As someone spoke, the others chimed in, "Stop playing, it's too awful."
Xue Zi Ning glanced down, seeing the displeased faces of the crowd. Her grip on the strings didn't falter. Stop playing?
They must be dreaming. Absolutely not. Would they simply tell her to play and then to stop on a whim?
Were they to treat her as a puppet, summoned and dismissed at will?
Seeing Xue Zi Ning show no inclination to stop, someone couldn't help but address the composed Yan Jin Chao, "Young Master Yan, please tell your maid to stop playing. This... this is simply unbearable."
Yan Jin Chao looked up at the speaker, his brows cool, his tone indifferent. "It was you who insisted my person play. Now that she is playing, you refuse to listen. What do you take the people of my Yan Manor for?"
The person was taken aback, his face paling. "I..."
How could he have anticipated the playing would be so dreadful?
"Mr. Lin, you have no words. In that case, you might as well continue playing. I, for one, find it quite good. See how attentively Young Master Shen is listening." Yan Jin Chao said calmly.
Mr. Lin looked at Shen Yun Xiu, another retainer, and seeing Shen Yun Xiu listening so intently, he couldn't help but ask, "Young Master Shen..."
After calling out several times, Shen Yun Xiu finally turned his head. Seeing it was Mr. Lin, he quickly stood up. "Mr. Lin, are you looking for me?"
"I see you listening so attentively?" Mr. Lin asked directly.
Shen Yun Xiu's lips twitched slightly. Good to hear? He had cotton stuffed in his ears, specifically by the Emperor before going on stage, to block his hearing.
"Mr. Lin, music comes in many forms. I believe no matter what the genre, the player approaches it with earnest devotion. Your question, Mr. Lin, is disrespectful to the performer."
Mr. Lin was startled, his face flushing. "I... I didn't mean it that way, it's just..." It was too awful.
Shen Yun Xiu continued, "Since Mr. Lin did not mean it that way, why not sit down and savor and appreciate it carefully?" He couldn't hear it anyway.
Mr. Lin could only sit down and continue listening to the excruciatingly bad music. In his lifetime, he had never heard such terrible guqin music; it was indeed a rare experience.
Mr. Lin could only drink cup after cup of wine, praying to numb his senses and prevent him from hearing.
Seeing that the respected Mr. Lin had been rebuffed, everyone else could only obediently listen to the life-threatening guqin music.
Finally, the piece ended, the guqin music stopping abruptly. Everyone felt a sense of relief for their ears.
Xue Zi Ning did not rise and said, "How about I play another song!"
"Don't... don't play anymore," everyone pleaded.
"Young Master, she wishes to play another song," Xue Zi Ning said, looking at Yan Jin Chao.
Yan Jin Chao, hearing her unwavering tone, felt a sense of satisfaction. "Since my person wishes to play another song, perhaps everyone can enjoy it one more time!"
"Young Master Yan, the Cloud King is still here!" The King of Northern Xinjiang had finally thought the matter settled. He hadn't expected another song to be played. This was truly a death sentence.
"Your Highness, it was you who invited my person to play. Now you refuse to listen, isn't that..."
"King of Northern Xinjiang, I have decided that this young lady plays well. It suits my taste perfectly," Yun Duan Hai said, still savoring the experience.
Yan Jin Chao's gaze fell lightly upon Yun Duan Hai, who did not avoid it. "Young Master Yan, I am not joking. I truly like it."
"Indeed, kindred spirits. Since King Yun is satisfied, I am most pleased. Miss A Ning, play another song!" The King of Northern Xinjiang said with great reluctance.
Was this King Yun foolish? Did he call this good music? But after all, he was a guest, so if he said so, then so be it!
"Yes, Your Highness!" Xue Zi Ning said with a smile.
Pouring her inner energy into her fingers, a long note pierced the sky, ear-splittingly harsh.
The crowd below couldn't help but cry out, "Too... wonderfully awful..."
Mr. Lin, having already gotten himself drunk, was now groggy and couldn't hear the piercing guqin music.
Suddenly, a blur of motion ascended from below, flying towards the rockery.
A snow-white brocade robe, its hem soaring, rustled in the wind.
Xue Zi Ning was startled, for the person who had arrived was none other than Yan Jin Chao.
"Young Master, you..."
"I will play with you," he said, walking over. His slender fingers covered hers, feeling very cool, yet not chilling.
Although her fingers were the ones playing, the resulting guqin music was different. It was melodious and pleasing to the ear.
Even with only half the strings being played, under his guidance and direction, the guqin music became graceful and lingering.
The crowd, who had just endured torment, now heard this music, which was like the sound of nature.
What's more, the performer was the refined and handsome, breathtakingly beautiful Yan Jin Chao?
Below the stage, Jiang Yu Li's fingers were so tight they could have ripped a hole through her handkerchief. She had never in her wildest dreams expected Yan Jin Chao to perform a duet with someone else.
If only that person had been her!
After the piece ended, the crowd remained lost in the moment.
Even Xue Zi Ning was astonished. How did the guqin music transform under his touch?
"A slight proficiency in guqin?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
"One could say so," Yan Jin Chao replied blandly.
One could say so? Xue Zi Ning's lips twitched.
"I'll help you down," he said, putting an arm around her waist as they leaped down, landing steadily at their seats.
Xue Zi Ning sat down. Yan Jin Chao asked, "The song has concluded. Is everyone satisfied?"
The crowd chuckled awkwardly, thinking that next time, they would absolutely not let Yan Jin Chao's maid play.
"Young Master Yan, was that 'Phoenix Seeks His Mate'?" Yun Duan Hai suddenly spoke.
Yan Jin Chao looked at Yun Duan Hai for a moment, then replied lightly, "Indeed."
Yun Duan Hai nodded. "Yan Jin Chao's guqin skills are as renowned as ever."
"Merely a slight proficiency," Yan Jin Chao said faintly.
Hearing this, the crowd nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. Slight proficiency? If he were truly proficient, wouldn't he be unmatched in all history?
"Yan Jin Chao is truly humble," Yun Duan Hai said with a smile.
"Honest and true," Yan Jin Chao said simply.
Yun Duan Hai smiled. "King of Northern Xinjiang, this Young Master Yan is truly interesting. May I invite him for a drink?"
"Naturally," the King of Northern Xinjiang replied, then said to Yan Jin Chao, "King Yun invites you. You may go."
"Yes," Yan Jin Chao replied.
"A Ning, come with me to King Yun's residence," Yan Jin Chao said.
Xue Zi Ning was taken aback. She walked over and whispered, "Young Master, you go by yourself. I'm returning to the manor."
Saying this, she turned to leave, but he grasped her wrist with one hand. "Come with me."
She tried to struggle, but found she couldn't break free. Just then, Yun Duan Hai spoke, "Miss A Ning, please accompany us as well. I happen to have brought an excellent guqin on this trip, which you can try."
Seeing she couldn't leave, she could only agree. "Yes, King Yun."
"Someone, prepare the carriage," the King of Northern Xinjiang ordered.
The carriage was soon prepared. Yan Jin Chao held her wrist tightly and only released it after they entered the carriage.