Mu Qingyao stood up slowly, her demeanor radiating a chilling aura. The wind stirred the veil covering her face, revealing glimpses of her delicate features. Her eyes, like pools of water, seemed to hold a universe of secrets.
Tiny rhinestones adorned her eyes, sparkling brilliantly and adding to her ethereal grace. Her flowing gauze gown lent her an otherworldly air, as if she were a celestial being descended upon the mortal realm, utterly devoid of worldly taint.
The hall fell into a profound silence, as if everyone had been bewitched, frozen in place. It was only after Qingyao completed a few elegant circuits of the stage and turned gracefully that the men snapped back to reality. Enthusiastic applause erupted, accompanied by the clatter of bidding tokens. In an instant, the high platform was carpeted with them.
At this point, the other twenty-odd women in the hall also took notice of her.
Many cast jealous glances, especially two women from the Xiuhua Tower. A fleeting sharpness flashed in their eyes, and their lips curved into a mocking smile.
They refused to believe that the title of courtesan of the year would fall to anyone else, not when they had their esteemed patrons.
Next came the second round of competition: music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, participants could choose any one.
As before, they began from the front. Whether it was due to the young men being disheartened or some other reason, their performances on stage were far from stellar. The zither music was out of tune, eliciting looks of disappointment from the men below, completely killing the mood. In the end, no more tokens were thrown.
Those who painted also showed a decline in their usual skill. In short, many had already lost hope by the second round. The only ones left to compete with Qingyao were those from Xiuhua Tower.
The three young men from Xiuhua Tower were divided: one for music, one for dance, and one for calligraphy.
Ru Yin chose dance. Her movements were elegant and captivating, her graceful form weaving vivid, fragrant flowers on the high platform. A gentle breeze seemed to wish her away, truly a dance of rare beauty. Watching her perform, Qingyao couldn't help but recall Ji Feng, the Crown Princess of the Danfeng Kingdom, whose dance skills were astonishing, yet she met a tragic fate.
Ru Yin's dance and Ji Feng's could be considered comparable, on par with each other.
As the dance ended, the hall erupted in a torrent of cheers, surging like a tidal wave.
Ru Yin showed no signs of excitement; on the contrary, she appeared even more detached. She bowed gracefully to the audience and retreated from the stage.
Next was Qingyao's turn. She naturally chose the zither, playing her own Huangwei Qin. Of course, today she would not employ her soul-stirring music. Instead, she simply played a piece called "High Mountains and Flowing Water"…
Her slender fingers danced across the Huangwei Qin. Her eyes were slightly lowered, the gentle breeze stirring her gauze gown and the veil on her face, causing them to flutter softly. She seemed to melt into the breeze.
The zither's melody was melodious, like jade pearls cascading onto a plate, pleasing to the ear. It flowed like a stream, fresh and sweet, then soared like a blue cloud into the heavens, flying to the ninth sky.
Lost in a trance, the crowd was immersed in the music. In their minds, they saw countless jade pearls bouncing, heard clear streams flowing, and then saw them ascend to the blue sky and fly to the nine heavens. They felt as if they were riding the clouds, floating ethereally, not quite immortals, but surpassing them.
As the final note faded, everyone remained lost in the moment. It wasn't until the first wave of applause landed that the entire hall erupted in a thunderous ovation that seemed to last forever.
Qingyao descended with the Qin in her arms. The winner of the Green Courtesan competition was now self-evident.
The young courtesans of Chunfeng Tower had emerged victorious, a turn of events that surprised everyone.
Especially the people from Xiuhua Tower, from the madam down to the young men, were furious. However, their anger was of no avail; they could only await the final round.
The final round was actually the affair of the princes and nobles, the high officials and esteemed lords. Those holding red plaques would personally present them to the woman they favored. Naturally, the more red plaques one received, the greater the chance of winning.
However, in the past, high officials and esteemed lords disdained such actions. Moreover, it was ultimately an unseemly affair. Who would willingly expose themselves to such a situation?
Even in the Qingluo Kingdom, where customs were more open, men ultimately felt that women from these brothels did not hold such importance. Therefore, in previous years, high officials and esteemed lords had merely sent others to deliver the red plaques. It remained to be seen what the scene would be like this year.
A hushed silence fell upon the hall's surroundings.
On the high platform, the women looked up expectantly. Knowing it was unlikely, they still held out hope that someone might appear.
Qingyao, however, was the opposite. Her expression was one of detachment. Frankly, whether those people appeared or not was unimportant. Given the current situation, her victory was undeniable. The final round would make little difference.
But then, a stir arose, and someone actually descended from a private room.
A man, with half his hair covering his face, bewitching and ice-cold, slowly walked onto the high platform. The moment he appeared, everyone on the stage felt a tightness in their chests, a wave of panic rising from the depths of their hearts to the crowns of their heads.
Although half his face was obscured, the other half was unimaginably beautiful. A touch of scarlet begonia at the corner of his eye was captivatingly vibrant. The hair that hid his face exuded an unfathomable mystery, prompting hushed speculations.
Was the hidden half of his face as exquisite as the revealed portion? What peerless elegance would that be?
Yet, he was enveloped in an aura of aloofness, discouraging any further fanciful thoughts.
His expression was impassive as he strode forward and, under the gaze of the crowd, walked directly to Mu Qingyao. At this moment, Qingyao was lost in thought, only sensing a shadow falling over her. It took a long moment for her to react.
Only when gasps of surprise rippled through the surrounding crowd did she snap back to reality, realizing someone was standing before her.
She looked up and saw a cold, alluring, and exceptionally handsome man standing before her. His demeanor was one of utter detachment, and his dark eyes seemed to hold a pool of seawater, so deep that their depths were unfathomable.
Yet, for a fleeting moment, she detected a flicker of pain in his gaze, like a flow of bleeding sorrow. When she looked closer, there was nothing.
It seemed her imagination had run wild. How could such a cold and unfeeling person harbor such emotions?
"Thank you."
Qingyao stood up and accepted the red plaque from Yin Xuan. It was kind of him to deliver it personally. She had a strange feeling that they knew each other, yet no such person came to mind.
Yin Xuan said nothing. As she lowered her head, he looked at her deeply.
The pain in his heart was so clear.
I do not ask for us to be together, only to know that you are well.
I hope that one day, when I quietly depart, you will occasionally remember me.
I only wish for your happiness…
"It's nothing," his husky voice echoed. He turned and walked off the high platform. When Qingyao looked up again, she only caught a glimpse of his tall back. The silhouette of that back seemed somehow familiar. Who was he, exactly?
Yin Xuan's appearance caused a great stir. Many did not recognize the man, but since he possessed a red plaque, even if he wasn't a high official or esteemed lord, he was clearly a man of great wealth. Furthermore, this was the most unexpected turn of events in the history of the Green Courtesan competition.