Chapter 235 World Ten (Six)
On the day of the palace-wide night banquet, inside the Jiaofangsi.
Le Niang instructed the dancers on their postures, but when she saw Bao Shan's, the satisfaction in her eyes deepened. Le Niang walked forward, gently stroked Bao Shan's soft waist, and whispered, "Softer."
Baoshan understood the elegant meaning of the music and her already extremely flexible waist leaned back even more.
The light and flowing sleeves nestled on Baoshan's delicate shoulders, blurring her features, yet giving her a beauty that tempted one to peek inside.
Seeing this, Le Niang couldn't help but praise loudly, "Very good."
In Le Niang's eyes, Bao Shan, despite her young age, was not only talented in dancing but also diligent and eager to learn. Le Niang had a strong premonition that with Bao Shan leading the dance tonight, it would surely astonish everyone, and the Jiaofangsi would receive praise from His Majesty and the Empress Dowager.
After the dance, Le Niang told the dancers to take a break and then go to the main hall to make final preparations for tonight's dance performance.
After Le Niang left, the other dancers gathered around Bao Shan, their eyes gleaming with light: "Bao Shan, have you sought private instruction from Le Niang again? In just a few days, your dancing skills have become much more refined."
Bao Shan looked timid: "Le Niang is usually busy, so I dare not bother you. Maybe it's because practice makes perfect, but it's definitely not what my sister calls exquisite."
There were people who simply envied Baoshan's dancing skills, and there were also people who missed the chance to be the first in the dance. Seeing Baoshan's weak appearance when facing the questioning, she couldn't help but feel angry and her words were full of sarcasm.
"The most important thing in dancing is your expression. Just now, you listened to what Le Niang said and acted so pitiful.
It doesn't feel like a dance performance, but more like a flattery. It's just that the palace banquet is held at night, and many concubines are present. Even if you have a graceful figure and a slender waist, you can't match the concubines' every frown and smile.
Baoshan didn't want to argue with her, but the dancer's words were hurtful and she couldn't just accept them.
Baoshan pretended to be docile, but just by looking at her soft, hanging black hair, one could tell that she was an easy target to bully.
Baoshan spoke softly, "I haven't...had such thoughts. It's just that you and I are both dancers, so we shouldn't say such self-deprecating words."
These words suddenly sobered up the many dancers who were watching the show.
As they are all dancers, they inevitably have some thoughts of climbing up the social ladder.
Now Baoshan is being accused of not being of sufficient status, which is also directed at them.
So, amid the indignation of the other dancers, the dancer who had just spoken rudely to Baoshan became red in the face and walked away with a wave of her sleeves.
When the sun was setting, Le Niang led a group of dancers to the main hall.
According to the rules of the Jiaofangsi, dancers who had not performed before the emperor were not allowed to move around the palace freely.
Therefore, today is the first time that this group of dancers have walked out of the Jiaofangsi.
They were all about fifteen or sixteen years old, like flower buds about to bloom. They were full of curiosity about everything around them and couldn't help looking around.
Baoshan walked at the head of the team, closely following Le Niang.
Although she didn't look around as freely as the other dancers, Baoshan lowered her eyelids and surveyed her surroundings. It was the season of blossoms, and the fragrance of precious flowers lingered in her nostrils. The landscape was craggy and rocky, interspersed with small waterfalls.
Le Niang stopped and pointed to the high platform in the main hall, saying to the dancers, "That's where you will dance tonight."
The precious fan raised its eyelids, and the high platform was shaped like a full moon, higher than the other seats in the main hall, so that the dancers could perform and everyone present could watch them in detail.
Looking at the platform that was exactly the same as the one in the dream, Baoshan couldn't help but retract her hands.
It was on this high platform that her dance would be interrupted by a raccoon cat, and then in order to avoid hurting the raccoon cat, she would destroy her calf and fall into the endless abyss.
The dancers all picked up their dance costumes, which were specially sewn by the embroiderers in the palace. They were all pink in color, which made the dancers' faces look like peach blossoms.
Only one dance costume is different, it is a lush green color like rippling blue waves.
When Le Niang saw Baoshan gently lifting her eyebrows, she picked up the dance costume and walked to Baoshan.
Le Niang asked aloud, "What are you thinking about?"
