This is deliberately making things difficult for you!

Gu Zhixing clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and an overwhelming sense of resentment emanated from him as he stared intently at the Master.

"sit down."

Shen Jintang's cold voice rang out, like a bucket of cold water poured over Gu Zhixing's head.

She reached out her slender hand and gently yet firmly grasped Gu Zhixing's wrist, like a willow branch in spring.

Gu Zhixing still harbored a grudge, turning his head to look at Shen Jintang with resentment and stubbornness in his eyes, silently expressing his protest.

Shen Jintang gently pressed Gu Zhixing back into his seat.

Her gaze was calm and serene, looking directly into Gu Zhixing's eyes, as if possessing a magical power that could bring peace of mind.

"Trust me, okay?"

Gu Zhixing opened his mouth, but the words in his heart were stuck in his throat, and he didn't know how to express them.

He was very anxious; that was "Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank"!

How difficult is this piece?

Even the most skilled musicians in the palace wouldn't dare say they could play it very well.

Shen Jintang only learned a little bit of the basics, how could she possibly play it?

Gu Zhixing looked up at Shen Jintang, his eyes filled with doubt and worry, and said, "It's very difficult to play, do you know that?"

Shen Jintang nodded, her eyes still calm, and said, "Trust me."

"What if you don't play it well?" Gu Zhixing asked again, his voice trembling slightly.

Having spent time with Shen Jintang, he knew that she valued her reputation highly. If she failed to play in front of others, what a humiliation that would be.

He absolutely did not want to see Shen Jintang suffer such humiliation.

Shen Jintang looked into Gu Zhixing's eyes, a faint smile playing on her lips, and said, "Isn't His Highness the Crown Prince here?"

Her voice carried a hint of teasing, but her eyes were full of trust.

Would His Highness let anything happen to me?

Shen Jintang asked with a smile, a smile as warm and bright as the spring sun.

Gu Zhixing was stunned for a moment. Was he there?

What did Shen Jintang mean by that?

Did she see him as her protector?

backing?

Gu Zhixing gently rolled the two words on the tip of his tongue, as if savoring a sour yet sweet fruit.

A sudden surge of inexplicable joy welled up inside me, and the corners of my mouth unconsciously turned up.

She just saw him as her protector!

She actually trusts him that much?!

Although Ye Qingzhou and the others had previously relied on him as a support and let him shoulder the burden when things went wrong, this time the feeling was completely different.

Shen Jintang felt that he was a reliable support, just like the satisfaction of being needed.

This feeling is great!

Very good!

Shen Jintang had no idea that Gu Zhixing had thought so much. Seeing that he had been comforted, she reached out and picked up the sheet music.

She walked to the piano, sat down gently, took a deep breath, and slowly placed her fingers on the strings.

"Zheng—"

Shen Jintang gently plucked the strings, carefully tuning them until the tone was pure, before slowly beginning to play.

She used techniques such as wiping, picking, hooking, and scraping, sometimes light and sometimes heavy, sometimes slow and sometimes fast, to slowly outline the meaning of "Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank".

First, the right hand plucks the strings cleanly and crisply, like a wild goose taking flight at the beginning of its flight, powerful yet light, leading into the beginning of the melody, clear and bright, as if breaking the tranquil dawn on a vast sandbar.

Then, the strings were plucked, and the notes were like fish leaping out of the water, lively and agile, or like wild geese stretching their necks and singing, the sound clear and melodious, echoing in the hall, causing everyone to hold their breath and concentrate.

The left hand's vibrato technique is even more exquisite. With a slight tremor, the tone is as if shrouded in a light veil, adding a touch of etherealness and remoteness, like wild geese shuttling among the clouds, sometimes appearing and sometimes disappearing. The faint lingering sound is like a dream, making people intoxicated.

When she played the tremolo, her fingers moved so fast that they plucked the strings like spinning wheels. The notes fell like pearls on a jade plate, dense yet orderly, depicting a magnificent scene of geese taking flight, powerful yet elegant.

Everyone felt as if a thousand troops were galloping past before their eyes, but they were softened by the graceful movements of the wild geese. They couldn't help but hold their breath, afraid that their breath would disrupt the beautiful scene.

In the blink of an eye, Shen Jintang twisted her wrist, using all five fingers to sweep across the strings like a gust of wind sweeping away fallen leaves.

The music suddenly soared and became passionate, like wild geese flying through a storm, displaying their tenacious vitality.

Everyone was deeply moved. Some stared in astonishment, some nodded slightly, and some even had tears welling up in their eyes, completely immersed in the exquisite music.

After the piece ended, there was a moment of silence in the music room, followed by an amazing discussion.

"This music should only exist in heaven; how often can it be heard on earth?" A student in blue robes shook his head, his eyes full of admiration. "Young lady, you are so young, yet you have such skill; it is truly astonishing."

“I thought I had already achieved quite a bit in playing the piano, but now I realize there are always higher levels to reach.” Another student sighed, full of emotion, “Your piano skills have reached a state of perfection, far beyond our reach.”

"That's really impressive," someone echoed, their eyes filled with admiration.

Many musicians struggle to balance technique and emotion. Overemphasizing technique can prevent the expression of emotion, while focusing solely on emotion can lead to a deficiency in technique.

However, both those who understand the zither and those who don't can tell that Shen Jintang plays well, perfectly balancing technique and emotion, which is enough to prove her superb skills.

"Of course, don't you know whose friend she is?" Gu Zhixing saw this scene and immediately beamed with joy, half-embracing Shen Jintang's shoulder with a proud look on his face, "My Tangtang, her piano skills are unparalleled."

Candy?

Shen Jintang frowned and looked at Gu Zhixing.

Oops!

How did he just blurt it out like that?

Instantly, Gu Zhixing's eyes became somewhat evasive, and he subconsciously wanted to raise his hand to slap his mouth, as if that would allow him to take back those two words.

But he froze halfway up his hand.

In this setting, under the gaze of everyone, how could His Highness the Crown Prince behave in such an inappropriate manner?

Wouldn't that make us a laughingstock?

So he forced himself to control himself, but his neck became stiff from the series of tense reactions, and his ears turned bright red as if they had been burned.

He turned his face slightly to the side, trying to cover his burning red ears with his shoulder, but the unnatural movement only made him look more embarrassed.

Shen Jintang curled her lips and looked away.

Gu Zhixing breathed a slight sigh of relief, but the hand that had been on Shen Jintang's shoulder quietly withdrew.

They were no longer embarrassed, but the teacher's expression became even more unpleasant.

He hadn't expected Shen Jintang to be so accomplished; his boastful words earlier had left him somewhat embarrassed.

The Master coughed lightly, trying to hide his embarrassment, but could not conceal the awkwardness on his face.

Shen Jintang slowly stood up, gently straightened his clothes, bowed slightly, and said, "Teacher, I have made a fool of myself."

The Master looked embarrassed and turned his face slightly away, as if he were avoiding something.