CHAPTER 199 (2): GREAT INSULT
âEldest Imperial Princess, how can you expect us to believe that you were fine after spinning around so much when you fell just by standing still? Perhaps it is the Eldest Imperial Princess who is lying to us all.â
âImpossible, donât spit malicious attacks at me!â
Just as the two of them reached a stalemate, the Emperor of Xiliu, Hua Zirong, spoke. âThis woman cannot compare to the previous Eldest Imperial Princess, Ning Rulan.â
Just that one sentence was enough for the more clever people in the crowd to understand his meaning.
Pei Qianhao watched all of this with cold eyes. When he heard what Hua Zirong said, he sneered. âThatâs right. However, as this is Nanzhaoâs Eldest Imperial Princess, itâs inconvenient for this Prince to say much.â
Prince Haoâs words were clearly agreeing with Hua Zirong. They were all guessing that the woman who had danced wasnât Ning Anlian. In addition, the current Eldest Imperial Princess had lost to her predecessor on all accounts.
What Ning Anlian hated the most was others comparing her to Ning Rulan. I am clearly better than Ning Rulan in everything, and living in an unrestrained manner as I please as well. At least I am not a pile of bones like Ning Rulan.
But she was still uneasy when others compared her to Ning Rulan. Whatâs bad about me?
Pei Qianhao added another sentence immediately. âActually, the dance we saw wasnât completely incomparable. With such a unique Jinghong dance, this Prince wouldâve liked to see it again if the Eldest Imperial Princessâ ankle wasnât injured.â
Ning Anlian knew in her heart that Prince Hao had said that on purpose. With Su Xi-er being his servant, how can Prince Hao not know that she was the one dancing?!
However, she couldnât lose her temper at such an important banquet; she instead quickly replied, âThis Princessâ injury must have flared up because of the Jinghong Dance, but it is not a big deal. This Princess will have more opportunities to dance for everyone in the future.â
Ning Lianchen sat on the high seat and didnât talk at all, just watching the situation unfold before him. Only he knew that what everyone had said was dead on. The one who danced wasnât Ning Anlian. She canât possibly be talented enough for the charming Jinghong dance.
When Ning Lianchen saw Ning Anlian getting interrogated by everyone, he hid a smile at the corner of his mouth and said, âEldest Imperial Princess, your dance moves are really not as good as Imperial Sister Ning Rulanâs!â
âYouâŚâ Ning Anlian felt a mouthful of blood rushing up her throat, almost spitting it out.
Ning Lianchen, how dare you mock me. Do you really think of yourself as the Emperor now? Weâll see how high and mighty you can be once all these people are gone. Youâll be like a puppet dancing around in the palm of my hand!
She replied, âYour Majesty, you are right. This Princess is not as good as that sinful woman Ning Rulan. After all, she had practised the Jinghong dance longer than this Princess. This Princess will practise more to reach her level in the future. Besides, Your Majesty shouldnât be comparing this Princess with a sinner whoâs committed monstrous crimes like Ning Rulan!â
She had purposely emphasised the words âsinful womanâ and âsinnerâ, causing Ning Lianchenâs expression to change.
âEven if she was a sinner, her dance is still better than yours, Imperial Elder Sister. You are not even a tenth of what Ning Rulan was.â Ning Lianchenâs smile looked even kinder than Yun Ruofengâs, but held a hint of danger at the same time. Ning Anlian didnât know what to do apart from being angry.
Ning Anlian didnât know that Yun Ruofengâs expression had also suddenly changed before reverting to normal when she had spoken.
Finally, Yun Ruofeng said, âYour Majesty, Eldest Imperial Princess, itâs not appropriate to discuss the previous Eldest Imperial Princess at the state banquet.â
Both people became quiet, but neither of them had a great expression.
Ning Anlian knew that it wasnât appropriate for her to stand there anymore, so she asked the palace maid to bring her back to her seat immediately.
Chu Linglong also got up to return to his seat, but not before some venomous words exited his mouth. âEveryone present has practised martial arts before. For the Eldest Imperial Princessâ ankle to be so severely swollen⌠haha.â