Chapter 71 Part 2: On Stage
I’m dreading next chapter, what kind of words would be used by the author to describe Jiang You Yao’s guqin playing….. villainess cannon fodders also have their deadly moves that needs to be highlighted T-T
Jiang Li heard the guqin sound from the side, but her mind wasn’t there. She was thinking, nowadays, Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning were probably even more deeply entangled with each other. Princess Yongning and Cheng w.a.n.g were brother and sister, Princess Yongning would have certainly recommended Shen Yurong to Cheng w.a.n.g. If Jiang Li’s guess was correct, in the future, Shen Yurong would be Cheng w.a.n.g’s person, without a doubt.
Cheng w.a.n.g had the power, Shen Yurong had the brains; probably Cheng w.a.n.g treated him differently. Nowadays Shen Yurong was already a person in the secretariat department, also regarded as important by Hong Xiao Emperor. If he was supported by Cheng w.a.n.g, wouldn’t his position be even higher in the future? Wanting to deal with Shen Yurong at that time would definitely be difficult.
However, it’s not as if there weren’t any ways. Currently Cheng w.a.n.g and the Right Minister got along well. Coincidentally, the Right Minister, Ji Zhong Nan, was sworn enemy with Jiang Yuan Bai. In other words, the Jiang family and Cheng w.a.n.g were not in the same camp. In the event that the Jiang family was also involved, it would be logical and expected to deal with Shen Yurong who was in the same camp with Cheng w.a.n.g.
Borrowing the Jiang family’s power was much easier than acting alone.
She just needed to think carefully on how to seize the opportunity.
While planning all these in her mind, she didn’t feel that time flew slowly. In a blink of an eye, seven ladies had pa.s.sed and now it’s Meng Hong Jin’s turn.
Liu Xu made Jiang Li carefully observe, and saw Meng Hong Jin was already on the exam table.
Today’s Meng Hong Jin was much calmer than in the previous days. Perhaps it was also because guqin wasn’t actually her expertise. She sat down, took a precious guqin, burned incense and washed her hand and played 《Xiaoxiang Mist》.
《Xiaoxiang Mist》placed tourists onto a road to the South and saw the scene of mists rolling in waves, stirring the adoration of the motherland’s mountains and rivers, carrying the sorrowful feeling of falling and withering, yearning to escape from the complexity of life. The scattered notes were heavy with a lot of chants. Jiang Li listened and felt Meng Hong Jin’s 《Xiaoxiang Mist》 was weak. It didn’t feel like the road to the South, instead it felt like a young lady who came to appreciate the clouds.
Though the vigor didn’t reflect the composer’s mood, Meng Hong Jing’s technique was still very proficient. But aside from her finger technique in playing the guqin, in regards to it, Meng Hong Jin could be considered to be trying her best but could only be said to have no gift in guqin, that’s all.
Sure enough, Meng Hong Jin played the entire song and except for the praise of some unidentified wealthy sons, the five examiners had no other expressions on their faces. That Ji Heng even absent mindedly played with the gold threaded folding fan in his hand, closing and opening it, his postures were gorgeous.
“Meng Hong Jin’s playing is still okay,” Liu Xu exhaled: “You are also less burdened this way.”
In the first three exams, Jiang Li was first. As long as she wasn’t at the bottom in the next three exams, she wouldn’t be expelled from Ming Yi Hall. Naturally she also did not need to kneel down and apologize to Meng Hong Jin. Despite this, in case she performed too badly in the next three exams, it’s not impossible for the previous winning to be overthrown.
At least Meng Hong Jin did not have a“ stunning surprise”, Jiang Li could be relieved a little.
“But your sister is not simple.” Liu Xu spoke again: “I think she has a card up her sleeve, it must be somewhat reliable. Luckily you are after her…….”
But it’s really too bad.
Although it was too bad, what should come would always come. Meng Hong Jin finished her exam and three others pa.s.sed by. Soon it was time for Jiang You Yao to go on stage.
When she stepped forward, she even specially walked towards Jiang Li and smiled: “Second sister, I’ll go first.” Hearing it, it was as if a modest and courteous younger sister talking to her older sister. But Jiang Li didn’t overlook the provocation in her tone.
She also smiled back: “Good luck.”