Chapter 77 Sword Dance (1/2)

April 2, 2019

secretdreamwishes

“Empress Mother, it would be boring if we simply enjoy the chrysanthemums like this.How about letting each young master and young miss perform a talent?Isn’t that better?” Eldest princess Feng Xiao Luo stood up and proposed her idea to the Empress who sat in the seat above.

“Hn, what Luo’er said is reasonable.What does everyone else think?” Empress looked at the people below.

Of the people sitting below, no one did not fawn, saying the eldest princess’s proposal was excellent.Many of them were already eager to try.A palace banquet was not a simple banquet.If an official’s daughter caught the attention of a wangye or some other person, then she could fly up into a branch and become a phoenix (idiom: attain a high status).Under such circumstances, of course, everyone wanted to show their talents.

“Empress Mother, this son thinks what eldest imperial sister said is very interesting, but if it is simply performing a talent, there is nothing new about that.How about something different?”Second wangye stood up and suggested to the Empress.Everyone who heard his words felt it was indeed true, so no one refuted this.Furthermore, no one dared to contradict.The power of the Empress’s faction was quite large.In this imperial palace, perhaps only Ming wang with his uncertain moods dared to oppose the Empress’s faction.

“Oh?Don’t know if anyone has some new ideas?Don’t hide it, let us hear it!” Empress urged the people below, but the only ones who dared to directly speak were the wangye and princesses.

“Empress mother how about we do rewards and punishments today.Each one performs their talent in pairs, the one who loses allows the party who wins to deal out their punishment.All of today’s talent performances must be related to chrysanthemums.What does empress mother think?” third princess Feng Guan Lian blinked her watery eyes, very naive and adorable as she proposed her suggestion, but Lan You Nian did not miss the malice hidden behind that naivety.It seems with the Empress directing her schemes against her, even this third princess was participating in this matter.

“Lian’er’s proposal is fresh.What does everyone think?” Empress seemed to be very pleased.

“As the Empress wishes!” Everyone replied bowing their heads.In reality, the Empress’s question was just a mere formality to avoid an overbearing impression.After all, the Empress having stated such a proposal, it was leading them in the direction, who will disapprove?This imperial palace was indeed really dull.

“Which young misses want to start?” Empress asked the crowd.

“Empress Mother, how about eldest sister and I start off?Empress mother is that good?” the third princess wore a pink ruqun, the pearl hairpin was in a cute style.When others see this type of woman, they will feel she was innocent and cute, inevitably have a good impression of her.

“En, granted!” Empress nodded and agreed.Eldest princess and third princess walked down from their seating and came to the open space for the performance.The two princesses each had their own strong points.The eldest princess’s looks were simple but elegant.She had the bearing and etiquette that a princess should have, while the third princess looked young and cute.At first glance, it provoked one’s tenderness.Between these two princesses dress, it was telling whose scheming was on a deeper level.

The third princess leaned into the eldest princess’s ear and quietly whispered some words.Everyone only saw the third princess, after speaking to the eldest princess, reveal a satisfied smile.

In a short while, an ensemble of stringed and woodwind instruments played in one’s ears.The eldest princess and third princess changed into dancing outfits and soared into dance.The two wore yellow dresses.When they twirled around in around, the flower pattern on their clothes blossomed like each flower of the chrysanthemums blooming in the garden, exceedingly beautiful.

The Empress was quite satisfied with the performance of the two princesses below.After the eldest princess and third princess finished dancing, praises can be heard without end.Many people honestly felt that the two danced very beautifully while many people were just shamelessly flattering.After all, the two’s dance was not physically challenging, just some whirling and twirling.What was beautiful was the clothing embroidered with chrysanthemums.

“Alright, as for the judges, let’s have every young master and wangye take over!” Empress announced allowing everyone to start to evaluate the performance.

Below, some young masters conferred a while.Then second prince Feng Shao Chu announced the result, “Eldest princess and third princess’s dance was completed by the two together.The two’s dance is equally matched, so everyone unanimously agrees that eldest princess and third princess are equally divided, neither won nor lost!”

Empress was obviously very satisfied with the result.After all, although the eldest princess was very good in etiquette, her talent in dance was a little lacking, “En, then in this talent performance Luo’er and Lian’er both won!”

Next, one after another, there was some officials’ young miss competing in this talent performance.All four arts could be seen.At first, Lan You Nian watched the show with some hint of freshness but drawing towards the end, she grew bored.Besides, no matter who won or lost, no one made it too ugly.At most, it was letting the losing party drink a few more cups, or let the losing party sing a song or dance.Except for the young misses who had hatred between them who were a little excessive, the others were very dull.

“This princess wants to compete with junzhu!” the second princess suddenly declared, pointing at Hua Mu Qing.

“Really hateful, why does this second princess keep picking on me?Does she really think I’m easy to bully ah!” Hua Mu Qing bowed her head as she muttered, obviously dissatisfied with the second princess’s provocation but she still stood up to give her consent.

The second princess was the capital’s famous talented woman.She was accomplished in all four arts.In comparison, Hua Mu Qing was in a much bigger crisis.All these years, Hua Mu Qing did not focus on what women should do.All day, she was like a tomboy practicing martial arts and her temper was very explosive.

The talent the second princess displayed turned out to be a poem about chrysanthemums.Some people who came before also used chrysanthemum to make a poem, but the poems made were quite ordinary; there was nothing new.But the second princess was genuinely worthy of being a talented woman.The poem that flowed out of her mouth caused Lan You Nian to feel a trace of admiration for her.But the premise was that she did not come to provoke her friend.She Lan You Nian was very protective of her own people.

“Mu Qing jiejie, do you and the second princess have any strife in the past?” Taking advantage of the interval of the second princess’s performance, Lan You Nian questioned Hua Mu Qing who sat beside her.