Mu Zibai spoke with a trace of pride.
It was as though he were showing off to everyone that his wife was a talented woman.
A chorus of jeers rose up. There were already fewer women who studied, and any woman with a little literary talent was called a talented woman. So "talented woman" was hardly some rare title.
And a talented woman from the Capital City? That meant she was from the north, so her credentials were surely worth even less. One had to know that the south was the cultural center. If she were a talented woman from the south, perhaps she might have some real ability.
Talented women in the south were as common as grass. What was there to show off about one's wife being a talented woman?
Everyone wore contemptuous expressions, though beneath that contempt lay a thread of envy, jealousy, and resentment. Envy my ass—they merely clenched their teeth viciously, nearly grinding them to pieces.
Thinking of themselves as single dogs, they seemed to look down on Mu Zibai, yet in truth, they had lost completely and utterly.
"Half green, half purple. The answer should be 'su.'"
She swept her eyes over it and immediately spotted one. It was among the simpler ones, so it was no surprise she could solve it.
"Four mountains crisscrossed, two suns entwined; wealth rose from his feet, exhaustion led by his head. The answer should be 'tian.'"
Another correct answer.
"Exceptionally generous. The answer is 'hui.'"
After she solved one riddle after another, the crowd could no longer remain calm. She merely took a glance, without even seeming to think, and gave the answer.
They thought Wenren Lingmeng had some skill, but these were all easy ones. The real challenge lay ahead.
The next lantern bore only two