Chapter 142 An Act Of Folly (Part One)


    Everyone went nk for a while, and then someone sighed, "Though I didn''t see thedy''s face from


    this distance, I can tell that she is tall and thin. She is sure to be an enchanting beauty. But I just heard


    there were nodies in Prince Jing''s Mansion. Who is she?"


    Hearing these words, people let their eyes settle on Yun Shang who still had a nd smile. They


    couldn''t helpparing Yun Shang with thedy. Gradually, they were amazed by Yun Shang''s face.


    Yun Shang was not the kind ofdy that would amaze people with her beauty at first sight. At first


    nce, people would feel she was like ady in a painting, soft and sweet. She had white skin, red lips,


    ck eyebrows, and bright eyes. She wore a fresh green dress with a sense of elegance, like a


    verdant lotus leaf freshly washed by the rain or like an isted mountain hidden in the thin fog,


    attracting people''s eyes in this warm spring.


    Since when had this ordinary-looking Princess be so beautiful?


    Yun Shang knew what people were thinking when she saw their expression. She said in a soft voice,


    "As I have told you, the chambein of Prince Jing''s Mansion doesn''t know how to hold a birthday


    party. I think Prince Jing saw Qian Qian performing in Lady Shun Qing''s birthday party at Prince Shun


    Qing''s Mansion, and so he invited Qian Qian here. Although Qian Qian has a humble identity, she is


    proficient in ying the Pipa, and her dancing skill is second to none in the world."


    Alldies present were the wives or daughters of officials, and they had heard of Qian Qian before as


    her fame had spread throughout the country. They didn''t know what to say for a while. If they praised


    her, they would think they humbled themselves. If they belittled her, they would set themselves against


    Prince Jing. People stood gazing at one another without uttering a single word.


    "Humble family does not determine a humble future. Since Princess Yun Shang has such high praise


    for Qian Qian, she must have many good qualities. I will enjoy her performanceter." While the others


    remained silent, Wang Jinyan praised Qian Qian.


    Yun Shang gave her a tiny smile and thought to herself, ''The daughter of the Wang n is indeed


    different from the otherdies who pretend to be demure.''


    "Your Highness, the Emperor has arrived. Prince Jing asked you to entertain the Emperor." A servant


    came in a hurry and whispered in Yun Shang''s ear.


    Yun Shang raised her eyebrows, "Really? My father is here?" She excused herself and proceeded to


    the front yard.


    Emperor Ning sat on the host seat. Prince Jing sat by his side, dressed in ck. The two men were


    speaking. Yun Shang observed Prince Jing from a distance to assess his situation. Prince Jing still had


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    a pale face, but he had no problem talking normally with Emperor Ning. Yun Shang felt relieved.


    When Prince Jing saw Yun Shang, his eyes lit up. He curled his lips and waved at her, "Yun Shang,


    Emperor Ning turned round. He smiled when he noticed Yun Shang standing at the door with a vacant


    look. "Why didn''t you wait for me toe here with you?"


    Yun Shang walked to the seat beside Emperor Ning''s and sat down. She smiled at Emperor Ning,


    "Father, I thought you were noting, so I came here by myself. As soon as I arrived at the mansion,


    Uncle Jing asked me to entertain the female guests. I didn''t even know you were here."


    After hearing Yun Shang''s exnation, Emperor Ning raised his eyebrows and turned to Prince Jing,


    whose face had softened when Yun Shang came in, "Really?"


    Prince Jing gave a wry smile, "I used to celebrate my birthdays in the military camp. We just drank wine


    and ate meat. I had no idea that it was so cumbersome to hold a birthday party in the Imperial City, and


    I was not well prepared."


    Emperor Ning remained silent for a moment after hearing Prince Jing''s exnation, and then curled his


    lips, "You have worked hard."


    They made small talk before dinner started. After dinner, Emperor Ning didn''t return to the Imperial


    Pce. Instead, he enjoyed the performance with the other guests. Although Prince Jing''s Mansion


    covered arge area, most parts had been neglected. Tables and chairs were ced by theke, and


    the performance was held on the pavilion across theke. The performances in the Imperial City were


    pretty much the same. Yun Shang had invited the top ranking theatrical troupe and ordered several


    ys for the guests'' entertainment.


    The melodic sound of a Pipa came from the pavilion. But when the guests turned to see, they saw no


    one at the pavilion. It was a fascinating tune called, Collecting Lotus Seeds. When people began


    wondering who was ying the Pipa, a figure in pink flew out from the pavilion andnded on a young


    lotus leaf in the middle of theke.


    Everyone was shocked and wondered how she was able to stand on a lotus leaf. Thedy seemed


    gracious and at ease on the leaf. She held the Pipa in her arms, and the melody was not affected by


    her movements. Everyone imagined that thedy was a master of Qinggong*.


    (*TN: A Chinese martial arts technique that supposedly helps one lift and travel in the air.)


    Thedy had her back turned toward the guests. She didn''t face the guests. She stood on her tiptoes


    and started dancing on the lotus leaf.


    "Wonderful!" Emperor Ning was the first to cheer for thedy. And then the other guests regained their


    showgirl in the Imperial City?"


    For a while, people whispered to each other. However, when Qian Qian turned around and began


    ying the Pipa behind her back, people suddenly quietened.


    Qian Qian wore a full-length light pink skirt with a white waistband around her slender waist. She had a


    hibiscus flower hairpin, but her face was even more beautiful than a hibiscus flower. Her attractive eyes


    enchanted all guests.


    While ying the Pipa, thedy constantly changed her position. All the guests watched the


    performance with the utmost concentration. Hardly had thest musical note faded, people saw the


    Everyone kept silent for a long time as if they had buried themselves in the Pipa''s sound, the dance or


    the beauty.


    Emperor Ning gave a small smile. However, there was aplicated expression on his face. After a


    while, he rubbed his forehead and stood, "The performance is indeed an eye-opener. I have had too


    much wine and felt quite drunk. Brother, find me a ce so that I can rest."


    Prince Jing immediately stood, "Your Majesty, let me show you the way."


    Emperor Ning shook his hand, "You are today''s host and should entertain the guests here. Just find a


    servant to show me the way."