Yuwen Cheng was startled, then suddenly realized what was happening and hurriedly coughed twice.
It took some effort to regain the hatred in his eyes: "Even though the Eunuch has gone to a brothel, his integrity is still so high. This really makes me look at him in a new light."
"Your Highness seems to have forgotten that half of the brothel is under the control of the imperial court." Si Jin slowly swept past the crowd, showing no sense of inferiority despite being in a lower position.
The aura emanating from him sent a chill down one's spine: "Paying money to listen to music is a rule set by the Emperor. Your Highness hasn't even ascended the throne yet, and you're already planning a rebellion?"
Si Jin's last sentence, with its rising intonation, made Yuwen Cheng's heart skip a beat, and he couldn't help but feel tense.
He was surrounded by officials of the fifth rank or above, and there were quite a few people who disliked him. If such a thing as treason was mentioned, they would all be watching him and impeaching him.
Now is a crucial time for seizing the throne, and he absolutely cannot take this risk!
"What nonsense are you talking about? How much does a song cost?"
He refused to believe that a prince like himself couldn't afford a piece of music.
"His Majesty once praised my seven-stringed zither as the best in the capital." Si Jin said, "This music should only exist in heaven; it is priceless to hear it again on earth."
One thousand taels... of gold?
Isn't this going to drain half of his savings?
He's not being a fool, so why would he travel all this way to spend so much money on his enemy?
Yuwen Cheng gritted his teeth: "Gu Sijin, you..."
"However, in the past I only played the zither for some literati and scholars, watching them compose poems to express their feelings and cultivate their minds. Each piece was worth a thousand pieces of gold. If Your Highness wants to hear it, the price can be discussed."
Si Jin turned around, smiling as she looked at Yuwen Cheng, who was relieved, and said directly, "Playing the zither for a beast, ten thousand taels."
“…”
Yuwen Cheng was so angry that he almost stood up from his wheelchair despite his leg injury: "Say that again? To whom?"
"Oh dear, Your Highness, why are you angry?" Si Jin smiled and tried to ease the tension. "Five thousand taels is fine, right? I'll play it."
Yuwen Cheng was unaware that Si Jin had already emptied his savings; he was only delighted by Si Jin's sudden change in attitude.
See? She's just a lowly person who's fallen into slavery. In front of such a grand occasion, she doesn't dare disobey his orders.
Yuwen Cheng, like a victorious rooster, held his head high, eager to show everyone his victory.
"You all should thank me properly for being able to hear Eunuch Gu's seven-stringed zither today!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Si Jin walked slowly to the stage and plucked the strings of the zither.
As soon as the music started, Yuwen Cheng felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his stomach. His smile vanished, and his face turned deathly pale.
He initially thought it was a coincidence, but as Si Jin's zither playing grew more urgent, it felt as if thousands of ants were gnawing at his body, and every pore screamed in pain.
He didn't last long before collapsing to the ground with a thud.
He fainted for a moment, but then the unbearable pain woke him up again.
It hurt so much! He felt like the worms were biting his blood vessels, and his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys seemed to have shifted. Yuwen Cheng screamed, "Gu Sijin! Stop! Don't play anymore!"
Didn't he already remove the poison? How could he still be affected by Gu Sijin's zither music?
He traveled a long way, spent five thousand taels of gold, and was humiliated by Gu Sijin before he heard the music that was about to kill him.
He wondered why Gu Sijin had lowered the price so readily; it turned out he was waiting for this!
"Lord Eunuch, please stop playing, Lord Eunuch!" Yuwen Cheng couldn't take it anymore and knelt down, tears streaming down his face, pleading.
He kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead slamming so hard that bone was exposed: "It's all my fault, please stop hitting me and spare my life!"
“No.” Si Jin, dressed in red, sat quietly behind the zither, her voice exceptionally gentle.
"Since His Highness insisted on hearing the piece, it must be played to the end. Otherwise, all of His Highness's efforts would be in vain."
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