The Double-Chapter 82 - 73 Love for Beauty_2

After the confusion, there was a deep sense of shame.

Being surpassed by Jiang Li, by a Jiang Li who had nothing after being abandoned in the temple, was more painful to Jiang Youyao than death itself. Especially when seeing the praise for Jiang Li’s zither skills from the people around, it was as if a heavy slap had struck Jiang Youyao’s face.

To praise Jiang Li’s playing was to question, what was she?

Just as Jiang Youyao was about to lose control of her facial expressions, Ji Shuran, sitting beside her, gently patted her hand and said, "Don’t panic, it’s not over yet, you might not lose."

Hearing Ji Shuran’s words, Jiang Youyao gradually calmed down. Although she felt aggrieved, in the end, she did not show it.

Jiang Youyao’s change in expression did not escape Jiang Yue’s eyes. While puzzled about what Ji Shuran had said, she was even more curious as to how Jiang Li could be so outstanding in the field of zither music.

She had thought that after returning to the mansion, Jiang Li would be even more pathetic than herself... but fact after fact proved that Jiang Li could still stand above her head.

Jiang Yue glared at Jiang Li with hatred, not knowing whether it was because of the indignation over her status as the illegitimate daughter of her father or because she couldn’t compare to Jiang Li.

At this moment, Meng Hongjin also felt very uncomfortable. Whenever Jiang Li received any praise, people would always cast pitiful glances at her, each reminding her not to forget the bet she had made. Watching Meng Youde’s displeased expression, Meng Hongjin felt scared. If Jiang Li actually came out on top in all the exams at Mingyi Hall, she would have to kneel down in front of the Imperial College to apologize to Jiang Li without her outer garments.

If that happened, she would become a laughingstock of the entire Yanjing City and would bring shame to the Meng family. Her father would certainly not forgive her.

A sudden chill ran down Meng Hongjin’s back, as if she could already see that dreadful scene.

It won’t happen, she reassured herself. Jiang Youyao also played well. It’s not certain that Jiang Li will win, it won’t be...

Jiang Li stepped down from the stage. She didn’t return to the Jiang family’s side but instead walked over to Liu Xu who was beckoning to her. freewёbnoνel.com

Liu Xu excitedly pulled her down to sit, Jiang Li seeing this girl so emotional for the first time. Liu Xu said, "Jiang Li, the ’Hu Jia Eighteen Beats’ you just played was really incredible! No wonder you said before you went on stage that you would play something that no one had ever played. The ’Hu Jia Eighteen Beats’ has never been played in the Inspection Field before, and I think you played much better than Jiang Youyao. Even someone with average skills in zither music like me could feel the artistic conception in your playing. Based on what you described as the ’Musical Heart,’ in this competition, you are undoubtedly the champion!"

She spoke with such confidence, as if she were the judge herself.

Jiang Li smiled slightly, "That’s not necessarily the case." She glanced up at the stage.

On the Inspection Field, Mian Ju was saying to Shi Yan, "Little Yan, what do you think about the piece that little girl from the Jiang family just played?"

"Little Yan," Music Officer Shi Yan, with a stern face, neither approved nor disapproved of Mian Ju’s nickname for him, and said, "Not bad."

It was known to everyone that Music Officer Shi Yan was the most arrogant and critical, and the evaluations most people received from him were no more than "terrible," "frightening," or "not good." To get a "not bad" meant that Shi Yan had already acknowledged the person’s skills.

Mian Ju clearly understood Shi Yan’s personality and immediately slapped his palm, exclaiming, "I knew Little Yan and I think alike. We as masters all have the same opinion!" He then looked towards Immortal Jing Hong and Mr. Xiao, and asked, "What do you think, Immortal and Mr. Xiao?"

Immortal Jing Hong was somewhat troubled.

She had taken silver from Ji Shuran, and the act of "bribing an examiner" had never happened in the past at Mingyi Hall. Immortal Jing Hong had agreed to it because she had thought there was no one at the current Mingyi Hall who could compete with Jiang Youyao in zither music. Even if Jiang Youyao could win the championship on her own merit, the silver Ji Shuran offered was supposedly in gratitude for guiding Jiang Youyao, but that gratitude seemed overly generous.

Immortal Jing Hong accepted it, thinking it was a matter of going with the flow. After all, Jiang Youyao was indeed likely to be the champion, so why not do a favor for the Ji family? Plus, Jiang Youyao was essentially her half-disciple. So, both publicly and privately, she had reasons to favor Jiang Youyao.

What had been a sure thing was disrupted by the unexpected emergence of Jiang Li. To be fair, Jiang Li’s zither skills were above Jiang Youyao’s, especially remarkable given Jiang Li’s comprehension of the "Musical Heart" at the age of fifteen.

Immortal Jing Hong loved talent and had her own pride, but having frequented places of socializing, even as just a musician, she knew how the world works. Jiang Li might be impressive, but she had accepted silver from Ji Shuran. Of the two legitimate daughters of Jiang Yuanbai, Jiang Li was sent away at seven, while Jiang Youyao grew up by her father’s side. Jiang Youyao was the favored one, with the support of Ji Shuran and the Ji family behind her, whereas Jiang Li had nothing...