Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but smile wryly and plead for mercy: "Commandery Princess, please spare me. I admit my mistake, alright? I shouldn't have overstepped my bounds by teasing you."
Xiao Jinglin quietly curved the corners of her lips: "No! You must learn!"
"Your staff... your spear is too heavy for me to even lift. How can I learn?" Ren Yaoqi protested, on the verge of tears as she looked at Xiao Jinglin's smug smile.
Seeing Ren Yaoqi like this, Xiao Jinglin felt quite pleased with herself. Ren Yaoqi had accompanied her in practicing the qin for so long, and her own heroic image had almost completely vanished.
When Ren Yaoqi teased her on ordinary days, she had always endured it—after all, she was no match in skill.
However, as a martial artist, Princess Xiao had been taught a principle by her master early on: losing temporarily didn't matter. While striving to improve her own martial prowess, she should also seize opportunities to find her opponent's weaknesses and regain the upper hand elsewhere. This was what was known as being able to bend and stretch.
Xiao Jinglin pretended to think for a moment, then said magnanimously, "If you can't lift the spear, then practice with a sword."
Before Ren Yaoqi could protest, she cheerfully instructed Hongying, "Go fetch that 'Snow Robe' sword."
Soon after, Hongying came out holding a brocade box. Inside was a short sword about eight or nine inches long, entirely snow-white in color.
Xiao Jinglin gestured toward the short sword in Hongying's hands with her chin: "Pick it up and try."
Although Ren Yaoqi did not practice martial arts and knew nothing about weapons, she still had a woman's appreciation for beautiful things. This sword looked exquisite, so she genuinely took it from Hongying's hands.
"Huh? It's so light?" Ren Yaoqi was surprised to find that the sword weighed about as much as a bamboo sword. In her impression, weapons were always heavy—she hadn't been able to wield the one her father practiced with back then. This sword seemed neither like iron nor jade, and she had no idea what material it was made of.
"This was a tribute presented to the court by a small island nation in the south. They said it was forged from a special stone found on their island. The emperor awarded the sword to the heir, who then gave it to me. I tested it—it's quite sharp. If you're willing to practice swordsmanship with me, I'll give it to you. How about that?" Seeing that Ren Yaoqi liked this sword, which in her opinion was flashy and impractical, Xiao Jinglin began to tempt her.
Ren Yaoqi quickly replied, "Since the heir gave it to you, and it's a tribute, how could I accept it?"
Xiao Jinglin said dismissively, "The court awards a huge pile of tribute every year to show its generosity. We can't just enshrine all of it, can we? The heir just likes to give away these delicate, impractical trinkets. They're useless to me anyway." Her tone was full of disdain.
Xiao Jinglin had never thought much of her elder brother, who was far away in the capital and couldn't even lift a chicken. She looked down on him for being effeminate, even less capable than her sickly second brother.
Ren Yaoqi didn't know how to respond.
Xiao Jinglin handed her spear to Hongying, then took the short sword from Ren Yaoqi. She casually twirled it, thought for a moment, and couldn't help but glance at Ren Yaoqi with disdain: "I know you must be afraid that practicing martial arts is crude and that fighting looks ungraceful. Fine, I'll teach you a routine that looks elegant when performed."
With that, Xiao Jinglin flicked her wrist and began to dance with the sword in the courtyard.Unlike the sharpness and solemnity when she wielded a spear, Xiao Jinglin moved extremely slowly yet fluidly and agilely, as if to allow Ren Yaoqi to see more clearly. She harmoniously blended swordsmanship with feminine grace, creating an indescribable elegance.
With her movements, fallen leaves in the courtyard were stirred up by the sword’s wind, adding a touch of splendor and mystery to this sword dance.
Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but become entranced, only applauding in admiration after Xiao Jinglin finished her movements: “Is this sword dancing? It’s truly beautiful.”
Xiao Jinglin, however, was unappreciative of the praise: “I knew you’d like these soft, impractical flourishes. But this is swordsmanship, not sword dancing—I just modified it slightly and slowed the movements. Though it’s not very useful in combat, it’s enough for strengthening the body. You’re delicate and have weak qi and blood; practicing this regularly will benefit your health.”
Xiao Jinglin was about to say more when Dasujin, the maid from the Princess Consort’s side, entered, saying that Lady Xu had arrived and the Princess Consort wanted Xiao Jinglin to come over.
Xiao Jinglin had no choice but to cut her words short, saying to Ren Yaoqi, “Then it’s settled. From now on, practice swords with me for half an hour every day. I’ll keep this Xueyi Sword for now, and you can take it back once you’ve learned.”
Ren Yaoqi knew that although Xiao Jinglin had some mischief in mind when asking her to practice swords, it was mostly for her own good. Her constitution was weak; though it wasn’t usually obvious, she was prone to catching colds in the chilly autumn and winter, and once she fell ill, it was hard to recover.
