After leaving Yuan Jin'er and returning to the second floor, the Su family members were still discussing how to get Lv Xia to come to their side. Although they knew that the Xue family must have a bargaining chip, Su Wengui and others were actually quite confident, mainly because they often came to the Yan Cui House. Su Wending was close to the first branch, Su Wengui and Su Wenxing belonged to the second branch, and Su Wenluo and Su Wenji belonged to the third branch. Naturally, they would not go together, but at this time, they still chose to form a group and combine their relationships with each other.
As a result, it looked very good. Some of them knew the manager of this house, some of them were very familiar with Mrs. Chen, and some of them had personally supported Lv Xia for several times and felt that they had a close relationship. Naturally, they were very confident and felt that the victory was in their hands. At this time, these people from the Su family had been constantly bribing and taking out a large sum of money. With Li Pin's poems, they were very confident.
If Lv Xia had not developed a certain relationship with Xue Yan, as long as they gave her enough face and wrote one or two stunning poems, they might have a chance to win tonight. But at this time, it was not a matter of competition. Of course, it was not a good idea to hide outside and wait until the performance was over, as Yuan Jin'er said. Ning Yi went up and talked to Li Pin with a smile, and Li Pin also laughed.
"Haha, no wonder you are full of confidence. I have been suspicious for a long time. So that's why." She smiled, but her attitude was optimistic. After chatting with Ning Yi for a while, she took out a pen and paper to write the second poem and handed it to the woman next to her. The poem was neither satire nor complaint, but still a poem to support Lv Xia. Then, Lv Xia's second performance began. After the performance, the Xue family paid 200 taels of silver, and the Su family paid 300 taels of silver. They were waiting for Lv Xia's choice.
When the final result was announced, there was an uproar in the hall as usual. Several members of the Su family were also somewhat indignant. Not long after, Xue Yan, Xue Jin, Liu Qingdi, and others came to greet him together with Lv Xia. From Lv Xia's point of view, it was natural that she had written about how much the Su family loved her. Xue Yan and the others were laughing happily.
"Haha, I'm sure Miss Lu is in a difficult position today. Choosing one side will definitely make the other side unhappy. Wen Xing, Wen Ji, we've been friends for many years, so I'd like to apologize first. If you're angry, feel free to anger me. Ah Xia is in a difficult situation after all. You don't have to take this matter to heart … "
Xue Yan's words were meant to block the anger of the Su family for Lv Xia, but in fact, it was nothing more than to disgust them and show an attitude of "I'm not angry". Everyone seemed to be chatting happily and harmoniously. Wen Xing, Wen Ji, and the others could only show an open-minded expression here, but their eyes were focused on the situation in the hall. At this time, most of the people's gazes were actually on them.
While Lv Xia was apologizing and Xue Yan and the others were talking, Li Pin also raised his wine cup and said with a smile, "We've long known about the friendship between Brother Xue and Miss Lu. Today's matter is a happy ending, and I'm very comforted. I wonder when Brother Xue will marry Miss Lu. It can be considered as a happy marriage, and this is a meaningful thing … "
"Brother Li … Why do you say that …" Hearing Li Pin's words, Su Wenxing and the others were a little confused, but they naturally put on a knowing smile on their faces. But Xue Yan and Lv Xia's faces slightly changed. They knew the inside story. If Li Pin really knew the relationship between them, others would probably say that the Su family was willing to help Lv Xia even though they knew that they would lose, and the Xue family was stingy. Lv Xia's side was even more troublesome. If she really married into the Xue family, this opinion would probably be confirmed. If so, the possibility of her marrying into the Xue family would probably be cut off.
The light was a little dim. Hearing Li Pin's words, Liu Qingdi came out and raised his cup, "Thanks for your auspicious words, Brother Li. Today's matter is indeed tolerated by the Su family. If Liheng also has a poem, I'm afraid I really dare not to make a poem to show my incompetence. At that time, it's really hard to say which side Miss Lu will choose … "
This disturbing words didn't have much effect, because Ning Yi, whom he mentioned, was now standing by the railing and looking down at the stage. Lv Xia didn't feel at ease because of this. Her expression was slightly perturbed as she stared at Li Pin. Li Pin then sighed, raised his wine cup, and drained it in one gulp. He smiled and didn't speak anymore. When he turned his head to look at Ning Yi, his gaze also looked down. Not long after, Xue Yan, Xue Jin, Su Wenxing, Lv Xia, and the others also turned their heads to look down.
The sound of stringed instruments had been quietly sounded since just now.
In the still noisy hall, what appeared in the eyes of the audience was a somewhat dark stage. A woman in white sat in the center of the stage, gently stroking the zither in front of her. Her long hair was tied up behind her head and poured down, and her white skirt stretched out on the stage like a lotus. The sound of the zither was tinkling, and the soft and comfortable feeling was mixed with the voices of the audience.
On the second floor, the conversation between the Xue family and the Su family was the focus. At this time, more people had already looked up at the stage, and the noise gradually turned into whispers, as if being smoothed by the soft and slow sound of the zither. Unconsciously, the sound of the zither seemed to become clearer and clearer, and the hall had become quieter and quieter.
The woman looked as if she was painted on the stage in ink. Her slender fingers played the zither softly, and there was a kind of elegant and attractive temperament in it. Her face was covered with a veil, and when she slightly lowered her head, only her indifferent and leisurely eyes and pink lips could be seen. Although her whole appearance couldn't be seen clearly, there was no doubt that she was a very outstanding and beautiful woman. It seemed that she didn't care too much about the audience in the hall. Instead, it seemed that she was playing the zither leisurely in an uninhabited mountain or lake.
