A’Luo repeatedly urged Juan’er not to breathe a word about what had happened by the stream. Juan’er wouldn’t dare tell — it was already a blessing that the Third Miss herself wasn’t speaking of it. She could only nod vigorously in agreement.

A’Luo walked to the awning outside Chancellor Gu’s tent and said softly, “This servant has been sent by order of Madam Li, Chancellor’s wife, to deliver flowers to Madam Gu, Chancellor’s wife.”

A gentle voice came from within the tent: “Come in.”

A’Luo lowered her head in a curtsy and offered up the flowering branch she had just picked with both hands. She heard the same gentle voice say, “Your mistress is too courteous. One should not receive without returning the favor. Hexin, go with this young lady to thank Madam Li, and take some fresh fruit along as well.” The girl called Hexin quickly agreed, picked up a plate of fresh fruit, and walked out of the awning with Qingluo.

A’Luo was quite disappointed — hadn’t it been said that the Gu family’s precious daughter, Miss Zilin, had also come? Yet there was only Madam Gu and two maidservants in the entire tent. She glanced sideways at Hexin and suddenly noticed how beautiful she was — her head tilted slightly upward, revealing a slender, snow-white neck, and a pair of hands as fair as jade. A’Luo smiled and said, “Sister Hexin, you’re so pretty. I wonder if your young mistress is even more beautiful?”

A faint smile touched the corner of Hexin’s mouth. A’Luo found herself staring, thinking that if Qinglei was cold and aloof like an orchid, then this Hexin was as understated and elegant as a chrysanthemum. She suddenly had the feeling that this woman was Gu Tianlin, one of the Two Beauties of Wind City.

Hexin said with a light smile, “Are all the young maids of the Li household as clever and refined as you, little sister?”

A’Luo blinked and laughed, “Yes, though it’s a pity we’re only maids. I can’t hold a candle to even one of Sister Hexin’s little fingers.”

While the two of them talked, the whole group in the tent across the way had fallen into a stunned silence, all of them thinking that this maid who had come out from the Gu residence carried herself with extraordinary grace and bearing. They whispered among themselves, guessing at just how stunningly beautiful the Gu young lady herself must be.

Hexin walked outside the awning to convey Madam Gu’s thanks. The Madam had been about to call her back in when A’Luo took the fresh fruit from Hexin’s hands with one hand, blinking and smiling. “Sister Hexin, let me carry this in for you — no need to hold up your attendance on Madam Gu.”

Hexin smiled as well. “Even so, I really ought to thank her in person.”

A’Luo laughed softly and said, “Better not to. Sooner or later Madam will recognize you, and then what an embarrassment it would be for a maid of the Gu household to be found out — isn’t that right, Sister Tianlin?”

Hexin was startled, though her smile did not waver. On reflection, she realized that if she really did go in as a maidservant and perform the servant’s bow before Madam Li, only to be recognized later, it would indeed be humiliating. She reached out and pinched Qingluo’s cheek. “You little imp — come visit me at the Gu residence when you have time!” As she turned to leave, she added in a low voice, “Are you truly nothing more than a maid of the Li household?”

A’Luo only smiled sweetly without answering. She had spoken up on a hunch, and sure enough, Hexin was indeed Gu Tianlin. It seemed she too had been eager to see what Li Qinglei looked like — enough to disguise herself as a maidservant to come here. A’Luo had only meant to see what would happen, never expecting that being recognized might carry consequences. Stopping her had its own advantages too — it would spare the Left and Right Chancellors from forming a grudge over this. She still hoped to live safely at the Chancellor’s residence for a few more years.

Watching Gu Tianlin’s elegant retreating figure, A’Luo pressed her lips together and smiled, then swept aside the gauze curtain and walked back in. Madam Li looked at Qingluo in puzzlement, not understanding why she had stopped the Gu maid from entering.

Qingluo smiled and said, “I’ve already caught a glimpse of the Gu family’s young lady.” She had successfully changed the subject. Several of them gathered around Qingluo to hear her describe what she’d seen. Qinglei wore a faint smile on her face, seeming not overly concerned, but when she heard Qingluo say that Gu Tianlin’s bearing was elegant and her wit exceptional, she gave a low, disdainful snort, a trace of contempt crossing her face. A’Luo sighed inwardly — this elder sister of hers was good in every way, just far too proud.

Madam Li asked again, “Did you hear anything else? Did you see either of the two Highnesses?”

