Chapter 223 Make Everyone Fall for Her, Dancing at the Banquet
Everyone had taken their draw and had their names taken down. Then, starting from the female guests’ side, to show their noble status, the maidservants listed the name starting from the noblest one.
The first one sure was King Chu, Feng Yuxuan; the second was King Yan, Feng Yulei; while the third was King Xuan, Feng Yuxuan; and the fourth was the prince from Yan Kindom, Bai Yihao…
An assistant minister’s daughter had drawn the stick of King Chu, Feng Yuxuan. She seemed to stutter out of shyness. She only looked at Feng Yuxuan opposite and then her face blushed. Finally, under a few other misses’ encouragements did she timidly asked, “I heard Your Highness plays the Di well. I’m wondering if Your Highness will accompany me on my flute.”
They were going to play Di and flute together!
On the other bank, the male guests all cheered, while on this side, most of the female guests thought it funny.
Feng Yuxuan smilingly nodded and then a eunuch presented a Di. He drew it to his lips and played a few notes to test; while the assistant minister’s daughter also had her flute ready and played a few notes on it. Feng Yuxuan raised his head to signal her to start. Then, the flute began, followed by the sound of Di. The sound of the two instruments sometimes got entangled and sometimes surpassed each other. They accompanied and surpassed each other and sounded pleasing…
Luo Mingzhu whispered by Mo Xuetong’s ears, “King Chu’s Di skill is famous. Few can match him in the capital. Who knew that this Miss Mo can compare with him? It’s quite rare. And she should dare to publicly play the flute with King Chu. She’s quite courageous.”
She was just an assistant minister’s daughter and should dare to invite the prestigious King Chu. Additionally, she looked shy and now she was acting differently than before. Mo Xuetong pursed her lips in a smile. “She’s not necessarily bold. There might have been some other hidden reason.”
Luo Mingzhu was slightly dazed and soon realized it. She gently smiled and fixed her eyes on Ling Fengyan sitting next to Fifth Princess. “It seems like Second Miss Ling has lots of barriers to break down before she marries into King Chu’s manor!”
At this time, the sound had died down. That assistant minister’s daughter gracefully curtsied to Feng Yuxuan on the other side, while Feng Yuxuan also politely bowed back. When she stepped back, the young miss tentatively shot a glance at Ling Fengyan and cautiously kept her distance from the latter.
The second one was Feng Yulei. This time, again, some obscure young lady picked Feng Yulei’s name. Without any excessive request, she only asked Feng Yulei to write a few words for her. Therefore, Feng Yulei directly wrote some words on the spot and had people send it to the miss as a keepsake.
Yunruo, who was sitting by Princess Royal, held the name brochure and walked to Mo Xuetong, asking, “Third Miss Mo, what would you like King Xuan opposite to perform?”
On the other bank, Feng Yuran felt bored and was fiddling with a wine cup by his hand. He slouched on the chair and caught a glimpse of Mo Xuetong on the other side. Suddenly, he raised his lips and put down the wine cup in his hand. He straightened up.
Mo Xuetong gracefully curtsied to Feng Yuran on the other side and smilingly asked, “May His Highness perform a sword dance for us?”
Soon, someone passed the words to Feng Yuran, who nodded. His eyes resembled jade, and he required Mo Xuetong’s Qin accompaniment.
Mo Xuetong didn’t refuse and played “A Song of Guangling”. The music was as impressive as river and lake currents and also as grand as the sky. Accompanied by Feng Yuran’s sword dance, the piece left everyone lost in the performance. With his appearance, a sword dance suited Feng Yuran the most. His seductively handsome face, accompanied by the cold lights reflected on the blade, made the snow and other guests fade off into a background behind him.
Along with everyone’s cheer, the two simultaneously stopped.
Feng Yuran wickedly smiled to the other side. Then, he smoothly withdrew his sword, flung it away, and sat down.
His guard took the sword and stood behind him.
Mo Xuetong curtsied again and stepped back.
