Chapter 46
The palace banquet had officially begun. Yi Xuanxin looked at the crowd with a genial smile, occasionally exchanging a few words with Yi Luoyue beside him. Dancers performed alongside the banquet, their graceful figures dancing to the breeze. Sheng and zhu instruments sang in unison, while guan and xiao instruments played in unison, filling the entire imperial garden with joyful music. Fine wines and delicacies were constantly being served. Hundreds of lanterns and candles illuminated the garden, brighter than daytime. Countless palace maids and attendants flitted among the banquet.
Amidst the bustling crowd, three children stood out, their atmosphere at odds with the festive atmosphere of the birthday banquet. Yi Tianhao and Yi Tianya were known to most present, but the girl beside the Western Yi Crown Prince, who bore a striking resemblance to Princess Yue, intrigued everyone. Could she be the Western Yi Crown Prince's adopted daughter, the one who had been making so much noise in Yidu lately? The girl who had shone so brightly at the poetry gathering?
While the adults were toasting and drinking, Xiaoyue'er's eyes kept darting around the dancers, truly mesmerized by their exquisite dancing skills. But after just a moment, she got bored.
"Daddy, can I go to my aunt's place?"
"No, it's not time to leave casually yet."
If you won't let me, I have my own way. Xiaoyue deliberately stuck her head out and smiled at Yi Luoyue. Yi Luoyue often watched them, so she saw it. Then she waved her little hand, pointing her finger at her face. Even if she didn't say anything, Yi Luoyue knew what she meant.
"Xiaoyue, come here." Yi Luoyue waved at her.
"Daddy, my aunt is calling me, I'm going." Without caring whether Gong Yuchen agreed or not, he stood up and went to Yi Luoyue.
Gong Yuchen first glanced at Yi Luoyue, then at the little elf. Children are good. He still wants to be by Yi Luoyue's side! This boring party, if it wasn't Luoyue's birthday party, he really wanted to leave.
Seeing Xiaoyue'er go to Yi Luoyue's place, Li Fei came to Gong Yuchen with a wine glass to toast, and sat in Xiaoyue'er's seat. He drank a few glasses with Gong Yuchen and secretly held her hand under the table. After all, everyone didn't know that he and Gong Mingxue had been granted marriage by His Majesty, so he couldn't act too familiar.
"Auntie." Xiaoyue stuck to Yi Luoyue as soon as she came over.
"Are you full?" Yi Luoyue stroked her cheek.
"Yeah, I'm full."
Yi Tianya looked at Xiao Yue'er, curled her lips, and spoke with a tone of complete disdain.
"Brother, look at that little bastard. She's just a wild girl without parents. How could she be liked by the Imperial Aunt and the Imperial Grandfather?"
At this moment, Yi Tianhao was also staring at Xiaoyue'er beside Yi Luoyue. His eyes, which should have revealed the innocence of a child, were full of calculation and malice.
"Hmph, she's just relying on the Crown Prince of Xiyi. Today, I'll let her know that in this palace, not just any cat or dog can run wild."
"Tianya, it's almost time for you to perform. Remember, find an opportunity to compete with her in piano playing. With your skills, you will definitely beat her. Then, I'll tell her that she stole the jade token. Then I'll have the guards search her and see how she embarrasses herself in public!"
"Okay, okay! This way, not only will she be no match for me, but everyone will also think she's a thief. Let's see who will still like her in the future! Then, brother, I'll go."
"Well, go ahead."
"Grandpa Emperor, Grandma Emperor, Tianya wants to play a song for Auntie Emperor to wish her a happy birthday."
"You are a thoughtful child, Luo Yue. Look, Tianya wants to sing a song to celebrate your birthday. What do you think?" Shu Fei asked.
"Then I'll have to trouble Princess Tianya." Yi Luoyue agreed with a smile.
"Can I have a small request that day?"
"You say." Yi Luoyue found that Tianya's eyes fell on Xiaoyue'er.
"I want to compete with her in piano playing to see who plays better!" Yi Tianya pointed at Xiaoyue'er.
"Play piano with me?" What does she want to do?
"If you don't dare to compete, it means you admit that you are not as good as me! Or does it mean that you Western barbarians can't even play the piano?" She looks cute and lovely, but the tone of her voice is arrogant and unreasonable.
A competition of piano skills? Xiaoyue hadn't wanted to argue with her, but her words were too much. She glanced at Yi Luoyue, who nodded, indicating that it was okay. She chuckled inwardly. She had been learning the piano from her mother since she was a child, so why was she afraid of not being able to compete with this incompetent princess? But on the surface, she pretended to be hesitant and agreed "grudgingly".
"Okay, let's compete. I have to play the piano for Auntie anyway. But since it's a competition, is there going to be a penalty?"
"Okay, then what kind of punishment do you want?" Yi Tianya didn't believe she would win.
Xiaoyue thought about it for a moment.
"If I win, you yell three times, I'm a fool!"
"So I won?"
"Then I'll just say I'm stupid."
"Okay, let's compete."
"Your Majesty." Xiao Yueer immediately ran to Yi Xuanxin and acted coquettishly.
"Yi Tianya wants to compete with me in piano skills. Would you be the referee?"
Yi Xuanxin smiled and nodded.
"Okay, I want to see who plays the piano better."
