7 CHAPTER 7 : PERFORMING WITH THE HEROINE

As Li Xi Rui watching her parents' delighted faces, she heard her name being called, ".... wonder if Princess Anping mind to show this miss how it's properly done?".

Looking at Xiao Xi, she speaks with low voice, " That fifth Miss Wei are asking for Eldest miss to perform. Xiao Xi thinks she might have some bad intention. It's not enough she humiliated you that day in the street and making miss lose face in front the 2nd prince, now she wanted to humiliate miss in front the nobles!". Xiao Xi is livid. Understanding Xiao xi's concern, Li Xi Rui patted her hand and smile.

"This princess accept", she replied to fifth miss Wei.

"If that's so, please use this miss' zither, as I'm sure the princess didn't prepare anything. But, talented people needn't prepare as naturally they can play beautifully as opposed to this untalented miss", fifth miss Wei offered her zither.

Snickering in her mind, Li Xi Rui is not dumb. Clearly, there will be something wrong with the zither. That white ziter is clearly expensive and she wasn't dumb enough to touch what's not hers. Smiling, Li Xi Rui look at the emperor's boat and bowing, "This princess do not dare to say that she is the most talented lady. Clearly, it is Miss Mu who is the no.1 talented lady in the country. So, how about miss Mu play the zither and this princess will dance?".

"But...", before Miss Wei had a chance to speak, someone else beat her.

"Never have I ever see a princess dancing before. Hump! Dancing is only for the commoner!", the man ridiculed her. Of course the man is the concubine borne 4th prince, Long Fei.

Glancing at the prince, Li Xi Rui bow to the emperor and reply, "It's not such a dance but a sword dance. Please allow Miss Mu and this princess perform emperor".

"Oooo... zhen had never seen this kind of dance before, please Miss Mu, play the zither and princess Anping can dance", only the chuckles can be heard as the boat has yellow clothes draping from the sides.

Walking to the pavilion, Li Xi Rui glance at Mu Jiu Jiu. The latter didn't even pay her any attention and went straight to the zither.



Without saying anything, Miss Mu started to play the zither. With the melody in the air and the onlooker gawking at her zither skill, Mu Wei Wei feel happy. So she continue playing a bit faster.

Seeing the confident look of the heroine, Li Xi Rui started to un sheath her sword. This is not a real sword as it is blunt at both sides. She had her father buy this for her to practice on. With the fierceness in her eyes, she slowly draw the sword to create some tension.



After successfully drawing everyone's attention on her, she started to dance. She leaps and twirl with her dress flowing like cloud. Her dance showed a valiant and determine girl is killing her enemy and dominated the war. Seeing the girl in front of her dancing, Mu Jiu Jiu started to pick up her pace. Playing faster, faster and faster. The quicker she plays, the faster Li Xi Rui's movement is till..."Auch!", the zither melody stopped. Li Xi Rui quickly withdraws her sword and look at Mu Jiu Jiu.

In a second, the crown prince arrived at the heroin side and look at her bleeding hand. "Li Xi Rui, why couldn't you be a bit slow? See, her hand is bleeding because of trying to match your pace".

Looking at the crown prince and their tangled hands, she feels hurt. Showing her cold face, she retaliate, "This princess doesn't mean to be dancing too fast for the miss to catch up". Her words is ridiculing the heroine of being the no1 talented at zither but couldn't catch up to the former her.

"You!", the crown prince pointing at her.

"Your highness, it's not Princess Anping's fault. It's this miss didn't realised the zither had been tampered", she touched the broken string.

"Great! Who dare to scheme tonight?!", the crown prince was livid.

"It's eldest Miss Li! She wanted to harm me but unexpectedly Miss Mu is the one injured", Miss Wei trying to blame Li Xi Rui.

"Is this true Li Xi Rui?!!", the emperor chimed in.

"I didn't know she is this vicious!", crown prince started to get mad and the crowd is throwing insults at her.

"If your majesty allowed, hear what this PRINCESS want to say first before making judgement", she emphasized on the word princess to remind miss Wei of her princess status in the banquet.

"Zhen really is interested on how you can clear your crime. Fine! You can try but.... if it is proven otherwise, you and your family are banished from the capital!", the emperor said.

"Yes your majesty", Li Xi Rui thanked the emperor. Looking at the direction of her parents, she smile to reassure them that she is okay.

***

Li Xi Rui glance at every face in front of her and smile, "Miss Wei, you said I was the one tampering with the zither, correct?". She looked at miss wei.

"Yes. Correct. Everyone knows you always trying to frame me. Everyone knows about the quarrel in the street few days ago", she reminded everyone of the rumor about how Li Xi Rui nearly slapped her maid. 'This Li Xi rui will be destroyed tonight!'.

