Chapter 94
As the two of them were mixing honey, Xiao Bei reported outside the study that someone from the Jin Wang’s residence had sent a post saying that they had won a new program and invited the master to come over to the residence to enjoy it.
“This Seventh Imperial Uncle is really the best person in the world at enjoying himself, saying one thing at a time.” Zhou Xian Yang couldn’t bear to part with the person in his arms, so he said, “Your Highness hasn’t gone out for a long time, let’s go to the Seventh Royal Uncle’s residence to have some fun together.”
When they arrived at the entrance of Jin Wang’s residence, they saw Wen Zhongqing and Rong Xiangshi getting off the carriage.
Rong Xiangmian immediately remembered Feiyun’s failure to escape, when she was captured and tied up by the palace men, she cried to her with her fingers bleeding: “Third Miss saw me, she pretended not to recognize me, and scolded me as a madwoman!”
At that time, Rong Xiangmian had a glimmer of hope, thinking that Third Sister was just a stopgap measure so that she could get away and report the news. Later, when His Majesty came to rescue her, she was so grateful that she thought she would come and thank her sister for her help.
It was really ironic to think about it now.
When Rong Xiangzhi saw her sister, she was stunned at first, and then her face was as normal as ever. This time she has been self-compassionate, the palace nobles fighting, she is also inevitable to be alone. And this matter is covered tightly in the palace, there will be no one to investigate whether she is involved in it.
Wen Zhongqing came up to greet her: “Xian Yang, Your Highness!” They are cousins, so they address each other casually in private, and Rong meets Yulong and gives him a simple greeting.
“Your Highness is well.” Rong Xiangshi was still polite to Zhou Xianyang. He nods his head in return and does not say anything, instead, he carefully glances at the princess.
Rong Xiangqi didn’t even bother to turn her face away, looking away.
Wen Zhongqing took the initiative to greet her, “Concubine Yu, that day at the Empress Dowager’s birthday, I only kowtowed and then got busy, I heard that you had a fall afterward. Is it better?”
Rong Xiangmian smiled, “Thank you, I’m much better. That’s not why I followed your highness out for a stroll today.”
“That’s good.” Wen Zhongqing said as he hitched Zhou Xianyang’s shoulder and headed inside, “Seventh Imperial Uncle really knows how to pick a day, I was so busy a few days ago that my hands and feet were hanging upside down ……”
Zhou Xian Yang turned back to look at the Wangfei and her sister two people between the distance of three or four people, without the intention of sisterly intimacy, just think that because of their own, but also Rong Xiangzhi in the palace mentioned Wangfei’s mother, to give her a hard time, and do not know the empress dowager birthday day of the matter.
He stood still and waited for the crown princess to come to his side before taking her hand and walking inside together.
“Xian Yang, can’t see that you’re quite clingy.” Wen Zhongqing said loudly, also taking his own lady’s hand.
They were guided by the maid of the Jin Wang Mansion to a flowery location.
Not far from the flowers, there were a few wonderful women laughing and joking around. One of them looked familiar, and Rong Xiangmian asked, “That purple-shirted woman seems to have been seen somewhere?”
“That’s Miss Fiber Cloud from the Descending Cloud Cuisine.” When Zhou Xian Yang finished casually, Rong Xiangshi glanced at him, “Is Your Highness familiar with the girls of Descending Cloud Cuisine?”
“Not really.” Zhou Xian Yang was busy explaining, “That day, she came to the East Garden Stadium.”
Seeing that he had already remembered, Rong Xiang laughed, “Yes, I saw her that day as well, but I don’t have such an unforgettable memory as Your Highness.”
Zhou Xian Yang heard this tone of voice is not good, busy defense: “I was called by the seventh imperial uncle to speak, she was on the seat, talked a few sentences, naturally than you look from afar the impression is deeper.”
He thought the explanation is very clear, did not expect the princess said with a light smile: “So it is your highness’s old acquaintance again?”
What old acquaintance? What do you mean by “old acquaintance”?
Zhou Xian Yang had a complaint to make. When Consort Sun Mingyue called out to meet him at a peony bed, she quickly stepped forward and left him behind.
Wen Zhongqing laughed out loud, “Yang Xian, you married a jealous woman? You’ll have to suffer in the future.” After saying this, he glanced at Rong Xiangzhi, “It’s my wife who knows what’s right.”
Rong Xiangzhi is in a good mood today as she is free from the Princess, and says to King Yu, “Your Highness, please don’t be offended, the official is blunt and has no intention of offending her sister.”
Zhou Xian Yang laughs, “It’s just a joke, there’s no need to be concerned.” He knew that the crown princess was suddenly covered in thorns, all because of his bad behavior, and it was only right for him to take the thorns.
As soon as Sun Mingyue grabbed Rong Xiangmian, she looked at the injury on her jaw, “It’s much shallower than the last time I looked, hooray hooray hooray.”
