The Double-Chapter 84 - 73: Love for Beauty_4

Later, when Xue Fangfei came to Yanjing, he no longer played the zither. He had become the top scholar and was busy with all sorts of social engagements. The memory of Xue Fangfei’s zither music had gradually become blurred, but today, under the tunes played by Miss Jiang the Second, he inexplicably felt as if he saw his deceased wife again.

Even though Xue Fangfei would not play such a sorrowful piece, even though Xue Fangfei and Jiang Li were two completely different people...

The oddity in Shen Yurong’s behavior, however, was caught by Princess Yongning, who was sitting beside Prince Cheng. Princess Yongning’s smile remained on her lips, but a glint of spiteful poison flashed through her eyes. Seeing Shen Yurong like this, it was clear he was thinking of Xue Fangfei again.

The mere thought that Shen Yurong might still pine for Xue Fangfei made Princess Yongning insanely jealous, and she despised Jiang Li on the stage as well. They should all die; why of all people did Jiang Li have to resemble that whore!

Of course, Jiang Li was naturally unaware of the thoughts of others. She was simply calculating in her mind, wondering whether Duke Su, Jih Heng, had discovered anything. She always felt very uncomfortable under Jih Heng’s gaze—could there be some deeper meaning? Except for that one time on Green City Mountain, she had no other interactions with Jih Heng. Even if Jih Heng remembered her, it was merely a brief encounter.

It should... have nothing to do with her.

Determined, Jiang Li decided that if Jih Heng exposed her plan against Venerable Master Jingan on Green City Mountain, she would vehemently deny it, as there was no other evidence anyway.

With that thought, she was so preoccupied that she didn’t even pay attention to the students going on stage for the examination one by one. The students continued to play their zither music, Liu Xu had passed, Jiang Yu Yan had played, and Jiang Yue had finished as well. By the time the last female student had played, the zither music examination had concluded, and it was already afternoon.

With Jiang Youyao, or rather, with Jiang Li setting such a high standard, listening to the zither music of others felt unavoidably bland, as if it was just a matter of technique, and even the technique was not mastered. The gap was simply too wide. It was not only obvious to those who understood zither music but even laymen could instantly differentiate between the superior and the inferior.

The results of the zither music examination were to be announced immediately. And now, the focus of everyone’s attention was mostly on Jiang Li and Jiang Youyao.

Jiang Youyao stood beneath the stage, clutching Ji Shuran’s hand tightly. At this moment, she couldn’t help but become nervous.

If she were to lose to Jiang Li in her own area of expertise... Jiang Youyao didn’t even dare to think about how Zhou Yanbang would look at her!

Seeing Jiang Youyao less confident than before, Lady Lu from the second branch of the family immediately smiled and said to Ji Shuran, "Sister-in-law is indeed remarkable, having raised two daughters, each more intelligent than the last. I think, whether it is Youyao or Little Miss Li who takes the top spot, it’s someone from the main branch of the family. Sister-in-law must be delighted, truly worthy of being Brother’s children."

Ji Shuran was already somewhat troubled and irritated, and upon hearing Lady Lu’s provocative words, she felt even more angered, but her face did not show it in the slightest. She smiled and said, "That’s for sure. I do think that Lili played even better." She then proactively praised Jiang Li.

Jiang Yue scoffed in her heart, certain that her great aunt must be seething with hatred for Jiang Li. However, Jiang Yue would also prefer Jiang Youyao to take the top spot over Jiang Li, for after all, Jiang Li had nothing, and how could someone with nothing compete with someone who had everything? She ought to submit and beg pitifully like herself.

The five examiners were discussing.

There were no objections regarding the other students, but when it came to Jiang Li and Jiang Youyao, disagreements arose.

Immortal Jing Hong and Xiao Deyin thought that Jiang Youyao deserved the first place, whereas Mr. Mian Ju and Shi Yan believed that Jiang Li should take the first place. Neither side was willing to yield, stubbornly holding their positions.

"Anyone with eyes can see that Jiang Li is the first, what is going on with you all?" Mr. Mian Ju, deeply frustrated, exclaimed, "Can you all not hear?"

"Mr. Mian Ju," Xiao Deyin said, "Everyone has their own opinions, just as we cannot influence yours, you cannot impose yours on us."

Immortal Jing Hong was slightly taken aback.

She herself had taken silver from Ji Shuran and Jiang Youyao was her personally trained student; she had no choice but to side with Jiang Youyao. Yet, as someone who understood zither music, she knew Jiang Li’s skills should be superior to Jiang Youyao’s; Xiao Deyin couldn’t possibly have failed to notice.

So why did Xiao Deyin insist on abandoning Jiang Li for Jiang Youyao? Could it be that Xiao Deyin also took silver from Ji Shuran? But that was impossible because Xiao Deyin led a comfortable life teaching at Mingyi Hall, and having even rejected a royal court zither master position, clearly showed he was not one to lust after wealth and honor and would not be swayed by silver.