Sir, I just want to be a salted fish

Chapter 42 String Broken
The tone of this tune is simple and rough, the rhythm is sonorous, the style is ancient and majestic, like a river flowing on the earth, the syllables are clear and translucent, like the sun and moon, as if heaven and man are one. There was a sudden clang, as if the string of the piano was broken. Everyone present was shocked. However, Tang Bingxuan did not stop and continued to play. She just put the string near the broken string as close as possible to the broken string and pressed it as if nothing had happened. Play the complete song.

The whole piece of music was played very smoothly, and the connection between the syllables was almost perfect. If it weren't for the sound of broken strings, everyone present would have thought that this piece of music was like this.

Tang Bingxuan stood up and saluted the Queen Mother, "I wish the Queen Mother good health and longevity with the ancient song "Yao Chang"."

Those who were proficient in music at the table all lamented Miss Tang’s superb piano skills!
"Haha, it's a lost famous song! Miss Tang is amazingly talented and well-deserved of her reputation!" Emperor Long Yan Dayue praised.

The Queen Mother also agreed with the Emperor with a gentle smile, "The Ai family also thinks Miss Tang is a wonderful person!"

"Come and give me a reward!"

Tang Bingxuan did not stand up, but kowtowed again and said: "I still want to ask the Emperor and the Queen Mother to forgive me. Just now, I broke a string while playing. I was afraid of disturbing the Queen Mother, the Emperor and everyone else's enjoyment, so I did not interrupt. "

The emperor turned to Mrs. Shao and complimented her, "Cousin, your granddaughter is indeed the most obedient to you, smart and calm in times of crisis!"

The Dowager Queen stood up and declined, "Your Majesty, that's a wonderful compliment. My granddaughter just doesn't want to disturb the Queen Mother's birthday, so she has no choice but to do it."

The Queen Mother comforted Mrs. Shao, "Cousin, please don't be modest. Your granddaughter is indeed talented, beautiful, and has a delicate heart. The Ai family likes her very much."

"Reward!" The Queen Mother also rewarded Tang Bingxuan after the Emperor.

This episode of the birthday party ended in the conversation between a few people, and Tang Bingxuan also became famous because of Qiao Waner's unintentional act.

"Brother, if such a woman can become the crown prince, it will be a great blessing for our country!" The second prince said softly to the prince.

"Second brother, what you said is wrong! Miss Tang has already made a marriage arrangement with the third son of Yongning Houfu. How can I win someone's love?" Prince Ling Qian's eyes were clear and he was not shaken by the second prince's words.

The second prince Ling Hong seemed to have just realized that what he had just said was inappropriate and apologized to the prince: "My brother made a mistake. Please don't blame me."

The third prince Ling Rui looked at the second prince jokingly and said provocatively: "Could it be that the second prince is delighted to see Lie and wants to use the prince's help to ruin Miss Tang's marriage?"

"Third brother, don't talk nonsense!" The prince scolded his younger brother in a low voice.

"The third brother is joking. I just appreciate Miss Tang's exquisite piano skills and calm demeanor. He didn't think so."

The third prince had just been lectured by the eldest brother of the prince and restrained his words, "Huh, it's best like this!"

When the string was broken just now, Duke Rong and his wife, as well as Tang Wensong, were all worried about Tang Bingxuan, fearing that they would be blamed by the Queen Mother and the Emperor for disturbing her birthday.

The people who came to the palace for the banquet today were Yongning Hou and his wife and Jiang Shunian. When the strings of the piano broke, the three of them were also a little worried about Tang Bingxuan. Fortunately, they were safe and received a generous reward.

On the one hand, Yongning Hou Jiangfeng was pleased that his son could marry such a wife, but on the other hand, he was a little regretful that Tang Bingxuan was not his eldest son-in-law.

Mrs. Qiao, the Marquis of Yongning, was more direct. She raised her wine glass and toasted Mrs. Liu, the Duke's wife. Her words were all compliments to Mrs. Liu for raising a smart daughter like Tang Bingxuan.

