Lin Ying was extremely conflicted. She didn't want to stand up and destroy the reputation she had worked so hard to build. At this moment, she had realized that it was impossible for her to step on her to get to the top. Even if she was poisoned by the mandrake, she would not get any benefits.
It was clear that she was being tricked by Xia Ruya, who had been deceiving her from the beginning to the end, using her to deal with Wen Xinya and clear her own reputation, making her sacrifice the reputation she had worked hard to build over the years to help Xia Ruya. In the end, the only person who really benefited was Xia Ruya.
Realizing this, she gritted her teeth and the hatred towards Xia Ruya in her heart almost burst out, but what does it matter? Now she has already boarded Xia Ruya's boat, and she has a part in the conspiracy against Wen Xinya, and she can't extricate herself at all.
If she did not do as Xia Ruya asked, there was no way Xia Ruya would let her go. She had only known Xia Ruya for a short time, but she knew better than anyone how terrifying Xia Ruya was. She was just a weak woman who went north alone to study. Her family background was not as good as others, and she had no strong backing. But Xia Ruya was different. She had been running her business in the capital for many years. Even though she had a bad reputation, a skinny camel was bigger than a horse. Moreover, she knew the owner of Boya Xuan. Today, the owner of Boya Xuan helped her everywhere. She already knew that what Xia Ruya said was true.
She could imagine that if she offended Xia Ruya, she would suffer no good consequences.
What made her even more miserable was that her condition was not good at the moment, and she didn't know what was wrong with her. Her emotions fluctuated for no reason, she was irritable, and even a little out of control, making her a little dazed. In this way... could she really beat Wen Xinya
Lin Yingxin remained seated without moving. Xia Ruya's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness, and she said with a smile, "Speaking of which, Miss Wen is proficient in the four arts of music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but we have not seen Miss Wen's music skills yet. I wonder if we will have the honor to listen to Miss Wen's superb music skills today."
After she finished speaking, she looked towards Lin Yingxin with a vague threat in her eyes. She found a way out for Lin Yingxin. If she dared not to step down, she would definitely ruin her reputation.
Xia Ruya's gaze was too threatening and too scary. Lin Ying was stunned. Her body reacted faster than her brain and she stood up. "Everyone knows that among the four arts of music, chess, calligraphy and painting, I am an expert in music. Today I learned that Miss Wen has made great achievements in music. For a moment, I have the idea of cutting off my hand from her. I wonder if Miss Wen can help me?"
At this point, she can no longer retreat.
Xia Ruya had mentioned the Datura poison to her before. She had secretly learned about it and knew that people who were well versed in medicine could use the amount of the Datura poison to control the time of its onset. Wen Xinya had consumed tea and pastries poisoned with the Datura poison, but had not shown any signs of poisoning so far. It was estimated that the poison had already lurked in her body, and that when she failed in the piano duel, the Datura poison would completely erupt. This was Xia Ruya's real calculation.
Wen Xinya's eyes passed over Xia Ruya, and finally landed on Lin Yingxin. She said in a calm voice, "Ms. Lin, you are the champion of the last Qianjin Banquet. Since you are willing to compete with me in piano skills, I naturally dare not refuse."
She still hasn't figured out what Xia Ruya and Lin Yingxin are up to. Xia Ruya instigated Lin Yingxin to compete with her in playing the piano, and she doesn't know what her intention is. She can't be careless.
The scene suddenly became lively.
At the last Qianjin Banquet, Lin Yingxin stunned everyone with her song "Yangchun Baixue". Later, she won the championship of the Qianjin Banquet with her superb tea art. Everyone knows that Lin Yingxin has extremely high attainments in the guqin.
As for Wen Xinya, although she had just commented on Miss Fang's piece "Pingsha Luoyan", which won high praise from the owner of Boyaxuan and several judges, and established her reputation as a superb piano player, it was still a pity that no one got to hear her piano playing.
At this time, Lin Yingxin proposed to practice piano skills with Wen Xinya, and everyone was very happy.
At the same time, this cutting and rubbing competition is also a competition of skills between the champion of the previous Thousand Gold Banquet and the champion of this Thousand Gold Banquet. Naturally, everyone also wants to know who is better between Wen Xinya and Lin Yingxin.
Lin Yingxin was the first to go on stage. After burning incense and washing her hands, she sat in front of the piano table, plucked the strings a few times, adjusted the sound, and then began to pluck the strings and play.
And the song she played was her famous song "Yangchun Baixue".
There are many versions of "Yangchun Baixue", the most famous of which is the pipa piece from the Warring States Period. However, after years of baptism, this piece of "Yangchun Baixue" has also been influenced by many ancient music masters and continuously improved to perfection. Of course, it is also extremely difficult.
Lin Yingxin's guqin attainments were indeed very high. The first note sounded like the sound of ice breaking when the spring snow first melted, and the second note sounded like pine trees in the snow, deep and distant. The sound of the guqin, which was warm and cold, soft and cold, seemed to be a cleansing of the soul.
All the ladies present were intoxicated by such heavenly music.
Even Wen Xinya is no exception.
At this time, after Lin Yingxin played four or five notes, her heart was not calm. Xia Ruya's manipulations and calculations kept playing out in her mind. That wet and cold gaze was like a maggot attached to her bones, making her shudder and frightened. The complicated emotions in her heart were played out one by one, and her irritability almost made her collapse.
She almost suspected that the person who was poisoned by the mandrake was her.
When the song ended, cold sweat broke out on my back, and I heaved a sigh of relief, my body almost weakened.
There was warm applause from the audience.
Du Ruoxin, who was beside Wen Xinya, suddenly sneered and said, "It seems that the title of champion of the last Qianjin Banquet is just an empty title."
Warm and elegant doesn't mean anything.
At this time, Lin Yingxin stood up from her seat: "Miss Wen, please!"
Wen Xinya slowly went up to the pavilion in the middle of the lake. After burning incense and washing her hands, she sat in front of the piano desk. Like Lin Yingxin, she first tried plucking the strings and adjusting the sound of the piano. After about two minutes, she began to play the song.
The song she played was, naturally, "Ten Sides of Ambush".
The song "Ten Sides Ambush" tells the story of the Chu-Han Contention, when the Han army defeated the Chu army with an ambush formation and Xiang Yu committed suicide in the Wujiang River.
Wen Xinya used her superb pipa skills to interpret this pipa piece, making the music intense and heart-stirring, with its sometimes fast, sometimes slow; sometimes strong, sometimes weak rhythms, interpreted vividly.
Especially in the eighth section, the battle of Jiuli Mountain, the two armies fought fiercely for life and death. The sound of horse hooves, the sound of swords and spears clashing, and the shouting intertwined and ups and downs, shocking the heart. Wen Xinya used various superb techniques such as "scratching, arranging, plucking, picking, wiping, and plucking" and alternately played the music to push the music to a climax, and the thrilling tension permeated among the crowd.
Then the music changed, to the sad and solemn sound, the sound of farewell to a concubine, the sound of pursuing riders, the sound of suicide, and in the end there was no more tears to cry!
At this point, the music stopped abruptly.
There was silence in the scene. Everyone was still immersed in the warm and elegant mood of "Ten Sides of Ambush" interpreted on the guqin. The saddest part was the last paragraph, the sorrow of parting with Concubine Yu. Everyone seemed to be able to imagine the tragic song of Concubine Yu committing suicide in the Chu tent.