"So this girl is the protagonist of the recent gossip in the capital—the maid Lingzhi."
"This girl doesn't look like the type to seek repayment for a favor. It's true you can't judge a person by their appearance."
"I heard that she looks very similar to the late Princess Regent?"
"I really don't know. Back then, the Prince Regent watched over the Princess like the apple of his eye. The Princess didn't like crowds and never attended any banquets or gatherings in or outside the palace. So, there was no chance for us to meet her."
"No matter if she looks like him or not, she is not the real master after all. How can a maid expect to go to heaven?"
Listening to the chatter below, Lin Yao became more and more proud, and said to Lingzhi in a haughty manner: "Why don't you say anything? Are you afraid?"
As she spoke, she glanced at Su Shisan, who was sitting next to Lingzhi. "You are so timid and cowardly, yet you actually have the guts to seduce a man outside your society in public. I've never seen a woman like you before."
"Miss Lin, be careful with your words."
Before Lingzhi and Su Shisan could speak, Xiao Qingyun couldn't stand it anymore.
He had a cold face and his aura was as if he was in Siberia in December, where the air was frozen three feet.
"Your Highness, why do you always protect this woman?" Ye Wanning was furious.
Seeing this farce, the Queen Mother on the high throne laughed out loud, "Seeing you young ladies reminds me of my own youth. It's rare that you are so interested, so I'll offer a prize. If there is anyone who stands out, I'll give her this jade ruyi as a reward."
As the Queen Mother finished her words, an older maid brought out a tray, and on the tray was a golden jade ruyi.
Seeing this priceless jade ruyi, Lingzhi's eyes sparkled with gold, and she hurriedly joined Lin Yao in expressing her gratitude: "Thank you, Queen Mother!"
After standing up, Lin Yao looked at Lingzhi again: "Just as Concubine Ye said, you grew up in the countryside and probably don't have any talents to show off. Do you really dare to accept the challenge?"
"Of course I dare."
Lingzhi responded loudly.
Hesitation for even a second longer would be disrespectful to the precious jade ruyi!
Seeing that she agreed immediately, Xiao Qingyun's gaze paused on her, his eyes slightly deepening.
He originally wanted to help her out, but he didn't expect her to respond so directly.
Lingzhi gave him a look to reassure him that she knew her limits.
Seeing her agree, Lin Yao sneered and said sarcastically: "You really think you can turn into a phoenix by sticking chicken feathers on it, and you still want to beat me, you don't deserve it!"
Lingzhi retorted, "Beating you is a piece of cake. If you lose, you'll just kneel down and call me grandpa!"
Lin Yao was choked, and he couldn't say a word as he watched her expression change.
Finally, he snorted coldly, twisted his hips and walked onto the stage.
Su Shisan glanced at her, then looked at Lingzhi: "Can you really beat her? Do you have some hidden talent?"
Lingzhi waved her hands: "Don't overthink it. I don't have the ability to do that. I just went on stage and showed off to scare the girl. After all, things have come to that point. It doesn't fit my personality to give in."
Su Shisan twitched his lips and said to her, "Take care of yourself."
Lingzhi understood what he meant. This was the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. If she failed to perform well and made a fool of herself, she would immediately become a laughing stock in the entire capital and might also incur the Empress Dowager's blame.
But if she can't win, she can at least make Lin Yao lose.
Lingzhi made up her mind, calmly smoothed her clothes, and walked to the center of the hall with neither arrogance nor servility.
Everyone looked at the calm woman walking forward step by step, and they actually felt that she was so beautiful and graceful.
Su Shisan watched the little girl beside him walk onto the stage. He knew that this girl was extraordinary. There was some interest in his eyes, and he looked at her thoughtfully.
Xiao Qingyun looked at the Ganoderma lucidum leisurely.
At first, he had been silently paying attention to her condition. At first, she seemed to be completely unconcerned about the palace banquet, and her whole mind was focused on the food and drinks at the table.
It was not until the Queen Mother had someone bring out the Jade Ruyi that her eyes suddenly lit up. She probably agreed to the competition so readily because she was attracted by the Jade Ruyi.
He is really greedy for money!
He wanted to see how she was going to win.
After going on stage, Lingzhi strolled around the center of the stage, then turned to Lin Yao and said, "I really grew up in the countryside and have nothing to offer. Since it was Miss Lin Yao who invited me, I'll let you perform your talent first!"
Lin Yao looked at her with contempt, as if to say, "I knew she was no match for him."
She did not refuse. After all, with her as a role model, the difference between them was obvious, which made Lingzhi look even more unbearable.
Then she stepped forward a few steps and smiled at the empress dowager on the platform.
"Today is the Queen Mother's birthday. Yaoer brought a dance to liven up the atmosphere. I wish the Queen Mother a happy birthday and a long and prosperous life!"
"Good! Good!" The Queen Mother looked very excited.
The musician at the back slowly played the melody, and Lin Yao danced gracefully to the melody.
Her graceful figure swayed with the music, her pair of white jade-like arms constantly changing into various graceful postures, and the yellow ribbon draped over her body also flew in the sky with her dance steps, agile and elegant.
All four of them looked at her and couldn't help but exclaim:
"Ms. Lin is indeed a famous talented woman in the capital. Her dancing is extraordinary."
"Yes, this dance is really eye-catching."
“…”
Lin Yao was feeling proud, but she accidentally stepped on the edge of her skirt and almost slipped. She immediately adjusted her posture and tried to return to her natural state. However, her feet slipped and she couldn't stand steadily...
"What's going on?"
"What's wrong with her? She seems to be jumping more and more chaotically."
"I don't know? I guess you forgot the moves?"
Lingzhi stood aside, listening to the discussions around him and grinning.
The circle she turned on the stage just now was not in vain.
She hid some sheep oil ointment in her sleeves before going on stage, and just now secretly dropped a few drops on the stage.
The sheep oil ointment is sticky and slippery. At this moment, Lin Yao is like a big penguin sliding on ice.
It seemed that her right foot was not standing properly, and her foot slipped, and she suddenly fell to the ground with a loud "bang", and she fell flat on her face.
"Oh my god, I'm going to..."
"Ha ha ha ha……"
Seeing Lin Yao's embarrassing and funny appearance of falling to the ground with his buttocks sticking out and his face touching the ground without any manners, everyone was stunned for a moment, and then burst into laughter.
Lingzhi laughed the loudest, and her thighs turned red from slapping her hands.
Over there, Su Shisan was lying on the table, almost laughing to death.
Xiao Qingyun was taking a sip of wine and almost spit it out. He choked and coughed several times.
Lin Yao climbed up amid the laughter of the crowd, his face so red that it seemed like blood was about to drip out.
She was so ashamed and embarrassed that she didn't bother to embarrass Lingzhi anymore. She covered her face with her sleeves and ran off the stage.
Seeing Lin Yao fail, Ye Wanning clenched her hands tightly in her sleeves.
She didn't expect that Lin Yao wanted to embarrass Lingzhi, but ended up making a fool of herself.
But it doesn’t matter if Lin Yao is killed, her plan cannot be ruined.
Thinking of this, Ye Wanning stood up at the right time and said, "Lingzhi, Lin Yao has finished his performance, now it's your turn."
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