Ch 109: Shen Mingyue Amazed The Entire Venue
Although her attire was understated in all aspects, wearing only pearls as jewelry, a person’s inner substance and appearance cannot be concealed by clothing.
Shen Mingyue was truly beautiful; she was a rough gem, and even with slight polishing, she appeared radiant.
Several madams were also cultured, dressed appropriately, and possessed graceful bearing.
Shen Mingyue straightened her spine and, led by Gu Yuanzhou, greeted the several leaders one by one.
Her speech was poised, her conversation elegant, instantly winning the leaders’ favor.
Some of them had met Shen Mingyue before, but most did not know her.
Ambassador Si, smiling, said to Shen Mingyue, “No wonder everyone’s attempts to introduce partners to Little Gu were unsuccessful. It turns out he secretly found such an excellent female comrade. We were being inconsiderate.”
“You flatter me. Compared to the several madams, I still have much to learn.”
Several ambassador’s wives also became interested in Shen Mingyue, unable to help but glance at her several times, but their gazes contained no hostility.
Being able to marry into a couple with leaders of this level, the several female comrades were no ordinary people; naturally, they possessed great bearing.
At this occasion, they were all in the same boat, their common purpose being the successful completion of negotiations. As family members of the department, they had a responsibility to assist their husbands’ work.
After a short while, someone came to announce that Prince William and his princess had arrived downstairs. Everyone immediately filed out to greet them.
Shen Mingyue only discovered upon reaching the entrance that many official media outlets were present; there were several cameras alone, and many newspaper reporters were snapping photos of them.
Shen Mingyue saw Prince William and his wife; the two were blond and blue-eyed, appearing exceedingly elegant.
Ambassador Si immediately went to greet them; they shook hands and engaged in cordial conversation.
Afterward, they entered the venue while conversing in English.
Shen Mingyue stood with the several madams, following behind them.
After entering the venue, the first event was the meal. The two had traveled a long way and had not yet eaten. Western food had been prepared in advance, customized to their tastes.
Prince William and his wife sat in the main seats, followed by the ambassador, minister, and counselor, in order.
Ambassador Si was no pushover; his English was fluent. Although his temples were graying, it did not affect his bearing at all.
Prince William sensed the enthusiasm of the Chinese side, and a smile appeared on his face.
During the meal, they chatted about relatively light topics. Shen Mingyue sat next to Gu Yuanzhou, elegantly cutting her steak with a knife and fork.
While eating, she also listened attentively; the entire process was very pleasant.
After the meal, everyone went to the living room. Outside, there were pastry and red wine areas set up according to Western preferences.
Prince William, holding a wine glass and wearing a tuxedo, spoke eloquently with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Shen Mingyue’s English was quite good; although their speech was fast, she could understand everything.
At first, she thought the meeting would end smoothly, but later she realized she had been mistaken.
Establishing diplomatic relations was not so easy. Prince William was not as amiable as he appeared; after a few remarks, his words became sharp.
Gu Yuanzhou and the others stood nearby, speaking appropriately, easily resolving the other party’s questions.
Prince William couldn’t help but glance at Gu Yuanzhou several times.
The other madams also had some foundation in English, but their English was clearly not as good as Shen Mingyue’s. They understood only partially, but they sensed the atmosphere was becoming somewhat tense.
Shen Mingyue put her red wine aside and quietly explained to them.
The several women immediately understood. They did not expect this foreigner to be so sly. He looked amiable, but in front of the Chinese media, he raised so many pointed questions.
Later, Prince William even smilingly invited his wife to play a piano piece in the venue to commemorate their unwavering love.
Princess Kate smiled faintly. She walked to the piano and sat down gracefully.
“Then I will make a fool of myself.”
The several officials naturally showed great anticipation.
There was a piano; such things were essential in a venue of this caliber.
Why did Prince William ask his wife to play a piano piece? Because the princess played the piano very well and was somewhat famous for it.
To put it frankly, he knew that the Chinese side was relatively backward in various aspects, and even fewer people played the piano, so he had the intention of showing off.
The princess’s performance also served to impress.
Gu Yuanzhou remained outwardly calm, but he had made up his mind; now he could only respond as the situation demanded.
Shen Mingyue understood the piano. She could tell that the princess had a solid foundation, and the piece she played was quite difficult.
No wonder she chose to show off; she truly had the capital to do so.
However, she was merely a bystander; she just needed to follow along with the conversation.
Therefore, as soon as the princess finished playing, applause filled the venue.
“The princess’s piano playing is so elegant and moving; it is truly admirable.”
Actually, when it came to the piano, even among ordinary people, or even among the Ministry of Foreign Affairs personnel, not everyone could understand it. But what could they do? They were guests. Regardless of whether the talks went well or poorly, everyone had to flatter them and repeatedly say “very good.”
Prince William, looking proud, suddenly asked, “The princess has finished her performance. I hear that China has a profound cultural heritage with a history of five thousand years. I wonder which madam could come and play a piece? Let me and my wife appreciate it as well.”
So, that’s what he was waiting for. Shen Mingyue wondered why they had started playing the piano.
This foreigner was rather immoral. To be honest, not many people in China learn to play the piano. Compared to the piano, more people play the erhu. National customs are different, and the musical instruments people like are also different.
Furthermore, in China, not many families can access a piano, as conditions are limited.
Wasn’t this just making things difficult for them?
The piece Princess Kate played was quite difficult. If they went up and played “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” wouldn’t they become a laughingstock?
But they couldn’t refuse. If they didn’t play, with so many madams present, and none of them could play the piano, what would they say about the great national style? It would be utterly shameful.
The ambassador’s expression was already stiff. Although there were many family members present today, and some could play the piano, their skills were certainly far inferior.
As the host, if they couldn’t suppress the other party, wouldn’t they become the subject of ridicule?
No one expected that Prince William would actually try to trick them.
The several madams looked at each other in astonishment. Seeing this, the minister’s wife pursed her lips and decided to take the initiative.
Now, the foreigners were watching from the opposite side. If they didn’t respond for so long, wouldn’t they be looked down upon even more?
She had learned to play the piano, although not as well as Princess Kate, but in the current situation, they couldn’t wait any longer.
At this moment, Shen Mingyue suddenly stood up.
“Prince William, I have briefly studied the piano for a period of time. If you don’t mind, I will play a piece to liven up the atmosphere.”