Bai Ruoli

After the woman sat down, she gently raised her slender hand and placed her jade-like fingers on the strings of the zither.

"Zheng--"

A clear sound pierced the air, like a cold spring dripping onto a stone, crisply landing in people's hearts, and the noise in the arena instantly subsided.

Then the sound of strings slowly unfolded, initially like a clear stream under the moon, flowing gently around the osmanthus trees in the garden, clear and quiet; gradually the melody changed, and it was like the wind rolling up a beaded curtain, with a touch of tenderness hidden in the delicate and lingering sound, making people tremble at the tip of their hearts.

The lamplight illuminated her plain white dress, her face veiled by a face mask, revealing only her fingertips dancing across the strings. The audience held their breath in silence, even the chirping of insects below seemed to have stopped.

As the last note faded away, the lingering sound seemed to linger around the beams and pillars before slowly dissipating in the wind.

The garden was completely silent for a long while before someone finally snapped out of it and shouted "Bravo!" Immediately, cheers erupted like a torrent, sweeping across the entire garden.

Just then, a woman gracefully walked up from the side of the stage. She wore a light purple silk skirt embroidered with crabapple blossoms, the hem of which hung down neatly.

There was not a trace of frivolity or exposure, yet her waist was cinched perfectly, slender and shapely. With each light step, her waist swayed gently, and her eyes held a familiar smile, exuding a captivating and alluring charm.

Zhou Tong recognized her at a glance and introduced her to the group in a low voice, "This is Jin Niang from Phoenix Perching Tower, the master of ceremonies for elegant gatherings and banquets. She's the most knowledgeable and adept at handling situations. We've actually invited her to host today."

Jin Niang walked to the center of the stage, gracefully curtsied, and her clear, sweet voice, carried by the wind, echoed throughout the entire audience:

"Distinguished guests, on this auspicious Mid-Autumn Festival night, with the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms filling the air, thank you all for attending the poetry gathering at Jade Autumn Garden. The piece we just played was a small gift we prepared to further enhance your refined enjoyment."

She glanced sideways at the woman in white playing the zither behind her, and raised her voice with a smile:

"The performer is none other than Miss Bai Ruoli."

The moment those three words were uttered, the entire venue fell into a deathly silence, then erupted into a cacophony of exclamations and whispers that instantly drowned out the previous cheers.

Zhou Tong slammed his hand on the edge of the table, his eyes wide with shock, and exclaimed in a low voice, "My God! Bai Ruoli?!"

Even the usually calm and composed Xu Mo suddenly looked up, his hand gripping the folding fan tightening slightly, unable to hide his surprise. "Could it be... Bai Ruoli, the most beautiful of the Eight Beauties of Great Qian?"

Amidst the clamor of the audience, Bai Ruoli, holding her zither, gracefully curtsied and turned to retreat backstage. But the audience wouldn't allow it. Shouts of "One more song!" and "Miss Bai, please stay!" rose and fell, one wave after another, just like the lively scene of a famous actor calling for an encore during a curtain call.

Jin Niang quickly stepped forward, raised her hand and smiled as she gestured for silence. Her clear voice carried on the breeze, steadily silencing the clamor in the room.

"Distinguished guests, please be patient. Miss Bai has come today specifically to warm up the poetry gathering, and has only prepared this one piece to add to the merriment. If you still wish for more, Miss Bai will be performing at Phoenix Perching Tower for the next ten days. At that time, please feel free to come and visit; the tower will certainly welcome you with open arms."

These words immediately sparked another round of heated discussion. Some people made plans with their companions to go the next day. Despite the commotion, not many people insisted on an encore.

Seeing that the situation had stabilized, Jin Niang's expression turned slightly solemn, and she raised her voice:

"Now that the warm-up is over, let's get down to business. This Mid-Autumn Poetry Gathering at Jade Autumn Garden was personally organized by His Highness Prince Jing. His Highness is also present today and is currently in Lake View Tower."

Her voice suddenly rose, and she announced loudly, "Please welcome His Highness Prince Jing!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the entire garden fell silent, and hundreds of eyes turned to the Lake View Tower behind the waterside pavilion. The tower stood by the lake, with a spacious terrace on the second floor surrounded by carved white marble railings. The eaves of the terrace provided shelter from the wind and rain, and the view was expansive, overlooking the entire Jade Autumn Garden.

The curtains on the terrace fluttered slightly, and a group of people slowly walked out.

Leading the way was the current Prince Jing. He wore a moon-white brocade robe with dark patterns, with only a plain mutton-fat jade buckle at his waist. He held a bamboo folding fan in his hand, his features were serene, and he exuded the gentle and scholarly air of a literati, yet he could not hide the composed and dignified demeanor of someone who had long held a high position.

Behind him followed four elderly scholars with gray hair and beards, each wearing a tall hat and wide belt, their expressions somewhat dignified. They were all renowned literary figures, specially invited by Prince Jing to preside over the appraisal.

A few steps further back stood three young men in blue robes and brocade belts, each with a tall and upright posture and an imposing presence. Their every move exuded the dignified air of scions of the Aristocratic Clan. One of them was the eldest son of Prince Jing, and the other two were sons of high-ranking officials in the capital.

On the other side stood six women, each draped in various light veils that concealed their faces. Their elegant attire revealed meticulous craftsmanship, and their graceful figures and extraordinary bearing were evident in every detail.

Inside were three princesses of the current dynasty, the daughter of the prime minister, and a princess from Prince Jing's own family, as well as the daughters of a great scholar and a high-ranking official in Chang'an, all of noble status. A group of eunuchs and maids serving them stood far away on the verandas at both ends of the terrace, holding their breath.

"Greetings, Your Highness Prince Jing!"

All the guests in the garden stood up in unison and bowed in the direction of Lake View Tower. Their voices were so clear and resounding throughout the garden. Liu Wenyan and his companion, who had been so arrogant just moments before, had also changed their expressions and bowed their heads with the utmost respect.

Shen Jingchuan followed the others and bowed.

Prince Jing stood by the railing, raised his hand in a gesture of support, and said in a calm voice, "Please, everyone, no need for formalities, please be seated."

His tone was amiable, with a hint of a smile:

"Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival Poetry Gathering. Everyone, please feel free to recite poems and admire the moon to your heart's content. There's no need to hold back just because I'm here. I'm here today to join in the fun, hoping that this auspicious occasion will inspire a few masterpieces to be passed down through generations. That would be a wonderful event for the literary world of our Great Qian."

After saying this, he nodded slightly, turned around and walked to the main seat in the center of the terrace to sit down. Four elderly scholars sat on either side of him, while three young gentlemen and six ladies sat on the side seats. Only then did all the guests in the garden take their seats.

Jin Niang walked gracefully to the center of the venue and first loudly reiterated the rules of this year's poetry gathering, just as in previous years:

There are three poetry questions in total. Guests may choose one to answer, or they may answer all three if they wish. Each question has a time limit of one incense stick's time.

After the poems were written, they were all submitted to the collection area in front of the stage. First, dozens of highly respected scholars sitting in the area where Juren Zhang was sitting conducted a preliminary review and selected the top ten works. Then, they were presented to the elegant seats upstairs for four literary luminaries who were famous throughout the Great Qian to make the final evaluation and rank the top three.

After explaining the rules, Jin Niang bowed respectfully to the person in the main seat and announced in a clear voice, "We invite His Highness Prince Jing to set the first question for today's poetry gathering."

Prince Jing nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the room, and said slowly, "I won't pose any difficult questions. Today happens to be the Mid-Autumn Festival, so let's be appropriate for the occasion. The first question will be a poem about the bright moon in the sky."