But when she placed her fingers on the strings, she couldn't pluck them no matter what she did.
Without needing others to judge, Nangong Lexi already sensed the difference in their abilities.
But she couldn't bring herself to admit defeat.
Because she had just promised Qin Yu that she would give him the Rainbow Chrysanthemum.
So even if it's just for Qin Yu, she has to win.
But no matter how hard she racked her brains, she couldn't think of any piece of music that could compare to Yelü Wencai's.
After waiting for a while, seeing that Nangong Lexi still hadn't played the zither, everyone started whispering among themselves.
"Looks like we're going to lose?"
"I never expected this Jin man to be such a skilled musician!"
"I think it's not just that the Jin people are good at playing the zither. The Nangong family is in charge of the Music Bureau, but they can't even compare to the Jin people. I think they are all just incompetent people who hold positions without doing their jobs."
"..."
The crowd was buzzing with discussion, and many harbored some resentment towards Nangong Lexi.
They felt that it was precisely because Nangong Lexi was unhelpful that they and Daxia had lost face.
"Your Majesty, that Jurchen's musical skills are too superb. Is there any way to help Young Master Nangong?"
Seeing that public opinion was criticizing Nangong Lexi, Zhao Yan became anxious and hurriedly said to Qin Yu.
Qin Yu pondered for a moment, then called in the maids from the Wanhua Garden who were waiting outside for instructions.
"Prepare paper and pen for me."
Qin Yu gave the order.
"yes."
Before long, the maid brought paper and pen.
"Your Majesty, what do you need paper and pen for at this time?"
Zhao Yan asked in confusion.
"Naturally, help Brother Xiong Ba!"
Qin Yu smiled slightly, then quickly drew four horizontal lines on the paper and filled them in with strange, tadpole-like symbols.
"This is……"
Zhao Yan looked puzzled.
She was well-read, but she had never seen anything like this before.
Qin Yu had no time to explain; he was focused on filling in the sheet music in his hands.
Yelü Wencai quickly lost his patience.
"Musician Nangong, there's no point in stalling for time. You should just admit defeat!"
Upon hearing Yelü Wencai's words, the onlookers present felt humiliated.
"If you're not as skilled as others, just admit defeat. Your waste of time is a disgrace to the entire Great Xia Dynasty!"
Someone shouted coldly at the upstairs.
Others also shook their heads and criticized the situation.
Seeing these Xia people shouting that they wanted to admit defeat, Yelü Wencai sneered.
At this moment, Nangong Lexi, who was on the upper floor, heard the insults directed at her from below and felt all her strength drain away.
"I admit it..."
But just as she was about to admit defeat...
"Musician Nangong, someone asked me to give you something."
Hearing this, Nangong Lexi turned around in confusion.
A maid from the Wanhua Garden walked over carrying a piece of paper.
Nangong Lexi took it and her face lit up with joy.
She recognized at a glance that the symbols drawn on the paper were the unique musical notes that Qin Yu had taught her.
She had been studying musical notes these past few days, so almost the instant she got the sheet music, she already knew how to play the piece.
"What a wonderful piece of music! This is a piece that will be remembered for generations to come!"
Nangong Lexi was overjoyed.
When she looked at the name again, she discovered that the song was actually called Chrysanthemum Terrace.
"Chrysanthemum Terrace? Could it be that Young Master Huang created it for me on the spot?"
Nangong Lexi felt her eyes welling up with tears.
At that moment, her heart was deeply moved by this musical score.
"Musician Nangong, are you going to admit defeat or persist?"
At this moment, Yelü Wencai's shout came again.
Nangong Lexi wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and replied, "I apologize for taking up so much time. Next, I will perform a piece called 'Chrysanthemum Terrace' for your enjoyment."
Upon hearing Nangong Lexi's words, everyone's expression changed.
"Chrysanthemum Terrace? Could it be that she saw this scene and composed a piece of music on the spot?"
A group of people looked puzzled.
But Nangong Lexi didn't speak again; instead, she gently stroked the strings of her zither.
As the melodious sound of the zither filled the valley, the entire venue fell silent instantly.
The melodious and gentle music conveyed a faint sense of sorrow and hesitation, immediately drawing everyone's thoughts into the atmosphere woven by the music.
Just as everyone was drawn to the music, a male voice rang out.
"Your tears are soft yet wounded, the pale crescent moon hooks onto the past..."
Everyone initially thought the sound would ruin the mood of the music, but they soon discovered that the music and the voices blended perfectly, drawing them into a story filled with endless sorrow and longing.
"Chrysanthemums wither and fall, leaving only sorrow on the ground; your smile has faded..."
When the male singer reached his climax, everyone felt their eyes well up with tears.
"...Your shadow cannot be severed, leaving me alone on the lake, a solitary figure!"
As the last line of the song ended, the piano music ceased.
A full quarter of an hour passed, and still not a sound came from the scene.
Everyone is still trapped in the story of chrysanthemums scattered on the ground.
Snap!
Inside the pavilion, a tear fell onto the strings of a zither.
Nangong Lexi then seemed to wake from a dream and opened her eyes.
"What a beautiful poem, Chrysanthemum Terrace!"
Nangong Lexi muttered to herself, her eyes red.
Just now, as she played the zither with Qin Yu, she felt as if she had shared a story of joy and sorrow with Qin Yu.
She, as the performer, felt it more deeply than the audience.
After a long while, the sounds gradually returned to the Wanhua Garden.
Yelü Wencai opened his eyes and sighed.
"Today, I, Yelü Wencai, am ashamed of my own inferiority. The musician Nangong's 'Chrysanthemum Terrace' can lead the way for hundreds of years."
Yelü Wencai bowed and said.
"Hahaha, you Jin bastards, now you know how powerful our Great Xia is!"
"Kid, don't forget the oath you made by destroying the instrument!"
"If we ever see you playing the piano again, we'll break your hand."
When Yelü Wencai admitted defeat, everyone present cheered.
Hearing the mockery from the crowd, Yelü Wencai remained unperturbed.
He grabbed the valuable black and gold wood zither and then slammed it to the ground.
Snap!
With a loud crash, the precious guqin was smashed in two.
“Musician Nangong, I have lost today. I hope that during the Wonderful Music Gathering, I will have the honor of seeing your face.”
Yelü Wencai cupped his hands in greeting, then turned and left with his men.
As they left, the crowd cheered again.
Seeing everyone cheering and shouting that they were geniuses, Nangong Lexi hurriedly stood up.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this piece was not written by me, but by Young Master Huang."
Upon hearing Nangong Lexi's words, everyone looked unconvinced.
"Miss Nangong, there's no need for you to be so modest."
"Excellent, excellent. Such a timeless masterpiece could not have been written by some unknown person."
Seeing that no one believed her, Nangong Lexi hurriedly held the sheet music in her hands and wanted to go find Qin Yu.
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