5: Zhou Shu
By the time Qiao Shilian returned to the banquet hall, the guests were all seated.
Brilliant lantern light, sheer curtains lightly draped, the shifting shadows of the drapes dancing around a large wooden lotus placed in the center of the hall. The lotus bud was nearly as tall as a person, painted white with touches of pink, so lifelike it seemed real.
As the sound of string instruments reached her ears, a series of mechanical clicks came from the lotus. Smoke rose from its base, white mist swirling, and the petals slowly bloomed, revealing a red-clad beauty seated within the stamen, her face pure and lovely, her posture slender and soft, seemingly boneless.
The guests were captivated by this painting-like figure, all focusing intently, afraid of missing any of her graceful movements.
Fortunately, at this moment, everyone’s attention was on Zhou Shu, and no one noticed Qiao Shilian stealthily making her way back to her seat from the edge of the hall. Midway, she glanced at Fang Yaoyao’s seat and found it empty. It was clear Fang Yaoyao, having received her punishment with cheeks swollen like a pig’s head, was too ashamed to attend.
At a table elsewhere, a man with a handsome, jade-like face fanned himself as he watched the captivating Zhou Shu. Smiling, he said to Su Zhuoguang beside him, “The Zhou family has put extraordinary effort into their daughter this year. They say when it comes to dance in the capital, no one surpasses Zhou Shu. To have the fortune to witness…”
The man’s words trailed off as he noticed Su Zhuoguang seemed not to have heard a single word, his gaze distant, fixed not at all on the dancing Zhou Shu upon the lotus platform.
Following his line of sight, the man saw Qiao Shilian bent over, hiding behind the curtains, slowly inching towards her seat in the front. However, a certain official there, overly engrossed in enjoying the dance and wine, had absentmindedly leaned back a bit, accidentally pinning the hem of Qiao Shilian’s skirt beneath him.
Qiao Shilian was on the verge of tears. Hiding in the shadows, she tugged for what felt like half an hour but couldn’t free her skirt. The surrounding music and dance were too loud; she couldn’t call out to this official, nor could she raise her voice in such a setting.
She then crouched down and quietly tapped him on the back, but there was still no reaction. This official was completely absorbed in cheering for Zhou Shu’s dance, as if he had lost all other senses.
Qiao Shilian was speechless. Just how much has this person had to drink?
Gritting her teeth, she thought, she, who have always been so focused on maintaining a dignified and proper image, was being discourteous for the first time, arriving in the middle of the banquet. She was thin-skinned; she simply couldn’t bring herself to appear in front of everyone and ask this esteemed official to kindly move his noble behind so she could free her skirt.
This was more mortifying than death.
“So… it turns out you enjoy watching this kind of spectacle…”
Across the hall, at Su Zhuoguang’s table, the man beside him had also noticed Qiao Shilian’s predicament. His expression then turned peculiar, a stiff smile on his face as he addressed Su Zhuoguang.
“Ji Huai’an, you talk too much.” Su Zhuoguang picked up his wine cup, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Qiao Shilian, whose face was flushed as if dyed with sunset clouds. He watched as she decisively tore the trapped section of her skirt, concealed the damage, and slipped into the empty seat beside Qiao Shiqing.
The corner of his brow lifted slightly. He never imagined this usually dignified and serene young lady had such a side to her.
“You’re not watching a perfectly good beauty perform a dance. Instead, you’re so interested in a little cat hiding in the shadows, all flustered and agitated. Isn’t that strange?”
Ji Chen shot him a look. Then, seeing which seat Qiao Shilian had returned to, he exclaimed in surprise, “Huh? Is that the Second Young Miss Qiao?”
Earlier, Qiao Shilian had been half-hidden, concealed behind the seats in the dim light, so Ji Chen hadn’t recognized her. And Ji Chen, in his life, loved beautiful women above all else. Someone like Qiao Shilian was precisely his type.
Ji Chen immediately changed his tune. “Not bad, Fubai. You do have good taste. If you ask me, in the capital, the only one who matches you is this Young Miss Qiao. Who doesn’t know that the Second Young Miss of the Qiao family has a face like a beguiling crabapple flower under the sun, snow gathered under the moon? She’s the number one beauty in the capital! And her temperament is the most elegant and refined among women…”
Su Zhuoguang: “…”
Who was the one who just said I was strange?
And… elegant and refined? Wasn’t it her, the woman who tore her skirt with brute force and walked away?
On the other side, Qiao Shilian returned to her seat and poured herself a cup of tea.
