The invitation to the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet arrived at the Prime Minister's residence like a lithe bluebird, quietly delivering the remarkable news. At that moment, I was lazily sprawled in the warm room, absorbed in sketching a dance. Inside, the flickering candlelight cast a soft glow across the rice paper, illuminating the unfinished phoenix dance I'd sketched.
Mo Zhu entered with a light, graceful step, like a gentle wisp on a spring breeze, carrying a piece of gorgeous brocade. The pattern of birds paying homage to the phoenix on the fabric, caressed by the candlelight, seemed to come alive, shimmering with brilliance. "Miss," Mo Zhu said softly, her voice as sweet as a mountain spring, "My eldest sister said this color would be perfect for your performance of 'A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix' at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. She even had the embroiderer sew moving pearl and jade feathers on the hem of your skirt. When you dance, you will be as stunning as a phoenix spreading its wings."
My thoughts were gently pulled back by Mo Zhu's words, and the wolf-hair brush in my hand unconsciously made a dot of ink on the rice paper. Looking at the half-finished phoenix dance, my mind flashed back to my elder sister staying up late last night to revise the design. Although she said, "It's not proper for a woman to dance in public," the silver hairpin in her hand nimbly poked a lifelike peony on the drawing. Her focused expression clearly revealed her dedication and support for my performance. "Ask the embroiderer to replace the phoenix's eyes with rubies," I pointed to the dance score, my eyes revealing determination and expectation. "And for the part of pouring tea and writing poetry, the tea set must be made of glass cups, so that the color of the tea soup can appear translucent, adding a touch of elegance to the whole performance."
"Pouring tea and writing poetry?" The young marquis suddenly burst through the door like a reckless cannonball. A string of temptingly colored candied haws dangled from the wooden sword in his hand, swaying gently with his movements. "Sister, are you really planning on pouring tea onto paper while dancing? What if it spills?" His face was filled with confusion and worry, his innocent eyes filled with bewilderment at this novel idea.
"Stupid!" The eldest sister came in right after him, and reached out to gently tap the young marquis's head, with a mixture of intimacy and anger in her gesture. "Use a specially made teapot with a small slit in the spout, and the tea soup can be used to write words." As she spoke, she shook the glass teapot in her hand. The body of the teapot was engraved with exquisite lotus patterns, with smooth lines and exquisite craftsmanship. It was exactly the "rehearsal props" sent by Jiang Yan. Speaking of Jiang Yan, my ears couldn't help but feel slightly hot. This morning, he sent a servant to deliver a box of sugar cakes, and a note was carefully stuffed in the oil paper package: "I heard that you are working hard in rehearsal, so I specially prepared malt sugar to relieve your fatigue. I also attached a draft of the poem "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix", I hope you will give me some advice." The poem was well-written, and although it was still elegant, it always felt a little less lively, not as sweet as the sugar cakes, and not as touching as the heart.
"Sister, did Jiang Zhuangyuan bring you food again?" Curious, the young marquis leaned over, nearly poking the dance music with the candied haws in his hand. "Last time, he gave me a candied dragon, and I stole half of it!" He looked smug, as if he had done something remarkable, his eyes glittering with cunning.
"Go away!" I smiled and slapped his hand away, only to catch a glimpse of Liu's housemaid lurking outside the courtyard. Noticing my gaze, she panicked and hurriedly turned and ran. The gust of wind from her skirt swept the crabapple pot under the porch. The pot landed with a crisp sound, a startling thud in the quiet courtyard.
Mo Zhu snorted coldly upon seeing this, his eyes filled with disdain. "They must have been sent by Liu to gather information. I heard her niece, Lin Wanyue, will also be presenting a painting at the birthday banquet, and she's been spreading rumors that our poetry club's performance is a 'variety show'. It's ridiculous."
"Juggling?" I gently put down my pen, my gaze once again fixed on the phoenix's wings on the dance sheet. A flicker of determination and resolve crossed my eyes. "Then I'll show her what real juggling is." A relentless determination shone through my words.
On the third day of rehearsal, sunlight filtered through the dappled leaves, casting a golden glow across the ground. Miss Li and Miss Zhang burst in like two cheerful little birds, clutching a riot of colorful headdresses. Miss Li wore a pomegranate-red dress, but the hem was stained with grass debris, evidently the mark of her climbing over the wall. "Sister Su!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with uncontrollable excitement. "We've come up with a brilliant idea—let's have a parrot carry the poem up on stage!"
Miss Zhang then unfolded a folding fan, revealing a lifelike parrot clutching a scroll of poetry, ready to take flight. "My Green Hair is amazing! He can recite the entire poem 'A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.' He's sure to wow the audience!" Her eyes gleamed with confidence, as if she could already see the moment of her triumphant performance.
Looking at their excited faces, brimming with youthful energy and enthusiasm, I suddenly remembered the days of my poetry club in a previous life, when no one showed interest. Back then, we were filled with passion, but no one appreciated us, leaving us feeling dejected in the corner. But now, with so many sisters walking side by side, united in their pursuit of a common goal, a warm feeling welled up in my heart. "Great idea! But we'll have to give the parrot a jeweled collar, so it'll be worthy of the solemnity and grandeur of the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet," I said with a smile, my eyes filled with recognition and anticipation for this idea.
The eldest sister pretended to roll her eyes and muttered, "You just know how to make trouble." But her hands skillfully tied a pearl collar on the parrot. Her movements were gentle and delicate, and her fingertips gently brushed across the parrot's colorful feathers. Her seemingly disgusted behavior actually hid her support and care for us.
At this moment, the young marquis suddenly rushed in, holding a wooden sword, "Sister! Jiang Zhuangyuan is hanging around outside the corner gate, holding a food box in his hand!"
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