If you were cold and aloof in your past life, why are you crying in this one?

In the garden, the sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments filled the air, signaling the start of the birthday banquet.

Xi Lingxian didn't even glance at Zheng Lun and Zhao Heng.

A fool who blindly follows the crowd, he was sold out by Xi Yao and then turned around and counted the money for her.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the exchange of toasts, daughters from various families stepped forward to perform and offer their blessings for the birthday celebration.

The reputation of the Langya Wang family is renowned far and wide. The mere glimpse of wealth they possess is enough to sustain others for a lifetime. Old Madam Wang is the most distinguished person in the inner courtyard of the Wang family. On such an occasion, who wouldn't try to please her?

First came several daughters from the Wang family. Wang Shuhui wrote calligraphy, as the Wang family has always regarded calligraphy as a family tradition and strictly required its members to follow it. Wang Shuhui was influenced by this and also wrote beautiful characters, which were vigorous, even, and with natural strokes. Everyone praised her after seeing them.

Wang Shuyuan played the zither and performed music that lingered in the air, earning her a standing ovation.

Madam Zhang, the eldest wife of the Xie family, said with a smile, "As expected of the daughters of the Wang family, they are all so extraordinary."

Wang Shuhui smiled and said, "Auntie, you flatter me. Sister Wanyi must have come prepared today. We wouldn't dare to show off our limited skills in front of her."

Xie Wanyi stood up as Wang Shuhui spoke, and all eyes in the room turned toward her.

Today, she wore a light blue dress, which made her look gentle and graceful. She walked lightly to the old lady and bowed gracefully, saying, "For the old lady's birthday banquet, I, Wanyi, have painted a small picture to present to you. I wish you long life and good fortune."

The maid behind Xie Wanyi stepped forward with a scroll in her hands and carefully unfurled it.

"It is a painting titled 'Pine and Crane in the Southern Mountains'."

The pine trees are vigorous and the cranes are graceful. In the distance, the southern mountains are faintly visible, shrouded in clouds and mist. The brushwork is delicate and the colors are elegant. In particular, the cranes are in different postures and are lifelike.

Madam Wang nodded repeatedly, "Good child, your brushwork is so delicate, it's clear you put in a lot of effort. It's truly admirable how thoughtful you are."

"I'm glad the old lady is happy."

Wang Shuhui smiled and replied, "Sister Wanyi's paintings are first-rate, and she is also proficient in poetry and prose. You can't find another woman with such talent in the whole capital."

Wang Shuyuan teased, "Sister Wanyi's character and talent are unmatched among women, and among men... it seems only Second Brother can rival her."

Xie Wanyi glanced at the man sitting on the high platform out of the corner of her eye, and said with a smile and humbly, "My two sisters are too kind. This is just a small thing for a girl like me. How can it compare to Brother Qingyu's mastery of a great teacher? If you keep praising me, you are just trying to embarrass me."

The noble ladies from various families took turns to appear on stage. Shen Qingdai nudged Lingxian softly, "It's your turn."

Xi Lingxian nodded to Taozhi behind her, who then stepped forward with the brocade box and opened it in front of the old lady.

It is a jade screen, entirely emerald green, with a warm and lustrous texture. The pattern of Magu celebrating her birthday is lifelike, and it gleams softly in the sunlight.

Jade screens are undoubtedly precious, but noble ladies from aristocratic families usually present them as gifts to showcase their talents; it's rare to see one like Xi Lingxian's.

Madam Wang was very fond of the pattern of Magu celebrating a birthday on the screen. She stroked it for a while, reluctant to let go, before asking someone to put it away.

Xie Wanyi's gaze fell on the old lady's hands, and the smile on her face froze for a moment.

Yesterday, my cousin Gu Xin came to me crying to complain that she lost to Xi Lingxian in a fight over a jade screen at Baohua Tower and was even beaten up.

My cousin Gu Xin is arrogant by nature, so it's not surprising that she gets beaten up and causes trouble.

What she cared about was that her cousin said Wang Jue was also there that day.

He saw Xi Lingxian hit someone, and he saw her draw her knife and bully Gu Xin.

Xie Wanyi was secretly delighted; she wanted to see it with her own eyes.

