173 Untitled (2/2)
Princess Lotus lifted up her head and made eye contact with Meng Fuyao's murderous gaze. With the Xuanji diagram between her fingertips, Meng Fuyao lightly tossed it towards Princess Lotus, as though she was going to return it to her. Princess Lotus unconsciously reached for it, but that brocade swiftly slipped past her face and her hands. It was as though Princess Lotus could feel the cold draught of the full moon seeping into her heart.
She grasped the air tightly, like someone with a cramp. Suddenly, she remembered something and started to shriek.
”She is going to destroy the diagram! She is going to destroy the diagram!”
Chaos ensued as people rushed up aggrieved. Some, due to the rush, tripped over the table, spilling food everywhere. But blinded by anger, they forgot to ask for forgiveness and headed straight for Meng Fuyao.
”This bastard is too much. Tear him apart!”
Meng Fuyao retreated a step back, holding the Xuanji diagram above her head with both hands and yelled, ”All of you f*ckers stay there! I will really tear this apart if any of you come closer!”
Shocked, the crowd stopped hesitantly and looked at one another with uncertainty. The shrieks from Princess Lotus resounded throughout the room. Everyone could tell how precious this Xuanji diagram was to her, and if they really caused the diagram to be torn apart, it would be akin to taking Princess Lotus' life!
”Meng Fuyao, don't go too far!' yelled a three-grade Tiansha official angrily. ”Swindling away the diagram, attempting to tear the evidence apart. How dare you!”
”For what would I tear the diagram apart? A masterpiece from Lady Yun! To tear one would be to lose one piece. Even if you guys do not find it a pity, I find it a pity.” Meng Fuyao held the diagram high up and laughed. ”My little kids, do not be impulsive. I have taken the diagram, and want you guys to open your eyes, to show you all clearly what this diagram is made of!”
The crowd paused and subconsciously took a closer look at the diagram. With the diagram in the air, under the lights of the palace, one could see patterns of the full moon glistening, barely visible.
Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery!
Princess Lotus' knees buckled a little as she held on to a pillar for support. Some of the smarter ones in the crowd frowned and contemplated while others, who had no inkling of what Meng Fuyao meant continued to shout, ”So what?”
”What is there to look at? Haven't we seen enough just now!”
”You manservant, stop trying to waste our time and die!”
”You all manservants… what idiots…” Meng Fuyao sighed. ”What did I ask just now? What is the Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery? It is the specialty of Xuanji which is only exclusive to their own royals. Then, how would the crown prince of Wuji be able to use to Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery for the betrothal gift? He, the Crown Prince of Wuji, would not use his nation's own specialty and instead use the 'exclusive Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery'?
Smiling, she asked, ”Many of you have wives. Those who don't will eventually have. If I may just boldly ask, if you were in Tiansha and wanted to marry a lady from Taiyuan with a good sword as a betrothal gift, would you use the Crow steel of Tiansha to forge the sword? Or would you go all the way to Taiyuan, look for Tianyuan Ming Steel, bring it back to Tiansha, find someone to forge the sword and send it back to Taiyuan?”
The crowd quietened down. Still, there was a group of people that argued, ”It could be that Xuanji's emperor bestowed it to the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince used it for the Xuanji diagram to show his love and respect for her.”
”Wow, you certainly are meticulous. You must be an expert at picking up girls.” Meng Fuyao laughed. ”I know, I know. You are definitely the idiot that will run to Taiyuan for the Ming Steel, go back to Taiyuan to forge the sword and then send it back to Taiyuan for your Taiyuan wife. But unlike you, the Crown Prince is a normal human being. He doesn't have the strong logic and valiant mindset like you do.”
She kept the Xuanji diagram and opened up the 'rag'. Similarly, she placed it under the rag and yelled, ”Let me show you the choice of the normal person! As everyone knows, Xuanji's Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery, Xuanyuan's Misty Embroidery, and Wuji's Silver Embroidery are the renowned big three brocades in the Five Continents. They are also known as the 'royal brocades' where only the royals can use them. With Crown Prince Wuji's identity, the brocade he would use would naturally be from a representative of his nation. And this is what you are seeing, this piece of 'rag' that resembles the Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery only in its form!”
This obsolete rag was unfolded. Under the candlelight, a sheen of silver reflected off every strand, as though as someone had sprinkled moondust on the cloth. The 'rag' mirrored the starry night of Qiongcang where the stars would twinkle and illuminate the dark night. Immediately, the dull piece of rag exuded its splendor, elegance, and charm.
Wuji, Silver Embroidery!
This had reminded the crowd of the clothes Zhangsun Wuji had donned on as the judge of the True Martial Arts Meet. It was exactly like this rag where the silver sheen could only be seen in certain angles, subtle yet elegant. It was the complete opposite of Xuanji's Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery which was lavish.
Amidst the silence, some people turned back to look at Lotus and hear from her. Despite her pale as snow face, she held her head up high and stood straight. Coldly, she laughed. ”Even if the rag is Silver Embroidery, what can it prove? Who can prove that the Xuanji diagram was made of Silver Embroidery and not the Ethereal Moonlight Embroidery? The Crown Prince is unconventional in his ways, so who can be sure that he would not choose the brocade of another country?”