Chapter 286
Chapter 186 - 174: Exciting Dance (Second Update)
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Su Rong was a person who knew how to have fun and seek enjoyment from a myriad of interests. On the night of the Princess’s banquet, there was music and dance to liven the mood, and the dancing girls were as beautiful as the dance they performed. Seeing this, Su Rong grew interested, put down her wine glass, and joined in the dance.
As soon as she began dancing, not only was Princess Qingping’s husband Duanhua stunned, but all the dancers also paused simultaneously.
Slightly intoxicated, Su Rong, while dancing, urged the paused dancers, "Why stop? Keep dancing!"
The dancers quickly shrugged off their surprise and resumed their dance.
Su Rong felt the beat of the drum wasn’t fast enough, so she yelled to Fen Ling, "Fen Ling, you drum it!"
Fen Ling, who was eager to try, got up immediately upon hearing her words and said, "Alright, sister". Then she quickly replaced the drummer, making the banquet hall reverberate with an energetic beat within moments.
As the drum beats accelerated, Su Rong seemed to almost fly, lightly tapping the floor with her feet one moment and spinning on one foot the next. Her dance was filled with variety, yet every step was perfectly timed.
The dancers struggled to adapt as they were accustomed to performing slow and graceful dances preferred by the elite. Fortunately, as they were all professional dancers who had been learning since childhood, they quickly adjusted to the rhythm of the rapid beats.
Princess Qingping took hold of the handrails and praised, "Bravo!"
Duanhua was flabbergasted and involuntarily broke into a smile, applauding and saying, "Good!"
Duanhua was excited as she watched, but she did not know how to dance. Internally, she decided she would ask Su Rong to teach her the next day, thinking that if she could master it, it would be a lot of fun.
When Su Rong joined the dancers, she actually led the dance. After indulging in the dance for a while and noticing Duanhua’s envious gaze, she chuckled, and during one of her dance moves, she swiftly reached out, pulling Duanhua up onto her feet.
Duanhua squealed in surprise, but before she could react, Su had already wrapped one arm around her waist and started twirling her around the dance floor, half coercing and half enticing her into the dance. The dancers sensed the situation and cleared a space in the middle.
Duanhua felt somewhat dizzy, but once she realized what Su was doing, she became both excited and a little panicked, "I...I don’t know how to...ah..."
While continuing her dance, Su Rong comforted her with a smile, "Don’t worry, follow me. Weren’t you wishing you could dance like me?"
Duanhua held great trust in Su Rong; once she found her footing after the initial dizziness, she excitedly nodded "Yes, yes, yes, just don’t drop me."
Princess Qingping was taken aback and turned to look at Duanhua’s husband.
Duanhua’s husband immediately understood and said, "You’re not a kid anymore. Don’t behave recklessly like them."
Disappointed, Qingping turned back to watch Su Rong and Duanhua on the dance floor. Su Rong, unfazed, led Duanhua around the dance floor with surprising strength for a woman of her slender stature. She could swiftly dance even while twirling another person around and did not appear to tire at all.
After watching for a while, she applauded again, turning to Duanhua’s husband and remarking, "This girl is talented. If she were a man, many girls would be fall for her."
One need not look further than the expressions of the dancers in the hall, all mesmerized by her, admiration evident in their faces.
The husband chuckled.
After they finished dancing, a bit of sweat on their foreheads, Su looked at Duanhua, whose face was flushed, with shinny and excited eyes, and she said, "Su Rong, you’re brilliant!"
Su Rong laughed, let go of her, picked up a wine glass, and handed one to Duanhua. They toasted and Su Rong asked, "Did you enjoy that?"
"I loved it!" Duanhua responded excitedly.
Su Rong smiled, raised her glass towards the Princess and her husband, and said, "Tonight, I dedicate this dance in gratitude for your hospitality over the past few days."
Princess Qingping was delighted. She genuinely found Su Rong to be a bundle of joy and laughed sincerely as she lifted her glass, "Then stay for a few more days."
Su Rong: "....."
Like mother, like daughter.
Duanhua’s husband also gently smiled and raised his glass, "You get along so well with people in the Princess’s residence, why not stay a bit longer?"
What else could Su Rong say? She could only accept.
Fen Ling, back in her seat, thought to herself that she was already tired of the food served at the Princess’s residence. It was easy getting in, but hard to leave.
That night, everyone fully indulged themselves in festivity, drinking to their heart’s content. They only called it a night when the moon was high in the sky.
The next morning, a message from the wife of the Crown Prince arrived at the Princess’s residence, inviting Duanhua and Su Rong to the Prince’s residence to enjoy the flowers.
Duanhua held the invitation lightly, sneered at Su Rong, "you see this? It says to comply with the invitation on the day it was issued. She simply doesn’t give up. Even though you’ve broken off your engagement, she still has her eyes on you. If you don’t accept, I bet she won’t let it go, and she might even come to you."
