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墨書 Inktalez
“Where is this coming from, Consort Mei? If I weren't pregnant and worried about harming the dragon vein, I would love to perform a song and dance for the Empress Dowager myself.”
As she spoke, she raised her eyebrows proudly and said to Consort Mei, “You know that my greatest talent is in song and dance. When I first entered the palace, the Emperor often stayed with me because of this.”
Her words carried a deeper meaning, causing Consort Mei to frown and sneer, “Indeed, Noble Ning has truly mastered her craft. None of us sisters can compare to Noble Ning's versatility.”
Consort Mei tugged at the hand of Consort Hui beside her, transferring the tension to Consort Hui.
Initially, Consort Hui didn't think much of it, but upon hearing Consort Mei mention her, she felt displeased. Seeing Noble Ning's proud expression only fueled her anger, and she grew increasingly dissatisfied with Noble Ning.
She said, “What if she's versatile? No matter how impressive she is, she's still just a lowly noble. If she wants to climb up to our ranks as consorts, it will take her several more years. What do you think, Sister Consort Mei?”
“That's right. Noble Ning still has a lot of work to do!” Consort Mei smiled insincerely, raising her eyebrows in triumph.
“Enough!” The Empress Dowager interrupted sharply, clearly annoyed. “Today is a day of joy for me; I cannot tolerate your incessant chatter. If you don't wish to stay, you can leave immediately.”
With that, both women fell silent.
Noble Ning initially felt somewhat displeased but brightened up upon hearing the Empress Dowager support her.
The Empress Dowager continued, “Noble Ning, who do you think I should choose first to entertain me?” She asked teasingly, her tone light.
“Replying to the Empress Dowager, if I may suggest, it should be Princess Fuyuan. Princess Fuyuan is beautiful and has just arrived, having recently gained the Empress Dowager's favor; she should naturally perform before you. Moreover…”
Noble Ning paused for effect and cast a triumphant glance at Mo Xier. Seeing her frown with a face scrunched up like a bun only made Noble Ning feel more pleased.
Noble Ning continued, “Furthermore, I've heard that Princess Fuyuan not only excels in medicine but is also graceful and talented. Her reputation precedes her; she is certainly on par with me. I wonder if Princess Fuyuan would be willing to perform for the Empress Dowager?”
As she spoke, her gaze provocatively turned towards Mo Xier.
"No way?" Mo Xier raised her head in shock, the grease at the corner of her mouth not yet wiped clean. She had just put a fried shrimp ball into her mouth and had not swallowed it yet, when Noble Ning's words choked her, leaving her speechless.
She glanced helplessly at the Emperor, only to see Li Ye's expressionless face, which even seemed to hold a hint of expectation.
She almost rolled her eyes in frustration. Turning her gaze towards Night Star, his expression somewhat aligned with her feelings; he was still angry with her over what had just happened.
His face was frosty, but from his eyes, Mo Xier could sense a hidden concern.
This made her heart feel much better. Then she heard Wulong and Yan Ruyu cheerfully say, "Go on, I can't wait to see you embarrass yourself."
She frowned and coldly shot a glance at the cheerful man, muttering, "Shut up, sissy."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Yan Ruyu asked weakly, fully embodying the spirit of asking questions without shame. Mo Xier shot him another cold glare and softly said, "Nothing, just praising you."
She stood up and said, "Empress Dowager, it's not that I don't want to perform for you; I'm just afraid my skills are lacking and I'll embarrass myself and make you lose face."
Her expression was as calm as water; although her tone sounded extremely respectful and humble, there was no trace of fear on her face.
Old Madam watched everything with cold eyes, looking forward to the unfolding drama.
Night Star's expression grew more worried. If Mo Xier refused, wouldn't that be a blatant disrespect to the Empress Dowager?
If the Empress Dowager got angry, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Unfortunately, as a man, he felt it inappropriate to intervene in women's affairs. If it were any other time, he would have already shielded her behind him.
Consort Mei suddenly interjected, "Princess Fuyuan, I also want to see your singing and dancing; I've never seen it before."
She paused for a moment, then smiled warmly and continued, "The princess is beautiful, her voice is pleasant when she speaks, and there is a calm aura about her that makes one feel she must have come from a distinguished family. It truly makes one envious. Today, being accepted as the Adopted Daughter by the Empress Dowager is a glory that we can only dream of."
Her voice was light and gentle, with a soft glow of innocence in her eyes. Mo Xier could not detect any hint of pretense or hostility.
On the contrary, it seemed that these words came from the depths of Consort Mei's heart, which made her feel a bit closer to Consort Mei and develop a sense of goodwill.
Although she really did not know anything, Consort Mei appeared completely unaware of the situation. She had heard that noble young ladies in ancient times were skilled in singing, dancing, and embroidery; if one could not do any of these, it would be quite laughable.
"Yes, the princess wouldn’t want to embarrass the Empress Dowager, would she?" Noble Ning interjected, with an air of complete pride and provocation, looking forward to seeing her make a fool of herself.
The Empress Dowager's expression darkened slightly, while Night Star furrowed her brows anxiously, thinking this was not good. Just as she was considering how to respond, she suddenly saw that petite woman stand up with a determined expression.
