TCN: Mei Gongqing

Chapter 13: The Sensational Sonata

Chen Rong bowed her head, placed the zither on its table, and then lightly plucked the strings.

With the birth of the soaring music, the noisy crowd momentarily quieted down.

This translation belongs to hamster428.

Chen Rong did not look up.

She lightly plucked the strings to make music which flowed like wind and water. Like the moon in the sky, it quietly came and spilled over the sky.

All noises died out.

The group of girls turned around to look at Chen Rong.

At this time, Chen Rong's focus was entirely on the zither. Her features were as tranquil as vernal water though glowing and radiant – a beauty which appeared to be woven from both serenity and light.

Unknowingly, the crowd had been enraptured by her performance.

With their backgrounds, these youngsters must have had an excellent education. Even if they were not proficient in the four arts (2), they must've been taught at least the basics.

The four arts are music, chess, poetry, and painting.

As soon as Chen Rong's zither soared in the air, they knew her playing was extraordinary.

The zither has a tradition dating back to the times of Emperors Yao and Shun. Its sound is upright and elegant. It was the musical instrument most esteemed by contemporary scholars. Very few among the literati did not play this instrument. Without mentioning others, Qilang of the Wang house, Wang Hong, was an outstanding player.

Since their first meeting, from Chen Rong's approaching footsteps, Wang Hong had known her to be a zither player.

But he never imagined Chen Rong could play so well! A fifteen-year-old girl having such techniques, changing her notes so quickly – notes as smooth as the wind, boundless and vast – as if she was confiding in him her longing during their separation and her joy when they reunited. What's more, these feelings drifted like vernal wind and streaming water – at times affectionate, at times aloof – 'twas a sentimental piece.

That is to say, all scholars without exception wanted to express honor and elegance in their music. But this girl's zither playing had a striking ardor different from everyone else's.

Her playing was not any inferior to his.

Involuntarily, they all raised their heads. Wang Hong and a few others even closed their eyes to listen.

No one knew how long it lasted until those flowing zither notes gradually dissipated and vanished into oblivion.

Chen Rong slowly raised her head.

A ray of playful sunlight danced on her jade-white cheek as she quietly raised her midnight eyes to Wang Hong.

They locked gazes.

There were shyness and joy both in Chen Rong's eyes. She next looked down and slowly said, "I'm very happy to see you again, sir."

After these eight words, she drew her curtain closed. A muffled command was heard from inside, at which Old Shang steered the carriage and turned around again.

Amid whispering voices, Chen Rong's carriage drove back to the middle of the queue.

Everyone, be he a Wang or a Yu, looked in the direction of Chen Rong. But no matter how they may stare, that curtain did not lift again.

At length, a Wang girl exclaimed: "When did she learn this level of zither playing?"

No one had an answer.

Wang Wulang at last recovered from his stupor. He knitted his brow while shaking his head, saying: "I've never heard anything of it."

"Chen Rong's zither is indeed pleasant. Unfortunately, she is nothing more than a concubine-born daughter of a subsidiary branch." This sneer came from the 7th lady of the Wang house.

Her voice was rather loud.

Several people nodded in agreement at her words. Their bemused eyes instantly unclouded. Unconsciously, disdain once again returned to their proud faces — so what if she had extraordinary zither skill? So what if she was beautiful? A concubine-born woman from a subsidiary branch would always be beneath them. Somebody like that did not deserve their admiration.

The group regained their lucidity and promptly withdrew their gazes from Chen Rong.

At this point, a Yu girl hastily cried out: "Hey, where's Hong Lang?"

Wang Hong?

The girls all turned their heads to look. After searching about, they discovered that Wang Hong and Yu Zhi had long returned to their carriages. What they could see was only a fluttering curtain.