The Eldest Daughter is Delicate and Pretty, How Can She Be a Malicious Supporting Character - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Great Master Miao Se

“Oh? You’re the daughter of Minister Xue?” The old man in white was pleased with the lively tone of the girl who answered, showing no signs of nervousness, and he felt a slight fondness for her.
After all, coming up with such a creative way to paint was quite interesting.

Li Miaozhu was incredulous when she heard that a concubine-born daughter like Xue Yiran had received an A grade. She glared at Xue Yiran fiercely, but only in a place where Mister Xu couldn’t see.

Xue Yiran didn’t care about Li Miaozhu’s reaction and stepped forward confidently. Her loud and clear voice was easy to remember.
“Thank you, Mister Xu, for your praise. I didn’t expect to get an A grade.”

Mister Xu waved his hand with a warm smile. “You’re still young, but you’ve managed to grasp the true meaning of life. Although your painting skills are slightly lacking, your creativity is indeed impressive.”
As Li Miaozhu listened to the exchange between Xue Yiran and Mister Xu, she felt increasingly discontent. She glanced at Pei Lingyi, who stood calmly beside her, showing no signs of anxiety.
“Humph, even a concubine-born daughter like Xue Yiran can get an A grade? I don’t believe Pei Lingyi can really stay calm,” Li Miaozhu thought to herself.

She had disliked Pei Lingyi for a long time, who always seemed like a perfect noble lady, never showing any emotions. Even her mother praised Pei Lingyi as a role model for noble ladies, which made Li Miaozhu feel jealous.
Now was the perfect opportunity to drag Pei Lingyi down.

Li Miaozhu suddenly spoke up, “Since Mister Xu praised Younger Sister Xue’s painting so highly, it must be something special. May we see it? I’m sure Miss Pei would also like to take a look.”

Her words seemed sincere and innocent, like a curious young lady, and Mister Xu naturally agreed. “That’s a great idea. Your paintings are all excellent, and it’s a good opportunity for you to learn from each other.”

Pei Lingyi saw the challenging look in Li Miaozhu’s eyes and found it amusing. Li Miaozhu was always trying to compete with her, but her tactics wouldn’t work.

Xue Yiran felt a chill run down her spine when she heard Li Miaozhu call her “younger sister”. She shuddered and thought that if she lived in the modern era, she would be a great actress.
Shi Wei was quiet and didn’t know the other girls well, but since Mister Xu had spoken, she followed the others to look at the paintings.

When they reached the front, they saw Xue Yiran’s painting, which was divided into four sections. Each section depicted a person at a different stage of life, from birth to old age, with the corresponding seasons in the background. Although the brushstrokes were simple, the painting conveyed a clear message.

For example, the scene of old age was depicted in the winter season.
Although Li Miaozhu was reluctant to admit it, she had to acknowledge that Xue Yiran’s creativity had impressed Mister Xu. However, if she had to evaluate it herself, she would say that it was just a show-off in front of a master.

Pei Lingyi was not surprised at all, as she had seen the painting in her dream before.

As the others looked at the painting with different expressions, Mister Xu smiled and said, “Now that we’ve seen Xue Yiran’s painting, let’s take a look at the ‘Red Plum Blossoms in Snow’.”
After the maidservant took away Xue Yiran’s painting, a new painting of plum blossoms in the snow was presented.

Li Miaozhu glanced at it briefly and felt relieved. Although the red plum blossoms looked good at first glance, there were still some rough parts. The score wouldn’t be too high.
Just as she thought this, Mister Xu said, “This ‘Plum Blossoms in Snow’ is not bad, but it’s a bit lacking in strength. I don’t know which young friend drew it. It deserves a B grade.”

Shi Wei’s expression seemed to be expected, and she didn’t show any disappointment. “In response to Mister Xu, I drew it. My father is Shi Ming, a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Justice. I like painting in my free time. If Mister Xu could give me some guidance, I would be honored.”

“You’re the daughter of Master Shi. I’m not qualified to give you guidance. You’re someone who loves painting. Just pay attention to the strength of your brushstrokes, and you’ll be able to capture the essence of the subject,” Mister Xu said.
After listening to Mister Xu’s guidance, Shi Wei smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Xu, for your guidance.”

Mister Xu nodded and said to everyone, “The next two paintings are exceptional in terms of color and charm. I’m not sure if we can find better paintings than these two at this gathering. Let’s take a look at them together.”

Li Miaozhu’s heart skipped a beat when she heard this. She thought that her painting would definitely stand out.
However…
She glanced at the person next to her, who was equally famous, and felt annoyed.
Before long, the maidservant presented both paintings.

Xue Yiran was also curious, thinking that according to the original plot, both paintings should have received an A grade. However, since she had already received an A grade, she wasn’t that concerned about the outcome.

When both paintings were presented, even Li Miaozhu couldn’t help but be drawn to Pei Lingyi’s painting. The colors were perfectly balanced, and the magnolia flowers in the painting were about to bloom. A butterfly, drawn with delicate brushstrokes, hovered above the half-closed flower bud.

Although the colors were extremely light and elegant, a touch of fine gold powder added a subtle shimmer. Under the sunlight, the butterfly’s wings seemed to radiate different colors.
“Look, the butterfly is colorful!” Shi Wei was the first to notice the subtle detail.

The old man in white nodded in satisfaction, “This ‘Magnolia and Butterfly’ painting must be Miss Pei’s work. The technique used to create the halo effect is likely a unique skill of Great Master Miao Se.”

Li Miaozhu was speechless, staring at Pei Lingyi beside her. How was it possible… How could she have dyed such a complex color in such a short time?

Just then, Shi Wei asked, “Is the Great Master Miao Se mentioned by Mister Xu the one who has retired to the mountains? Could Miss Pei be her beloved disciple?”
Instantly, everyone’s gaze focused on Pei Lingyi.

The girl in green smiled gently, “I’m not her beloved disciple, but I was fortunate enough to learn from Great Master Miao Se for three months. Mister Xu, Great Master Miao Se asked me to pass on her greetings to you.”

The old man’s expression became distant, as if lost in thought. He gazed at Pei Lingyi, and his thoughts seemed to wander.

A girl ran to him, smiling and saying, “Senior Brother, I promise to become the most famous female painter in the Great Ye dynasty!”