Song Zhiyu's nose twitched slightly, and her expression froze for a moment.
She noticed that the harder Shen Jinshu plucked the strings, the more passionate the music became, and the stronger the fragrance in the air became.
Not long after, an amazing scene unfolded.
Dozens of colorful butterflies flew into the hall on the breeze and danced around Chen Jinshu and Jiaoweiqin.
To outsiders, these butterflies appeared to be drawn by Shen Jinshu's beautiful zither music, lingering there for a long time.
"That's amazing! That's incredible! Miss Shen's music can actually attract butterflies. It's unheard of! Could it be that they, like us, are captivated by this beautiful music?"
"Today's lake tour banquet is undoubtedly the best, and Miss Shen is well-deserved." The young men and women present were already captivated by Shen Jinshu's talent.
Although Song Zhiyu's acupuncture skills, which could bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded, were incredibly impressive to them, in their eyes, Shen Jinshu's zither music was still superior.
"..."
Seeing the astonishing scene before her, the Empress Dowager revealed a long-lost smile on her well-maintained face; she had indeed not misjudged him.
As Shen Jinshu played the zither, she kept an eye on everyone's expressions. Seeing that they were as amazed as she had expected, a faint smile appeared on her lips, and the heavy weight in her heart was instantly lifted.
The title of champion at the lake excursion banquet was already hers for the taking.
Song Zhiyu was not surprised by everyone's reaction. After all, Shen Jinshu's musical skills were indeed impressive, but it was a pity that she did not use such talent in the right way.
She glanced at the incense burner emitting wisps of smoke in the corner, her heart stirred, and she handed the white porcelain bottle in her hand to Lu Bai.
"This servant understands." Following Song Zhiyu's gaze, Lu Bai immediately saw the incense burner and quickly understood her mistress's meaning.
Soon, Lu Bai's figure quietly disappeared into the crowd, but no one noticed her presence.
At this moment, their entire being was immersed in Shen Jinshu's exquisite piano music.
The song ended.
When Shen Jinshu got up, dozens of butterflies were still lingering on the Jiao Wei Qin, reluctant to leave.
"I haven't heard such beautiful music in a long time, and I've never seen such a wonderful sight as butterflies being lured by music. You've truly given me a great surprise." The Empress Dowager smiled and looked at Shen Jinshu with eyes full of affection.
The Marquis of Chengen's family is truly blessed; while the other younger members are not up to par, they have raised two outstanding daughters.
One possesses exceptional medical skills, the other is a master of the zither; each has their own strengths.
Regardless of who wins today, the biggest winner will be the Marquis of Cheng'en's mansion.
Hearing the praise, Shen Jinshu lowered her head slightly, placed her hands obediently in front of her, and wore a perfectly appropriate smile on her face. She showed no sign of arrogance at receiving the Empress Dowager's praise, and humbly replied:
"Your Majesty flatters me. Although I have been learning the zither since childhood, I am not as talented as others. It is my greatest honor that my playing can please Your Majesty's ears."
As for why I was able to lure the butterflies with my music, I'm not entirely sure. But I dare to guess that the butterflies just happened to enjoy the piece I played; it was all a lucky accident.
After saying that, two blushes quickly crept onto her cheeks, making her fair and charming face even more beautiful. She had the coquettishness of a young girl, yet she also possessed the elegance of a well-bred lady, striking the perfect balance.
"I heard that you won the championship at the lake banquet the previous two years. If you win this year, you will be the champion for the third time." The Empress Dowager nodded in satisfaction, her tone becoming more gentle, which made people feel that the majesty hanging over them had faded considerably.
Achieving the top prize three times in a row—no one in the capital city has ever had such an honor.
If nothing unexpected happens, Shen Jinshu should be the first. Perhaps, she will also be the only one.
"Since that's the case, I'll grant you this honor today and fulfill your title of three-time champion." The Empress Dowager spoke leisurely, her eyes glancing casually at Song Zhiyu in the corner before landing on Shen Jinshu, her sharp gaze softening slightly.
The decision was final.
"Your Majesty, I thank you." Shen Jinshu could not hide her joy and couldn't help but glance in the direction where Prince Li was sitting.
As expected, Li Wangchao smiled gently, his eyes overflowing with deep affection, and his handsome face showing an admiration she had never seen before.
Clearly, the King was very satisfied with her performance.
With just one glance, Shen Jinshu's heart was completely at ease.
Although her move was risky, it was successful.
Fortune favors the bold; without taking risks, she might not be able to defeat Song Zhiyu.
Shen Yanxi was genuinely happy for Shen Jinshu. He knew that Shen Jinshu had been preparing for today's lake tour banquet for a long time, and now her wish had come true.
But Song Zhiyu...
Thinking of this, the smile on his face faded considerably. He looked past the crowd at Song Zhiyu, who was hiding in a corner, his expression complicated.
To be fair, Song Zhiyu's acupuncture technique was more impressive than Shen Jinshu's seductive butterfly charm, but unfortunately, it was used in the wrong place.
But then Shen Yanxi thought again, since they were both his sisters, whoever won would bring honor to the Chengen Marquis's mansion.
It would be even better if Shu'er won, as she would be the champion for the third time. This would make her even more valued when she marries into the Prince Li's mansion.
As for Song Zhiyu, it doesn't matter whether she wins or loses.
But Shu'er needed the title of leader even more than she did.
Thinking of this, Shen Yanxi's melancholy instantly dissipated. Comparing the two, his heart still unconsciously leaned more towards Shen Jinshu.
Song Zhiyu was unaware of Shen Yanxi's thoughts and had no time to care.
At this moment, she was leisurely sipping tea, occasionally offering words of comfort to Ye Linxi, who was standing up for her.
She wasn't surprised by this outcome.
The Empress Dowager was already pleased with Shen Jinshu, not to mention that she had taken a risky move and staged a wonderful performance of playing the zither to lure butterflies, drawing everyone's attention to her and making them unconsciously attracted to her.
But the higher you climb, the harder you'll fall.
Song Zhiyu took a sip of tea and secretly gave Zhou Xingzhi a meaningful look, suppressing the words he was about to say.
She couldn't let Zhou Xingzhi ruin her plans.
Seeing this, Zhou Xingzhi smiled helplessly, his tightly furrowed brows instantly relaxing. Knowing that Song Zhiyu had her own plans, he had no choice but to suppress his displeasure for the time being.
But in his heart, he had already made a grudge against Shen Jinshu and Prince Li.
Among those present who were dissatisfied with the result was Consort Cheng, who wore a cold smile and could not hide her disgust in her eyes.
Whether Song Zhiyu or Shen Jinshu won first place, it made her uneasy.
These two people were more and more repulsive to her than the other.
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