Emperor Yuming then came to his senses, realizing that he had lost his composure and was somewhat embarrassed. He coughed twice subconsciously to ease the awkwardness.
"Your Highness is too kind. Please take your seats." Emperor Yuming gestured with his sleeves, inviting everyone to sit down.
The members of the Nitrile Kingdom bowed and took their seats.
The Empress smiled kindly and said dignifiedly, "Sitting here is a bit boring. Why not watch the young ladies from various families playing the zither, chess, singing, and dancing? It would be a good way to liven things up."
Banquets are always filled with music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and songs; though each has its own variety, they can get boring after a while. The Kingdom of Qing had long planned a marriage alliance; ostensibly for entertainment, the real purpose was for Shangguan Jingci to choose his preferred bride and forge a marriage alliance.
Therefore, even when she heard everyone agree, Qin Xi just lowered her eyes and stared blankly at her hands.
Lu Huai frowned, feeling extremely anxious. He wanted to explain to her, but didn't know where to begin.
The palace maids and eunuchs served the dishes one after another, and the unmarried noble ladies began to show off their elegance.
The order of appearance was originally based on social standing, but with Princess Zhaoyang absent and Qin Qi already married, the order had to be postponed. As luck would have it, the first one was none other than An Zhuoyi, the daughter of the Grand Tutor.
Upon hearing her name, Qin Qi finally raised her head and looked towards the center of the hall. After all, she was someone he knew somewhat, even though his memories of her weren't pleasant.
Anzhuoyi straightened the wrinkles in her clothes and stepped forward, her expression both dignified and generous.
She smiled and bowed in several directions, then said to Shangguan Jingci, "Greetings, Your Highness. My name is Anzhuoyi, courtesy name Lingquan. My father is the Grand Tutor of the court. I wish to play a piece called 'Hanjiang Yun' to entertain you. I am not very talented, but I dare to offer my skills. Please forgive any flaws in my performance, Your Highness."
This is a rather common piece of music, often used by court musicians to entertain at various banquets. It's not that it's unacceptable to play, but it might seem a bit beneath one's status.
Shangguan Jingci raised his eyebrows and said with a smile, "Miss An is as beautiful as a flower, and must be very skillful. I look forward to seeing her."
Upon receiving his praise, Anzhuo Yi blushed slightly, curtsied, and sat down by the zither, saying shyly, "This humble woman has made a fool of herself."
She plucked the strings a few times, and then her hands began to move freely, producing beautiful notes.
She played rather slowly, but it was still quite melodious. However, Qin Qi shook her head upon hearing it. It wasn't that she played it badly, but rather that "Hanjiang Rhyme" was used to add to the festivities because its lively tune was suitable for setting the mood.
Her deliberately slowed-down tone made her seem somewhat unprofessional.
Anzhuo Yi wasn't unaware of this, but she wanted to linger a little longer in the spotlight. It was rare that everyone was looking at her instead of Qin Xi, which lessened much of the unpleasantness she'd felt from being ignored for years.
And Anzhuoyi is confident in herself. It's just a very simple piece of music. How could it not sound good when played by her?
but……
Anzhuoyi secretly pursed her lips; she had no desire to marry the Crown Prince of Qing Kingdom.
Although he is handsome and of high status, and could potentially become the mother of a nation if she marries him, it is, after all, an enemy country, far from Yu. Who knows what might happen in the future?
What if the person sitting on top gets upset one day and sends troops to attack the Kingdom of Qing? What will she do then? Will she side with her own family or her husband's family?
She didn't know the answer to that question, but one thing was certain: no matter which side she helped, she wouldn't fare well, and might even lose her life.
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