"Alright, then this princess will perform for everyone." After saying this, she paused for a moment and added somewhat shyly, "Please don’t laugh at me."
"How could we? We welcome it!" Noble Ning mockingly replied with satisfaction.
Mo Xier shot her a cold glance but did not back down. Having said that, she stood up and slowly walked in front of everyone in the hall, drawing all eyes toward her.
There were expressions of surprise and disdain.
A lady brought by a nobleman whispered, "Can she really do it?"
Liu Xuxin also spoke in a similarly mocking tone, "This Demoness is simply not fit for the stage."
She quietly glanced toward Old Madam. Liu Xuxin boldly raised her gaze to meet hers, expecting Mo Xier to be too embarrassed to speak. To her surprise, the woman coldly asked her, "What are you saying?!"
Her voice was sharp and icy, like a straight sword piercing directly into Liu Xuxin's heart. Startled, Liu Xuxin suddenly looked up; for some reason, she felt trapped by an unseen force and became timid. Faced with that stern question, she suddenly found herself unable to speak.
"What are you saying?" Mo Xier pressed on, showing no intention of backing down.
Liu Xuxin's face flushed red, her delicate complexion instantly resembling a scene of bloodshed, evoking the image of Azalea weeping crimson tears. She timidly said, "It's nothing."
This was the first time Liu Xuxin felt a fear of confrontation towards a woman she had always looked down upon. Her voice trembled with timidity, yet she dared not stand up for herself, feeling an urgent anxiety over her own weakness. She cursed herself for being so disappointing.
"I tell you, this princess is the Adopted Daughter of the Empress Dowager. If you are dissatisfied with me, you can speak to the Empress Dowager or come to me privately. But you cannot insult me as a Demoness; that is a disgrace to the royal family and a capital offense!"
Mo Xier spoke aggressively, continuously referring to herself as a princess, exuding an unprecedented assertiveness.
The Empress Dowager looked on with newfound respect; initially, she thought this woman was merely flaunting her favor to gain attention.
However, upon hearing the last sentence, her opinion suddenly shifted, and her inner ire turned towards Liu Xuxin, the cousin from the Night Family.
"Bold!" the Empress Dowager scolded sharply. Liu Xuxin was so frightened that she quickly knelt on the ground and bowed her head, saying, "Empress Dowager, I am wronged; I truly did not slander the princess."
"Did this princess hear incorrectly?" Mo Xier pressed on, questioning her.
Liu Xuxin was at a loss for words; if she admitted it, it would mean she had said something inappropriate. If she denied it, it would imply that she thought Princess Fuyuan was deaf.
It was truly a dilemma—a wicked scheme.
Meanwhile, the noblewoman who had previously criticized Mo Xier was now sweating profusely, keeping her head down and daring not to look at Princess Fuyuan. She secretly rejoiced that her voice had been low, hoping Princess Fuyuan would not blame her.
"If I do not punish you, people will think I am easy to bully and that anyone can look down on the royal family. If I do punish you, they will say I am just putting on a show and abusing the Empress Dowager's favor. You tell me what should be done."
Mo Xier spoke firmly but inwardly reveled in delight; it seemed that watching modern historical dramas had not been in vain—she had learned something.
As expected, admiration appeared in the Empress Dowager's eyes. Liu Xuxin knelt on the ground in terror, her face pale and somewhat greenish. She lowered her voice and said softly, "Then... I will self-impose house arrest for ten days to reflect on my actions."
"Ten days?" Mo Xier replied coldly with a smile, raising an eyebrow.
She looked at Liu Xuxin as if observing prey.
"It's not that, it's three months, three months..." Liu Xuxin's voice was weak, and a glimmer of resentment appeared in her gaze as she looked at the woman in front of her.
Mo Xier nodded in satisfaction. "What does the Empress Dowager think?"
The Empress Dowager glanced at Mo Xier, then at the distant confidant from the Night Family, and said, "This is what she requested herself; let’s do as she wishes."
"You may leave now." After saying this, she walked directly to Yan Ruyu's side, picked up a jade flute from his table, and said, "I'll borrow this for a moment."
Yan Ruyu was still immersed in the beauty he had just witnessed. At that moment, seeing the fairy-like woman approach him gracefully, lean down, and reveal a slight smile with her breathtakingly beautiful face left him momentarily stunned.
His thoughts suddenly froze, and he stammered, "Please, go ahead."
She raised an eyebrow, holding the jade flute as she walked to the Empress Dowager. With both hands clasped in salute, she said, "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, Mo Xier has grown up not knowing where and has lost some memories. Although I can sing and play, today's dance is rather conventional. I specifically chose the jade flute instead of a sword to perform a piece called 'Feast at Hongmen' for everyone."
Her voice was soft and gentle, like a spring breeze washing over everyone’s ears, subtly evoking a sense of anticipation.
Beside her, the sound of an Erhu began to play a lively tune reminiscent of horse racing; this was the score she had just composed for the musicians.
The musicians had never heard such a piece before and tentatively began to play it. To their surprise, the melody was so cheerful and beautiful that it felt dreamlike. They had never encountered such an enchanting rhythm before and couldn’t help but become entranced by it.
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