"Yun Xi, I had no idea you could play the guqin! How come I never knew this?"
Zhen Bao grabbed Yun Xi's wrist and looked at her in surprise. Having such a talented friend made her feel proud!
Looking at the innocent Zhen Bao, Yun Xi swallowed the food in her mouth with a sigh. She was quite helpless.
Of course, Zhen Bao didn't know she could play the guqin because Yun Xi had only learned it for a short time. How could she have the nerve to show off?
It was obviously Yun Ni who deliberately boasted about her guqin skills in front of everyone just to make her look bad!
Yun Xi was about to decline without hesitation when the Crown Prince among the male guests suddenly spoke up. His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he looked at Yun Xi and said,
"Since Miss Yun has such talent, don't be shy. This is a good opportunity for us to enjoy your performance."
If Yun Xi didn't know that the Crown Prince, Qi Yu, was a noble and upright man, she would really suspect that he was invited by Yun Ni to make things worse for her!
Qi Yu said this because he was familiar with Qin Shi Xiao He. He had heard from Xiao He that Yun Xi had been secretly practicing the guqin under his guidance.
As for Yun Xi's proficiency, he had never heard her play, so he didn't know.
He thought it was a rare opportunity. Firstly, he wanted to hear Yun Xi play the guqin himself. Secondly, he wanted Yun Xi to show her talent in front of the Queen Mother to gain her favor.
In this way, he hoped to change the Queen Mother's mind about removing Yun Xi from the list of candidates for the Crown Princess!
"Yun Xi, since the Crown Prince has spoken, you won't refuse, will you?"
At this time, Song Yulin also spoke up. It seemed that she was sure Yun Xi would refuse, but she deliberately didn't give her a chance. Her tone changed as she said,
"Or do you think we're not worthy of listening to you play the guqin?"
As soon as Song Yulin said this, everyone gasped.
Not only were all the people present here princes, princesses, and noble children, but more importantly, the Queen was sitting on the top!
If Yun Xi refused, it would be as if she had followed Song Yulin's words and despised the royal authority, which was a capital crime!
The Crown Prince frowned when he heard this and was about to defend Yun Xi and refute Song Yulin's words. But Yun Xi stood up and said with a bright smile,
"Your Majesty, I've only learned the guqin for a few months. My skills are still shallow, and I'm afraid I'm not good enough. But if you don't mind, I'd like to give it a try."
So, she had no choice but to let the Queen decide.
Even if she played badly later, no one could take advantage of it and make the Queen punish her.
The Queen was so smart that she guessed what was going on when she saw the situation. She raised her eyebrows and looked at Yun Xi calmly and said,
"Just play seriously. Whether it's good or bad, I won't blame you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
So, Yun Xi walked onto the stage amidst the sneers of Yun Ni, Song Yulin, and others. She gracefully sat down in front of a guqin.
Meanwhile, Yu Xueming had already changed into her dancing costume and stood on the big drum. Although her appearance was not as beautiful as Yun Xi's, the confidence between her eyebrows made her look imposing, as if she was the protagonist of the whole show!
Yu Xueming changed her white dress into a gorgeous red one, which outlined her curves and made her skin look even fairer.
Her dance was light and agile. She first tapped the rhythm gently in the center of the big drum with her feet, like a proud peacock. Then she suddenly jumped up quickly, like a startled deer in the forest. Next, she spun rapidly, like a flock of flying birds. The drumsticks in her hands were tied with red ribbons, which constantly flew towards the three small drums around.
The sound of the drums was thundering, sometimes slow and low, sometimes fast and high, like big and small pearls falling on a jade plate, full of visual and auditory beauty!
Everyone was amazed and couldn't help clapping and cheering!
At this moment, even the Emperor had come to the banquet hall. Although he had a beauty in his arms, his eyes were fixed on Yu Xueming's graceful figure without blinking. He nodded with a smile.
The expression on Yu Xueming's face changed with the dance, sometimes sad, sometimes charming. But Yun Xi didn't miss the ridicule and provocation in her eyes when she looked at her.
In fact, Yu Xueming didn't need a guqin player to accompany her at all. She just wanted to see Yun Xi make a fool of herself on the stage!
Since Yun Xi stepped onto the stage, she hadn't touched the guqin. By chance, she met Zhen Bao's nervous eyes. She suddenly winked at her and smiled.
Then her fingers began to pluck the strings.
Yun Xi didn't care about winning or losing. She just plucked the strings in time with Yu Xueming's drumbeats. She forgot about everyone watching and immersed herself in the sound of the guqin.
Although this guqin was not as good as her Ziyue, it was from the palace, so the tone was not bad.
The sound of the guqin was lingering, like the ripples on the water, spreading out in the banquet hall.
It was melodious and cadenced, sometimes like the flowing water of a mountain stream, sometimes like a flying crane dancing, or a warbler singing softly.
It was like a beautiful landscape painting slowly unfolding in everyone's minds. In the vast world, there were towering mountains, lush trees, and quiet orchids blooming in the empty valley. Listening to this sound, people even forgot the excitement of the drums and couldn't help getting drunk in it!
The Crown Prince, Qi Yu, couldn't hide his excitement as he looked at Yun Xi. The strings in his heart were also touched. His eyes were burning, and it seemed that he could only see her in the world.
He had heard Xiao He excitedly mention that although Yun Xi had learned the guqin for a short time, her understanding of the guqin music was extraordinary. Even those who had learned the guqin for more than ten years might not be able to match her. This was what was called natural talent!
Even Xiao He had once sighed and said that taking Yun Xi as his apprentice made him feel that his art would be passed down. It could be seen that Xiao He highly recognized Yun Xi's guqin skills!
When the song ended, Yun Xi slowly withdrew her hands and raised her head from the guqin. She was surprised to find that it was strangely quiet around her.
Yu Xueming had already stepped down from the big drum. She looked at Yun Xi with a complicated expression. Her back was stiff, as if hiding a trace of unwillingness.
Her eyes involuntarily drifted to Qi Rong in the male guests' seat, hoping to find an answer. But she saw Qi Rong slightly raise the corner of his lips, pick up the wine cup on the table, and drink it all in one gulp. He looked so arrogant that she wanted to punch him!
"Bravo!"
Someone shouted first. Yun Xi was startled. Then she heard thunderous applause spreading throughout the venue.
"You said she couldn't play the guqin. Were you lying to us?"
Yun Xi's performance was so amazing that even the Queen and the eldest princess were surprised. Song Yulin gritted her teeth in hatred and secretly pushed Yun Ni beside her.
She thought that Yun Ni must have lied to them. That's why instead of making Yun Xi lose face in public, she even stole Yu Xueming's limelight!
"I don't know what's going on either!"
If someone had pushed and beaten her like this on normal days, Yun Ni would definitely have rushed up to fight.
However, at this moment, she was also looking confused:
"I only knew that her mother learned the guqin from Xiao He and died early. Who knew when this dead girl learned to play the guqin!"
Yun Ni clenched her fists tightly, grinding her teeth in hatred. She just couldn't figure out how this lazy girl who only knew how to eat could suddenly make such great progress in guqin skills!