Transmigrated as the Villainess, Troubled by the Cuteness!-Chapter 236 - 178: Must There Really Be a Performance at the Coming-of-Age Ceremony?

Chapter 236: Chapter 178: Must There Really Be a Performance at the Coming-of-Age Ceremony?

...

Song Yan was conferred the title of a Secondary Fifth Rank official and started attending court.

Shen Jingxian happened to see her after court once, and Song Yan looked perfectly suited in her court clothes.

The two exchanged a glance and smiled, and from afar, Song Yan performed a respectful bow towards Shen Jingxian, her demeanor showing great promise!

However, because Song Yan officially became a civil servant, she got busy every day, and Shen Jingxian could only see her occasionally.

Pan Jiaojiao also disappeared; she used to like visiting her in the palace, but now even if Shen Jingxian went to Prince Jing Mansion, she couldn’t find her.

According to Princess Jing, Pan Jiaojiao was doing something that could enrich the National Treasury, and she had already accomplished more than half of it.

Pan Jiaojiao vowed not to return without success, feeling unworthy to meet the Princess otherwise.

Prince Jing was crying on the side, claiming if he hadn’t eaten extra pig trotters for two days, Jiaojiao wouldn’t have been forced into this.

Shen Jingxian: ...

I don’t know what happened to Pan Jiaojiao, but it sounds quite spirited, so I slipped away.

Shen Jingxian resumed living her uneventful homebody life in the palace.

She discovered that as long as she didn’t leave the palace, troubles wouldn’t find her.

Moreover, now the Empress and Emperor weren’t forcing her to go to school, which was simply delightful.

In the blink of an eye, Shen Jingxian’s coming-of-age ceremony was approaching.

With nearly five months to go, the Emperor and Empress began planning to give their daughter a grand ceremony!

But soon, they discovered a problem.

At the coming-of-age ceremony, girls often choose one of the Six Arts to showcase their proficiency, a tradition long held in Yunyi Country, and a girl’s performance can directly influence the kind of husband she might marry.

Though Shen Jingxian wasn’t worried about marriage—with people clamoring to marry her just at a glance—the Emperor and Empress still wanted to show everyone that their daughter was the best!

So under the scrutinizing eyes of the Emperor and Empress, Shen Jingxian was forced to choose one of the Six Arts.

Ritual, Music, Archery, Charioteering, Calligraphy, Mathematics, she had to pick one.

Ritual was out of the question; she only knew the basics of ceremonies but not their deeper meanings.

Music—she could only sing "What is Happiness Planet."

Archery—she could only throw hidden weapons.

Charioteering—she wasn’t sure if she was controlling the horse or the horse was controlling her.

Calligraphy was something she could handle, but her handwriting was taught by Wen Ranchen, so it stood out too much—not good, not good.

Finally, only Mathematics was left.

Having been here for so many years, she could vaguely recall a solution to quadratic equations, which should solve most arithmetic problems, right?

Alright, I’ll choose you!

Shen Jingxian directly reached for Mathematics, but the Empress gently stopped her and casually remarked, "Actually, many tutors mentioned your talent in Ancient Zither when you were young."

No... not really. The only piece she knew was taught by Wen Ranchen.

Shen Jingxian tried to withdraw her hand, but couldn’t.

"Mother was not good at zither, and when the tutors said that, I was really happy."

Shen Jingxian realized something, her eyes full of disbelief, while the Emperor kept winking at her.

"Mother always had a wish for you to become a great figure in the Ancient Zither World, to bring glory to the family!!"

Shen Jingxian: !!! Glorious family my foot, how does playing the zither bring glory to the family, must I do all the glory bringing myself in this family!!

Shen Jingxian struggled desperately, "Mother, my wish is to laze in bed all day, I don’t want to be a great figure!!"

The Empress looked heartbroken, "Er Ya, you’ve changed. Remember when you were little, you said you wanted to be an Empress, how can an Empress not know how to play the zither?" 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Shen Jingxian: ?

Why is learning to play the zither necessary to become an Empress?

No, why does she have to be an Empress? When did she say that?

Meanwhile, as Shen Jingxian was lost in thought, the Empress had already placed her hand on the character for Music.

"Good girl! Mother believes in you!"

Shen Jingxian was horrified. I don’t believe in myself!

She really was terrible at playing the zither.

"Mother, you know my level, I can only play a couple of pieces..." which were memorized by rote.

"You’re my child, you can do it," the Empress said lovingly, her words carrying an inexplicable threat.

With no choice, Shen Jingxian succumbed under her mother’s powerful persuasion.

The Empress specially found a teacher for Shen Jingxian.

There wasn’t a need to teach her too much theory, just learn to play one piece was sufficient.

That piece was reputed as the most challenging piece in the world, "Bell Chime," which even Shen Jingxian’s tutor could barely perform, and which required a highly sophisticated zither.

Upon hearing that Shen Jingxian started learning the zither, Song Yan promptly sought out Pan Jiaojiao, asking her for money, "Her Highness needs an exquisite ancient zither, and I’ve contacted the Piano King, he demands ten thousand taels of gold."

Pan Jiaojiao was no longer the same person; hearing "ten thousand taels of gold," she didn’t even blink, "Buy it!"

And after getting the news, Wen Ranchen went out to the bamboo forest and cut down a large batch of bamboo on his own.