The Night Before the Divorce, She Was Reborn to Before Her Marriage - Chapter 7

Zong Duo was embarrassed by the teasing.

He had never been teased about a man and a woman, so he was a little self-conscious about it.

“How could I be a person who lets a woman’s beauty get in the way of my business? You can rest assured,” he retorted, sitting up straight, but for some reason, he felt a little guilty.

When Zong Ning saw how serious he was, she had no choice but to stop teasing him.

Zong Si knew that he had run into Ning Fu earlier, but he didn’t say anything more.

For the evening’s bonfire banquet, the young ladies changed into their clothes early. Although their attire was not as luxurious and elegant as on a normal day, it was still very unique and thoughtfully prepared.

Ning Fu was dressed in a light-colored, close-fitting outfit. Her hair accessories were also not eye-catching in any way. She was as simple as she could possibly be.

“The top young masters in the capital are all here today, and you’re wearing something so simple?” Wei Zi-Yi said, sizing her up.

Although Ning Fu was naturally beautiful, dressed in this outfit, she would be lost in the crowd, and no one would give her a second look.

Ning Fu had deliberately dressed this way to avoid attention.

In her previous life, before her engagement was settled, she had attracted some unwanted attention, such as from the sixth prince of the capital. If her marriage to Zong Si had not happened in time, she might have been forced to marry him as a concubine.

At that time, her father had been demoted, and the Duke of Ning’s residence could not afford to offend the sixth prince. In her previous life, getting rid of him was not an easy task.

This time, among the princes, only the sixth prince was in the capital, so he would definitely be at the autumn hunt. Ning Fu did not want to attract his attention.

“Sister Wei, I’m here to practice riding and archery, not to find a husband,” she said with a bright smile.

“That’s good, too. Being too much in the spotlight is not necessarily a good thing,” Wei Zi-Yi said. “I have to go and prepare for the dance later. I’ll come and find you when I’m free.”

The women of the Wei family were very skilled in music and dance. The elder Mr. Wei also worked in the Ministry of Rites and was in charge of ceremonies and sacrifices. Whenever foreign guests visited, the dance arrangements were always handled by the Wei family, and this time, it was Wei Zi-Yi’s turn.

Ning Fu nodded.

The banquet began at the hour of酉 (you), between 5 PM and 7 PM.

The young ladies of the capital were all unique and colorful. When they appeared, they were like a hundred flowers blossoming at once. Xie Ru-Yi was as pure and untainted as a lotus. Zong Ning was as lively and captivating as a hibiscus. Fu Jia-Ying was as aloof and enchanting as an orchid.

The beauties competed for attention, and there were too many to count.

As soon as the young ladies appeared, they caused a stir among the young masters who were not yet engaged.

Ning Yu looked for a long time but could not find his sister.

“Big Brother,” someone tugged at his sleeve and smiled charmingly at him.

Ning Yu looked down and saw that the person in the light-colored, close-fitting outfit was none other than his sister.

Although she was still a rare beauty, her outfit made her inconspicuous. Unless someone was paying special attention, she would be mistaken for a maid.

“Big Brother, can I borrow a horse tomorrow?” Ning Fu sat down next to him.

She only wanted to get a top score in archery. The terrain of the Ji-Lin Mountain was rugged and complex. If she could master her riding and archery skills here, getting a top score on her archery and charioteering exams would definitely not be a problem.

“You are not good at riding. It would be dangerous to practice here,” Ning Yu disagreed.

Ning Fu looked at the other side and saw Lu Xingzhi sitting upright, looking at her with a focused and seemingly tender expression. It was a kind of heartbreaking expression of having lost something and found it again.

Seeing this, Ning Fu felt a little sad and bitter.

Zong Si would not have had such an expression even when he found out she had died.

She gave him a brilliant smile. Lu Xingzhi was stunned for a moment, then he looked away. Although his expression was normal, the tips of his ears seemed a little red.

Ning Fu thought for a moment and said, “I want to take this opportunity to learn. If you have time, Big Brother, can you ask Second Young Master Lu if he would be willing to teach me how to ride a horse?”