She had grown up with Rong Xiangmian since they were young and had a deep bond. The last time she knew Rong Xiangmian was injured in the palace, she went to see her every now and then. That set of lies could not be concealed at all, she guessed seven or eight points, and when she went to the palace to celebrate Your Highness’s promotion, she clarified everything from Her Highness’s mouth. If it is not Hui Guifei a thousand times, told her not to spread the word, at this moment the capital is afraid to know this royal scandal.
“This empress, relying on the family good ……” Sun Mingyue is a straight person, can not help but to open scolding, Rong Xiangshi hurriedly will cover her mouth, she had to swallow the words back, see Rong Xiangzhi over, she despised: “You this good Sister can still pretend to be nothing, if I have no face to see you …… no, I can not do such a desperate thing.”
Rong Xiangxian pressed her hand, “You said not to mention, again, in the future I dare not tell you the truth.”
Sun Mingyue spat out her tongue and hugged her arm, the two of them went into the Lying Pavilion amongst the flowers, where the Seventh Imperial Uncle and the Qi King were sitting inside.
Qi Wang looked at his elder brothers from afar and laughed, “I’m really convinced of you guys. The Seventh Imperial Uncle invited us to see the girls of the Descending Cloud Pavilion, and you all actually brought your wives with you? What is this called?”
At the scene, only King Qi was not yet married and came alone, seeing them all in pairs, he only found it hard to understand.
After bowing, King Yun explained, “Imperial Uncle’s post only said that there was a program to watch, it didn’t tell us whose program we were going to watch.”
With a prophetic look, King Jin laughed and asked, “If I were to tell you all, would you still come, would you still be able to come?”
The crowd laughed together when he said that.
King Jin let them all take their seats one by one and also greeted Rong Xiangmian, “Daughter-in-law Xian Yang, I heard that you had a fall in the palace, how are you doing now?”
“Thank you for imperial uncle’s care, I’ve recovered greatly, today I followed your highness down to greet you, and in the meantime, I’ve grown to know more about the world.”
King Jin stroked his beard and laughed, “Several of them have come to me over my place, only Xian Yang is the first time. I swindled your husband into coming here, Your Highness won’t be scolding this king in her heart, right?”
Rong Xiangxian glanced at the Konghou in the pavilion and laughed, “Where? I’m learning Konghou, and I don’t play it well, so today I’m going to open my eyes and have a chance to discuss it with the girls from the Descending Cloud Pavilion.”
“Good, Xian Yang ah ……,” Jin Wang cheerfully pointed at Xian Yang, “Yu Wangfei and you are the same way, both are not vulgar.”
The Seventh Emperor’s uncle often brings these women to meet the nobles in the capital, and those people are either frivolous and wanton, thinking that they can be used for pleasure at will, or they are full of contempt for them, with no respect to speak of. He is most annoyed by those who rely on the power of the noble, look down on people, think they just rely on the life of the good, in fact, talent and knowledge, may not be as good as other girls.
Inexplicably praised, Zhou Xianyang remembered that at that time in the East Garden did not know Jianyun, mistakenly thought that she was a woman in the Imperial Uncle’s residence, so she and she casually said a few words. But at this time it is not good to mention it again, only smiled and said: “My royal consort, light and bright, naturally non-mundane people can be compared.”
After a few moments of pleasantries, refreshments were ready, only then did the Seventh Imperial Uncle greet the girl from the Descending Cloud Pavilion for her performance.
Fiber cloud sitting in the pavilion playing konghou, beside a male musician playing the flute, the sound of music clear and moving, behind a few girls with the sound of music dance, delicate and graceful, such as the heavenly fairies free.
After a song, Jin Wang asked how the crowd, everyone naturally support the scene, picking some words of flattery, Jianyun listened to just nodding lightly to thank.
Rong Xiangmian was mesmerized, reminiscing about the song just now, Jin Wang called her a few times before she came back to her senses: “Isn’t this song ‘Easy to Travel’? It’s just that I’ve only learned the first half, and this second half is new.”
“Precisely.” Jianyun bowed towards her, “The Journey to Prosperity is a tune that was passed down during the Wei and Jin Dynasties, but unfortunately, it was so long ago that only half of it was passed down, and this second half is something that Jianyun figured out on her own, and renewed it. I wonder what Your Highness thinks of it?”
“The style of the tune and the meaning of the qin are in the same vein, rather like it came from the original hand.”
“So Miss Jianyun is not only good at Konghou, but also composes her own music?” Yun Wang and the seventh uncle of the closest, and fiber cloud is also more familiar with, busy said: “I said recently you do not come out to see people, the original is hiding in the house busy with this big thing, people say you are amazing talent, you still self-effacing refused to recognize.”
Sun Mingyue listened from the side and gave him a blank stare, looking at Rong Xiangxian almost laughed out loud.
“Look!” Jin Wang couldn’t stop admiring Jianyun, “I said you continued it well, a few of them who hadn’t heard it before didn’t realize that it was composed by two people.”
