Let alone playing music to accompany a dance—Jun Beiyue rarely even played the qin at all, period!

His mother’s humble origins and early death, combined with the fact that he’d never been taken in and raised by any other imperial consort, had meant he’d never received the privileges befitting an imperial prince growing up within the palace. Though Da Zhou had never formally named a Crown Prince, there had still been an Imperial Tutor, and while the Second Prince and others attended lessons under this tutor from the ages of six or seven, Jun Beiyue had instead been sent to serve in the Imperial Medical Bureau at that same young age—officially termed “oversight duty,” though in truth, the work of little more than an errand boy fetching herbs.

Throughout those years, it had been Physician Gu who’d looked after him, until at fifteen, he’d ridden alone across a thousand li and single-handedly quelled the chaos at the northern frontier, earning himself a princely title in a single stunning stroke—only then did the entire imperial family of Da Zhou discover this forgotten prince had existed among them all along.

Situ Haonan had known Jun Beiyue since the age of eight, and even to this day, he’d rarely ever heard him play the qin. Yet he knew that, in terms of martial skill, this man ranked second to none in all the land, and in terms of scholarly and artistic accomplishment—qin, chess, calligraphy, painting—he was equally unmatched.

Only heaven knew where he’d ever learned all of it!

Come to think of it, the very first time Situ Haonan had ever heard him play had been aboard the ship—and even then, he’d only overheard it, since it had been played entirely for Ziqing’s benefit.

Yet now, here he was, openly requesting a dance from Yelu Qianqian, in front of everyone, offering to play the qin for her, no less!

If this wasn’t the sign of some grand scheme at work, then the sun must genuinely be rising in the west today!

Situ Haonan couldn’t help but murmur under his breath, “Beiyue, she’s… just a girl. She has nothing to do with any of this.”

Whether Jun Beiyue even heard him remained unclear. His gaze swept briefly toward Yelu Chenyi beside him, and without so much as a flicker of expression, he calmly unslung the Wuzheng he always carried with him.

This instrument had always belonged to Ziqing, carried with her wherever she went. Ever since her disappearance, he’d taken to carrying it in her place.

Seeing this, the Xiliang envoy slowly set down his wine cup, a flicker of amusement and anticipation passing through his eyes, while Yelu Chenyi finally lifted his head as well. Though he remained just as silent as before, his gaze shifted directly toward Yelu Qianqian!

Yelu Qianqian understood that look instantly—her brother wanted her to refuse.

Growing up, she’d never excelled at anything else—only dance. It had been her brother who’d sought out the finest teachers in the land for her, who’d choreographed the most breathtaking dance sequences imaginable, all for her sake.

More precisely, it was her brother who had granted her this entire skill, this entire art.

She remembered him telling her once that a girl absolutely needed some talent uniquely her own, something no one else could replicate—otherwise, no matter how beautiful she was, she’d hold no real value.

He’d also told her that her dancing wasn’t something to be performed casually, on a whim. Dance once a year, and people would remember it for a year. Dance once a decade, and they’d remember it for ten years. Dance only once in an entire lifetime, and they’d remember it forever.

Since she’d first begun learning to dance, she’d only ever performed publicly twice—once to bring a smile to her mother the empress’s face, and once, several years ago, when the Xiliang envoy had visited on a diplomatic mission, in this very same hall.

Her brother was clearly signaling her to refuse—but could she really refuse?

This was a personal invitation from Da Zhou’s own Prince Yao, and he’d even brought out the Wuzheng himself, offering to accompany her performance!

Given such profound sincerity, by every measure of propriety and reason, refusal simply wasn’t an option.

Though she’d always done exactly as she pleased and never been one to fuss over propriety, this was Jun Beiyue standing before her—this much courtesy, she absolutely had to extend.

Besides, an opportunity like this—to dance a single number for Situ Haonan—was something she’d never have again, and she had no intention of letting it slip past her!

Situ Haonan had spent all this time treating her like a rowdy tomboy, a pesky little sister tagging along everywhere—the most careless, unrefined princess in history. He had no idea that she could, in fact, be truly, breathtakingly beautiful when she wished to be.

Facing Yelu Chenyi’s faintly sharp gaze, Yelu Qianqian lowered her head timidly and turned instead toward her father the emperor.

The Xijing Emperor, of course, had no idea of the many complications between his two children—he only knew that a dignified princess certainly shouldn’t be performing publicly for others’ entertainment. Yet this was Jun Beiyue extending an invitation through his own musical composition, which undoubtedly represented a profound honor bestowed upon Qianqian herself!

