Chapter 30

How well the Song Dynasty could get along with the Malang tribe had nothing to do with Zhao Yougong. What he was most concerned about now was how Nian Nu'er was doing.

The sound of gongs rang out, and everyone held their breath, watching the red stage. Who would have thought that the first to appear would be Li Shishi? At this moment, Li Shishi was dressed in a long white silk gown, with a long skirt trailing on the stage. As she raised her hand, the wide sleeves fluttered gently. Her fair neck was wrapped in a soft red ribbon, which circled her neck and wound around her white arms several times.

"Li Shishi of the De Yue Lou, presenting the dance 'Cold Snow Surprised Swan' and the poem 'Xiao Zhong Shan'!"

The 'Cold Snow Surprised Swan' originated from the beloved Mei Fei, Jiang Caiping, of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. At that time, the Surprised Swan dance was Mei Fei's signature dance, but after the An Shi Rebellion, the Surprised Swan dance disappeared. As for Li Shishi's 'Cold Snow Surprised Swan' dance, it was a unique creation she had improved upon from ancient records.

People who had lived in Bianliang for a few years all knew that Li Shishi's signature dances were the 'Cold Snow Surprised Swan' and the 'Moon Palace Tread Dance.' Now, to match the famous poem 'Xiao Zhong Shan,' Li Shishi once again performed her signature dance. When she first danced the 'Cold Snow Surprised Swan' in the fourth year of Zhenghe, she had captivated countless men. Today, Li Shishi was even more enchanting. How much more impressive would her performance be?

The sound of the flute rose, and Li Shishi hid her left sleeve behind her back, slowly lowering her body. When she raised her head again, her beautiful face was expressionless. This was Li Shishi, the Snow Fairy Li Shishi. Perhaps only a woman with her temperament could truly perform the 'Cold Snow Surprised Swan.' Her soft body slowly retreated, the long sleeves flipped, and the red ribbon gently rose, as if a gentle breeze was blowing.

The flute music spread, slow and melodious. The movements were not fast, but the slower they were, the more difficult they became. Every move she made was so beautiful. Her arms raised, her head tilted back, and the long ribbon floated behind her, making her look like a swan circling in the sky. The sound of the jade flute was not a dragon dance, but a swan dance. Her posture was graceful, her movements light and ethereal. A free-spirited Li Shishi, she always displayed herself with ease.

No one in the audience could bear to disturb her. As for Li Shishi, her mind was empty. When she danced the Surprised Swan, she seemed to find her true self. If the world were covered in snow, she would be the only swan. The swan flew, crossing mountains and rivers, experiencing the changing seasons.

Zhao Yougong did not want Li Shishi to win, but he still had to praise her beauty.

If there were a Chang'e in the world, this place would be the Moon Palace.

Her long sleeves fluttered, and the snow was beautiful. With the melodious sound of the flute, Li Shishi slowly sang the poem. Her voice was like pearls sliding, clear and pleasant to the ear.

"Silk and brocade exude the fragrance of spring. Golden lotus blooms in the sea of land, dazzling the city. Looking back at the green peaks from the jade carriage. The east wind blows, scattering stars from the sky. The city celebrates peace and prosperity.

"Flowers fill the road as people sing. The moon follows them. The dragon pavilion is lit by a jade lamp. The distant music of the imperial orchestra, the grand banquet in the fairyland."

The poem was beautiful, and the dance was even more beautiful. A 'Xiao Zhong Shan' poem, a 'Surprised Swan' dance. Li Shishi was always so simple. Her dance was just a dance, never mixed with anything else. Her long hair was tied in a bun, and a golden hairpin sparkled brightly.

With her hands folded over her abdomen, when Li Shishi slowly lowered her body, everyone realized the dance was over.

What a beautiful woman, her dance was as gentle as water, incomparably beautiful.

She seemed like a light cloud covering the moon, a gentle breeze swirling the snow.

Perhaps only this phrase could describe Li Shishi at this moment. Centuries ago, Cao Zhi wrote the 'Luo Shen Fu,' but who would have thought that in the Bianliang of a few hundred years later, there would be a woman who did not belong to Zhen Mi.

A cold and icy woman, she was a goddess descended from heaven, but unfortunately, none of this belonged to Zhao Yougong.

The applause was thunderous and did not stop. The valley echoed with the shouts of the Flying General. Gao Yannai, Cai Zhen, Wang Tenghui, and others had already stood up from their seats, raising their fans and shouting like ordinary young masters. Even the usually arrogant Zhao Kai nodded slightly.

"Flowers, flowers, this young master wants to send flowers, send flowers..." Gao Yannai shouted loudly, but his eyes were fixed on Zhao Yougong.

Pouting, Zhao Yougong opened his fan and covered his face, "Gao Fatso, be more careful. If you want to send flowers, just send them. Why shout so loudly? Do you have any thoughts about Shishi? Ha, if you do, just say it, and I'll help you think of a plan!"

Hearing Zhao Yougong's sour voice, Gao Yannai laughed without a trace of anger, pointing at the stage, he said disdainfully, "I won't argue with you. Wait until Nian Nu'er loses to Shishi, and see how you act then!"

Gao Yannai sneered inwardly. This foolish Zhao Yougong really thought Nian Nu'er could win over Shishi? Not to mention Nian Nu'er's dance, even the 'Xiao Zhong Shan' poem, who could match it?

Lose, lose, and then there will be fun to watch. Zhao Yougong had bet almost half his fortune on the flower queen competition. If he couldn't get Nian Nu'er, it would be a great laughingstock.