A’Luo was at a loss for words, and Juan’er’s face began to pale. Qingluo could only answer, “We didn’t see either Highness. But the Wang family’s young lady certainly isn’t as pretty as Eldest Sister — not even as pretty as Second Sister.”

Qinglei and Qingfei couldn’t help but laugh.

Just then Princess Huguo’s voice rang out: “On such a fine day with such beautiful scenery, if someone were to play the zither, it would be the crowning touch. I hear that Chancellor Gu’s daughter and Chancellor Li’s daughter are known together as the Two Beauties of Wind City, both skilled in the zither. Might the two of you each favor me with a piece?”

A’Luo clicked her tongue — a bald-faced showdown, no less. Attendants would soon come to relay the answer. Neither family dared defy the Princess. Madam Li, deferring to the Left Chancellor’s precedence, invited the Gu young lady to play first.

Before long, the strains of a zither rose from the neighboring tent. The tone was mellow and rich, like the sound of jade pendants clinking beyond the ninth heaven — it was none other than “Orchid Sash,” a piece drawing its meaning from the line “I wove autumn orchids to wear as a sash” from Qu Yuan’s Li Sao.

Then a clear, melodious singing voice rose: “An orchid grows in an empty valley, fragrant though no one is near; were it not for a person of quiet refinement, who would keep it company?”

The temperament of the Gu family’s daughter, Tianlin, was laid bare in an instant. Through the notes of her zither, her longing to find a kindred spirit unfolded slowly.

A’Luo mused to herself — there was a line of verse that went something like: wishing to pour one’s heart into the zither, but kindred ears are few, and even if the strings snapped, who would be there to listen? Gu Tianlin had chosen this piece with the Crown Prince plainly in mind, yet had deliberately emphasized the search for a kindred spirit, likening herself to an orchid in an empty valley. She was making a show of not currying favor with wealth and rank. The melody of “Orchid Sash” was delicate without being urgent, unhurried yet full of rise and fall — proud, but not aloof. If a man were to take such a woman as his wife, it would be like the legendary pairing of Nongyu and Xiaoshi. A’Luo guessed that Gu Tianlin had gauged the Crown Prince’s temperament and chosen not to appear as a woman scheming after the position of Crown Princess. With this single piece, even if she later became Crown Princess, she would never look like someone who had clawed her way up. And even if it came to nothing, it would simply be a case of a melody that found no listener.

A’Luo’s gaze swept across — in the tent opposite, only the seats of the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince remained empty; every other seat was filled with Wind City’s promising young men. Some swayed their heads in appreciation, others sat as if in a daze. Looking again at her elder sister Qinglei, she too seemed entranced — no doubt this piece, “Orchid Sash,” had voiced something of her own heart as well. A’Luo grew a little anxious, unsure what piece Qinglei could choose to match it.

Qinglei’s brow furrowed slightly. A’Luo, for reasons she couldn’t quite explain, felt a pang of sympathy for this sister who now had to compete with Gu Tianlin in front of everyone. Qinglei’s skill on the zither was on par with Gu Tianlin’s — the two were called the Two Beauties of Wind City for good reason — but if her chosen piece failed to convey the right meaning, she would lose in spirit alone, and it would become a laughingstock across all of Wind City. It wasn’t just that Qinglei couldn’t bear such humiliation — the Chancellor’s household would lose face entirely.

At that moment Gu Tianlin’s piece came to an end. Princess Huguo coughed lightly twice and praised her: “What a rendition of ‘Orchid Sash.’ What an orchid-hearted, wise young lady. Miss Gu, I happen to have a jade orchid hairpin — come, let me pin it in your hair myself.”

Gu Tianlin stepped slowly out from the tent — it was Hexin, though she had already changed out of her maidservant’s dress. Her silk skirts swayed as she took small, graceful steps forward and knelt before the Princess. Princess Huguo removed the orchid hairpin from her own hair and inserted it into Tianlin’s cloud-shaped chignon. Gu Tianlin voiced her thanks and rose gracefully, walking slowly back to her seat.

A’Luo glanced across and saw that Gu Tianlin’s appearance before the crowd had indeed stunned the whole gathering on the other side. Her eyes suddenly swept over a familiar face. Startled, she quickly stepped back, hiding her face behind Qingfei. Peeking out again, she saw that the swordsman she had thrown into the stream was holding a sprig of peach blossom, sniffing it lightly, then casually handing the flower to the young attendant behind him.

