Chapter 55: Lost to a Leaf
When Jiang Lan was the only one left, all eyes were focused on her.
She couldn't sit there any longer, so she stood up and walked over, lowering her head as she approached the Queen. The Queen asked her to come closer, so Jiang Lan took two steps forward and stopped with her head lowered.
The queen asked her to look up and speak in a friendly tone without any airs.
Jiang Lan slowly raised her head. Looking at the queen up close, she could feel her graceful and amiable charm even more.
The queen asked her how old she was and what books she had read. Jiang Lan answered one by one. The queen nodded with satisfaction and glanced in Qi Wuhan's direction, as if she was looking for his future wife.
Qi Wuhan also showed a happy expression on his face and expressed his gratitude for the queen's recognition.
At this time, Prince Rui asked in a difficult tone, "So, Miss Jiang, are you going to play the piano or dance today?" After knowing Jiang Lan's identity, Prince Rui looked at her with not only contempt but also scheming, as if he was planning some trick.
Jiang Lan didn't prepare for either of the two because she didn't know how to dance. It was understandable that she couldn't dance, after all, music, chess, calligraphy and painting were the compulsory courses for a lady from a noble family. Playing the piano was one of the essential skills for a lady from a noble family, so it would be a bit unreasonable if she didn't know how to do it. But Jiang Lan really couldn't do it because she had never learned it at all.
Because Jiang Lan had been in poor health since childhood, Zhang did not allow her to learn music, chess, calligraphy and painting, saying that she did not want her to be tired, all for the sake of her health.
The teachers hired for Jiang Yao were all famous ones who were hired at great expense. In addition to playing the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, they also taught her flower arranging, burning incense, reciting poems and composing couplets. They were determined to make Jiang Yao proficient in all eighteen martial arts. Unfortunately, in the end, she failed to learn any of them well and only learned them superficially without mastering them. However, she was good enough in singing to the wind and playing with the moon.
Qi Wuhan was just about to speak up to rescue Jiang Lan, but she bowed to the Queen, glanced around, turned around and ran away. He was stunned for a moment, the Queen was stunned for a moment, the Prince was stunned for a moment, and the others were even more surprised, with incredible expressions on their faces. They didn't expect that she would actually run away!
After Zhang's shock, she was immediately filled with gloating. She thought Jiang Lan was definitely dead this time. To have dared to act so brazenly in front of the Empress was simply courting death. Then, she became a little worried that she would be implicated, and she internally resented Jiang Lan for being so reckless and running away. It was like she had taken the wrong medicine...
After Jiang Lan ran to a tree and stopped, everyone stared at her with strange and confused eyes, wanting to see what unexpected move she would make next.
I saw her standing under the tree for a while, as if observing which leaf was most suitable, then she raised her hand, picked the leaf, put it to her mouth and blew it, making a crisp sound. She smiled with satisfaction, adjusted her breathing rhythm, and put the leaf to her mouth and started blowing.
The music played with leaves has a unique ethereal and melodious charm, accompanied by the rustling sound of leaves, interweaving into a natural sound.
The breeze gently blew her light green dress, and her waist-length black hair swayed slightly in the wind, making her figure even more slender and beautiful, as charming as soft willow branches.
Jiang Lan tilted her face slightly, her expression gentle and focused.
Qi Wuhan was so absorbed in listening and watching that he wanted to close his eyes and savor the charm of the song, but he also felt that he would be missing out if he missed it.
Prince Rui was a little lost in thought as he looked at the profile of the man, then his expression suddenly turned cold. He withdrew his gaze coldly, picked up the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp, with a sinister look in his eyes. Prince An turned his head and glanced at him, saying, "The man is gone, it's rare to see him even a little bit like him." Prince Rui glanced at the profile of the man again, with a cold face and no words.
"This Miss Jiang is really unique~" Gu Jincheng commented with a smile.
Madam Gu, who was sitting next to him, frowned and ignored him.
Ever since Jiang Lan started playing the tune with leaves, Cui Jingshu's expression had never been good. She stared at Jiang Lan coldly, with no attempt to conceal the disgust on her face. She felt that Jiang Lan was deliberately trying to show off and outdo her, and she hated Jiang Lan more and more in her heart.
Zhang was also feeling unhappy. She was originally a little worried about being implicated, but now she was extremely worried that Jiang Lan would win the Queen's favor and eventually be chosen as the princess. Then she would always be suppressed by Jiang Lan, and Jiang Rui would also be suppressed by Jiang Shen, and the mother and son would never be able to get ahead.
She would never allow such a thing to happen, and secretly made up her mind that even if Jiang Lan was chosen as the princess today, as long as they had not gotten married, she would definitely try every means to destroy Jiang Lan and make it impossible for her to become a phoenix again!
When the song ends, everyone who has listened to it has different thoughts.
The ladies of each family secretly observed the Queen's expression. Seeing that the Queen looked happy and seemed to be very pleased with Jiang Lan's performance, they felt a little uncomfortable. Their daughters had practiced piano and dance so hard, but they didn't expect that in the end they would lose to a leaf...
The queen gestured to the elderly female official beside her, who was the granddaughter Shi who had previously delivered the message to Jiang Cheng.
Sun Nvshi went over and brought Jiang Lan back to receive the reward. The queen took off a jade bracelet from her hand and gave it to her. Not only was Jiang Lan surprised, as she did not expect to receive such a generous reward, but the others were even more surprised as they did not expect her to be so favored by the queen. Although everyone received rewards, only Cui Jingshu received the hairpin worn by the queen.
Now Jiang Lan has obtained the bracelet worn by the queen.
Therefore, everyone thought that the two candidates for princesses were these two.
Cui Jingshu felt even more annoyed. She used to be the only one standing out, but now they were evenly matched. Moreover, she had put so much thought into preparing the gift, but Jiang Lan had simply picked a leaf and played an ordinary tune, and had easily taken away half of her limelight. How could she swallow this?
The wife of the Marquis of Changxing was also a little unhappy. Seeing Jiang Lan's plain and shabby outfit, with none of her clothes or jewelry being presentable, she felt even more unhappy.
Zhang was extremely unhappy. The thing she was most worried about happened. She wondered why Jiang Lan was so lucky. She was obviously dressed the most shabbily and her performance talent was the least impressive, so how could she win the Queen's favor?
After the banquet, everyone respectfully saw the Queen off in her phoenix sedan chair, and Qi Wuhan also left first.
After the queen's phoenix sedan left the garden, no one knew what had happened. The accompanying guards sealed off the garden inside and outside, and no one was allowed to leave.
After waiting for about an hour, Qi Wuhan came back and explained that a wild cat had jumped out from nowhere and disturbed the Queen, but everything was fine now, and then he withdrew the guards.
Everyone left the garden one after another.
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