Wu Xiuxian smiled and said, "Since the Female Saint wishes to see what we can do, why should everyone hold back? But I think that since tonight is the Tassel Grand Gathering, music should be the skin and painting the bones. Poetry should not be part of it, or wouldn't that let down the waters and lamplight in Shaoyin Pavilion, and the moonlight shining through the frost?"
After Wu Xiuxian finished speaking, the whole gathering fell briefly silent. Then quite a few voices rose in agreement.
Xu Yi cursed inwardly. We're strangers who just happened to meet in a foreign land. I haven't offended you, have I? Why come straight out swinging at me?
He was racking his brains, trying to think of poems he could use to show off, ready to drop a bombshell, when Wu Xiuxian cut the ground out from under him.
Forget it. I'll let this go. It looks like getting a painting from Saintess Ning won't be easy. I'll just wait for the next round.
There was no way forward, so Xu Yi gave up.
He wasn't blind. Of course he could tell that Wu Xiuxian was clearly targeting him, most likely wary of his literary fame and afraid that he would win Saintess Ning's favor.
All told, this was just some petty rivalry over a woman. Xu Yi hadn't considered Wu Xiuxian a rival, but the man had taken him for one.
No matter how you put it, it wasn't a big deal. There was no need for him to make an enemy of Wu Xiuxian.
So he stayed seated and didn't say a word.
Ning Wuyou said, "You're in fine spirits, Fellow Daoist Wu. May I ask what skill you've prepared for tonight's Tassel Gathering to open our eyes?"
Wu Xiuxian smiled. "I