Shangguan Wan Ning stood up, bowed and saluted, lowered her eyes, and said, "The Empress is too grateful. Ning'er's mother has taught her since she was a child that it is virtue for a woman to have no talent. The so-called "better than the number one scholar" is just an exaggeration.
As a disciple of the Emperor Langdang, you don’t care about a little girl like me.”
"Miss Shangguan is really humble." The queen said nothing more.
Shangguan Wan Ning took advantage of the situation and retreated.
She secretly observed and saw that the Queen Mother and the Empress exchanged glances, leaving two poems on paper and giving them to the head chamberlain.
After lunch, there was another series of red tape. Afterwards, everyone accompanied the Queen Mother for a walk in the Imperial Garden to enjoy the flowers.
The warm sunshine in the warm spring afternoon blows slightly, filled with a warm atmosphere, and the air is filled with the sweet fragrance of flowers.
Several colorful butterflies dance gracefully among the flowers, which makes people feel relaxed and happy, and they are intoxicated.
"The Ai family often hears people in the palace mention that the daughters raised by the current ministers in the court are all very talented. The Ai family is happy today, so let's find some girls to dance for the Ai family to cheer up the fun.
.If you dance well, your family will be rewarded with many rewards."
Many ladies were eager to try it after hearing it.
After all, being able to perform in front of the Queen Mother will definitely benefit you in the future.
Several brave girls immediately volunteered, and the queen called a few people, including Shangguan Wan Ning.
"Eunuch Liu, please take the ladies to the inner hall to prepare."
"I obey," Eunuch Liu promised the queen, turned around and bowed to several beautiful girls and said with a smile, "Misses, please follow your orders."
Shangguan Wan Ning was a little helpless, her mind was spinning rapidly, and suddenly she caught a glimpse of Shangguan Xiaoxiao silently retreating from the corner of her eye, walking in another direction when no one was paying attention.
"Lutong, follow her."
Shangguan Wan Ning quietly warned Lu Tong.
Lutong nodded knowingly.
"Second Prince, are you looking for me?"
When Shangguan Xiaoxiao came to the back of the rockery, what he saw was not Xiao Zhenting, but the personal eunuch beside Xiao Zhenting.
Her face suddenly fell, her tone became less friendly, and she asked coldly: "What are you doing with me?"
The eunuch looked at Shangguan Xiaoxiao with contempt, obviously not taking her seriously either.
He took out a small cloth bag from his sleeve, handed it over and said, "His Second Highness asked me to give this to you. You will find a chance later and put it into Shangguan Wan Ning's dancing shoes before she dances."
.”
"What is this?" Shangguan Xiaoxiao took it and opened it. It was a silver needle shining with blue light.
This silver needle...is poisonous.
"You don't need to ask what it is, just follow His Highness' instructions. I want to remind you, be careful yourself. If you accidentally get into the flesh, don't blame others."
The eunuch said this and walked away.
Shangguan Xiaoxiao looked at the silver needle with a ferocious smile on his lips.
Lutong hid in the dark, watching with fear. She never expected that her second young lady would actually collude with outsiders to harm her eldest lady.
She tried her best to endure the shock and ups and downs in her heart, and immediately returned to the back hall, and reported everything she had just seen to Shangguan Wan Ning.
Shangguan Wan Ning sneered secretly: "He is indeed a eater, a white-eyed wolf that he is not familiar with."
"Miss, what should we do now? Do you want me to expose her?"
"No, just pretend you don't know what to do. I have my own sense of discretion."
Shangguan Wan Ning asked Lu Tong to find two pairs of identical dancing shoes, and she put on her dancing clothes under the service of the eunuch and maid.
Si Zhusheng remembered that a girl was the first to go out to perform.
Not long after, Shangguan Xiaoxiao walked in with a smile on her face, and took Shangguan Wanning's arm affectionately as usual.
"Sister, I took a look outside just now, and none of them can dance as well as you. You will definitely please the Queen Mother."
"Really?" Shangguan Wanning said softly, "I'm still a little nervous."
"Sister, you don't need to be nervous, you must be the best." Shangguan Xiaoxiao squatted down when the time came and said, "Let me put on your shoes for you, it will be your turn soon."
Lu Tong nervously wanted to step forward to stop her, but Shangguan Wan Ning stopped her with her eyes.
Shangguan Xiaoxiao looked at Shangguan Wan Ning who had put on her dancing shoes, and suppressed the sneer at the corner of her mouth.
"Thank you, sister. Please go and wait for me outside. I'll be right back."
"OK."
After Shangguan Xiaoxiao left, Lu Tong immediately took out the other pair he had prepared for Shangguan Wanning to put on, and carefully took out the silver needle that Shangguan Xiaoxiao took the opportunity to hide.
"Miss, how should we deal with this?"
"Go to my uncle with the silver needle and ask him to find a trustworthy doctor to find out what he is doing. If my uncle asks about anything else, tell him that you don't know anything."
"My slave understands."
After Lu Tong left, Shangguan Wan Ning walked out of the inner hall.
Her appearance immediately attracted everyone's attention.
With her stunning face, graceful figure, and elegant and refined temperament, she is the most dazzling one among many young and beautiful girls.
She slowly walked to the middle and danced as the music played.
"oops……"
Shangguan Wan Ning only jumped a few steps and then fell heavily to the ground, her demeanor completely lost, and there was a burst of sighs from the crowd.
She seemed a little panicked, and endured the pain and knelt down.
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty, Ning'er is clumsy. Although she has learned to dance, she has never been able to learn it. Your Majesty, I..."
The Queen Mother and the Queen looked at each other and couldn't help but shake their heads and sigh.
Rumor has it that the eldest lady of the Shangguan family is both talented and beautiful, and has an elegant temperament. She is usually very generous, but how could she be so stupid at a critical moment?
"Forget it, it's none of your business." The Queen Mother's attitude was a little cold, "Someone, please send Miss Shangguan to the inner hall to rest."
"Thank you Queen Mother."
Shangguan Wan Ning returned to the inner hall with the support of several old ladies.
When she saw her mother in the crowd looking at her anxiously, she blinked playfully.
Mrs. Shangguan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although she couldn't immediately check her daughter's injury, seeing that she could show a relaxed expression, there should be no big problem.
"It's nothing serious. I want to rest quietly for a while. You all can go down."
Shangguan Wan Ning dismissed the old nanny and gently lifted up her skirt. Her ankles were red and swollen.
In order to make it more realistic, she deliberately sprained her foot. She wanted to rub it and press it lightly, but she gasped in pain.
"If I had known earlier... I wouldn't have worked so hard, just for show..."
Shangguan Wan Ning murmured to herself, and suddenly a pair of slender legs appeared in her sight.
She was startled, looked up quickly, and met a pair of deep eyes.