In just one short hour during this banquet, Mrs. Liu and Mrs. Qiao, who are both mothers, established a deep family friendship. At this banquet filled with laughter, singing and dancing, Yongning Hou and his wife were also puzzled as to why Qiao Waner wanted to embarrass Tang Bingxuan at the Queen Mother's birthday banquet. After all, Tang Bingxuan was Qiao Waner's future third cousin-in-law;

Jiang Shunian knew something was wrong ever since Qiao Waner mentioned Tang Bingxuan when she was paying her birthday to the Queen Mother. Unexpectedly, she was so bold that she bribed people in the palace to embarrass Tang Bingxuan at the Queen Mother's birthday banquet.

Since he verbally rejected Qiao Waner last time, Jiang Shunian thought that the matter was over. The two of them had already engaged themselves and there would be no more involvement. He did not expect that Tang Bingxuan would be involved.

Just now, Tang Bingxuan came down from the stage and glanced at Jiang Shunian's position with an ambiguous look, as if she had already understood everything. Jiang Shunian suddenly had a headache.

Should he confess to his future wife and ask her to be careful about Qiao Waner in the future?
At the birthday banquet, Qiao Waner and Tang Bingxuan took the limelight, while the performances of other noble ladies were a bit mediocre.

Returning from a banquet in the palace, in the inner room of the main courtyard of Mrs. Li, the crown prince of the Wu'an Marquis Mansion, the eldest daughter Qin Zhilan was complaining to her mother Li, "Mom, today's birthday banquet for the Queen Mother is so important to me. Qiao Waner and Tang Bingxuan have stolen the limelight. These two people are obviously engaged, and they still want to steal my limelight!"

Mrs. Li touched her daughter's head and comforted her: "Don't worry, daughter. You are the crown prince's direct cousin. The position of crown princess must belong to you. Once you become the crown princess, you will definitely be more prosperous than both of them."

Qin Zhilan was a little shy after hearing her mother Li's words, and shook Li's arm coquettishly, "Mother."

"Okay, okay, mother won't say anything anymore, but Lan'er, you must also have a plan in mind. Get closer to your prince cousin, and go to the palace often to accompany your aunt." Mrs. Li told her daughter to be careful.

Queen Qin only had two legitimate sons, the prince and the third prince, but no daughter, so she loved her niece Qin Zhilan very much.

"Don't worry, mother, my daughter knows."

Although Qin Zhilan is only 14 years old this year and has not yet had haircuts, she has been taught by her family to be a princess since she was a child. Although her talents are not outstanding, her words, deeds, appearance and bearing are also among the best among the noble girls of Kyoto.

The position of Crown Princess must belong to her, Qin Zhilan, how can she covet it!

After the birthday banquet was over, the Queen Mother was served by Concubine Cai and returned to Fushou Palace to rest. Queen Qin accompanied the Emperor back to her own palace, Zhengyang Palace.

The emperor was sitting in the Queen's bedroom in Zhengyang Palace in his pajamas. Queen Qin was serving him, rubbing his shoulders and patting his back to relax his muscles. He said to Queen Qin as if they were talking about everyday things: "How many noble ladies are congratulating the Queen Mother on her birthday at the banquet today?" Both are good, which one does the Queen think is suitable to be the Crown Princess?"

Empress Qin glanced at the emperor, and her subordinates kept rubbing the emperor's shoulders, "I think there are several noble ladies who are good, and it's hard to choose for the moment."

The Emperor was so comfortable being kneaded by Empress Qin that he squinted his eyes and did not respond.

"At today's banquet, the most outstanding ones are Miss Qiao from the Duke's Palace and Miss Tang from the Duke Rong's Palace."

The emperor responded softly, "Yes."

"But I heard that the two of them have already settled down with each other. It's such a pity."

Empress Qin paused for a moment, seeing that the emperor was not interested in this topic, and asked again, "I am thinking that the Dragon Boat Festival will be here in a few days, so why not hold a flower viewing banquet and invite the unengaged noble daughters of the Kyoto family to come and participate. You can make a good choice then.”

(End of this chapter)