Chapter 87: Chapter 84 Where is Qinxin Now
However, Chu Yu was actually waiting for him to instigate the challenge in person; otherwise, she wouldn’t know what to do. She offered a faint smile, then shook her folding fan once more. With a refined and elegant appearance complented by a graceful deanor, she was bright, candid, and sharp. The sunlight from outside the pavilion fell upon her, seemingly converging its source of light around her.
Even Wang Yizhi couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows.
…Keep up the pretense.
Chu Yu inwardly sighed with helplessness, though on the surface, she revealed no cracks, only becoming more composed and graceful. After a mont, she looked at Xiao Bie and slowly said, “This… Brother Xiao Bie, do you cook?”
Xiao Bie didn’t know what she ant by this and was montarily stunned.
Taking advantage of Xiao Bie’s lack of response, Chu Yu leisurely asked, “It is said that ‘gentlen stay away from the kitchen’; I presu Brother Xiao Bie doesn’t as well, but you do eat, don’t you? Just because one eats, it doesn’t an one has to cook. Similarly, just because one listens to music, it doesn’t an one has to play it. Just because I said Brother Xiao Bie’s guitar skills are crude, you insist on performing—aren’t you being a bit too petty? Just because I can’t play the zither, does that an I don’t qualify to criticize it?”
...
Her words were a mix of attack and dismissal, which at first seed quite sensible, but Chu Yu herself knew that she was shalessly equivocating.
Eating is an instinct for everyone; when you’re hungry, you naturally crave food, and taste buds can automatically judge the flavors as good or bad. However, to identify flaws in the level of zither playing that Xiao Bie has reached requires an extrely profound level of artistic cultivation.
Yet, her concept swapping was done so ingenously, employing analogical reasoning that even Wang Yizhi could not spot the fallacy. He sensed sothing amiss, but couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
Having used this statent to silence Xiao Bie, Chu Yu fanned herself, continuing to lecture, “Brother Xiao Bie’s technique in playing the zither is indeed impeccable, but I must ask, where is your zither heart?” With a crisp sound, she snapped her folding fan shut and held it in her hand, her gaze clear and piercing as she scrutinized Xiao Bie, “What is the essence of the zither? It is the ethereal and lofty sound of mountains and flowing water, signifying the utmost detachnt from the mundane world. But Brother Xiao Bie, what are you using the zither for? You pursue fa for yourself! Playing for others, entertaining others…”
“Silence!” Pei Shu hastily interrupted Chu Yu’s words and abruptly stood up, pointing furiously at her, “You truly have no gratitude and spout nonsense. When Brother Xiao Bie played the accompanint for us last ti, it was out of friendship. What do you understand?”
Chu Yu unfurled her folding fan, poised and waiting for him to finish. While Pei Shu was forcefully rebuking, he suddenly beca aware of sothing off, noticed the smirk tinged with mockery on Chu Yu’s face, and felt the unsettling silence around him. Looking around, he realized that the gaze of everyone present was sowhat amiss.
Wang Yizhi, in a languid manner, straightened his back and tapped the edge of the long table with his folding fan, smiling, “Brother Pei, you were a little rude there.”
Pei Shu also suddenly ca to his senses, realizing in the heat of the mont he had committed an act that was quite unpopular—interrupting.
In gatherings like the one hosted by Wang Yizhi, called Qingtan etings—essentially a chat and debate session—there was an unwritten rule: while one party was stating their views, the other should listen and only respond after the forr had finished. Interrupting soone else’s speech was a very rash and impolite behavior.
Due to Pei Shu’s actions, it drew sidelong glances from everyone.
Though unaware of this rule, Chu Yu didn’t bother to outtalk him, nor did she see the need to. In a debate, becoming agitated or flushed betrays a lack of composure; calmly and rationally expressing one’s points is far more convincing.
Thus, Chu Yu let Pei Shu dominate the conversation. Seeing that he had stopped, Chu Yu smiled and asked with good temperant, “Are you done, Brother Pei?”
Full of regret, Pei Shu glared hatefully at Chu Yu, inwardly cursing himself for not recognizing this youngster as a formidable opponent when they first t on the street. Had he known this, he would not have invited him to the poetry gathering. But now it was too late for regrets.
After confirming Pei Shu wouldn’t interrupt again, Chu Yu’s gaze once more settled on Xiao Bie, she continued in a detached tone, “Pursuing fa, using the zither rely as a tool, in your music, I cannot hear any profound sentints, nor any subtle anings. Beyond the purely perfect technique, there’s nothing else. A heart of proud solitude blinds the eyes, isolates the ears, and cuts off affection. But… where is your zither heart?”
