Qiao Zhao’s explanation of the yaoqin stirred the noble ladies’ hearts, and when she called out this question, many immediately expressed their willingness to lend their zithers.

At this moment, Xu Jinghong stood up: “I brought my zither. Miss Li, please use mine.”

After speaking, she gestured to her maid, who brought over the yaoqin.

Xu Jinghong reached out to take it and personally carried the zither toward Qiao Zhao.

Those familiar with Xu Jinghong showed surprise on their faces.

Miss Xu treasured her zither like life itself. Besides her designated maid, she wouldn’t let even her sisters touch her usual zither, yet now she was willing to lend it to Third Miss Li.

But upon reflection, at such a moment, for their Great Liang noble ladies, how could beloved possessions compare to the importance of this battle of honor and disgrace?

As long as there was a need, any one of them would certainly lend their full support.

Xu Jinghong walked before Qiao Zhao and solemnly handed over the yaoqin: “Miss Li, please do your best.”

Qiao Zhao took it and said in a deep voice: “I will certainly not fail Miss Xu’s trust.”

She placed the zither on the table, lightly tuned it with her pale hands, and melodious, clear zither music rang out. She couldn’t help but look toward Xu Jinghong: “The zither’s tone is like knocking ice on a snowy night, striking chimes in a frosty sky—is this the famous zither Bingqing?”

Xu Jinghong was slightly stunned, then nodded, and her face, cold as frost and snow, actually showed a trace of a smile: “Indeed it is.”

Now she has finally completely set her mind at ease.

She believed Miss Li’s accomplishments in the way of the zither were no less than her own.

Xu Jinghong withdrew from the venue, and Qiao Zhao looked toward Princess Xijiang: “How does Your Highness wish to compete?”

Princess Xijiang had long been eager to begin the competition.

Just now, her side’s momentum had been repeatedly suppressed by the opponent, which was truly stifling.

Before leaving Xijiang, the Great Prince had instructed both her and the Prince that this trip to Great Liang was ostensibly for tribute, but truly to probe Great Liang’s actual strength.

To explore a nation’s power, the most direct method was to challenge their dignity and see where their bottom line lay. If the Great Liang people kept retreating and swallowing their anger, it would be enough to show that Great Liang, under pressure from both Northern Qi and the Japanese, had already become hollow in national strength and tottering on the brink of collapse. Then Xijiang would have found the opportunity to profit from the situation.

Clearly both nations shared the same culture and similar customs—why should their Xijiang have to huddle in such a small, barren land in the west while Great Liang occupied vast fertile territories?

The Great Prince was different from their father. Their father was old and ill, having long lost his ambition, but the Great Prince was an eagle with lofty aspirations.

As long as the Great Prince wanted to occupy Great Liang, as Princess of Xijiang, she would certainly spare no effort to assist.

How could Princess Xijiang compare to the carefree life of Great Liang’s princesses?

She couldn’t forget the first time she saw her sister-in-law taking breakfast—the dazzling array of foods she had never heard of, more abundant than a New Year’s feast.

Her sister-in-law had given her some delicacies she had looked at a few extra times, telling her they were mandarin duck crystal rolls. At that moment, she had made up her mind: she wanted to be the most noble princess in the world, so that no one would ever again need to point at things and tell her what they were!

Princess Xijiang straightened her posture and smiled slightly at Qiao Zhao: “When I first learned the yaoqin, my master told me that the zither expresses the heart’s voice, so technique isn’t the most important thing—being able to touch people’s hearts is most important. Let’s each play a piece freely, and whoever can stir the emotions of those present will be considered the winner. What does Miss Li think?”

Her zither master’s original words had been: The Princess has plump, short fingers, and from a technical standpoint, she may find it difficult to reach the peak. But the Princess is clever as ice and snow, and perhaps can enter the way of the zither through emotion.

She had nearly died of anger upon hearing this.

Saying her fingers were short!

In her fury, she had changed two masters, but they gave the same advice, and she understood that such was her natural talent and couldn’t be forced otherwise. From then on, she focused on moving people through emotion, practicing diligently for over ten years until she finally achieved mastery.

The zither pieces she played could make listeners weep and hearers feel sorrowful.

“Since Your Highness wishes to move people through emotion, I’m willing to oblige.”

“Good, then I’ll begin first.” This time, she was no longer polite and sat down at the zither table.

Since it was about moving people through emotion, playing first gave her the advantage. When her zither music made those present feel sorrowful, if the opponent also played a sad piece, it would be inferior; if they played something else, how easy would it be for the audience’s emotions to change?

The zither music began, as if autumn rain was pattering down. As the music quickened, everyone seemed to see gradually yellowing banana leaves trembling lightly under the autumn rain’s beating, and slowly those banana leaves changed from bright yellow to burnt black, completely withering.

The zither music turned low, gentle, and plaintive. A woman raised in the inner chambers pushed open her window and stared blankly at the withered banana leaves, watching from evening until dawn.

The zither music suddenly became light and cheerful.

The woman smiled through her tears, thinking of the beautiful times with her lover in their youth.

Then they were childhood sweethearts, innocent companions who secretly held hands and made vows of growing old together.

As the zither music changed color, the scene before everyone’s eyes changed again.

The laughter of youth was gone, her lover had married another, leaving her alone to feel sorrow at the scene…

Some noble ladies quietly wiped away tears, complaining to their friends beside them: “I didn’t want to cry, but somehow I couldn’t help it.”

Her friend was equally worried: “Hearing this zither music, I also felt heavy-hearted, as if all unhappy things came to mind. I don’t know how Third Miss Li can compare.”

The two were talking when suddenly clear, ringing zither sounds arose, like the golden crow suddenly rising from the distant high sky, parting the dark clouds and fine rain, with light spilling across the earth.

This light came too suddenly, too dazzling, actually making those present couldn’t help but raise their hands to shield their eyes, lest they be blinded by this brilliant sun.

Soon the zither music became vast and leisurely. Everyone looked up to see blue sky and flowing clouds, only then realizing this wasn’t sorrowful deep autumn.

Early autumn was approaching, with high sky and broad earth.

The woman who had been weeping by the window looked up at the changing clouds in the sky, boundlessly free and easy. Looking down at the water in the vase, steady and waveless, tranquil and at ease.

The zither music interweaved. Those high mountains and flowing waters, the light on water and cloud reflections seemed to sweep past before her, and her heart, filled with countless mountains and waters, could no longer contain the grievances of the inner chambers.

The zither music gradually became slow and distant, ethereal and boundless. The woman seemed to forget her existence.

She was this water in the vase, these clouds in the sky.

Clouds at the horizon, water in the vase—the freedom of clouds and tranquility of water didn’t lie in their forms, but in her state of mind.

With a heart free of dust, one achieves ease.

The zither music gradually stopped, but that vast, peaceful music still echoed in everyone’s ears. The earlier resentment and discontent had long been soothed by this heavenly music, and everyone’s face bore serene, joyful smiles.

But discordant zither sounds arose faintly, and everyone frowned lightly as they looked over.

“Is Your Highness playing a second piece?” Princess Mu asked.

Princess Xijiang’s fingers paused, the zither music stopped abruptly, and her face became pale.

How could she be playing a second piece? When the opponent’s zither music began, it directly suppressed her zither sounds. From beginning to end, she had never stopped playing, but from everyone’s reactions, it was clear that these people had not heard her zither music again afterward.

She had lost completely!

Qiao Zhao’s bright eyes turned slightly as she looked at Princess Xijiang with a smile.

Princess Xijiang stood up from beside the zither table and said with difficulty, “This round, you won.”