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Shen Tang returned to her seat, her gaze fixed on the stage until the eldest daughter of the Left Minister began to play the guzheng, but there was one gaze she couldn’t shake off.
She looked over and once again locked eyes with Xie Guimo.
This time, however, she felt a bit guilty.
She was afraid that he might see his own reflection in her sword dance.
In her previous life, it was Shen Juan who had asked her to perform a sword dance, but at that time, Shen Juan was the second prince’s wife and pregnant. Shen Juan had suggested to the emperor that Shen Tang perform at the welcoming banquet for the Western Liang envoys. Shen Tang couldn’t refuse, and Xie Guimo, fearing she would embarrass him, personally taught her.
If she hadn’t put in the hard work, how could she have danced so well?
As the sound of the guzheng (a traditional Chinese instrument; plucked zither with 21 strings) floated through the garden, Shen Tang sipped her tea and enjoyed the moment, feeling quite content.
However, that contentment turned into distress by the end of the Spring Banquet feast.
During the feast, the young ladies and young masters from prominent families showcased their talents. The Shouwang’s Manor had prepared prizes, and several noble ladies would select the best performances as rewards.
The prize for the young masters was a fine inkstone, awarded to the eldest son of the Right Minister.
The prize for the young ladies was a large eastern pearl, but Shen Tang hadn’t expected it to end up in her hands.
Winning a prize was a good thing, but the Spring Banquet feast invited unmarried young ladies and young masters. Each year, the girls who received prizes would have their doorsteps worn down by suitors.
She had been pushed forward by Shen Juan to perform a sword dance, but she had never intended to win first place or attract attention for marriage!
Wasn’t this just inviting trouble for herself?
Shen Tang felt extremely frustrated and couldn’t find any joy in the situation.
While Shen Tang was brooding internally, Shen Juan’s displeasure was evident on her face. From the moment Shen Tang stepped onto the stage until the feast concluded, and even while riding in the carriage out of the Shouwang’s Manor, Shen Juan couldn’t hold back any longer and gritted her teeth, saying, “Second Sister, you truly know how to hide your skills!”
Shen Tang had a belly full of frustration that needed an outlet. She coldly retorted, “I excel at sword dancing, and Eldest Sister knows this very well. Otherwise, why would you have pushed me to take your place so confidently?”
Shen Tang knew that Shen Juan intended for her to embarrass herself publicly, but just because she could do such a thing didn’t mean she could say it out loud. If it reached the old lady’s ears, Shen Juan would surely face severe punishment.
Shen Juan was left speechless, her silver teeth nearly grinding to dust.
The two had traveled in silence on the way there, and on the way back, they exchanged only these few words. Shen Tang lifted the carriage curtain to look outside, praying that no one would take an interest in her. Otherwise, if Grandmother and Father decided on a betrothal for her, she’d have to find a way to break it off.
What kind of trouble was this?
Shen Tang felt a deep sense of frustration, feeling as if the eastern pearl in her hand was a hot potato.
Meanwhile, news of Shen Tang’s sword dance and winning the prize spread quickly to the old lady, who was overjoyed.
Upon returning to the manor, Shen Tang went to see the old lady. As she walked around the screen, she saw the old lady looking at her with a kind expression. “Did you really win a prize at the Spring Banquet feast?”
Shen Tang presented the eastern pearl. “This is the prize from the Shouwang’s Manor, offered to Grandmother.”
The old lady smiled. “With such filial piety, Grandmother is quite satisfied. You should keep it for yourself…”
Before she could finish speaking, Second Madam interjected, “This is the first time Second Miss has won a prize. It’s only right for you to accept it, old lady.”
Second Madam’s favorite pastime was to take things from the old lady and the marquis for Shen Juan, and then to hand things to the old lady, because once it was in the old lady’s hands, it might end up in Shen Juan’s.
Shen Tang wasn’t like Shen Juan, who played tricks. An eastern pearl was nothing to her; she wouldn’t hesitate to part with it. While it was a rare item for the marquis’s manor, the Prince Jingyang’s Manor would store it in a box, so it was no wonder Shen Juan was reluctant to give up this marriage.
Shen Tang placed the eastern pearl on the small table next to the old lady.
Third Madam smiled and said, “Usually, Second Miss doesn’t show her talents, but I never expected you to make such a stunning debut at the Spring Banquet feast. When I heard the servants report, I even doubted whether it was the correct news. Second Miss has hidden her talents too well.”
Shen Tang replied, “It was just luck. I’m far from matching Eldest Sister’s skills. I couldn’t afford to hold back when taking her place on stage today.”
This wasn’t something that could be achieved by mere luck. As for being inferior to Shen Juan, it was true that she had previously believed that Second Miss was not as good as Eldest Miss in any skill, be it music, chess, calligraphy, or poetry. But after seeing Shen Tang’s cleverness when the young ladies went out to buy jewelry a few days ago, and now with her winning the prize today, Third Madam was convinced that Shen Tang had always been letting Shen Juan take the spotlight.
Third Madam believed that it was Shen Juan who had plotted against Shen Tang and tried to push her into a pit, which had hurt Shen Tang’s feelings and caused her to stop yielding to Shen Juan.
Second Madam asked Shen Juan, “Is your ankle badly injured?”
Shen Juan replied, “It’s just a slight twist; it’s nothing serious.”
Shen Luo asked, “Then can you still go to Dazhao Temple tomorrow?”
Shen Juan had planned to copy Buddhist scriptures to pray for Jiang Shi and deliver them to Dazhao Temple. Now with her sprained ankle, it was uncertain if she could still go.
Second Madam said, “There’s no rush to go to Dazhao Temple in the next couple of days. You can go when your ankle is healed.”
If it were possible, Second Madam would have preferred that Shen Juan not go to Dazhao Temple at all, especially after what had nearly happened to her at Jiang Shi’s hands.
Shen Juan bit her lip, her voice carrying a hint of grievance. “Mother never liked me when she was alive. If I can’t go to Dazhao Temple because of a little sprain, she would surely be displeased with me if she knew…”
This mother-daughter duo was quite adept at sowing discord. Shen Tang regretted using their mother Jiang Shi’s dream as a pretext for her actions, as it had given Shen Juan the opportunity to play the victim and garner sympathy.
The old lady sighed. “What mother wouldn’t love the flesh that fell from her body? Your mother was ill, which is why she acted that way. Grandmother shouldn’t have stopped you from paying respects to your mother all these years.”
Shen Juan nodded obediently.
The old lady turned to Mother Wang. “Bring me the jade bracelet from my dressing table.”
Shen Juan thought it was for her, but when Mother Wang brought the bracelet, the old lady beckoned to Shen Tang and placed the jade bracelet on her wrist.
The old lady had been showering Shen Tang with gifts lately!
All these trinkets should have been hers!
Shen Juan turned red with jealousy, and Second Madam looked displeased as well.
After sitting for a while, Shen Tang took her leave, returning to Qingyi Courtyard with Yin Xing.
Not long after returning, Yin Xing bounced in and told Shen Tang, “Eldest Miss’s sprained ankle was fake. She went back to Qinglan Courtyard and practiced sword dancing. She even accidentally let the sword slip a few times, and in her anger, she broke several flower pots in the courtyard…”
Those poor flower pots had fallen victim to the eldest miss’s wrath.
Shen Tang felt delighted as she reclined on a small couch, munching on fruit.