Chapter 13: Begging for Skill (1)
"You just found out?" Seeing her puzzled expression, Meng Ying'er was extremely unhappy to talk about the eldest daughter of the Xu family. Her eyebrows seemed to be twisted together. "Otherwise, Xu Anyao wouldn't be so flattering. As the legitimate daughter of the Xu family, is she going to marry into a concubine..."
The maid worried that she didn't understand the master's reputation, so she hurriedly explained, "Although the Grand Master of Music doesn't hold much power, his reputation is extremely high within the palace. If you find favor with the master, you'll have the honor of playing qin music in the palace, earning your family's reputation. Secondly, you'll be able to climb the social ladder and enjoy a life of luxury."
"Most of the musicians in the Music Bureau have prominent backgrounds, but they are different from the musicians in the palace. Moreover, we are under the protection of the master. Even if we enter the palace, no one would dare to look down on us just by looking at the sign of the Music Bureau."
"That's right..." Chu Qingluo suddenly raised her eyes and asked the pretty girl beside her jokingly, "So Ying'er also has the same idea?"
After hearing this, Meng Ying'er suddenly stopped playing around. She looked at the three or two noble ladies coming towards her from a distance and said seriously, "I am different. I truly love you, sir, and that's why I won't go along with those people..."
The clouds are light in the sky, the wind is strong and the sun is setting, the spring flowers outside the corridor are bright and colorful, and the flowers and trees taken care of by the Music Bureau are no different from those in the palace, making those who appreciate the flowers intoxicated.
What Mr. Qu said just now is still lingering in my ears. It seems that her name is really not on the list. If I miss this opportunity, the assassination of Sun Chong will be impossible.
Even if she displayed superb piano skills, Qu Han might not approve of it. No one could figure out his temper, and who knew where his fairness and strictness lay.
The most important thing at the moment is to seduce his heart and soul...
After pondering for a while, she pretended to be thoughtful, her eyes leisurely, quietly gazing at the light jade orchids passing by: "Tell me... what kind of piano skills can be appreciated by the master, and what kind of students can accompany the master to the princess's celebration banquet..."
"I think Xu Anyao is definitely one of them, and the rest depends on how you choose, sir." The girl waved her sleeves helplessly, looked at the arrogant woman in the distance, and gritted her teeth.
The young lady of the Xu family has a distinguished family background and is well-known in this mansion. They all say that this place is fair, but it seems so-so at the moment. In the end, it all depends on one's family background.
Chu Qingluo glanced at the arrogant girl and asked the maid, "Don't the Music Bureau judge people based on their family background?"
Seeing her expression, perhaps she didn't know much about the Xu family's legitimate daughter. Meng Ying'er felt both resentment and confusion. After a while, she said, "Don't look at Xu Anyao as arrogant. Although her zither skills are not the best in the capital, they are still among the top five."
"Such a talented and beautiful woman, who else would you choose if not her..."
Although he is reluctant to admit it, Xu Anyao's piano skills are indeed not to be underestimated.
I originally thought that the daughter of the Xu family was just a beautiful girl with a beautiful appearance but rotten inside. I didn't expect that she actually had hidden skills and was a very sophisticated person.
She was extremely surprised and naturally looked back to the past.
"Let's not talk about this enviable thing," the conversation changed, not wanting to talk about the jealous girl from the Xu family anymore. Thinking of the upcoming Qiqiao Festival, the girl's eyebrows curved into bright crescent moons. "What kind of lantern do you like? I'll go to the market to buy one for you tomorrow night!"
Thinking that she was so absorbed in her studies that she might not be interested in the lanterns, Meng Ying'er looked at her hesitantly and whispered, "Don't tell me you don't like lanterns? Most girls in this world like them..."
"A rabbit lantern," she suddenly replied, her eyes sparkling with light, and she added happily, "I want a rabbit lantern."
"Okay, I'll remember that!" In the few days they had known each other, she had never seen such joy in her eyes, and the girl nodded in understanding.
Once upon a time, she also liked the Qiqiao Lantern very much, but her old love has been buried in the dust.
Ever since the fire in the palace was extinguished, she could no longer find any other joy...
If she hadn't been able to survive until now with the remaining hatred, she would have died many years ago.
One night passed, and the festival had arrived. The maidens had already left the house to celebrate the Qiqiao Festival. The courtyard was particularly deserted, and the flowers in the garden were left unattended.
After watering the potted flowers on the windowsill for Meng Yatou, she pondered silently, took the book and walked towards the side courtyard.
She would not let go of such a good opportunity to be alone easily...
"Why hasn't Miss Chu left the house?"
Before she had taken a few steps out of the pavilion, Chu Qingluo suddenly heard a gentle voice. She turned around and saw Master Sheng, who was as gentle and elegant as the breeze, standing in the corridor.
Although he had already won the top spot in the imperial examination, his scholarly air had not faded away. The young man in purple was also holding a book in his hand. When he saw her coming, he was both surprised and confused.
Sheng Youzhang looked around the empty mansion, suspicion rising. He asked softly, "This is the annual Qiqiao Festival, a rare opportunity. Why don't you go and meet your lover?"
"Sir, aren't you going to see the girl you like?" This was a really strange question. She raised her eyes slightly and asked the elegant man in the corridor jokingly.
Hearing this, she immediately smiled. Sheng Youzhang pretended to be in deep thought, and after a long while, he answered her with a meaningful tone.
"Mr. Sheng and Miss Chu should be close."
As for where they were close, he did not say it clearly, but just looked at the beauty in front of him, as graceful as a lotus. It seemed that if the cold wind in the courtyard was stronger, she would float away with the wind, which was really pitiful.
