Chapter 98

In the audience, the president of the Imperial Academy, Feng Xuanzhang, was sitting in the front row. He had already stood up and was clapping vigorously. The performance had stirred his emotions, and his evaluation of Jiang Xingchen had risen to a new level.

It was important to note that this was not the early days of the drum, when it could easily influence people's moods and lead to a chorus of cheers. The audience, accustomed to the drum, had developed a certain immunity. Even so, the rhythmic drumming of Wan Rou had managed to get the entire audience clapping, a testament to the success of the piece.

"This kid is something else!" Feng Xuanzhang thought to himself, quickly analyzing the situation: "Although they didn't use any other instruments to accompany the drum, they have pushed the rhythm of the drum to its limits... The stage effect created by the hundred soldiers is unparalleled. The visual impact of such a synchronized performance is immense, something never seen before... Most importantly, Jiang Xingchen's voice is incredibly powerful and moving... In other words, apart from the plucked instrument, Cai Feng has no advantage in any other aspect..."

On stage, the most excited were not Jiang Xingchen or Wan Rou, who was enjoying the cheers, but the hundred soldiers.

Earlier, Jiang Xingchen had told them to prepare for the cheers and honor. Now, with the cheers filling the air, stirring their emotions, the honor could not be far behind...

After the curtain call, Jiang Xingchen and the others returned to the backstage. The audience members gradually left, and the effect of the performance quickly spread.

"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, not a bit worse than Cai Feng's war song! Go and see it, you'll definitely regret it if you don't. The stage for the New Year's performance isn't easy to get onto."

"The best part is Jiang Xingchen's voice, so high that it's unimaginable. The penetrating power is a real treat for the audience!"

"The scene with the hundred soldiers is the best. I never thought that over a hundred people could move so in unison, as if they were one person!"

"Wan Rou's dance is truly a classic, controlling four drums alone. The rhythm is so intense that I couldn't help but clap along!"

"No wonder the judges at the Imperial Academy gave such high praise. It's indeed extraordinary, not only stirring and inspiring, but also exhilarating to listen to!"

"Moreover, did you notice that in this performance, they used only the drum, no other instruments!"

"Yes! Now that you mention it... This shows that Zijing's strength is greater than Cai Feng's!"

Such discussions made the supporters of Cai Feng unhappy, and some even confronted the speakers on the street.

"Bullshit! Can they recreate the battlefield atmosphere? Do they have the momentum of a thousand soldiers charging?"

"Without other instruments, it shows their lack of skill, unable to find suitable accompaniment."

"Just relying on the hundred people, what's so great about that, it's not a true measure of their strength..."

"I don't believe it's as good as you say. There are two more performances in the afternoon, I'll go and see for myself..."

As a result, after the first performance, more people crowded outside the venue to buy tickets, making the venue owner's eyes gleam. Business had never been this good in a year, not even on the day of the New Year's performance, which was a high-end stage with expensive tickets.

After the second performance, the supporters of Cai Feng, though still stubborn, were clearly less confident. Those who had seen the performance in person, though unwilling, had to admit deep down that "Men of Valor" was not inferior to the war song. Moreover, as others had said, Jiang Xingchen's voice was indeed powerful, piercing through the eardrums and shaking the soul, something no one in Cai Feng could match.

Throughout the day, every performance was packed, and many who couldn't get tickets were willing to pay a high price to buy them...

The next day, there were three more performances, all packed.

In the evening, news came from Cai Feng that the war song had been re-arranged, with the interlude changed to a plucked instrument solo.

This news quickly attracted a large audience, and the performance of the war song was unexpectedly good. The interlude, played by Cai Feng's leader Wei Caixia, almost perfectly captured the battlefield atmosphere, making the audience feel the tension.

On stage, the war song also featured over a hundred people, but due to the different theme, they were not in perfect unison, just marching in rhythm. Even so, the combination of the plucked instrument and the battlefield atmosphere was still thrilling.

The success of this performance made the supporters of Cai Feng very excited, and they talked loudly on the streets, as if they were afraid that those who hadn't seen it wouldn't know.

But a few days later, Jiang Xingchen made changes, specifically adding more of Wan Rou's drumming, which the audience found very satisfying...

Two days later, Cai Feng made a second change to the piece, further exploring the advantages of the plucked instrument...

Soon, the people of the capital realized that the two sides seemed to be in a competition, frequently changing their pieces and adding new elements while maintaining their own unique characteristics.

Subsequently, with no more changes to the pieces, both sides began to increase the number of performances to attract more audiences.

