“Your Highness, do you have your candidate?” Princess Xijiang asked with a smile.

Princess Mu’s gaze turned toward the direction where Lan Xinong and the others were seated.

Qiao Zhao stepped forward from the crowd, standing opposite Princess Xijiang and performing the Great Liang greeting between equals: “Li San, daughter of the Hanlin Academy Editor of Great Liang, wishes to compete with Your Highness.”

“It’s you?” Princess Xijiang recognized Qiao Zhao, “Marquis Guanjun’s fiancée.”

Qiao Zhao smiled: “Your Highness has a good memory.”

“You want to compete with me?”

“Your Highness has traveled from afar, and since you’re curious about the artistic accomplishments of our Great Liang noble ladies, we as hosts should naturally oblige.”

Princess Xijiang looked at Qiao Zhao with a half-smile and said something that left everyone present puzzled: “It would have been wonderful if Miss Li could have participated in the dance competition.”

This Marquis Guanjun’s fiancée, who looked identical to the dancing girl in her royal brother’s residence, would she dance even more similarly?

Thinking of this, Princess Xijiang’s smile deepened.

Qiao Zhao keenly sensed the malice hidden beneath Princess Xijiang’s sweet smile, but not knowing where this malice came from, she could only attribute it to the saying that those not of our race must have different hearts.

She didn’t possess the compassionate sentiment of universal love, believing all people under heaven were the same. As a person of Great Liang, she likewise held no favorable feelings toward the Tartars, Japanese, and Xijiang people who had friction with Great Liang.

Qiao Zhao wasn’t tall, and facing this Princess Xijiang, she rarely didn’t need to look up, slightly raising her chin: “It’s not too late to participate now.”

These words were spoken with resounding force, lifting the spirits of the Great Liang noble ladies present.

Earlier, they had been listening to Princess Xijiang using words to pressure Princess Mu, and now, finally, someone was getting back at her for them.

The meaning in Third Miss Li’s words was clear—she could take down all three remaining competitions, so it wasn’t too late to participate now.

However, while these words sounded satisfying, if she couldn’t deliver, it would be even more embarrassing.

The noble ladies’ hearts hung high, discussing in low voices with those beside them.

“I’ve only heard that Third Miss Li’s calligraphy is excellent, but I don’t know about her other skills.”

“I don’t know either, but I just saw Third Miss Li go straight to Miss Lan and the others when she arrived. Now that Third Miss Li can step forward, it must have been through the selection of several vice-presidents of the Fushan Society, so she should have some ability.”

“But in terms of zither skills, I don’t think she could be better than Miss Xu. I’ve heard Miss Xu’s zither music—it could truly be said to linger for three days.”

“Yes, it’s such a pity Miss Xu didn’t come out to compete this time. If she had come out, this round would have been won. It’s all because Princess Xijiang is cunning, wanting to take on three rounds alone.”

“It seems the young ladies of your country aren’t very confident in Miss Li,” Princess Xijiang said with a beaming smile.

She didn’t believe that a mere Hanlin Editor’s daughter could beat her in various artistic skills.

She had begun practicing these skills intensively from age three, and it could be said that for over ten years, except for eating and sleeping, all her time had been spent on this.

Her master said that heaven rewards diligence, and she was not only diligent but also talented.

“What instrument does Your Highness wish to compete with?” Qiao Zhao asked coolly.

Verbal sparring could never be as satisfying as real action.

Princess Xijiang was startled: “Any instrument is fine?”

“Yes, any instrument is fine. Your Highness may choose one.”

Princess Xijiang couldn’t help but look at Qiao Zhao seriously.

Such arrogant words—this was the first time she had heard them.

Qiao Zhao’s words likewise stirred up great waves among the Great Liang noble ladies.

“Third Miss Li is being far too presumptuous. What if Princess Xijiang proposes competing with an instrument unique to Xijiang? What would we do then?”

“Exactly, no matter what, one shouldn’t speak so absolutely. She represents all of our faces.”

