Chapter 70 Taking the Stage
If Jinghong Xianzi was an immortal maiden descending from the heavens—pure and untainted—then Ji Heng, the Duke Su, was like a bewitching spirit roaming through moonlit forests in brocade robes, captivating hearts in the blink of an eye.
The young man’s crimson robes instantly seized everyone’s attention in the examination grounds. His flawless, exquisite face held a mesmerizing charm, while his half-smiling eyes lent a subtle wickedness to the faint curve of his lips. He was an enchanting youth, with the crimson mole at the corner of his eye as alluring as the black-and-gold phoenix butterflies embroidered on his garments, fluttering so vividly it made one’s head spin.
He strolled with leisurely grace, his movements on the examination grounds both elegant and indolent, as though he were admiring the moon in a courtyard. Yet his presence made the entire crowd seem frivolous by contrast, and even the peerlessly pure immortal maiden ahead appeared somewhat affected.
Heaven had truly blessed him with remarkable looks, Jiang Li sighed inwardly. She had seen handsome men before—Shen Yurong, Xue Zhao, even Jiang Jingrui and Ye Shijie—but Ji Heng’s beauty was so starkly and brutally superior that it created an immense gap between him and ordinary people. Had she not seen him with her own eyes, she would have struggled to believe such a beautiful man—or such a beautiful person—could exist in the world.
Those around stared transfixed, even Meng Hongjin and Jiang Youyao gazing intently at Ji Heng from afar, unable to tear their eyes away. It seemed everyone had forgotten that Ji Heng was a capricious scoundrel. Even if he was a beauty, he was a volatile, poisonous one—best left undisturbed.
Ji Heng paid no mind to the stares of others and, like Jinghong Xianzi, took his seat among the examination judges. With this, including Xiao Deyin, there were now five judges seated.
As an instructor of Mingyi Hall, Xiao Deyin had naturally been present all along. Soon, Mian Ju arrived as well. He was currently a court musician of Northern Yan, performing exclusively for the emperor and his consorts. Dressed in coarse linen robes, he carried an air of a recluse and appeared quite cheerful. Another judge was a lean, middle-aged man—Shi Yan, the highest-ranking music official in charge of rites and music, who carried himself with a hint of arrogance.
These individuals were either master musicians, music officials, or instructors—all experts in the art of qin music. Only Ji Heng stood out as incongruous among them. His status was incomparable to the others; he was a genuine violet-robed noble. As for qin music, he was known for enjoying opera, but no one had heard of him appreciating the qin. Moreover, appreciating the qin did not equate to mastery of it. He could even be considered an outsider, and having a layman judge the results seemed somewhat frivolous.
Yet, no matter what others thought, they kept their opinions to themselves. Whether out of fear of provoking Ji Heng or simply bewitched by his appearance, none dared show dissent.
Jiang Li observed both familiar and unfamiliar faces gathered together today. She even spotted Zhou Yanbang, and when their eyes accidentally met, his lit up instantly, provoking such a fierce glare from Jiang Youyao that it seemed she wished to carve Jiang Li’s flesh away.
The examination was about to begin.
A child with a red band tied around their arm began announcing each candidate’s number. Jiang Li only noted those she recognized: Meng Hongjin was eighth, Jiang Youyao twelfth, Jiang Li thirteenth, Liu Xu eighteenth, Jiang Yuyan twentieth, and Jiang Yu’e twenty-fifth.
Since each candidate had limited time, the examination proceeded with minimal formalities, moving swiftly from one participant to the next.The noble ladies of Mingyi Hall were naturally outstanding, for they had been selected to enter the hall. Even the most mediocre among them would be considered exceptional in ordinary households.
As Jiang Li listened to the music drifting to her ears, her thoughts were elsewhere. She was merely pondering how Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning must have grown even more entangled by now. Since Princess Yongning and Prince Cheng were siblings, the princess would inevitably introduce Shen Yurong to the prince. If Jiang Li’s guess was correct, there was no doubt that Shen Yurong would eventually align himself with Prince Cheng.
Prince Cheng held considerable influence, and Shen Yurong was no fool—it was entirely possible that the prince would regard him favorably. Already an Imperial Secretariat Scholar and favored by the Hongxiao Emperor, if Prince Cheng also backed him, wouldn’t his status rise even higher? Dealing with Shen Yurong would then become far more difficult.
Yet it wasn’t entirely hopeless. Prince Cheng was currently on good terms with the Right Prime Minister, Li Zhongnan, who happened to be a sworn enemy of Jiang Yuanbai. This meant the Jiang family and Prince Cheng were not allies. If she could involve the Jiang family, opposing Shen Yurong, who belonged to Prince Cheng’s faction, would become a logical course of action.
Leveraging the Jiang family’s influence would be far easier than acting alone.
But how to borrow that power required careful consideration.
Lost in these thoughts, she hardly noticed the passage of time. In the blink of an eye, seven noble ladies had performed, and it was now Meng Hongjin’s turn.
Liu Xu urged Jiang Li to pay attention as Meng Hongjin stepped onto the examination platform.
Today, Meng Hongjin appeared calmer than usual, perhaps because music was not her forte. She sat down, took up the zither, lit incense, cleansed her hands, and began to play "Mist and Clouds over the Xiao and Xiang Rivers."
The piece expressed the complex emotions of a traveler during the southern migration—witnessing the surging clouds and waters, feeling a deep love for the homeland’s landscapes, lamenting the hardships of displacement, and yearning for a reclusive life. It featured heavy scattered notes and abundant swaying vibratos. Yet, as Jiang Li listened, Meng Hongjin’s rendition felt soft and languid, less like a migrating traveler and more like a young lady admiring the clouds.
Though she failed to capture the composer’s intended spirit, Meng Hongjin’s fingering was quite skilled. However, beyond technique, zither playing emphasized emotional depth. Meng Hongjin had done her best but simply lacked innate talent for music.
Sure enough, after Meng Hongjin finished her piece, aside from a few clueless young nobles who applauded, the five examiners below the platform remained expressionless. Ji Heng, in particular, seemed distracted, toying with his golden-threaded folding fan—opening and closing it repeatedly, his features strikingly beautiful.
"Meng Hongjin played decently enough," Liu Xu said with relief. "That makes things easier for you."
Jiang Li had already won first place in the upper three arts. As long as she didn’t rank last in the lower three, she wouldn’t be expelled from Mingyi Hall or forced to kneel and apologize to Meng Hongjin. Still, if her performance in the lower three was too poor, her victory could still be overturned.
At least Meng Hongjin hadn’t "astounded the entire audience," so Jiang Li could relax slightly.
"But your sister is no simple opponent," Liu Xu added. "She looks utterly confident, as if she has something up her sleeve. And you happen to be right after her…"
What unfortunate timing.
Yet, what was meant to come would come. After Meng Hongjin’s examination and three more performances, it was soon Jiang Youyao’s turn to take the stage.Just before stepping forward, she deliberately walked up to Jiang Li and said with a smile, "Second Sister, it's my turn now." Though it sounded like a polite younger sister addressing her elder sister, Jiang Li did not miss the provocation in her words.
She smiled back, "Good luck."
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(End of Chapter)
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