Royal Princess Duanjia liked to try new things, but Chu Lian wasn’t too interested. However, seeing the curiosity on Royal Princess Duanjia’s face, she accompanied her in having a cup.
Royal Princess Duanjia nodded. Her handmaid then took a cup of mead and tasted it. After making sure there was nothing wrong with it, she signalled for the waiter to pour more for the two ladies.
Chu Lian took a small sip. The mead was sweet and mellow, and even had a hint of grape flavour.
She hadn’t expected the taste of it to be just like the waiter had described: excellent. The taste of alcohol was light, so it was perfectly suited for women. It didn’t lose out to Yuehong Restaurant’s fruit wine at all.
When the waiter left the room, Royal Princess Duanjia drank a few more mouthfuls of the mead. Honey water was a little too mild to suit her tastes. Conversely, this mead was just right to her liking.
The two of them began to discuss the songs that were performed in Defeng Teahouse daily. Just as Royal Princess Duanjia mentioned that the song for today, ‘The Phoenix Seeks His Soulmate’, was only performed once a month, a light tinkling could be heard from the main hall. Then, the music began to play.
Royal Princess Duanjia ordered her handmaid to open the windows and let down the curtains. From the gaps in the curtains, they looked towards the main hall and saw that the performance had indeed started.
Royal Princess Duanjia found it strange and asked, “It’s not supposed to be time yet, so why has the performance already started?”
Chu Lian had never come to this teahouse before, and could only shake her head in confusion.
She had no temperament for music at all. The best she could do was tell if the song was nice. If she had to point out why it was nice, she probably wouldn’t be able to give an answer, regardless of whether she listened to the song once, twice, or even ten times!
As for tunes or notes, just forget it.
Chu Lian took a sip of mead and acted like she understood. In actuality, who cared if it was the phoenix seeking its mate or the mate seeking its phoenix? It didn’t matter to her if the performance time was moved forward, nor did it even occur to her that the song could have a hidden meaning.
It was the handmaid by Royal Princess Duanjia’s side who gasped in shock. She said quietly, “Princess, Third Young Madam, it seems like it’s not the usual performer today.”
The sounds of music filled with emotion rose through the air. The notes were struck precisely; just by listening, anyone could tell that the player was extremely skilled at the guqin.
Royal Princess Duanjia laughed. “A song only played once a month couldn’t possibly be performed by the usual musician; wouldn’t they play it all the time if they could? I’m afraid it must be some lovelorn idiot borrowing this chance to confess his love!”
Royal Princess Duanjia hit the nail on the head. It wasn’t the first or second time that someone had used ‘The Phoenix Seeks His Soulmate’ to confess at Defeng Teahouse. Everyone knew that it was extremely flattering for a lady if she got a confession from a gentleman at Defeng Teahouse.
Chu Lian looked up, her eyes shining. Who could have imagined that a simple song could have such an interesting story behind it? How fun!
Women were the same in any time. Once they smelled gossip, their eyes would light up and they would become restless for it.
Chu Lian excitedly began to discuss all the old gossip in Defeng Teahouse with Royal Princess Duanjia. She was completely oblivious to the fact that the receiver of this emotional confession… was herself.
Xiao Bojian sat before the guqin, making sweet music with his fingertips, carrying his own emotions, hating that he couldn’t show his every lingering thought and emotion to that lady.
While imagining how touched and infatuated Chu Lian must be, a determined smile gathered on Xiao Bojian’s lips.
His long fingers elegantly stroked the strings of the guqin. He had assumed that Lian’er wouldn’t come to their meeting today, so he hadn’t had much hope. But who could have expected that she had actually come?
In the moment that he saw her, his heart had swelled with indescribable feelings. There was only one thought in his mind: Chu Lian still had feelings for him.
Although he couldn’t confess his love face-to-face, by borrowing the power of music, he could let her know of the restlessness in his heart and his longing for her.