Meng’s Mother was also extremely embarrassed, and at this moment, she resented Meng Yanzhi even more for being unrefined and causing her to lose face!
In front of such a large audience, admitting to being a good-for-nothing who knew nothing would turn the entire Meng family into a laughingstock among the capital’s nobility.
She forced an awkward smile and said, “Yanzhi was injured a couple of days ago…”
“In that case, this humble girl will make a fool of herself.”
Meng Yanzhi stood up, bowed to Consort Wang, and then turned her gaze to Miss Lin.
“I’ve heard that Miss Lin’s dancing is unparalleled in the capital. I wonder if I might have the honor of collaborating with you on a piece?” Meng Yanzhi smiled amiably at Miss Lin, though her smile concealed a hidden blade.
Miss Lin had initially thought that Meng Yanzhi wouldn’t dare to agree to play the zither, but she never expected that not only would she play, but she would also ask her to dance?
For some reason, Miss Lin had been quite certain that Meng Yanzhi knew nothing at all, but now she felt as if she had dug her own pit and was about to fall into it.
“Bring the Xiangliu Zither.”
Xiao Xingyuan, who had been silent until now, spoke coldly.
His words immediately drew the attention of nearly everyone present, especially Consort Wang, who widened her eyes in disbelief before smiling and saying, “The Eldest Miss of the Meng family is truly fortunate. This Xiangliu Zither was passed down from the late emperor to His Majesty. It’s usually kept out of sight and treasured dearly.”
Before meeting Consort Wang, Meng Yanzhi had even thought that everyone in the world was like the Meng family. But now, she finally realized that there were still people in the world with pure and simple hearts.
Consort Wang was completely unaware of the gravity of the situation, merely delighted. No wonder the Emperor doted on her so much—who wouldn’t like a simpler girl?
The Xiangliu Zither was quickly brought forward. At this moment, Xiao Ce also stood up and bowed. “Since we have such fine zither music, I would also like to accompany it with a flute melody.”
Consort Wang immediately clapped her hands. “That would be wonderful! It’s been so long since I’ve heard the Crown Prince play the flute. What a blessing today is!”
Meng Yanzhi smiled faintly and sat before the Xiangliu Zither. She then gently plucked the strings. Though her movements were somewhat stiff, the melody flowed smoothly—clearly, she was not unskilled.
In her previous life, after marrying Xu Shize, Meng Yanzhi had worked hard to learn everything from scratch—zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. During that time, her ten fingers were rarely free of wounds, often bruised and even bloodied.
She had thought it was because she was coarse and unrefined that she wasn’t liked, and she strove to change herself. Little did she know that the hardships she endured back then didn’t win Xu Shize’s favor but instead came in handy at this moment.
Xiao Ce gradually harmonized with Meng Yanzhi’s zither melody, and their coordination was seamless.
Miss Lin hesitated for a moment before stepping to the rhythm and beginning to dance gracefully.
Meng Yanzhi’s reason for sitting here to play the zither was not only to save face but also to tear apart Miss Lin’s dignity.
Her fingers quickly changed their technique, speeding up the tempo. Xiao Ce followed without a trace, and the originally melodious and gentle tune gradually became passionate and stirring.
Miss Lin did not possess such natural talent and quickly lost her footing in the dance, tumbling to the ground.
“Ah!” Miss Lin twisted her ankle and cried out in pain.
At that moment, Meng Yanzhi’s zither music ceased. She smiled cheerfully at Xiao Ce and said, “Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince, your flute playing is truly remarkable—so exquisite.”
“Miss Meng’s zither skills are also unparalleled,” Xiao Ce replied with a slight smile before returning to his seat.
Xiao Xingyuan’s face darkened as he coldly observed the interaction between the two. An inexplicable heat surged in his chest.
“Quick, fetch a royal physician to examine Miss Lin properly!”
“An excellent performance—reward her!”
Consort Wang cast a disdainful glance at Miss Lin before promptly bestowing a reward. Since Miss Lin had stumbled before the emperor, avoiding punishment was already a testament to Consort Wang’s magnanimity—naturally, Miss Lin received no share of the rewards.
Limping back to her seat, Miss Lin gritted her teeth and glared fiercely at Meng Yanzhi sitting opposite her.
All the other noble young men present turned their gazes toward Meng Yanzhi, their eyes filled with newfound admiration.
Seated nearby, Meng’s Mother tightly grasped Meng Yanzhi’s hand, her expression stern. “When did you learn to play the zither?”
“I listened a bit while my sister was practicing,” Meng Yanzhi replied, her eyes reddening as she looked pitifully at her mother. “Mother, have I done something wrong?”
Meng’s Mother would certainly not make a scene at such a moment. Her face gloomy, she stared intently at Meng Yanzhi and said, “If you obstruct your sister’s path, I will never forgive you!”
After speaking, she withdrew her hand and averted her gaze.
It was at this moment that Meng Yanzhi finally understood one thing: no matter how outstanding she was, no matter how brilliantly she shone, there would always be only one person in her mother’s heart and eyes.
No matter how hard she tried, in these people’s eyes, she would never measure up to Meng Anxian in this lifetime.
Since that was the case, Meng Yanzhi no longer wished to force the issue.
The banquet proceeded according to schedule. Then, Xiao Xingyuan excused himself on account of urgent matters and left in a huff. Consort Wang relaxed entirely and waved her hand, allowing everyone to amuse themselves freely.
Meng Yanzhi took a deep breath and found a corner to sit in, silently watching the koi fish swimming back and forth in the pond. Sometimes, she even felt a twinge of envy for these carefree little fish, wishing she could be just like them.
“What are you looking at?” Xiao Ce suddenly approached, curious, and sat down beside her.
Meng Yanzhi instinctively glanced around to ensure no one had seen them before letting out a sigh of relief.
“What are you afraid of?” Noticing her nervousness, Xiao Ce frowned slightly and looked at her with curiosity.
Meng Yanzhi whispered, “An unmarried man and woman alone together—this humble girl is afraid.”
“Don’t be afraid. When you’re with me, no one would dare say anything about you.” Every time Xiao Ce saw Meng Yanzhi’s pitiful appearance, an inexplicable sense of pity welled up within him.
Hearing this, Meng Yanzhi roughly understood his thoughts. She knew that the first step she desired had likely been achieved; the next step would follow.
Meng Yanzhi lowered her head and smiled shyly.
“Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince is truly remarkable.”
Many people would say such things to Xiao Ce, but it seemed only Meng Yanzhi spoke with genuine sincerity.
The corners of his lips lifted slightly as he said with a smile, “You’re quite impressive too.”