The attendant carried the flower toward the Gu family’s tent. After a while, more and more attendants bearing flowers began weaving back and forth in front of the Gu tent. This left the other ladies feeling somewhat left out in the cold. Princess Huguo noticed this too and said with a smile, “What piece would the eldest young lady of the Li household like to offer?”

Qinglei answered clearly, “I would like to offer ‘Autumn Waters’ in response.”

A’Luo’s face broke into a smile. Gu Tianlin had used the orchid to declare her aspirations, but Qinglei was no less impressive. “Autumn Waters” was pure, clear, and lofty in ambition — the meaning of this piece was no less than Gu Tianlin’s.

After answering, Qinglei took a deep breath and extended both hands — yet for some reason, her fingertips began to tremble faintly. Madam Li said anxiously, “A’Lei, you must win. Don’t disgrace the Right Chancellor’s household!”

Qinglei’s fingers trembled even more. She withdrew her hand in defeat. “Madam, I’ve lost. My heart cannot settle.”

Outside the tent, people were already growing impatient, murmuring among themselves.

Madam Li, Qingfei, and Qingluo all looked at Qinglei with concern. A’Luo couldn’t help saying, “Eldest Sister, just pretend you’re at home playing the zither for yourself alone. Don’t worry about winning or losing.”

Qinglei smiled bitterly. “When the heart is caught up in gain and loss, how can one simply let go?” She lowered her head, her jade-like face pale and wan. She had begun studying the zither at age three, and her pride ran deep. Chancellor Li had always been strict with her, openly declaring his intention to marry her into the royal family. Though she had heard that she and Gu Tianlin were called the Two Beauties of Wind City, she had never taken it much to heart — until today, hearing Gu Tianlin’s performance, seeing her receive the Princess’s gift, and witnessing the countless admirers falling at her feet after her music, she was utterly shaken. She and Gu Tianlin were truly evenly matched, yet Gu Tianlin had struck first and seized the advantage — how difficult it would be to surpass her now! Her thoughts churned endlessly, and her fighting spirit had drained away entirely. She sighed. “Even if I had played first, Gu Tianlin would have done just the same.” Through the music, she had come to understand something of Gu Tianlin’s heart.

Madam Li said urgently, “Look at how things stand now — if you hesitate any longer, others will grow impatient, and the Princess will grow annoyed too.”

Qinglei’s body went limp, and in her agitation she nearly fainted, collapsing weakly against Juan’er.

A’Luo looked at Qingfei, who shook her head — the zither was not her strength. A’Luo leaned close to Madam Li and said quietly, “Madam, Qingluo is willing to help Eldest Sister out of this difficulty, but this must never be revealed to anyone.”

Madam Li was taken aback. “What use is your skill on the zither?”

A’Luo lifted her head slightly. “Better than having no one play at all and embarrassing us, isn’t it, Madam?”

With that, she sat down beside the zither, calmed her mind, and plucked the strings with a soft chime. She imagined the moment of sitting on a ship in autumn and catching sight of the sea for the first time — vast and clear, the blue water smooth as a ribbon of silk, nothing before her eyes but the sea’s boundless expanse and its embracing heart. She imagined herself transformed into a bird, now skimming low to peck at the water’s surface, now spreading her wings to soar high, wheeling through the sky, playing with the great sea as though it were but a small pond.

Qinglei stared at this little sister of hers, who supposedly had no particular talents, in utter astonishment, feeling as though a light was radiating from her small frame, one that could not be looked upon directly. Beneath her fingers the notes rose and fell like rushing water cascading down, dewdrops scattering with vigor; like towering mountains, majestic and grand, reaching to the heavens and holding back the clouds. Within her chest lay a thousand ravines and ten thousand vistas — had she not seen it with her own eyes, she would have thought it came from the hand of a grown man, not a small girl.

Unable to help herself, she began to sing along: “On this auspicious day, this fine hour, we take our joy amid splendor and beauty. The peach blossoms bloom bright and radiant, in garments as fine as flowering silk. The autumn waters stretch on, boundless without end, my heart soars high, free and unfettered…”

Qinglei’s voice rang clear and bright, expressing both her gratitude for the Princess’s peach blossom banquet and a lofty, expansive spirit. Paired with Qingluo’s zither playing — full of vigor, its lingering notes resonant and stirring — the two complemented each other perfectly.

As the final note fell, A’Luo and Qinglei exchanged a smile.