The Fourth Lady

Chapter 142 Birth of a Phoenix

Qingyan could only quietly stand there and let Qilian Yuran hug her. In fact, she really wanted to tell

Qilian Yuran that she was Qilian Qingyan, but she didn't have a way to say these words out. After all,

right now she was Su Qingyan and not the former Qilian Qingyan.

Hongjia Emperor looked to the two of them standing below and momentarily didn't know what to say

either. As for the crowds startling looks and gazes, he could only chose to ignore. Exclusive content from NôvelDrama.Org.

He didn't know why Qilian Yuran would lose her composure like so after seeing this kind of dance, but

he still faintly feel that this matter was possibly related to the former Qilian Qingyan.

After all, she treated Qilian Qingyan just like her own daughter.

After Qilian Yuran sorted out her feelings, she looked Qingyan smiling, "Don't know if you still have any

other performances that can widen this consort's eyes."

Qingyan faced Qilian Yuran with a bright smile, "If your Highness doesn't disdain, then this subject-

daughter is willing to perform a piece for your Highness."

Recalling hearing that piece [Thousand Beasts and Phoenix] last time, she looked to Qingyan and

solemnly nodded, "Alright, if you can really draw ten thousand beasts to pay respect to the phoenix,

this consort will accept you as a daughter."

Hearing this rare honor, everyone all couldn't help taking in a cold breath. Perhaps no one of the

previous dynasty knew, but for the people of the back palace, they all understood Qilian Yuran's moral

conduct very well. At the bottom of it, Qilian Yuran wasn't someone easy to get along with.

At that time, so many people wanted to send their children to Qilian Yuran to raise, but was all rejected

by Qilian Yuran. And only after Min Consort's death did she eventually take in her two children. But

now, the Imperial Noble Consort had actually suggested that she wanted to take Su Qingyan as an

adopted daughter.

However that condition, ten thousand beast to pay respect to the phoenix? How could such a bizarre

and strange thing happen?

Ultimately, they were still not confident in Su Qingyan, even if Su Qingyan just performed a devastating

dance.

"I also once heard rumors from others that Miss Su can attract animals over. I wonder if you're willing to

compete with me?" Ning Yuelan looked to Qingyan and confidently spoke.

When Qilian Yuran heard these words, she turned her sight to Ning Yuelan. But Ning Yuelan still

maintained a gentle smile, making Qilian Yuran unable to criticize her.

Ning Yuelan was the Jing Marquis manor's eldest legitimate daughter. Regarding this eldest daughter,

she'd also heard a thing or two of. It's said that when she played the qin, she can attract butterflies to

encircle her, like a butterfly fairy.

Qilian Yuran looked to Qingyan who was silently standing in front of her and said with a smile, "If that's

really the case, then this consort will certainly have to properly admire it once."

Just when Ning Yuelan assumed Qilian Yuran was going to praise her, she instead heard Qilian

Yuran's ice cold tone enter her ears, "If you lose, this consort will punish you by having you barred from

entering the palace within the next five years. Xuanyuan Hong, what do you think?" Qilian Yuran said

as she casted her gaze towards Hongjia Emperor sitting at the main seat.

She had actually dared to directly call the emperor's taboo* name in front so many people. Just when

they all felt Hongjia Emperor would get angry, they instead heard his clear voice, "Allowed."

(*T/N: It's a big taboo to directly call the Emperor by his full real name because it's super disrespectful.)

Hongjia Emperor had already not seen Qilian Yuran in five years. Even if it was under this kind of

circumstance, he still had countless words in his heart he wanted to say to her. He knew that Qilian

Yuran didn't put all her attention on him right now, but if she takes Su Qingyan as an adopted

daughter...

Then perhaps he could still frequently meet with Qilian Yuran. Thinking about it this way, everything

was all worth it.

At the end, Hongjia Emperor even softly added, "As long as Ranran feels happy anything is good. No

matter what, this Emperor will shoulder it for you."

After glancing at Hongjia Emperor, Qilian Yuran walked back to her original seat and sat down. "Since

that's the case, then we'll begin."

Ning Yuelan didn't think that Qilian Yuran would put forth such harsh conditions. At the end of the year

she'll be of marriageable age, and reaching marriageable age means becoming an adult. She still

hasn't been betrothed to anyone right now, because her heart desired the Third Prince. Therefore, if

she can't enter the palace in the next five years, then wouldn't all of her efforts be wasted?

When she thought of this, Ning Yuelan casted her gaze onto Su Qingyan.

Qingyan smilingly faced Ning Yuelan's gaze, "Miss Ning, go ahead."

Ning Yuelan copied Qingyan's manner and walked up before Liushang, slowly asking, "Gentleman

Liushang, I wonder if I can borrow your guqin for a use?"

When Liushang lifted his head to look at Ning Yuelan, he had an indifferent expression on his face, "I

don't lend my qin to outsiders."

Ning Yuelan stood still in the same spot with an awkward expression. Liushang looked to Ning Yuelan

before him still in a cold manner, "Could it be Miss Ning can't understand my words?"

Only at this time did Ning Yuelan realize her own mistake, and after bowing to Liushang, she hastily

ordered the servants to go prepare a guqin. And afterwards, she turned her gaze back towards Su

Qingyan.

Just then, Cui Hanxue's voice suddenly sounded, "Gentleman Liushang, didn't you lend your guqin to

Miss Su last time during the Talent Conference? Yet why did it become 'don't lend to outsiders' now?"

When Cui Chujun saw his own daughter, he immediately pulled her over. He looked to Liushang and

politely opened his mouth, "Apologies Gentleman Liushang, my daughter is ignorant, I hope you won't

blame her."

Liushang looked to Cui Chujun and coldly spoke, "Naturally I won't blame her too much. After all, for

Minister Cui to give birth to this kind of daughter, is also a pitiful thing for Minister Cui."

In order to break the oppressive atmosphere, Qingyan slowly opened her mouth, "Since Miss Ning has

went to go prepare a guqin, then I'll just go first." As she said this, she took out a jade flute, placed it to

her lips, and softly became to play it.

This time, not just Qilian Yuran felt surprised, even Yaochi and Yanmei were equally shocked, because

they discovered that the birds in the forest all seemed to be following the tune and softly crying out.

And this sound following along Qingyan's flute sound, slowly began to resonate. And at the last

moment, in this desolate night, a nightingale's cry had unexpectedly sounded.

And these sounds all seem to be pandering to this flute's tune.

Just then, a golden bird appeared, soaring into the sky. Its body burned with blazing red flames, as if

lighting up the entire night sky. It endlessly flapped its wings, as if using all its efforts to echo the flute's

song.

After it let out a long cry, it gradually disappeared as the flute sound slowly dissipated. It was as if it had

only come because of the flute, and left along with the flute sound.

When the song ended and everyone returned to their senses, just then, someone said, "Just now,

wasn't that the phoenix that only appears in the ancient texts?"

Qilian Yuran continuously stared at that phoenix, all the way until it disappeared. She remembered

she'd also seen this kind of scene once before. That was when she was getting married, Qilian

Qingyan played the [Thousand Beasts and Phoenix] and drew the phoenix to appear in the sky.

Furthermore, it'd escorted her all the way into the borders of Donghe, before suddenly disappearing.

And now, she was actually able to witness again this kind of scene once more.

When she thought of Su Qingyan's words, Qilian Yuran curved her lips, "Since the Su family's miss has

drawn the phoenix to appear, then today, in front of everyone, this consort will take the Su family's miss

as an adopted daughter."