By early March, many people had shifted from enjoying the music to watching the competition. The continuous exposure to the intense performances had indeed caused some fatigue.

At the Imperial Academy, Feng Xuanzhang was somewhat amused and exasperated. While competition was good, he did not want it to turn into a bitter rivalry.

However, since both sides were performing, he could not intervene, as it would be inappropriate to favor one side. If he went to Jiang Xingchen, others might accuse him of favoritism, and if he went to Cai Feng, Jiang Xingchen and the Emperor would be unhappy. Although the Emperor said he couldn't do anything to undermine himself, if he thought Feng Xuanzhang was biased, there would be trouble.

On March 2nd, after six performances, Jiang Xingchen and Wan Rou returned to their residence, exhausted. The high-intensity performances had taken a toll on Wan Rou, who had to perform the drumming six times a day, while Jiang Xingchen, who only sang, was less affected due to the array controlling his voice.

Upon returning, the old man began to treat Wan Rou, giving her medicine and acupuncture.

Jiang Xingchen returned to his room, where Meier had already prepared hot water. She then happily took out a white silk and said, "Brother, Du Dage has sent a letter, the mountain has been excavated!"

"Oh!" Jiang Xingchen's eyes lit up, remembering that he had been so focused on the New Year's performance that he had forgotten about the two months of excavation, which should now be complete.

Taking the letter, Jiang Xingchen read it and then asked Meier for a pen and white silk to write a reply to Du Roshan.

"Brother, what are you asking them to do?" Meier asked.

"Ask them to find some potash and wood ash and sprinkle it on the barren land!" Jiang Xingchen said.

"Ah! What's the use of that?" Meier was puzzled but knew that every strange thing her brother did had a purpose.

"Ha ha, when the weather warms up, it can accelerate the melting of the snow and ice!" Jiang Xingchen explained, recalling something the fourth roommate from Northeast China had said when he was drunk. He didn't know if it would work, but since they couldn't start farming yet, it was worth a try.

"Brother, it's already March 2nd... There are only seven days left until the New Year's performance on the 9th!" Meier suddenly changed the subject.

"Uh!" Jiang Xingchen was taken aback, then nodded and smiled, "Yes, only seven days left. Brother will definitely win the top prize!"

Meier pouted, her eyebrows forming a frown, thinking to herself, "Stupid brother, you said you'd celebrate my birthday, but now you've forgotten everything!"

She wanted to remind him directly, but considering that he was fully focused on the New Year's performance and couldn't be distracted by other things, the little girl held back. However, she didn't notice the hint of a smile in Jiang Xingchen's eyes...

For the next two days, Zijing and Cai Feng continued their high-intensity performances of six shows a day, and their competition became a hot topic among the people of the capital.

However, four days before the final performance, Zijing and Cai Feng suddenly announced that they would stop performing to prepare for the New Year's performance.

This news disappointed many people, as they had never seen such an intense competition, and it was just when it was getting exciting.

Although the performances stopped, the discussions did not. The debate over which group was stronger continued.

However, most people believed that while Zijing's strength was undeniable, overall, Cai Feng was stronger. They had an additional new instrument, the plucked instrument, which not only complemented the drum perfectly but also had a wide range of variations, especially the battlefield atmosphere, which gave them a significant advantage.

With such rumors spreading, Cai Feng's reputation grew, and the top prize of the New Year's performance seemed to be within their grasp.

Many people also felt sorry for Zijing, but even they had to admit that without the plucked instrument, Zijing was at a disadvantage.

Jiang Xingchen and Wan Rou, however, ignored the outside world, staying at home to practice their new piece... In their spare time, Jiang Xingchen often went out alone, doing something mysterious that no one, except the old man, knew about, and he wouldn't say when asked.

Soon, they discovered that Jiang Xingchen had bought a large amount of cotton fabric and paint, and after practicing every night, he began painting on the fabric.

"What's this kid up to?" Even the old man was confused. The fabric spread out must have covered hundreds of square meters. What was he painting on it?

Jiang Xingchen's painting skills were average, but this time he was very serious, dividing the fabric into dozens of sections and painting bit by bit, comparing and refining. He even called Meier over to make full use of her talent for puzzles...

Time quickly passed, and on March 8th, after Jiang Xingchen and Wan Rou finished their practice, someone came to visit.

Seeing the visitor, Jiang Xingchen was immediately surprised.

PS: Second update, Garlic will continue to work on the third update! However, due to the increased speed, some details might be overlooked, so please bear with us, dear readers!

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