Chapter 68

Compared to Lin Zheng, who was standing at the classroom door with a light breeze and clear sky, the Tang family members in the stands all had serious expressions. They had already lost the first round, and if they lost this one as well, the Tang family would not only lose another elder, but their reputation would also plummet, and it was not impossible that they would be removed from the list of the five major families.

"Yan'er, how prepared are you?" the Tang family elder asked with a solemn expression.

"Grandpa, don't worry. The family has already sent over the Huanyue Mingpei. Besides, Grandpa, you investigated them, right? They're just from an unknown village. How could they play the zither? Even if they can, they definitely can't match Yan'er!" Tang Hanyan said proudly, holding a beautiful long box.

"Your zither skills, I naturally trust. However, you must not be careless. The origins of these people are still a mystery, and a group with such means is probably not simple!"

"Okay, Yan'er understands!"

The two green stones in the field were quickly removed, and the venue was cleaned up. In their place were two wooden tables for placing the zithers and two comfortable chairs.

The people around were very excited. Even if they lost tens of thousands of crystals, being able to see two matches and witness the birth of a new force in Wushuang City made the night worthwhile! Everyone was chatting, and when they got excited, they raised their glasses. As they drank cup after cup of fine wine, their spirits soared, and the atmosphere became even more lively.

Lin Qin paid no attention to all this, drinking with Pizi Lang and Temu Zhan. Lin Wen, with a bitter face, finally thought, "It finally happened. At least she didn't pick up the wine jar!"

"Big Iron Block, tell me, what are the fun places in Wushuang City? Let's go have some fun another day!" Lin Qin raised her glass and patted Temu Zhan's shoulder. Lin Wen's face turned black, but he couldn't stop her in time.

Temu Zhan slapped his chest and promised to find Lin Qin and the others to go out and explore Wushuang City the next day. Pizi Lang smiled with a false kindness, his eyes squinting, and no one knew what he was thinking.

Everything in the field was gradually prepared. The city lord on the stage said, "Since everything is ready, let's begin. I am very much looking forward to the immortal music the two families will bring us!"

"Hey, Lin Qin, it's your turn. Stop drinking and go up!" Lin Wen pulled Lin Qin, who was still drinking.

"How annoying!" Lin Qin pouted, took a few steps forward, and suddenly stopped, turning to Tang Hanyan, who was walking to the field. "You, Tang Sparrow or Tang Firebird, you go first!"

"Miss, her name is Tang Hanyan!" Lin Wen said from the side.

"Hanyan? What kind of bird is that?" Lin Qin asked curiously, looking very innocent.

"Hanyan! The 'yan' in 'smile'!" Lin Wen explained patiently.

"Oh, I see!" Lin Qin nodded thoughtfully, turned around, and shouted to Tang Hanyan, "Hey, Tang, sorry about that. You can continue!"

Lin Qin's casual conversation naturally reached everyone's ears, and the entire banquet was disrupted by her random question.

Everyone ignored the Tang family's face and burst into laughter. Perhaps it was Lin Qin's deliberate act, or perhaps she really didn't remember the Tang family princess's name. In any case, Lin Qin's expression was very innocent and unfeigned, and she was quickly accepted by everyone, who thought she was a naive and simple girl.

"You... You..." Tang Hanyan's face was cold, but she quickly calmed down, sat quietly at the table, and slowly opened the box. A simple and grand zither appeared before everyone. The Tang family members, who were about to react, saw Tang Hanyan calm down and became quiet, thinking, "They are using such despicable means to interfere with us!"

"This is the Tang family's Huanyue Mingpei zither. I didn't expect they would bring this thing!"

"It's said that this zither has been passed down for a long time and has some magical properties!"

"I've also heard that any song played on this zither is especially touching, making people more immersed in the music."

Tang Hanyan's face showed no emotion, and everyone became quiet. She sat in front of the zither and gently played it. The sound, like a stream of water, flowed out. Tang Hanyan played a well-known ancient tune called "Drunken Wind," and everyone was deeply moved, even Lin Zheng and the others had to admit that the Tang family princess was very skilled at playing the zither. However, Li Ruoshui showed a bitter smile, remembering her conversation with Lin Qin.

"What? This is your practice tune? Too simple? 'Drunken Wind' is one of the few ancient tunes passed down!"

"Tsk tsk, this isn't an ancient tune. It's just a beginner's practice tune, very easy. Come, Ruoshui sister, let me tell you what real ancient tunes are. Compared to those, this is just a poor melody!"

Li Ruoshui felt some sympathy for the Tang family. They would never have thought that a woman who loved the zither so much would have such a personality. Even she was surprised at the time. Such a lively and carefree girl turned out to be the one who loved and understood the zither the most!

