Chapter 20
The moonlight deepened, and the dew grew slightly cool.
Shao Sizhi's gaze deepened, gradually softening. He gently breathed on Qi Nian'an's ear, the warmth pulling them out of the chill of the moonlight. They embraced, their shoulders and necks pressed tightly together.
Feeling the warmth, Qi Nian'an couldn't help but press even closer.
The next day, as the first light of dawn streamed into the bed curtains, Qi Nian'an suddenly opened her eyes and saw Li Xiaoran's extremely resentful gaze.
I feel guilty, I'm extremely guilty right now.
"Oh, isn't this the Demon Consort?" She propped her chin up and sat down on the edge of the bed, looking her up and down.
"I was wondering why I hadn't seen you all day yesterday. I looked down the corridor and a flower was missing. So you picked the flowers meant for the banquet, and then you two started dating Shao Sizhi, leaving me alone in the palace to investigate who picked my flowers. Then last night I found out it was the wicked concubine who picked the auspicious flower, and when I asked you, you were out with Shao Sizhi until the early hours of the morning!!"
How could you do this!
Feeling guilty, Qi Nian'an tried to cover up the fact that she had forgotten the strategist's words with a bright smile.
"My dear best friend, the first time I saw that kind of refined and unparalleled gentlemanly aura, I was completely bewitched..."
"Are you blind?!"
Li Xiaoran pinched her cheek, still a little annoyed, and then wrapped her arms around her shoulders, shaking her up and down, as if trying to shake Qi Nian'an's brain to prevent it from clumping and causing blockages, thus preventing her from falling for Shao Sizhi.
"By the way, when was that banquet?"
Qi Nian'an suddenly remembered something and looked at Li Xiaoran seriously, asking her a question.
Li Xiaoran tapped her head helplessly, saying with exasperation, "The day after tomorrow."
It is said that this flower-viewing banquet is an annual team-building event in the palace. Officials from the Censorate, the Three Provinces and Six Ministries will all be present, and nobles and their families will be there as well. Flowers will bloom everywhere, and everyone will do their best to show off their family's majesty.
It's obviously a place for loading goods and showing off one's skills. Honest people should step aside. The spring sunshine is about to shine on the palace walls. And there are all those melodramatic domestic dramas, like the story of a concubine's daughter's counterattack. They all have to be shown on stage. Talented men and beautiful women compose poems and write essays. Those with golden fingers show off their power. Her strategy is definitely going to be drunk and borderline.
Qi Nian'an breathed a sigh of relief and told everyone to make way so that she, the one loading the large cargo, could go first.
She's the main character!
Li Xiaoran looked at the disheveled, sleepy-eyed man on the bed in front of her with a strange smile that grew increasingly arrogant, revealing eight teeth. She knew that this matter was becoming more and more complicated.
The evil beagle personality is wresting power with her enigmatic self for the right to use the human body.
Qi Nian'an propped herself up on the edge of the bed with both hands, stretched lazily, and felt restless as she faced the damned world. She didn't know if it was because she had a comfortable night last night or because she thought her nominal husband, Shao Sizhi, didn't seem so repulsive anymore, but she felt as if some kind of vitality had come to her.
If Nan Zhi were still here, she would definitely praise her for being ambitious.
She suddenly felt unwell again and stopped thinking about it.
He went to the Imperial Household Department to get some fabric, made some quick alterations, and modified it to be less revealing, based on the style of his stage costume from his previous life. He then tried it on and found it fit perfectly.
She deliberately chose a scarlet color with the dark pattern of the flower she had plucked, and sewed on some flowing ribbons. She originally wanted to show her waist, but under Li Xiaoran's strong persuasion, she reluctantly only showed a patch of her chest.
"You need to show off your core strength! When the rhythm kicks in, your waist and abdominal curves will come out, making the movements look amazing!"
"This is ancient times."
Li Xiaoran carefully sewed up the exposed cutouts with a needle, while Qi Nian'an stood motionless in place.
On one hand, she was afraid that Li Xiaoran would prick her with the needle, after all, she had seen Li Xiaoran's needlework skills. On the other hand, there was a very clear bronze mirror in front of her, and she was carefully admiring her own beauty.
"But I'm not very good at classical dance, so I added some classical jazz. I actually remember a similar choreography, which was about showing off the waist, and it was very beautiful!"
“In ancient times, there were many people. I was afraid you would get attacked.”
Li Xiaoran remained expressionless as she spoke, then bit off the last thread, tying it tightly with many knots.
Qi Nian'an couldn't bear to tell her that the knot wasn't tied very securely.
And why couldn't people in ancient times show their waists just because there were more people? Isn't it human nature to appreciate beauty, to have eyes for slender and graceful women? Did these gibbons suddenly become gentlemen if time were reversed thousands of years ago, and they would just close their eyes and say goodbye to beauty, oh God, that's a sinful thing.
Qi Nian'an, who didn't believe it, planned to go door-to-door to sell the Qin Shi Huang Rebellion Conferment Card when they got old.
The courtyard was quickly swept clean, and she stood at the entrance of the palace and looked down. Sure enough, she saw a row of muscular men standing there.
Qi Nian'an casually brushed a stray hair from her forehead, cleared her throat, and shouted, "Hello, friends on the ground! Friends means partners and collaborators. I don't know if you understand, but that's roughly what I mean. Anyway, I want you to learn to play the drums. It's very simple: just coordinate with the band's beat and pay attention to controlling your strength during the climax. Come on, let's begin!"
She jumped down three steps in one go and stood eagerly in the center of the crowd.