"Have the carriage prepared, let’s go." Su Rong had been planning to pay a visit to the Crown Prince’s Residence. The Crown Princess wanted to probe her, hopefully she won’t regret it after Su Rong’s visit.
Duanhua nodded, and responded to the invitation of the Crown Princess.
Fen Ling approached, "this invitation didn’t include me, don’t forget to add me. How could an invitation for my sister not include me."
He didn’t back down from a good mischief!
Duanhua paused, "You’re a man. This is an invitation for the ladies. Is it appropriate for you to come with us to the Crown Prince’s Residence?"
Fen Ling blinked, "why is it inappropriate? Don’t you need a guard? If you do not need one, that’s fine, but my sister definitely needs me, she can’t be without me."
Duanhua: "..."
Fen Ling emphasized again, "I am my sister’s personal guard. Wherever she is, I am. Especially when going to a dangerous place like the Crown Prince’s Residence, I must be there."
Duanhua: "..."
Seeing him so serious, she probed him, "Are you just following Su Rong for free food and drinks? I’ve never seen you always following her so closely."
"Anyway, I have to go," Fen Ling insisted.
Duanhua turned her head, didn’t say anything, and added his name to the reply.
Fen Ling was satisfied.
Upon seeing Duanhua’s reply, The Crown Princess was also satisfied, who agreed to bring Su Rong along. However, Su Rong’s brother was also included in the list, so the Crown Princess summoned her own brother who was studying in the Capital City and planned for him to accompany them. Then, she sent an invitation to the Second Prince’s Wife, inviting her too to come and appreciate the flowers.
The Crown Princess sent the invitations early in the morning. And within an hour, many people knew that Duanhua would take Su Rong to the feast at the Crown Prince’s Residence.
This would be Su Rong’s first banquet since she arrived in the Capital City. Everyone was curious about her, especially under the uproar after her decision to break off the engagement spread throughout the city yesterday.
Su Rong was primmed and pampered by an expert wet nurse from the Princess Residence, who was known for her skills in hair and makeup. After being dressed in the most luxurious silk and adorned with shining pearls and precious trinkets, Su Rong looked like an absolute beauty after all that grooming.
Duanhua was slightly envious, "Hmm, why do you look so beautiful?"
Su Rong was calm, not refusing Duanhua’s attempts to groom her. She lazily stood up and looked at herself in the mirror. The makeup and adornments were similar to what was put on her on the day of her adult ceremony. The hairpins, ribbon pendants and pearl ornaments that decorated her hair were so many that she thought if she should ever encounter any danger, she could use these ornate accessories as hidden weapons and at least kill ten people.
She chuckled, "I think I look good too. The wet nurse is really skillful."
The elegant wet nurse chuckled, "It is because Miss Su is naturally beautiful and easy to apply makeup on. No matter how you dress her up, she will always look beautiful."
Duanhua had known early on that she was no match for Su Rong’s beauty. Seeing that she was quite content with herself, she couldn’t help but pinch her, "What are you so proud of? With your beauty, without the protection of a marriage to the Duke Residence, be careful not to be snatched away to be someone’s concubine."
Su Rong held on to her, "Then you must protect me, the reputation of the Princess Residence didn’t come from nowhere, did it?"
Duanhua was satisfied, she snorted, "Of course, whether it’s my mother or me, whoever dares disrespect us will be punished. If they can’t be punished, then we will report to the Emperor."
Su Rong admired, "It’s good to have a backing, you don’t have to worry even if you do things recklessly."
Duanhua reminded her, "So, you must stick by me today, don’t wander off. Even though you have broken off the engagement with Zhou Gu, who knows whether the Crown Princess will hurt you. Ning Yao’s methods are ruthless, especially behind the scenes. Seeing how beautiful you are, she might play dirty."
Su Rong looked at her, "Does she not like beautiful women?"
"Of course, who likes a woman more beautiful than herself?" Duanhua dragged her out.
Su Rong was skeptical, questioning her, "Then why did you dress me up so beautifully, did you have ulterior motives?"
Duanhua rolled her eyes, "I don’t like her, so I want her to be jealous that you are more beautiful." She paused, glared at Su Rong, and whispered: "Don’t think I don’t know, you’ve always wanted to go to the Crown Prince’s Residence, you want to stir up trouble, right? I’m just giving you the chance to create trouble."
Su Rong sighed, just as expected of a noble lady in the capital. Even though she seemed to be easily fooled, she wasn’t really a fool. She had just expressed her interest to go to the Crown Prince’s Residence when the Crown Princess first invited Duanhua to bring her to the banquet, and Duanhua guessed her intentions right away.
She smiled and pinched Duanhua’s hand, "Ah, Miss Gu, you are wrong, I just want to try all the food from the various residences in the capital."
Fen Ling nodding vigorously behind them, "Yes, Yes, Yes, try all the foods from all the residences."
Duanhua: "..."
What a couple of airheads.
— End of Chapter 286 —