Perhaps only a few people could understand the appeal of the figure in a short moment.
"Who is this?"
At the railing on the second floor, Xue Jin asked softly. Of course, he was asking Lv Xia, but Lv Xia also shook her head with some doubts. Xue Yan looked at several people around him and whispered, "What song is this?"
Liu Qingdi frowned at this time and subconsciously glanced at Ning Yi. He saw that Ning Yi tilted his head and looked down, and his fingers gently tapped on the railing. He shook his head and said, "It seems that I have heard it before, but … it's hard to be sure at this time …"
"It's like Shuidiao Getou …" Lv Xia replied softly.
"This song has been sung everywhere some time ago. I have heard it at least 20 times, if not 10 times. This melody …" Someone whispered, "Did she play it wrong?"
These words were not very confident. Before the voice fell, the woman on the stage finally raised her head. Her clear eyes swept across the audience, and only paused for a moment on the second floor. Behind the veil, the song came out leisurely.
"When will the moon be bright …"
Shuidiao Getou.
This music had been sung countless times in Jiangning for nearly a year. For many regulars of the brothel, there was not much novelty. However, the song this time was not the same as usual. It still followed the structure of the previous song, but the song gave people the feeling that it was leisurely and ethereal. During this period, it did not lose the grandeur of the lyrics, making it difficult for people to determine whether this voice was orthodox or deviant. For a moment, the hall was filled with whispers, and after a while, it quieted down. These people had probably realized that this song was good, and if they had anything to say, it was better to listen to it first before saying anything else.
Of course, no matter how the tune changed, the next line was always the same.
That was: "Holding a cup of wine, I ask the clear sky."
*****
"I don't know the palace in the sky, what year is it tonight … I want to ride the wind back, but I fear the jade palace …"
Not many people in the hall spoke. The sound of the guqin and the song affected everything around it at this moment. White clothes, guqin, long hair, veil, in the clear and melodious sound of the song, this scene was like a pure fairy, affecting and impacting the audience. The music was different from usual, and the singing was also different from usual, but it was not deviant. The framework was still the same, but every turn, every trill, every rise and fall of the tune seemed to have its own soul. With the ethereal and beautiful voice, it impressively created a new mood that belonged to itself.
"It's lonely at the top, dancing with the clear shadow, how is it like in the human world …"
After the song, the woman smiled slightly and focused on the guqin again. Ning Yi, on the second floor, saw her seemingly inadvertent gaze just now, and gently shook his head. Of course, this did not disturb the quiet and peaceful smile in the eyes of the woman below. She had not done these things for three years, and there was actually no need to do it.
Before this, Ning Yi had never really heard Nie Yunzhu sing in the ancient way. But he knew how this song came about. Ning Yi had taught her about the modern singing method of Shui Diao Getou, and he also told her that he liked this way of singing. She actually did not think much of it, but she never refuted it until this song. It was like two songs were blended together in an almost magical way, but it did not give people any sense of abruptness.
"It's as high as several floors …"
"At least on this matter, whether it's the various poems and songs, or the folk songs that you mentioned just now, if Yunzhu can't do it, I'm afraid that not many people in the entire Jiangning City can do it …"
Thinking of the words she said when she was playful or full of confidence, and her hesitant expression when she heard his songs, Ning Yi probably understood at this time. But now, he could only quietly listen to the song like others.
"Turning the vermilion pavilion, low and beautiful house, illuminating the sleepless night … There should be no hatred, why is everything round when parting …"
On the other hand, in a window on the side of the hall, Yuan Jin 'er looked at the figure on the stage, quietly listening to the song. Behind her, Mother Chen was also listening, but at some time, she frowned and said, "This is Yunzhu …"
She had also listened to Nie Yunzhu's music in the past, and also listened to it at a professional level. Once in the Golden Wind Pavilion, Nie Yunzhu's attainments in this aspect were excellent, but in fact, at least in temperament, it was a kind of artistic conception that others liked. For example, Lu Caicai also had a similar temperament, but Lu Caicai's temperament flowed with self-pity, after all, it was still not as cold and aloof as Nie Yunzhu.
But at this time, that coldness was gone, and the once somewhat alienated arrogance had also disappeared. Instead, it was like a natural and gentle stream, warmly enveloping everything, moistening everything silently. Almost not many people were willing to disturb such a song and artistic conception. She didn't need to overwhelm everything with a high-profile attitude when she came on stage, but like … there was no need for controversy at all, directly affecting everyone …
There was no need to compare with Lv Xia and the others, because they were not on the same level or system at all.
"People have joys and sorrows, the moon waxes and wanes, this matter is difficult to understand …"
The woman smiled and sang this song happily. Soon after, when she gently opened her lips to sing the two lines of "I hope people live long, a thousand miles together", it seemed that there was a sense of reluctance. Her voice and the sound of the zither stopped after a long time. She lowered her head and sat there quietly, waiting for a long time. Finally, the applause sounded.
The voices were mixed with the applause, and some people on the first and second floor began to ask the woman next to them about the origin of the person on stage, or excitedly began to discuss with the people around them to let her come over.
In such a voice, the woman stood up from the stage, smiled and bowed slightly, but did not speak to express her gratitude. Then she walked to one side of the stage, but not to the backstage, where Lv Xia came from just now. She poured a glass of wine on the small table next to her and sent it to Xue Yan. At this time, the woman also took a porcelain cup from above, but did not touch the wine pot. Instead, she walked to the side and poured a cup of tea.
In the hall, people looked at this scene with slight confusion, and in the midst of whispers, they watched the next development …
*****
Today was not Singles' Day, so there was no need to express complaints, it was better to wish lovers a happy ending.
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