Aboard a pleasure boat on the Qinhuai River, a young noblewoman in a brocade robe wore a jade hairpin and a crane-feather cloak. Boundless charm lingered in her features. She toyed with a jade flute, a hint of amusement in her eyes.
"The scenery south of the river truly is different from the Northern Lands."
A captivating woman standing below her lowered her eyes. "Only thanks to Your Highness have I had the chance to see the brilliance of this place's finest talents."
This noblewoman was Princess Ning'an herself.
"The three powers are heaven, earth, and humanity. Heaven and earth are beyond my control, so humanity matters most. The court must nurture the people, but it must also put every talent in the right place. Otherwise, harmony between high and low will break down, and what was once a help will become a hindrance."
Princess Ning'an gazed out over the river.
Using the Qinhuai Sword Contest to gather talent and soothe Jiankang City's unsettled hearts was only the first step.
Driving a nail into the political order jointly controlled by Wei Huaiwen and Su Gui—that was the crucial step.
"Ping'er doesn't understand so many grand principles."
The captivating woman was Zhen Ping'er, head of the Zhu Hua Troupe. She was slender, her skin whiter than snow, a faint smile on her crimson lips and light rippling in her eyes.
"I only feel that the scenery south of the river differs from the Northern Lands, and so do its young talents."
"Miss Zhen, which of those men on the river do you think has the finest swordsmanship?"
"Your Highness must be joking. What would Ping'er know about swordsmanship?"
Princess Ning'an was herself a cultivator with aspirations in the way of the sword. She smiled faintly.
"One who aspires to the sword