Seeing that none of the elders, including the old princess, showed any displeasure at this, it must be a customary practice at the Thousand Gold Banquet.
Ren Yaoqi was absentmindedly thinking about these random things when she heard Ouyang say from above, "Princess. How about you start first today?"
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but look up at Xiao Jinglin, who had been sitting there expressionlessly, memorizing a diagram of the human meridian points. When Ouyang called her, she raised her head nonchalantly. Subconsciously, she glanced at Ren Yaoqi, who smiled, winked, and nodded.
Xiao Jinglin figured she'd have to play it sooner or later anyway, so she might as well be the first one. As soon as she finished, she'd imitate those women who got sick three times a day and then called in sick and left.
Thinking of this, Xiao Jinglin was about to nod when she heard Wu Yiyu, who was sitting next to her, speak first: "Jinglin, I'm afraid you are not ready yet. Why don't I throw out some ideas today?" After saying that, she stood up before Xiao Jinglin without even looking at what she said.
Xiao Jinglin frowned, and the princess was about to say something when the old princess smiled and said, "Since Yiyu wants to go first, then let Yiyu go. It's not bad for Jinglin to be the last one today."
The old princess started to speak, and the princess could only swallow her words, smiled and nodded: "It's the same if Yiyu goes first."
Wu Yiyu turned and smiled at Xiao Jinglin, her back to the others. Her smile contained undisguised pride and malice. Xiao Jinglin turned his eyes away, ignoring her.
When two maids carried a musical instrument table and placed it under the main seat, Ren Yaoqi felt something was wrong.
Wu Yiyu slowly walked to the zither table and sat down. Her maid brought a zither and placed it on the table in front of her. Wu Yiyu raised an arrogant smile and raised her hand to pluck the strings.
The familiar sound of the piano flowed out from Wu Yiyu's fingertips. Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but sigh and looked at Xiao Jinglin.
Xiao Jinglin looked expressionlessly at Wu Yiyu below. Wu Yiyu was also wearing a purple jacket and skirt, embroidered with a flying phoenix with outstretched wings in gold thread. No zodiac signs were embroidered on the sleeves and hem. The piping on the sleeves and hem was embroidered with the eight-treasure pattern of "conch shell umbrella, flower pot, fish." On her head, she wore a luxurious white jade and jewel-inlaid lotus crown. Her outfit bore a striking resemblance to Xiao Jinglin herself.
Xiao Jinglin didn't usually pay much attention to her clothes, so she hadn't noticed Wu Yiyu's outfit before. But now, Wu Yiyu played the song "Moon Full Over the Mountain Pass" that she had practiced for so long before her. If she hadn't realized that Wu Yiyu was deliberately provoking her, then her life would have been in vain.
Xiao Jinglin is a carefree person by nature, and doesn't really care about the outcome of today's Qianjin Banquet. It's just that Wu Yiyu's behavior makes her feel a little sorry for her mother's efforts for her these days, and for wasting Ren Yaoqi's time and energy in accompanying her to practice the piano.
Xiao Jinglin couldn't help but glance at the princess. The smile on the princess's face faded a lot. She picked up the teacup and skimmed the tea leaves nonchalantly.
The old princess narrowed her eyes slightly, seemingly immersed in Wu Yiyu's piano music and oblivious to the surrounding atmosphere. Xiao Wei smiled at her daughter and tapped the index finger of her right hand lightly on the low table.
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