My Wife is Unbeatable in the Whole World, Touch Me If You Dare!-Chapter 250 - 132 Husband

Li Nuo, after bathing, returned to his room and saw Mumu asleep on their bed.

He did not know what she had done during the day, but even in her sleep, she wore an expression of exhaustion.

Li Nuo tiptoed over and whispered to his wife, "Shall I sleep in another room tonight, so we don’t wake Mumu? You can stay with her."

Song Jiaren said, "No need, I’ll carry her back to her room. It won’t wake her up."

She walked to the bed, extended her arms, and Mumu’s body gently rose and settled into her embrace.

After returning Mumu, Song Jiaren closed the room door and carefully stored away the painting before sitting down at the desk.

Li Nuo picked up the lyric from the table and explained, "This is for the phoenix of Jade Sound Pavilion, whom I sold it to for eighty taels of silver..."

Song Jiaren did not dwell on the matter, but opened a book of poems and pointing to one asked, "What does this couplet mean? I don’t quite understand it..."

Li Nuo sat beside her and explained, "This, you see, involves two allusions. It’s quite normal for you not to understand it. Let me explain these two allusions to you first..."

The next morning, Li Nuo got up a bit late.

He had stayed up later than usual the night before explaining poetry to his wife.

On his way to the Ministry of Justice, he passed by Jade Sound Pavilion and stopped in to deliver the poem to the Phoenix.

While inscribing the poem on the painting yesterday, he redeemed a one-day calligraphy experience card because a good painting deserved good writing; now that he was wealthy, there was no need to skimp a day or two.

On the second floor of Jade Sound Pavilion, Phoenix took the piece of paper Li Nuo handed her.

What caught her attention first was not the content, but the handwriting on it.

Such beautiful Hairpin Flower Small Regular Script!

She had some skill in calligraphy herself, but compared to the writing on this paper, she was far from matching it.

This level was not something achievable through mere diligent practice; the master of this handwriting must have remarkable talent in calligraphy.

After admiring the calligraphy for a while, she focused on the content.

"With butterfly embroidery on silk dresses, in Jade Sound Pavilion, we first met. Powder unpiled, flowers lax in idle beauty of the spring.

Look closely, there’s charm everywhere, each one says, slender as a willow. Yesterday’s haze over the hills, clouds upon her garment in her coming."

Though a lyric without a specified tune and not rhythmically perfect, especially the forced inclusion of "Jade Sound Pavilion", on the whole, the content was exquisite.

It was infinitely better than the poem she bought for one hundred taels of silver.

Li Nuo watched her and asked, "Are you satisfied?"

Phoenix nodded, more than satisfied, and her expectations were greatly exceeded.

Only--when they first met, she had not been wearing a butterfly dress or light makeup.

But then again, she thought, poetry isn’t literal depiction. Sometimes, for the sake of rhyme, making some adaptations and interpretations is quite common, and nearly all poets do it.

"Look closely, there’s charm everywhere, each one says, slender as a willow" – Wasn’t that about her?

In Jade Sound Pavilion, nightingales too calm, mandarin ducks too thin – who else could that line be about but her?

She had always thought he lacked discernment, but it turned out he knew everything...

After inspecting the item, Phoenix promptly paid Li Nuo a hundred-tael silver note and indicated there was no need for change.

Li Nuo thought how easy it was to make money and asked, "Do you want more?"

Phoenix said in surprise, "There’s more?"

If he was asked to copy a famous poem every day, Li Nuo would hesitate, for he was saving those poems to prepare for the spring exams and Imperial Examination.

But flattering her in various ways was something he could do for a month without repeating.

Li Nuo had studied the lyrics of Liu Yong, who left behind more than two hundred, with over one hundred and fifty related to the brothel. In Daxia, such lyrics were known as ’wanton words’ and were frowned upon, not the subject of Imperial Examinations.

Of course, Li Nuo could not memorize all of those lyrics, but he remembered a dozen or so.

These lyrics were too indulgent for his wife but suited Phoenix just fine.

Phoenix spread out a sheet of rice paper and stood by to grind the ink personally for Li Nuo.

With some thought, Li Nuo took up the brush and began to write on the paper.

"A comely beauty, the apple of one’s eye, with a slender, graceful waist. As she awakes from behind her fragrant curtains, her hair well-coiffured and full flavor, her cheeks are like the blush of springtime apricots.

Daintily she enjoys her fine brocaded fan, with laughter hiding behind rosy lips. Her tender nature and refined grace, speak not of her dwelling in this dusty world."

Jade Sound Pavilion was no brothel, but it certainly counted as part of the floating world.

This "Young Man’s Journey" poem, devoid of place names and allusions, could be used without alteration. Though not as widely circulated as the previous one, it was definitely fit for purpose.

Phoenix watched Li Nuo in amazement.

Previously, she had some doubts, suspecting the first poem might have been ghostwritten.

But now, witnessing his handwriting, that last shred of doubt vanished.

In its place, a blush of shame.

Here she was, claiming to be a literary woman, yet her Hairpin Flower Small Regular Script paled in comparison with a man’s.

Then she turned her attention to the content of the poem. This lyric had a heavier hint of the pleasure quarters but was even more fitting than the last.

With the Oiran contest approaching, the ladies of Jade Sound Pavilion were second to none in artistic talent; what they lacked were accompanying poems of equal merit. A good poem, though it could not directly influence the outcome of the Oiran contest, could add considerable luster to the ladies.

