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Chapter 77 - The Art of the Qin
When the Ming Yue County princess came, most of the girls were surrounding her, and although Jiang Yixi does not need to please the county princess, but as the host family, the county princess first arrived, naturally need to greet a few words.
Nangong Yue and Nangong Hang are not rare to associate with this county princess. For a while, they looked a bit out of place, as if they had been left out. Fortunately, the two of them do not care.
The girls soon sat down again, but did not expect that Qu Jiayue's eyes suddenly fell on Nangong Hang's body, and said casually: "Huh? This girl's face is very beautiful, but I have never seen it." However, the tone of voice was ignored by Nangong Yue completely.
Jiang Yixi hurriedly smiled and introduced: "Jia Yue sister, this girl is the eldest girl of Nangong House, a single name of the word ‘Hang’." And then introduced Nangong Yue, "And this is her younger sister, single name ‘Yue’."
"Nangong Hang?" Qu Jiayue not only comes from an extraordinary background, even the acting skills are also extraordinary, that suddenly realised the look let people not see the flaw, " But the Imperial Secretary Nangong Daifu's family's girl?
Zhang Yusheng hurriedly came over to the front of Jiang Yixi, and replied diligently: "County princess, you said exactly."
Qu Jiayue made such an expression as she expected, and praised without hesitation: "As my cousin said, she is a beauty, and she can be called the number one beauty in the royal capital!”
At that, the girls were all stunned, no one expected that the county princess would say so.
In the royal capital, County Princess Mingyue is famous for her brutal and capricious behaviour. And act as she wishes. Two years ago, the second girl of the Zhongshu Ling's family was known as the first beauty in Wangdu. But one day she met the county princess, who sarcastically said that the other party was not as beautiful as her, so she could not afford the name of "the first beauty in Wangdu". After this incident spread, the second girl of Zhongshu Ling's family was too embarrassed to go out. After marrying far away, she never returned to the royal capital. After that, the Mingyue County princess became recognized as the number one beauty in the royal capital, and no one dared to steal her limelight!
But I didn't expect that today, Princess Mingyue would willingly give up this title!
For a while, everyone looked over with an odd gaze toward Nangong Hang. Nangong Hang is indeed beautiful, and indeed more beautiful than Princess Mingyue by a few points. However, these two years, there is not a person equal or even more beautiful than the Princess Mingyue, but never seen the Princess Mingyue acting like this.
Does the attitude of Princess Mingyue indicate the attitude of the imperial family?
Everyone was thinking about it, thinking that the empress personally summoned old lady Su Shi to the palace. Thought of the empress sending a birthday gift for the birthday of the old lady Su Shi. Does it mean that the Nangong family is really not dead, but will rise again?
What they were thinking was unknown to Qu Jiayue. She suddenly smiled brightly, with a faint trace of malice at the corner of her mouth, and whispered something to Zhang Yusheng beside her.
Zhang Yusheng nodded repeatedly, and then made a look of longing with her palms together and smiled at Jiang Yixi: "Sister Xi, I heard that you have a new yaoqin, can you show it to the sisters?"
As soon as the words came out, a girl's eyes lit up and she hurriedly asked, "Is that qin 'Tianxuan'?"
"Miss Li, if my information is correct, it should be 'Tianxuan'!" Zhang Yusheng smilingly answered for Jiang Yixi.
At once, all the envious eyes focused on Jiang Yixi. Jiang Yixi is worthy of Di daughter of a noble family. She wasn't scared but smiled and said: "Since everyone wants to see it, I'll ask someone to fetch it!" After saying that, she ordered a few words to the green-clad maid beside her.
In a short while, the maid came over with the qin in her hand carefully.
Jiang Yixi took the yaoqin and put it on the case. The qin was three feet six inches and five minutes (120cm check here)long. The seven strings were made of silk and shone brightly. The body of the Qin was made of tung wood, and the brown surface of the Qin had a rounded lustre, so it was no ordinary product.
Qu Jiayue took the lead and went to the qin, plucked the strings twice, and praised: "The body is light, and the sound is clear. It is really good qin."
"It is indeed a good qin!" Zhang Yusheng came forward, "It's a pity that I'm not good at the qin, otherwise I would have to play a song."
Another girl in a green dress immediately interjected, "I would like to try." Saying that, she looked at Jiang Yixi inquiringly. The girl seems to be 13 or 14 years old with medium height and a very slender figure. She has a clear and beautiful appearance. The most striking thing is her frost-like skin. When she smiles, her eyes are curved, which seems very pleasing to the eye.
Jiang Yixi as the host naturally will not just refuse the guest's request, and quickly said: "Miss Li, please."
Miss. Li was delighted to go forward, but Qu Jiayue stopped her, "Wait!"
“I don't know what advice the county princess has to say?" Miss Li looked at Qu Jiayue in confusion.
"Today is a rare opportunity, why don't all interested parties play a song and compare." Qu Jiayue smiled and took off the ruby silk bracelet from her wrist, and put it on the case, "I'll add a prize, whoever wins, this belongs to them.”
Zhang Yusheng quickly agreed: "The county princess, this idea is good." The other girls looked at each other, but no one spoke out against it.
