Inside the hall, many people interpreted the Crown Prince's actions as a sign that he had taken a liking to Ye Xiuying and Jiang Feixue, which was why he was helping them. After all, these two women were stunningly beautiful and charming, a perfect match for someone like the Crown Prince.
Ye Xiuying and Jiang Feixue naturally thought the same way, so they were overjoyed and prepared to give their all in the next performance to show His Highness the Crown Prince that they were not just empty names.
Even if they win the next match, they will only be tied with Jiang Hailing. However, they won't have to bark like dogs anymore, and Jiang Hailing won't get the title of the most talented woman in Kyoto.
The two women were of the same mind, so they smiled at each other and decided to perform together.
Ye Xiuying's piano skills are superb, and Jiang Feixue's dance is also very moving.
Because she knew martial arts, her body was lighter than that of ordinary people. In addition, she studied diligently and created her own set of Flying Swallow Dance. She was as light as a swallow and as beautiful as a butterfly fluttering in the air. Her dance skills were superb. When the two of them worked together, many people below couldn't help but worry for the Crown Princess. It seemed that Ye Xiuying and Jiang Feixue would win this round.
So their sparring match ended in a draw. The thought of a draw disappointed many people. They had been looking forward to seeing people bark like dogs, whether it was the Crown Princess or Ye Xiuying and the others. They were all people who longed for good news in the capital tomorrow, but who knew that it might just be a draw.
As everyone admired Jiang Feixue's graceful dance on stage—her pushing, swinging, jumping, and wiping movements—they were so agile and light, her body spinning like a colorful swallow in flight. Many people were drawn into her dance.
Ye Xiuying's piano playing was also incredibly beautiful, its clear, ethereal notes floating throughout the hall, captivating all who heard it. The two of them played together perfectly.
Even Hailin had to admit that it would be very difficult for her to defeat them.
The thought that she might not be able to defeat Ye Xiuying and Jiang Feixue because of the Crown Prince was a huge obstacle. Otherwise, with her previous painting skills, she would have defeated Ye Xiuying and Jiang Feixue without any surprises. Then there would be no competition, and she would be able to hear the barking of those two self-righteous women, Ye Xiuying and Jiang Feixue. Tomorrow, they would be the laughingstock of the entire capital.
Who told them to provoke her? But now, because of the Crown Prince's statement of a draw, they may have escaped this barking.
Hai Ling secretly wished she could bite Feng Zixiao. This damned man cursed her to die ten or eight times over. Looking at his noble demeanor as he sat there, she cursed him to end up with nothing, becoming a beggar, no, it would be best if he became a prisoner.
After Hai Ling finished scolding, she let out a long sigh of relief and started thinking about what she would perform later.
She couldn't sing, dance, or play any musical instruments, but she was quite good at playing the xiao (vertical bamboo flute), because she had specifically learned it from a teacher.
only?
Hailin turned her head to look at the long flute placed on the high platform. It was too ordinary. Playing it like that, she probably wouldn't stand a chance of winning.
If she had a fine jade flute, perhaps she could even compete with them.
On stage, Ye Xiuying and Jiang Feixue's dance had ended, and thunderous applause rang out in the hall, showing how popular their performance was.
The applause stopped, and Ye Xiuying and Jiang Feixue stood up with smiles to thank everyone. They knew they had definitely won. Although they hadn't managed to cure Jiang Hailing this time, at least they didn't have to bark like dogs anymore, which was great.
Moreover, Jiang Hailing should not even dream of obtaining the title of the most talented woman in Kyoto.
At this moment, everyone looked at Hailin, guessing what she would perform next.
Singing, dancing, or playing the piano—it's hard to guess for a moment, and it's hard to tell that the Crown Princess can do these things.
When everyone saw that Hailin had chosen Yuxiao, many people were quite surprised.
I never expected that the Crown Princess could play the xiao. Although the sound of the xiao is elegant and beautiful, it is very difficult to play. Most women play the zither and sing, or they sing and dance. I have never seen anyone play the xiao before.
On the high platform, Hai Ling held a long flute in her hand. Although the jade was of good quality, it was not top-grade; it was just an ordinary, slightly better instrument. Therefore, even though she had a good foundation, she probably couldn't perform well. So, in this round, she couldn't defeat Ye Xiuya and the other person.
