Chapter 41-Part 2

Emperor Duanqing coldly said, “Since the emperor of Bo claims this woman is good at dancing, I’ll give her a chance to perform. If she has a cold, dancing and sweating will help. Her father sent her to Luo’an City to win my favor, did he not?”

With the imperial decree issued, the matter was settled.

When Jiang Xiurun heard about this, she was worried and indirectly asked the Crown Prince.

Feng Liwu thought it would be best if Jiang Xiuyao met an “accidental” death. However, with the rumor of the Bo hostage woman giving birth at the post station spreading wildly, her sudden death at this point would only deepen suspicions and implicate Jiang Xiurun. The solution was simple: find a dancer to impersonate her. With heavy makeup and a dance performance, they could get through it.

On the day of Emperor Duanqing’s birthday banquet, officials paid homage, and tribute princes from various states in Luo’an City, dressed in their respective national costumes, went to the palace to offer congratulations.

Although Jiang Xiurun was a tutor at the Crown Prince’s residence, she was also a tribute prince from Bo. Therefore, she entered the palace with her brother that day.

From the moment she entered the palace, Jiang Xiurun had an unsettling feeling, as if something significant was about to happen.

Halfway through the banquet, someone whispered something to Feng Liwu, who then left with a grave expression.

Jiang Xiurun didn’t initially pay attention, but she noticed Tian Ying smiling at her. The smile didn’t reach her eyes and carried a hint of malicious satisfaction.

Jiang Xiurun was too familiar with this expression from Tian Ying. In her past life, every time she embarrassed the Crown Princess, Cao Xi, in front of others, Tian Ying had this same barely contained smug look…

However, Jiang Xiurun didn’t understand why Tian Ying was opposing her in this life.

As time passed, the moment for the hostage woman from Bo to perform approached, and Jiang Xiurun grew increasingly anxious.

Eventually, she excused herself to visit her younger sister and went to the side hall where Jiang Xiuyao was waiting for an audience.

However, Jiang Xiuyao, still recovering from childbirth, didn’t appear. The dancer Feng Liwu had found to replace Jiang Xiuyao was sitting inside, waiting.

The person handling the matter had found a dancer from Bo who was naturally slender and tall, with distinct features characteristic of Bo mixed with some Persian traits.

For some reason, the dancer had been in pain since Jiang Xiurun entered, leaning over the table.

Jiang Xiurun approached and was startled to find blood trickling from beneath the dancer’s white dress.

Jiang Zhi, who accompanied Jiang Xiurun, panicked and asked, “Should we find a physician?”

At this moment, finding a physician was impossible.

Jiang Xiurun quickly inquired and learned that the dancer had drunk some tea that had been brought in, after which she became like this.

Jiang Xiurun picked up the remaining tea and sniffed it, immediately detecting that it contained herbs that could invigorate blood circulation and open the meridians, and the taste was strong, so the medicinal properties must be very strong.

Even a healthy woman would immediately start menstruating after drinking it; for a woman who had just given birth, it could cause unstoppable bleeding.

With the dance performance imminent, Jiang Xiurun realized that holding the tea cup and making accusations would be futile, especially since the fallen dancer was an impostor.

Emperor Duanqing had already heard the rumors about the Bo tribute woman giving birth. If any abnormality occurred during her dance, the Emperor would have a valid reason to punish Jiang Xiurun and her brother publicly, without anyone, not even the Crown Prince, being able to defend them.

Realizing this, Jiang Xiurun broke into a cold sweat and sent guards to find the Crown Prince, only to learn that he was in another side hall, discussing urgent matters.

Amid the chaos in the room, an attendant suddenly arrived, urging the Bo tribute woman to present herself and dance for the Emperor.

At that moment, even Jiang Zhi was on the verge of tears, prepared to kneel before the Emperor and beg for mercy…

Back in the main hall, the song and dance had just ended when the imperial attendant announced loudly, “The tribute woman from Bo, Jiang Xiuyao, will now dance for His Majesty!”

But after the sharp call, everyone looked towards the hall entrance, and no one appeared.

The attendant called again in a high-pitched voice, but still, no one came.

The hall fell silent, and the officials, who had been laughing and drinking, sensed something was wrong. The room grew quieter, while Tian Ying’s smile became even more pronounced as she looked at the empty seats of the Bo tribute princes.

A mere man of dubious background competing with her for favor? He dared?

Emperor Duanqing, having nearly forgotten about the tribute woman, grew increasingly angry at her failure to appear after being summoned twice.

A woman who had just given birth couldn’t possibly perform a dance. Even if she could, her figure would be distorted. To defy an imperial order and not appear—did she have the guts of a bear or a leopard?

After a moment of silence, Emperor Duanqing’s face darkened, and he slammed his palm on the table, ready to speak, when suddenly, the sound of tinkling bells echoed from the hall entrance. A woman, her face veiled in thin gauze and wearing a waist-revealing dress, delicately lifted her long skirt and entered under the guidance of an attendant.

As she entered, the hall fell even quieter.

The woman had long, black hair, adorned only with two gemstone hairpins at her temples. Her smooth forehead was decorated with half-open peony petals, and her ankles were adorned with strings of golden bells. She had a slender waist and long legs.

Though her face was obscured, her figure and the glimpse of her bright eyes through the veil revealed an extraordinarily seductive beauty.