Jiang Kui’s heart tightened as she whispered urgently, “Father flew into a rage?”
It was her third elder brother, Jiang Yuan who came rushing anxiously over from another side of the decorated barge, squeezing through crowds to sidle up to his little sister. Face customarily serene now taut with tension, he pulled an exaggerated grimace and said, “Exploded into a huge fiery rage! Whatever possessed you to leap onstage for a dance number?”
In a furtive glimpse, Jiang Kui reciprocated his silly face. “I have my reasons, will explain later. What now?”
Eyes darting about, Jiang Yuan mouthed almost soundlessly, “Flee quickly while we try to block him!”
Jiang Kui carefully raised her eyes. She glimpsed Father Jiang Cheng stalking fiercely in her direction, robes swirling violently about him, frame bristling with fury so alarming his stride easily cleared fluttering trailing hems. Eldest brothers Jiang Luan and Jiang Feng were attempting yet failing to restrain torrential temper flares.
Head lowered, Jiang Kui groaned inwardly. I’m done for.
She had taken up the sword and descended that platform stage upon realizing the revealed identity behind the red-veiled dancer.
Jiang Xiaoman – notorious wandering swords-maiden whose spear strikes rained silver night blooms – instantly recognized that woman’s appearance here certainly portended homicide.
Jiang Kui had no choice but to dance in admonition, preventing the other’s schemes. The moment she took stance wielding the sword atop the stage, her opponent read the deterrent edge harbored in that motion and eventually held still without acting out.
But Jiang Kui never anticipated Xie Wuyan’s musical accompaniment to her impromptu performance.
On one hand, the unexpected interference of the Crown Prince provided reasonable grounds that misled the banquet guests into assuming the paired exhibition was a deliberate response towards Prince Qi’s opening battle anthem. Attention deflected from her onto Xie Wuyan instead.
On the other hand, their joint collaboration also denoted the Jiang clan military family, previously uninvolved with court factions, openly pledging the Crown Prince’s side – henceforth inextricably sucked into the struggle over succession, without any further chance of compromise.
Which was undoubtedly the last thing Father Jiang Cheng wanted to see happen.
Jiang Kui could almost hear Father bellowing by her ear. She was blamable in three egregious respects: Firstly acting without his prior counsel in taking the spotlight. Secondly, exposing before his very eyes the fact she had been feigning chronic illness this entire time. Thirdly careless instigation of sensational theatrics during the peaceable Autumn Festival gathering that openly intensified the underlying conflict, plunging their entire household within.
She felt utterly deserving of thousand deaths for such unforgivable offenses.
Yet slightly consoled herself that blame wasn’t hers alone. Xie Wuyan ought to shoulder half the responsibility.
Without his musical initiative, her impromptu sword dance could easily be written off as a tipsy beauty’s caprice. Bards may even have memorialized the charming tableau through verses.
Alas now their paired spectacle would also become the stuff of fables, albeit at steep personal cost where Father’s stern chastisement probably awaited.
Pondering thus, Jiang Kui grew somewhat irked by Xie Wuyan’s presumptuous actions. She tilted her head to peer at that deep crimson figure seated amidst crowds on the opposite barge, raising a wine cup in remote toast.
What possessed you to leave your place for a musical performance?
And at such rapid difficult tempo – had her own accomplished dancing been any less nimble, she might have fumbled from failing to follow his pace!
Any stumbles would have shamed his esteemed countenance instead.
Inwardly Jiang Kui gave an indignant huff, mentally penalizing Xie Wuyan one demerit. Next she pivoted and solemnly slapped her third brother’s shoulder. “Many thanks, elder brother. Do your best to obstruct Father, I’m escaping now.”
Jiang Yuan spun from her hearty pat, reorienting unsteadily to confront their sire instead.
Just as Jiang Kui plunged into the crowds, Imperial Concubine Pei Yue drifted gracefully forth in rippling grey silken gown subtly patterned with clouds. Raised in hand was a small bronze ewer from which she tipped wine into a golden goblet, insistently pressing it into Jiang Kui’s hand.
Smiling widely she declared: “I’d always heard young miss Jiang suffered delicate health, but that stunning dance tonight hands down confirms your lineage as true scions of martial nobility! Here is my utmost tribute in toast!”
Jiang Kui grumbled inwardly: Since when am I your precious young miss?
She barely even recognized Imperial Concubine Pei Yue, hitherto interactions never surpassing obligatory greetings during banquets. Yet the Prince Qi’s Consort had already accosted her twice tonight, leaping at slightest pretext to foist conversation and wine upon her. Jiang Kui declined twice without irate reaction, but remained guarded against her overly familiar façade.
The Crown Prince and Prince Qi camps were like fire and water. Sensing the hidden fangs behind superficial geniality, Jiang Kui stayed wary. One eye tracking the gradually intensifying tug-of-war confrontation between her father and third brother, she replied absently. “You flatter me unduly, Consort Pei. I have urgent matters that I must go attend.”
“Even consumed by pressing affairs, I trust my little sister won’t disregard this one cup in toast?” Pei Yue smiled enticingly. “I also have private words to share, perhaps we may reconvene later for a chat aboard the small craft ahead?”
Captivating charm graced her visage. For a split second, Jiang Kui nearly believed that affectionate form of familial address. Linking arms, Pei Yue indicated a modest vessel with cyan pennants anchored nearby in suggestion, face grave and eager as she gave Jiang Kui’s arm meaningful squeezes, gently urging: “If my little sister is willing, I await you there.”
Not wholly grasping Pei Yue’s objective for such mysterious “private words”, Jiang Kui had no chance to inquire before downing the proffered wine in one go. Hastily bidding adieu, she slipped away, evading her father while plunging into milling guests.
Bathed in glimmering radiance, Pei Yue watched her retreating shadow far off, lips gradually curving smugly.
Just then amidst the bustling throngs, Jiang Kui glimpsed a fleeting crimson figure – that sword-dancing girl from the battle anthem performance!
bobbing heads all around, a flutter of red darted furtively through shifting lights into streaming human traffic.
“Halt!” Jiang Kui shouted, spurting after that fading outline.
Like a minnow darting rapidly between festooned barges, the red-clothed dancer adeptly threaded through seas of guests. Jiang Kui followed urgently, leaving in her wake Father Jiang Cheng jogging while three elder brothers hustled to obstruct his advance.
One after another, the three trailing clusters knocked one domino to the next, wildly stirring chaos akin to squalls blustering through crowds resembling living streams.
“Your Highness.” Luo Shiyi accompanied Xie Wuyan standing atop the highest barge point, discreetly indicating the commoting scene below.
Xie Wuyan leaned idly on carved railings, just raising a tea cup when he glanced down and glimpsed that frantically scrambling girl. He froze briefly before a bubbly chuckle escaped him.
Luo Shiyi hurriedly thumped his back in concern, only to hear the Crown Prince set his cup down amidst lingering laughter and say, “Let’s go as well, to chase them down.”
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