Miss Li was a very generous person, and readily agreed: "Since the county princess said so, then let me throw bricks to attract jade." After speaking, she walked to the Qin desk and played "Three Lanes of Plum Blossoms".
lit. to throw a brick to attract jade (idiom); fig. I offer a humble remark, please give us your valued opinion (e.g. commonplace remarks as a foreword to a distinguished speech)
This expert played the piano, and it was extraordinary to hear. The slender hand plucked elegantly on the strings, the piano sounded like the sky, high, ethereal, sometimes light, floating; sometimes like a human accent, like a sob, delicate and touching ......
Nangong Yue secretly sighed that Miss Li still had some skills, her fingers were skillful, and a song "Three Lanes of the Plum Blossom" was played with perfection.
After Miss. Li finished playing, several other girls came on one after another to play a few songs.
But with Miss Li in front like pearl, other girls' performances seem to be mediocre.
Those girls didn't take it seriously either, they only came on stage to show their faces and to be familiar with each other.
When Qu Jiayue saw that Nangong Hang was slow to get on the stage, she was a bit anxious, and suddenly looked at Nangong Hang and said: "I've heard that the Nangong family's eldest girl is both talented and beautiful, and her qin skills are even more outstanding, I wonder if this county princess has the honour to listen to a song today?"
Everyone was silent for a while, thinking to themselves: It turns out that the Mingyue County Princess came up with these tricks, just waiting here! There is no room for two tigers in this mountain, it seems that the Mingyue County Princess is eyeing the eldest girl of the Nangong family.
" The county princess asked, Hang dared not refuse." Nangong Hang slowly walked to the qin case and sat down, was about to tune the qin, Qu Jiayue spoke again.
"Today, the princess has not heard anyone play a song "Guangling San", I wonder if Miss Nangong can play a song?" Qu Jiayue looked at Nangong Hang with a smile, obviously not with good intentions
Nangong Yue secretly sighed, "Guangling San" is a difficult song for the present girls. Qu Jiayue is clearly trying to see Nangong Hang make a fool of herself.
"Originally, County Princess wanted to listen to it, and Hang should comply, but this "Guangling San" is too impassioned and generous, full of spears and killing aura, but it is not in line with the elegance of today's flower party, wouldn't it be a disappointment to several Jiang girls. Hang would rather play a song called ‘Lotus Out of the Water’."
After all, Nangong Hang is the Di daughter whom Su Shi has carefully cultivated. She has resolved the crisis for herself in a few words
She elegantly sat down in front of the Qin and adjusted the tone,
She then raised her wrist, and her slender snow-white fingers gently twirled on the strings. She alternated her hands and plucked the strings with great skill. The melodious sound of the Qin immediately poured out from her fingertips ......
Everyone has long been curious about Nangong Hang's qin skills, they are attentively listening to it, which listening can not help but be fascinated ...... until Nangong Hang finished playing, said the "shown disgraceful" before they came back to their senses.
Nangong Yue always had a decent smile on the corner of her mouth. Her eldest sister has never been a stupid person. In the right place, she chose the style of qin music that she is best at. Therefore, it is also very easy to integrate into the artistic conception, which adds another point to the original seven or eight points of Qin skills.
Looking at everyone's mesmerised appearance, Qu Jiayue's face was very ugly, she wanted to make Nangong Hang make a fool of herself, not to make her stand out. Her hands fiercely clenched into fists at the bottom of the table, her eyes suddenly aimed at Jiang Yixi, and suddenly had an idea.
"Eldest Miss Nangong really has extraordinary qin skills." Qu Jiayue praised a word of praise, and turned to Jiang Yixi said, " Eldest Miss Jiang as the master of 'Tianxuan', I wonder if you can also play a song for this county princess to enjoy?"
Nangong Yue can't help but frown, Nangong Hang is now out of the limelight, for the Nangong family face. But now Qu Jia Yue pulled Jiang Yixi out, it's not good. If Nangong Hang steals the limelight of the host family, the rumours spread out are harmful to the reputation, more importantly, it is also possible that the Nangong House and the Duke House have a disagreement.
Jiang Yixi also knows the doorway, but is calm and relaxed, said: "If the County princess wants to listen to Yixi play the qin, another day Yixi will personally come to play a song for you, but today I'm afraid it is not possible."
Qu Jiayue's face darkened immediately, no one has ever dared to refuse her in front of others. If it were someone else, she would have already turned her face, but Jiang Yixi is, after all, the niece of the Empress, the Di daughter of En Guo Gongfu. She has to look at the Buddha's face even if she doesn't look at the monk's face. It is impossible to directly order the other party to play for her.
"Sister Xie, haven't you always liked playing the qin the most? How today on ......" said, she intentionally or unintentionally glanced at Nangong Hang, as if to imply that Jiang Yixi couldn't afford to lose.
"Please don't misunderstand, County Princess. Big sister is unable to play the qin because she sprained her hand.” Jiang Yiyun anxiously explain, and then a face of guilt and self-reproach said, "In fact, it's all because of me, if I didn't walk carelessly, big sister in order to pull me ...... otherwise would not ......" said later, she was so ashamed that her face was red.
"So that's how it is." Qu Jiayue didn't know whether Jiang Yiyun's words were true or not, but she could only say with a face of sarcasm, "You sisters really have a deep sisterly affection, which makes me envious."
These words were said, the girls in the room present were also complimented with a few words, nothing more than sisterly affection and so on.
At this time, Zhang Yuzhang suddenly spoke: "Speaking of sisterly affection, I remember that there are two Guniangs from the Nangong Mansion who came today. Older sister is so talented, probably younger sister should not be bad either, why don't you come up and play a song?"
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it really is a nest of vipers there
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