"Is that so. But need I to remind you, I have not touched the zither nor would I know you will lend it to me tonight. Moreover, I have decided not to perform tonight", Li Xi Rui snickered in her heart. 'What a hopeless fool this miss Wei!'. Her words rang in everyone's mind. Li Xi Rui didn't want to perform tonight but by miss Wei invitation, she discarded her initial intention.

"Well, it's not like your maid cannot do the deed herself", miss Wei try to buy her way out.

"Did miss Wei forgot? Outside maid cannot step onto this area before the emperor told them to?"

".. n..o... of course not. Then it just makes sense if you yourself went to sabotage my zither or bought someone to do it", Miss Wei is relentless in her pursuit.

"Oh... but I assure you I didn't leave my table nor I have any interaction with others before. Didn't everyone already know, I hate interacting with other people? Similarly they hated me too", she simply reminded everyone of her 'arrogance'.

"Prove it then!",

"Naturally my parents can attest to that", she looked at her parents nodding.

"Hahaha! Who knows if your parents in cahoots with you. You are their only daughter after all", miss Wei become more impolite as she verbally attacking her.

"This Princess can be the eye witness!", out of nowhere, stood a lady in red. Some people showed shock expression as they couldn't believe that Princess Long, the emperor blood related sister will side with Li Xi Rui!

"Your highness? Why would you support this woman?!", miss Wei is flabbergasted. Her plans will be ruined if this goes on.

Li Xi Rui calmly nodded her head in Princess Long direction. She has been gambling if there will be anyone brave enough to state the truth. These people had been gossiping and looking at her the entire time. Of course they all can speak out for her, they just decided not to.

"Miss Wei, as a princess of this country, my words held certain bearing and nobody dare to refute. As a daughter of a noble, dare you say I spoke lies today?", Princess Long reminded miss Wei their difference in status. How bold of her to question the sister of an emperor.

"This miss do not dare. Please your highness, do not take offense", miss Wei's face turned red as tomato.

"Non taken. Please continue Princess Anping", princess Long smile at Li Xi Rui and sit down.

Nodding at princess Long, she continue, "I have thus showed you the prove. Now, for the true culprit... As I've said, I didn't know I have to perform today. I didn't touch the zither at all nor I bought anyone to tampered the string. But, the culprit must have been wanting to injured me as I was initially the one to be invited to play that zither. If I was the one injured today, will anyone be concerned of me? Instead, you will condemned me for being too full of myself and the string broke because of my poor skills. Am I not right?", she didn't look at anyone but her feet.

If it's her and not the heroine injured, they will turned a blind eye of what happened today. Such a cruel world she lives in. What justice? She didn't need it! She doesn't even want to know if they have been shameful or not with their bystandered action.

"Now, Miss Wei, do you have something to say?", the emperor suddenly interfere.

"Your majesty it's this woman who try to frame me!", miss Wei kowtowing hard on the floor.

"Miss Wei, zhen is not blind and couldn't be easily fooled by an immature young girl! Guard, bring the evidence out!", not wanting to speak longer, the emperor just want to conclude the case.

From the side, the guards bring a maid out and threw the girl on the floor. Crying, the maid smacked her head onto the floor and come clean, "Your majesty, it's miss Wei who asked me to tampered with the zither. She has been jealous with Princess Anping for a long time. That time on the street, it is her who told me to push the princess and it is her who start throwing insults at the princess. Your majesty, please... this servant have a sick mother and a little brother. Without the reward from miss Wei, this servant's family will be unable to survive!".

Crying with bleeding head, Li Xi Rui turns her head away. She refused to feel sympathy! Why should she play the good guy? When she was acquitted with the crime she didn't do, no one stood up for her. Thus she believe, everyone is old enough to take responsibility of their action. Be it is unintentionally or intentionally.

"Miss Wei, you have try to harm a princess, harming a noble lady and scheming with your maid because of jealousy. Such a black hearted lady is not suited to be a noble. Zhen sentence miss Wei to a live as a commoner and banished to live outside of the capital. She is forbidden to receive help from her family be it financially or secretly. The Wei clan will be investigated and if it's proven they had been doing something illegal, the title and their possession will be taken by the palace!", the emperor sentence miss wei to a life as a commoner.

"No!!! Father, please help me!! Brother!!", Miss Wei thought her family can back her up. At the end she still didn't repented her misdeed.

"You! How did you turned out like this? Because of you, the whole clan is jeopardized. I couldn't sacrifice the life of 300 people just for you. It's best if you just cooperate. Live as a commoner is better than have been sentenced dead", Marquis Wei's voice full of grievances. How did he not know, to his daughter, living as a commoner is worse than death itself. But he didn't have a heart to watch she die. So he steele his heart and watch as her daughter being dragged by the royal guard.

Li Xi Rui just ignore everyone and sit in her chair. It's like everything doesn't have anything to do with her. She doesn't want to see the crown prince with the heroine either so she just look at her folded hand in her lap.

With ruined mood, the emperor concluded the event early. The lantern release also being cancelled.