The tune ended, and the audience was entranced. Thunderous applause broke out.

"Truly excellent! I've never heard such beautiful music!"

"Even the music that lingers for three days can't compare!"

Everyone clapped enthusiastically, clearly conquered by the performance. The sudden applause and cheers interrupted Lin Qin, Pizi Lang, and Temu Zhan's drinking. Lin Qin was quite unhappy, finished her drink, clapped her hands, and rolled up her sleeves to go to the stage. Lin Wen followed behind, muttering, "Image, image, pay attention to your image!"

"Hey, you guys, don't drink without me. Wait for me to come back!" Lin Qin suddenly turned around and shouted to Pizi Lang and Temu Zhan halfway there!

It was over. First Pizi Lang, then Lin Qin. The Lin family really stole the show today. Lin Wen covered his face and returned to the group, deciding not to interfere anymore. Let her go!

So everyone saw a woman, even more beautiful than Tang Hanyan, walk onto the stage like a bandit, occasionally turning back to give instructions. She seemed to remember something and blushed as she sat at the table.

"Um, can I start now?" Lin Qin asked, looking at everyone's gaze, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Sure, little girl, you can start! Relax!" the city lord said with a smile.

"Okay, where's the zither?" Lin Qin looked around.

Everyone: "..."

"Um, do I have to prepare it myself?" Lin Qin asked herself when no one brought the zither.

Everyone: "..."

"Hey, Xiaowen, bring the zither up!" Lin Qin shouted to Lin Wen outside the field.

"Why is it with you?" Lin Zheng turned to look at Lin Wen.

"She was carrying crystals and left the zither with me!" Lin Wen explained.

Lin Zheng and the others: "..."

Lin Qin's expression recovered, and she looked at the zither in front of her. Just as everyone was about to lose patience, a clear zither sound suddenly rang out, like a mountain stream carrying the fragrance of wildflowers, sometimes gentle, sometimes melodious. Lin Qin's expression was not just playing the strings but touching everyone's hearts.

The zither sound grew louder, and the waves of sound spread over everyone. Invisible sound waves radiated from Lin Qin to the surroundings. The originally dark sky was filled with colorful light bands, which followed the zither strings and then disappeared. The zither sound slowly stopped, and Lin Qin put the zither into her ring and sat in the field.

Everyone felt as if they had entered a dream. Those who were asleep woke up, and those who were awake fell asleep, immersed in the beautiful music. Everyone's hearts trembled, and after a long time, someone sighed, which woke everyone up. They opened their eyes wide, looking at Lin Qin in the field with admiration and shock!

Clap! Clap clap clap! Thunderous applause broke out. Lin Qin stood up from the field, elegantly bowed to everyone, and then walked off the stage.

The Tang family members on the stage, after the shock, had iron-gray faces. The Tang family lost, completely lost. The Tang family elder's face twitched, and Tang Hanyan looked like she had lost her soul.

"This music should only be heard in heaven, how often can it be heard on earth!" the city lord said with a nostalgic expression. Lin Wen secretly smiled, thinking, "This time, you really guessed right. This music is indeed from heaven."

The city lord then regained his composure, looked at the bitter Tang family members, and said, "The second round, the literary contest, is won by Lin Zheng and his group. Does anyone have any objections?"

"No!" everyone in the field said in unison.

"Do any of you have objections?" the city lord turned to the representatives of the major families, finally looking at the Tang family.

"No!" the Tang family members nodded.

"Ha... No, it's my Tang family that lost!" the Tang family elder said weakly, looking like a sick person, with no energy left.

In the distance, Lin Qin was happily drinking. After returning to the group, she threw away her image and joined Pizi Lang and the others to drink. Pizi Lang was teaching Lin Qin a new way to play finger-guessing, and Temu Zhan was listening with great interest. They occasionally drank together, and Lin Qin tried to touch the wine jar several times but was sternly refused by Lin Wen. Reluctantly, she held a small glass and played finger-guessing with Pizi Lang.

Since the winner was decided, the Tang family had to pay the price for the contest. Lin Zheng and the others discussed and did not exclude Wen Tianqing, and they also listened to some of his suggestions, which made Wen Tianqing very satisfied. Unconsciously, his opinion of Lin Zheng improved, and from Li Ruoshui's perspective, Lin Zheng was becoming more and more suitable for Li Ruoshui.

A moment later, Lin Zheng slowly walked to the field, and everyone's attention focused on him. This young man had brought too many surprises, and perhaps he was about to do something shocking again!

PS: Thank you for your support. Red tickets and favorites are the best encouragement for Nianhua. Recently, I plan to adjust the update time and start a burst. Please support me! Here is the second update. Nianhua is going to tease a girl! Yes, in a very pure way!