Chapter 6

The melodious sound of the zither echoed over a pond in the back garden...

In the small pavilion on the pond, a girl with long, flowing hair, resembling a celestial maiden, sat by a stone table, playing the zither. The beautiful melody, combined with the lotuses in full bloom in the pond, formed a breathtaking scene.

When Qin Feng was studying at the drama academy, he had also learned to play the ancient zither. This was a rare opportunity to get close to her, and he couldn't let it slip by. He walked around a flower bed, clapped his hands, and praised, "What a beautiful piece of 'Yangchun Baise' (Spring and White Snow)."

The zither music stopped at his words.

Cai Yan's maidservant, Xiaolan, who was serving nearby, heard an unfamiliar male voice and stepped out of the pavilion, placing her hands on her hips and scolding, "Which rascal is being so impudent!"

"A good piece needs to be appreciated. How can it be impudent?" Qin Feng smiled as he walked into the pavilion.

Cai Wenji turned her head slightly, lifting her beautiful eyes to see Qin Feng. She had heard about Qin Feng from her father the previous day, knowing he was proficient in mathematics, even surpassing her father. She was very curious about him. Seeing his tall, handsome figure and his intense gaze, her heart couldn't help but race, and she quickly averted her eyes.

"Damn Qin Zijin, to become a steward in just one day!" Xiaolan, seeing that Qin Feng was just staring at her mistress, shouted, "Qin Zijin, what are you looking at!"

Qin Feng laughed, "Eyes are for looking, isn't that right? Do you, Xiaolan, always walk around with your eyes closed?"

"You...," Xiaolan was momentarily speechless.

Cai Wenji, finding Qin Feng's words amusing, smiled and said, "Xiaolan, be respectful, Mr. Qin." She had greeted him.

A smile that could charm a city, and another that could charm a nation—she was indeed one of the most talented women of the Three Kingdoms. Since he had encountered her today, if he couldn't win her over... he would have wasted over a thousand years. Qin Feng smiled gently, maintaining his gentlemanly demeanor, and bowed, saying, "Miss Wenji, hello."

"Qin Zijin, you have no right to call my mistress by her courtesy name," Xiaolan quickly retorted.

Qin Feng, unafraid of a mere maid, said with a grin, "A courtesy name is meant to be called. You, a mere maid, are too ignorant. I will inform Mr. Cai to punish you."

"Damn!" Xiaolan stomped her feet in anger.

"Miss Wenji, your 'Yangchun Baise' just now made me feel as if a gentle breeze was cleansing me, and the snow-covered bamboo was shimmering." Qin Feng couldn't help but recite, "Such music should only be heard in heaven, how often can it be heard on earth?" These two lines were created by the great poet Du Fu several hundred years later, and Qin Feng used them to charm her.

Indeed, Cai Wenji's eyes lit up as she silently repeated the lines, exclaiming, "Mr. Qin, your words are so eloquent..."

Xiaolan, pouting, said, "Miss, he's just a smooth-talking guy, ignore him."

"I am discussing zither skills with Miss Wenji, how is that smooth-talking? Even as a steward, I cannot tolerate such disrespect," Qin Feng suddenly said sternly.

"Hmph!" Xiaolan was startled, "You... you can play the zither?"

"By coincidence, I do know how to play," Qin Feng said with a smile, seeing Xiaolan's face turn red. He couldn't afford to lose his manners in front of Cai Yan, so he smiled kindly.

"Fine, then play a piece for us to hear. Hmph, if you lie, I will immediately inform the master and have you expelled for your deceit and lack of skill," Xiaolan said angrily.

Qin Feng, who was looking for an opportunity to show off, glanced at Cai Yan.

Cai Yan, after hearing about Qin Feng from her father the previous night, was very curious about him. This was the first time she had interacted so closely with a stranger, and he was handsome and charming. Blushing, she nodded slightly and stood up.

They say a woman's blush means she's thinking of a man, and here, the only man was him. Hehe... Qin Feng thought as he sat down confidently. The cushion on the stone stool was warm, giving him a sense of intimacy with the beauty.