Baoshan took the green dance costume and didn't try to hide her fear by saying "nothing." She was like a young girl about to perform on stage, feeling uneasy. Baoshan's brows furrowed, "I'm a little scared..."
Le Niang naturally knew what Bao Shan was afraid of. She was simply worried that she would lose her manners in front of the palace, fail to perform her dance, and not please the emperor.
Since Baoshan was young, she was chosen by Le Niang to go to the Jiaofangsi.
It can be said that Baoshan grew from a young child to the beautiful lady she is today under Le Niang's watchful eye.
Seeing Bao Shan like this, Le Niang couldn't help but feel sympathy. She comforted Bao Shan: "It's okay, when you perform your dance, I will be not far from the platform and watch you."
For an ordinary dance performance, the musician would send the dancer away, give her some instructions, and then return to the Jiaofangsi.
And now, in order to make Baoshan feel at ease, she promised to stay in the main hall and watch over her closely to make Baoshan feel at ease.
Upon hearing this, Baoshan's brows relaxed.
Baoshan will perform a dance tonight, the name of which is Green Waist, and it was performed by a musician from the previous dynasty.
The emperors at that time loved beauties with slender waists. In order to please the emperor, music that showed off beauties' waists emerged one after another.
Among many pieces of music, Green Waist is the best.
Most dance performances emphasize that red flowers must be set off by green leaves, but Green Waist does the opposite.
The dancers were all dressed in bright colors, and the leading dancer was wearing a light green dress with a belt around her waist and a necklace.
This piece of music is not meant to highlight beauty, but to highlight a slender waist.
The necklace flutters around the beauty's waist as she dances lightly, making her even more fascinating.
Baoshan changed into her dress. She had a slender figure, and was covered in the light green dress. She looked like a flexible willow branch, graceful and elegant.
Her long black hair was tied up with a white jade hairpin, and two strands of hair were left out and braided into small braids. The ends of the hair were tied with flowing green gauze and hung down in front of Baoshan's chest.
Even Le Niang, who was used to seeing beautiful women, couldn't help but show surprise when she saw Bao Shan like this.
Such natural beauty, untouched by human embellishment.
Not only will it make people covet it, but it will also make people feel pity and love for it.
This is what men are like. They say they like women who are dignified and polite.
But when seeing this simple and pure beauty, he threw etiquette and rules out of his mind and only thought about love and pity.
main hall.
The beauties took their seats one after another. They had tried many ways to meet Chu Boyu by chance during these days, but they had never succeeded.
This banquet was the first time they met Chu Boyu.
The concubines were dressed up carefully, and the scene was so dazzling that it was hard to take in the sight.
Sun Ruxuan arrived late. She sat down next to Tang Xiunv and asked, "Why are you all here so early?"
Tang Xiu Nu smiled, but upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn't genuine. She chuckled softly, "When meeting His Majesty, the Queen Mother, sincerity is paramount. Everyone is thinking of His Majesty, so naturally they came early. Unlike my younger sister, who spends her days happily, I'm afraid she doesn't think of His Majesty."
Although Sun Ruxuan was not good at scheming, she found Tang Xiunü's words a bit harsh after all, so she turned around and stopped talking to her.
Sun Ruxuan picked up the pastry on the table. She lifted up her wide sleeves, revealing a pair of bright eyes as if washed by clear water. It turned out to be a civet cat with a body as black as ink.
Sun Ruxuan had always had a knack for getting close to animals. When she first saw this civet cat, it lay limply on the ground, its eyes alert, unwilling to let anyone approach.
Even though Sun Ruxuan was very friendly, it still took her a lot of effort to hold the civet cat in her arms.
But now, the civet cat has become very close to Sun Ruxuan.
He even ate the cakes she brought without any precautions.
Sun Ruxuan poked the civet cat's head and couldn't help but feel confused as to who the civet cat's owner was.
But I think that since he can keep a civet cat in the palace, and raise it to be so slick and unrestrained, he must be a kind-hearted person.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
"The Queen Mother has arrived!"
As the eunuch shouted, everyone present knelt down and saluted.
Sun Ruxuan secretly raised her eyes and saw Chu Boyu wearing a bright yellow robe, with a face as white as jade and a handsome figure.
