Chapter 40: Tang Mi’s Heavenly Music

Xia Wanwan clapped her hands and looked at Tang Mi with admiration. “Oh my, you’re all so talented! How can I possibly compare?”

The other young ladies chimed in supportively, “That’s right! With His Highness Prince Yu and Miss Tang composing such exquisite poetry, how could we ever match that? Perhaps we should just for go our turns and declare them the champions.”

Tang Mi blushed and lowered her head shyly.

Xiao Lengyu shot them a look. “Just because they did well, you’re all giving up? There’s no definitive ranking in literature or martial arts. Everyone has their own talents and unique interpretations. Even if His Highness and Miss Tang wrote excellent poems, that doesn’t mean yours wouldn’t be meaningful. You all must participate.”

Ye Junyu glanced at Tang Mi and smiled. “Exactly. Everyone should join in, no slacking!”

“I’ll go first then. I don’t dare follow behind such talent,” Xia Wanwan said quickly, offering her poem. The others graciously applauded her effort.

With Xia Wanwan breaking the ice, everyone began to enthusiastically compose flower-themed poems.

Among them, Xiao Yihuan’s poem stood out the most:

“Plum and snow vie for spring, unwilling to yield,
The poet hesitates, unable to judge or wield.
Plum may lack snow’s shimmering grace,
Yet snow is no match for plum’s fragrant embrace.”

The poem drew a wave of warm applause.

“What does Miss Tang think?” Xiao Yihuan suddenly asked, looking at Tang Mi.

Tang Mi was slightly startled, not expecting him to speak to her. She gave a gentle smile and replied,

“‘Plum may lack snow’s shimmering grace, yet snow is no match for plum’s fragrant embrace.’
Young Marquis, your words skillfully highlight each virtue. Such brilliance and eloquence, simply masterful.”

Xiao Yihuan was delighted by her praise and couldn’t help but smile. “Still, I fall short of your talent, Miss Tang. Could you favor us with another poem?”

Tang Mi lightly pressed her lips together. “Young Marquis, there’s no need to be modest. Your poem was certainly no less than mine.”

She didn’t agree to compose another poem, and Xiao Yihuan seemed slightly disappointed.

Seeing her brother’s dejection, Xiao Lengyu sighed and tried to smooth things over. “Prince Xuan has yet to compose a poem. How about we hear one from him?”

Everyone turned to Ye Chenxuan expectantly.

“I’m not skilled in poetry,” Ye Chenxuan replied expressionlessly, clearly uninterested in drawing attention.

Xiao Lengyu hadn’t expected him to refuse, which made things awkward for a moment.

Xia Wanwan blushed slightly as she glanced at Ye Chenxuan. “Now that the poetry is done, His Highness Prince Yu, Miss Tang, and Young Marquis Xiao have shown the highest skill. Let’s declare them the winners.”

Everyone nodded silently in agreement. Their poems had indeed been the most impressive.

“Since we’re done with poems, how about we play something else?” Xia Wanwan asked, sneaking another glance at Ye Chenxuan.

Xiao Lengyu looked at Xiao Yihuan and Tang Mi and smiled. “Of course. What do you want to play?”

“Let’s play the Passing Flower Drum. Whoever ends up with the item when the music stops will have to perform a talent. That should be fun, given how many of us are here.”

“Passing Flower Drum it is,” Xiao Lengyu agreed and asked someone to bring the drum and flower ball.

Before they could fetch it, Xiao Fengze unfastened the jade pendant from his waist. “No need for a flower ball. Let’s use my jade pendant instead.”

Tang Mi’s eyes flickered slightly as she stared at the jade pendant.

“That works too,” Xiao Lengyu nodded. “I’ll beat the drum for you all.”

The drumbeat began, and the jade pendant was first passed by Xiao Fengze. Since there were fewer men, it quickly made its way to the ladies’ side and soon landed in Tang Mi’s hands. Just as she was about to pass it on, the drum stopped.

“Miss Tang, it’s your turn to perform!” Everyone began to cheer.

Xiao Lengyu laughed. “Looks like Miss Tang is the first to lose this round. What talent will you show us?”

Tang Mi gave a wry smile, holding the jade pendant and glancing around. “Then I shall compose another poem.”

“The lotus withers, no more shelter for rain,
Chrysanthemum endures, frost can’t restrain.
The best of the year, don’t let it slip by,
Is when oranges glow and green tangerines lie.”

Upon hearing the poem, Xiao Yihuan’s eyes lit up and he clapped eagerly. “Wonderful poem!”

She must’ve written this in response to his earlier request. Her poetic skill was truly impressive.

The crowd joined in with applause.

Xiao Lengyu beamed. “Miss Tang is truly gifted in both talent and beauty. Let’s continue.”

The drum resumed, and Tang Mi quickly passed the jade pendant to the next girl. Once it had left her hands, she brought her fingers to her nose and feigned a light cough secretly trying to catch the scent lingering on the pendant. A faint pine aroma made her brows furrow slightly.

It wasn’t the cold fragrance she had expected.

Could it be… Xiao Fengze isn’t the one?

She was momentarily stunned, and in that brief daze, the jade pendant came back to her and the drum stopped again.

“Miss Tang again!” the crowd cheered with a mix of amusement and envy.

One girl muttered jealously, “Why is it that whenever the pendant reaches Miss Tang, it always stops? She must be doing it on purpose to show off her talents.”

This immediately drew some gloating stares toward Tang Mi.

But the men on the opposite side all frowned in disapproval.

Tang Mi lifted her gaze and calmly replied, “My apologies, I was momentarily distracted. This game does require focus.”

Before the girl could respond, Tang Mi looked at Xiao Lengyu. “Why don’t you play this round, Princess Lengyu? I’ll take over the drumming.”

Xiao Lengyu shot a glare at the rude girl and turned to Tang Mi with a reassuring smile. “It’s alright. You all keep playing. I’ll handle the drumming.”

Tang Mi smiled softly and shook her head. That gentle expression instantly mesmerized the men across the room.

“Actually, let me perform again. Instead of drumming, how about I play the flute this time? It’ll count as my talent performance.”

Since that girl claimed she liked showing off, she might as well give her a real performance.

Xiao Lengyu’s eyes lit up. “Now that’s a great idea! I’ve heard your zither playing is incredible, didn’t know you could play the flute too. I’d love to hear it.”

She turned to her maid. “Bring my jade bone flute.”

The maid responded and quickly fetched it.

Xiao Lengyu personally handed the flute to Tang Mi. “Then we’ll trouble you once more.”

“I’m just fulfilling my penalty,” Tang Mi replied with a gentle laugh and took the flute. She stepped to the front, where Xiao Lengyu had been seated.

“For fairness, I’ll blindfold myself.”

She took out a light silk handkerchief, folded it a few times, tied it around her eyes, and began to play.

The soft, winding flute notes were ethereal and haunting, like sounds from heaven. The crowd instantly fell into a trance, captivated.

The jade pendant continued to be passed around, but no one cared about the game anymore. Especially the men across from her, they watched Tang Mi’s fluttering robes as if she might float away with the wind at any moment.

Their minds were elsewhere, their mistakes frequent. Aside from Ye Chenxuan and Jun Qianche, the rest ended up contributing several performances.

When the game finally ended, no one remembered who performed what.

All they remembered… was the heavenly music of Tang Mi.