Wang Yang asked curiously:
"What sort of person am I?"
The girl smiled without answering, merely dipping her head in courtesy. Then she turned away, raised her arms, gently stretched her shoulders and back, and resumed her stretches. Her pale apricot damask skirt swayed with her movements, the fine-fleece cloak trembled lightly on her shoulders, and the white jade pear-blossom hairpin quivered with it, like a pear blossom in the wind, poised to open yet holding back.
No wonder she ranks alongside Stars and Moon. The Three Beauties of the Imperial Capital really do live up to their name...
Wang Yang could hardly keep pressing her for conversation. With nothing else to do, he gazed at the peach grove filling his vision and silently recited Guan Yunshi's "Peach Blossom Crag." By the time he finished the poem, everyone had arrived. Thirteen numbered places had been marked on the ground, and eleven people now stood in them. Only numbers nine and thirteen remained empty.
Originally, there had been six winners from Cuju and six from pitch-pot, making twelve expected participants in the second round. But Lady Shen was also joining the games, and thirteen places had been prepared specifically to prevent her from being eliminated. Unexpectedly, she had performed very well at pitch-pot and qualified on her own merits. Meanwhile, Ji Jiaofu had withdrawn, with Young Duke Shen taking his place-but as the host of the second round, Young Duke Shen would not compete. Thus, two places were left empty.
Shen Tanliang had changed into a slate-blue informal robe. Standing before the eleven participants, he cupped his hands and smiled:
"Congratulations to all of you on your victories! It is my great good fortune to share a feast with you today! The next two rounds are merely games before the banquet,