Wang Jue, with his measured approach to life, would surely understand that a woman as shrewish and fierce as Xi Lingxian would never be a suitable matriarch for the Wang family.

Only she can do it, only she is the most suitable.

……

"I wonder what talents Miss Xi has prepared to entertain everyone?"

Xi Lingxian looked up.

Zheng Lun.

She and Zheng Lun had no past grudges or present animosity, but his barbed words at this moment clearly indicated that he was standing up for Xi Yao.

Zheng Lun curled the corners of his lips and deliberately raised his voice so that the people in the surrounding seats could hear him:

"Just now, all the young ladies showcased their talents, some with paintings, some with zithers, and some with poems. How come when it came to Miss Xi, she only brought out her jade screen?"

He paused, then chuckled, "Could it be that Miss Xi... doesn't have anything worth mentioning?"

There was a moment of silence at the table. Several noble ladies who were on good terms with Xi Yao exchanged glances, their faces showing amusement.

Xi Yao lowered her head and covered her mouth. "Brother Zheng Lun, please don't make things difficult for my sister. She has never been particular about formalities since she was little. She only likes riding horses and shooting arrows and has never been interested in literature or calligraphy."

Zheng Lun raised his voice, his face filled with regret and disbelief, "Ah, is the dignified eldest daughter of the Xi family just a pretty face with no substance?"

Xie Wanyi raised her eyes and glanced in Xi Lingxian's direction.

Xi Lingxian put down her teacup, raised her eyes,

"If Young Master Zheng has any talent he wishes to demonstrate, he may simply step forward himself; the old lady will surely be pleased. We are completely unrelated, so there's no need for you to worry about me."

Zheng Lun's face turned pale. "Miss Xi, you have quite the sharp tongue. I was just asking out of curiosity, and you've already come up with such a sarcastic remark. If you can do this in public, it shows how arrogant you must be in your household."

Xi Lingxian narrowed her eyes and said coldly, "Did you personally witness me being arrogant and domineering at home?"

"Although I haven't seen it with my own eyes, what I'm saying is reasonable and well-founded, and I'm afraid it's pretty close to the truth."

"As the sage said, 'Hearing is unreliable, seeing is believing.' Young Master Zheng can't even be pragmatic, no wonder Lord Zheng values ​​your half-brother even more."

Zheng Lun's pupils contracted, his eyes almost bursting out of their sockets, "You..."

Ji Ruchuan retorted irritably, "What do you mean, 'you'? A grown man like you, all you're good for is talking nonsense in front of women? If you dare, spar with me!"

Zheng Lun gritted his teeth and said nothing more.

Xie Chenxu tapped the man's arm with his folding fan and whispered, "I say, it seems like the young master of the Ji family and Miss Xi have a rather unusual relationship?"

Wang Jue's gaze was fixed on the distance, and he remained silent.

Xie Chenxu's eyes were full of mischief. "I used to think that Miss Xi was using a feigned retreat to advance, but now it seems that's not the case. She hasn't even glanced at you once since the banquet started."

Lu Yun: "At first, I also thought this woman was playing hard to get, but it seems we were really mistaken."

Xie Chenxu shrugged and said, "Spoiled little girls have tempers that come and go quickly. This girl pursued him for almost two months with his expressionless, icy face before finally giving up. She's quite persistent."

Lu Yun chimed in, "But I heard that Uncle wants to form a marriage alliance with the Xi family."

Xie Chenxu was so surprised that his mouth dropped open. "Goodness, the tables have turned!"

Wang Jue put down his wine cup, giving his friend a cold look. "You're very free?"

Xie Chenxu chuckled, "It's not out of curiosity. You've been ignoring them for months. How can you possibly have the nerve to ask for a marriage alliance with the Xi family now?"

Lu Yun couldn't help but laugh at the thought of it.

Wang Jue didn't take his friend's teasing to heart.

The tangible benefits of exchanging political interests are far more solid and reliable than the vague and ethereal love between men and women.

He was so utterly insensitive that Xie Chenxu and Lu Yun wanted to offer some words of advice but didn't know how to begin.

Even a woman from the Xi family with such a bright and passionate personality couldn't stand him. Did he really intend to spend his whole life guarding his Wang family's legacy?

