Chapter Seventy-One: Entering the Arena

If the Celestial Beauty could be likened to a fairy descended from the highest heavens—noble, untouchable—then Lord Ji Heng of the Su Kingdom was as enchanting as a mysterious spirit cloaked in brocade, moving through the night, bewitching all who beheld him in the blink of an eye.

The young man in his red robes instantly captured the attention of everyone in the examination hall. His flawless, striking face possessed a mesmerizing allure, and the half-smile in his eyes rendered the subtle curve of his lips all the more wickedly beguiling. He was a captivating youth, with even the red mole at the corner of his eye appearing as exotic and dazzling as a black-gold butterfly embroidered upon his garment, fluttering with such brilliance that it left witnesses dizzy and entranced.

He strolled through the hall with elegant nonchalance, as if merely admiring the moon in a garden, and his air of languid grace seemed to make the crowd frivolous in comparison, rendering even the celestial maiden ahead seem affected by artifice.

Such beauty is truly a gift from the heavens, Jiang Li sighed inwardly. She had seen handsome men before—Shen Yuyong, Xue Zhao, even Jiang Jingrui and Ye Shijie—but Ji Heng’s allure was so strikingly extraordinary that it set him apart from ordinary men in the most direct and unyielding manner. If she had not seen it with her own eyes, she would have found it hard to believe that such a beautiful man—or such a beautiful person—could exist in this world.

Everyone around was utterly spellbound; even Meng Hongjin and Jiang Youyao stared at Ji Heng from afar, unable to tear their eyes away. It seemed they had all forgotten that Ji Heng was, in fact, a capricious scoundrel; beautiful though he might be, a poisonous and unpredictable beauty is best left unprovoked.

Ji Heng, however, showed no care for the attention; following the Celestial Beauty’s lead, he, too, took a seat among the examiners. With the addition of Xiao Deyin, there were now five examiners in total.

Xiao Deyin, being an instructor at the Mingyi Hall, was naturally present from the start. Min Ju, the current court musician of Northern Yan who played for the emperor and his consorts, had also arrived, dressed in coarse linen with the air of a recluse and looking perfectly content. There was also a slender, austere middle-aged man—Shi Yan, the highest-ranking music official of the day, master of ritual and music, carrying himself with a measure of arrogance.

These, whether musicians or scholars, all had notable achievements in the art of music—save for Ji Heng, whose presence seemed somewhat out of place. His status was vastly different from the others: a true royal duke, famed for his love of opera, but never for listening to the zither. Listening, after all, is not the same as playing, and in this field, he could be considered an outsider. To have a layman judge the competition seemed almost farcical.

Yet no one dared show their misgivings. Whether out of fear of offending Ji Heng or simply bewitched by his beauty, no one spoke.

Jiang Li noted that both acquaintances and strangers had gathered here today. She even caught sight of Zhou Yanbang, whose eyes lit up when their gazes met, provoking Jiang Youyao to glare at her as though she wished to carve flesh from her bones.

The examination was about to begin.

A small boy with a red kerchief on his arm began announcing the contestants’ numbers. Jiang Li only bothered to remember those she knew: Meng Hongjin was eighth, Jiang Youyao twelfth, Jiang Li herself thirteenth, Liu Xu eighteenth, Jiang Yuyan twentieth, Jiang Yue’e twenty-fifth.

Each had little time—the examination moved swiftly, with no unnecessary ceremony, and soon, the contestants began to take the stage one after another.

The young ladies of Mingyi Hall were, by definition, outstanding; even the most ordinary among them would be considered remarkable in a common family.

As the strains of the zither drifted to her ears, Jiang Li’s mind was elsewhere. She mused that by now, Shen Yuyong and Princess Yongning were likely growing ever more attached. As the sister of Prince Cheng, Princess Yongning would surely introduce Shen Yuyong to him. If Jiang Li’s guess was correct, Shen Yuyong was destined to become Prince Cheng’s man—there was no doubt.

With Prince Cheng’s power and Shen Yuyong’s intelligence, it was only natural that he would soon gain special favor. Shen Yuyong was already a secretary in the central office and esteemed by Emperor Hongxiao; if Prince Cheng took him under his wing, would his status not rise even higher? Dealing with Shen Yuyong would become much more difficult.

Not that it was impossible. Prince Cheng was currently allied with the Right Chancellor, Li Zhongnan, who happened to be Jiang Yuanbai’s mortal enemy. In other words, the Jiang family and Prince Cheng stood on opposite sides. If she could draw her family into the fray, taking on Shen Yuyong, now aligned with Prince Cheng, would be much more legitimate.

To borrow the Jiang family’s power would be far easier than relying on herself alone.

Yet how to make use of that power required careful thought.

Lost in these considerations, she hardly noticed the passage of time; soon, seven noble ladies had performed, and it was Meng Hongjin’s turn.

Liu Xu urged Jiang Li to focus as Meng Hongjin stepped onto the examination platform.

Today, Meng Hongjin was more composed than usual—perhaps because music was not her forte. She sat, took up her jade zither, burned incense to purify her hands, and played “Water and Clouds.”

“Water and Clouds” expresses the complex emotions of a traveler witnessing the rushing rivers and clouds during a southern migration: a passionate love for the land, sorrow at wandering, and a longing for reclusion. The piece is rich in harmonics and resonant tones. To Jiang Li’s ears, Meng Hongjin’s rendition was soft and gentle, more reminiscent of a young lady admiring the clouds than a traveler driven south.

Though the spirit of the piece was lacking, Meng Hongjin’s technique was practiced and skillful. Yet, in music, technique alone is not enough; what matters most is the heart behind the music. Meng Hongjin had done her best, but it was clear she lacked true talent in this art.

Indeed, when she finished, only a few young gentlemen, perhaps out of politeness, offered praise. Among the five examiners, none showed any expression; Ji Heng was particularly inattentive, idly toying with his gold-threaded fan, opening and closing it, his features dazzling.

“Meng Hongjin played decently enough,” Liu Xu sighed in relief. “That takes the pressure off you.”

Jiang Li had won first place in the first three exams; so long as she did not rank at the bottom in the next three, she would not be expelled from Mingyi Hall, nor would she have to kneel and apologize to Meng Hongjin. Still, if her performance was poor, her victory might yet be overturned.

At least Meng Hongjin had not stunned the audience, which allowed Jiang Li to relax a little.

“But your younger sister is not so easily dealt with,” Liu Xu added. “She seems awfully confident this time. And you’re on right after her…”

How very unfortunate.

Yet, however unfortunate, what must come will come. After Meng Hongjin’s performance, three more contestants took their turns, and soon, it was Jiang Youyao’s moment.

Before stepping forward, Jiang Youyao deliberately approached Jiang Li, smiled, and said, “Second Sister, it’s my turn first.” Polite and respectful as the words sounded, the challenge beneath them was not lost on Jiang Li.

She smiled in return. “Best of luck.”

--- End of chapter ---