She couldn’t help but look at Li Nuo.

Since that song last time, this was once again he had brought her a huge surprise and serendipity.

Moments later, Li Nuo left the Jade Sound Pavilion with a silver note worth a thousand taels in his arms.

Phoenix was clearly a connoisseur, after reading two poems, she struck a deal for another eight, each at a hundred taels, and she even paid in advance.

Phoenix stood at the window on the second floor, watching the carriage disappear into the distance, then turned and walked back to her table.

Upon close inspection, every aspect of beauty is praised—everyone says, how graceful like a willow waist..., she found herself liking that line more and more with each look.

A figure entered from outside, and Yuan Yang said to her with some surprise, "Phoenix, you would never have guessed that Young Master Li is also skilled at writing poetry…"

"How did you know that?"

Phoenix was a little astonished. Had Yuan Yang seen these poems before her?

Yuan Yang said, "Young Master Song told me just now. Young Master Li wrote a poem for his wife yesterday, and I’ve seen it too—it’s a masterpiece that could be passed down through the ages…"

Phoenix was slightly taken aback: "For his wife?"

After a moment, she looked at a poem written on paper by Yuan Yang and suddenly felt that she didn’t like that earlier line as much as she thought.

This poem didn’t describe her appearance at all.

But it surpassed a thousand phrases like "graceful willows" or "ruby lips."

What kind of exaggeration is ’A single glance topples the city, another glance topples the nation’…

It’s so ridiculous and overblown!

Is his wife that great?

Even the name of the poem had a double meaning, as if afraid others wouldn’t know this poem was for his wife…

She was almost overcome with jealousy.

Before comparing, she thought the poems and songs weren’t consequential.

But set side by side, one was celestial, the other earthly.

Future generations upon seeing this poem would only say, oh, a nameless courtesan with a fine figure.

But upon seeing this short poem, an image of a peerless beauty would spring to mind, and this beauty would have a name.

Perhaps hundreds of years later, people really would believe that Song Jiaren was some peerless beauty who could topple cities and nations—it was nothing more than false advertising, leading others astray!

Phoenix’s eyes were glued to the poem.

Despite the sourness.

At this moment, for the first time, she found herself envious of Song Jiaren.

As a woman, especially a beautiful one, who doesn’t want their beauty to be praised for millennia?

In looks, figure, talents, and power, she believed herself inferior to Song Jiaren in no way, even surpassing her in figure and talents, but she fell short for lacking a good husband.

In a thousand years, people would only remember Song Jiaren, none would know of her, the Phoenix…

At this moment, sharing Phoenix’s sentiments was another person.

Inside the Song Residence.

Within Song Ning’er’s private courtyard.

Song Ning’er looked at her master and sister with astonishment, "Is this poem not good?"

She thought the poem was well written, even without understanding poetry or verses, she knew it praised her sister Jiaren’s beauty. If only someone would write such a poem for her, then the whole world would know of her beauty…

The woman bit her teeth and said, "What’s good about it, it’s nothing but flattery!"

Song Ning’er whispered softly, "I think it’s quite nice…"

The woman snorted coldly and said, "Nice my foot. ’Topples cities, topples nations’—Song Jiaren’s looks and figure, how are they worthy…"

She paused mid-sentence, then changed her tune, "Well, maybe they are worthy, but this poem is by no means good, it’s too exaggerated, nobody will believe it…"

Song Ning’er said, "But Brother Yu said, this is a technique of writing metaphorically. Everyone has a different definition of a beauty in their heart. This poem doesn’t describe her plainly, leaving endless imagination to the reader, making it the most exquisite technique, the number one poem praising beauty. Even a thousand years later, people will know that Sister Jiaren is a great beauty. I also saw the painting Brother Li Nuo made for Sister Jiaren; it was also very beautiful…"

The woman suddenly looked at her and asked, "Did you practice the swordsmanship I taught you today?"

Song Ning’er said, "Master Sister told me to practice three times, but I practiced five times."

The woman said sternly, "Practice five more times. You started cultivation late, without working hard, how can you surpass Song Mu’er? You don’t want to be outdone by her forever, right?"

...

After the Ministry of Justice ended work for the day, when Li Nuo returned to the Song Residence, he found it in disarray.

Maids and servants scurried about hurriedly, and the head maid was questioning each of them.

Li Nuo entered the courtyard and saw his wife and Mumu standing there; his wife’s expression was icy, clearly in a bad mood, while Mumu was anxiously pacing.

Li Nuo stepped forward and asked, "What has happened?"

Song Mu’er hurried over and said, "Li Nuo brother, it’s terrible, the poem and painting you gave to Sister Jiaren yesterday have been stolen!"

Li Nuo was slightly stunned; he wasn’t Gu Youzhi, who would steal his painting?

However, it wasn’t such a serious matter. He walked over to Song Jiaren and said, "Don’t worry, wife, don’t be angry, I’ll paint another one that’s exactly the same for you. In fact, I wasn’t completely satisfied with some details of the painting yesterday…"

"Hmm."

Song Jiaren’s brows relaxed, and she nodded slightly, whispering softly, "Thank you, husband."

Li Nuo walked towards the room, but at the doorway, he suddenly realized something, paused, turned around, and asked, "Thank me for what?"

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