Doted By The Regent King-Chapter 504

There was another doubt.

All eyes fell on Yu Zhen, curious about what he would challenge, for they had all seen Wufu’s Baby-Hugging Picture. Whether it was the composition or the carving, the figures, they were all lifelike, top-notch selections, and certainly worthy of first place.

But now, Yu Zhen firstly challenged the composition, overshadowing the subject, and he had another doubt?

Wufu crossed her arms and watched Yu Zhen leisurely, her face devoid of panic or indignation, appearing as if waiting for him to elaborate thoroughly.

Seeing this, Yu Zhen grew even more annoyed, huffed coldly, and slightly turning, said, "As everyone knows, the portrait for this contest was of Madam Lou, and the painting used for registration was a standardized one."

At these words, everyone looked at each other in confusion. What did this have to do with the portrait?

Wufu’s pupils shrank slightly, and her gaze moved between her own sculpture and the few others in the front row, her lips curling into what seemed like a wry smile.

It was said that being too clever for one’s own good could backfire, and the phrase wasn’t wrong. She strived to do better, but some would not acknowledge it, instead using it against her.

"Milord, Miss Wufu looks a bit pale," Su Luo noticed, and whispered to Ah Jiu.

This Yu Zhen, really not a man, bullying a young girl, hmph!

Ah Jiu stroked his chin, saying, "He’s going to make an issue out of her sculpture not resembling the subject."

Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, Yu Zhen continued.

"Everyone look, how is Miss Wufu’s sculpture different from the others here? When I speak of differences, I refer to the appearance," Yu Zhen glanced at Wufu mockingly. "In comparison, which sculpture truly resembles the portrait more closely?"

"This..."

Wufu lowered her lashes, ultimately caught out by this master of competitive spirit.

Her sculpture, of course, was based on a portrait redrawn after consulting Madam Lou’s wet nurse, mirroring the appearance of Madam Lou in the year she passed away. Meanwhile, the portrait for the contest was presumably from her youthful days as Lady Fu.

With time’s polishing and proper care, though one’s features would not drastically change, many childless years had infused Madam Lou’s brows with a hint of worry. And regardless of her husband’s love, she could not entirely let go, inevitably not comparable to the untouched countenance of a young Lady Fu.

Hence, what Yu Zhen remarked upon was not necessarily the features but the essence.

One represented youthful Lady Fu, the other a woman tempered by the years.

Listening to the murmurs of the crowd, Lou Wanyuan couldn’t help but stand up and say, "Elder Rong, allow me to speak a fair word. Among these works, the one that best captures the essence of my late wife is Miss Wufu’s Baby-Hugging Picture. When my wife passed away, she had just given birth, and just like in the sculpture, she had only a chance to glance at our son before she passed."

Lou Wanyuan’s eyes reddened, "Thus, this Baby-Hugging Picture almost let me see my wife again, and that’s why I gave it such a high score, for it truly bears a remarkable resemblance."

Yu Zhen, however, bowed slightly and said, "President Lou, I do not intend to challenge the resemblance of Miss Wufu’s work to your wife. However, since the standard portrait was used, everyone should carve according to that portrait. Only this Baby-Hugging Picture... the essence of this contest is fairness. If Miss Wufu’s work differs because it is based on another portrait, then how can we speak of fairness?"

Lou Wanyuan’s body trembled, with annoyance, shame, and a trace of anger, yet he was at a loss for a rebuttal.

Because there was no rebuttal, for what Yu Zhen said made sense—everyone’s portrait was the same; why was Wufu’s different? How could this be explained?