TCN: Mei Gongqing

Chapter 57: Lament of the Scholar

Chen Rong wrung her sleeves. She had expected just as much and had taken her own hairpin.

When the two finished their work, Chen Rong rose to turn and leave.

The younger maid gave her long skirt and slender waist a look, cocked her head and murmured: "She has a lovely figure. No wonder the prince has to have her."

When Chen Rong got to the courtyard, she saw fashionable girls flooding the small path, the pavilions, and everywhere else.

However, her steps halted this time.

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While Chen Rong stood there, a good dozen pairs of eyes stared in her direction. Facing these eyes, Chen Rong suddenly thought: The longer I live in the Nanyang Prince's estate, the more detrimental it will be to my reputation. Even if I can deal with these women and even if I know what's going on, the worst will be idle rumors. If they manipulate the things I inadvertently say, then what will I do? Forget it, it's better for me to return.

Once back, she ordered: "Close the door to the courtyard."

The two maids looked at her in puzzlement.

Chen Rong stared at them and repeated her order: "Close the door to the courtyard. Regardless who comes, you can't open it without my consent. Did I make myself clear?"

The two maids looked at each other and then complied.

Once the courtyard closed, Chen Rong ordered them to bring the zither and then began to play.

The piece she played was called "Lament of the Scholar", a song she had overheard one of the scholars play during her marriage to Ran Min in her past life.

"Lament of the Scholar" was lofty and distant, fairly proud and haughty. It was much to her liking due to its melodious and sinuous appeal, and she, therefore, had always remembered it.

The light zither was born and slowly mingled with the reed and flute, gradually weaving into the gloomy clouds.

Each of the present beauties, even if she did not play the instrument, was at least accustomed to listening. Once Chen Rong's "Lament of the Scholar" sounded, the girls that had been pointing curiously at her closed doors eventually quieted down.

As they listened, they soon found that this song was a new piece they had not heard before, and quite an elegant one.

Gradually, as the zither heightened, the reed and flute came to a halt.

Steadily, the lofty and lonely zither was the only sound that wove through the dark clouds in the west wing.

A handsomely dressed girl closed her eyes as she quietly listened for a moment. "Actually quite noble," she murmured.

Another girl with features as gentle as water lowered her gaze. She softly said, "Has the prince forced even someone so upright and honorable to come here? Her life is not for long, it seems."

Standing behind them, an enticing woman in her thirties sneered: "So what if she's noble? So what if she's upright? That's because His Highness hasn't slept with her yet. Wait until she has gone to his bed; she would not be playing these sounds then."

What they didn't know was that Chen Rong was playing this song to let everyone know she was a guest of the estate, that she hadn't had intimate relations with the Prince of Nan'yang.

Amid the murmuring and drifting zither, night gradually descended.

By suppertime, the racing wind was whipping leaves and branches, and shaking the shingles outside.
Chen Rong placed her chopsticks down and looked out to the sky. "Is it going to rain tonight?" she softly asked.