Ning Yu was a civil official and not good at martial arts. Among the young masters present, it was most convenient to ask Lu Xingzhi for guidance. First, he was a righteous person and not the type to covet women. Second, his riding and archery skills were also said to be very good.

And Ning Fu didn’t mind having contact with him.

Ning Yu’s mind was a bit complicated. He said, “Second Young Master Lu asked me about this today. He said if you have any questions, you can go and ask him.”

Ning Fu was worried that someone would have already asked him. Although the Lu family was not prominent among the noble families of the capital, Lu Xingzhi was still very attractive to the young ladies. She was relieved to hear what Ning Yu said.

The Emperor Jing-Wen and the Northern Qi princess appeared a little later.

The Emperor Jing-Wen was over 50 years old but had no gray hairs. He was full of energy, and his imperial aura was as vast as a mountain, making people revere him as a god.

The princess had deep-set facial features, a little different from the Han people, and was a rare beauty.

Also with them were Zong Si and the sixth prince. The two were cousins. The sixth prince’s birth mother, Consort Yun, was the Prince of Xuan’s biological sister and was currently in great favor with the Emperor.

Besides the princes, the only other person who could accompany the Emperor in such a setting was Zong Si. The saying that the Prince of Xuan was the Emperor’s most valued relative was not without reason.

“Your Majesty, all the women of the Great Yan Dynasty are as beautiful as goddesses descended from heaven. It makes my eyes a little dizzy,” the Northern Qi princess said.

“Are the men of the Great Yan Dynasty not handsome?” the Emperor Jing-Wen asked with a smile.

“I had the privilege of seeing the Crown Prince’s son and the sixth prince first. After seeing such flawless jade, although the others are also handsome and dashing, they are no longer as stunning,” she replied.

As the Northern Qi princess spoke, she glanced at Zong Si. He was the one who had greeted her when she arrived in the capital. When she first saw him, she felt that flowers had no souls, and jade had no charm. The Crown Prince’s son was as pure and aloof as a plum blossom, making one unable to resist the urge to pluck it.

“Since you think my nephew is such flawless jade, why don’t I bestow a marriage between the two of you?” the Emperor Jing-Wen said, teasing Zong Si.

This caused many people’s expressions to change.

Ning Fu knew that the princess wanted to choose a consort, but she hadn’t expected her to set her sights on Zong Si. Xie Ru-Yi’s face had already turned pale.

Ning Fu looked at Zong Si and saw that he was calm. She thought for a moment and understood. The Prince of Xuan held military power, so how could his son marry a foreign princess? The Emperor Jing-Wen was merely testing them, and he was probably testing Zong Si’s attitude towards marriage.

It was true that the Emperor Jing-Wen trusted the Prince of Xuan, but he did not want the Prince of Xuan’s residence to become too ambitious. What those in power wanted to see was their subjects fighting amongst themselves, not a strong alliance.

“Is Your Majesty truly willing to let the Crown Prince’s son become my consort?” the princess took him seriously and her eyes lit up.

The Emperor Jing-Wen’s smile did not fade. “That depends on the Crown Prince’s son’s own opinion. It would not be right for me to force him.”

The princess looked at Zong Si with anticipation.

Zong Si said to the Emperor Jing-Wen, “Although the war in the north has ended, it will be difficult to bring peace in the next year. My father has not yet returned victoriously, and I have not yet considered the matter of marriage.”

Ning Fu had already guessed that he would use the Prince of Xuan as an excuse to get out of it. The Prince of Xuan had just won a battle last year and was currently governing the northern regions, so the Emperor naturally had to give him face.

She looked at Xie Ru-Yi again and could see that the look on her face had softened.

The Northern Qi princess was open and frank and did not show any sign of being dejected by the rejection. She said, “Crown Prince’s son, if you get to know me better, you will know how good I am.”

“Your Highness is of a precious status and is naturally an outstanding person. It is just that my ambitions do not lie in this area,” Zong Si replied respectfully.

The Emperor Jing-Wen said, “Since the Crown Prince’s son is concerned about the affairs of the state, I will not make things difficult for him. There are countless outstanding men in the Great Yan Dynasty. I will find a good husband for you, Princess.”

The rest of the banquet was filled with song and dance. The Northern Qi princess performed a sword dance, which was heroic and impressive, making people cheer.