He was extremely fair, like the frosty moonlight reflected on Chu Boyu's face, making his eyebrows and eyes look even colder.
But although Chu Boyu was an emperor, he did not have a terrifying violent temperament.
There was a warm spring flowing in his cold eyes and eyebrows, which made people not feel afraid but just want to get close to him.
Sun Ruxuan thought that this emperor was very different from what she had imagined.
Sun Ruxuan's mind was in a mess and she didn't notice that the raccoon cat in her wide sleeves flicked its claws slightly when it heard Chu Boyu's voice.
Zhong Xianghan nestled in a reclining chair, listening to the stringed instruments and orchestral music, her eyelashes drooping slightly. A palace attendant approached, leaned over, and whispered, "Prince Gong's old illness has recurred, and he can't attend the banquet."
Zhong Xianghan waved his hand lightly, with a look of indifference on his face.
Zhong Xianghan naturally disliked Prince Gong Chu Shi, simply because Chu Shi's mother was Concubine Shu, the woman she hated the most.
But Chu Shi acted like a loyal subject, so Zhong Xianghan could not find any fault with him.
But Zhong Xianghan did not develop any affection for Chu Shi because of this.
In Zhong Xianghan's eyes, some people have been burdened with sin since birth, such as Chu Shi.
Zhong Xianghan spared his life not because of the fact that Concubine Shu humiliated herself and crippled Chu Shi's legs with her own hands.
Instead, it was the ministers who advised him that at that time there were already rumors about Chu Boyu's succession to the throne.
If Zhong Xianghan were to wipe out the late emperor's own son Chu Shi, it would cause even more discussion.
Due to various plans, Zhong Xianghan spared Chu Shi's life.
However, she deliberately gave Concubine Shu an illusion just to see what choice she would make.
I never thought that the gentle woman in Emperor Shuncheng's words would be so cruel. She was willing to break Chu Shi's bones with her own hands and ask Zhong Xianghan to spare his life.
Chu Shi's forbearance made Zhong Xianghan look at him with a higher regard.
Zhong Xianghan glanced sideways and saw the absent-minded Chu Boyu.
She sighed inwardly and asked, "Bo Yu."
Chu Boyu responded.
"Among the many beautiful ladies in the palace, do you have anyone you like?"
Chu Boyu shook his head: "As long as the Queen Mother likes it."
Zhong Xianghan's voice was slightly cold: "Men of your age would already have wives and children, but you don't even have a concubine."
Zhong Xianghan only felt a throbbing pain on his forehead, and felt that Chu Boyu had not yet gotten his bearings. It was because he had never experienced the joy of love between a man and a woman.
According to palace rules, when the prince is fifteen years old, he will be taught these matters of sex by palace maids.
But the palace maid sent by Zhong Xianghan was driven out by Chu Boyu.
This was also the first time Zhong Xianghan saw Chu Boyu resist.
Zhong Xianghan listened to some folk rumors and sent a few handsome men.
This time, they were also driven out by Chu Boyu. One of them was hit with an inkstone by the furious Chu Boyu and fainted.
Chu Boyu found Zhong Xianghan with a blushing face and said in a low voice, "Don't worry, mother. I only love women."
Zhong Xianghan looked at the angry Chu Boyu, and what she was thinking was that her gentle son could actually get angry.
From then on, Zhong Xianghan no longer sent anyone to Chu Boyu's palace.
She thought that Chu Boyu would take a concubine sooner or later, so it would be better to hand over the responsibility of teaching personnel to the palace concubine.
Zhong Xianghan withdrew his gaze and looked at the dancer on the platform.
The dancers in peach-pink dresses rushed towards the two sides of the platform like blooming petals.
After they stood still, Baoshan, wearing a green dress, walked slowly towards them.
Her long sleeves lifted, partially obscuring her face, revealing only a pair of watery eyes. Beneath the sleeves was a waist so slender it could be held in one hand. The gentle touch of her necklace against her slender waist made one want to play with it.
Zhong Xianghan actually became somewhat interested. She whispered, "It's Lu Yao."
Chu Boyu looked in the direction of the voice and saw a beauty standing on a high platform, half-hidden. She was dressed in a fresh and beautiful color, and she looked extremely otherworldly.
Looking at the beautiful woman with a graceful waist, Chu Boyu's heart moved slightly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
