With her taking the lead, it was not appropriate for the others to just pay lip service. They had to come up with something substantial.
So they all began to weigh the things on themselves, deciding which could be donated and which could not.
Seeing this, Princess Huaqing gave a subtle signal. Immediately, maids came to the banquet hall holding trays in their hands.
Behind them were other maids carrying writing brushes and account books. Apparently, they were going to record everything.
"Your generosity is much appreciated, ladies. Later, I will present you with some rare flowers. Although they are not as precious as the jewelry you've donated, they represent my heartfelt gratitude. Please don't mind."
The ladies immediately responded, saying they dared not.
There was a clinking sound of gold and jade in the hall as everyone put their jewelry on the trays.
Some ladies of lower status, who were eager to please Princess Huaqing, donated everything they could. They almost took off the jewelry from their maids.
When the tray reached Su Nansheng, she took off a gold hairpin and placed it on the tray.
Seeing this, Aunt Li beside her immediately said in a seemingly joking tone:
"Nansheng is feeling reluctant. I think that red jade hairpin on your head is even more precious."
The hall had been quiet as people were making donations and records.
Hearing this, those around immediately turned their eyes to Su Nansheng. Their movements were so obvious and synchronized that even Princess Huaqing was attracted.
Chen Wanrong frowned. This Li woman always knew how to stir up trouble.
Feeling everyone's eyes on her, Su Nansheng reached up and touched the red jade hairpin, but only briefly.
"My husband gave it to me. I won't donate it."
Su Nansheng smiled brightly and behaved gracefully.
Aunt Li's face froze. How shameless.
But Princess Huaqing laughed:
"The young couple has a deep affection. I wouldn't dare to accept a token of love."
Since she had said so, everyone just laughed it off.
Then the tray reached Aunt Li. To show her sincerity, she put all her jewelry on the tray. Finally, she glanced at Su Nansheng provocatively.
Just as she was still looking at Su Nansheng, she heard Su Hele say:
"In the face of this great disaster, compared with gold and silver, the victims need hope and courage. I've always been simple and unadorned, disdaining to use gold and jade to decorate myself. So I've composed a poem to offer to the victims."
After saying that, Su Hele began to recite the poem on her own.
When she finished, Su Hele said, "This poem is the fruit of my painstaking efforts. It must be worth a hundred times more than gold and silver."
After her words, Su Hele sat down on her own, raising her chin slightly and looking straight ahead.
The hall fell into a deathly silence. You could even hear a pin drop.
Chen Wanrong closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, not wanting to face this situation.
Aunt Li quickly turned her head, almost twisting her neck. She stared in disbelief. In just this short while!
In just this short while! In such a short time, she could cause trouble!
The maid in charge of recording swallowed hard and looked back at Princess Huaqing.
How should she record this? "One poem composed"?
Even Princess Huaqing, who was so experienced, was stunned on the spot.
Did this lady mean that just one poem... and that was it?
Humph...
Since it was supposed to be a voluntary donation, she couldn't force anyone. But if this could be considered a donation, how would those who had donated all their jewelry feel?
Princess Huaqing's expression changed several times. Finally, she couldn't hold back:
"This lady is really generous. I'm so shallow that I didn't know your poem could be worth a fortune. May I know your name, madam?"
Aunt Li immediately gave Su Hele a meaningful look.
"The wife of the second young master of the Marquis of Anshun's Mansion, Su Hele."
Su Hele's voice was calm, but her expression was haughty.
So what? Wasn't Su Nansheng just showing off?
Her status was much higher than Su Nansheng's.
Aunt Li felt the blood rush to her head. Why did she mention He Jin!
"Humph. I thought it would be someone as famous as a poetry master. But I've never heard of this name. I must be ignorant. Has anyone here heard of this lady?"
Princess Huaqing looked around at the others.
"Never heard of her."
"I haven't either."
Princess Huaqing sneered and looked at Su Hele: "It seems it's not just my ignorance. You're quite unknown."
By the end of her words, the mockery was very obvious.
Hearing this, everyone covered their mouths and snickered.
Su Hele didn't expect Princess Huaqing to be so petty and mock her in public. Her face instantly turned red.
Princess Huaqing snorted and ignored her. But she didn't want to let her off easily, so she said:
"Do you have any more poems worth a fortune? Let's hear them all."
The ladies were good at gauging people's intentions. They immediately said:
"No, no. My poems are worthless."
"I wouldn't dare to be so arrogant."
Aunt Li really wanted to find a hole to hide in, but there was none.
Not only was there no hole, but she had just donated all her jewelry, leaving no chance to redeem herself.
So she looked at Chen Wanrong for help.
Chen Wanrong glared at her. Now she remembered her?
She originally didn't want to get involved in this matter. But since Su Hele had brought the Marquis of Anshun's Mansion into it, she couldn't afford to lose face.
But she was really too lazy to take care of Su Hele. So she looked at Su Nansheng.
Seeing this, Aunt Li also turned her eyes to Su Nansheng, with a pleading look on her face.
Su Nansheng glanced at her, smiled, and didn't move.
"Nansheng, I said the wrong thing just now. Please don't mind."
Aunt Li forced a smile, and her voice was full of pleading.
Su Nansheng smiled brightly: "Pay attention next time."
After saying that, Su Nansheng stood up and said, "In the face of the disaster, the second young mistress was afraid that we would be in a heavy mood, so she played a little joke on us."
Saying this, she took off the gold bracelet from her hand and put it on the tray:
"She gave this bracelet to me long ago and asked me to donate it after her joke."
"Yes, yes. This child just loves to play jokes. She's really naughty."
Aunt Li quickly echoed. At the same time, she pinched Su Hele hard, signaling her to say something. But Su Hele just hung her head and didn't move.
Fortunately, everyone knew what was really going on and didn't care about Su Hele's reaction at all.
Princess Huaqing snorted and then looked at Su Nansheng, smiling:
"Sure enough, the people from the Marquis of Anshun's Mansion know how to behave appropriately."
She had seen the subtle exchanges between them just now. Naturally, she knew that Su Nansheng was also from the Marquis of Anshun's Mansion.
She had lost her temper just now and led the mockery of Su Hele, which had made the Marquis of Anshun's Mansion a bit embarrassed. Now she naturally had to console them.
So she looked at Chen Wanrong again and said with a smile:
"The wife of the Marquis of Anshun is really blessed to have such a good daughter - in - law."
Chen Wanrong smiled and declined:
"The princess overpraises her. But I've heard this quite often recently."
Princess Huaqing had just said it casually, but she didn't expect Chen Wanrong to really accept it.
So she said, "I have to hear what's going on then."
But Chen Wanrong shook her head:
"Nansheng just helped our A Xun wipe out a hundred or so bandits. It's just a small matter. The princess needn't take it to heart."
Princess Huaqing: "..."