She let out a long, relieved sigh, secretly grateful that probably no one had noticed her quiet return. Tearing her skirt had been a last resort. Between her dignity and a piece of clothing, she naturally chose the former. After the banquet ended, she could have Qiuying bring her outer garment from the carriage to wear, which would cover the torn part of her skirt.
Originally, she could have declined to attend this evening banquet, claiming illness. But she wanted to personally witness Zhou Shu’s dance performance and see if her assistance would lead to a different outcome than in her past life.
The sound of jade and ice striking had not yet ceased. Zhou Shu spun gracefully on the lotus platform, suddenly waving her sleeves. A subtle fragrance wafted through the air, spreading to the banquet tables, as if a lotus fairy had descended to bring this delicate scent to the mortal realm.
This was precisely the purpose of the perfume in Zhou Shu’s dance, and it was also the most crucial part. After the guests enjoyed the audio-visual feast of the dance and music, the olfactory finale enhanced the unique charm. Moreover, the perfume was Qiao Shilian’s own creation, elegant and rich in fragrance, perfectly complementing Zhou Shu’s ‘Living Lotus Dance’.
Everyone present, including the Crown Prince, was deeply immersed. This dance performance achieved the effect Zhou Shu desired.
In her past life, the reason the Crown Prince came to dislike Zhou Shu because of this dance was that after the prepared perfume was broken, Zhou Shu hastily found a rose perfume as a substitute. And it just so happened that the Crown Prince disliked rose perfume.
Matters of perfume, like Zhou Shu’s background, could have been easily researched to understand the Crown Prince’s preferences.
But unfortunately, the Crown Prince’s tastes were fickle. Originally indifferent to roses, recently, upon returning drunk from a banquet, he had accidentally smashed an entire pot of rose perfume. The strong scent had given him a headache. Even though the palace servants had worked hard to clean it up, it seemed the perfume was of such high quality that its scent lingered…
In short, the Crown Prince couldn’t stand anything rose-related lately; it made him nauseous. This had happened recently, so Zhou Shu, who had been preparing her dance for some time, hadn’t heard about this new aversion, leading to the mistake.
While Zhou Shu didn’t know, it didn’t mean Fang Yaoyao, who was constantly by Qiao Shilian’s side, didn’t know.
Therefore, this scheme likely had Fang Yaoyao’s hand in it. If Qiao Shilian hadn’t appeared in time to give the Zhou family maid perfume, Zhou Shu probably would have only been able to find the rose perfume that Fang Yaoyao had prepared in advance.
Fang Yaoyao, ah, Fang Yaoyao. So, you started scheming against people’s hearts this early.
Qiao Shilian sighed. Hateful that I, in my past life, didn’t have the slightest inkling, believing Fang Yaoyao to be pure and innocent, unskilled in plotting.
As the music piece ended, Zhou Shu leaped down from the lotus platform and bowed gracefully to Qin Shuo with a smile.
“Excellent!” Qin Shuo looked at Zhou Shu with satisfaction, applauding. “I’ve long heard of Miss Zhou’s superb dancing skills. Seeing it today, it truly lives up to its reputation. For the Zhou family to have someone as wonderful as you is the envy of all.”
“Thank you for Your Highness’s praise. This humble subject’s daughter is overjoyed to have Your Highness’s approval.” Zhou Shu thanked him generously and returned to her seat. When she looked up, she gave Qiao Shilian a friendly smile.
Qiao Shilian returned a gentle smile, knowing she had gained Zhou Shu’s goodwill.
Compared to the falsehoods hidden beneath Fang Yaoyao’s delicate face, Qiao Shilian felt inclined to befriend this outspoken woman who dared to show anger and speak her mind.
Even if Zhou Shu also likes the Crown Prince.
Qiao Shilian rested her chin on her hand, gazing at Qin Shuo at the high seat of honor. He was raising his cup in a toast, every gesture exuding nobility. The brilliant lantern light reflected the imperiousness in his eyes as he looked down upon the assembly, his habitual arrogance unrivaled on his face.
He remained as dazzling as before, the Crown Prince revered by all, the future Son of Heaven. He was also the man she had loved for many years and to whom she had given her sincere heart.
But now, she felt only repulsion.
She only wanted to hide in a quiet, comfortable, vast expanse of heaven and earth, not be trapped in his gilded cage.
During those years after her death, she had seen things clearly. She was merely a splendid bird in Qin Shuo’s palm, seemingly doted on without limits. But in reality, if she ever touched upon his interests, he would abandon her without hesitation, just like in her past life.
A gilded cage never lacks splendid birds. Discarding this one, he could always find another.
Therefore, Qiao Shilian wanted to escape from Qin Shuo’s side.
She refused to have her freedom and life strangled, her survival dependent solely on his whims.