Afterward, because You Yue’e drew Bai Yihao’s stick, she requested a painting from him.
When the maidservants presented the brochure at the male guests’ table, the sequence was different. This time, they announced the list starting from who first had his stick recorded. Naturally, Feng Yuxuan was again the first.
It turned out that he drew Ling Fengyan’s name. He mildly smiled and only asked Ling Fengyan to write several words for him. Seeing that he only asked for a scroll from her as a courtesy, Ling Fengyan almost failed to keep her smiling and delicate face natural. Then, she could only be so graceful as to have people prepare brush and ink for her and started writing.
On such occasion, if she could impress the audience, she could gain herself a name, which would only add to her charm. However, Feng Yuran only asked her to write, which was not even her forte. Did that mean he was not interested in her? Sitting opposite Feng Yuxuan, for the first time, Feng Yulei reached out to pour a cup of wine for Feng Yuxuan and handed it to him.
Feng Yuxuan smilingly took it and raised the cup, proposing a toast to Feng Yulei. The two drank up together and left the matter unexplained.
A strange and mild atmosphere was flowing between the two as if they wouldn’t be enemies in the future.
Next, Feng Yulei requested another Qin piece from Wang Xiuxiu. However, after Ling Fengyan’s and Mo Xuetong’s performance, the audience got a little picky. Though Wang Xiuxiu played it with all her efforts, her performance was given a cool reception.
It was said that Feng Yuran accidentally broke the stick he drew and after it fell onto the ground, even the writing became illegible. Therefore, he was willing to let them skip him and turn to Bai Yihao.
However, those who sat by Feng Yuran had seen it. The showy prince wasn’t clumsy at all. After Bai Yihao refused to exchange sticks with him, he grabbed his stick from the young eunuch and snapped it in two with a wicked smile. Then, he casually flung it to somewhere far away in the snow, leaving a curve in the air.
It would be strange if the writing was still eligible!
Bai Yihao stood up, and his white robe fluttered. His dark hair flew in the wind and was only collected by blue smooth silk cloth. He mildly smiled, looking gorgeous and charming. He appeared noble and elegant in every way. Every miss opposite all thought he was looking at herself, thus their pink faces all flushed and their hearts raced.
Mo Xuetong gracefully rose. “I’ll do what you requested.”
As smooth as the flow of water, the music of Qin gurgled between his slim fingers. Unlike Ling Fengyan or Mo Xuetong, Bai Yihao’s Qin skill was different. His Qin piece sounded distant like an immortal overlooking people, high above in the sky. That kind of nobility and feel of distance, accompanied by the marvelous Qin sound, could possess people’s souls.
It was hard to dance to such music. If one didn’t have the ability or they could barely follow the music, they would only dance awkwardly and even looked out of place.
Fifth Princess’s face softened and mockingly looked at Mo Xuetong. She fixed her eyes on Bai Yihao on the other side and looked besotted with the handsome and perfect man.
Ling Fengyan also secretly laughed. However, her attention was fixed on the wickedly attractive Feng Yuran.
Mo Xuetong started her dancing. Her dance was elegant. The exquisite dancing was accompanied by the melodious Qin music. Her slim and white hands danced as smoothly as the flow of water. She flung her long sleeves on both sides of her body. Her body also swirled with the sleeves. Her sleeves freely fluttered in the wind, which made her look like a fairy heading off for the horizon.
She turned around to smile and looked exceedingly beautiful. The thin gauze she wore flew in the wind and the beauty herself resembled jade.
The audience was lost in the dance, feeling like the scenery before their eyes were heavenly. A flower-like fairy in white danced by the celestial pool covered in snow. The gauze and short coat she wore fluttered and elegantly circled in the air like the flow of water. Her slim waist was supple like the willow branches, swinging to the rhythm of her footsteps. Her eyes were bright and teeth were white. When she smiled, she made everyone fall for her.
