Ren Yaoting sat in the Su family’s position. After Su Fangfei finished her performance, it was her turn.

Ren Yaoting had learned various skills, but none were particularly outstanding. She played a pipa piece, and perhaps because she had spent considerable effort practicing recently, it sounded quite good, much better than her usual level.

Unfortunately, she happened to perform right after Su Fangfei. Miss Su’s ambidextrous calligraphy had impressed many people, and everyone was busy passing around Su Fangfei’s writing, so few were settled enough to listen to the qin music.

Ren Yaoqi saw the vexed expression on Ren Yaoting’s face as she put down the pipa, estimating that she somewhat regretted sitting with the Su family and letting her cousin steal her thunder.

Miss Guo Yujiao from the Guo family was creative—she actually performed magic tricks. She reached her right hand into the air, then blew on her clenched right fist. When she opened her palm again, a pure white jasmine flower had appeared in her hand.

Guo Yujiao smiled brilliantly, blinked, then slowly clenched her hand again. When she opened her right hand once more, it was empty. Some people in the audience gasped in surprise. Guo Yujiao extended her left hand, and the jasmine flower appeared in her left palm.

Seeing the lively atmosphere, Guo Yujiao was quite pleased. She rubbed her hands together, and when she opened them again, the flower was gone. Everyone stared at her intently, trying to figure out where she had hidden the flower. Suddenly, a young lady sitting next to her pointed at Jiang Yuanniang beside Guo Yujiao: “Oh! It’s on Miss Jiang’s head.”

Jiang Yuanniang was startled and reached up to touch her hair bun, indeed finding a jasmine flower. Seeing everyone looking at her, Jiang Yuanniang blushed slightly and smiled shyly.

Although Guo Yujiao’s magic was just simple tricks, it impressed the young ladies. Princess Consort also praised Guo Yujiao a few words, and when Guo Yujiao sat down, she couldn’t hide her smugness.

When it was Jiang Yuanniang’s turn, she also performed ambidextrous writing. Since Su Fangfei had already set a high standard before her, everyone was very curious about what kind of calligraphy she could produce. If her writing wasn’t as good as Miss Su’s, Jiang Yuanniang would become a laughingstock.

Before starting to write, Jiang Yuanniang smiled apologetically at Su Fangfei. Miss Su maintained excellent composure in such occasions and nodded back with a smile.

Only when Miss Jiang began writing did everyone understand why she dared to choose ambidextrous writing after Miss Su. Jiang Yuanniang was copying from memory “Admonitions for Women.” She used both hands simultaneously on one piece of paper. After she wrote two sentences, everyone realized they couldn’t tell any difference between the characters written by her left and right hands.

After completing the entire piece, the paper looked as if it had been completed in one flowing motion. Jiang Yuanniang’s hairpin-style small regular script was indeed written with graceful elegance and great charm.

Madam Xu took it to look and nodded, then passed it to Princess Consort and the other ladies for viewing.

Among the ladies seated above, someone sighed: “The Jiang family indeed has deep scholarly traditions.”

Su Fangfei’s previous glory was completely stolen by Jiang Yuanniang. Though she was still smiling, her complexion had turned somewhat pale. Although Ren Yaoting felt some displeasure from earlier events, Su Fangfei was her cousin after all and had always been very caring toward her, so she quietly consoled Su Fangfei with a few words. At the same time, she came to hate Jiang Yuanniang, who had quietly stolen the show, thinking she was like a biting dog that doesn’t bark.

When Jiang Yuanniang returned to her seat, her face was red, seemingly unable to bear all the gazes focused on her, but she still tried hard to smile at those observing her. Guo Yujiao pouted somewhat unhappily: “Yuanniang, you’re too cunning. I told you yesterday that I would perform magic today, but you didn’t tell me what you planned to perform.”

Jiang Yuanniang quickly said, “Didn’t I tell you I was going to write?”

Jiang Yuanniang had indeed told Guo Yujiao yesterday that she planned to publicly copy “Admonitions for Women,” and had even been secretly mocked by Guo Yujiao for it. However, Jiang Yuanniang hadn’t mentioned that she would use both hands together. Guo Yujiao was somewhat dissatisfied and was about to say more when she heard Jiang Yuanniang say, “Oh, it’s Miss Qiu’s turn next. I wonder what Miss Qiu will perform.”

Guo Yujiao’s attention was immediately drawn to Qiu Hong, who was standing up.

Qiu Hong was also a somewhat famous, talented woman in Jizhou. She was good-looking with a cool temperament that made people think she had a cold and proud personality. So her popularity among the girls was quite ordinary.

Today, Qiu Hong performed painting. She painted a water-ink lotus pond scene in public. Remarkably, she completed her painting in half an incense stick’s time and even added a poem about a lotus that she composed herself.

Whether the painting or the poem, both were quite remarkable for someone her age.

Ren Yaohua said to Ren Yaoqi, “Are you also painting today? Are you confident you can surpass Miss Qiu?”

Ren Yaoqi hadn’t thought of truly competing with teenage girls—winning would be no honor—but she still said: “I just won’t paint water-ink paintings.”

Ren Yaohua thought that when Ren Yaoqi said she wouldn’t paint water-ink, she planned to do meticulous brush painting, so she nodded without saying anything.