Her voice was not loud, nor was her tone high—almost genteel in its delivery—yet each word seed to cut like a sharp knife into Xiao Bie’s heart. Throughout her words, Xiao Bie’s complexion varied and upon her final note, his face turned a snowy white.
As Pei Shu was about to continue his rebuttal, a hand suddenly appeared in front of him; Xiao Bie had stood up.
Xiao Bie stopped Pei Shu but did not look at him; instead, he turned to Wang Yizhi and gave a slight bow before turning on his heel and leaving the seat, heading outside. Pei Shu shot a venomous glare at Chu Yu and then followed Xiao Bie out.
Huh? Just like that, without a fight you admit defeat?
Seeing Xiao Bie react this way, Chu Yu was also sowhat surprised. She had prepared herself to counter any retaliatory argunts, but she did not expect that just by showing her weapon, the other party would turn tail and run.
It was probably because she had hit the nail on the head.
Chu Yu had once had people search for all books and scrolls with traces of Shan Yin’s Princess’s handwriting and eventually found comnts on Xiao Bie’s zither playing in a zither score. Shan Yin’s Princess had noted that Xiao Bie possessed guitar skills without the heart, and that the title ‘noble young man’ suited him perfectly due to its vulgarity.
This comnt was the only evidence that Shan Yin’s Princess had ever interacted with Xiao Bie. Chu Yu thought it over and decided to base her argunts around the core of Shan Yin’s Princess’s words, using him as a stepping stone to establish her own image. Considering Xiao Bie already found her disagreeable, she might as well strike first. However, she could not completely rely on the validity of Shan Yin’s Princess’s words, so she prepared extensively to counter any coback from Xiao Bie.
Yet unexpectedly, Xiao Bie appeared so powerless against these words, opting to flee and concede defeat. From this, it seed that Shan Yin’s Princess’s music appreciation standards were indeed quite noteworthy.
With this aggressive stratagem, surely everyone present would rember the na Yu Zichu. Perhaps the impression associated with that na wasn’t entirely positive, but at least it left a lasting impression, unforgettable even if one tried.
Having achieved her goal, Chu Yu gracefully shook her sleeves and stood up, turning towards Wang Yizhi. Holding her folding fan, she bowed slightly and smiled, “I have disrupted everyone’s enjoynt of the debate, Zichu truly feels apologetic. I have other matters to attend to today, so I must take my leave. I hope Brother Yizhi will understand.”
Seeing Wang Yizhi nod slightly, Chu Yu did not linger, slowly fanning herself as she elegantly exited Yuxiang Pavilion. Every movent was extraordinarily graceful and pleasing to the eye, yet her timing of departure was arrogantly conspicuous.
Chu Yu led the way with Yue Jiefei and Liu Sang following behind. After walking a considerable distance, Chu Yu finally stopped, lifting her sleeves to wipe her forehead. Although the weather was mild, the sweat on her forehead was cold.
After wiping the sweat and vigorously fanning herself, Chu Yu’s graceful deanor vanished. A bizarre and uncomfortable expression crossed her face before she finally returned to normal.
Her deanor just now was a deliberate facade because her opponent was a distinguished disciple with noble deanor. It wasn’t enough to triumph in words alone; she also had to be superior in poise. For that, she had locked herself away to rehearse for the better part of the day. Many of her gestures were imitations of Rong Zhi.
Reflecting on the event, Chu Yu’s skin crawled. She wondered, why did the sa refined deanor look so pleasing when done by Rong Zhi, but felt so uncomfortable when she imitated it? It was as if every bone in her body was out of place…
Perhaps this was the difference between naturalness and affectation.
Upon exiting the main door, she found a row of carriages lining the alley. The guests who had co were all of substantial ans, and naturally, there were many carriages and palanquins. Chu Yu searched for her own carriage among them.
Just as she was about to board the carriage, the sound of a sword being drawn ca from behind her. She turned to see Yue Jiefei had stopped and was pointing his sword towards Xiao Bie, who was standing a few steps away. Judging by his posture, he seed to have been waiting there for a while.
Xiao Bie’s complexion was pale, his eyes unblinking as he stared at Chu Yu. Pei Shu, who had followed them out earlier, was nowhere to be found, leaving Xiao Bie alone.
Chu Yu frowned and asked, “What are you doing?” Could it be that he was holding a grudge for being suppressed earlier and had co to pick a fight?
Contrary to expectations, Xiao Bie bowed deeply and said firmly, “I am willing to accept the loss. Xiao Bie voluntarily offers his service to the Princess’s household.”
Wh-what?!
Voluntarily?!
Chu Yu’s eyes widened, seeing that Xiao Bie didn’t seem to be joking. Her mind suddenly buzzed: Had she just done sothing she shouldn’t have?
How did things turn out like this?
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