Walking closer calmly, Chu Qingluo recalled what he had said two days ago and said with a light smile, "I went back and thought about it for a few nights. I feel that what you said is very true. I should concentrate on studying and not think about other things."
"If you knew what the young lady thought, you would change your mind about her." This tender girl was really moved by his words. Sheng Youzhang was delighted and looked at the direction she had just gone and asked carefully.
"Miss, are you...going to Mr. Qu's side hall?"
Knowing that Mr. Qu had summoned Miss Chu to the elegant hall to help her catch up on her studies, he was completely bewildered. He had clearly fallen behind on a day's work as well, so why hadn't Mr. Qu ever summoned him?
"What I want is to prove to the world that women can also make a difference." She did not answer directly, but looked towards the quiet and unique mansion and spoke vaguely.
Whether it was an act or just a show in the eyes of those in the know, what she said was true.
Entering the palace banquet and playing the zither would certainly make others envious, but that was not her intention. If she could avenge her hatred and restore her country, and achieve hegemony, she would have no regrets in her life.
A peach leaf happened to fall from a branch and landed on the beautiful girl's thin shoulders. Then, it was blown by the wind and flew into the air again.
Sheng Youzhang was actually in a trance for a moment.
This bright and beautiful color like the morning glow seems not to belong here, but also seems to belong here.
"For some reason, Sheng always feels that the girl is a little lonely, but I can't tell where she is lonely."
"Since you can't see it, how can you be lonely?" The young man was well-read, and the words he said were indeed difficult to understand. She smiled brightly.
Seeing Jing was stunned for a long moment, he hadn't thought it through yet, but the words on his lips had already come out: "Miss Chu, have you ever thought about what your future ideal husband will be like?"
"What do I think? Why are you so concerned? It would be better for you to go find your destined sweetheart and spend the Qiqiao Festival together in the market."
Chu Qingluo didn't understand why Master Sheng asked this, she just felt troubled. Scattered memories of the past filled her up like a cloud covering the sky and the sun, making it hard for her to breathe.
She said nothing more, smiled softly at Master Sheng and said goodbye, pretending to be calm as she walked away, but her mind was already wandering, shaking every corner of her heart.
It had been so long that she couldn't even remember what year it was.
It was a sunny day with a gentle breeze and warm weather. The trees in the palace gardens were full of flowers, and peach petals fluttered in the breeze, falling like drizzles of rain.
The mother sat gently in the stone pavilion. She occasionally had some free time, so she leaned against the fragrant bosom and looked up at the swaying flowers and trees.
The peach blossoms floated to the tips of her hair and were then brushed down by her.
Looking at the messed up black hair of the girl in her arms, Concubine Zhao smiled and straightened it out. After a long moment, she asked curiously, "I really wonder what kind of amazing talent Ling'er's husband will be... Mother thinks he must be an elegant young man who is both good at literature and martial arts and has great talent."
"Mother, you are joking. How could a young man like that look down on me?" She covered her face with a white veil, her eyebrows slightly curved, and a look of satisfaction flashed in her eyes.
As for her husband who was far away, she frowned and thought for a while, then raised her phoenix eyes and said gently: "I only want... someone who treats me well, treats me most gently, nothing else matters."
"How can it not be important..."
Concubine Zhao pretended to be angry and raised her finger to scratch her nose: "Mother's Ling'er must be paired with the most talented man in the world."
The scene of getting married seemed to really flash through my mind.
The red makeup was ten miles long, the red silk filled the sky, and the rosy clouds were all so gentle that the corners of her lips could not help but curl up, and she said with satisfaction.
"If we get married, I will bring my husband to pay my respects to you every day. Please don't get tired of it!"
Stunned by the sudden playfulness of this delicate and beautiful woman, Concubine Zhao couldn't help but chuckle and replied softly, "Okay, okay, if you're not annoying, then I won't bother you. I'll prepare Ling'er's favorite lotus seed soup and wait for her every day."
"Mother truly treats me the best!"
At that time, she thought that although she did not have the favor of her father, she had the care of her mother and was the most enviable princess in the world.
Afterwards, there was chaos and war, and a fire in the imperial city burned down everything, swallowing up her former self, and she could never be found again.
The prosperous scene that no one in the palace remembered was gone forever, buried in the hopeless smoke and dust, leaving only her, wandering alone.
The side hall was empty, even the servant who usually guarded outside the hall seemed to have asked for leave. Chu Qingluo stepped into the quiet hall and heard a faint sound coming from the corner.
She turned her head and saw the elegant and extraordinary figure sitting beside the zither, silently stroking the strings but not playing.
The master is actually repairing that luxurious and elegant jade zither...
Pretending not to see it, she gently placed the book on the table, then sat down to read without saying a word.
Qu Han was very puzzled. She had clearly taken the leave from all the other students in the mansion, but why didn't she go out to have fun in the streets, but instead came to the zither hall to read books boringly...
"Today I am praying for skill, and I have taken a day off from the Ministry of Music."
He opened his mouth calmly, intending to tell her that she could go out of the school for fun today.
Unexpectedly, the girl in his eyes was startled at the sound, and suddenly closed the book, lowered her head, stood up and was about to leave: "I thought there was no one here, so I wanted to come here to meditate and practice, but I didn't expect that you would also come here..."
"The students have overstepped their bounds. They are leaving now."
After a hasty bow to him, Chu Qingluo looked flustered and walked out of the hall at a loss.
But she came here for lessons, with a heart full of eagerness to learn, so how could he chase her away...
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