At the same time, the young man in snow white dress had distinct features which looked like they were carefully carved out by the maker. His handsome face could leave people breathless. Against the flying snowflakes all over the sky, when he gently smiled, he looked so pure and attractive. However, he was so innocent that you couldn’t find any flaw in him. He looked ethereal and elegant, with a hint of a smile on his lips. Like a banished immortal, he appeared extremely enticing.
The Qin stopped playing and the dance also finished. After a long while, people finally collected themselves and then broke into rapturous applause.
Such scenery only belonged to the heavenly world. How many times could they be fortunate enough to witness it?
No one imagined that Mo Xuetong could dance so skillfully. She not only danced to every beat of the Qin piece but also danced with her spark when the music got up-tempo.
Fifth Princess’s face looked terrible, sometimes livid and sometimes red with rage. However, in the end, she managed to hold back her anger.
Ling Fengyan also looked at Mo Xuetong in surprise. She could dance to that piece as well, yet couldn’t have danced as smoothly as Mo Xuetong did. Though Mo Xuetong wasn’t fully grown, the way Mo Xuetong moved was pretty attractive. She had to admit that the girl from Cloud City could match herself.
Feng Yuran languidly slouched on the chair. His face was glowing as fresh peaches and plums. He raised his lips in a wicked smile and slightly narrowed his phoenix eyes, looking somewhat evil and showy.
King Chu, Feng Yuxuan, looked away from Mo Xuetong. He twisted around to say something to a young eunuch beside him. The eunuch took the order and left.
Chen Yanyu couldn’t help exclaiming. “After Third Miss Mo’s dance, today, I finally know how beautiful a girl can be.”
Ling Mingfeng still didn’t let go and turned around to beg Luo Wenyou. “There’s such a girl in this world. Wenyou, you must introduce your cousin to me.”
After getting lost in Mo Xuetong’s dance, Luo Wenyou calmed himself now. He didn’t imagine that his weak cousin could dance like this. After this banquet, all the rumors against her would perish. Thus, he also felt happy for her. Hearing Ling Mingfeng bringing it up again, Luo Wenyou just smiled. “Mingfeng, don’t bring this up again. I heard your family would find you a wife this year. Cousin Tong is too young and not suitable for you.”
Hearing Luo Wenyou’s answer, Ling Mingfeng immediately restored. “How come she’s not suitable for me? I’m not old. And we can get engaged first. There’s no hurry.”
Chen Yanyu pursed his lips, not trying to help Ling Mingfeng save face at all. “Mingfeng, drop it. All your cousins are waiting for you. If you still don’t decide, they’ll fight over you. This time, your grandmother will find you a wife even if she has to force you. So you should just stay away from Third Miss Mo.”
Seeing Chen Yanyu embarrassing him, Ling Mingfeng immediately patted on his own chest to promise and then elbowed Luo Wenyou, saying, “I’ll ask Grandmother to drive those people away once I get home. Not everyone can live in our Ding General Manor’s backyard. Wenyou, you have to help me. We’re good friends. Trust me, I’ll stay loyal to your cousin.”
After teasing Ling Mingfeng, Chen Yanyu poured Luo Wenyou a cup of tea and started to recommend himself. “You stay loyal? Wenyou, you can’t trust him. I’m more reliable. I don’t have that many cousins at home waiting to marry me. And I’m one year younger than Mingfeng, similar to her. And I don’t have to get married soon since I’m young. I can wait for her.”
Ling Mingfeng glared at Chen Yanyu. “You’re young? You’re 18. You’ll be over 20 in a few years, and I know your grandmother wants a great-grandchild more badly than my grandmother.”
Chen Yanyu retorted angrily. “If I’m old, then you’ll be even older. Look how old you are! You don’t get married just to fool those innocent girls. You’re evil!”
You Yuecheng had been watching them expressionlessly. Suddenly, he impatiently dropped his cup on the table, coldly saying, “Just another slick girl!”
Then, ignoring the two, he rose up and walked to the other side.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“Who knows? He probably got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.”
The two who had been fighting immediately calmed down and attacked aginst their common enemy.