For a long time, Lu Wan-er had regarded Xie Jing Xing as ‘hers’, that even with Shen Miao present, Lu Wan-er had never dismissed her thoughts. An official daughter of another country would not have any support in Long Ye and with the Lu family’s abilities, it would not be a difficult thing to find an opportunity in the future to make her disappear and thus Lu Wan-er had never put Shen Miao in her view. However Ye Mei was different, everyone knew that the Ye family had a delicate relationship with the Lu family and was not considered a friend or an enemy. If the Ye family were to be related to the residence of Prince Rui… Lu Wan-er became alert and bit her lips without saying a thing.
She was thinking at this side but at the other end Ye Furen said somewhat surprisingly, “Speaking of it, one had not see WangFei. Could it be that WangFei would not be coming today?”
The Furens around started to whisper. Actually everyone were not blind and naturally had noticed earlier on that SHen Miao did not come and they did not mention it because no one spoke of it. Now that Ye Furen brought the topic up, naturally they started to discuss.
Ye Furen then said, “Could it be that one’s health is sick? A few days back when I went to pick up Mei-er and Ke-er, one saw that WangFei of First Rank was somewhat haggard. Thinking about it, it would be as such since His Highness was sick and she, as a wife, would naturally be worried that one’s health would be impacted that one could not take care of His Highness.”
When those words were out, there was a sigh of understanding. From Ye Furen’s words, she had mentioned without a trace that the relationship of Ye Mei and brother had a close relationship with the Prince residence and also suppressed Shen Miao. When Prince Rui’s life was hanging by a thread, Shen Miao did not go to take care of him at all. Even if one’s bothday was really unwell, this action was against one’s conscience.
At Xie Jing Xing’s end, he was taking in the toast and one did not know if he had heard Ye Furen’s words as there was a light smile on his lips and his gaze did not look over this side.
Someone said, “Could it be that the married couple is quarrelling?”
“How could this be?” Lu Furen laughed amiably, “At the beginning WangFei personally said that the residence of Prince Rui would not bring in anyone else, so it can be seen that both of their relationship is extremely good else one would not say such things. Since one’s feelings are this good, there would definitely not be quarrels. It is better not to think too much.” Lu Furen was took what Shen Miao said to heart till this day and the more she said as such, it was like slapping Shen Miao’s face.
When Lu Wan-er heard those words, her mood that was previously disturbed by Ye Mei became slightly better. Even though she was not pleased with Ye Mei, but if she saw Shen Miao and Xie Jing Xing was not of good terms, she would become happy.
Ye Mei looked at Ye Furen slightly, “The Prince residence will not bring in people?”
Ye Furen shook her head and said softly, “It is WangFei who said it herself.”
Luo Tan had an entire stomach of anger as she listened. She had rushed back afar and did not expect that she was unable to see Shen Miao. She did not know any of the Furens or Young Ladies here and could not interrupt to speak for Shen Miao as it would bring her trouble. She could not bear to hear all these nonsense that these people were speaking.
“It cannot be that she would not come right?” Another Furen asked.
Just as Luo Tan was about to argue, she heard a gently laughter from outside, “My apologies, one had arrive late.”
Everyone unconsciously looked over towards the doors.
A young female parted the beaded curtains and walked in with a wmile.
She was young and her facial appearance was extremely delicate. Her brows were like new moons, eyes were like the autumn water and her lips were slightly hooked up. She wore a dark purple lily robes and with a lilac dress, with her hair up in a cloud bun and a dark purple eight treasure earrings. It was not an extravagant dressing and was considered simple, but upon her arrive, it was as if the entire hall was lit up luxuriously. Not only the dark and serious purple was not over the top, it instead highlighted her snow like complexion and her brows like a painting. As she came in step by step, the skirt swayed, making her look fascinating.
It was a very different kind of beauty from Ye Mei. A beauty was in one’s bones and not just the skin. Ye Mei was beautiful but this female’s beauty was like water in spring, like thin ice in summer, the crescent moon in autumn and snow in winter. The beauty was in the bearing and the beauty was in one’s expression of being oneself. It was as if it was not a point more or less that made one unable to look away but feel heart wrenching. One dared not have delusion and could only look up to.
Shen Miao lifted her chin slightly and walked over to the main position and sat at the middle of the side of the female guests. She had a graceful expression on that in this entire room of Furens and Young Ladies, they were all aristocrats but comparing with her, they seemed to be dwarfed.
She took the wine cup that Luo Tan brought over and smiled, “One punish oneself with a cup of wine for being late.” And she elegantly drank the cup cleanly.
Neither servile nor overbearing. Neither biased nor dependent. There was a sense of heroism and elegance. There were many followers of Xie Jing Xing that were present and would definitely fawn but Shen Miao’s action made one’s heart feel good and they immediately raise a toast with smiles, “WangFei has a magnanimous bearing, we will also toast to it.”
Luo Tan blinked her eyes as she had felt that Shen Miao was exceptionally beautiful today and her bearing was exceptionally different today. No matter what, it made her feel honourable and as if she had face and her back was unconsciously straighter.
Shen Miao smiled slightly and her eyes swept across everyone but she remembered how Jing Zhe and Gu Yu rushed the entire afternoon for. She must use the identity of Rui WangFei to meet with everyone in Long Ye and the most important thing was that Mei Furen was present.
She did not allow herself to have a slight defeat in front of Mei Furen as she was carrying the dignity of her children. No matter how miserable her lost was in the previous lifetime, this lifetime was not the past and she would not give in a single line.
Ye Mei looked startled at Shen Miao with some shock in her eyes.
