Chapter 318 Before Love at First Sight?
A moment later, seeing that everyone had arrived, Madam Li rose and walked to the front, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, the crabapple blossoms in Tonghua Village are in full bloom, a vibrant display of spring. The pavilion in the middle of the lake is especially enchanting; wouldn't it be a pity if there were no musical instruments to accompany it? I have specially invited a skilled xiao player to perform a piece for you all, to enhance the spring atmosphere. Of course, if any young master or lady wishes to showcase their talents later, they may come to me at any time, and I will make arrangements for them."
After speaking, Madam Li smiled and walked away.
There was a lot of discussion among the crowd. Because Madam Li had informed everyone of this segment before the Spring Banquet began, many people who wanted to shine in front of everyone had practiced at home in advance, and now they were inevitably eager to try.
Sheng Sheng was a little excited to see a show, especially when she heard that she could sign up to perform. She immediately urged Xie Yunjia, "Sister, sister, you can perform! You play the zither so well, why don't you go and join in the fun?"
Li Manyan, always eager for a good show, said, "Yes, Your Highness, many talented young men have come today. If Your Highness goes up and shows off your charm, you might just win the hearts of many."
Xie Yunjia pinched Li Manyan in an annoyed tone: "Fine, so this is your way of getting back at me for the joke I made on you this afternoon?"
Li Manyan blinked innocently and said, "What are you saying, Princess? I'm not that kind of person who holds grudges."
"Still denying it! And when did you learn this trick of 'pretending not to know'? You don't learn the good things but the bad. This little dumpling is leading you astray."
Xie Yunjia was referring to Li Manyan's feigned innocence earlier, a trick that Sheng Sheng often uses.
Sheng Sheng may not be good at anything else, but she's best at using an innocent expression to act cute, and ironically, this trick really makes it impossible for people to resist her.
Unexpectedly, Li Manyan had also secretly learned this trick.
Sheng Sheng was amused and giggled. She hadn't expected Sheng Sheng to use this trick like this. At the same time, she felt a sense of satisfaction and said with a smile, "Hehehe, Sheng Sheng's secret technique has been passed down."
"You're still laughing." Xie Yunjia tapped her forehead. "Inheritance? What kind of inheritance is this? You've used it for evil purposes."
Upon hearing this, Sheng Sheng immediately tilted her head and looked at her innocently: "How could you say such things about us, Royal Sister?"
Li Manyan echoed her words with the same gesture: "Yes, Eldest Princess, how could you speak of me and the Second Princess like that?"
Xie Yunjia: "..."
The two of them used the same move, their faces close together, looking at her with innocent expressions, which was almost driving Xie Yunjia crazy.
Xie Yunjia stared at the two of them expressionlessly for a while, then finally couldn't help but cover her eyes and wave her hands, saying, "Alright, alright, can you stop looking at me like that? I'm scared of you, okay?"
Sheng Sheng was amused and said while laughing, "Then let's go up and play the zither for us, Your Highness!"
"Okay, okay, bounce bounce bounce."
Xie Yunjia sighed, rubbing her forehead.
There's just no way to deal with them.
"Yay!"
Sheng Sheng gave Li Manyan a high five, a smug little expression on his face.
After a few playful moments, the group had already set up their positions on the pavilion in the middle of the lake.
Just now, Madam Li said that she had invited someone who was good at playing the xiao (vertical flute), but a zither has been placed in the spacious pavilion in the middle of the lake.
Sheng Sheng asked doubtfully, "Sister Yan Yan, didn't you say you were going to play the flute? Why did you bring up a zither?"
Xie Yunjia pondered for a moment: "Could it be... an ensemble performance?"
Li Manyan smiled and nodded: "That's right, it's an ensemble."
As soon as he finished speaking, a man walked calmly to the pavilion in the middle of the lake and sat down behind the zither.
The man had a handsome appearance, and one could hear some quiet murmurs among the young ladies behind him.
"Isn't this Lin Xin, the second young master of the Lin family?"
"It seems so. Who else could it be but him dressed in such a colorful outfit?"
"That's true. Lin Xin, that peacock, really doesn't miss any opportunity to show off his feathers."
Sheng Sheng seemed a little curious. A peacock?
Sheng Sheng carefully examined the man sitting behind the zither. He was adorned with many ornaments, and he seemed to have a particular fondness for gemstones. His green belt, which was no more than half a palm's width thick, was decorated with a circle of gemstones of various colors, dazzling and eye-catching.
Aside from the belt, what's most surprising is the color of his clothes—it's pink!
Pink is fine, there's no rule saying men can't wear pink.
But this pink isn't just plain pink; it has green patterns on it, large swaths of which seem to be there specifically to match the color of his belt. These patterns are all green as well.
Besides the exaggerated colors of the clothes, the seemingly inconspicuous accessories are actually quite unique, each inlaid with gemstones, complementing the outfit perfectly.
What a colorful and vibrant outfit! She truly is a colorful peacock!
Sheng Sheng's vision went black. Through this peacock-themed outfit, she was reminded of the glittering gold outfit that Xie Yunqi had initially favored.
One likes gemstones, the other likes gold; Sheng Sheng pondered that these two might have a lot in common.
Just as she was thinking this, through the screen, she heard Xie Yunqi exclaim in surprise: "My goodness, this outfit is truly a sight to behold!"
Sheng Sheng: "..."
Why was the Fifth Prince's tone full of admiration and appreciation?
Xie Yunjia rolled her eyes: "I'm impressed. You really are worthy of Xie Yunqi."
Despite the complaints, this person's attire was a bit exaggerated, but his piano playing was quite good.
As the fingertips touched the ground, the music drifted through the crabapple blossoms, sometimes as soft as the trembling of petals, sometimes as crisp as dewdrops rolling down, accompanied by the rustling of the wind through the branches, spreading out gentle ripples in the spring light.
The peacock—oh no, Lin Xin—was enraptured as he plucked the strings of his zither. Suddenly, an even more melodious flute melody joined in.
The sound of the zither was gently swirling around the crabapple blossoms when suddenly the sound of the flute drifted through the flowers, low and plaintive, intertwining with the zither music.
The clear and melodious sound of the zither complements the mellow sound of the xiao, intertwining amidst the falling petals.
The chatter in the crowd grew louder, and several younger girls couldn't resist discussing who was playing the flute.
Sheng Sheng recalled Li Manyan saying that they would be pleasantly surprised by this, and couldn't help but start guessing who was playing the flute.
Who could it be?
A gentle breeze swept by, and the source of the flute music was finally revealed. Behind the pavilion in the middle of the lake, a man in white walked slowly along the path, playing the flute, until he reached the center of the pavilion.
A young man in white robes walked through the flowers, his wide sleeves fluttering gently in the wind, a jade flute held to his lips. His dark hair moved slightly with each step.
This person has a handsome and refined appearance, like a pine tree under the moon. Even before he plays a tune, he exudes a cool and otherworldly aura, as if he were a banished immortal who stepped out of a painting.
The jade flute rested across his lips, the contrast between the white jade and his rosy lips adding a touch of understated elegance to the clear and crisp sound.
The music of the zither and the flute blended together, and beneath the crabapple blossoms, the young man resembled a refined gentleman.
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