Ning Fu sat next to Ning Yu, practically invisible. The sixth prince did not notice her, nor did anyone else.

However, she was not able to peacefully watch the Northern Qi princess’s sword dance.

A maid quietly came up to her and said, “Fourth Miss Ning, Miss Wei is looking for you.”

When Ning Fu saw the urgency in her eyes, she knew something had happened and followed her away.

Backstage, as soon as Wei Zi-Yi saw her, tears almost fell from her eyes. She said anxiously, “A-Fu, what am I going to do?”

Ning Fu said, “Sister Wei, please tell me slowly.”

Wei Zi-Yi composed herself and explained the situation. The dance was already choreographed, but she had been careless. She had only focused on whether the dance was beautiful or not. Just now, a dancer had reminded her that a section of the dance, “The Jade Body Lying Horizontally,” which was a common dance posture in the Great Yan Dynasty, was a forbidden dance in Northern Qi. It was a mockery of their imperial family’s extravagance and debauchery.

If they were to perform this section in front of the Northern Qi princess, it would cause trouble between the two nations, and Wei Zi-Yi and her family could lose their heads.

“This dance, I’m afraid, cannot be performed,” Ning Fu said calmly.

Wei Zi-Yi nodded and said, “I plan to change to the Waist Dance. The dancers have practiced it the most, so there won’t be any mistakes. It’s just… we are one person short.”

Ning Fu understood what she meant. She did know how to perform the Waist Dance, but for a young lady of the Duke’s residence to dance with these dancers would be a disgrace to her family.

But Wei Zi-Yi was the future daughter-in-law of the Duke of Ning’s residence. If something were to happen to the Wei family, the Duke’s residence would also be implicated.

Ning Fu analyzed the pros and cons in her mind. Besides, Wei Zi-Yi was sincere towards her. If it weren’t a last resort, she wouldn’t have come to her.

“Sister Wei, this is between you and me. If anyone asks, just say that I’m not feeling well and am resting in your tent,” Ning Fu said.

Wei Zi-Yi nodded and instructed the maid, “You change into A-Fu’s clothes and lie down in the tent. If anyone comes in, don’t say anything and just pretend you’re asleep.”

Ning Fu went behind a screen and quickly changed into the dancer’s dress. After that, Wei Zi-Yi took her to the dancers’ area for one last rehearsal.

To prevent the dancers from knowing who Ning Fu was, Wei Zi-Yi had everyone put on a veil.

“If there’s a mistake today, we will all lose our heads. Does everyone understand?” Wei Zi-Yi reminded them.

“Yes,” the dancers replied.

Ning Fu did not say a word and finally went on stage with the other dancers.

She stood in a corner, not very noticeable. Logically, it would be difficult to spot her in the crowd.

Ning Fu inadvertently glanced at Lu Xingzhi and saw him frowning, his face looking a little displeased.

That glance, however, caught Zong Si’s attention.

He looked at Ning Fu, then his gaze fell on the empty seat next to Ning Yu.

Ning Fu’s heart sank, and a chill went straight to the top of her head.

At this moment, she could only hope that his glance was unintentional and that he hadn’t noticed anything. The music started, and Ning Fu danced along with the crowd, just like all the other dancers. Her movements were graceful, her waist was like a willow, and she was charming and lively.

The duration of the dance was an ordeal for Ning Fu. It was no different from having her head on the line.

As soon as the dance ended, she saw Meng Ze and walked away quickly.

The person she least wanted to be close to was the sixth prince. The closer one was to the emperor, the more dangerous they were. In her previous life, he had given her a lot of trouble. He looked down on her while at the same time trying to force her to be his concubine.

Meng Ze only saw a dancer whose movements were as fast as if she were fleeing for her life. He couldn’t help but smile.

The dance had not interested him, as it was too conventional, but this dancer was interesting.

Was he, a person with such power and a handsome appearance, so terrifying?

“These dancers from the Ministry of Rites are quite interesting,” the sixth prince said absentmindedly, staring at the dancers’ retreating backs.

Lu Xingzhi frowned and glanced at Meng Ze.

Zong Si rubbed his cup but did not say anything.