Soon, a guqin was carried to the center of the pavilion. Yi Tianya sat down first. She took a deep breath, her fingertips swiftly plucking the strings. It was a cheerful piece, but while her playing was smooth, it sounded a bit stiff. She had chosen a difficult piece specifically to win, but the sheer speed of the piece had lost its rhythm, its rhythmic quality, and its rhythmic quality. It was a bit unsettling to listen to.
After finishing the performance, Yi Tianya raised her chin proudly, waiting for everyone's praise. Sure enough, Shu Fei was the first to applaud.
"Tianya plays the piano really well, and it's getting better and better!"
Regardless of whether the music sounded good or not, it was played by the princess after all, so she had to be given some respect. The others followed suit and agreed, applauding sparsely.
Yi Tianya was even more proud now and made a face at Xiaoyue'er.
"It's your turn now, but don't play too badly and embarrass your Xiyi father!" There was a hint of boasting in his eyes, as if he had already won.
"Hmph, I've been waiting to hear you say that you are an idiot." Xiaoyue'er retorted to her rudely, "How dare you say that I bring shame to your father? If I don't let you lose face outside the imperial city today, I am not Xiaoyue'er!"
"Auntie, what do you want to hear? Xiaoyue will play it for you." Xiaoyue arrogantly asked Yi Luoyue to choose a song.
"Just play what you are good at." Based on her understanding of Xiaoyue'er, she knew that this little kid was going to play a trick on her again.
"Good at it?" Xiaoyue pretended to think about it.
"No."
"Nothing?" Did she mean she had nothing to be good at?
"Hahaha. You are indeed a fool from Xiyi. You don't even have anything you are good at." Yi Tianya laughed at her loudly when she heard that.
Xiao Yue'er slowly walked to the zither and sat down. Her fingertips gently tapped the notes, and the music flowed gently. At first, it resembled rippling blue waves and swirling mist; then it resembled galloping horses across the grasslands; and finally, it resembled the setting sun and flocks of geese returning to their nests. The hall instantly fell silent, and everyone was captivated by the beautiful music.
This kid is so exaggerated, one piece of music is composed of three pieces, the connection between the pieces is just right, there is no sense of disobedience, showing the "clear, subtle, light and distant" qualities of piano art to the fullest.
When the song ended, there was silence for a moment in the pavilion, and then thunderous applause broke out.
The most impressed were Yi Xuanxin and Yi Luoyue, as this multi-piece melody was the specialty of Yi Xuanxin's late queen, Yi Luoyue's mother. Yi Luoyue could also do it, but Xiaoyue'er's mastery of this skill at such a young age was unparalleled.
Yi Xuanxin nodded frequently, his eyes full of admiration.
Xiao Yueer stood up, looked at Yi Tianya, and spoke to her arrogantly.
"When I said no, I meant, there is no... nothing... that I am not good at! Humph." That arrogant attitude was exactly the same as Gong Yuchen's.
"Daddy! Auntie! Am I awesome?"
Yi Luoyue and Gong Yuchen smiled at each other and said in unison.
"Amazing." She is truly worthy of being their daughter.
"Xiao Yue'er, come to your grandpa." Excitedly, Yi Xuanqin called Xiao Yue'er to his side and looked at her with tears in his eyes. If she was not seven years old this year, he would really suspect that she was the reincarnation of the queen.
Yixuanxin held Xiaoyue'er's hand and said with a smile.
"Xiaoyue'er plays really well. I like it very much. It makes me feel happy. Tianya, you can't compare to Xiaoyue'er this time."
Shu Fei was so angry that her teeth were itching.
Yi Tianya's face turned pale in an instant. She never expected that the song she had carefully prepared would lose to that little bastard. She pouted in grievance and almost cried.
But Xiaoyueer had no intention of letting her go.
"Then Grandfather, did Xiaoyueer win?"
"Need I say more? Of course Xiaoyueer won!" Yi Xuanxun also had a proud look on his face.
"Then, shouldn't Yi Tianya fulfill her promise?" Xiao Yueer looked at Yi Tianya, who was about to cry, with malicious eyes.
"Your Majesty, I think it's just children's play. Let's forget about the punishment." Shu Fei wanted to settle the matter peacefully. How could she let her granddaughter apologize to that little bastard?
"What? Can't you afford to lose?" Yi Xuanxin's face darkened.
"Your Highness, I dare not."
"Tianya, come here and accept the punishment."
"I..." Yi Tianya's eyes turned red with anger, but looking at the eyes of her father and the Empress Dowager, she had no choice but to obey.
"I'm an idiot! I'm an idiot! I'm an idiot! Is that enough?" After yelling, tears fell down and she returned to her seat angrily.
Shu Fei signaled Yi Tianhao with her eyes to seize the opportunity.
Yi Tianhao had originally thought Tianya would at least draw with that little bastard, but he hadn't expected her to lose so miserably. Seeing the admiring and loving look the Emperor gave her, his jealousy and malice intensified. He knew that if he didn't implement his plan quickly, as her favor grew, he and his sister would lose even more of his favor in the Emperor's eyes.
So Yi Tianhao pretended to get up and leave, touched his waist, pretended to be anxious, and then shouted in horror.
"Where is my jade token? Has anyone seen my jade token?"
"Tianhao, what's wrong with you?" Shu Fei asked with pretended concern.
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