Thus, when Xiao Jinglin said this, Ren Yaoqi didn’t refuse.
When Ren Yaoqi followed Xiao Jinglin to the Jiuyang Hall, the Princess Consort was chatting with a middle-aged woman who appeared to be in her early forties.
Ren Yaoqi knew this woman must be Lady Xu and couldn’t help but feel surprised. Lady Xu, Ouyang Shi, should have been over fifty, yet she looked remarkably youthful.
Ouyang Shi’s appearance wasn’t particularly outstanding—merely delicate and refined. Moreover, her complexion was somewhat pale, and her lips were slightly dark, clearly indicating poor health.
However, Ouyang Shi carried an elegant and gentle demeanor befitting a scholarly family from Jiangnan.
This temperament of Ouyang Shi differed from that of Concubine Fang, Lady Fang, and other women from Jiangnan. She possessed an additional grace of “inner refinement shining through,” which enhanced her originally six-out-of-ten appearance by two or three points, and as she aged, her aura grew even more profound.
In her previous life, Ren Yaoqi often heard Mr. Pei mention his late wife. She had always wondered what kind of woman could make someone as refined as Mr. Pei sigh, “No other mountain compares to Mount Wu,” and refrain from remarrying after his wife’s passing.
Now that she had met Lady Xu, Lady Xu’s image overlapped with her imagination of Madam Pei.
Although Lady Xu and Madam Pei were about twenty years apart in age and not born of the same mother, they likely shared similarities. Unfortunately, by this time, Madam Pei had already passed away for nearly two years, and Ren Yaoqi had no chance to witness Madam Pei’s grace again.After exchanging greetings, Ren Yaoqi spent a longer time observing Ouyang Shi, who then turned her gaze toward her. Realizing this, Ren Yaoqi felt somewhat embarrassed, but Ouyang Shi offered her a gentle, reassuring smile and said proactively, "This must be the fifth young lady of the Ren Family? I just heard the Princess Consort mention you, saying you play the qin exceptionally well."
Ouyang Shi's voice was slightly low, yet her tone was soft and gentle, like a soothing breeze, making it easy for others to feel goodwill and trust toward her.
"I’ve merely practiced a bit longer at home. The Princess Consort is too kind with her praise," Ren Yaoqi replied.
Xiao Jinglin chimed in, "I think you play very well."
Although Princess Xiao occasionally felt dissatisfied with losing her air of mastery in front of Ren Yaoqi, she was always supportive of her close friend in front of others.
Unexpectedly, Ouyang Shi teased her with a smile, "In the eyes of the Commandery Princess, anyone who plays better than you must be exceptional, right? Your praise only makes me want to hear the fifth young lady of the Ren Family play a piece."
Xiao Jinglin wasn’t offended by this remark; instead, she laughed and even winked at Ren Yaoqi, displaying a rare liveliness and charm befitting a girl her age.
Ouyang Shi was somewhat surprised by this and couldn’t help but glance at Ren Yaoqi a few more times.
From Xiao Jinglin’s attitude, Ren Yaoqi could tell that she treated Ouyang Shi differently from other ladies of the inner chambers.
If other ladies were present, Xiao Jinglin would only maintain a cold, unapproachable demeanor, making it clear that Princess Xiao was not easy to get close to and discouraging those who sought to curry favor.
The Princess Consort laughed from the side, "Let’s hear them play first, but I must say this in advance: if Jinglin doesn’t pass your test today, she’ll have to practice four hours daily for the next two days."
Xiao Jinglin’s expression stiffened.
Ouyang Shi glanced at Xiao Jinglin with a smile and said to the Princess Consort, "Did Your Highness invite me here today specifically to play the villain? That’s not very kind."
Ren Yaoqi was surprised when she heard the Princess Consort address Ouyang Shi as teacher. This term of respect was typically used by women only for teachers who had provided them with guidance.
Could it be that Ouyang Shi and the Princess Consort had a teacher-student relationship?
As everyone moved to the side hall that served as Ren Yaohua’s qin room, Xiao Jinglin whispered in Ren Yaoqi’s ear, "My mother studied under Lady Xu when she was young. Her skills in qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting were all learned from Lady Xu. In her youth, Lady Xu was a renowned talented woman in the capital, and the late emperor once praised her as having the talent of a top scholar."
Ren Yaoqi finally understood.
Today, Ouyang Shi had been specially invited by the Princess Consort. The Yun Family’s Thousand Gold Banquet required young ladies to showcase their talents each year, with several outstanding ones being recognized.
Ouyang Shi was one of the judges evaluating the young ladies’ talents. Due to her status and knowledge, her opinions served as the basis for the other judging ladies.