Lan Xinong coldly swept her gaze over: “If you’re so capable, why don’t you go up?”

Li San, aside from other things, her way of speaking was too much to her liking.

Modesty depended on the occasion. Now that Princess Xijiang had already stepped on the faces of Great Liang noble ladies, being modest again would just be cowardly!

Princess Xijiang secretly frowned.

Ever since this Miss Li had taken the stage, why did she have a feeling that the situation was gradually getting out of control? Earlier she had clearly suppressed the Great Liang people completely, yet after the other party said just two sentences, the situation had actually undergone a small reversal.

Hmph, it was nothing more than clever words.

“There are so many instruments, having Miss Li let me choose puts me in a difficult position. If I choose one unique to our Xijiang, it would be unfair. How about this—let’s compete with the yaoqin zither. Although the yaoqin also originated from our Xijiang, it’s equally popular in your country.”

As soon as Princess Xijiang said this, the faces of the Great Liang noble ladies turned green with anger, and even the madams from various residences darkened their expressions.

Damn it, when did the yaoqin become theirs from Xijiang!

“Third Miss Li, you can do it!” One noble lady couldn’t help herself and shouted from the sidelines.

“Yes, Third Miss Li, you can do it!”

Never mind the next two rounds—if this round were lost to the Xijiang people, they would truly die of anger.

Qiao Zhao raised her hand, and the sidelines miraculously fell quiet.

Princess Xijiang’s yaoqin had already been brought up.

“Did Miss Li bring a zither?” Princess Xijiang’s eyes flashed with smugness, “If Miss Li doesn’t have a zither she’s comfortable with, then I’ll also switch to a yaoqin provided by the Princess.”

Qiao Zhao looked at Princess Xijiang with eyes like water and suddenly smiled: “Your Highness says the yaoqin originated from Xijiang—could you tell me what the flat bottom and convex top of the yaoqin represents?”

Princess Xijiang didn’t expect Qiao Zhao to ask this question and was slightly stunned.

Qiao Zhao didn’t pause and continued asking: “What does the wide front and narrow back symbolize?”

The young lady walked beside the yaoqin, gently raised her pale hand, and plucked three notes: “What do the three tones—harmonic, open, and stopped—represent?”

A series of questions left Princess Xijiang speechless with shock.

When she learned the yaoqin, she learned playing techniques and practiced ancient and modern famous pieces. Who cared what these things represented? Were there meanings to these things?

Qiao Zhao curved her lips in a smile, her voice sweet and gentle: “If Your Highness won’t say, then let me tell you. This is common knowledge among our Great Liang noble ladies. The flat bottom and convex top of the zither body symbolize the round heaven and square earth; the wide front and narrow back symbolize the distinction between high and low status; harmonic tones follow heaven, open tones follow earth, stopped tones follow humanity, symbolizing the harmony of heaven, earth, and humanity. These are precisely the essence of our Great Liang Confucian ritual and music philosophy, which is why ancient sages said that among all instruments, the zither has the highest virtue, being the sound of heaven and earth.”

Seeing Princess Xijiang’s expression wasn’t good, Qiao Zhao smiled charmingly: “Of course, it’s not strange that Your Highness doesn’t know this common knowledge—after all, you don’t know the origins.”

Princess Xijiang: “…” Where did this demon come from? Quickly get a high monk to subdue her!

The Great Liang noble ladies: “…” This kind of common knowledge—they would kneel down and memorize it today!

The madams from various residences: “…” They had always felt that Third Miss Li from the Li family had a bad reputation, but now it seemed that talented young ladies inevitably attracted criticism. Those who don’t provoke envy are mediocre.

Qiao Zhao seemed completely unaware of the change in atmosphere and nodded lightly: “Well, since there’s no dispute about the question of where the yaoqin originated, let’s begin.”

She turned around abruptly and called out loudly: “Sisters, who will lend me a yaoqin to use?”