Chapter 19
Chapter 19
A Dance (3)
On the surface, she seemed to be helping her out, but in reality, she was cementing Zheng Wan’s ‘aversion to dance’. Furthermore, she was also showing her magnificent bearing as the future Princess Consort, and at the same time, gaining the Crown Prince’s favour with a dance.
She, Second Lady Liu, was famous for her dancing skills.
Zheng Wan felt that she rather much preferred Rong Qin’s straightforward nature than the Second Lady Liu who hid her scheming nature under the cover of kindness.
“You– You all are going too far!”
Princess Rong Yi had come back from the waterside pavilion at some point and came up to the second floor of the marble boat. She rushed in angrily, “It’s only been a few days, but all those words of sisterly affection seem to have just vaporised in thin air? Well, putting that aside, how can you all just allow the County Princess to brazenly bully people like this? My royal family– when did my royal family become this, this—”
The more agitated she grew, the more she was at a loss for words.
The young ladies who had been close with Zheng Wan were all red in the face and embarrassed.
“Rong Yi——” Zheng Wan stood up, walked calmly to her side, and pressed her to sit down. “Don’t hurt the peace because of me.”
Rong Yi lifted her head, “But——”
“It’s fine.”
Zheng Wan patted her shoulder.
For some reason, Rong Yi’s heart suddenly settled.
“I’ll dance.”
Zheng Wan stepped forward calmly and gave a graceful bow.
Everyone watched the young lady dressed in dark emerald cloud brocade. A slender, graceful waist; black hair like a waterfall; skin that gleamed more than snow—an effortlessly elegant and natural demeanour.
This was the elegance that could only be bred in a well-established, aristocratic family.
A pity.
It was really such a pity.
“What should we do? When we were arguing, the dancer and musicians secretly ran away!” exclaimed Third Lady Jiang.
“Why are you kicking up such a fuss?” Rong Qin frowned, “I saw them all trembling like little chicks, so I told them to take their leave.”
“Then… there won’t be any dance or music accompaniment for Wan’niang’s performance.”
Zheng Wan shook her head.
“Why make things difficult for them? They are innocent bystanders. This gentleman,” she turned around and looked at Cui Wang who was drinking in the corner. “Would you be my music accompaniment?”
The light in her eyes was like the late spring rain, ardent and pitiful, but the heart of the gentleman was like iron; Cui Wang shook his head and refused with his silence.
For the first time, Zheng Wan had miscalculated Cui Wang’s actions. On the inside, she was about to vomit blood, but she still had to keep a dignified and calm smile on her face. “If the gentleman is unwilling, that’s fine.
I shall dance without music.” She bowed ceremoniously, and when she straightened, her expression had changed. “The name of the dance is, ‘Pozhen’.”
“‘Pozhen?’”
Rong Yi raised her eyebrows and hid a smile in her hand. “Wan’niang is really gutsy, to dare choose this male dance!”
‘Pozhen’ is a martial dance performed by males; the vigorous dance brought to mind imagery of shining spears and armoured horses, breaking free from being ambushed on all sides. Females usually performed soft, graceful dances, and it was almost unheard of for a female to perform a martial dance.
Zheng Wan smiled and bowed again.
When she raised her hand to assume the first pose, Second Lady Liu’s face sank slightly—a layman watches with excitement, but the trained eye examines skills and foundation; from just this starting pose, she could tell that Zheng Wan was well trained.
The dark emerald cloud brocade veil bloomed with the movement of the beauty’s pair of snow-white arms. Her shoulders and back were firm and strong; when she spun, that ink-black hair of hers spun as well—though it was by no means soft and flowy like water, but more like the cutting strength of gold and iron.
An insignificant little worm that refused to follow the flow of water.
Even if one couldn’t understand the dance, the dancer’s beauty was obvious, and the dance was also very beautiful. For those who understood, they couldn’t help but remember the background of the dance as she moved—there were dying generals and young men on horses, casting down their lives and spilling blood…
The appreciation of beauty is universal. The dance seemed to stir up the patriotic sentiments in everyone’s hearts, and hearts swelled…