"Definitely. Once Qianyu is feeling better, I will personally play the zither for the Third Prince." Shen Qianyu's face showed a hint of shyness, and her eyes were full of affection as she looked at Shangguan Che.
At this moment, she was grateful to Shen Qianmo. If it weren't for Shen Qianmo's melody, this gentle and refined man, as fiery as the sun, would probably never have noticed her, a woman born out of wedlock.
But she also hated Shen Qianmo. Because Shangguan Che appreciated Shen Qianmo's music, not hers. It didn't matter; she would definitely go back and practice her skills diligently. She refused to believe she couldn't play this "Jiangshan Opera"!
She looked back every few steps. Supported by Yin Youlan, Shen Qianyu reluctantly left the Hundred Families Banquet. Her gaze was completely focused on Shangguan Che, unaware that many nobles and princes had also taken notice of her because of her song, but were saddened by the deep affection in her eyes as she looked at Shangguan Che.
Watching Shen Qianyu leave the Hundred Families Banquet, Shen Qianmo's lips curled into a knowing smile.
"Mo'er, you played so well just now!" Shen Lingyun returned to the tent and looked at his daughter, who had grown up in the mountains and was good for nothing, with an admiring expression.
Shen Qianmo is still somewhat useful. Shen Lingyun thought to himself, and his attitude towards Shen Qianmo became even more amiable.
“Mo’er doesn’t usually play that well. I don’t know why, but even Mo’er herself was startled just now.” Shen Qianmo looked at the zither and said with a smile, “Perhaps it’s because this zither is so good.”
"If Mo'er likes it, then I'll give it to Mo'er!" Shen Lingyun was in high spirits, and a zither was nothing to him, so he patted Shen Qianmo's head and said with a smile.
"Thank you, Father!" Shen Qianmo smiled innocently like a child, a hint of cunning flashing in her eyes. She gently stroked Fengming's zither. It would be such a pity if such a fine zither fell into the hands of an ordinary person.
"The banquet for all families is now officially beginning. Young ladies and gentlemen, please don't be shy. If you'd like to perform, please do so!" The eunuch's cunning voice rang out from outside the tent, and servants immediately lifted the tent flap.
Looking into the distance, the sky outside was gradually darkening, but the open space in the middle was still brightly lit and clearly visible. All the tents of each family had been lifted, and the noblemen's sons were sitting inside, watching the open space in the middle.
"Since all of you gentlemen and ladies are so shy, then allow me to offer my humble opinion as a starting point." Shangguan Pian was wearing a long dress with a hem that trailed all the way to the ground, resembling peacock feathers.
She was naturally taller than the average woman, and having grown up in the palace since childhood, her demeanor was indeed superior. As soon as she stood on the stage, she immediately attracted everyone's attention.
Shen Qianmo also watched the woman on the stage with little interest. Her hair was styled in the most fashionable five-phoenix-facing-the-sky bun, adorned with a gold hairpin, making her look extremely noble.
"I wonder what talent Princess Pian will be performing?" The speaker was a gentle man, dressed in a scholarly manner, yet his features revealed a heroic spirit. Beneath his thick, dark eyebrows were a pair of sword-like eyes, and his high, straight nose exuded a heroic aura.
"I'd like to make a fool of myself and perform a peacock dance." When Shangguan Pian's eyes met the man's, she suddenly looked away as if shy, and a blush appeared on her face.
A playful smile curved Shen Qianmo's lips. It seemed Shangguan Pian had fallen for that man. That man was none other than the Great General's only son, Yao Yuanshan, who was also Yao Ruoqin's brother.
Shangguan Pian has always been proud and arrogant, but she is on very good terms with Yao Ruoqin, probably because of Yao Yuanshan. However, judging from Yao Yuanshan's feelings for her, it seems that Shangguan Pian is not the one he loves.
Shen Qianmo keenly noticed that Yao Yuanshan's gaze kept drifting towards the Prime Minister's tent. Yao Yuanshan didn't know her at all before, and given her current appearance, he certainly wasn't looking at her. Therefore, there was only one answer left: the woman Yao Yuanshan favored was Shen Qianxin.
Unfortunately, Shen Qianxin was so eager to rise in status that she wouldn't even consider Yao Yuanshan. Shen Qianxin's ambitions were considerable; she probably wanted to become empress someday.
