Chapter 25: White wilted flowers + greedy moths = social death scene
Some of the noble ladies around tried to suppress their laughter and shrugged their shoulders; some showed contempt, thinking that Miss Jiu was indeed a crazy and foolish person; and some secretly gloated, wishing that His Royal Highness the Regent would immediately get rid of this ignorant little girl.
Just as the atmosphere reached its utmost tension, a gorgeous lady in gorgeous attire stepped forward gracefully, bowed to the Empress Dowager and the Prince Regent, and said softly, "Your Highness, Your Highness, I, Liu Ruoyan, the legitimate daughter of the Yongning Marquis, have prepared a special song to entertain you at today's flower viewing banquet. May I sing it?"
Liu Ruoyan was a renowned talent in the capital, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and a popular candidate for the position of Regent Princess. She chose to step forward at this moment, hoping to showcase her talents, break the awkward situation, and, incidentally... divert everyone's attention away from that crazy girl.
The Empress Dowager was naturally pleased to see this happen, and nodded with a smile: "Okay, little Liu is thoughtful."
Liu Ruoyan smiled sweetly and ordered someone to fetch the guqin that had been prepared long ago. She sat before the guqin, her jade fingers gently plucking the strings. The melodious and graceful sound poured out like flowing water, instantly attracting everyone's attention.
The song "Feng Qiu Huang" is played with deep affection and is intoxicating.
Everyone was immersed in the beautiful piano music, and even Xiao Yu's tense expression seemed to relax a little.
Chu Xuanyi also secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that finally a normal person came to the rescue.
However, just as the song was about to end and the lingering sound was lingering in the air, Ah Jiu suddenly spoke. His voice was neither loud nor soft, but it reached everyone's ears clearly:
"Huh? Why is there a flower on this beautiful lady's head? But... it's white and wilted, and there's a little moth flying around it, as if it wants to eat it..."
"puff--!"
This time, someone really couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of tea.
Liu Ruoyan's last note came to an abrupt end, her fingers froze on the strings, and her pretty face, which had originally been smiling smugly, turned pale in an instant, then flushed red, her eyes filled with shame and anger.
Small white flowers... wilted... small moths...
What is this saying?! Isn't this a curse on her?!
Ah Jiu, however, was completely unaware and was still earnestly "commenting": "And... that little moth is still buzzing, as if it's saying 'There's no hope, there's no hope'... How pitiful..."
Liu Ruoyan felt a rush of hot blood rushing to her head, stars appeared in front of her eyes, her body swayed, and she almost suffocated.
She forced herself to take her last breath, tears welling up in her eyes. Her voice was thick with sobs as she looked at the Queen Mother with sorrow: "Your Majesty the Queen Mother... I... I don't know how I have offended Miss Jiu. She... She actually cursed me like this... like this..."
He pronounced the word "curse" very heavily, obviously believing that Jiu had bad intentions.
The noble ladies around were no longer able to hold back their laughter. They held their breath, fearing that they would be the next ones to be "commented" by the "clairvoyant" Miss Jiu.
Today's flower-viewing banquet is even more exciting than going to the execution ground! Only a few people who had some minor friction with Liu Ruoyan had a subtle glint of gloating in their eyes.
Chu Xuanyi had completely given up on treatment. He now had only one thought: find a noodle and hang himself! Life was too hard! Especially with such a "living treasure fortune teller" as his subordinate! A flower viewing banquet? This was clearly the scene of his "Ninety-nine Eighty-one Tribulations"!
At this tense moment when the atmosphere was frozen to the freezing point——
The Empress Dowager suddenly burst out laughing!
That’s right! I laughed!
That laughter was like a pebble dropped into a calm lake, creating ripples and shaking the three perspectives of everyone present.
Liu Ruoyan's crying stopped abruptly, and she stood there in a daze. The expressions on her face went from pale to red, and then from red to ashen, and finally fixed on confusion and disbelief.
The Empress Dowager...she...she actually smiled?!
The Queen Mother wiped the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes gracefully with a handkerchief embroidered with golden phoenixes. Then, she waved affectionately to Ah Jiu, who was still confused and had no idea what hornet's nest she had stirred up. Her tone was so kind that it could drip with honey: "Ah Jiu, my good girl, come here quickly, come to me."
Upon hearing this, Jiu ran over happily, his short legs moving very fast.
The Queen Mother pulled Ah Jiu into her arms, letting her lean against her comfortably. Then she raised her head and looked at Liu Ruoyan with a smile. She glanced at the noble ladies around her who dared not speak, and spoke slowly: "Liu girl, don't cry. It will ruin your makeup if you cry."
She paused, gently patted Ajiu's little head, her eyes full of doting and indulgence, and continued, "Ajiu is a simple-minded child. She says whatever she sees, never beating around the bush. Perhaps she saw that you were too engrossed in playing the piano just now, and your mind was a little exhausted, so the 'flower' on your head is a little listless and looks 'wilted'. This child is concerned about you and is afraid that you are tired."
After these words were spoken, Liu Ruoyan's face became even uglier!
Care?! Is there anyone who cares that much?!
He told her there was no hope and that the flowers above her head were going to be eaten by moths. Is this considered caring?!
Chu Xuanyi had already silently closed his eyes and started counting sheep in his mind. He felt that the Queen Mother's preference for Ah Jiu had reached an outrageous level! This was clearly a lie with open eyes, forcibly whitewashing Ah Jiu!
Ah Jiu, however, seemed to be encouraged. He poked his little head out from the empress dowager's arms, blinked his innocent big eyes, and added in a baby voice, "Yes, yes! That beautiful sister, don't be too sad! Although the little moth said there's no hope for you, but...but Master said, even if the mountains don't move, the water will move; even if the water doesn't move, people will! Maybe... maybe if you bloom somewhere else, someone will like you!"
After she finished speaking, she gave Liu Ruoyan a bright smile that she thought was very "healing".
"Puff - cough cough cough -"
This time it really happened. Several ladies with less self-control could no longer hold back and spat out their tea. Some even choked on their own saliva and died violently.
Bloom somewhere else?!
This... this is simply rubbing salt into Liu Ruoyan's wounds, no, it's like pouring a whole bag of arsenic on her!
Was this a hint to Liu Ruoyan to stop clinging to the Regent and quickly change her target?!
Liu Ruoyan only felt that her vision was getting dark, her whole body was cold, and her heart felt as if it was soaked in bile water, extremely bitter.
She never expected that the talent show she had carefully prepared would end up like this! What made her even more desperate was that the Queen Mother was so blatantly protecting this crazy girl!
Her lips trembled, and she wanted to say something else to save the situation or gain sympathy.
However, the Queen Mother did not give her this opportunity at all.
The Queen Mother caressed Ah Jiu's hair lovingly and said to the crowd in a leisurely voice, "Look, Ah Jiu is a child born with a pair of discerning eyes. She can see things that us ordinary people can't. What she said may sound a little... well... unusual, but if you think about it carefully, it may not be without reason."
She turned to the pale Liu Ruoyan, her tone gentle yet filled with undeniable authority: "Liu girl, you're tired today too, go down and rest first. This flower viewing banquet is all about watching the flowers bloom and fade, the rise and fall of fate. There's no need to be too obsessed with a single moment or scene."
These words may seem like a comfort, but in fact they are an order to leave!
Liu Ruoyan could no longer hold on. She bowed and said in a choked voice, "Your servant...your servant obeys your command..."
After saying this, he retreated dejectedly with the help of the palace maids.
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