“Why, how could the Second Jiang Miss possibly say so?” Princess Rongya was still smiling wholeheartedly, “Everyone knows that your guqin skills are unmatched. Why don’t we have you play a piece for us today? Previously, when Jiang furen had become renowned throughout the capital due to her mastery of the guqin, it was such a pity that we never got the opportunity to see her. With you playing a tune today, wouldn’t it be fortuitous for us to be able to see something spectacular?”
At the time, Xia Yan had been the most talented young lady in the capital. Her mastery over the guqin was truly something of perfection. Now, she had handed this guqin of hers over to Jiang Su Su, who was also renowned all over the land for her talent; this was undoubtedly decorating something that was already perfect. It wasn’t that Princess Rongya wasn’t envious of this. Only, she had always been crafty and shrewd, and therefore, understood that men were not fond of watching over the sinister and envious machinations of women; so if she could, why would she not try to appear more magnanimous in spirit? In addition, Jiang Su Su’s talent was truly incomparable to anyone else, and with that, this year’s rabbit lantern would steadily and rightfully land in her hands.
The noblewomen around them all echoed her request as some were hoping to see a lively show, some were offering some ingratiating flattery while some were truly hoping to hear her play. Wen Feifei frowned, “Indeed, she truly can play the guqin. Ruan meimei, have you heard your Second Sister play before?”
“I’ve not heard her before,” Jiang Ruan had a smile on her face as she continued, “however, her playing ought to be heavenly to hear; the sound can’t help but make one feel relaxed and refreshed.”
Lin Zi Xiang merely cold snorted, “It’s nothing much, just an act!”
Dong Yinger could only helplessly smile towards Jiang Ruan but Jiang Ruan did not deign to reply.
What was taking place now should be happening at the Lantern Festival in a few years, where Jiang Su Su’s guqin piece had a lofty, artistic mood, which was incomparably exquisite and elegant; that had truly been an extremely eye-catching performance. Moreover, with her own sorrowful figure and manner that served as a foil to Jiang Su Su; between the two daughters of the Jiang family, one was like a pure and maidenly snow fairy, while the other seemed like muddy soil, extremely dirty. With that, such rumours were then quietly spread among all the nobility in the capital.
At this moment, Jiang Su Su was dressed in white clothes and adorned with simple yet elegant accessories- all these served to highlight that neat and elegant little face of hers, making it seem exceptionally dainty. Therefore, among the numerous young ladies present, she seemed unusually virtuous. With a smile bursting forth from her face, she said, “since everyone has agreed, then I will show my poor skills and can only hope that it will not sully everyone’s ears.”
With her sort of modest attitude, it immediately aroused a stretch of praise from everyone. Subsequently, a maidservant delivered an exquisite and precious guqin to her. Jiang Su Su then sat in front of the zither, closed her eyes and began to play[1].
[1] Kāishǐ fénxiāng ( 开始焚香 ) – In the ancient Chinese era, playing an instrument often meant lighting incense to begin creating a tranquil mind and serene environment. This is derived from the belief that the action of doing this creates a spirit and body that is one with the heavens. Therefore, in the original text, there is a use of beginning to burn an incense here.
On the Qing Song Boat, all eyes had fallen on this remarkably stunning and beautiful woman. Mo Cong lightly nudged Xiao Shao, “That would be the di daughter of Jiang Quan’s fu. Now in the entire capital, one cannot find anyone that can compare with her either in looks or talent. What do you think?”
Xiao Shao indifferently shot a glance towards Ling Long Boat and his expression remained cold and cheerless. Mo Cong was unable to evoke a satisfactory reply and feeling embarrassed, turned his head around to continue looking over Jiang Su Su’s performance.
“Zheng!” With that one sound, the sounds of the zither pierced through the skies as if similar to an unsheathed sharp sword. Jiang Su Su’s eyes fluttered open and her slender and beautiful fingers flew across the strings. Like a spotlessly snowy-white butterfly, the sweet sounds from her zither trickled into everyone’s ears. What she was playing was a piece called ‘Serene Orchid’[2].
[2] Serene Orchid: you can listen here.
The sounds from the guqin were worldly and melodious, and as it flowed, there was not even the slightest trace of pause, thus, the music seemed even more tranquil and distant. With her dressing in white attire today, in the dazzled gazes of the audience, they seemed to feel as if they had seen an elegant and refined orchid perched upon a mountain ravine that was expressing its faint worries and grievances. All this could not help but make one feel tender affection in their hearts.
The intentions behind choosing this tune were brilliant; firstly, it had highlighted the lofty and unsullied fairy-like temperament of Jiang Su Su’s and secondly, it also made the audience attach some importance to her and her worth as an individual. Who wouldn’t be fond of such a girl that remained unchanged and unsoiled from all the turmoil and temptations from the secular world?
Xu Ruoxi slightly frowned; all of the people present had been deeply immersed in this guqin tune of the ‘Mountain Ravine Orchid’. Yet, Jiang Ruan was the only one who had leaned against the window as she gazed upon the flowing river outside.
Indeed, Jiang Su Su had her name resounding across the capital just like it happened similarly in her previous life. However, she was unsure if she (JSS) could truly bear such a huge recognition upon her shoulders.
As expected, just after one song, there were some youthful gentlemen in the Qing Song Boat that had taken the initiative to applaud, “This song should have only been possible to hear and exist in the heavens, it is a rare chance to hear such a piece on earth!”
