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墨書 Inktalez
A melody of the Clear Song momentarily broke the silence, as Cherry's presence lingered, and the sound of the Phoenix Flute faded into the gentle night under the moonlight.
In this world of song and dance, where lights shimmer and wine flows, everything is orchestrated by human hands, isn’t it?
Thus, finding amusement in those who seem weak, mocking them, truly reflects the law of the jungle. However, this time, the one being teased or seeking amusement was unfortunately me. Perhaps this is yet another test from fate? A smile crept onto my lips as I shook my head slightly; when did I ever care about such things? When soldiers come, I shall block them; when water comes, I shall cover it with earth—right?
I arrived at the back room, a space temporarily set aside by the Emperor for me to prepare. Yun Ying had already sneaked in to wait for me. I whispered into her ear, instructing her to fetch the clothes I needed. Naturally, those garments were hidden in my specially crafted secret compartment, known only to Yun Ying. Those clothes were ones I typically wore only in my room; I would never flaunt them outside. But today, there was no choice. I hoped they wouldn’t frighten anyone. Those clothes—sigh… never mind, I won’t think about it anymore. I let my hair fall loosely; without any hairpins or adornments, it saved me a lot of trouble.
After retrieving three sets of clothes, she announced that she wanted to see three different types of dances. I couldn’t afford to be careless; it wasn’t just my face on the line anymore. In front of the civil and military officials, if I messed up, it would mean losing face for the entire Xie Family. Conversely, if I succeeded, it would be Huan Family that would be humiliated.
Watching the flurry of busy maids around me made my head spin; perhaps I shouldn’t have tried to show off.
The first dance was simple; all I needed to do was style my hair and insert a prop—a white feather—into my bun. As I spun in front of the large bronze mirror, Xiao Quanzi stood by with a frown at my peculiar attire. After a long pause, he finally managed to say, “My lord, why does your outfit make you look like a bird?”
I shrugged dismissively and struck a standing pose. God bless me; using my school-learned martial arts skills, I managed to hold myself upright. Right! The first dance I was going to perform was ballet—the world-renowned Swan Lake. I wondered if these old-fashioned people could appreciate such taste; ballet’s elegance and tranquility might resonate with someone.
What I intended to perform was regarded as the most noble and graceful ballet in this world.
I called over Xiao Quanzi and whispered instructions into his ear. He went from confusion to enlightenment and quickly got up to implement my request. I chuckled; the “High Mountain and Flowing Water” ensemble that I had brought along was invited to perform in the palace as part of the show. Based on my understanding of them from past collaborations and guidance, I figured it wouldn’t be an issue for them to play some soothing music.
As I pondered whom to ask for help next, Consort Huan entered with a gentle smile and lent me her personal maid. As she left, she looked at me with anticipation and said, “Honestly, I'm looking forward to your Miracle. I think you’ll find these people useful.”
I glanced back at her and replied, “Thank you, Consort X.”
“No need for thanks,” she said while observing my unusual attire with a smile. “Your outfit is quite special.”
Seeing her struggle to find a word to describe my outfit made me cover my mouth in laughter: “It looks like a bird, doesn’t it?”
“Hmm.” She nodded. “I’ll take my leave now.”
I called over Consort Huan’s maids A Tao and Xiao Ye and asked them to prepare a brazier for me along with a pair of iron tongs and a basin of clean water—these were all necessary for my next dance.
The lights of the banquet dimmed, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a fashion show. A large mirror was brought in and set up on the opposite loft, illuminated to create a simple modern lighting effect.
As anticipation filled the air, I donned a Western Halloween-style mask and gracefully walked onto the stage, striking a pose as I settled into place.
Standing elegantly, I exuded charm. My expression was calm, my eyes void of emotion, yet I appeared noble and untouchable, distant and unreachable. Every movement—a lift, a spin, a light step through the air—was executed with such elegance and naturalness, as if it were second nature. Everything flowed smoothly like water.
The spotlight shifted with my movements but remained solely on me—my figure, my white attire, my somewhat unrefined yet adequate imitation of ancient dance styles.
The music had long since ended when I lay on the ground in my final pose. I remained there for what felt like an eternity without hearing applause; the audience showed no reaction. A chill ran through me. Could it be that they simply did not appreciate Western ballet, renowned across the world?
