Chapter 36 – Ancient Era: A Dance to Enchant the City—The Emperor’s Celestial Fairy (06)
His dark eyes seemed to gather frost, and his tone carried no warmth.
“With a daughter like this, I fail to see how the family has upheld its values. How could they possibly bear the responsibility of a ministerial position?”
With just one sentence, he had effectively stripped an entire family of their status, reducing them to mere commoners.
“Your Majesty, have mercy! Your Majesty, have mercy! It was my own foolishness—I spoke recklessly! Miss Bai, please, forgive me! Please forgive me!” The young woman, seeing that Jiang Liangwu paid her no mind, crawled forward on her knees and clutched the hem of Bai Shang’s dress.
“You… let go!” Bai Shang yanked her garment away, frowning as she noticed the creases left behind.
“Even if you beg me, it’s useless. This is the emperor’s decision.” She had no intention of pleading on the woman’s behalf. Her meticulously prepared dress was now wrinkled—could this woman afford to compensate her?
Soon, the disgraced young woman was dragged away.
The banquet quickly resumed its lively atmosphere, as though nothing had happened.
“Tang Tang, don’t be sad,” the system consoled. “The male lead may share a soul with Hudson, but reincarnation erases past memories. He’s not Hudson anymore.”
Bai Tang blinked rapidly, forcing back the tears that threatened to form. He straightened up, forcing a smile.
“You’re right. He’s not my Hudson. I’ll just focus on completing my mission!”
Seeing Bai Tang pretend to be strong made the system ache with sympathy. If not for the male lead’s protagonist halo, it would have already gone to the system store and bought a voodoo doll to curse Jiang Liangwu. D*mn him!!!
Meanwhile, Bai Shang, eager to stand out, performed a dance infused with exotic Western Region flair—just as she had in the original storyline.
With a graceful sway of her waist, a lift of her leg, and a smooth twirl, she captivated the young noblemen in attendance. Their eyes were glued to her every movement, mesmerized.
Seeing their stunned expressions and awed murmurs, Bai Shang was immensely pleased. She danced with even greater enthusiasm, reveling in their admiration.
Yet, as the performance continued, the empress dowager—who had initially watched with anticipation—found her expression growing darker and darker.
The graceful figure swaying passionately on the dance floor gradually overlapped with the shadow of the late emperor’s favored concubine from the Western Regions. The humiliation and disgrace of those years resurfaced in the Empress Dowager’s mind…
With a loud crash, she slammed her cup down. “Enough.”
Bai Shang froze mid-movement, looking at the Empress Dowager in confusion. She blinked innocently and asked, “Your Majesty, was… was my dance not good enough?”
Everyone present knew of the late emperor’s debauchery. Yet this prime minister’s daughter had the audacity to perform a Western Region dance here? Was she courting death, or did she truly believe that just because the emperor had defended her earlier, she had already risen above everyone else?
“The female lead is really digging her own grave.” The system’s tone was icy.
“Just wait. He—Jiang Liangwu—will definitely step in for her.” Bai Tang’s voice carried a hint of jealousy he himself hadn’t noticed, as his gaze remained fixed on Jiang Liangwu.
Jiang Liangwu, however, felt nothing special toward Bai Shang. But he couldn’t let his mother’s anger extend to the Bai family. Moreover, Bai Tang’s eager gaze was practically pleading with him. It seemed that, while Bai Shang might not be very reliable, the bond between these two siblings was still strong.
“Mother, please don’t be upset.” Jiang Liangwu personally handed the Empress Dowager a cup of tea.
He whispered a few words into her ear, and though her expression softened somewhat, the anger in her eyes had not completely dissipated.
A servant then announced in a loud voice that the Empress Dowager was feeling unwell. The flower-viewing banquet would continue at everyone’s leisure, but she herself would be taking her leave.
Although the Empress Dowager had left, she had given permission for everyone to enjoy themselves freely. The emperor was still present, so there was no shortage of opportunities.
The banquet’s main events had concluded, and Bai Tang had no desire to stay any longer—it only annoyed him.
As he stood up, his ankle suddenly twisted, and he stumbled forward, crashing into the table laden with fruit and pastries.
“Crash—” The table was overturned, leaving a complete mess.
People nearby, caught off guard, also got their clothes stained in the chaos.
“Why are both Bai siblings like this? The Bai family’s upbringing is truly lacking.”
Bai Tang hadn’t heard such whispers directed at him in a long time. His ankle hurt, and after everything that had frustrated him tonight—especially seeing his supposed soulmate falling for someone else—he felt utterly wronged.
He bit his lower lip hard, trying to hold back his tears.
“Don’t bite, you’ll make yourself bleed.”
A large, calloused hand gently pinched his cheeks. Bai Tang was forced to relax his jaw, revealing clear bite marks on his lower lip, with a faint trickle of blood beginning to seep out.
“You—” Bai Tang’s words caught in his throat as tears welled up and rolled down his cheeks. Then, remembering Jiang Liangwu’s lingering gazes with the female lead, he angrily shoved him away.
“I—I don’t need you to care!”
He wiped at his tears with his hands, smudging his fair cheeks with dark streaks of dirt.
Jiang Liangwu’s heart ached. Though this was his first time meeting Bai Tang, every little action of the boy seemed to tug at his emotions.
“Waaah—”
Ignoring the gazes of those around them, Jiang Liangwu simply scooped Bai Tang into a princess carry and strode towards the inner palace.
Author’s Note:
The Three Obstacles to the Pursuit of Love:
Female Lead: “I’m supposed to be your destined CP!”
System: “Tang Tang, the male lead is just a big, lousy scumb*g!”
Empress Dowager: “Wait, when did I become a stumbling block in my own son’s love life???