To avoid suspicion, other families naturally wouldn’t invite Ouyang Shi into their homes at this time, but the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion didn’t need to adhere to such conventions.
Aside from the personal friendship between the Princess Consort of Yanbei and Ouyang Shi, it was a well-known practice that, much like the dragon boat race during the Su Family’s Dragon Boat Festival, if anyone from the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion participated in the Thousand Gold Banquet, the top honor would inevitably go to them.The Princess Consort invited Ouyang Shi to listen to Xiao Jinglin play the qin, simply because she did not want Xiao Jinglin’s skill level to be too far from the top position, which would lead to others secretly mocking her.
After all, a false reputation is for others to see, while true ability is one’s own.
Xiao Jinglin had been practicing a piece called "Moon Over the Mountain Pass" diligently these past days and had already become quite proficient. As soon as she began plucking the strings, Ouyang Shi nodded approvingly upon seeing her posture when she raised her hand to play.
Ouyang Shi was well aware of Xiao Jinglin’s previous level of qin skill, and seeing her like this today, she knew that Xiao Jinglin had put in a great deal of effort during this time.
Of course, Xiao Jinglin’s skill could not compare to that of a true master, but at least she would not embarrass herself at the Thousand Gold Banquet.
When Xiao Jinglin finished her piece, Ouyang Shi smiled and said, "It seems I cannot play the villain today. The Commandery Princess’s qin skills have greatly improved."
Although Xiao Jinglin showed no expression on her face, Ren Yaoqi could tell that Princess Xiao was secretly feeling proud at that moment, as she deliberately glanced in Ren Yaoqi’s direction.
Ouyang Shi seemed to sense what Xiao Jinglin was thinking and gently shifted the tone of her words, saying, "However, the Commandery Princess must understand that playing the qin, like many things in this world, cannot be achieved overnight. Temporary measures are just that—temporary. Steady and solid progress is the way to lasting success. One must not think there are shortcuts and neglect the basics. Otherwise, when faced with a true master, one will suffer greatly."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinglin quickly set aside her pride and nodded respectfully, saying, "Yes, Madam. Jinglin will remember your teachings."
The Princess Consort was also very satisfied with her daughter’s performance today, thinking that as long as her daughter could calm her mind and be willing to learn, she was not beyond teaching.
As a mother, the Princess Consort still hoped that Xiao Jinglin could be like ordinary women, learning some skills in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and understanding the ways of survival within the inner household. No matter how strong or heroic her daughter was, she would eventually marry and spend the rest of her life in the inner household.
The Princess Consort of Yanbei understood the principle that one is influenced by one’s company and knew that Xiao Jinglin’s ability to calm down and play the qin was largely due to Ren Yaoqi’s influence.
After observing quietly for some time, the Princess Consort felt that although this Third Miss of the Ren Family was born into a merchant family, perhaps due to her partial royal lineage, she did not have the pettiness often seen in ordinary merchant families. Instead, she conducted herself with great propriety, had a calm and gentle personality, and was remarkably talented, excelling in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
In her youth, the Princess Consort of Yanbei had also prided herself on being a talented woman and did not quite agree with the notion that a woman’s virtue lies in her lack of talent. Thus, she had a favorable impression of intelligent girls.
As a mother, it was only natural that she would not dislike her daughter associating with a child like Ren Yaoqi. Therefore, the Princess Consort of Yanbei had been very kind to Ren Yaoqi these past days.
With the intention of elevating Ren Yaoqi, the Princess Consort smiled and said, "Since Lin’er has passed the teacher’s test, Yaoqi should also play a piece. As long as she earns a word of praise from the teacher, whether she gains a good reputation at the Thousand Gold Banquet is secondary."
Lady Xu shook her head with a smile and looked at Ren Yaoqi with gentle encouragement.
Ren Yaoqi smiled slightly, stood up, bowed, and then took her seat at the qin table.She did not choose a piece that was too difficult or obscure, playing only the common tune "Flowing Water." As she sat before the qin, her elegant and serene demeanor became even more pronounced, resembling a pleasing landscape painting.
Ren Yaoqi’s fingering was also skillful—the harmonics light and clear, the open strings steady and resonant, while the pressed notes varied from gentle to impassioned to solemn.
Ouyang Shi listened attentively, tilting her head slightly and silently tapping her fingers to the rhythm.
When Ren Yaoqi finished the piece, Ouyang Shi looked up at her with a smile.
Ren Yaoqi stood up and bowed her head, awaiting instruction.
"How old are you this year?"
"Twelve in nominal age." Ren Yaoqi had just turned eleven in May. Girls of this age generally did not celebrate birthdays, fearing it might diminish their fortune, so Ren Yaoqi had not made it known. However, according to Yanbei custom, when asked about age, one usually answered in nominal years—counting one year at birth and adding another with each passing New Year.
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