"Brother Dou, that trick didn't work." Sun Chenbo complained to Dou Jingtong in the tavern. "Ye Lanshan is way too strong. Those little thugs were no match for her. Before I even got a chance to step in, she'd already taken them all out."
"Is that so?" Dou Jingtong suggested. "Then you could try showing off your talents to win her over."
"Will that work?" Sun Chenbo hesitated.
"Of course, it's never failed me." Dou Jingtong was confident in this—after all, when it came to charm, no one in the city could match him.
"Fine, then I'll trust you one more time." Sun Chenbo filled his cup and downed it in one gulp.
The next day, Sun Chenbo headed to the Ye residence again. Before he even reached the gate, he ran into Ye Lanshan. His heart leaped, and he quickly hurried over.
"Miss Ye, the Jingsu Pavilion is hosting a tea party today. Would you like to come along?" Sun Chenbo looked at her expectantly, hoping she'd agree.
*You've been coming to my house over and over. Let's see what game you're playing.* "Sure. I've heard everyone at Jingsu Pavilion is talented and refined. I'd like to see for myself."
The wooden pavilion was filled with the scent of ink. Paintings hung on the walls—some lifelike and vivid, others wild and unrestrained, immersing viewers in their scenes. Regardless of style, they all shared one thing: they were masterpieces by renowned artists.
Every corner of the pavilion was adorned with various orchids. The elegance of the orchids, combined with the fragrance of ink from the paintings and calligraphy, created a poetic atmosphere. Truly, a pavilion fit for fine guests, and a landscape worthy of verse.
"Sun Chenbo, who's this woman? I've never seen her before." A young man with an arrogant air asked.
"This is the waste of a young lady who was just brought back to the Ye family." Sun Chenbo was about to introduce Ye Lanshan, but before he could speak, Sun Yulu, who had just arrived at Jingsu Pavilion, ruined his plans.
"So she's Ye Lanshan. Not bad-looking," said a playboy who often hung out with Dou Jingtong, leering.
"Looks don't matter. Without talent, she has no right to be at Jingsu Pavilion." Another young man shot Ye Lanshan a contemptuous glance and turned away in disgust.
"Sun Yulu, don't talk nonsense." Sun Chenbo was trying to salvage the awkward situation, but before he could say anything, Ye Lanshan stopped him.
"That's right, I'm Ye Lanshan. But who told you I'm a waste?"
"What else would you be? I don't believe you learned anything worthwhile in that godforsaken place, Chaoyang City," Sun Yulu retorted.
"Since you think I'm a waste, how about we make a bet?" Ye Lanshan smiled, gauging Sun Yulu's reaction.
"Fine by me. Think I'm scared of you?" Sun Yulu gloated.
"If we're betting, shouldn't we put up some stakes?" Ye Lanshan wasn't in a hurry, calmly setting the trap.
"What stakes do you want?" Sun Yulu didn't care much about the stakes, but since Ye Lanshan was asking for humiliation, she wouldn't hold back.
"That's up to you. Whatever you offer, I'll match."
"Fine. If you lose, you'll crawl three laps on the ground right now and shout, 'Ye Lanshan will never be better than Sun Yulu.' How's that?" Sun Yulu glared venomously at Ye Lanshan, thinking, *My qin skills are unmatched in the entire capital. Let's see how you compete with me.*
"Alright, then what are we competing in?" Ye Lanshan asked cheerfully, showing no sign of nervousness.
Sun Chenbo watched them anxiously, at a loss for words.
"A place this poetic can't be without music. Let's compete on the qin." Sun Yulu immediately pulled out her instrument.
"Fine, but I didn't bring mine. How about I use a xiao instead?"
"Sure." Sun Yulu was already imagining Ye Lanshan's defeat, so she didn't bother arguing over the details.
At first, the onlookers thought Ye Lanshan might have real skill, but when she started playing the xiao, everyone was disappointed.
A scholar sneered, "With that level, she dares to challenge Sun Yulu? She's asking for death."
But as soon as he spoke, Ye Lanshan's tune transformed. From mediocre, it shifted into something melodious, ethereal, and flowing. Everyone felt as if they were transported into a beautiful world.
In that world, there was no worldly chaos—only lakes, mountains, moonlight, and a gentle breeze. All worries melted away, and the feeling was intoxicating.
Even after the piece ended, the crowd lingered in the fantasy, reluctant to return to reality.
"Marvelous, truly marvelous! Miss, what's the name of this piece?" Yue Qinse exclaimed in admiration.
"It's called 'Calm the Heart,'" Ye Lanshan replied.
Sun Yulu panicked. *This is bad. No, I can't accept that punishment.*
"Sun Yulu, aren't you going to keep your promise, hmm?" Ye Lanshan glanced at the ashen-faced Sun Yulu, twirling her xiao.
Sun Chenbo couldn't let his sister be humiliated, so he said, "Miss Ye, my sister is just childish. Please don't take it to heart. For my sake, how about we let it slide?"
"One must take responsibility for their own words. I shouldn't have to teach you that lesson." Ye Lanshan ignored Sun Chenbo and walked up to Sun Yulu.
"That's right, pay up!" the others chimed in.
After Sun Yulu complied, she was furious. "Just you wait—I won't let you off!" she shouted before running off.
Seeing the strained relationship between Ye Lanshan and Sun Yulu, Sun Chenbo made up his mind. *Winning her over won't work. Fine, Ye Lanshan, for the sake of the family's grand plan, I'll have to kill you.*
He slipped a bit of white powder into a cup of wine, handed it to Ye Lanshan, and said, "My sister was out of line earlier. Let me apologize on her behalf. Please don't hold it against her."
Ye Lanshan took the cup and downed it, indicating she wouldn't dwell on it—after all, why bother with someone who was about to die?
Seeing her drink, Sun Chenbo's tension eased, and a satisfied smile spread across his face.
"So what if she plays the xiao well? Big deal." A woman, jealous of all the men crowding around Ye Lanshan, muttered.