Lu Qingge’s face was equally grim. She had expected to use Song Xiangwan’s hands to embarrass Su Jinhuan, but instead, she had inadvertently helped her shine, leaving the entire audience spellbound. With Su Jinhuan having set such a high bar, no matter how well anyone performed afterward, it was unlikely to capture much interest.
As this thought crossed her mind, she stole a glance at Shen Shiqian. Seeing that he showed no particular reaction, she let out a quiet sigh of relief. Fortunately, the First Prince was not the type to be swayed by mere superficialities.
Ji Wantang, however, kept her gaze fixed on Su Jinhuan in the center of the stage, her eyes thoughtful. She had known quite a bit about this Princess Changning, assuming her to be a pampered, naive girl who had grown up in a bubble. She realized now that she had underestimated her opponent. Su Jinhuan’s dance movements were slightly stiff, and it was clear she was not truly skilled in the art of dance. However, by incorporating swordsmanship—which was inherently sharp and powerful—she created a striking contrast that made her posture appear light and graceful, effectively masking her technical deficiencies. Moreover, the combination of the sword’s lethal intensity and the dance’s fluidity resulted in a unique, harmonious blend of strength and softness.
What surprised Ji Wantang most, however, was the fluidity of Su Jinhuan’s sword technique. It did not look like something learned overnight.
In the center of the arena, Su Jinhuan finally let out a soft breath of relief now that her dance had concluded. She was indeed no expert in dance, nor had she ever formally studied swordsmanship. However, in her previous life, whenever Lu Jin’an practiced his martial arts, she had always accompanied him. Over the years, those sword forms had become deeply ingrained in her memory. While she lacked the strength to make them lethal, they served perfectly as a beautiful display. Naturally, to prevent Lu Jin’an from noticing anything suspicious, she had made a few slight modifications.
Seeing the sour expressions on the faces of Song Xiangwan and Lu Qingge nearby, she felt a sudden sense of satisfaction. She handed the sword back to Mo Yunqian, saying, "Thank you, Young General Mo!"
Mo Yunqian reached out to take it, breaking into a broad, carefree grin. "It is my honor, Princess!"
Perhaps because the sword dance had been physically demanding, a thin layer of perspiration shimmered on the girl’s forehead, and her breathing was slightly labored. Mo Yunqian set the sword aside, sipped some tea, and looked back at Su Jinhuan, who was still standing in the center.
Noble Consort Yu was delighted and immediately removed a gold-filigree hairpin with five phoenixes from her hair, handing it to Su Jinhuan. "I didn't bring many fine things with me from the palace today, but I should like to gift you this five-phoenix hairpin bestowed upon me by His Majesty. I hope you won't find it lacking, Huan’er." She added with a smile, "Besides, I am sure the Empress will bestow something even better. There is no need for you to be modest; your dance was so spectacular, as the Empress herself suggested, so you deserve to be rewarded!"
The Empress, who had been struggling to maintain a pleasant smile, felt as though she might cough up blood at this remark. Once again, Noble Consort Yu had put her on the spot. Since the Noble Consort’s gift was so extravagant, she, as Empress, could not possibly offer something inferior. It was truly infuriating.
Noble Consort Shu, ever happy to cause the Empress discomfort, also proved generous, rewarding Su Jinhuan with a pair of gilded, kingfisher-feather inlaid pearl earrings. Even though the Empress was deeply unwilling, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and present a hollow-carved white jade bracelet decorated with birds and flowers.
Seeing that the Empress’s gift had reached Su Jinhuan, Noble Consort Yu finally waved her hand. "You must be tired from the sword dance; go ahead and take your seat!"
Su Jinhuan followed the instruction and returned to her place. Seeing the rewards from the various consorts, Song Xiangwan felt even more resentful. While she had also received gifts when she danced earlier, the total value did not even come close to Su Jinhuan’s single reward. She had truly been completely eclipsed.
