Chapter 188 Yin's Birthday Banquet (Part 4)
"Soaring Through the Clouds," "Fireworks," and "Ink and Tea in Seclusion"—these are three beautifully named phrases. But in reality, they are just another example of a chemical reaction, a little magic trick performed by Zhang Xiao.
After the performance, Yinreng was the first to applaud, his applause neither too fast nor too slow, with a faint smile on his face, seemingly quite interested.
Yin leaned closer, his eyes sparkling with excitement, and tugged at Yinreng's sleeve, asking, "Second Brother, what do you think of this magic trick?"
Yinreng nodded slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips, and said slowly, "Indeed ingenious. I've never seen such a method before. The person who came up with this trick must be extraordinary. It seems that Mingyu has put a lot of thought into your birthday gift. You should thank her properly."
"It's because she lost to me..."
Alright, seeing the look in Yinreng's eyes, Yinreng stopped talking in embarrassment and nodded repeatedly: "Second brother, don't worry, I'm not an ungrateful person."
Sitting next to Yinzhen, Yinzhen silently rolled his eyes. Yes, you're not ungrateful, you're just simply unmovable by the Red Phoenix Star!
Yinzhi, always quick-witted, noticed Yinreng's interest in the performer and immediately turned to his attendant, instructing, "Go, bring the performing girl here to pay her respects."
Before long, Zhang Xiao was led to the group.
She lowered her head and eyes, took light steps, and bowed gracefully. Her voice was clear but trembled slightly: "This servant greets Your Highness the Crown Prince and all the princes."
"Get up."
Yinreng called out softly, and Zhang Xiao slowly got up, not daring to raise her head, standing still, her heart pounding in her chest.
Crown Prince Yinreng broke the silence first, asking in a gentle tone with a smile, "Your magic trick is truly interesting, unlike anything I've ever seen before. I wonder how you came up with it?"
Zhang Xiao composed herself, and spoke softly, her voice carrying just the right amount of timidity: "Your Highness, I often observe the little things in daily life... Once, I saw raindrops falling on dyed fabric, and the color slowly faded. I wondered if tea could be used instead of rainwater, combined with specially made ink, to create this effect... I dared to try it many times before I created this magic trick."
Yinreng listened and nodded slightly, seemingly believing the explanation, his eyes full of admiration: "At such a young age, he is so attentive to life. He is truly a talent. Such ingenious ideas are rare and precious."
After saying that, he pondered for a moment, then asked in a gentle tone, "Do you know about the Heavenly Crafts Bureau? I see that you are intelligent and quick-witted, and I have an idea. Would you be interested in taking the exam to become a female official in the Heavenly Crafts Bureau?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiao was bewildered. She had never heard of the name "Tiangongsi" before and was at a loss for words, standing there dumbfounded.
Fortunately, Mingyu reacted quickly. She stepped forward gracefully and bowed to pay her respects: "Mingyu greets Your Highness the Crown Prince. Bixiao has been following me all this time, and I'm afraid she has some reservations. Please allow me to explain to her."
Yinreng nodded, and Mingyu moved closer to Zhang Xiao, pulling her aside to explain, "Sister Bixiao, you don't need to worry about me. The Heavenly Crafts Bureau is a good place. With such a brilliant idea, you might be able to make a good name for yourself there. I'm sure I won't stop you."
Zhang Xiao hesitated, not wanting to speak. She wasn't worried about her identity; she hadn't even thought about that yet. Her problem was that she didn't know what the Heavenly Crafts Bureau was! And what about female officials? Did the Qing Dynasty have female officials?
Why hasn't she been able to find out any of this information during this period of time?
Is it because she didn't study history well and therefore didn't know, or has something really changed here, and it's not the Qing Dynasty she's familiar with?
But seeing Mingyu's concerned and eager gaze, Zhang Xiao was certain that no matter what the Heavenly Crafts Bureau did, it must be a good place, at least better than being a servant.
