Chapter 487 The Musician
The grand banquet prepared by the palace for the celebration was held as scheduled.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony was brightly lit, filled with the sounds of clinking glasses and the pleasant sounds of string and wind instruments, a scene of peace and prosperity.
After several rounds of drinks, when the atmosphere was in full swing, several officials from Jiangnan Circuit exchanged glances, and the leader stood up and respectfully bowed to the throne.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, this celebration is a joyous occasion for all. We have carefully selected a group of entertainers, all daughters of respectable families, whose skills are quite good. We wish to present them to Your Majesty to add color to the palace banquet."
After saying this, he clapped his hands three times, and several singers and dancers dressed in light gauze and carrying musical instruments gracefully walked into the hall.
What is particularly eye-catching is the woman at the head of the group, who is carrying a guqin. She is dressed in a moon-white dress embroidered with green bamboo patterns and has a cool and aloof demeanor.
Unlike other vibrant colors, it appears somewhat ethereal.
She bowed slightly, sat down at the prepared zither table, and with a light touch of her slender fingers, a series of melodies flowed out.
Many officials at the banquet showed their appreciation, whispering among themselves and nodding in approval. Several officials from Jiangnan also subtly revealed their smugness.
Huo Lingao sat on the dragon throne, glancing over everyone in the hall, without lingering on the group of singing girls for even a moment.
His hand holding the cup was as steady as a rock, and his eyes were deep and unreadable.
Instead of doing their jobs properly, they spend all their time scheming and plotting. If they were truly sincere, why don't they come up and play a tune themselves?
Is this how they conduct themselves as officials—fawning over women like commodities?
My court needs pillars of state who can govern the country and bring peace, not sycophantic parasites like these!
He sneered inwardly, about to speak and return the sweet talk intact, when he heard a voice of praise beside him.
Jiang Huan looked at the white-robed musician and smiled slightly: "This musician's fingering is exquisite, the touches are clean, the tone is clear and pure, and it has a certain artistic conception."
Her tone was natural, as if she were simply captivated by the piano playing.
However, these words have completely different meanings when heard by different people.
The official from Jiangnan who presented the beauty quickly showed a hint of joy in his eyes, bowed even lower, and hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty is too kind. This girl is named Qingyin. She has been playing the zither since childhood. It is her good fortune to have won Your Majesty's favor."
He was secretly delighted, thinking that the Empress had taken a liking to him and that the matter was more than half successful.
Huo Lin, sitting next to Jiang Huan, tightened his grip on the cup almost imperceptibly for a moment.
His expression remained calm, and even the curve of his lips did not change. Only Jiang Huan could clearly hear that something inside him seemed to shatter with a crack.
She praised someone else? She actually praised someone else for playing the piano well?!
[I've never heard her praise me like this before. Although... although I'm not good at music, I shouldn't praise a stranger so directly!]
[What's so good about this musician? His fingers are as thin as bamboo skewers, he looks weak, and his playing is... well, just so-so, and it hurts my ears.]
[And that outfit, so pale and lifeless, is it even appropriate?]
Jiang Huan raised an eyebrow. "Oh dear, this jealousy is really getting out of hand; the sour smell is practically filling the entire hall."
It's just a ploy to lure the snake out of its hole, to put on a show. Look at how sour he is.
Once this matter is settled, then we can properly appease this jealous person who's gotten herself into a bad mood.
Now...
Let him be sour for a while longer, she knows what she's doing anyway.
She'll find a way to turn this jar of aged vinegar into something sweet later.
Jiang Huan chuckled inwardly, deliberately ignoring him and continuing to enjoy the music, even nodding slightly as if she were quite pleased.
Huo Lin saw that she not only didn't restrain herself, but was even more focused on watching, and the atmosphere around her became even more oppressive.
He put down his wine glass with a slight, crisp sound, his voice turning colder.
"You are very kind, but there are enough musicians in the palace, so there is no need to add any more. These women will be sent back to their hometowns and placed elsewhere. They will not be allowed to enter the palace."
The official's smile froze instantly. He tried to argue, "Your Majesty, this..."
Huo Lin swept his gaze over, his eyes not showing much anger, but like the frost of the twelfth lunar month, carrying a sharp insight that seemed to see through everything.
The official's remaining words caught in his throat, his legs went weak, and he almost knelt down on the spot.
"Yes...yes, Your Majesty, I obey." He stammered in response, not daring to utter another word.
The music in the hall stopped abruptly, and before the group of beautiful women who had made careful preparations could react, they were politely and quickly "invited" out by the eunuchs.
There was a moment of silence in the hall, and then the well-trained playing of the court musicians resumed, as if the small disturbance had never happened.
The banquet continued for a while, but under the emperor's noticeably somber aura, the atmosphere remained somewhat subtle and strained.
The officials were cautious in their words and actions, and dared not joke or laugh casually anymore. Finally, when the banquet was about to end, they respectfully took their leave in order.
Huo Lin took Jiang Huan's hand and walked towards Weiyang Palace.
He remained silent the whole way, walking a little faster than usual, and holding Jiang Huan's hand a little tighter.
Jiang Huan obediently followed, finding his jealous behavior amusing, but feigning ignorance, she gently shook their clasped hands and looked up at him.
"Your Majesty, please slow down, I can't keep up. You were fine just now, why are you suddenly unhappy? Who is it that has angered you?"
Huo Lin paused slightly and looked down at her.
Under the moonlight, her eyes were clear, and she looked completely innocent, as if she knew nothing.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness in his heart, and tried to make his voice sound calm: "It's nothing, just trivial matters in the court."
[It's all your fault! You praised others' piano playing so enthusiastically; I think you did it on purpose!]
Hearing his inner roar, Jiang Huan almost lost her composure and quickly lowered her head, pressing her forehead against his arm to hide the corners of her mouth that were turning up.
Huo Lin thought she was tired, so his tone softened. He stopped, pulled her closer to him, and wrapped her in his cloak.
"Tired? I'll walk slower."
That pianist isn't very good.
When I have some free time later, I'll find a famous teacher to learn from. I'm naturally intelligent; I'm sure I can play a hundred times better than those hired musicians.
[I'll play it for her every day then, and see who she can praise next!]
As Huo Lin was thinking, Wang Degui quietly and quickly approached and whispered a few words in Huo Lin's ear.
Upon hearing this, Huo Lin's eyes sharpened, and the slight jealousy he had just felt vanished instantly.
He gently patted Jiang Huan's back, his voice mild: "Go back to the palace and rest first. I still have some matters to attend to."
Jiang Huan didn't ask any further questions, and simply nodded: "Okay."
As Jiang Huan watched Huo Lin turn and leave with Wang Degui and several guards, the smile on her face gradually faded.
She could roughly guess what he was going to do; the Jiangnan official who presented the beauty was probably in for trouble.
Sure enough, news came soon after she started paying attention.
A group of officials from Jiangnan were stopped by a troop of imperial guards on their way to leave the palace and were "invited" away.
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