Chapter 267 Worthy of being a Favored Concubine
Xiao Xixi answered truthfully: "I read a few military books when I was a child, but I threw them away after reading them."
Reading that kind of book is not as interesting as reading a story book.
Concubine Jing continued to smile: "It seems that my sister is not very interested in the art of war. This is also normal. Most of us girls like needlework and cooking, or playing chess, calligraphy and painting. Few girls like to wield swords and guns."
Xiao Xixi agreed: "Yes, yes, sleeping is so comfortable, why do you have to wield swords and guns? It's so tiring!"
Concubine Jing: “…”
Why did the topic turn back to sleeping? !
Seeing that the topic was about to run out, Concubine Jing had to change the subject: "Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon. According to tradition, the palace will hold a Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet. Will you perform any show at that time, sister?"
Xiao Xixi shook her head without hesitation: "I don't have any talent to perform."
Concubine Jing smiled and said, "Sister, you are so modest. How could you not have any talent if you are loved by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"
Xiao Xixi actually does have some talent.
She can tell fortunes and sing a few modern pop songs, but she can't perform these in public.
She hesitated for a moment before saying, "I can play a musical instrument. Is that considered a talent?"
Concubine Jing immediately perked up: "Of course! I wonder what instrument my sister is good at playing? Is it the guqin or the flute? Or the pipa?"
Xiao Xixi shook her head: "Neither."
"What is that?"
"Sulnai."
Concubine Jing and Concubine Duan were both stunned.
They have been taught by famous teachers since childhood and are proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but they have never heard of the musical instrument called Surnai.
Concubine Jing wanted to ask what kind of musical instrument this was, but she felt that asking directly would make her look particularly ignorant.
In order to maintain her image as a knowledgeable and talented woman, Concubine Jing did not ask about Surnai, but spoke with a smile.
"My sister is really amazing. She can even do Zurnai."
Xiao Xixi felt embarrassed by the compliment: "Sister, you are too kind."
Concubine Jing thought for a moment and said, "We are thinking about what to perform for the Mid-Autumn Festival family dinner. I plan to play the piano. If my sister doesn't mind, we can play a song together."
Duan Liangdi also said, "I can dance, and I will dance with you two sisters when the time comes."
Xiao Xixi imagined the scene and decisively shook her head to refuse.
"No."
When their kindness was rejected, Concubine Jing and Concubine Duan both looked frozen.
The two of them felt a little unhappy. They felt that Concubine Xiao was deliberately guarding against them, fearing that they would steal her limelight.
She is indeed a thoughtful woman!
Concubine Jing smiled gently and said, "Since my sister doesn't want to, we can't force her."
Duan Liangdi glanced over Concubine Xiao's head and smiled sweetly.
"The butterfly-shaped golden hairpin on your head is so beautiful. It must have been given to you by the Crown Prince, right?"
In the past, when she was at home with her sisters, as long as she complimented the beauty of their clothes and jewelry, their sisters would be very happy. Even some people who were originally hostile to her would involuntarily relax their guard.
Who doesn’t like to hear nice words these days?
I guess Concubine Xiao is no exception.
When she was combing her hair just now, Xiao Xixi was still half asleep and half awake, and she didn't notice at all what pearl hairpins the palace maids had inserted into her head.
After hearing Duan Liangdi's question, Xiao Xixi simply raised her hand and took off the butterfly gold hairpin on her head. She lowered her head and looked at it. Suddenly, she couldn't remember where she got this gold hairpin from.
She called Baoqin over to ask.
"Is this golden hairpin a reward from the prince?"
Baoqin nodded: "Yes, this was given to you by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince when you were promoted to concubine. Don't you remember?"
Xiao Xixi said with a bitter face: "There are too many things, how can I remember them all."
The speaker may not have any intention, but the listener may take it seriously.
After hearing this, Concubine Jing and Concubine Duan felt as if they had been forced to drink a large glass of lemon juice. It was so sour!
How many goodies did the Crown Prince give Concubine Xiao? So many that Concubine Xiao couldn't even remember them all!
As expected of her, she is a favored concubine. The treatment she receives is truly extraordinary!
Concubine Jing concealed the emotions in her eyes by lowering her head to drink tea.
Duan Liangdi felt that Concubine Xiao was just showing off on purpose. She felt envious and jealous, but also a little angry.
Isn't it because of the prince's favor that you have so many good things? What's so great about it? Is there any need to show off like this? !
Baoqin helped put the butterfly golden hairpin back into Concubine Xiao's hair bun, and then asked, "Does the queen want to eat something?"
Xiao Xixi nodded vigorously: "Okay, okay!"
She had been dressing up since she got up and hadn't had breakfast yet. Now she was starving.
Baoqin went to prepare food for her.
Concubine Jing took her leave at the right time.
Then Duan Liangdi also said that it was time for her to go back.
Xiao Xixi did not try to persuade him to stay, and said with a smile that she was leaving without saying goodbye.
As soon as she left Qingge Palace, Duan Liangdi couldn't help herself and complained indignantly.
"It's just a golden hairpin. What's so great about it? Look at her smug face, as if we have never seen such a good thing. I brought so many jewels from home, many of which are more valuable than her golden hairpin. I never showed it off to others!!"
Concubine Jing consoled her, "She is the daughter of a military commander, so her upbringing is naturally not as good as it could be. We should just be more tolerant."
Duan Liangdi snorted, "Why should I tolerate her? I'm not her mother!"
Concubine Jing shook her head, looking helpless as if she couldn't do anything about it.
Duan Liang Di said in a tender voice: "Since Concubine Xiao is unwilling to perform with us, then we don't need to pay attention to her. We sisters will form a group to perform a show, which will surely shine at the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet!"
Concubine Jing smiled and nodded: "Okay."
…
Baoqin brought out the prepared breakfast.
Xiao Xixi ate with gusto.
Baoqin asked, "Next month is the Mid-Autumn Festival, what kind of performance do you plan to perform, Madam?"
Xiao Xixi said while eating: "I don't know."
She actually didn't want to perform. Isn't the most important thing about attending a banquet to eat? Performing is both laborious and time-consuming. She still prefers to sit in the audience and eat delicious food while watching others perform. Just thinking about it makes her feel happy~
Baoqin asked again: "What kind of musical instrument is the Surnai you just mentioned? I have never heard of this kind of instrument. Why don't you just perform a Surnai at the Mid-Autumn Festival family dinner?"
Surnai is actually another name for suona. She used to be bored in the mountains, so she learned to play suona from her third senior brother.
It's okay to play with this thing in private, but if it is really performed at a Mid-Autumn Festival family dinner, it will immediately turn a happy Mid-Autumn Festival into a funeral. The scene makes my scalp tingle just thinking about it.
(End of this chapter)
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