The young girl's hands move with strength and grace. It was the fastest song that this man with sharp gaze has ever seen and heard, and that seems to be for most of the people present.
"Your Grace, do you know what this song is?" Xiao Chen asked with bewilderment obvious in his eyes. The man with porcelain like skin hiding behind a lot of people didn't reply as he stared at the young girl performing. And after what seems to be forever he replied with not an answer... But a question.
"What's her name?" Came out of his mouth as his gaze seem to never leave her.
"Yang Yuhuan your grace."
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It didn't look unnatural that there are invisible finger picks on me, I covered it up with an illusion. The song I played has a fast rhythm. I wasn't really sure where I learned this, Must be from one of the realities I was in. If I remembered right it was called "Sunshine over the Jinggang mountain".
Since Yang Yuhuan hasn't developed calluses, the finger picks were really a big help. I finished with flying colors, duh, dafuq do you expect from me. I stood up and bowed towards the emperor.
"Hahaha! What song is this little Yang? How come I haven't heard of this great piece?" The emperor laughed. What the heck seems to be funny? I mean, Song's face can be considered funny. Her face is seriously distorted, her eyebrows became a uni-brow and her eyes were bloodshot.
'What else would you call it? Jealousy, duh?' Iris smirked.
I smiled at the emperor "Sunshine over the Jinggang mountain, you majesty." Shoot, there's no such mountain that exists here...f*ck!
"Where is this Jinggang mountain eh?" The old guy asked.
"Oh... It's a..metaphor you highness. *Jinggang* means hardship in the west, your highness." Like yeah it is. *sigh*
"Dan Jifeng is magnificent! Call her immediately then! I would like for her to teach my daughters." He shouted.
'F*ck. Iris what do I say?'
'Don't worry, That aunt of hers would take the credit.' She said.
'Take the credit my ass! She's the only person Guifei trusts.' I exclaimed.
Aunt Jifeng stood up and bowed to his majesty. She was seated a bit far from us.
"I hate to disappoint you your majesty, but I am not capable of such masterpiece." Sh*t I'm screwed.
'What do I do?' I asked Iris panicked though it doesn't show on my face.
'Uhm, her mother made it?'
'Jifeng knows that the mother knows no sh*t!'
"Little Yang, Who taught you this?" The emperor asked.
"No one... Your majesty." I said. I could've said the father, but he doesn't know shit about Guzheng!
"Bwahaha! You're saying that you made this!? What else? That your the daughter of the heavens? Don't you dare lie in front of his majesty!" Uncle Yang laughed. Nah.. I'm not the daughter of the heavens, It's my old friend actually.
"You're just bribing Aunt Jifeng to lie. Tell the truth now Aunt Jifeng, we all know she's not capable of that." Aunt Yang said.
The crowd started to murmur. They thought that what these bitches said were right since they feed me of course.
"And you also expect us to believe that little Yuhuan is taken care of by you?! Of course, how would the likes of you know that such a young genius is in your estate when you don't even feed her!" Dan Jifeng exclaimed, not necessarily shouting but her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear.
"You two did nothing but feed off of Yueyu and Xuanyan's wealth. You don't even know that she had an allergy to lavender and maltreated her." Lan Huafeng said. The whole Lan family was on my side. This sentence made the people inside the hall gasp. Even the emperor was shocked.
"Is this true Little Yang?" The Emperor asked. Finally! The right time to cut ties with this crooked family has come. I bowed to his majesty and began to cry.
"Y-your majesty, please don't-don't punish them." I had tears that were threatening to fall but didn't so it had this pitiful effect.
"So it's true! What did they do to you!?" His majesty asked.
"Your majesty this is a misunder-" Uncle Yang stood up panicking
"Shut it!" The emperor caught him off. Looks likes I gained the emperor's favour.
'Duh, that old guy's energy is endless.' Iris said pertaining to you-know-what.
'Ugh, don't remind me.'
'To think that he'll give that kind of look to a ten year old.' Iris rolled her eyes as she continued to watch the scene before her.
The emperor told me to tell him exactly what they do to me and if I don't he'll punish them gravely. Like hell yeah, flag them to death or something, as if I care.
"Th-they starve me, your majesty." I *lost* strength in my legs and Aunt Jifeng beside me almost cried at my state. I slowly kneeled and continued as if having a hard time telling them. Aunt Jifeng saw how I acted and helped me.
"Please let me, your majesty." She bowed.
"Go on." The old guy said.
"Her clothes are from when her father was still alive, they seem to not take notice of how ragged most of her clothes are, your majesty. The courtyard, or should I say the stock room that they made her stay is broken and rain seeps through the roofs when it rains. Her food your majesty... " Aunt Jifeng started to cry as if she couldn't take it anymore.
"Her food are nothing but scraps." Well that's exaggerated. Yes they feed me but only twice a day, the food cannot really be considered scraps nor a feast. I just let her talk anyways, it's better if she exaggerates it, in that way they'll get what they deserve. A lot of women inside the hall started to cry and empathize with me.
"Yang Xuanjiao! Yang Chi! You treat the two elders so dearly yet you treat the youngest one this cruelly!?" The emperor exclaimed.
"Y-your majesty, why would I-"
"Because I'm the only daughter of my mother your majesty! Me and mt elder sisters are not related that's why I deserve the hate your majesty." I acted childish and stated the truth while sniffing.
"What?! Xuanyan only had Lady Liang as his beloved." The emperor said. This confused a lot of people and also explained why the two never resembled their so-called-mother Yueyu.
"Yang Xuanjiao once forced Xuanyan to bed with someone your majesty." Okay... What? Everyone gasped at what Dan Jifeng said.
'She knew?' I sneaked a peak at Iris.
'Well sh*t. Then what she said at the time when we first met...' I wondered. I specifically remembered her saying that it's unbelievable that those two grew up like that. Iris kept staring at somewhere and never replied to me. I just shifted my attention back to the matter once again.
"You wench!" Xuanjiao exclaimed. The two sisters were angry and glaring at me. I can see in my peripheral vision how twisted the damily looks, and it makes me want to laugh.
"Guards! Drag these dogs out and never let them in again!" The emperor shouted and within seconds, clanking of metals and heavy footsteps were heard as well the screaming of two ladies.
"Your majesty you said that you wouldn't punish them." I cried and tried to beg. The peiple around whispered once more.
"Oh such a pure child."
"*Sigh* Innocent young children should always be taken care of."
"To think that she suffered so much and she's still this kind."
I continued to look pitiful begging for the emperor not to punish them. This is to of course, ignite the old guy's anger towards the family even more.
"I promised you to not punish them *gravely*." He said. Yeah sure.... Gravely.
His majesty's birthday banquet turned sour because of the Yang family and all the secrets revealed today. I searched for Iris and she was nowhere to be found.
'Huh, where did that cat run off to?'