Below the stage, Left Prime Minister Xi Lingfeng glanced at Hai Ling on the stage, his dark eyes flashing with a ghostly light. He raised his eyebrows slightly, and his subordinate Shi Zhu came over. Xi Lingfeng took the jade flute he always carried with him and handed it to Shi Zhu.
The Left Prime Minister, Xi Lingfeng, possessed an exceptionally fine xiao (vertical bamboo flute), a superior jade flute, whose sound was like the song of a nightingale.
Unexpectedly, he actually took out this flute. His servant was stunned. This jade flute was the master's most beloved thing. He had never paid attention to it unless others asked to use it or even just looked at it. Today, he actually lent it to the Crown Princess. What's wrong with the master?
As Shi Zhu was thinking, she received a sharp and cold gaze. Her body trembled, and she immediately came to her senses. She leaped up and landed on the high platform, presenting the jade flute.
"Your Highness, this is our Prime Minister's jade flute. May I borrow it from you?"
As soon as Hai Ling saw the jade flute, she was attracted to it. The flute was entirely green, and it was clear at a glance that it was a top-quality musical instrument. Her eyes lit up, and without thinking about why the Left Prime Minister Xi Lingfeng would lend her the flute, she reached out and took it as a treasure, her eyes shining.
The Left Prime Minister, Xi Lingfeng, couldn't help but twitch his lips. This girl certainly knew her stuff; she didn't even know how to be grateful to him. All she had in her eyes was that flute. However, he was full of anticipation for her performance.
Crown Prince Feng Zixiao didn't look at Hai Ling on the high platform, but he was curious about Xi Lingfeng lending out the Jade Flute. He knew that the Left Prime Minister Xi Lingfeng was not as easy to get along with as he seemed on the surface. As the Crown Prince, he sometimes couldn't figure out how deep Xi Lingfeng really was. Xi Lingfeng's arrogance was no less than his own, and sometimes it even gave him the illusion that Xi Lingfeng's aura was superior to his own. He disliked this feeling very much, but Xi Lingfeng was indeed a talented person, and now was a time when he needed people, so how could he offend him?
But what does his action signify?
Xi Lingfeng met Feng Zixiao's gaze and said calmly, "Does the Crown Prince not want to see if the Crown Princess truly has the ability?"
Feng Zixiao let out a soft "oh" and turned to look at Hai Ling on the high platform. She had been wondering if Xi Lingfeng had taken a liking to this woman, but upon seeing her, she knew she was overthinking it. The Left Prime Minister was definitely curious about Jiang Hai Ling's strength.
Although he was not a prince, as the Left Prime Minister, he was second only to the emperor and held immense power. In addition, his elegant and noble demeanor made him popular with many noblewomen in the Great Zhou Dynasty. He could have any woman he wanted, so why would he take a fancy to a fat woman like Jiang Hailing?
At this moment, everyone was looking at the Crown Princess on the stage.
Hai Ling stopped thinking about anything else and gently stroked the jade flute. It was smooth to the touch, like a woman's smooth skin, and its entire body was bright and shiny, like water in a clear pool. It was indeed a fine flute.
With Xiao's help, it wasn't impossible for her to defeat Ye Xiuying and Jiang Feixue. Thinking this, she was overjoyed and began to perform.
She was playing the most moving and famous piece, "The Butterfly Lovers," from the classic Chinese folktale "The Butterfly Lovers."
The Butterfly Lovers remains a timeless masterpiece, passed down through the ages, renowned for its poignant and lingering love story, especially since it is played on a jade flute.
The vast examination hall was filled with the lingering sound of the xiao (a type of Chinese flute), melancholic, sorrowful, and tender, making one feel as if they were witnessing the meeting, longing, and entanglement of a devoted couple.
Inside the hall, many women listened with tears streaming down their faces, and the entire hall was shrouded in a deep sense of sorrow.
Not only the women, but also the prince and others sitting in front were affected by the sound of the flute, and felt a sense of unease in their hearts.
Xiao Yin seemed to have a control over everyone's thoughts, making them unable to extricate themselves from her lingering and tender emotions...
Chapter 48 Feigning Fainting
When the music ended, there was no reaction for a long time. Not only the people in the hall, but also Ye Xiuying and Jiang Feixue on the high platform forgot to compare whether the music was better or their dance was better.
Crown Prince Feng Zixiao and the others were the first to react, raising their heads to look at the high platform.