Chapter 39: Banquet
Chen Rong paused to receive the veiled hat Nurse Ping had prepared for her and then entered the hall from a side door.
The hall was scented by its guests’ garments; lights from crimsonnterns and candles intertwined. As the smoke wafted, the finely dressed youngsters all seemed as though they hade out of a painting. There were quite a fewdies within Chen Rong’s peripheral view who were as beautiful as she, and therefore her arrival did not stir as much excitement as did Ran Min’s.
She took several steps and passed her gaze over others’ shoulders toward the host seat.
There, she saw Wang Qng standing out like a crane among fowls. Ran Min was sitting at the same table. They were in rapt conversation, pping andughing from time to time.
Next to Wang Qng were two dignified-looking men and a handsome young boy. Surrounding them were other people. They seemed to be members of the Lang’ya house of Wang.
Chen Rong was still looking around when Wang Wng nced over at her in the midst of chatting to otherds.
“Ah Rong.”
Chen Rong halted and looked up.
Wang Wng’s handsome face seemed a little gloomy. “Come with me, your seat is over there.”
Sensing the displeasure in his voice, Chen Rong followed behind after catching a brief glimpse of him.
Her seat was in the second row on the right side, close to the wall.
After Wang Wng asked her to sit down at her table, several maids immediately stepped forward and blocked her area with a screen.
Not only her, but alldies present would be enclosed behind screens as soon as they sat down. The screens were only a man’s height, their surface made of ayer of gossamer silk. Due to the candlelight on the tables, thedies behind these silk screens seemed to be brighter than the others, but of course, they also seemed somewhat hazier.
Wang Wng turned to go after Chen Rong took her seat. But after just two steps, he paused to look back at her, saying in a low voice: “Your mind can be quite profound even though you are so young. Do you think someone like Qng would fancy you?”
He stood in front of her screen with his head bowed. Contemptuously, he stared at Chen Rong with a slight ire. “With your status, it is already difficult to find an able man who will marry you. But you have no self-respect and did this unto yourself. In my opinion, your life might as well be over.”
His voice was very low and the few nearby tables were empty. Except for Chen Rong, no others heard his remark.
Listening to these harsh words, Chen Rong’s heart was lit with indignation. She whipped her head up to look at him.
She opened her mouth to counter, but when she saw his resentful and grudging eyes, she felt bad and bowed her head to softly say: “What does it matter whether my life is over or not? My uncle already intends to give me to the Prince of Nan’yang as his concubine.”
Her voice was low, stifling back a choke while carrying a subtle hidden meaning. She seemed to be asking for his help while at the same time wishing to exin herself.
Wang Wng was astounded.
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Pressing his lips together, he watched Chen Rong’s vaguely fragile face under the candlelight and unknowingly softened his voice: “Give you to that old Nan’yang Prince who refuses to die? That fellow Chen Yuan must be mad! Does he not know the prince likes to collect pretty women but has no kindness for them? Your life would be ruined once you entered his inner quarters!”
Chen Rong was near tears at his words. She muffled her sobbing to say: “But he is my uncle. I, Wng, you’re the only one I can say this to...” She quietly raised her misty eyes at him in a quick nce before lowering them down again.
It was only a nce, but the picture of anguishing pear blossom in the rain and dew drops weeping from a white lotuspletely bewildered Wang Wng in just a moment’s time.
He stared agape at Chen Rong and did not look away.
At this time, a man not far from there called to him: “Wng, Wng,e over here for a moment.”
Wang Wng sobered at the call. He dithered for a while and then lowered his voice to say: “Don’t panic. I’ll, I’ll think about it.” His voice was actually very gentle.
He had barely stepped away when someone’s voice urged him on. After a few steps, he turned to look at her despite himself. From his vantage point, the only thing he could see was Chen Rong’s brightly lit yet hazy figure. She seems even more beautiful in only a few days, he couldn’t help himself from thinking.
By this time, a steady stream of nobles were filing in. A quarter of an hourter, the entire hall was filled with seated guests.
Being only a youngdy, Chen Rong’s prominent position in the second row next to an elder was attracting more and more attention.
Gradually, whispers rose from all sides: “Who is that girl? Is she a legitimate daughter of the Wang house of Lang’ya?”
“No, she is Ah Rong of the Chen house who yed ‘The Phoenix’s Love Song’ for Wang Qng in front of everyone. I heard that on the trip going south, she had twice helped the Wang house of Ping ovee their troubles. She’s remarkably clever.”
“Don’t take her lightly. This girl is very intelligent. Even the old fox Wang Zhuo is far inferior to her.”
“Aye, I heard that when she was still in the City of Ping, she even made the generous act of dispersing her family wealth right before moving south.”
Amid the mor, people’s regard of Chen Rong grew warm and weing. This talk even drew the attention of several members of the Lang’ya Wang house who proceeded to nce over.
Listening to the crowd and feeling the looks they cast her way, Chen Rong’s back progressively straightened.
Acknowledging Chen Rong was equivalent to invalidating the Wang house of Ping. With each murmur in the hall, the members of the Wang house of Ping all looked to be slightly difited.
Almost out of the blue, a girl’s sharpughter rose from the corner behind Chen Rong: “Ah Rong of the Chen house, my cousin Qng is here, you must be happy to see him?” It was the voice belonging to the 7thdy of the Wang house, Wang Han’yun.
The dialogues stopped dead.
The youngsters in the hall all looked up in intrigue at Chen Rong and Wang Qng.
What stunned everybody at this time was that Wang Qng, who had been conversing easily, also turned his head like the rest of the room to look in the direction of Chen Rong’s seat.
Under the room’s scrutiny, Chen Rong sat behind the screen with her head lowered, wringing her skirt for a good long while before saying: “I was unable to refrain myself at the time... Upon careful reflection, I’m now very ashamed of what I’ve done.”
She slowly rose, but without raising her head, she bowed in the direction of Wang Qng and said shakily: “I was imprudent that day... I’m grateful that you did not take offense and have allowed me to remain in society.” There was a vulnerable humility in her voice.
Wang Hong slowly ced his cup down and fixed his gaze on the person behind the screen. Under the light, Chen Rong seemed to be ever more enchanting.
Beside him, even Ran Min turned his head at this moment to watch her quietly.
In this silence, Yu Zhiughed and pped his hands, attracting the crowd’s attention. “Ah Rong of the Chen house, what are you ashamed of?” he inquired loudly. “If you love him then Qng will naturally appreciate your feelings! Now that you’ve secured his appreciation, you should bravely chase after him. Who knows, maybe one day Wang Qng will get a dizzy head and marry you as his wife. Hahaha.”
At this point, as if he didn’t want anyone else to interject, he cleared his throat and exined: “What I mean to say is that this youngdy seems the kind to talk the talk and walk the talk! I’m sure she’ll finish what she started. You...” He wanted to go on, but Wang Hong had already scowled and shouted: “Hold your tongue!”
Yu Zhi immediately shut his mouth. To express obedience, he even tightly covered his mouth with his hands, leaving only a pair of round, woeful eyes looking to Wang Hong. He looked soical that in a short while,ughter began to fill the hall. The solemn atmosphere, in the blink of an eye, had been swept away.