……

The women's gathering remained lively.

"Banfan."

Xi Lingxian turned her head and met Shen Qingdai's smiling eyes.

"Some opportunities can't be seized lightly, but they also can't be ignored; if we let it go today, all the benefits will be theirs tomorrow."

Xi Lingxian's heart stirred, and she understood what she meant.

The two pulled Ji Ruchuan along, and the three of them huddled together, whispering a few words.

-

The music stopped for a moment, and everyone raised a couple of cups of wine.

Suddenly, a clear and melodious piano sound rang out.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Ji Ruchuan sitting in front of the zither in a corner of the room, her fair hands gently waving, her gaze calm and serene.

"Ji Ruchuan from Danyang, together with Shen Qingdai from Yixing and Xi Lingxian from Gaoping, presented a sword dance to celebrate the old lady's birthday and bring her good fortune."

Two more people appeared in the open space in the garden at some point.

Xi Lingxian wore a long, light red dress with flowing sleeves, the hem of which swayed gently in the wind, like a blooming red lotus.

Shen Qingdai was dressed in a moon-white outfit, her long hair tied up high with a jade hairpin.

Each of them held a long sword in his hand.

The melodious sound of the zither swirled in the wind as her crimson skirt danced.

The longsword was drawn, its cold light flashing.

Everyone only felt a blur before their eyes, and the moon-white figure had already swept into the center of the open space.

Her swordplay was sharp and powerful, yet possessed a strange rhythm that complemented Xi Lingxian's sword dance and harmonized perfectly with Ji Ruchuan's zither music.

The sword flashed like snow, and the red skirt shone like fire.

A balance of strength and gentleness; sharp yet tactful.

Shen Qingdai and Xi Lingxian worked together seamlessly, their tacit understanding like two shadows of one person.

Everyone held their breath, watching the two figures crisscross, spin, and rise and fall on the open ground.

The music gradually became more urgent.

Xi Lingxian's swordplay became increasingly fierce.

She spun around, her longsword cutting through the air in a silver arc; her gaze pierced the blade and landed in the distance.

Shen Qingdai leaped into the air, her clothes fluttering in the wind.

The music stopped abruptly.

The two figures froze in that instant.

The garden was deathly silent until someone clapped their hands first.

Immediately afterwards, applause surged forth like a tidal wave.

Xi Yao's face turned pale and then flushed.

As the applause subsided, the crowd discussed the sword dance they had just witnessed, their gazes occasionally drifting towards Ling Xian.

Lingxian smiled gently and squeezed her hand.

Xi Yao watched as Ling Xian was surrounded by a crowd of admirers, and saw the adoring gazes of those young masters from prominent families falling upon her.

She bit her lip, her nails digging deep into her palms.

On what grounds?

Why is she the center of attention?

Xi Yao felt like something was burning in her head, burning so intensely that she had to get it out.

"It's just wielding swords and spears," she suddenly said. "What's so special about that?"

Lingxian turned her head and looked at her.

Xi Yao met her gaze, raised her chin, and smiled, "Sister, your sword dance today was beautiful, but it's not quite proper for a young lady to wield a knife and spear like that. Anyone who didn't know better would think it was some family's guards practicing."

There was a moment of silence.

Shen Qingdai's expression changed, and she was about to speak when Ling Xian gently pressed her down.

Seeing that Lingxian remained silent, Xi Yao assumed that she had hit a nerve. She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and did so with elegant grace.

"Come to think of it, my sister has always been different from us. While other girls learned music, painting, and needlework, my sister insisted on learning these things. In families like ours, daughters are expected to be gentle and virtuous, so they can be good wives and mothers in the future. Not wielding swords and spears..."

She smiled but didn't continue.

The atmosphere at the table became subtle.

Madam Yu's expression changed slightly. She reached out and gently pinched Xi Yao's arm.

Xi Yao winced in pain, her eyes momentarily unfocused and unsteady, and she shook her head.

Looking at her daughter, Mrs. Yu felt suspicious.

She suddenly raised her head, her gaze piercing through the crowd.

The man seemed to sense something, and suddenly raised his eyes to meet her questioning gaze, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Yu's mind went blank for a moment, buzzing.