Only then did Jianyun smile, “Many thanks to all the princes, many thanks to Princess Yu for affirming it.”
Rong Xiangmian asked again, “Then can you gift me a copy of the renewed score, so that I can learn all of Easy Travel.”
Jianyun was somewhat flattered, “Thanks to Your Highness’ misplaced love, this is Jianyun’s good fortune. Today when I go back, I will copy a new one and send it to the mansion.”
“Many thanks.”
Seeing that Wangfei was not angry with Jianyun, Xian Yang was slightly relieved. The princess was a reasonable person and would only be angry with him, not the others.
After the song was performed, Fibrous Cloud sat at the end of the table and said, “I invited you all here today because I have a fresh program.”
“What fresh?” King Qi was curious, the tune just now, although melodious, was out of character for him.
Before the words fell, only to hear the sound of music outside the pavilion, different from the tune just now, the sound of strings, silk and bamboo accompanied by drums, joyful and lively.
Musicians hidden in the flower garden, the crowd did not see, but only saw a team of tall and graceful women, dressed in various colors, colorful, such as butterflies fluttering in the flowers.
Only when the dancers came forward did the crowd see that they all had high noses and deep eyes, with different pupil colors, a far cry from the looks of the people of the National Dynasties.
Clothing is also the same, they draped in a long veil, the upper body surprisingly in a tight short, exposed waist, the lower body in a pendant soft loose leg pants, ankles are also half exposed outside, shallow shoes fell full of small bells, dance, the sound is crisp and melodious.
For a while, several women were a little surprised, feeling the scene was unbearable. They had never seen a woman who dared to show her waist and ankles in public. But the dancers were not the least bit surprised, with smiles on their faces.
As the rhythm of the dance music became faster and faster, the girl who was leading the dance spun around in the pavilion, dancing past each table, stopping from time to time to twist her soft waist, and her hands kept moving in a variety of ways.
The King of Qi watched with excitement, while the other few who came with their families were much more restrained. Such outward dancing was rare in the country, and some of the movements could even be described as frivolous.
Rong Xiangmian was conflicted, on the one hand, he felt that their dance was really beautiful, on the other hand, he felt that he shouldn’t show how much he liked this dance.
After the dance, King Divergent led the applause. Seeing that he was still not yet happy, Jianyun asked them to dance one more time.
The woman who led the dance even went to King Diver and reached out to him, pulling him up and into the pavilion. The king was at a loss for words, but the woman was not embarrassed at all and danced freely around him. For a while, the two of them were so formal and the other so free that the crowd laughed out loud.
Seeing the dance finished, Jin Wang did not let them retreat, but asked: Yu Wang and Yu Wangfei, what do you think?
They naturally say it looks good.
King Jin also asks, “In a few days, at the opening banquet of the Jing Yi Garden, will there be a song and dance?”
“Song and dance?” Xian Yang and Xiang Xiang looked at each other and laughed, “After that day’s stroll through the garden, I did arrange a class of theater and juggling, and I didn’t prepare any more songs or dances.”
King Jin let out a sigh, “What’s so interesting about that? It’s rare for your father to go out of the palace, so for such a great honor, you have to do it in a way that will make your father happy. Where can’t we watch the theater? These programs, but the palace are not even there!”
Rong Xiangxian thought to himself that this is true, the songs and dances in the palace are the same ones year after year, and this group of dancers’ performances His Majesty would only like.
“Right, fourth brother, wouldn’t it be a pity to have only a few of us watching such a good dance?” King Diao strongly recommended it. Xian Yang hadn’t organized any of this and didn’t comment on it, asking what Xiangmian meant.
Rong Xiangmian thought for a moment that it wasn’t right and said, “The Empress Dowager will also be there that day, and although today’s program is wonderful, I’m afraid her old man won’t like it. If the Empress Dowager is unhappy, His Majesty won’t be happy either, so we won’t have to be taught a lesson.”
Yang Xian understood and said, “If you think it’s good, wouldn’t it be better to give this program as a congratulatory gift to your father on his birthday? There is no harm in watching this dance in private, but at the banquet in the Jing Yi Garden, there will be a lot of dignitaries and senior officials, all of whom emphasize etiquette and rules. If they see it, they will talk too much. Imperial uncle doesn’t care, but father’s reputation is important.”
“Fourth brother is right in his consideration.” King Yun helped, “Isn’t Imperial Uncle worried about what to send as a congratulatory gift? Isn’t this a ready-made gift? Finding any treasure is not as interesting as this.”
Hearing them say this, King Jin also felt that it was reasonable, so he stopped: “You guys, at a young age, you’re older than me. Why do you care about so many stinking rules?”
Xian Yang laughed, “Uncle, how many people in the world can live as casually as you do?”
Jin Wang loved to hear this, and after chatting for a while about how the banquet at Jing Yi Yuan was being organized, Wen Zhongqing suddenly asked, “Have you all received invitations? How come we didn’t?”