The welcoming banquet was held on the largest Song and Dance Stage in the inner courtyard. Based on past experience, the people from the Upper Three Cities would never simply take their tribute and leave—they would surely pick a few formidable Fighters to flaunt their strength. Thus, the stage was left open on all sides, with a small arena in the middle for sparring.
Though the banquet hadn’t yet begun and the Upper Three Cities' representatives hadn’t arrived, the atmosphere in the vicinity was already tense. The nobles spoke in hushed tones, the palace attendants moved with extra caution, and even the birds perched on the nearby branches stood straighter than usual.
Mingyi followed the attendants inside but was abruptly stopped by a few people before reaching her destination.
"Send her away," Xu Tianji said in a low voice, her words curt.
The attendant hesitated, then replied awkwardly, "She is a guest from Lord Ji's residence."
"Today is a welcoming banquet, not some bustling marketplace. If you seat a nameless, titleless woman in the main seats and the Da Si takes offense later, will you offer your head to protect her?" She scoffed, brushing the folds of her sky-blue, rain-patterned pleated skirt with an air of superiority.
The attendant quickly bowed. "This servant was careless. But this guest was invited by Lord Ji—it wouldn’t be proper to simply turn her away."
Tianji glanced at Mingyi with a mocking smile. "Then lead her to sit behind the pond."
The Song and Dance Stage had a pond area, far from the main seating and surrounded by dense trees where bird droppings and falling leaves were common. Ordinarily, no noble would sit there—only minor officials from the provinces or scholars without rank were directed to such a spot.
Mingyi studied Tianji’s haughtily raised chin and looked around in mild confusion. "Is this your home?"
Such a proprietorial attitude.
Tianji choked, then rolled her eyes with disdain. "I am from the Academicians' Court. Naturally, I am here today to oversee arrangements and ensure no one embarrasses Star Yearn City."
She gave Mingyi a once-over, noting her extravagant attire, and her sneer deepened. "A mere Dancing Girl, yet you carry yourself like the lady of Ji Manor?"
Following her gaze, Mingyi shrugged. "Lord Ji chose these clothes and jewelry for me. I had no say. If you’re curious whether he treats me as the lady of Ji Manor, perhaps you should ask him."
"You—" Tianji nearly lost her temper but restrained herself, lips pressed into a thin line. "He will never see you as the lady of Ji Manor. You’re just a dispensable plaything. I advise you to wake up sooner rather than later, lest you suffer needless heartache."
Mingyi found this amusing. How ironic that someone who could recognize another as a plaything believed herself to be any different.
She brushed past the silent attendant and strode straight toward Ji Bozhai’s seat.
"Stop!" Tianji grabbed her arm, her expression dark. "On ordinary days, I might indulge you, but do you really think you can cause trouble at an event like this?"
Mingyi: ?
Who was causing trouble here?
"You know nothing of Essence Power or Combat Skills. Sitting up here will only shame Lord Ji and disgrace Star Yearn City." Tianji softened her tone, adopting a concerned demeanor. "Go back. This isn’t where you belong."
"Exactly, why insist on sitting up front? If someone addresses you, you probably wouldn’t even know how to respond."
The surrounding girls chimed in, their voices overlapping in agreement."Do you really think this welcoming banquet is just about sitting around?"
"Coming from a humble background and not learning much about Fighters isn't your fault. But if you're this shortsighted, only caring about your own face while disregarding Star Yearn City's dignity, then don't blame us for speaking harshly."
"People from Sunspire City love to make things difficult. If Tianji were to sit at the high table, she could at least answer some questions from the 'Fighter Registry.' What could you possibly do up there? Not trembling would be an achievement."
Mingyi was taken aback: "Fighter Registry?"
Xu Tianji shook her head disdainfully before graciously explaining: "The 'Fighter Registry' is a profound manual on Combat Skills and Essence Power written by experts from Sunspire City. It's too abstruse for ordinary people to understand."
"Tianji, you're too kind explaining this to her. Even if you put the book in front of her now, she wouldn't make heads or tails of it."
"Ah, we've all attended lectures at the Academicians' Court. How can we bully an ordinary woman like this?"
Amused, Mingyi couldn't help but ask, "Which chapter have your teachers covered?"
"Chapter Three," Xiuyun blurted out from behind, then immediately looked at her strangely. "Have you read it too?"
"The 'Fighter Registry' isn't available elsewhere—only in the Academicians' Courts of each city. How could she have seen it? She's just putting on airs." Xu Tianji waved her hand dismissively, ready to mock further when her gaze flicked past Mingyi. Suddenly, her demeanor shifted. She curtsied and softened her voice, "Please don't make things difficult for me, Lady Ji."
Mingyi raised an eyebrow and glanced back. Sure enough, Ji Bozhai, Liang Xiuyuan, Yan Xiao, and others were approaching.
Ji Bozhai had been speaking with Liang Xiuyuan but paused upon seeing the gathered crowd. Liang Xiuyuan, however, brightened and stepped forward to greet Xu Tianji.
Yet as soon as he approached, he sensed the tension. "What's going on here?"
Xu Tianji's eyes reddened as she bowed to Ji Bozhai. "It was my oversight. I thought to sit beside you, my lord, to better inform you of the envoys' preferences and weaknesses. But Lady Ji was furious, believing I overstepped..."
She trailed off, biting her lip as if enduring humiliation.
Mingyi nearly laughed. This was a trick she knew well—though she couldn't be bothered to use it now, since Ji Bozhai was sharp enough not to be easily fooled...
"You do know more than Mingyi. There's no harm in you sitting beside me," Ji Bozhai said coolly.
Mingyi's smile faltered. For a moment, she was stunned, lifting her gaze to him.
Days apart hadn't diminished his elegance. The deep red robes made him stand out like a pine in an empty valley. Yet his eyes never met hers, and his aura felt entirely unfamiliar.
"I have no wife, so she is no 'Lady Ji,'" he said, stepping past them toward the banquet seats. "She was only brought for appearances. If she causes trouble, have her move to the lower seats."
Her heart sank. Mingyi blinked, unsettled.
What did that mean?
Yan Xiao and the others were equally confused by Ji Bozhai's behavior, but with him already walking away, they had no choice but to follow."With your words, my lord, I can rest assured." Xu Tianji was utterly pleased with herself. She turned to look down at the other woman and whispered, "Today, I shall repay the humiliation you inflicted upon me in the streets."
After a pause, she beamed brightly and added, "And it was my lord who personally avenged me."
OpenNovel