Phoenix Dance: The Eldest Daughter's Physician Consort Shocks the World

Since the incident at the royal hunting grounds, Su Yao's reputation in the capital has grown, and the people have been full of praise for this intelligent and brave daughter of General Su's family. This has only fueled the Crown Prince's jealousy.

A few days later, a grand banquet was held in the palace, and high-ranking officials and their families flocked to the banquet. Su Yao wore a light blue silk dress, her hair styled in a simple yet elegant updo, adorned with a crystal-clear jade hairpin. She exuded a refined and extraordinary aura.

At the banquet, the sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air, graceful dances were performed, and laughter and chatter filled the air, creating a harmonious atmosphere. Taking advantage of the heightened mood, the Crown Prince stood up and announced loudly, "I've heard that Sister Su Yao displayed great bravery in the hunting grounds. Today, at this banquet, I have a suggestion: let Sister Su Yao perform a sword dance for everyone to enhance the festivities. What do you say?"

Su Yao's heart skipped a beat. She knew the Crown Prince was deliberately making things difficult for her again. If her sword dance was mediocre, it would inevitably be criticized, bringing shame to the Su family; if it was too outstanding, it might attract even more jealousy and trouble. But she remained calm and composed, gracefully rising to her feet and respectfully replying, "Your subject obeys the decree, but my swordsmanship is shallow, and I hope you will not laugh at me."

Having said that, Su Yao took the sword handed to her by the attendant and walked into the hall. She took a deep breath, flicked the long sword in her hand, and the sword rang out, instantly attracting everyone's attention. Su Yao's movements were agile and her swordsmanship was light and graceful. The sword moved with her body, and her body and sword became one. At times, she was like a butterfly dancing gracefully, and at other times, she was like a sharp and nimble swallow. Every move she made was full of the beauty of agility and power, which made everyone present cheer in secret.

However, the sinister look in the Crown Prince's eyes intensified. After Su Yao finished her dance, he clapped lightly and said with a forced smile, "Sister Su Yao's sword dance was indeed wonderful, but I have heard that the Su family's motto is loyalty to the emperor and love for the country, humility and courtesy. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to show off like this, sister?"

Su Yao bowed slightly and replied calmly, "Your Highness is right. I only wished to add a touch of joy to today's banquet and had no intention of showing off. I am well aware of my family's teachings and never forget them. If I have been impolite today, I hope Your Highness and all the officials will forgive me."

At this moment, the Seventh Prince Xiao Yichen, who had been sitting quietly observing from the side, spoke up: "I see that Miss Su's sword dance has brought out the heroic spirit and passion of our dynasty's men. How can it be considered impolite? General Su guards the border and has made great contributions to our dynasty. As the daughter of a military family, Miss Su's skill and talent are a blessing to our dynasty."

The Seventh Prince's words were met with nods of agreement from everyone. The Crown Prince, though annoyed, could not continue his outburst and could only suppress his anger, letting out a cold snort before sitting down.

Su Yao glanced gratefully at the Seventh Prince and said softly, "Thank you for helping me out, Your Highness."

Xiao Yichen smiled slightly, his eyes deep: "Miss Su, you don't need to be so polite. I'm just telling the truth."

The banquet continued, and Su Yao returned to her seat, silently reflecting on the day's events. She understood that the Crown Prince's刁难 (diāonán, making things difficult for her) would not stop there, and she needed to be even more careful while also accelerating the process of building her own power base.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the hall. It turned out that a minister's daughter had collapsed, pale and weak. Everyone panicked and rushed to her side.

Upon seeing this, Su Yao immediately got up and went over. She squatted down, carefully examined the woman's symptoms, and then calmly said, "Don't panic, everyone. This young lady is just suffering from a sudden onset of anger, and her recent irregular diet has left her with some deficiency of qi and blood. I have some medical knowledge and can treat her with acupuncture."

After saying this, Su Yao took out silver needles from her sachet and quickly applied them to several acupuncture points on the woman. After a short while, the woman slowly woke up, and her complexion gradually regained its rosy hue.

Seeing this, everyone praised Su Yao's medical skills once again. Su Yao smiled modestly and said, "You flatter me, everyone. Saving a life is a doctor's duty."

At the banquet, Su Yao once again used her wisdom and medical skills to resolve the crisis, which also made more people look at her with new eyes. The unintentional interaction between her and the Seventh Prince also quietly stirred up a ripple in each other's hearts. However, neither of them realized that in this turbulent court, a larger conspiracy was quietly approaching Su Yao.