The burly men beside him seemed to have been informed beforehand, so they were not surprised. They all lowered their heads and listened to the chattering of a group of suonas, pipa, guqin and other instruments outside the courtyard. The music was unlike any they had ever heard before, but it inexplicably had an exciting and heroic feel to it.
The burly man at the top of the group mustered his courage and secretly looked up.
Qi Nian'an noticed the gaze and, out of professional habit, winked and casually waved to the group. His smile had a magical power that infected the drumbeats and captured the hearts of those people.
She deliberately chose a more upbeat piece of music.
I don't know if Shao Sizhi will like it. I hope he can appreciate the same dance as me. If we have different tastes, I won't let him see any new dances in the future.
Show this to Li Xiaoran!
She was laughing to herself, lost in thought, when suddenly her foot slipped and she fell.
Li Xiaoran was laughing so hard she couldn't straighten up. Qi Nian'an snorted, patted her butt, and got up. She was about to give her the middle finger when she realized that everyone around her was looking at her.
Why don't you give me the middle finger? Show some civility!
Li Xiaoran pulled a chair aside, crossed her legs, and started laughing.
Qi Nian'an got up and rearranged the dance. Seeing that the row of burly men playing the drums were all putting in their best effort, he felt embarrassed to slack off and take a break, so he kept dancing like that.
A grape was stuffed into her mouth, and she slapped it across Li Xiaoran's face with a handkerchief.
"Wipe your sweat, you should stop practicing. You're not tired, but the drummers are."
Qi Nian'an turned her head suddenly. The man who had been admiring her earlier was now exhausted, his eyes glazed over, and his eyelids were drooping so much that he was about to collapse.
I felt even more guilty!
She quickly told everyone to rest well. Zhiyang led the people to move a lot of chairs and equipment, which were scattered haphazardly in the courtyard. The rising and falling breaths and sweat made this space smell delicious.
The walls were surrounded by people, and the young palace maid, her face flushed, leaned against the wall, peering out.
Yi Xing prepared some snacks in the small kitchen, all of which were Qi Nian'an's favorites. Since she came here, she has not been controlling her weight at all and wants to eat everything. However, she had lost a lot of appetite before and was still able to control her food intake within a reasonable range.
"Your Highness, please eat less. You dance so well; you can't afford to gain weight. I'll make some daylily soup and some delicate fruit pastries. They're delicious and won't ruin your figure. Would you like to..."
Yi Xing's voice was soft, and she seemed a little unsure of Qi Nian'an's attitude.
Qi Nian'an nodded firmly: "Okay, you're right! Thank you, Yixing!"
After saying that, he stacked the two pastries together and stuffed them into his mouth in one bite, making it so full that it made people choke.
But it's really delicious!
"She looks like a starving ghost reincarnated. I've truly opened my eyes; this is the first time I've seen a woman so desperate for food."
A faint voice, tinged with helplessness and a hint of mockery, came from outside the hall. Everyone scattered like birds and beasts, and the previous lively atmosphere vanished, replaced by the solemnity of the palace. The warmth was gone, and Zhiyang quietly pulled Yixing away.
Li Xiaoran lazily greeted him and dragged the chair back into the hall. Before leaving, she couldn't help but watch Qi Nian'an roll her eyes at Shao Sizhi from behind.
"This is the first time I've ever seen such a disappointing person."
Qi Nian'an swallowed the pastry without any politeness, then complained somewhat.
Honestly, he should go back to the Imperial Study to review his documents. Why is he wandering around the harem for no reason?
She lifted the hem of her dress and turned to continue practicing.
A faint, ethereal flute melody drifted from behind her. Her pupils dilated, and when she turned around, she saw Shao Sizhi's smiling, narrow eyes staring intently at her.
His nimble hands played the flute with graceful movements, the music not abrupt, the flute's gentle touch adding to the tranquility of the dance. Dressed in casual clothes, he stood beneath the lush green bamboo, his gaze fixed on her, playing with utmost seriousness.
Qi Nian'an smiled, intentionally matching the rhythm. Although it was their first time working together, it was as if they had been in sync for a long time.
She gracefully bowed at the waist, her fingertips brushing against the bamboo leaves, stirring up a few wisps of desire in the air. She was like a blooming blood lotus, blossoming in a quiet and secluded imperial court, her lively and eager movements gradually moving towards Shao Sizhi.
Shao Sizhi's breathing became erratic, and the sound of his flute gradually trembled.
He silently gazed at the ethereal Consort An, his Qi Nian'an, who had just passed the exam, and his hand unconsciously stopped moving.
Her delicate eyebrows, like autumn colors, slanted long like sideburns. Her already loose and casual hair moved with ease as she danced. The fragrance emanating from her body rose and fell in waves. It was this hazy beauty that subtly depicted the dance before us, making it deeply moving. It was a beauty that had never been seen before.
Impulsiveness kept surging up, burning away his reason inch by inch.
The innocent face before her seemed oblivious to her surroundings. She slowly untied the light veil from her waist, tossing it gracefully into the air like a rosy cloud. The two gazed at each other through the veil, and Qi Nian'an chuckled softly before stepping back.
A blush rose on Shao Sizhi's cheeks. Her gaze, fixed on him with deep affection, was tinged with amusement. She took a step back, trying to gather the veil back into her hands.
Unexpectedly, her steps were suddenly blocked, and her retreat was halted. A large hand encircled her waist, and the force of desire penetrated through her dance dress, disregarding the chilly spring weather and heavy dew, determined to pull her tightly into its embrace in this vast, hidden space.
Qi Nian'an slapped his face angrily, brushing his hands away, then turned away, leaving behind a fluttering hem of her dress, bright red and eye-catching.
The next second—
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