Duke Jing's younger sister

Chapter 124 All the Strings Are Broken

Shen Li didn't know that the person who least wanted her to win the championship was not Han Yunning, but Luo Jue, who had placed a heavy bet.

"Han Yunning is a famous talented woman in Jiangdu City. Although you play the piano well, compared with her..."

Shen Zhiyan paused, "Let's go find our brother and ask him to rearrange your position so that you are farther away from Han Yunning, so that it won't be too embarrassing."

Shen Li was speechless. After all the fuss, it turned out that he was afraid that she would lose too badly and wanted to save some face for her?

"My dear sister, thank you so much!" Shen Li said helplessly.

People on the field went up one after another and came down one after another.

Shen Zhiyan propped her elbows on the table and said in boredom, "These pianos and flutes sound nice, but there's nothing to it."

The word "le" is similar to "tea".

Some people love tea, while others are not.

Just like music, some people can immerse themselves in it, while others just feel it is noisy.

Soon, it was Han Yunning's turn.

Having won the championship for four consecutive years and being the daughter of Prime Minister Han, she was naturally highly regarded by the Queen Mother.

"I'm afraid Yun Ning will steal my prize again this year."

The queen smiled and glanced at Emperor Hongyang, then turned around and glanced at her hair bun, "Is that crabapple hairpin on her temple the first prize I set last year?"

Han Yunning smiled and knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, this is exactly what you gave me last year. I like it very much and I wish I could wear it every day."

There was a noble lady present who was displeased with her and rolled her eyes at her.

You wear it every day, why don’t you take it into the coffin?

As the head of the harem, the queen had heard this kind of compliment many times, so she just smiled faintly and said, "This year's first prize is even more colorful than this Begonia hairpin. You have to work hard."

"Yes, Queen."

Han Yunning sat down in front of the piano. She raised her bare hands lightly, turned the axis and plucked the strings a few times.

The piece played was the ancient song "Pingsha Luoyan" from the previous dynasty.

After a prelude, the piano sound flows out like a gurgling stream, sometimes low and gentle, sometimes high and passionate, like weeping and complaining, with lingering sound.

“I think I’ve heard this song before.”

Shen Zhiyan frowned slightly, "Ah Li, was this the song you played at the birthday banquet at Luo Mansion?"

"Second sister is not mistaken." Shen Li smiled and said, "It is this song 'Pingsha Luoyan'."

Everyone was intoxicated by the wonderful piano music, and when the song ended, thunderous applause broke out.

"Good! This song should only exist in heaven, how many times can it be heard in the world?"

The person who raised his voice to praise was the second prince Xiao Wenche.

Luo Jue made two "tsk tsk" sounds, and covered his lips with his fan.

"You said that the Second Prince did not even try to hide his little thoughts. Seeing that the marriage between the Han family and you was broken off, he just stuck to it."

"Even if the emperor agrees, Prime Minister Han will not agree."

Shen Beiqi said casually, his eyes following Shen Li's figure.

After Han Yunning left, it was Shen Li's turn.

She walked onto the stage at a leisurely pace, twirling the hem of her skirt, and Xingping placed the piano in place.

There was an exclamation from the crowd.

"Is that the Jinghong Qin?"

"Is it the zither that the late emperor gave to Old Lady Luo?"

A young man in a dark black robe stood behind the crowd, his eyes fixed on the zither.

Thinking of the past, a hint of loss flashed in his narrow eyes.

"Good luck to the Emperor, and long life to the Empress." Shen Li knelt down and saluted.

The smile on the queen's face faded a little.

At the last palace banquet, it was because of Shen Li that Wushuang committed such a disaster.

Not only was he beaten with a stick, he was also confined to his room for a long time.

A gaze filled with resentment came from the side of the Queen. Shen Li knew it was the Fourth Princess Xiao Wushuang without even looking up.

She also felt very innocent.

She is obviously a victim too.

Could it be that just because Shen Beiqi rescued her quickly and didn't hurt her, she was wrong?

"I've never seen Miss Shen San come to participate in the Zhengyang Conference in previous years. Why did she change her mind today and be willing to join us for fun?" The Queen's tone was light, but it carried an inexplicable sense of pressure.

Shen Beiqi frowned slightly and subconsciously clenched the teacup in his hand.

"I heard that the Queen would select the finest jewelry as a prize every year. This year, she took great pains to pick out a top-notch prize. I am grateful to the Queen for not abandoning my stupidity and giving me a chance."

Shen Li found it very interesting.

It is obvious that these people in high positions disbelieve flattery the most, but they like to hear flattery.

"So, Miss Shen San, what piece are you going to play today?"

She raised her eyes slightly, her eyes were clear and bright, "Pingsha Luoyan."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was an uproar and people in the audience were whispering to each other.

"Did Miss Shen San do this on purpose?"

"There are so many songs, but he had to play the same ones as Miss Han. I'm afraid no one would believe him if he said it wasn't intentional!"

"Miss Han has been ranked first for four consecutive years. She is too arrogant!"

The spectators behind her were not far away from Shen Li, and some of their words could even float clearly into her ears.

After listening to it over and over again, it just means the same thing.

'Miss Shen San can't beat Han Yunning!'

Shen Li curled the corners of her lips. If it was calligraphy, she really wasn't sure she could win.

But her father taught her to play the piano.

Jiang Minzhi of Changzhou was not only a literary master, but also had higher attainments in music.

It would be a real joke if she lost to Han Yunning.

Shen Li sat down in front of the piano, stretched out her slender jade fingers, and gently plucked the strings.

However, before the prelude ended, the strings suddenly made a harsh sound.

After a few bangs, the sound of the piano was forcibly interrupted, just like the water in a long river suddenly stopped, and all seven strings broke.

Shen Li turned over her palm and saw a tiny blood mark on her fingertips.

"Ah—" a woman screamed from the audience, "The string is broken!"

"This is the Jinghong Qin, it won't break so easily!"

"Someone must have done it on purpose, otherwise how could all the strings be broken without a single string left?"

"Destroying something bestowed by the Emperor is a serious crime. Who would be so bold?"

Everyone was talking about it. Shen Li raised her eyes and looked at Han Yunning under the awning in the distance.

She sat in the shade with a smile on her lips. The maid peeled the grapes for her and passed them to her fingertips.

Only Shen Li could understand the deep meaning contained in that smile.

"Miss Shen San, is this Jinghong Qin broken?" The Queen looked at the broken strings and said regretfully, "What a pity."

Luo Yan squeezed through the crowd to the front, looked closely at the broken Jinghong, and realized something was wrong.

Although this zither looks very similar to Jinghong, it is not Jinghong.

Looking at Shen Li's calm expression, I think she must have done it on purpose.

As expected, Shen Li smiled slightly, bowed to the emperor and empress, and said, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I have never said that this harp is the Jinghong Harp."

Everyone present was stunned.

That’s right. After Miss Shen San came on stage, she did not say that the zither she was using today was the Jinghong given to her by the late emperor.

No one has ever seen the Jinghong Qin, so who took the lead in saying that Miss Shen San damaged the Jinghong Qin?

She turned around and locked onto a light pink figure in the crowd.

"My dear girl, I never said that this zither is Jinghong. Why did you just blurt out that my zither is Jinghong?"