Shen Miao smiled faintly at her but her heart was as cold as a hail. These siblings dared to openly appear in front of her again and again. Did they think that with the Ye family, they could be exceptionally fearless?
Luo Tan tugged Shen Miao slightly and said in a voice where only both of them could hear, “Youngest Biao Sister, are you quarrelling with MeiFu? Why does it look like something is not right?”
Shen Miao looked towards Xie Jing Xing. He was listening casually to an official toasting and was indeed filled with indifference. Shen Miao was slightly stunned as she did not know if Tie Yi had given that letter to him and if Tie Yi gave him the letter and he was still like this, then Shen Miao was not confident that she could explain it.
Just as one was thinking, one heard a Daren speaking, “Since everyone has arrive, everyone will give birthday congratulations to His Highness the Prince of First Rank.”
Everyone raised their cups. Xie jing Xing’s lips hooked up in compliance and drank it up. One heard one of the Furens talking, “Speaking of which, Ye Furen has just found Young Lady Ye and Young Master Ye. For Young Lady Ye to be so beautiful, one thinks that she is talented and since there is some relations with the residence of Prince Rui, it is ideal to so some skills to Prince Rui as congratulations.”
There were some demeaning meanings to those words. It was somewhat frivolous for a young lady to perform one’s talents in front of others if it was not an examination. Moreover Ye Mei grew up in a merchant family so who would know how much talents she had? This Furen was obviously searching for thorns. It seemed that the Ye family have quite a lot of political families.
Ye Ke’s face was somewhat unhappy and Ye Furen was about to refuse politely when Ye Mei smiled, “It is not impossible but one fear of sweeping everyone’s interest and dared not display one’s incompetence.”
The Furen who proposed it was eager to see her ‘display one’s incompetence’ and immediate laughed, “How can it be? It would not be so. Your Highness, don’t you think so?”
Xie Jing Xing’s brows raise and only glance over to this side. His lips widen and he said in a smile but not a smile, “Dance then.”
His tone of voice was somewhat casual, as if instructing some dancer.
Ye Mei’s eyes flashed but she stood up and gave Shen Miao a bow, “Since everyone is interested today and I have just arrived in Long Ye, one do not know if any rules are broken and is not sensible, one however is willing to display one’s incompetence to make everyone happy.”
The words were said very manneredly, like it was considerate of others and had some sense of innocence but charming teasing was present.
However Shen Miao saw the provocation in Ye Mei’s eyes.
“One had learned a type of Water Sleeved Dance from Foster Mother and will dance for everyone to see today.” She said.
Shen Miao head was lowered and a trace of a sneer appeared on her lips.
Ye Mei quickly came out after changing her clothes. She was born with a somewhat feminine charming good looks but wore a snow white long dress, with a wide waist that wrapped her arms. If one wanted to be filial, then she outdid herself with this snow white dress. Four screens were arranged accordingly and they had paper on them. Since paper, ink and the Qin players were present, Ye Mei shook her long sleeves as the first strings were played and she started to dance.
Shen Miao’s fingernails almost pierce into the skin of her palms.
Ink dance was Ye Mei’s best dance. Ye Mei was proficient in all the four scholarly arts and each individual one was outstanding. In the Inner Palace, naturally it had its charm. However the ink dance was just one of many, when one was dancing, the sleeves would be dipped in ink so as to paint on the paper. Once the song ends, the painting would be finish. It was both elegant and unique. With a beauty, a picturesque scene and beautiful paint, it was really outstanding.
But this Water Sleeved Dance was the blood in Shen Miao’s heart and the thorn in her eyes that every time she saw it, the pain was unstoppable.
When the XiongNu came to request for a marriage alliance, Fu Xiu Yi wanted to marry Wan Yu over. Shen Miao used both gentle methods and force, even using the Shen family to threaten but Fu Xiu Yi’s heart was like a rock and did not move. Wan Yu thought for a long time and came out with an idea. She learned a song and personally played it for Fu Xiu Yi to listen.
Wan Yu searched for that song for a long time and it was rearranged by Shen Miao so that whatever Wan Yu wanted to say was in the song. It was hoped that Fu Xiu Yi recall the father and daughter relationship and would not make matters so sever, leaving a path for Wan Yu and dispel this thought.
But on that day Shen Miao invited Fu Xiu Yi to Kun Ning Palace and instructed Wan Yu to play it for Fu Xiu Yi to listen but once she finish playing, when there was a trace of movement in Fu Xiu Yi’s eyes, Mei Furen came over uninvited and said without regards for others, “So Your Majesty is here. ChenQie has learned a dance and want to dance for Your Majesty to appreciate. Since Her Ladyship the Empress is present, do watch together./“
She dance charmingly and affectionately. He watched with deep emotions and totally forgotten Wan Yu and Shen Miao who were waiting. Shen Miao would forever remember the disappointment in Wan Yu’s eyes. She was just a teenage young female but the vitality in her eyes slowly faded away and it remained calm.
On the second day, Wan Yu came to greet her and said, “Imperial Mother do not need to waste effort on this child. This child is willing to be in the alliance marriage.”
How would someone be willing to be in an alliance marriage? It was just that Wan Yu could see clearer and earlier than Shen Miao of Fu Xiu Yi’s ruthlessness and Mei Furen’s means. Perhaps Wan Yu felt that even if she were to head towards without knowing what her future was, it would be much more comfortable than staying in the Palace.
At the end, Wan Yu was liberated.
But Shen Miao could never be released.
The long snow white sleeves fluttered during the dance but Shen Miao felt that the long sleeves were not stained in ink but stained with drops of Wan Yu’s blood.
That was the thorn in her eye, the nail in her bone.