She refused to become a wandering ghost again, to be discarded by the world again. She would not be dependent on anyone; she only wanted to be herself.
“Miss Qiao.”
Zhou Shu’s voice called Qiao Shilian back to the present. The banquet had ended, and before she even had time to change out of her dance costume, Zhou Shu had walked directly to Qiao Shilian.
Her makeup, done simply to resemble a lotus, with just a touch of powder, couldn’t conceal Zhou Shu’s inherent brilliance—phoenix eyes and vermilion lips, dazzling and captivating.
She took a porcelain bottle of perfume from her sleeve. “My maid told me this perfume was what you lent me in my time of need.”
“If Miss Zhou likes it, please keep it as a gift. Tonight’s dance was a great feast for the eyes. Consider it a small token from Shilian, captivated by your performance.” Qiao Shilian stood up as she spoke.
These words also came from the heart. As a young lady of the inner chambers, Qiao Shilian was naturally skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Only dance was different; she preferred quietude and was shy, so even if she learned it, she wouldn’t dare display her skills before others. But she still genuinely admired such extraordinary dance skills and appreciated such a radiant woman.
Qiao Shilian thought, in her past life, if it weren’t for Fang Yaoyao, she would have certainly become acquainted with Zhou Shu.
Zhou Shu was born into a marquis household, a military family. She had lived freely and unrestrained since childhood, unbound by conventional etiquette. While the current fashion among women was dignified gentleness, she stood out as incongruous. More like a desert eagle than a caged bird, this was one of the reasons Qiao Shilian felt moved and envious.
Zhou Shu shook her head. “I haven’t yet thanked Miss Qiao for your timely help. How dare I accept a gift from you as well?”
Qiao Shilian took Zhou Shu’s hand and gently pushed the perfume bottle back. “This perfume is something I made myself during my leisure time. It’s not a precious item. Since it helped you, it must have some affinity with you. Giving it to you is most fitting. Please don’t refuse anymore, Miss Zhou. If you want to thank me, next time you have such a splendid dance performance to share, you must invite me.”
“Alright.” Zhou Shu wasn’t a coy person. Since Qiao Shilian had put it that way, she no longer refused.
This close, Zhou Shu examined the smiling, charming person before her. Though she herself was beautiful, Qiao Shilian’s temperament was completely different from hers.
So gentle and composed, so pure and flawless, her face seemingly crafted by the world into near perfection. It was hard for Zhou Shu not to feel an urge to draw closer. This was something she couldn’t find in other women who deliberately conformed to the current popular trends.
Previously, she had only known Qiao Shilian as the treasure held in the palms of the Prime Minister’s household and the Crown Prince, a flower of extreme beauty born under abundant favor. Now, seeing her like this, she couldn’t help but want to linger beneath this flower’s shade.
Everyone loved beauty, and she was no exception.
The porcelain perfume bottle in her palm felt warm from her grasp. A thought stirred in Zhou Shu’s heart. “May I call you Shilian from now on?”
Qiao Shilian was momentarily taken aback, but seeing the anticipation in Zhou Shu’s eyes, she understood Zhou Shu already regarded her as a friend.
She smiled softly. “Ah Shu?”
“Perfect! I like that very much!” Zhou Shu’s smile curved her eyes like crescent moons, her face radiant with joy.
Then she took a silver bell from her own pouch. “This is from my dance bells. Consider it a token. Shilian, if you ever want to see me dance, you can bring this silver bell to the marquis residence anytime, and I’ll dance for you.”
Qiao Shilian ran her fingers over the bell’s pattern, warmth spreading in her heart. “Is this Ah Shu’s lifetime pass to watch your dances?”
“Exactly!” Zhou Shu answered brightly.
The two women felt an immediate connection, appreciating each other’s qualities. They conversed happily afterwards, and Qiao Shilian couldn’t help but feel a sense of unreality. So just one step different leads to such a different outcome.
It wasn’t until a Zhou family maid reminded Zhou Shu of the time to return home that Zhou Shu reluctantly bid farewell.
The banquet hall was long empty. Qiao Shiqing seemed to have had urgent matters mid-way. When urged to leave, seeing his younger sister still deep in conversation with Zhou Shu, clearly enjoying herself, he had no choice but to leave first after instructing Qiuying.
Unexpectedly, night rain began to pour down. As Qiuying held an umbrella and accompanied Qiao Shilian outside the detached courtyard, they heard the neighing of a horse. Not far away, a horse seemed to have been startled.
Then the carriage plunged headfirst into the mountain mud, its body flipping over with a crash, splattering rainwater everywhere.
Qiao Shilian halted her steps. If she wasn’t mistaken, that was her family’s carriage.
**