Fang Taifei patiently watched the shadow puppet show to the end.
Finally, it was over.
The old Taifei was very satisfied and ordered the performers to come before her to receive their rewards.
Fang Taifei was a little displeased. They were just traveling performers. She thought the servants should have distributed the rewards, so why did they need to be summoned?
She was a noble Taifei, not someone who could be met by just anyone.
Yun Zhu, having spent years understanding Fang Taifei's thoughts, had become exceptionally skilled. Seeing her frown, she knew what Fang Taifei was thinking. Without a word, she stepped in front of Fang Taifei, blocking her completely.
Fang Taifei cast a look of approval at Yun Zhu, acknowledging her as her most capable maid.
She then gestured with her eyes for Wang Qingyao to also block, but Wang Qingyao, unable to grasp her intention, simply stared back blankly. After a while, Fang Taifei gave up.
In reality, they were sitting in the hall, separated from the passage by a courtyard. The performers, after finishing backstage, knelt in the middle of the courtyard. As long as one didn't keep their head raised and observe closely, their faces wouldn't be clearly seen.
Only one person emerged, a middle-aged man in his thirties with a wounded face. He looked nervous and somewhat guilty, quickly glancing up at the people in the hall before lowering his head again.
Yun Zhu found his demeanor suspicious, not like a good person, and immediately became alert, staring intently at him.
Fang Taifei couldn't see the man's face, but she heard that only one person had come down. She thought, these people are sensible. They didn't swarm forward to see the noble guests, but sent only a representative.
The old Taifei asked with a smile, "Why is only one person out? Where are the others? Call them out too!"
The middle-aged man replied, "Reporting to the old Taifei, only this humble one is here."
"Nonsense, I clearly heard many voices just now."
"Old Taifei, you may not know, but this humble one has studied ventriloquism since childhood and is skilled at imitating various accents. It's not boasting, but if this humble one has heard someone's voice once, I can imitate it." The middle-aged man said with a hint of pride.
Yun Zhu's eyelids twitched violently. She stared at the middle-aged man again and again, her heart pounding like a drum.
"Oh my, that's amazing!" The old Taifei, with her kind eyes and gentle smile, said, "Perform another one for me here. If you perform well, I will reward you handsomely."
"Yes."
The middle-aged man looked up and said, "Oh my, that's amazing! Perform another one for me here. If you perform well, I will reward you handsomely!"
He was imitating the old Taifei, repeating the exact sentence she had just spoken, even mimicking her tone. If one didn't see him, they would truly believe it was the old Taifei speaking.
"Hoo!" The old Taifei exclaimed. At first, she had been skeptical when Wang Qingyao mentioned it, but now she had no choice but to believe.
Yun Zhu's palms were sweating. She had a bad feeling.
Fang Taifei hadn't reacted yet, only thinking that these folk performers had some skill.
"Guards, reward them handsomely."
As the old Taifei commanded, a maid brought over a lacquered tray with three silver ingots.
The middle-aged man glanced at the tray, swallowed, and kowtowed, "This humble one dares not accept."
"Oh? Why dare not?"
The middle-aged man stammered, unable to speak, and glanced sideways at Wang Qingyao.
Wang Qingyao, seeing that the time was right, looked around and ordered, "All of you, leave."
The old Taifei nodded.
The servants in the courtyard retreated to the doorway. Yun Zhu hesitated for a moment before also walking out.
Wang Qingyao stopped her, "Yun Zhu, stay."
Yun Zhu looked at Wang Qingyao with a half-smile, her lips trembling nervously, "Your servant..."
"It's alright, I trust you."
Yun Zhu: "Thank... thank you, Princess, for your trust."
Fang Taifei looked at Wang Qingyao with surprise. Had the sun risen in the west? When had the Princess become so enlightened?
Fang Taifei didn't know what Wang Qingyao was planning. Seeing that only the three mistresses, Yun Zhu, and the kneeling ventriloquist remained in the courtyard, Wang Qingyao slowly said, "Alright, perform for Fang Taifei again."
Fang Taifei frowned, completely bewildered.
The middle-aged man said, "Yes."
Then he began his performance.
"Your Highness, what is so good about Wang Qingyao? In terms of background, in terms of looks, can she compare to me? As long as you are willing, I will be yours immediately. Your Highness..." This was Feng Jiangduo's voice, but her tone was so sweet and seductive that it made one's skin crawl.
"Princess Nange, please have some self-respect!" This was Xiao Yun's voice.
"Call me Duoduo, Your Highness, do you know? I've liked you since the first moment I saw you. I came to Duanjing because of you..."
"Don't touch me! How can you do this, considering how good the Princess is to you? Is this how you repay the Princess, how you repay Xiao Mo?"
"Wang Qingyao is just a foolish woman. Who needs her kindness? As for Xiao Mo... hehe, he's truly laughable. With just a flick of my finger, he was completely smitten with me..."