Gasp! She's a Time Traveler Using Modern Tech to Improve Ancient Life Chapter 147 - 146: Becoming a Prodigy

Lin Wanwan was quite satisfied with her performance tonight. Although the piece "Swordsn" wasn’t difficult, she had practiced for a long ti. The key was pairing it with heroic lyrics, which definitely gave it a fresh appeal.

She didn’t think she had embarrassed herself. Although her technique wasn’t as good as Lu Ying’er’s, if there were an anonymous vote among the audience, the popular "Swordsn" would certainly win.

There’s no helping it; no matter how refined a piece is, it remains esoteric and difficult for the masses to appreciate. Popular tunes, on the other hand, can resonate with the general public and touch their hearts. Although the adolescents present were trying to appear mature and poised, they were ultimately still young.

In the open society of the Great Tang, competitions in dancing, singing, and music were common, familiar both to nobles and commoners. But because Xiao Chong initially ntioned that Lu Ying’er still needed effort and then praised Lin Wanwan as excellent, so people felt slighted.

After calmly sitting upright, Lady Lu spoke in a condescending tone, "If Lady Lin practices diligently and perseveres in her studies, she won’t face issues with pitch when playing the zither. In essence, this piece is a clever trick, rarely seen in grand halls. Lady Lin, you must practice hard; a noblewoman should not slacken, and the pursuit of the four arts—music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—must be endless."

Lin Wanwan absent-mindedly listened to the criticism and advice, occasionally returning a smile to show she was still engaged, until Lady Lu suddenly shifted the topic to family education, "I wonder, how many words does your little Qingyu know? What books has she read? When Ying’er and Ming Hao were her age, they knew a thousand or eight hundred characters."

As soon as the topic of literacy was brought up, little Qingyu shook her head like a rattle drum and hid behind Lin Wanwan’s skirt. She didn’t want to write; she was still young!

Lady Lu, looking at her silly appearance, couldn’t help but chuckle, "This child is indeed innocent and carefree, but she lacks courage. A noble’s descendant shouldn’t be so timid."

Lin Wanwan’s eyebrows lifted. You can talk about , and out of politeness and decorum, I will endure it for now. But you cannot talk about my daughter.

After Lady Lu’s endless critique, Lin Wanwan squatted down and said to little Qingyu, "Co, Qingyu, recite two poems for Mommy, okay?"

She then whispered in her ear, coaxing, "If you do well, Mommy will give you a chocolate tonight."

Hearing there was chocolate, little Qingyu’s eyes lit up!

She loved sweet chocolate, but Mommy always worried about her teeth getting cavities and wouldn’t let her eat freely. Was she afraid of reciting poetry if there was chocolate involved? Impossible!

Little Qingyu imdiately clasped her hands behind her back and began reciting with a serious posture, "Ode to the Goose, goose, goose, raising its neck to sing to the sky, with white fluff floating on green water, and red feet stirring clear waves."

This was composed by one of the Four Talents of the Early Tang, Luo Binwang, at the age of seven (Tang people liked to talk about their nominal age). Hence, it earned him the title of "Prodigy." Now, little Qingyu, at just seven in nominal age (just five in actual age), reciting it was quite fitting for her age.

Xiao Chong laughed and said, "Is this poem interesting? Little Qingyu, did you compose it yourself?"

Little Qingyu didn’t understand the difference between "reciting" and "composing," so when Xiao Chong asked, she proudly replied, "Yes, it’s Little Qingyu reciting it myself, and I already knew it."

Those around started to discuss in surprise. Could this actually be a little prodigy?

The young ladies of the Xiao Family exchanged glances. Rembering how little Qingyu had just won three rounds of jumping chess against Lu Ying’er, they were increasingly convinced that this little one was a prodigy.

Because Xiao Chong had heard Lin Wanwan recite several exquisite poems—standing on the shoulders of historical giants, Lin Wanwan often left him impressed—he wasn’t surprised that Qingyu, whom Lin Wanwan personally taught, could co up with an "Ode to the Goose."

Even if one wanted to criticize, Lady Lu couldn’t ignore the fact that for a child like Qingyu, writing "Ode to the Goose" was remarkable. Other noblewon present had already started praising the prodigy.

Thus, she advised Lin Wanwan sincerely to invite famous teachers for Qingyu, not to spoil her. Although a woman’s future should prioritize her husband’s family, education itself was her best dowry and deserved attention.

Lin Wanwan chuckled and placated with a few words, finally enduring until the gathering dispersed.

On the way back, several Xiao Family girls wanted to ride in the carriage with Lin Wanwan. They had much they wanted to say to this surprising cousin—not just about how she had transford Xiao Ronghua’s appearance so beautifully but also about her transcription of "Swordsn."

Ultimately, it was Auntie Yuan who spoke up, maintaining the arrangent as it was on the way there, with the two legitimate daughters, Xiao Xianghua and Xiao Ronghua, sharing the carriage with Lin Wanwan and her daughter. Although the city gates were closed at night, there was still a curfew, prohibiting travel on main roads, but it wasn’t as strict within the wards.

Once the ward gates closed, within the sa ward, the wealthy continued their festive celebrations through the night.

The Xiao Family residence and the County Governnt were in the sa ward, so returning ho at night posed no issue. Other guests living in different wards were accommodated overnight at the County Governnt.

The wheels of the carriage rumbled on the cobblestone, and the lack of shock absorbers and rubber tires wrapped around the wooden wheels made Lin Wanwan’s head hurt, feeling a bit motion sick, uninterested in chatting with her little cousins.

She shouldn’t have felt ill. Mainly, she had drunk too much and felt the aftermath. anwhile, little Qingyu had fallen asleep peacefully amid the jostling, likely imagining it as a cradle.

"Ah, riding in a carriage is such a tornt. I should quickly learn horseback riding as soon as possible," Lin Wanwan exclaid, rubbing her head.

Xiao Xianghua was surprised. "How could Cousin Wanwan not know how to ride a horse?"

Lin Wanwan sighed, "The mountains are unlike the flatlands; there were no conditions to practice horse riding."

In the Great Tang, noble n and won were generally skilled in horse riding. Polo was an imnsely popular sport throughout its three hundred years. To Xiao Xianghua, a remarkable woman like Lin Wanwan seed impossible to be unskilled in horse riding. Thus, hearing her ntion learning horseback riding, she blurted out a comnt.

Realizing her slip-up, she wondered how she could speak in such a manner, like looking down on soone. To make ands for her mistake, Xiao Xianghua promptly said, "Cousin Wanwan, if you don’t mind, I can start teaching you tomorrow. With your intelligence and talent, you will surely learn quickly. Then we can play polo together."

Xiao Ronghua also chid in, "Yes, yes, let’s play polo together. Cousin Wanwan, polo is so much fun."

Lin Wanwan said uncertainly, "Playing polo? I’m afraid that won’t happen overnight. I haven’t really touched a horseback."