Chapter 101: A Necessary Musician

Chapter 101

A Necessary Musician

Nie Shuang led Mu Rongying to serve tea to her parents, while informing the elders that she had officially taken Mu Rongying as her sister. Nie Ran had no objections; whatever made his daughter happy, he was always willing to support. Moreover, Young Miss Mu had a good temperament, being both gentle and extremely beautiful. Having her share the same surname was an honor for their family.

Mu Rongying followed Nie Shuang’s lead and called Nie Ran and Xiao Yi Niang, Father and Mother. The Hou and Elder Furen observed from a distance, quickly piecing together what had happened. Seeing that Nie Shuang had requested Mu Rongying’s stay from Kang Wang and granted her the same surname, they thought it was a good arrangement. From now on, Mu Rongying would have a place to call home, and Kang Wang wouldn’t have to worry about complications.

While the cheerful conversation in the room continued, it only soured Kang Wang’s mood. Everyone was calling her Yingying now. Wasn’t that a name only he had the right to use? Seeing Mu Rongying laugh so happily, he couldn’t help but compare it to how she acted when she was with him.

When she was with him, she behaved like a frightened mouse in front of a lion. But here, among these people, her small face blossomed like a flower. Song Qilin chuckled, patting his friend on the shoulder.

"Isn’t it great how things turned out? Now you won’t have to worry anymore.”

For a brief moment, Kang Wang felt like punching his childhood friend. Just then, Wang Dongpo arrived and reported that the students from the academy had arrived. Familiar with these people, Kang Wang stood up, intending to go greet them. Besides, he didn’t want to stay in the room, watching someone seem so joyous about leaving him behind. At that moment, Nie Shuang turned to Mu Rongying and said:

“Yingying, we’re short of a musician today. The zither player asked to leave earlier. Why don’t you perform for us?”

Mu Rongying, now seeing Nie Shuang as both her sister and employer, eagerly agreed without hesitation. She didn’t notice Kang Wang briefly pausing in his steps before continuing as if nothing had happened. Mu Rongying bowed to the elders for permission and then followed Kang Wang and Nie Shuang downstairs.

When the scholars saw Kang Wang arrive, they all bowed in unison before warmly greeting the Lady Boss, who followed behind him. Huangjing City had always been known for its beauty, but ever since the Lady Boss moved here, everyone agreed unanimously that she was the most beautiful of them all. It was a pity that she had married so young, and to none other than General Song. While they admired her beauty, none dared to linger their gaze on her for too long.

Behind her, another woman followed closely. Lady Boss turned to speak to her,

"Nie Ying, we’ll be relying on you today."

The woman softly acknowledged and stepped forward from behind, walking to the corner of the room where the zither was placed. The young scholars were stunned, their mouths agape as if two moons had risen before them. They barely even heard the soft, playful remarks from the Lady Boss.

"Allow me to introduce my younger sister, Nie Ying. Our zither player was feeling unwell and had to leave early, so I hope you’ll give my sister the chance to showcase her skills."

In truth, Nie Shuang hadn’t planned for such a situation. She hadn’t intended to introduce Nie Ying so formally, but given Nie Ying’s talent, there was no harm in letting her perform in front of people. Besides, the atmosphere was crucial when selling products. Without music, the ambiance would lack some of its charm.

Mu Rongying wasn’t fazed by the scholars’ focused attention. She had been the center of attention since she was young and had grown accustomed to it. However, one particular intense gaze—sharp and unwavering—made her almost not knowing what to do. She placed her slightly trebled hands on the strings of the zither.

"Nie Ying humbly asks for your attention,"

She bowed her head and said softly, her sweet, melodious voice and graceful manner enchanting the young men in the room.

Mu Rongying’s skill with the zither was unmatched in the capital. The Mu family had hired the finest zither master to teach her, and with her intelligence and diligence, she excelled. If someone were to claim her skills were second-best, no one could rightfully say they were the first. As the first note emerged from her fingertips, the atmosphere in the hall seemed to tremble. Her slender white hands glided over the strings naturally, playing a tune that painted the sound of water flowing over stones, rising and falling with exquisite precision. When the first piece ended, the room remained still. The scholars seemed to be entranced by the beautiful music and the captivating woman, their expressions were of those who fell into a trance. Some of the young scholars blushed, lost in thought, their cheeks flushed with admiration.

