The Fourth Lady

Chapter 47 The Four Arts I

Listening to what Murong Jingxuan said, Xuanyuan Yuzhen twirled his jade thumb ring. When he

turned towards Jingxuan, he replied with a smile, "If I lose, I'll give you the Azure Dragon Falling

Crescent Sword that father bestowed me. If you lose, you'll let me have that girl. How about it?"

Xuanyuan Yuzhen's proposal really was very alluring, especially the sword that Hongjia Emperor gave

the Fourth Prince last time. It's said that it was obtained from a Daoist Priest when the previous

emperor was still a prince. The priest once declared: 'The one who obtains this sword, will surely

conquer the world with the help of the one possessed by the Phoenix'.

The previous emperor was very fond of the Fourth Prince, thus he bestowed this sword to the him

when he was 8. Even after the previous emperor had passed away, Hongjia Emperor never once taken

back the sword, thus till this day, it's still stored away at the Fourth Prince's manor.

"Are you going to keep your word?" Jingxuan turn to Yuzhen with a smile, "Then you better be

prepared to give me that sword." He confidently smirked, "I believe that girl won't lose."

Xuanyuan Yuzhen shook his head, "That's not for sure yet. If you lose, then that girl will be my royal

consort." Xuanyuan Yuzhen tapped the table with much rhythm.

He once heard Murong Jingxuan describe Qingyan playing the qin, and it was even that [Thousand

Beasts and Phoenix] tune that's been lost for more than 5 years in Jianghu. He once secretly asked Liu

Shang if it was true that only Qilian Qingyan could play that piece, and the answer Liu Shang gave was

that it was as such.

Liu Shang once openly declare that the Thousand Beast Pavilion has always only ever acknowledge

the tune, not the person. If one really could perform [Thousand Beasts and Phoenix] with the jade flute,

then they will certainly support that person into becoming the second pavilion master of the Thousand

Beast Pavilion.

The ones that drew the same category as Qingyan were Cui Hanxue, Du Yulin, and another girl that

Qingyan couldn't remember the name of. But she without a doubt knew that everyone was waiting to

see her make a fool of herself.

Yet she calmly sat there, as if completely ignoring her surroundings. That nonchalant calmness made

everyone look forward to this show.

"Siyao, when did that fourth girl from your manor become so impressive, to think she could also play

the guqin?" Jiang Lan asked as she whispered to Ning Siyao, "Could it be that she got so scared that

she forgot how to refuse."

Jiang Lan was the Minister of War, Du Yili's, head wife, and she was also the childhood friend of Ning

Siyao. Towards Ning Siyao's deeds and conducts, she naturally couldn't be more understanding of. But

she'd never thought that Su Qingyan would actually become this unfamiliar.

"Just wait and watch her make a fool of herself." Ning Siyao look to Jiang Lan grinning, "I just don't

believe that girl can play the guqin. Just like Yuanyuan said, don't break the qin strings." Ning Siyao

stared at Su Qingyan sitting in the not so far away distance with a look full of disdain.

Qingyan had drawn the last lot to perform for guqin. The Bogu Hall's guqin was a legendary Charred

Tail Guqin. It's said that this Charred Tail Guqin was bestowed by Hongjia Emperor. It's only ever used

during the talent conference, thus in their eyes this Charred Tail Guqin was regarded as a legendary

guqin.

The first to perform was Du Yulin. Although Du Yulin was not very skilled in the guqin. she still able to

finish playing the entirety of [Sorrows of Parting]. When Du Yulin step down from the stage, there were

only sparse applauses.

Su Qingyan knew very well why Du Yulin could only receive such sparse applauses.

[Sorrows of Parting] held a simple and bold, yet deep style. Aside from containing the feelings of

sorrow and pressure from being unable to achieve ones ideals, it further expresses an unchanging

oath. A noble and proud free-spirit.

But the [Sorrows of Parting] that Du Yulin played didn't have that feeling. When it finished playing, it

wasn't able to evoke that feeling in anyone. Rather, it just dully started and dully ended.

The second to perform was Cui Hanxue; she played [Pingsha Luoyan]. The tune of this piece was

bright and smooth, and through the intermittently visible cries of geese, the scene of a flock of geese

circling the skies is painted. Perhaps it was because she was skilled in this piece, when her short

performance ended, everyone felt they wanted her to continue.

In the crowd's eyes, this piece was already recognized as the best performance, it was possible to take

first place.

"Hanxue, your [Pingsha Luoyan] was just amazing. I feel ashamed for not being as good." Du Yulin

look to Cui Hanxue smiling, "If you can't take first place, then the judges definitely must have something

wrong with their ears."

Cui Hanxue very much enjoyed the attention. She raised her eyebrows at Su Qingyan, giving her a

condescending look of disdain.

Ever since she was young, Cui Hanxue has been practicing the guqin. In the entire Bogu Hall, the only

one that could rival her was none other than Su Qingyuan. But this time, Su Qingyuan didn't draw the

guqin, thus first place was naturally just as good as hers now.

The third to perform was that nameless girl. Unknown as to whether it was because Cui Hanxue that

went before her played too well, she would repeatedly make mistakes. In the end, she had no choice

but to give up the guqin that she was not good at.

Seeing the flustered girl run off, Su Qingyan slowly stood up. However she didn't walk towards the

Charred Tail Qin, but instead directly headed towards Chunyuan Princess. Everyone was confused as

to what she was doing.

Just when everyone wanted to call out to stop her, Qingyan's voice slowly sounded, "I wonder if mister

Liu Shang is willing to let me borrow that Fengyao* Guqin on your back."

(*TN: The name of qin; Feng means Phoenix and yao means shake.)

Chunyuan didn't think that Qingyan was able to recognize that Fengyao Guqin on Liu Shang's back. It's

said that this Fengyao Guqin was given to him by the Xianyi Empress. It's carved from the trunk of a

thousand year old wutong tree with the millennium snow silk that she collected as its strings, thus was

given the name 'Fengyao'. It can be said that this Fengyao Guqin was one of a kind in this world.

Liu Shang also never had thought that Qingyan was able to recognized this guqin. When he was at the

Thousand Beast Pavilion, because he was skilled at tuning, this guqin was bestowed to him. This guqin

to him was like his life, that's why he once said, 'he will exist as long as the qin exists and die if the qin

dies.'

He'd thought that no one in this world would ever recognize this Fengyao Guqin ever again, but to think

that it was recognized by this 10 or so years old young girl. He figured that Qingyan must be someone

that was very fond of guqins, which was why she was able to recognize this Fengyao guqin.

"Just what is Su Qingyan up to? Don't tell me she really is afraid of Cui Hanxue?" The people below

commented in a whisper.

The judges were also getting impatient with Su Qingyan, but since she was standing before the

Chunyuan Princess, it wasn't appropriate for them to remind Su Qingyan that it was time for her

performance.

And at that moment, Cui Hanxue's voice sounded, "Su Qingyan, if you don't know how to play, it's okay.

As long as you admit defeat, it'll all be good. Why bother stalling over there."

Qingyan turned around to Cui Hanxue with a grin on her face. "Oh, when have I ever said I was going

to give up! If Miss Cui is getting impatient waiting, why not think about how you are going to perform in

the other categories."