The invisible struggle between the two clearly went unnoticed by others as they stared at each other from afar.
But Yang Mama in front had taken in everything, yet she did not speak up. This month-long feud between the two had been spreading, and the people present had faintly heard of it.
As a result, it could be said that Su Mo'er had offended both the Lui siblings by coming to the prefectural government mansion.
Although this was not her intention, she couldn't ignore the underhanded actions taken by those who envied her, leading to her current situation.
Su Mo'er had also realized that even if she didn't come to the prefectural government mansion, would things be any different between her and Lui Feifei?
Even if she married Lui Yanzé, would her life be smooth? Therefore, she felt that she had no fear of losing her opportunity and was now more determined to seize the chance.
The maidservant and Yang Mama discussed for a while and then began arranging the order of performances for the upcoming banquet.
Due to her family background, Lui Feifei had been proficient in various arts since childhood. Therefore, she was the best among the attendees and naturally became the first one to perform.
Lui Feifei had no objections when she heard this, as she also wanted to be the first to perform. She was confident that with her skills, she would surely impress everyone by being the first to appear on stage.
Others were not in a position to object, considering her extraordinary skills and her influential family background.
Following this, Yang Mama announced several more performances to follow, and the tension among the attendees increased as it progressed.
After all, the number of performers and performances at a banquet was limited, and not everyone would get a chance to perform that day.
Su Mo'er was also nervous, clenching her hands tightly. But as each name was called out, hers wasn't among them, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment and anxiety.
She also knew that in terms of skill and family background, she was undoubtedly the worst, so her chances were slim.
But today was her first time performing in front of the crown prince, making it a crucial opportunity. If she couldn't perform, she would undoubtedly miss an opportunity.
Thinking this, her eyes flickered, and she determined not to let this chance slip away. If she couldn't perform, she would make sure that certain people couldn't either...
Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly heard Yang Mama announce, "Su Mo'er will be the last one to perform. This concludes the lineup for today's performances."
The surprise came too suddenly, leaving her momentarily stunned as she looked up, not expecting to be the last one!
The position for performance, without a doubt, was the best at the beginning and the end. She had thought she wouldn't have a chance to perform and had prepared to take some improper actions. But to her surprise, things had now taken a sudden turn.
After a brief moment of astonishment, strong joy surged into her heart. She couldn't help but smile, bowing and saying, "Thank you, Aunt Yang. I will do my best and not disappoint."
Yang Mama said, "We arranged it according to everyone's situation. Once you're on stage, everything will depend on your luck."
Although she said so, Su Mo'er could perceive the underlying care from Yang Mama and others. There might be many other reasons mixed in with their kindness, but it didn't diminish Su Mo'er's gratitude.
Where there's joy, there's bound to be discontent. Several maids who often gathered around Lui Feifei immediately became disgruntled. "Aunt Yang, is this arrangement fair? Miss Lui captivated us at the beginning, after all, she is outstanding in both appearance and talent. But what about Su Mo'er? Her skills are just passable at best. Why should she occupy such a prime position?"
As soon as one person spoke up, several others joined in the commotion.
Li Linger, who was a friend of Su Mo'er, retorted, "You're unhappy? On what grounds? Do you think you can compare to Su sister either in talent or beauty? Do you have the face to make such comments here?"
With her words, the noisy group fell silent and red-faced with shame.
Indeed, they couldn't match Su Mo'er's skills, and they couldn't match her exceptional beauty. They were simply venting their frustration at her for taking such a prime position despite having an average family background.
Seeing the group fall silent, Li Linger huffed and held Su Mo'er's hand, "Sister Su, ignore them! They're just a bunch of clowns who can't get what they want!"
Although Su Mo'er didn't take their provocations to heart, Li Linger's defense made her feel slightly warmer.
She glanced gratefully at Li Linger before scanning the noisy group and finally fixing her gaze on the dignified and composed Yang Mama and Li Linger, slightly pondering before speaking, "As you all said, I may truly not deserve this position, but I believe that Aunt Yang and Mama Li must have their reasons for arranging it in this way."
The underlying message was, the leaders have spoken, so who are you to criticize here?
As soon as she said this, those unhappy individuals became even more embarrassed and angry, but none dared to speak up again.
Seeing this, Yang Mama smiled and said, "I understand some of you may be feeling resentful, but this matter was directly ordered by the Lord Prefect."
At her words, those who were still indignant were taken aback, and then deflated like a balloon, becoming silent.
As the host, Prefect Yang Jian took this matter very seriously as the main organizer of the dance event.
