Chapter 71: Are You Joking, or Am I?

When Xia Jiujiang took out a leaf, Xia Yue'er’s face stiffened. Embarrassed, she said, “Sister, what is the meaning of this? Are you deliberately making a joke to avoid accompanying your little sister?”

Jun Buwen’s eyes lit up as he watched Xia Jiujiang choose an entirely different path, using a bamboo leaf to accompany Xia Yue’er. This person could always surprise him.

Xia Jiujiang retorted, “A joke? If I didn’t want to accompany you, I would simply refuse. Why bother with such roundabout tricks? You asked me to accompany you, but you never specified which instrument I must use. If I can play a tune with a leaf, that should suffice. You have so many demands... who is truly making a joke here, you or me?”

Her words left Xia Yue’er feeling awkward. Indeed, she had only asked Xia Jiujiang to accompany her, without specifying the instrument. Xia Yue’er glanced at the instrument in the palace maid’s hands not far away, her brows furrowing.

This performance had been carefully planned by Xia Yue’er, who had even bribed the palace maid to tamper with the strings of the zither. She intended for the strings to snap during Xia Jiujiang’s performance, embarrassing her in front of the entire capital and cementing her reputation as useless. Then, claiming that a broken string was an ill omen, Xia Yue’er hoped to turn the Empress Dowager and Emperor Zongkang against Xia Jiujiang.

Her preparations had been flawless, but Xia Jiujiang refused to play by the rules. Still, if she insisted on using a bamboo leaf, Xia Yue’er didn’t believe she could produce a proper melody from such a thin leaf.

Xia Jiujiang announced, “Since it’s a performance, I shall play ‘Song to the Heavens’ on this bamboo leaf, to wish Li Kingdom prosperity and the Empress Dowager of the West longevity and blessings.”

Emperor Zongkang found himself intrigued by Xia Jiujiang. She was said to be a useless good-for-nothing, but that wasn’t entirely true. She had handled even Minister Wei with ease, and now brought out a bamboo leaf, surprising everyone. The emperor’s wariness toward her lessened a little.

With the matter of Wei Qi settled, it was time for Xia Jiujiang’s carefully prepared drama to unfold. Tonight, she was determined to make the Xia family pay a heavy price.

Once more, Xia Jiujiang stepped forward from her seat. She sat gracefully to the side, holding a bamboo leaf to her lips. Her posture was as upright as an orchid, her knees slanting downward, setting her skirt into undulating waves like rippling water—a vision of a bewitching beauty emerging from the depths.

She played the bamboo leaf. Its crisp, clear notes soared, sharp yet never grating on the ear. With extraordinary ease, Xia Jiujiang coaxed from it a melody that twined through the soul.

Jun Buwen, watching her with a smile, felt a playful mood rise within. He drew from his sleeve a white jade flute intricately carved with magnolia blossoms. The flute gleamed with a cool translucence, and, if one looked carefully, a peculiar motif of three interlocked triangles could be seen.

The flute rested lightly in his palm, a pale blue tassel dangling from its body. Jun Buwen joined in, his flute harmonizing with the song of the bamboo leaf. The music flowed together seamlessly, as if mountain and stream sang in perfect accord.

Emperor Zongkang turned, astonished, to look at Jun Buwen, his expression so shocked it was as if he had seen a ghost.

Jun Buwen was accompanying Xia Jiujiang? Impossible! This must be an impostor. The real Jun Buwen was a cold, aloof man who never engaged with others—how could he be playing for Xia Jiujiang, especially when she had been forced upon him?

Xia Yue’er was stunned for several moments by the sound of Xia Jiujiang’s melody before remembering she was supposed to dance. She had never imagined that Xia Jiujiang could truly play the bamboo leaf, and so hauntingly at that, so she lost her composure.

But Xia Yue’er quickly regained her poise. Spinning gracefully, she began to dance like a fluttering butterfly, her skirt shimmering with dazzling light. Immersed in her own graceful rhythm, she was oblivious to the changing colors of her pale yellow gown caused by her vigorous movements.

It was this very transformation that made the Empress Dowager’s expression turn thunderous. With a sharp crash, she hurled her cup to the floor, its shattering echoing through the hall as she shouted furiously, “Outrageous!”

The abrupt exclamation sent a wave of tension through the crowd. Seeing the emperor and empress dowager’s grim faces—especially the Empress Dowager, who had just smashed her cup—the gathered nobles paled in terror, not knowing what had happened but instinctively throwing themselves to the floor.

Consort Chen, Consort Mei, and Lady Yi all bowed their heads, brows knit in confusion, at a loss as to why the Empress Dowager was so incensed.

Xia Yue’er’s heart pounded like a drum. She had been dancing perfectly—why would the Empress Dowager be so enraged? Xia Jiujiang also knelt at the dowager’s shout, but a cold, ghostly smile lingered on her lips.

As Xia Yue’er’s heart thudded even more wildly, she felt the shock and confusion as if she had been suddenly pushed from a cliff, her limbs trembling uncontrollably.

Xia Yue’er was at a loss, convinced there could be nothing wrong with her dance. She was sure the fault couldn’t lie with her—could it be that Xia Jiujiang had done something to anger the Empress Dowager?

She glanced at Xia Jiujiang, inwardly scoffing. Even though the plot with the zither string had failed, perhaps Xia Jiujiang had still managed to enrage the Empress Dowager. If so, her plan had succeeded regardless.

Then the Empress Dowager spoke: “Princess Jin…”

The corners of Xia Yue’er’s mouth curled in triumph. As expected, it was Xia Jiujiang who had erred and incurred the Empress Dowager’s wrath. Xia Jiujiang was finished!

But before the smile could settle on her lips, the Empress Dowager continued, “Princess Jin, return to your seat. This matter has nothing to do with you.”

Xia Yue’er’s face went rigid in an instant. Nothing to do with Xia Jiujiang?

She stared at Xia Jiujiang in disbelief. How could it not concern her? The Empress Dowager was so enraged—surely Xia Jiujiang was to blame! Why send her away? Could it be that Xia Yue’er herself had made a mistake?

But she had rehearsed this dance for over a month, memorized every detail of the water-sleeve dance to perfection. How could there possibly be a problem?

She glanced again at Xia Jiujiang, only to meet a strange, knowing look. A chill crept through Xia Yue’er’s heart.

No, it couldn’t be—surely Xia Jiujiang had done something. That expression was as if she had been expecting the Empress Dowager’s anger all along!

When Xia Jiujiang returned to her seat, Xia Wentao sat rigid, watching as the Empress Dowager singled out Xia Yue’er, yet unable to fathom what could have provoked such displeasure.

The Empress Dowager fixed a venomous glare on Xia Yue’er and snorted coldly. “Well, well, Xia Yue’er. How brazen of you, to openly show such disrespect to His Majesty at my banquet. Are you here to dance, or are you trying to drive me to my grave?”