After Qiu Hong came down, it was the Ren family girls’ turn.

Ren Yaohua took the short flute handed to her by Xiangqin, planning to go up. Ren Yaoqi smiled encouragingly: “Third Sister, don’t overthink it. Just keep your eyes down, look at no one, and concentrate on playing through to the end.”

Ren Yaohua gave her a look and walked up composedly.

Ren Yaohua wasn’t shy or coy by nature. She went up and seriously played “Three Variations of Plum Blossoms.” Since the previous young ladies had all performed calligraphy and painting, Ren Yaohua’s flute music gave people a refreshing feeling.

Ren Yaoqi was sitting there listening attentively to Ren Yaohua’s flute playing when Ren Yaoying, seated at the adjacent table, turned around.

“Fifth Sister, I’m a bit nervous. Have a drink with me. Go pour one for my Fifth Sister—” Ren Yaoyu held a wine cup containing fruit wine, which, despite being called wine, had no alcoholic taste and was a common beverage for Yanbei women. She quietly instructed her maid Chun’er to come pour wine for Ren Yaoqi.

Ren Yaoqi raised an eyebrow, glanced at Ren Yaoying, then looked at Chun’er, who was walking over quickly with her head down. Before Ren Yaoqi could speak, Chun’er suddenly slipped and fell. She couldn’t hold the wine pot steady, and half the fruit wine spilled onto Ren Yaoqi’s skirt hem. The lake-green skirt was immediately stained by the colored fruit wine.

Ren Yaoying softly exclaimed: “Fifth Sister—”

Chun’er immediately knelt, trembling: “Please forgive me, Fifth Miss. This servant didn’t do it on purpose.”

The small commotion attracted the attention of several nearby young ladies. Ren Yaoyin, who shared a table with Ren Yaoying, also saw what happened and immediately whispered to Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoying: “Have the maid get up first—don’t let people see a joke. Fifth Sister, you should go change clothes and come back.”

Ren Yaoyu glanced at Ren Yaoying, then at Ren Yaoqi’s skirt, and curved her lips: “It’ll be Fifth Sister’s turn soon. Ninth Sister, your wine spilling is well-timed.”

Ren Yaoyin said, “Have someone tell Eldest Madam Yun. Fifth Sister, it’s the same if you come back after changing clothes.”

Pingguo crouched down worriedly with a handkerchief to wipe the water stains on Ren Yaoqi’s skirt. Xiangqin was so anxious she was about to cry: “How can this work? Being in front is better than being placed later! Fifth Miss, what should we do now?”

Ren Yaoying looked at Ren Yaoqi with self-reproach: “Fifth Sister, I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Ren Yaoqi hadn’t spoken all along. She first looked at her skirt—in this condition, she definitely couldn’t go up, or it would be too discourteous.

Looking up to see Ren Yaoying’s aggrieved, victim-like expression, Ren Yaoqi found it somewhat absurd. She carefully observed Ren Yaoying for a long while, as if looking at something surprising yet pitiful, until Ren Yaoying’s expression became increasingly stiff.

“Go down.” Ren Yaoqi glanced at Chun’er kneeling on the ground, showing no sign of anger on her face.

Chun’er breathed a sigh of relief and felt somewhat smug. She thought that as her young lady had predicted, without Third Miss present, even if Fifth Miss wanted to get angry on such an occasion, Fourth Miss would stop her. After the banquet ended, her young lady would send her back to White Crane Town. With the concubine there, the concubine had already arranged a good marriage for her. By the time Fifth Miss returned and remembered someone like her, she would have long since married.

With just one glance, Ren Yaoqi saw through the calculations on this maid’s face, but she said nothing and instructed Xiangqin: “When Third Sister returns, have her help me tell Eldest Madam Yun that I’ve gone to change clothes and ask her to postpone my performance order.”

Xiangqin hated Ren Yaoying and Chun’er so much that her teeth itched, but she could only reluctantly agree.

Ren Yaoqi stood up with Pingguo and left her seat.

Ren Yaoying watched Ren Yaoqi’s departing figure, slowly exhaled, and gradually curved her lips.

Ren Yaoqi’s departure from her seat didn’t alarm too many people—some young ladies also temporarily left their seats to use the washroom during the banquet. However, Ren Yaoqi stopped after walking not far and quietly instructed Pingguo: “Go find Miss Hongying who serves the Princess. Have her tell the Princess I’m waiting for her here.”

Although Pingguo didn’t know why her young lady wanted to find the Princess at this time, she asked no questions and went immediately.

Xiao Jinglin came quickly. She had seen when Ren Yaoqi left her seat and wondered what she was going to do when it was almost her turn to perform. So she also got up and followed. Halfway there, she met Pingguo who was looking for her and learned that Ren Yaoqi’s clothes had gotten dirty.

“My clothes should fit you, too, though I don’t know if they’ll be the right size. If not, I’ll help you ask Yun Qiuchen for some.” Xiao Jinglin thought Ren Yaoqi was looking for her about the clothes issue, sizing up Ren Yaoqi’s figure as she spoke.

Ren Yaoqi shook her head: “No need. I brought several sets of clothes—enough to wear.”

As she spoke, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but smile, blinking: “I was just thinking about how to find an excuse to perform later, and unexpectedly someone was eager to help with my urgent need and even thought up the excuse for me.”