Of course, the banquet was far from over. Although the Empress was seething, she maintained a veneer of composure. "Heng’er was right earlier—true beauty lies in a hundred flowers blooming together. Any young masters or ladies who wish to showcase their talents are welcome to do so."
*Although Su Jinhuan’s performance was dazzling, the First Prince remained unmoved, just as he had shown little reaction to Song Xiangwan’s dance earlier,* Lu Qingge thought with a sense of relief. *It seems that neither of them has caught the First Prince’s eye.*
With this in mind, she stood up. "I should like to play a piece on the zither to amuse everyone!"
Lu Qingge was dressed in red today. While it made her stand out among the noble ladies, the color felt out of place against the lush scenery of the Imperial Garden in spring. As she spoke, she cast shy, coquettish glances at Shen Shiqian.
Shen Shiqian caught her gaze and felt a sense of disdain; to act so brazenly in public was truly beneath her. Lu Qingge, however, caught his look but misinterpreted the meaning behind it, flushing deep red with excitement.
A musician brought over a zither, and after a deep breath, Lu Qingge began to play. The music was pleasant enough, but to the ears of the meticulously trained youths of the noble houses, it was far from extraordinary—merely mediocre. Yet, contrary to expectation, the Empress praised her warmly, "Excellent! Miss Lu’s zither playing is truly melodic and captivating!"
Lu Qingge, who had been anxious due to the tepid response from the crowd, felt reassured by the Empress’s words. Her performance today was intended solely for the First Prince and the Empress. The reactions of the others did not matter; as long as she caught the Empress’s eye, she would have achieved her true goal!
Lu Jin’an, however, was puzzled. *How could this be?* Qingge’s playing was unremarkable—not only did it fail to compare to the stunning Su Jinhuan, but it didn't even measure up to Song Xiangwan’s performance earlier. And yet, the Empress had singled her out for praise. *Could it be that she has truly caught the Empress’s eye?*
*That shouldn’t be,* he thought. *The future Princess Consort must have an impeccable family background to help the First Prince ascend the throne. The current Anping Marquis Estate is far from qualified.* Furthermore, in his previous life, none of these events had occurred at the Spring Flower Banquet. *Could it be that everything has gone astray because I have been reborn?*
The Empress smiled kindly and gifted Lu Qingge a hair tassel. "This tassel was a gift from His Majesty when I was pregnant with Qian’er. Today, I shall bestow it upon you!"
Lu Qingge accepted it, overwhelmed by the honor. This tassel had been a gift to the Empress when she was carrying the First Prince. To pass it to her now... did that not mean the Empress had already accepted her as the future First Prince’s wife?
Filled with joy, Lu Qingge couldn't help but glance at Shen Shiqian again, and sure enough, he was looking in her direction. She was ecstatic. *Ha! So what if Su Jinhuan is the daughter of the Chancellor’s Estate? So what if she is a Princess? However noble she may be, can she be nobler than the future Princess Consort? And who knows, I might even be the Empress one day.*
The crowd below clearly shared this sentiment. The son of the Vice Minister of Revenue, who had been sitting near Lu Jin’an, had already begun to engage him in conversation.
Su Jinhuan, meanwhile, stared at the stage with a grave expression. *Absolutely impossible!* A woman who could hold the position of Empress and raise the First Prince could not possibly be so short-sighted. The Anping Marquis Estate simply did not have the standing to climb into the First Prince’s circle.
Noble Consort Yu also wore a look of confusion, though she and Noble Consort Shu both offered some token rewards. The Empress’s smile remained unchanged as she looked toward Shen Shiming. "Shiming, I recall that you are quite skilled in music as well. In the future, you should find opportunities to spend more time with Miss Lu and discuss your craft."
Shen Shiming stood up, his expression as calm and detached as ever. "I understand, Mother."
Lu Jin’an suddenly looked up at the Empress. *No, the Empress has no intention of choosing Qingge.*
Su Jinhuan raised her eyebrows, a smile touching her lips. *It is just as I thought!*