Нan Yan hаd sееn thе gаze of the Хuаn Qing Princе beforе—сlеаr аnd fаint, yet sеemingly capablе оf seеing right through а реrsоn. She instinсtivеlу fеlt thаt this Xuаn Qing Prince might рrоve еven more trоublesomе than the Сrоwn Рrinсе.
Аftеr the banquеt hаd beеn undеrwаy fоr a whilе, а delicаtе and livеly voicе suddenly rang оut frоm thе hall: "Yоur daughter pауs rеspесts tо Fаthеr Еmpеrоr."
Hеaring this, Нan Yan lоokеd оvеr and sаw а girl оf аbout fourteеn or fifteen slowly еmerging from behind thе hall. She wоre аn еight-treаsure purple-gold crown inlaid with pearls, a purple pomegranate-patterned gold-sprinkled pleated skirt, and a round-moon embroidered gold-threaded jacket. A velvet-flower ruby belt was wrapped around her waist. Her eyes were as dark as lacquer, her eyebrows as finely drawn as ink, and her smiling expression carried a touch of noble elegance within its charm.
Han Yan felt the girl looked familiar, and when she remembered, she suddenly realized—this was Princess Yunni, whom she had met once before. She hadn’t expected her to appear here so suddenly.
The Emperor also seemed taken by surprise, but as this daughter was his most beloved, he watched her, curious about what she intended to do.
Princess Yunni tilted her head and smiled. "Tonight’s palace Night Banquet has inspired me. I have learned a dance and wish to present it to Father Emperor, praying that Heaven blesses the Great Dynasty, and that its prosperity endures forever."
The crowd erupted in murmurs. It was considered improper for a young lady to appear in public like this, and Princess Yunni, as a member of the royal family, was of the highest status. To dance before the families of court officials was seen as lowering her dignity—no different from the women in pleasure houses. The Emperor’s expression instantly darkened, yet Princess Yunni’s words were not wrong. Offering a dance for the prosperity of the Great Dynasty left him at a loss for how to refute her. But if he agreed, where would the dignity of the royal family stand?
Han Yan observed Princess Yunni and felt a sense of admiration. This princess seemed bold, daring to act regardless of the Emperor’s displeasure. Yet, such freedom was enviable.
The Emperor’s anger was evident, and the banquet hall fell silent. No one dared to provoke the tiger, all hoping the Emperor’s wrath would not fall upon them.
Just then, a clear male voice broke the silence. "Father Emperor, I actually think Imperial Sister’s idea is quite good."
Apart from the Empress, the Emperor’s consorts were seated together. At this moment, Consort Chen’s hand, holding her teacup, stiffened, and a trace of tension appeared on her face.
Han Yan looked over and saw a handsome young man speaking, dressed in attire befitting royalty. She was trying to guess which prince he was when the Emperor fixed his gaze on him, his expression unreadable, and said, "Seventh Prince, what are your thoughts?"
Han Yan was taken aback. Seventh Prince? Was this the Seventh Prince?
The Seventh Prince respectfully bowed to the Emperor before speaking. "I believe that General Cheng’s great victory over the enemy is a cause for celebration across the land. Imperial Sister’s intention is commendable, but shared joy surpasses solitary pleasure. I have long heard that the daughters of our Great Dynasty are both talented and beautiful, and the daughters of the court officials are no exception. Why not let all the young ladies present today enjoy themselves by performing? This way, Imperial Sister won’t be alone, and we can also see which family’s daughter shines the brightest!"Han Yan was startled, immediately casting a complex gaze toward the Seventh Prince. With just a few words, he had transformed Princess Yunni’s performance—which lowered her own status—into a display of the young ladies’ dedication. By involving the daughters of all the ministers, no one would dare claim their own daughters were also demeaning themselves. Moreover, his words had pleased both the young ladies and Yunni, offending neither side while still not contradicting the Emperor’s intentions. What a shrewd man!
And this man, so shrewd and polished, stood on the opposite side of her. Did she still have a chance to turn the tables?