Though Yelu Qianqian could be somewhat scatterbrained at times, she still possessed a certain shrewd cleverness on occasion. Rather than risk offending Yelu Chenyi by agreeing outright, she instead turned to her father the emperor for guidance.

“Heh heh, how rare it is for Prince Yao to display such refined enthusiasm—this is Qianqian’s honor, and Xijing’s honor as well!” He said, then turned to instruct Yelu Qianqian earnestly, “Go quickly and change into something suitable—don’t dishonor Prince Yao’s composition!”

“Yes, Father, as you command!” Yelu Qianqian said with delight, turning to shoot Jun Beiyue a grateful glance before hurrying off to withdraw. She thought to herself that despite this man being cold, fierce, wicked, and dark-hearted as he was, he was, all things considered, genuinely decent and fair-minded!

Watching Yelu Qianqian flutter away like a delicate butterfly, a flicker of worry crossed Yelu Chenyi’s eyes, and he found himself instinctively glancing toward the Xiliang envoy—only to find the man’s gaze still lingering after her retreating figure, not yet withdrawn.

Jun Beiyue focused intently on tuning the qin strings, his mind entirely undistracted, while Situ Haonan’s brow furrowed deeply. He knew something wasn’t quite right here, yet no matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was amiss.

Truth be told, he’d rushed headlong into this journey with Jun Beiyue for the sake of revenge, without fully understanding what form that revenge would actually take!

Soon, the dancers began filing back in one by one, with Yelu Qianqian arriving last. Unlike the flowing, celestial-style robes typically worn by dancers, she now wore snow-white attire—low-slung, flared trousers that revealed a slender, delicate waist, with a brilliant red gemstone gleaming at her navel. Above, a fitted bodice left her smooth right shoulder bare, adorned with a row of tiny red gemstones sparkling like a scattering of stars across the night sky, while the black gemstone that had rested at her brow earlier had now been replaced with a red one!

She trailed a long crimson gauze veil in her hands, her face likewise concealed behind matching red gauze. Amid the vibrant celestial robes of the other dancers, her white attire and red gems, though not overtly flashy, drew every eye in the room regardless.

Situ Haonan found himself utterly transfixed. That day he’d accidentally stumbled upon her bathing, he hadn’t gotten a proper look—he’d never realized just how stunning her figure truly was.

Such an outfit would raise plenty of eyebrows even in conservative Xijing, let alone in the far more open-minded Da Zhou.

Yet everyone present understood this was precisely the most fashionable style currently in vogue throughout Xiliang!

Whatever dance Yelu Qianqian intended to perform, it was undoubtedly one in the Xiliang style!

Perhaps having grown so accustomed to Ziqing’s face, no beauty, however striking, could still catch Jun Beiyue’s eye anymore.

His hands, still marked with more than a few frostbite blisters, settled gently upon the strings. Though his hands no longer possessed their usual pale, smooth elegance, this single gesture alone was enough to make it impossible to look away—so much so that he unwittingly stole every bit of the spotlight away from Yelu Qianqian herself.

Even Situ Haonan found himself witnessing, for the very first time, Jun Beiyue seated before a qin, hands raised to play. Though undeniably a battle-hardened war god through and through, in this moment he seemed to surpass even the legendary qin immortals of old in sheer grace and refinement.

“Princess Qianqian, you don’t even know what piece this prince intends to play, and yet you’ve already changed into this Xiliang attire?” Jun Beiyue asked flatly.

Yelu Qianqian, however, remained utterly confident. “Whatever piece you play, I’ll be able to follow your rhythm perfectly.”

This would be her first time dancing—and likely her last, too. In front of Situ Haonan, in front of her father, in front of her brother!

She was determined to dance the finest, most difficult piece she knew. Once married off to distant Xiliang, she would have to become obedient and still, a mere ornament, doing nothing more.

In truth, ever since the Xiliang Crown Prince had asked for her hand, she’d stopped enjoying dance entirely. According to what her brother’s guards had told her, it had been during the Xiliang envoy’s previous diplomatic visit, when he’d witnessed her dancing and reported back to Crown Prince Wanyan Lie, that the Xiliang Crown Prince had first taken notice of her. Later, when she’d secretly slipped away to the northern frontier and stumbled upon Wanyan Lie by chance, she’d inadvertently sealed this marriage arrangement for herself.

Hearing Yelu Qianqian’s words, Jun Beiyue simply nodded and struck the first note.