Slowly, I lifted my head and discovered that the courtiers and consorts were staring at me in stunned silence. Just as I was about to awkwardly smile to ease the unusual stillness—perhaps I wasn't as good as I imagined, perhaps my dancing was indeed poor, perhaps I should have declined when Huan Shuangshuang made things difficult for me—I found myself lost in self-deprecation.
Just as I was preparing to leave this embarrassing stage, someone suddenly shouted "Good!" and thunderous applause erupted throughout the hall. It seemed that my unconventional dance style had shocked them into silence; I had thought they were merely displeased—seeing Huan Shuangshuang and others who had come to watch with expressions of disbelief. Finally, relief washed over me; my worries dissipated. It appeared that the charm of dance transcended borders and cultures as long as there was an appreciation for it.
I calmly looked at them, bowed in thanks, and exited with composure. Hmph, there would be more for them to see later.
As I reached backstage, I couldn't help but glance back one last time. My gaze met Sima Rui's—filled with a complex expression reminiscent of when we faced challenges together in Spring Garden while I sang "Cang Hai Yi Sheng Xiao." It seemed to hold some unspoken sentiment or perhaps an unknown anger and sadness.
I turned away but caught a glimpse of the Head of the Family's deep gaze filled with scrutiny. I wanted to smile but saw Huan Wen quietly sitting nearby, watching me and Sima Rui exchange silent glances. When he noticed me looking at him, he quickly forced a bitter smile—still warm like spring sunshine—but I could see the bitterness in his eyes along with a hint of helplessness. Was it helplessness against supreme power or against fate? I couldn't tell, but it was clear that it stemmed from me. Yet—I could not respond in any way.
I hurried backstage, shedding my outfit and changing into the second costume handed to me by Yun Ying. Looking at this unprecedented modern design that broke all traditions made me sigh resignedly; it seemed there was no turning back now.
Seeing me in modern attire, Yun Ying sighed in exasperation: "Miss, are you really sure you want to wear this out? It's fine to wear around here since no one can see you; I've grown accustomed to your uniqueness. But if others see you—oh… Miss, I have this unsettling premonition."
I patted her shoulder reassuringly: "Trust me; it'll be fine. It'll pass." Whether I was comforting her or myself, I couldn't tell.
I casually put on a cap: "Let’s go!"
Yes, the next dance I'd perform was HIP-HOP—the most popular street dance style today. Although initially worried about my ability to pull it off, after learning various martial arts from Old Buddy, I felt confident that I could manage it. This confidence was also why I dared to showcase myself before so many people.
"By the way," I turned my head and asked, "Has Xiao Quanzi taken care of the matter?"
Yun Ying nodded. "If nothing unexpected happened, he should be ready."
I looked at her, my eyes slightly red. I thought I could be cold and heartless, that I could not care about anything in this world, but now I realized how much I cared for so many things that I couldn't let go.
"Yun Ying, thank you. I can't imagine what I would do without you by my side. Thank you for always being there for me." After giving her one last glance, I turned and resolutely walked toward the stage.
What awaited me was even more challenging. Hang in there, An Jin.
A figure suddenly appeared on the Stage. As she emerged, the surroundings burst into brilliant light, dazzling fireworks erupted in various shapes, patterns, and colors. Everyone present suddenly recalled the fireworks that illuminated the sky over Jiankang City during the Fashion Show.
As the smoke rose from the Stage, accompanied by a sky full of fireworks above the small Imperial Garden, although today's display lacked the shock and grandeur of that day, people were still amazed at when such a spectacle had been arranged. This was something private to Jun Jin. After Jun Jin first used these fireworks at the Fashion Show, many merchants and dignitaries offered exorbitant prices to purchase the technique for making them, but Jun Jin had turned them all down. Those who wished to place orders were also rejected. It was said that this was a technique personally designed by Jin Shao, kept confidential; only those associated with Jun Jin or authorized by Jin Shao could possess such fireworks. The crowd was puzzled; those who had not left the palace believed this was a new novelty introduced by the court and gasped in delight. Meanwhile, those who knew the truth wore serious expressions.
As the music began to play softly, starting with a slow beat, the woman on the Stage swayed her waist and body with graceful and exaggerated movements. Just from her silhouette, one could imagine and anticipate what was to come. At that moment, as the music surged dramatically, everyone felt a jolt in their hearts as she finally appeared before them like "half-concealing her face with a pipa."
Upon seeing her appearance and attire, everyone present couldn't help but gasp in astonishment. Even those concubines were startled into covering their small mouths with their hands, their eyes wide open. Just as they were about to mock this strange outfit—
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