So she didn't hesitate much, pretending to be persuaded by Mingyu, and nodded: "Since Gege has said so, I am naturally willing."
Zhang Xiaoxuan immediately raised her head, her gaze clear and firm, and bowed again to Crown Prince Yinreng: "I am grateful for Your Highness's favor, and I am willing to try to become a female official in the Heavenly Works Department."
"Alright, then I'll await your outcome."
Yinreng nodded, looking as if he was pleased to have recruited a "talented person".
Slowly rising to her feet, Zhang Xiao was filled with emotion and couldn't help but secretly glance at Yinreng.
The incomparably noble crown prince before her, upon their first meeting, was able to discern her ingenuity with just a magic trick and extend such a tremendous olive branch.
Such attention was like a dream for a woman of ordinary birth and with no background; and for a ruler of a feudal dynasty, it was also an extremely dreamlike and unbelievable practice.
Zhang Xiao absurdly sensed an attitude of "equality" from Yinreng, feeling that such a crown prince was not something a feudal dynasty could cultivate.
How could such a crown prince end up being deposed and reinstated twice? Was it because he was too good that he was taken advantage of?
Completely unaware of the shift in her feelings from fear to pity to heartache, Zhang Xiao looked at Yinreng with eyes full of tenderness and regret, a look unlike that of an ordinary woman looking at the crown prince.
These complex and subtle changes in their eyes were all noticed by the princes observing from the side, who seemed to be deep in thought.
After the banquet ended, Yinreng took the thirteenth and fourteenth princes, who had not yet been granted official residences, back to the palace first. In the study, Yinsi and Yinzhen sat facing each other.
"What is Bi Xiao's background?"
Yinzhen broke the silence first, his voice clear and cold, like the water of a cold pool, deep and unfathomable, his hawk-like eyes fixed on Yinsi.
From beginning to end, Zhang Xiao's attitude towards Yinreng and the way he looked at Yinreng made him feel a sense of vigilance for no reason. That pity and understanding were too abrupt and too glaring.
Yinzhi picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and paused before speaking, "Fourth Brother, you may not know this, but Bixiao is a maidservant that the Fujin (Prince's Consort) assigned to Mingyu." He spoke calmly and steadily, with a faint smile on his face, as if he were merely discussing a trivial family matter.
Yinzhen snorted coldly: "Do you think I would believe that? A servant born into a family, how could he have such knowledge, perform such novel magic tricks, and even gain the favor of Second Brother?"
Yinzhi put down his teacup and sighed softly, "How could I not know the strange things going on? It's just that my second brother values her highly right now, so we shouldn't act rashly."
In fact, he had become suspicious when Zhang Xiao first performed her unusual magic trick, and when he noticed the way she looked at his second brother, Yinzhi became even more wary.
He had begun to suspect that this Bixiao was not the same Bixiao as before, and wondered if someone had replaced her and was deliberately getting close to his second brother. And for such a thing to happen in his own residence, Yinzhi concealed the gloom and murderous intent in his eyes, thinking, "It is ultimately a hidden danger."
Yinzhen nodded slightly, his gaze still cold and stern: "In that case, a covert investigation is inevitable. To be able to infiltrate your residence, one must be connected to the Imperial Household Department or a member of the imperial clan..."
"Fourth Brother, there's no need to worry. Since they're in my residence, there's no way they can escape," Yinzhi said, a chilling smile playing on his lips.
Yinzhen snorted coldly, "I'm not worried about you... You're barely able to help your second brother with his worries, so don't get yourself into trouble."
"Don't worry, Fourth Brother, you should hold onto your position and not let me take your place."
"Daydreaming." Do you think it's so easy to take over the position of his second brother's top minister?
Zhang Xiao was still immersed in the fear of possible historical changes and the excitement of the possibility of a change in identity, completely unaware that he had given himself away and was being scrutinized by the shrewd princes.
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