It goes without saying for Lui Feifei that he was eager to push her on stage. The successful outcome would not only help him win favor with the crown prince but also enhance the reputation of the influential Lui family businesses.
Here is the faithful English translation of the provided text:
This was a win-win situation, so why wouldn't he do it? Even if Liufei fei couldn't please the crown prince, he had still done his best and made amends with the Liu family.
No matter how you calculate it, he did not lose out. And Su Mo'er, who was famous for her looks, was his trump card. Su Mo'er had no background, so one could say that everything was in his hands. He pushed Su Mo'er forward; it was an opportunity he had given. If Su Mo'er were to succeed, she could only remember him favorably.
Don't talk about her lack of skill. What was the ultimate goal of sending a dancing girl up there? Wasn't it just to please the crown prince?
Yang Jian was also a man, so naturally he understood. When it came to a beauty like Su Mo'er, everything else could only be considered an added bonus. Just by standing there and doing nothing, she had already won half the battle, which is why Su Mo'er had this opportunity.
Su Mo'er was a clever person. After the excitement in her mind cooled down, she quickly thought of these things.
Yang Mama settled the matter with a few words and then let everyone go, urging them to prepare for tonight's performance.
Everyone agreed and left, each with their thoughts. But Liufei fei approached Su Mo'er and said softly, "Don't think that your luck on the stage means everything is going to be fine. In the end, everything will depend on your own abilities. After tonight, you might just cry and leave."
Su Mo'er couldn't help but bite her lip and look back at her, retorting, "You are confident, but be careful not to be too outspoken, and don't overturn the boat in muddy waters."
Liufei fei snorted coldly, "Eloquent!"
Su Mo'er raised her lips, "Each to their own."
Then the two of them went their separate ways and left.
Although Su Mo'er showed a strong front against Liufei fei, she knew deep down that Liufei fei's words had a point. In the end, everything would depend on her own abilities. Because of her family background, she hadn't had much exposure to singing and dancing. Even after training in the Duke's residence for so long, and despite her extraordinary talent, she still couldn't compare to someone like Liufei fei, who had been practicing since childhood.
Therefore, if she wanted to make a splash in tonight's performance, she had to come up with a different approach. If possible, weakening her opponents would be a viable option. She thought about it, and her eyes sparkled.
When she returned to her room, she carefully considered and then grit her teeth, took out all her silver coins, and called Qingyou over, whispering to her, "You go..."
...
Time flew by, and the scorching sun had already set in the west. The brilliant rays of sunset painted a magnificent picture, with most of the sky filled with colorful clouds, creating a mesmerizing scene.
Tonight, the Duke's residence was to hold the crown prince's "welcome banquet," so the entire residence had been mobilized early.
If you looked down from a high place, you could see that the buildings of the Duke's residence were densely packed, and inside, people were bustling, and colorful lights illuminated the scene, creating a beautiful and wonderful atmosphere.
In the dancing and music hall, the various young women who were to perform tonight were eagerly waiting for their time to come.
Su Mo'er quietly asked Qingyou, "Is everything arranged properly?"
Qingyou's face showed a hint of nervousness and she nodded, "Don't worry, Miss, they are all trustworthy people."
Pointing to a servant girl not far away who was serving drinks, she said, "Look, they've already changed."
Su Mo'er thought of something else, "What about the other place?"
Qingyou replied, "Miss, rest assured. We've also spent a lot of money, and the other party has agreed."
Hearing this, Su Mo'er finally breathed a sigh of relief and gazed deeply at Liufei fei, who seemed a bit nervous in the distance, but put on a high-minded appearance, and sneered inwardly.
After that, she checked her personal belongings that she needed for her performance tonight to see if there were any omissions.
After all, if she could plot against others, she could also be plotted against.
...
The sun finally disappeared. Today was the sixteenth, and the moon was full, not just on the fifteenth but also on the sixteenth.
At the beginning of the hour, the full moon, like a silver plate, hung high in the starry night sky, emitting a cold and bright light.
In the Duke's residence banquet hall, officials of the Chang Prefecture, large and small, had already arrived and were seated according to their rank, chatting quietly about nothing other than the tonight's main character, the "Crown Prince."
Just then, the commotion suddenly quieted down. Everyone subconsciously looked over and saw the usually aloof Duke, Yang Jian, now smiling with a man by his side.
The moonlight and the light of the lamps reflected on the man's face and figure as they walked in, allowing everyone to see his face clearly, causing them to be breathless.
...
...
Author's note: Today's update. Well, here comes the performance!