Kang Wang’s hands, resting on his knees, clenched tightly. He almost stood up to pull her away from the crowd, hating the way others were looking at her. Yet, when Nie Shuang turned to him, he forced himself to smile.

"What do you think, Your Highness?"

Nie Shuang asked sweetly, noticing the subtle twitch at the corner of Kang Wang’s mouth as he tried to smile.

"Magnificent! Truly a gifted talent,"

Though he was displeased with the young woman, he couldn’t deny that she was born to captivate the hearts of all who watched her.

The scholars, overhearing the conversation between Kang Wang and Lady Boss, snapped back to reality and began clapping loudly for Young Miss Nie Ying.

"Magnificent! Truly magnificent, Your Highness."

They echoed in agreement.

Mu Rongying smiled faintly and lowered her eyes in a humble gesture, her graceful composure only adding to her charm.

She was not only beautiful in appearance and demeanor but also incredibly talented.

At that moment, the maids began bringing out cups of Mo Cha Fen tea, placing them in front of each guest and pouring it for them. The young men noticed that the tea had a cloudy color and contained no visible tea leaves, prompting curiosity. Before they could ask, Nie Shuang explained,

"This is a new type of tea called Mo Cha Fen. It’s made from tea leaves that have been roasted and ground into powder, which can be mixed with hot water to make a drink."

Intrigued, the students sipped the tea. The tea brewed from Mo Cha Fen had a fragrant, earthy aroma similar to leaves, and upon swallowing, a fine tea powder lingered in their throats, providing a unique texture. They closed their eyes, savoring the flavor in a manner reminiscent of how Kang Wang often enjoyed his tea. Seeing them absorbed in the tea’s taste, Mu Rongying resumed playing her zither without needing any prompting. Her music evoked images of gentle breezes and rustling leaves, giving a sense of freedom as though wandering through a vast forest. Even Kang Wang, who had been in a rather sour mood, found himself drawn into the melody.

After about a ke[1], their teacups had long been emptied, yet the audience still seemed entranced by the music, not wanting the performance to end. Their eyes remained fixed on the musician before them.

Nie Shuang clapped her hands and introduced another new product. Green Jade Tangyuan were brought out for each person, beautifully presented, along with warm, fragrant ginger syrup, perfect for the chilly weather. As the maids placed the bowls of Tangyuan, they also refilled the scholars’ tea.

Mu Rongying continued playing her zither without care, fully immersed in the performance. As she played, she found herself lost in the rhythm, momentarily forgetting that Kang Wang was sitting there, watching her intently. Her graceful manner while playing was naturally captivating, not something she consciously intended. The young men in the room were utterly bewitched by her, unable to look away. Upon discovering that Lady Boss had such a beautiful younger sister, many secretly entertained the idea of becoming her brother-in-law.

They began tasting the Tangyuan. At first, the spiciness of the ginger syrup made some of them shook their heads, but as they bit into the soft rice balls, the sweetness of the filling mixed with the spicy ginger syrup, creating a delicious combination that left them wanting more. They ate so eagerly that their bowls were soon empty, not a drop of ginger syrup left.

"Is this really tangyuan, Lady Boss?"

One young man asked, admiring the Lady Boss quite a bit. How could such a simple, traditional treat that they had eaten until they were tired of them every year be made to taste so extraordinary?

"Indeed it is. If you noticed, the green coloring in the dough contains a slight hint of tea. That’s the Mo Cha Fen you just drank. It can be mixed into dough or even used in other dishes."

Tea-flavored desserts! They had never heard of such a thing before, but they found it both innovative and incredibly tasty. With the New Year approaching, many thought it would be a perfect gift for their teachers, while others, preparing to return home, decided to buy some to bring back as presents. Though Nie Shuang hadn’t intended to profit from this group, she ended up selling quite a lot of new products. Perhaps it had something to do with the new presenter by her side.

Mu Rongying continued playing the zither softly, adding to the ambiance. Her eyes occasionally glanced at Nie Shuang, admiring how effortlessly she conversed with the scholars. Sister Nie was truly talented, charming them into buying several boxes of Mo Cha Fen. Little did Mu Rongying realize that these young men, no matter how frugal they might be, couldn’t afford to lose face in front of a beautiful woman. They all bought something, eager to make a good impression.Kang Wang, unusually quiet today, went unnoticed by the scholars. They assumed he was simply engrossed in listening to the zither, and who would dare interrupt his concentration?!

[1] Ke (刻, kè) means a quarter of an hour, or 15 minutes.