Ignoring Gao Yannai, Nian Nu'er hadn't even gone on stage yet. Who could be sure she would definitely belong to Li Shishi?

Tuoba Qingyun wasn't very interested in the flower queen competition, but Li Shishi's dance was indeed very good. Listening to Gao Yannai and Zhao Yougong's conversation, she understood a bit. Leaning to one side, she raised her eyebrows and smiled lightly, "You fool, do you really want Nian Nu'er's body?"

"Does it have anything to do with you? Don't bother me!"

"You..." Tuoba Qingyun's eyebrows furrowed in anger. If they were elsewhere, she would have made Zhao Yougong taste the sharpness of her knife. Turning around, she shook her head with a bitter smile. She really couldn't understand the Han people. It's just a woman, with Zhao Yougong's status, why not just take her by force? Why go through so much trouble?

Zhao Yougong rolled his eyes at Tuoba Qingyun, "What does a barbarian woman know? As the saying goes, a man strives for a breath of air, and a Buddha for a stick of incense!"

Zhao Yougong's voice wasn't loud, but Tuoba Qingyun's hearing was astonishing. She heard the phrase "a man strives for a breath of air, and a Buddha for a stick of incense" clearly. The words made sense, but why did they sound so ridiculous coming from Zhao Yougong's mouth? A man should strive for a breath of air, but not like this. For a woman, spending most of his fortune, this wasn't striving for a breath of air, it was foolish.

It was unclear how the flower queen competition was arranged this year. Li Shishi went first, and Nian Nu'er followed closely. With the two main flower queens on stage, what was left for the rest?

Regardless of what others thought, Nian Nu'er was already standing proudly on the stage. She was dressed in a scale armor, with a red cloak draped over her back. Her hair was tied up, and a blue silk scarf wrapped around her forehead, with a string of sparkling gemstones hanging from it. She wore red pants and white embroidered boots. Standing on the stage, she held a long spear, the red tassel fluttering in the wind.

Seeing the woman on the stage, the audience couldn't help but exclaim. Was this the same Nian Nu'er who was once so seductive? At this moment, she had no trace of gentleness, only a few more points of heroism and cold pride.

"Xie Fang Lou's Cui Dajia, presenting the dance 'Jinsha Beach' and the poem 'Ding Feng Bo'!"

Jinsha Beach? Nian Nu'er was truly clever. Just by giving her the 'Ding Feng Bo' poem, she knew what dance would best match it.

In the Song Dynasty, you might not know Datong, but you couldn't not know Jinsha Beach. The place where the Yang family's descendants fought to the death, who could forget it?

Nian Nu'er clearly knew that in a true dance competition, she could never match Li Shishi. How many people could surpass Li Shishi's 'Cold Snow Surprised Swan'? Even if the famous dancer Gongsun Dang were reborn, she couldn't compete. The 'Cold Snow Surprised Swan' dance was born for Li Shishi and would die with her. Knowing this from the beginning, Nian Nu'er prepared a spear dance. To win Li Shishi, she had to take a different path. A woman's dance is gentle and graceful, but Nian Nu'er decided to dance with strength, dominance, and pride.

Her legs spun, and she elegantly flicked the spear. This move, from a martial artist's perspective, was simple, but it was difficult for a woman to capture the essence of the spear dance.

With a delicate cry, the red-tasseled spear thrust forward. Nian Nu'er's brows were furrowed, her gaze sharp, as if she were facing an enemy, ready to fight to the death. Perhaps Nian Nu'er's expression was too real, and some people couldn't help but feel a momentary pause, as if the spear were aimed at them.

The red-tasseled spear flew up and down in the hands of the delicate Nian Nu'er, a dance without music, yet it was always so special.

Gripping the long spear, Nian Nu'er's right hand flipped back, and her body spun like a butterfly. Somehow, when she landed, the spear was already in the air, landing precisely on the drum stand.

Leaning forward, Nian Nu'er ran a few steps to the drum stand. Her target was not the spear but the drumsticks on the stand. How could a dance by a heroine be without a song?

Untying the sash, she threw it with force, and the red cloak slowly drifted away. Her red lips parted, and a beautiful song began.

"Hundreds of miles of yellow sand, hooves raise dust, the wind blows through the Jade Gate, arrows rain down fiercely.

"In dreams, the road to heaven is faint, the mist, a long song ends in Dunhuang.

"Steep mountains, fierce ghosts, hellfire, a heroine, galloping through battles in all directions.

"Red-faced beauty on Jinsha Beach, in the world, heroes do not seek to return home."

The 'Ding Feng Bo' poem moved the men and touched the women. Zhao Kai felt a sense of shame and bravery.

Hundreds of miles of yellow sand, battling at the Jade Gate, arrows raining down, fighting in Dunhuang, in the fierce fires of war, heroes never sought to return home. What a grand and fearless spirit. The Yang family's descendants were all heroes, but now the Song Dynasty was filled with the pursuit of pleasure.

If these words were spoken by a man, it would be nothing, but they came from a woman's mouth.

"General Flying, Nian Nu'er..."

While everyone was lost in thought, Zhao Yougong had already risen, shouting loudly. The "General Flying" was not for Li Shishi but for Nian Nu'er.

"If the flying general of Longcheng were here, the Tartar horses would not cross the Yin Mountains. Now, the Tartar horses have already crossed the Yin Mountains, and the Song Dynasty's flying general is a woman."

"General Flying, General Flying... General Flying..."

Who said the Song Dynasty had no men? Listen to the rising, hoarse shouts. If that courage had been dormant, let this dance awaken the bravery in their hearts.