloquently, and Su Nuannuan's expression gradually softened. However, just then, a maid rushed in, her face filled with panic, and cried out, "Your Highness, something terrible has happened! There's trouble in the dance area; two young ladies are fighting!"