Chapter 73 : The front wave died on the shore
Happy start of December everyone, I hope everyone’s started listening to Xmas tunes!!! Three things to announce today. Firstly, thank you everyone who has reached out to let me know about the bugs on the website. I am still trying to figure out the issues on the commenting and speeding up the website, but hopefully, everything will be fixed ASAP! Secondly, wanted to remind everyone that I will be leaving for vacation soon so chapters will be uploaded ahead of time in the next few days. Finally, since my golden birthday is coming up and this is the month of giving, perhaps expect some extra chapters this month ^^
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As soon as the words came out, everyone present had a different expression on their face. The few people who had already experienced Xia Yuqing's lethal power were dumbstruck and their faces became deadly pale. Each and every one of them were wondering how they could escape from this disaster. On the other hand, the people from Xia Kingdom were not aware of this. They simply stood confused.
The little Princess knows how to play the qin? How come they had never heard about it before?
Feng Tingye faintly smiled and stood up, "It is rare for the two princes to pay a visit. Beloved Consort, if you don't express your warmest welcome, it would be too impolite."
Upon hearing his words, Xia Yuqing's pair of eyes suddenly lit up. She got up and smiled meekly, "Since it is Your Majesty's wish, Chen Qie will respectfully accept."
Thereafter, ignoring everyone's pale faces, she glided over to the stage.
When Liu Yixiang who had been sitting quietly on the side as the audience heard what Yan Ran said, she almost choked to death on hot tea. Finally stabilizing herself, she could already see that Xia Yuqing has stepped up onto the stage when her hand was hovering in mid air, unable to reach out or withdraw.
While Liu Yixiang's ghostly pale face was debating whether she should stay and watch the performance or to declare defeat and flee, a small hand suddenly came out from her side. Liu Yixiang was puzzled and lowered her head to look at it. Looking at the little hand that opened, impressively what was lying in the palm were… two cotton balls.
"….." Liu Yixiang following that little hand, looked up to see Shao Zitang slightly lifting his chin.
"I knew you wouldn’t remember to bring it, so I have prepared it for you."
Seeing Shao Zitang's expression of "I'm bestowing this to you, so be thankful", the corners of Liu Yixiang's mouth twitched. Resisting the urge to pick up the tray on the side and slam it on his face she took a deep breath and asked: "So you guys knew of this already?"
Yan Ran brought up the subject, Feng Tingye fanned the flame, and the qin appearing out of thin air. Now finally the two cotton balls right in front of her. This was obviously planned beforehand. Everyone knew about this, yet she was kept in the dark. Earlier it was just a fright, but this is world shattering!
Shao Zitang glanced at her with a disdainful look and calmly said: "I didn't know. It was just a guess."
Based on Feng Tingye's extreme pettiness, how could he let go of such a good opportunity? Having had to experience that, certainly he would make sure that everyone else also had that same lucky experience as he did before he could let the matter drop. As for Yan Ran…Shao Zitang and Leng Ruofeng looked at each other. Failure to report, and guilty of accessory. Wait until the banquet is over, then we'll settle the account with you.
Not far away from them, Yan Ran who was silently plugging his ears, felt a cold chilling up his spine leading to the cotton balls almost falling out. Turning around stiffly, he coincidently saw Shao Zitang and the others throwing a look at him. Seeing that row of shining bright teeth made Yan Ran want to cry, but having no tears. If he was caught by those people, his future fate would be very bleak!
Under everyone's gaze of either panic, curiosity, or joy from other's misfortune, Xia Yuqing slowly walked up step by step to the stage. Sitting before a guqin, she took a deep breath, then her fingers began to play….
"…….."
Not far from the Imperial Garden, Zhang Sunshi who just woke up from her nap was ready to go to the banquet to join in the bustle. Suddenly she heard a sound coming from where the lights were brightly lit. A flock of birds screamed while they fled and animals were rushing to escape. Her trembling feet almost made her twist her precious ankle. With wide eyes, her voice shook as she pointed to the courtyard in front of her, "Who is playing the qin?"
Upon hearing her question, the palace maid serving at her side could not help but come forward, with a deathly pale face as she answered: "Responding to Empress Dowager, this should be Consort Qing who is playing qin to liven up the atmosphere."
"….Qing Er? It turned out Qing Er's skill is at such a level." Zhang Sunshi somewhat looked absent-minded as she whispered to herself.
It took her a long time before reacting: "No wonder, every time when Ai Jia mentioned wanting to hear Qing Er play the qin, Xiang Er would try to obstruct it at all cost. It turned out that this is what it is all about. This is the reason…."
Zhang Sunshi became lost in thought and turned back while quietly whispering to herself. When Mei Xi saw this, she called out with worry: "Empress Dowager, where are you going?! The Imperial Garden is in front!"
"Not going, not going anymore! Quickly go back to the palace…return to the palace! Besides …" Zhang Sunshi hurriedly turned around and ran as if she was caught on fire. But she didn't forget to leave behind a sentence: "Mei Xi, when we get back, make sure you take all the guqin inside the Ci Ning Palace and throw them all out. Do not allow even the slightest trace of them!"
"……" Mei Xi looked at the Empress Dowager who had completely lost all her dignity and poise. In her heart, she couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for Consort Qing who was still playing qin. But very quickly Mei Xi was also unable to remain calm as the next wave of qin sounds came to attack again. It was like the rear waves of the Yangze River drive on those before (idiom-each new generation excels the previous). The momentum of the previous wave dying on the shore.
Thereupon, while Xia Yuqing was unaware, the Empress Dowager's entourage who haven't stepped into the Imperial Garden yet had already ran away due to her qin. For quite some days after that, when those people saw her, they would turn around and walk in another direction. Especially every time when she enthusiastically wanted to play guqin to entertain Zhang Sunshi, she would be refused by all sorts of excuses.
Of course, this is all something that happened later. At this moment, Xia Yuqing who was immersed in the wonderful feeling of playing her qin found it difficult to extricate herself. When she came back to her senses again, the scene was once again…. corpses lying all over the place!
"Clap clap clap… " The sound of loud applause rang out. Xia Yuqing along with everyone followed the sound to see Feng Tingye with a bright smile on his face as he looked at Xia Yuqing on the stage. Speaking with a soft, tender voice like water, he said: "A few days of not hearing it and my Ai Fei's skill has become even more refined."
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