Everyone echoed in agreement and for a moment, Ling Long Boat too had been aflutter with compliments.
Jiang Su Su’s charming face had reddened and once more, she had returned to her seat.
With narrowed eyes, the Fifth Prince glanced at Jiang Su Su and a trace of dazzlement flashed through those pupils of his, “The Second Young Lady of the Jiang family has a good appearance and in addition to that, has this sort of matchless talent.”
“Truly a woman of elegance and purity like an orchid.” Xuan Li had given rare praise.
The Fifth Prince had glanced at him, “Lao Ba, if she is to your liking, then why don’t you have Father Emperor give an edict and marry her home.”
Xuan Li shook his head, “People can only admire lotuses from afar, but should not so lightly dally with them[3].”
[3] Kě yuàn guān bù kě xiè wán yān ( 可远观不可亵玩焉 ) – From an essay called ‘The theory of the love of lotuses’ by a neo-Confucian scholar, it describes through a prose about how lotuses should have the universal love by everyone and how it is a lofty and pure flower. It also describes how girls would always somehow have a spot of them unchanged and would be able to preserve the purity of the heart. In addition, it also refers to how girls’ hearts are hard to predict. Therefore, admiring a girl from afar is when she is the most beautiful, however, when one plucks her down out of the desire to possess, this would then destroy that beauty and become unattainable.
“The Second Young Miss of the Jiang family is indeed the prettiest lady in the capital.” The Fifth Prince remarked, “If one does not plan to get a headstart and have her set in one’s own sights while she’s still young, perhaps she might even be snatched up quickly since the quick-footed climb up first. This sort of young woman, even if it was just to place them in one’s home to admire, that too would make one perfectly contented.”
Princess Rongya spoke smilingly, “With this piece from the Second Young Lady of the Jiang family, my sisters[4] and I, if one were to compare, would truly be ashamed to meet people with our own skills.”
[4] Jiěmèimen ( 姐妹们 ) – Sisters. A general affectionate term for women of the same generation.
“Jiejie is jesting with me.” Jiang Su Su said, “Sisters are all being gracious on account of my young age, and can’t bear to have me embarrass myself and therefore have sung such praises about me.”
“Look, look, look,” Princess Rongya covered her mouth as she chuckled, “this mouth of yours is truly so sweet, however, we certainly did not yield to you, you truly did play extremely well. However, with such skills of yours on the guqin, the person that goes next will truly be at a disadvantage. So is there anyone who wants to go next?”
The noblewomen on Ling Long Boat looked at each other but they did not speak a word. At this point of deadlock, Jiang Su Su suddenly tilted her head slightly, looked towards Jiang Ruan and commented, “Da Jiejie, you are superb at dancing right, today is your first time coming to the Lantern Festival after returning to the capital. Why don’t you let everyone get to know you and show your dancing skills, how about that?”
Everyone gradually turned their gazes towards Jiang Su Su then suddenly, returned back to Jiang Ruan.
On Qing Song Boat, Mo Cong doubtfully said, “Sigh, how could the Second Young Lady of the Jiang family let that big sister of hers who has just returned from the countryside dance, wouldn’t she be making a fool of herself? Although she has a pretty good family background, she probably has not learnt the four arts before.”
Jiang Ruan turned around and with a slight semblance of a smile, she looked at Jiang Su Su in the eyes, “Dance?”
That’s right, the large boat was travelling along the river and occasionally, there would be bumps. Although the hull of the ship was spacious, still if one were to dance on the ship, the vessel might have only been rocking but one would very easily fall into the water.
In her previous life, Jiang Su Su had also made an open and candid suggestion to have Jiang Ruan dance. However, it was such a pity that she had been completely unaware of the rules in the capital’s aristocratic circle and truly thought that a dance from the countryside could be shown off on stage. So she had then danced to a song in front of everyone. The hull shook and rocked; with one tragic dance that one couldn’t bear to watch, it made the audience sneer incessantly. Finally, to top it off, till this day she was unsure who had stepped onto the end of her skirt and with one stumble, she had slipped into the water. That incident had made her become a huge mockery and a joke to everyone. Adding onto that, when she had been fished out of the water, she was still drenched, however, the icing on the cake for all this was the handkerchief with a man’s love poem written on it that fell out of her clothes.
Through and through, it had truly been a joke.
Now, Jiang Su Su was planning on making her reenact this mockery once more, right?
Jiang Su Su could feel that she had been stared at by Jiang Ruan with that charming pair of eyes of hers. She felt that the intentions she seemed to have did not remain unknown and concealed to her sister and subconsciously, she retreated a step backwards, “Da Jiejie?”
At the next second, Jiang Ruan had already recovered her smile and indifferently answered, “My dancing is no good. Since ermei wants to see, I could just dance for ermei alone, wouldn’t that be great?”
This comment of hers was truly baffling. To one’s surprise, that stance of hers was certainly incomparably brassy and in comparison to Jiang Su Su who evoked one’s feelings of pity for her, Jiang Ruan’s beautiful and alluring appearance possessed its own regal flavour.
Many people’s gazes were thus attracted by that attitude and posture of hers. On Qing Song Boat, when Xiao Shao heard her voice, he too slowly fixed his eyes on her.
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