As Han Yan pondered this, she noticed the Empress forcing a smile while the Emperor spoke with satisfaction: "Well said. Yunni, I grant you permission to perform your dance. I also invite the daughters of all my ministers to showcase their talents without reservation, so that I may be thoroughly impressed."
Once the Emperor had spoken, none of the ministers dared voice any further objections, no matter how slight. Han Yan scanned the room and saw expressions of concealed delight and anticipation on the faces of the noblewomen and young ladies. After a moment’s thought, she understood. This so-called talent competition among the young ladies, held in front of so many distinguished young men, was an opportunity to gain face, reputation, and even possibly marry into a prestigious family. For those born as concubines’ daughters hoping to change their fate, it was an excellent chance. For the noble-born young ladies of high status, it was also a test of their marriage prospects.
Zhuangshan was already so excited she clenched her fists, constantly glancing toward the men’s section. Han Yan noticed her gaze lingering repeatedly on the Xuan Qing Prince and Helian Yu. Han Yan inwardly sneered. What status did those two hold? For Zhuangshan to even think of attaching herself to them, she would have to consider whether she was even qualified to be a concubine.
Li Jiaqi, on the other hand, wore an expression of absolute confidence. Noticing Han Yan’s assessing gaze, she couldn’t resist taunting: "Miss Zhuang seems so relaxed. You must have some exceptional talent to showcase."
Han Yan was utterly baffled. As the daughter of a third-rank official, it wasn’t her place to steal the spotlight. As for talents, Han Yan saw no need to display them. She was not an entertainer meant to amuse others—why should she eagerly rush forward to perform? She smiled and replied, "I have no particular talent. I cannot compare to Miss Li’s stunning brilliance." Li Jiaqi gave her a disdainful look and feigned surprise: "Miss Zhuang must be modest. Everyone knows you spend all day in your residence embroidering and playing the qin. With such diligence, your skills must be outstanding."
Before Han Yan could respond, Zhuangshan chimed in: "That’s right, Fourth Sister. Everyone in the residence knows you play the qin beautifully—so beautifully it can attract butterflies. You must give a splendid performance later."
Hearing Zhuangshan’s words, Li Jiaqi immediately shot a jealous look at Han Yan and said unhappily, "So Miss Zhuang truly is being modest. Why hide it? It seems you plan to surprise us all later."
Han Yan glanced coolly at Zhuangshan and after a long pause, said: "Elder Sister jokes. I haven’t touched the qin since my mother fell ill three years ago. Elder Sister truly cares for me—having just entered the residence not long ago, yet you’ve already investigated matters from three years ago so thoroughly."
Zhuangshan was taken aback, her face flushing bright red. Han Yan’s words clearly implied she was improper—having just entered the residence, she had already pried into the private affairs of her legitimate younger sister. She was likely seen as someone who couldn’t be trusted to behave.Han Yan looked at her speechless expression and smiled again, "Besides, where would it be Han Yan's turn to perform? There is always someone better beyond the best, and Han Yan dares not be presumptuous. Instead of stealing the spotlight, I might end up making a fool of myself and embarrassing the entire Zhuang Manor." After speaking, she shot a warning glance at Zhuangshan. If Zhuangshan wanted to seize this opportunity to flaunt her beauty and was exploited by those with ulterior motives, it would bring disaster upon the entire Zhuang Manor. Although she held no particular affection for the Zhuang family, when the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. Before she could break free, any mishap befalling the Zhuang family would spell trouble for both her and Zhuang Hanming.
Zhuangshan was born beautiful and craved vanity. In the imperial palace, those like her were most easily manipulated. Han Yan lowered her head in contemplation—if Zhuangshan gained support, it would become much harder to bring her down.
Zhuangshan was left speechless by Han Yan's words, her heart seething with the desire to tear Han Yan apart. A flicker of malice flashed in her eyes as she stared at Han Yan. After a moment's thought, she leaned close to Li Jiaqi's ear and began whispering.
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