To be the empress, the mother of the nation—that's the dream of countless young women. She herself once envied the position of empress, but only after becoming empress did she understand the hardships involved. To be the empress requires tolerance and magnanimity, and the ability to watch the man she loves be intimate and affectionate with other women.
She thought that as long as she kept a kind heart and kept loving him, she would wait for him to turn back to her. But she never expected that what awaited her was poison that would kill her.
She was so foolish back then. Now, she has long lost any desire for the lofty position of Empress, and even looks down on such a vulgar post.
She, Shen Qianmo, can obtain whatever she wants on her own; she doesn't need any man to give it to her.
If Shangguan Che were to feign a smile now and offer her the position of empress, she would undoubtedly retaliate without hesitation. Rather than him offering her the empress position, it would be more accurate to say she gave him the throne. Without her, how could he have so easily become emperor?
Over there, Shangguan Pian had already begun to dance gracefully to the music. The long skirt under her clothes fluttered in the wind with her movements, like a peacock spreading its tail feathers.
The applause from the audience was continuous, but how much of it was for the dance, and how much for Shangguan Pian's identity?
Chapter Nineteen: A Hundred Talents
"Princess Pian's dancing skills are truly divine!"
"Yes, yes, that was so beautiful!"
The ministers' sons below echoed his sentiments. Shangguan Pian raised her chin high, like a proud peacock, looking at the noble sons around her with admiring eyes.
Shen Qianmo's lips still curled into a lazy smile. Shangguan Pian's dance was just so-so. Although there was nothing wrong with it, it lacked any charm.
"I've made a fool of myself!" Shangguan Pian said modestly, but there was no humility in her eyes. She straightened up and gracefully returned to her seat from the stage, looking at the crowd with a hint of provocation.
“Princess Pian’s dance was so exquisite, then Ruoqin will humbly offer a song.” Yao Ruoqin rose from the tent, a charming smile on her face, and walked to the open space in the middle.
She wore a bright orange palace dress adorned with shimmering sequins, making her look dazzling.
Yao Ruoqin was singing a folk song. Her voice naturally had a touch of charm, which made her singing this kind of song quite unique. Her gaze drifted towards Shangguan Che, and there was a hint of shyness on her lips.
Shangguan Che returned Yao Ruoqin's smile with a smile on his face, his eyes gentle as water, and without careful observation, one could not detect the coldness in his eyes.
A smile played on Shen Qianmo's lips. She would never forget the scenes at her funeral in her previous life. She clearly remembered Shangguan Che's intimate embrace of Yao Ruoqin's waist. Back then, she only felt pain, but now, she found it amusing.
How much sincerity could a man like Shangguan Che truly have for Yao Ruoqin? It's only because Yao Ruoqin is the daughter of a great general and the niece of the Empress.
"Sister Ruoqin, your singing is so light and melodious, it's truly captivating." Shangguan Che's gentle voice rang out, and Yao Ruoqin immediately blushed.
Shangguan Che looked at Yao Ruoqin, whose face was flushed with shyness, and sneered inwardly. All women in the world are equally foolish; a single word from him can make them infatuated.
But in his mind, he recalled the zither music played by Shen Qianyu earlier. That music was truly heavenly, rarely heard in the mortal world. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to see the same spirit in Shen Qianyu.
"Brother Che, you flatter me," Yao Ruoqin said shyly as she gracefully descended from the stage.
She had no idea how many pairs of resentful eyes were fixed on her from below the stage. The Third Prince, Shangguan Che, was a renowned handsome man in the capital, known for his gentle and refined manners. He was so kind and polite that almost every woman in the capital wanted to marry him.
"Then Shangguan Che will play a tune on the flute to suit this occasion." Shangguan Che's gentle gaze swept over the tent, immediately eliciting gasps and exclamations from the girls.
Shen Qianmo looked at Shangguan Che indifferently. Undeniably, Shangguan Che was charming, especially his eyes, which held a deep, tender affection—no woman could resist them. But now, she had long since seen through the heart behind those eyes.
Shangguan Che paused slightly when his gaze fell upon Shen Qianmo. This woman remained unmoved; the hint of coldness and cunning in her eyes, along with her noble and aloof demeanor, actually touched his heart.
But this woman was clearly unremarkable in appearance. When I looked again, she was sitting there quietly, all traces of her former noble and aloof demeanor gone. Could I have misjudged her?
Shangguan Che's flute playing was very pleasant to the ear, even carrying a deep affection, but in Shen Qianmo's eyes, it was nothing more than a way to arouse a young girl's admiration.