"Qin Feng, why are you grinning so wickedly!" Xiaolan quickly said.

"Oh, I smelled the pleasant fragrance from Sister Xiaolan, so I smiled," Qin Feng said with a laugh.

Xiaolan immediately blushed and fell silent.

Hmph, little girl, I can handle you.

Cai Wenji, hearing this, though his words were somewhat flirtatious, the phrase "pleasant fragrance" was something only a refined person could say, which made her even more curious about Qin Feng.

Which of the ten famous zither pieces should I play? Got it!

Qin Feng then placed his hands on the zither, noticing a burnt mark. He thought, could this be the Jiaowei Zither, one of the four famous zithers? If the teachers at the drama academy knew I could play this zither, they would be envious. He pretended to tune the Jiaowei Zither and, under the watchful eyes of the two beauties, said, "I will play 'Xiaoxiang Shuiyun' (Misty Clouds over the Xiao and Xiang Rivers) for you."

"'Xiaoxiang Shuiyun'! I've never heard of it. What a pretentious guy," Xiaolan sneered at the name. Having followed Cai Yan for many years, she had heard many famous pieces. She thought this person would play a vulgar tune, and she was ready to mock him, but the name sounded nice.

Qin Feng chose 'Xiaoxiang Shuiyun' for a reason. First, this piece first appeared in the Ming Dynasty, so Cai Yan had never heard it. Second, the piece expressed a sense of sorrow over the fragmented landscape and the fleeting times, which resonated with Qin Feng's feelings about being in the turbulent Eastern Han era.

Qin Feng lightly plucked the strings and began to play 'Xiaoxiang Shuiyun'.

Though he was not very skilled with the zither's unique techniques, the melody, which had never been heard in the Han Dynasty, immediately captivated the two women.

Xiaolan, who had been waiting to mock Qin Feng, was now entranced!

Cai Yan's eyes lit up, and she looked at Qin Feng in disbelief. Seeing his focused expression, she was momentarily spellbound.

After the piece ended, Qin Feng thought to himself, "One of the ten famous pieces, and it still didn't impress you two!" He felt that the Jiaowei Zither was indeed a famous instrument, and he had played it better than ever before, thanks to his training at the drama academy.

Though Qin Feng played somewhat clumsily, Cai Yan, who was well-versed in the zither, could appreciate the subtleties of the piece. In her opinion, her own 'Yangchun Baise' was inferior to this, and it could even rival the famous 'Guangling San'.

This man is truly remarkable. Where did he learn this piece? Cai Yan, who was best at the zither, was captivated by the melody she had never heard before.

Seeing her mistress lost in thought, Xiaolan shook her arm, calling, "Miss, Miss!"

"Ah!" Cai Yan finally reacted. "Sir, you are truly talented. Could you teach this piece to me?" She changed her address as she bowed.

"Miss, why are you bowing to him as a disciple?" Xiaolan exclaimed in shock.

"Xiaolan, be respectful. 'Xiaoxiang Shuiyun' can rival 'Guangling San' and can be passed down for generations. If Sir teaches me, it is only right for me to bow as a disciple," Cai Yan said politely.

Qin Feng had already learned that Cai Yan was fourteen and would be of marriageable age next year. Faced with such a talented woman, how could he not be moved? "I can teach you, but I have a request. If you agree, I will teach you," he said with a grin, setting a trap. What he could trap, of course, was obvious.

"Sir, please speak freely," Cai Yan said.

Xiaolan, pouting, thought how many people in Luoyang wanted to get close to her mistress but couldn't. This man was really pushing his luck.

Qin Feng, stroking the Jiaowei Zither, suddenly had another idea and remembered another famous piece. This piece represented the request he wanted to make, so he began to play.

Upon hearing this piece, Cai Yan was first stunned, then her face turned red.

Xiaolan was furious, pointing at Qin Feng and shouting, "Shameless Qin Zijin, you... you actually dared to play 'Feng Qiu Huang' (The Phoenix Seeks the Phoenix) in front of the miss!"