She stepped into the plum garden and saw from afar a girl in a pink dress sitting in the center of the field, her head slightly lowered as she played the zither.
However, the girl was sitting facing the high seat, so she could not see the other person's face.
However, even from behind, this girl has a very good temperament. Even with a large and heavy cloak, you can still tell that she is slender and thin, giving people a feeling of being as delicate as a willow.
The noble ladies who had been writing poems and painting in the center of the venue returned to their seats.
On the high seat, the Empress Dowager looked at the young girl with kind and loving eyes, and even Emperor Zhaojing's eyes were filled with admiration.
Rong Qingqing also found the girl's piano playing to be truly beautiful.
As soon as she returned to her seat, Shangguan Yanran grabbed her hand, gestured towards the crowd, and whispered, "The cousin that His Highness the Crown Prince mentioned."
Upon hearing this, Rong Qingqing was taken aback, only then noticing that the girl playing the zither was the "cousin" whom Xie Jingrun had taken special care of before the banquet began.
Unexpectedly, this young lady played the zither so beautifully that even Emperor Zhaojing and the Empress Dowager were captivated, and Princess Huaiyin did not find fault with her.
Not long after, Xie Jingrun returned. Whether it was her imagination or not, the "cousin" who had been playing the zither with her head down suddenly raised her head and quickly glanced in Xie Jingrun's direction.
Before long, the music stopped, and the song "The Young Lady" was finally finished.
Emperor Zhaojing clapped his hands and praised, "Huayin's zither skills have become even more superb."
The Empress Dowager also said in a kind tone, "Yes, Huayin is so young, yet she plays the zither so well. It is truly remarkable!"
Princess Huaiyin echoed, "The piece Miss Hua played was truly captivating; it was so beautiful." She paused, then looked around the room, "It's a pity that among so many noble ladies present, how many are like Miss Hua?"
Upon hearing this, the noble ladies were both anxious and angry, but because of her status as a princess, they dared not say anything.
Rong Qingqing's lips curled up slightly. Princess Huaiyin was ostensibly referring to the noble ladies, but in reality, she was mainly mocking her.
She couldn't understand why Princess Huaiyin seemed to find fault with her at every turn.
She could pretend she didn't understand, but when her gaze fell on "the cousin," she changed her mind.
She leaned closer to Shangguan Yanran and whispered something in her ear. Shangguan Yanran's eyes lit up, and she nodded.
Hua Yin felt a secret joy when she saw that everyone's eyes were on her. She subconsciously looked at Xie Jingrun, but saw that he had an indifferent expression and did not say a word about her piano skills. She wondered what he thought of her.
With longing in her eyes, she gracefully rose and addressed the emperor, empress dowager, Princess Huaiyin, and others seated on the high throne: "This humble woman's zither skills are clumsy and unworthy of praise."
As soon as she finished speaking, Feng Xin, who had been silent until now, suddenly curled her lip and said without any politeness, "Hypocrite!"
She didn't lower her voice intentionally, so Hua Yin naturally heard it and her face paled. "Princess, this humble woman..."
"Alright, I didn't say anything to you, you don't need to act like that." Feng Xin interrupted her impatiently.
The Empress Dowager frowned. "Xin'er, how can you speak to Yin'er like that?"
Feng Xin was even more displeased when she heard her call the other person by their childhood nickname so affectionately. "I didn't say anything."
Emperor Zhaojing's expression darkened. "Xin'er, do not be rude!"
Feng Xin shut her mouth and didn't say anything more, but she was clearly indifferent to Hua Yin.
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