74: Chapter 72: Unparalleled Beauty 74: Chapter 72: Unparalleled Beauty Jiang Youyao gracefully ascended the verification platform.
It was the beginning of August, and although it was the peak of summer, today the weather was pleasant.
It had rained all night, yet the sky hadn’t cleared up.
Blowing in the cool morning breeze, Jiang Youyao looked like a budding flower in the early morning, delicate and brightly trembling into bloom like a pink lotus.
Ji Shuran had dressed her up specially for today, with her clothes colored like the glimmer of dawn, she brought life and charm to the morning.
She was like the genuine daughter of a noble, official family, every move she made was exquisite and dainty.
The noble ladies around timely cast envious glances at Ji Shuran who responded with a smile and a nod.
This also brought pride to the Ji family on the other end—as their granddaughter was so outstanding, it was no wonder that Consort Li was treated differently by Emperor Hongxiao.
Zhou Yanbang was also amidst the crowd.
After Jiang Youyao went up on stage, whether intentional or not, she glanced in his direction.
Seeming shy, she quickly looked away after just a glimpse.
However, the busybodies noticed this interaction, and immediately began joking with Zhou Yanbang, egging him on, “Miss Jiang the Third has gone up!”
Jiang Youyao’s betrothal to the Heir of Marquis Ningyuan, Zhou Yanbang, was well-known among the official families of Yanjing City.
Zhou Yanbang forced a smile, although it seemed somewhat strained.
The lovely lady still appeared as lively and charming as before, yet his heart had flown elsewhere.
He couldn’t help but look in another direction, toward Jiang Li.
However, Jiang Li was turned to the side, talking to a friend and hadn’t noticed his gaze at all.
At that moment, Zhou Yanbang felt a surge of bittersweet emotion.
He suddenly understood what the joy of unrequited love was—more tormenting than anything else, yet also more anticipation-provoking than anything else.
In fact, Jiang Li had noticed Zhou Yanbang’s gaze.
She found it both annoying and amusing.
The real Second Miss Jiang had fallen into the water and passed away because of Zhou Yanbang.
If Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion had shown even the slightest concern for their future bride, perhaps even just a simple inquiry, Second Miss Jiang’s life might not have been so difficult.
Regrettably, they did not, and now with Second Miss Jiang long gone, Zhou Yanbang was still acting the lovestruck fool, which was simply nauseating.
Jiang Li didn’t even want to pay him any attention.
While she was thinking, Liu Xu suddenly said, “Look, it’s about to start.”
On the platform, Jiang Youyao had just finished washing her hands, and she did this so naturally and gracefully that Jiang Li thought, at least Jiang Youyao’s demeanor when playing zither music was quite impressive.
Immediately after, Jiang Youyao smiled charmingly and her fingers touched the seven-string zither, plucking the first string.
Jiang Li said, “It’s ‘Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank’.”
Liu Xu was startled, “How do you know?”
Before the words fully escaped her, Jiang Youyao’s fingertip played the zither like Flowing Water cascading down, and indeed, the music was ‘Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank’.
Liu Xu was dumbfounded and asked, “Have you heard Jiang Youyao play this at the mansion before?
Did you know in advance that she was going to play this piece?”
“I didn’t know.”
“Then how did you know she was playing ‘Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank’?
She had only just started.”
“You can tell by her movements, and besides, one note is enough.” Jiang Li said it very casually.
However, Liu Xu didn’t take it lightly, she looked Jiang Li up and down for a while before whispering, “Don’t lie to me, you must have also learned zither music before, right?
Maybe you’re quite good at it?
But how could there be a zither music teacher on Green City Mountain?
Could it be you’re a prodigy?”
Jiang Li found this somewhat amusing and irritating, “It’s not that difficult.”
She realized someone was staring at her.
Looking outside, she caught Ye Shijie’s gaze from a distance.
Upon being seen, Ye Shijie immediately averted his eyes, surprising Jiang Li even more.
After Ye Shijie looked away, he felt that his previous action was like trying to hide something and became annoyed with himself.
Thinking it was foolish of him to worry about Jiang Li making a fool of herself today, considering she was so scheming and always had an ace up her sleeve, who knew what sort of inconceivable thing she would do today?
He wondered why he was bothering himself with such trifles.
“Brother Ye, what are you looking at?” someone next to him spoke up; it was none other than the Right Chancellor’s youngest son, Li Lian.
Ye Shijie turned back and said, “Just looking around.” Ever since Jiang Li had cautioned him that Liu Zimin had a good relationship with Li Lian and that Li Lian might have ulterior motives in befriending him, Ye Shijie had deliberately distanced himself from Li Lian.
Li Lian noticed Ye Shijie’s attitude, simply smiled without commenting, and when Ye Shijie turned his head away, his eyes flashed with an investigative glint.