Wang Shulan rose and bowed according to the rules: "Your Majesty, I only started reading and writing in the last two years and have not yet had the energy to learn the Six Arts. However, I am somewhat skilled in folk acrobatics. If you do not mind, I am willing to make a fool of myself by performing."
"Acrobatic performance? That sounds interesting. Why don't you come to the front?" Murong Yanran nodded, which meant that Wang Shulan was to perform.
Wang Shulan quickly asked the palace servants around her for some props.
The palace servants were quick. Wang Shulan had barely reached the area where the entertainers had previously danced when a table was brought over with several apples on it. Indeed, the acrobatic act Wang Shulan planned to perform was tossing and catching apples with both hands simultaneously—not just three, but a challenging six apples, requiring incredibly fast reflexes and balance.
Everyone looked on with confusion when they saw Wang Shulan having the palace servants bring up apples.
Some couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
What are they going to perform?
"Eat six apples in one go?"
"I've heard there's a folk acrobatic skill called 'breaking a boulder on one's chest.' Princess Sheng'an wouldn't be planning to perform 'breaking an apple on one's chest, would she...?"
The person who said this sounded both sour and smug. The sourness came from the fact that Wang Shulan had been granted the title of County Princess, making her status higher than theirs all at once. They had worked so hard to earn their titles through their husbands, and it had taken them so many years to finally be granted the title of Sixth-Rank Lady.
Wang Shulan's pride stemmed from her humble origins; even her talents were not refined musical instruments or dances, but rather folk acrobatics.
After Wang Shulan began cultivating, her hearing improved significantly, and she heard all the people's discussions. However, she didn't take it to heart. If she wanted to learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, it would be quite easy for her to learn some skills given her current condition. However, she wasn't enthusiastic about these things and would rather spend that time cultivating. She was currently stuck in the mid-stage of Qi Refining.
Thinking about her cultivation progress, Wang Shulan decided to go back and make the most of her time to cultivate. As a commoner who was granted the title of county princess and entered high society, she had attracted the attention of many people. She had to become stronger in order to protect herself and her daughter.
Thinking of this, she focused her mind and bowed again to the three leaders above, saying, "This humble woman will perform the apple tossing act. I will make a fool of myself."
After saying that, Wang Shulan picked up an apple in each hand and tossed them up, catching them back and forth in a circle with her left and right hands.
The reaction was lukewarm. Anyone can toss an apple; is folk acrobatics really that simple?
However, soon everyone was unaware that Wang Shulan had taken another apple, and the number of apples spinning around had increased from two to three.
At this point, everyone started to find it interesting.
Then, without anyone knowing when, the three apples turned into four. Everyone was skeptical and didn't dare to blink, wanting to see clearly when Wang Shulan had added the apples.
Unfortunately, they were disappointed again. They hadn't even blinked, but how did the four apples become five? No, six! The apples on the table were gone!
As the number of apples increased, Wang Shulan's apple circle seemed to turn into a selfish ring that kept spinning. If it weren't for the fact that there were six apples on the table from the beginning, no one could tell exactly how many apples there were just by looking at the apple circle.
Although Wang Shulan had unknowingly finished adding all the apples, the people below dared not blink or breathe, for they were afraid that if they blinked or breathed, the apples would suddenly fall.
Suddenly, the scene became quiet. Even the three big shots who had seen all kinds of big scenes looked at Wang Shulan's performance with curiosity.
After adding the sixth apple, about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Wang Shulan began placing the apples back onto the plate on the table one by one.
The people below got excited again, staring intently at Wang Shulan's hand, trying to figure out when she put the apple down.
As a result, it remains unknown exactly when Wang Shulan made her move.
When Wang Shulan took the last two apples in her hands and put them down at the same time, everyone was still in a daze. After a few breaths, people started to applaud, and then the whole place erupted in cheers.
Nangong Xiang's face flushed with excitement as she grabbed Nangong Ning's arm and shook it. "Fifteenth Sister, Princess Sheng'an is so amazing! So many apples, and not a single one fell! I'm so amazed, I don't even know when she put the apples on the table!"
Nangong Ning's expression was not good. He didn't expect that the peasant would actually steal the spotlight.
But then she cheered up again. Go ahead, it's good to be in the limelight. After all, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. She's really ignorant, actually trying to win favor with such a low-class performance.
That's right, Nangong Ning still felt that Wang Shulan's motives were not pure. What she wanted to see was Wang Shulan offend other important people and then be punished by them. She would just sit back and watch the show.
The three leaders found Wang Shulan's performance very enjoyable, and starting with the emperor, they all gave Wang Shulan generous rewards.
"Princess Sheng'an is not only skilled in farming, producing such high yields of grain, but also incredibly dexterous and quick-witted. A great reward!"
After the Emperor bestowed rewards upon the Empress Dowager, and after the Empress Dowager bestowed rewards upon the Empress, Wang Shulan once again received so many rewards that her hands were sore from holding them.
She thought the people in the palace were really generous, always giving such lavish rewards.
This really got the crowd going, especially the daughters who had gotten into the palace through their parents' or brothers' connections. They started putting all their effort into vying for a chance to perform on stage.
They didn't value the rewards themselves, but rather the opportunity to shine in front of important people.
The three big shots knew what everyone was thinking, and they agreed to let anyone try to perform, as long as it wasn't particularly bad, they would give them a reward.
With the daughters of various families taking turns to participate, the scene became extremely lively.
However, the three leaders could not stay at the banquet for the entire time. Less than an hour and a half after the banquet started, the three leaders left one after another to rest.
After the three giants left, everyone relaxed a lot. At this time, everyone could freely walk around and chat with acquaintances, or try to build relationships with others.
Nangong Xiang couldn't contain herself any longer. As soon as the three leaders left, she rushed up to Wang Shulan and said, "Princess Sheng'an, you're amazing! How did you do that apple toss? Can you teach me?"
Wang Shulan nodded, "If you, the county princess, wish to learn, then of course you can."
“Oh dear, you’re older than me. My name is Nangong Xiang. You can call me Xiao Xiang or Xiang’er. There’s no need to keep calling me County Princess. Besides, you have a title, so your rank is higher than mine.”
"Then Shulan will shamelessly call you Xiang'er."
"Then let Xiang'er call you Aunt Lan, it'll sound more intimate." Nangong Xiang moved a little closer to Wang Shulan.
"That's because Shulan took advantage of you." Wang Shulan was a little worried that this was against the rules, after all, she was not a real member of the royal family.
"There's no such thing as cheap or not cheap. It's settled then. Aunt Lan, are you staying at the post station now? I'll pick you up tomorrow and take you to my residence. Let's learn how to toss apples together."
Wang Shulan sighed, surprised that the little girl was really keen to learn this acrobatic skill. "I do have time, but Xiang'er, you have to ask your elders first. After all, this is a folk acrobatic skill, and your family may not agree to you learning it."
"Oh, you're worried about that? I'll go ask my mother now; she's at the banquet too."
After Nangong Xiang finished speaking, she disappeared in a flash like a little fish.
However, Wang Shulan didn't expect that the person sent to pick her up the next day wouldn't be from Nangong Xiang's residence, but rather someone of other high status. (This chapter has been read. Please click to continue reading the next chapter!)
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