Three punches shattered the demonic soul, young hero, I'm an honest man!

Inside the waterside pavilion, all was quiet.

Only the wind rustles through the green bamboo.

Countless gazes fell upon him, some curious, some scrutinizing, and some with a hint of mockery.

All of this converged on the woman who was slowly walking towards the zither platform.

Yunniang wore a light green silk dress and no makeup, yet she possessed a natural and refined beauty.

She bowed gracefully and took her seat behind the zither platform.

With a gentle lift of her delicate hand, she lightly flicked her jade-like fingers.

"Zheng—"

The first notes of the zither sounded like a mountain stream, flowing gently.

It was plain, even a bit immature.

This is quite different from Wang Zhilan's elegance and Liu Qingxian's skillful display.

Sun Shaoyou's lips curled into a disdainful sneer, as if he could already foresee the pathetic state of Pei Yun and the others when they lost the bet.

"As expected of a woman of the night, she's not presentable..." he thought to himself.

However, as the melody deepened, the originally plain piano sound gradually began to change.

Like a lover's whisper, tender and lingering.

Like a mountain stream first gathering, it gradually becomes smooth and melodious, and then flows into a large river, gradually widening.

Suddenly, Yunniang parted her red lips slightly.

A clear and melodious voice, accompanied by the sound of the zither, flowed out together:

"There is a beautiful woman, whom I have seen and will never forget."

"If I don't see you for a day, I'll miss you madly."

Phoenix Seeks Its Mate!

The sound of the piano and the singing blended perfectly.

This is the real reason why Yunniang can firmly hold the position of the most beautiful courtesan in Baidi Tower.

She is exceptionally skilled in playing the zither and has a captivating singing voice.

"The phoenix soars high, seeking its mate across the four seas."

"Alas, the beauty is not on the east wall."

As people gradually realized, Yunniang's finger technique seemed simple, without any fancy moves.

But every note landed perfectly.

Too much and it's cloying; too little and it's bland.

It was as if she wasn't plucking the strings, but rather the strings were drawing her heart out, naturally flowing out her most sincere emotions.

Wang Zhilan's "Spring Outing" is superior because of its elegance.

She possessed the refined elegance of a lady from a distinguished family.

Liu Qingxian's "Yellow Crane Circling Green Trees" excels in its technique.

It is an ingenious and exquisite craftsmanship.

Yunniang's song "Phoenix Seeks Its Mate" is superior because of its "emotion" and "soul"!

The music and the singing voice convey a sincere emotion.

Skills in this world, when mastered to their highest level, may amaze for a time.

But only true feelings can move people's hearts and remain fresh over time.

This is a persistent yearning for beautiful love and an infinite attachment to the beloved.

Most of the people present were young people experiencing their first love.

Even those playboys who have been through many ups and downs in life, deep down, have they never longed for a pure love?

This piece of music strikes right at the heart!

Inside the waterside pavilion, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Those skeptical and dismissive glances from before have long since disappeared.

At this moment, everyone was focused, completely immersed in the artistic conception of the intertwined music and song.

Many sensitive young ladies already had tears welling up in their eyes.

Her delicate hand gently covered her face, as if some deep-seated thoughts had been stirred up.

Do they not also yearn for such pure and passionate emotions?

Sitting in the main seat, Princess Changyang's initially furrowed brows had long since relaxed.

Having lived in the inner palace for a long time, she had become accustomed to hypocrisy and scheming.

But at this moment, the pure longing in Yunniang's zither music touched the softest part of her heart.

Once upon a time, she was also a young girl in the throes of first love.

I once had unrealistic fantasies about the lifelong, monogamous couples in those storybooks.

But time is merciless and reality is cruel, and those beautiful dreams have long since been worn away.

She couldn't help but look at Pei Yun.

His gaze shifted from scrutiny to a hint of surprise, even mixed with a subtle expression of admiration.

This young man has such keen insight into people, able to discover such unpolished gems amidst the dust and grime.

Princess Yongle was already completely captivated by what she heard.

She rested her chin on her hands, her clear, innocent eyes filled with longing and anticipation.

Prince Yanxu opened his mouth wide, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

He originally thought that Liu Qingxian was already the best, but he never expected that the most beautiful courtesan in Baidi Tower could play such a moving piece of music.

He shook his head with a wry smile and silently took off the dragon-patterned jade pendant from his waist.

We lost, but we accepted it wholeheartedly.

"How can we become a pair of mandarin ducks, neck to neck, soaring together in perfect harmony!"

The singing gradually subsided, and the sound of the zither lingered.

The lingering sound echoed around the beams for three days.

The music ended.

For a long time, the pavilion remained deathly silent.

Someone was the first to react and burst into applause.

In an instant, thunderous applause erupted!

Pei Yun stood up with a smile and nodded slightly to Yunniang.

Even Yunwei Xingguan's usually aloof face showed a rare smile of approval.

Qin Yu was even more smug, as if he himself had played the instrument.

He walked up to Sun Shaoyou, who had provoked him earlier, and chuckled:

"Young Master Sun, how is it?"

"Are you truly convinced by my brother Pei's discerning eye and Miss Yunniang's skill?"

Sun Shaoyou's face was flushed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

Finally, he sighed in despair and bowed deeply to Yunniang.

"I was blind and didn't recognize your greatness. I spoke rudely and hope that Miss Yunniang will forgive me."

"Commander Pei... I have lost."

He apologized to Yunniang as promised, his expression no longer showing any arrogance.

"good!"

Prince Yan Xu also clapped his hands in praise, his voice filled with amazement.

"Miss Yunniang's song was so sincere and moving, it truly touched my heart! I, the young master, am willing to accept defeat!"

He took off the dragon-patterned jade pendant and handed it to Princess Yongle beside him.

"Sister Yongle, you have such a discerning eye!"

"Miss Yunniang, you shall be the champion of today!"

Yunniang slowly stood up, her cheeks slightly flushed and her breath slightly out of her mouth.

She bowed gracefully to the crowd, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Your Highness is too kind."

She paused, her clear gaze fixed on Pei Yun, filled with a hint of girlish shyness and admiration.

"Actually, the lyrics and music of 'The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate' were taught to me by you in your spare time."

"Yunniang merely displayed it; I am unworthy of your praise."

These words shocked everyone present!

All eyes turned to Pei Yun once again.

His eyes were filled with disbelief and curiosity.

This exquisite piece of music, which could stir the hearts of all the nobles in the garden, was actually composed by this commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Not only is he incredibly talented in martial arts, but he also has such mastery of music.

On the other side of the waterside pavilion, Su Jinyue's gentle smile remained unchanged.

But deep within those eyes, which were as clear as autumn water, flashed an indescribable strange light.

She originally thought Pei Yun was just a Jinyiwei with some tricks up his sleeve.

But no one expected that his understanding of the word "love" would be so profound.

It can even be conveyed so precisely through the music of a courtesan, touching people's hearts.

This level of subtlety and insight is far beyond what ordinary martial artists can achieve.

This person is truly interesting.

In a corner not far away, for the first time, a clear emotion appeared on Li Xuanping's usually calm and composed face.

He was a disciple of the Xuan Shu Sect of the Tai Su Dao lineage, cultivating the Dao of Immortality and seeking longevity.

To him, no matter how exquisite the skills in the world were, they were nothing but fleeting clouds.

But at this moment, he felt an extremely pure artistic conception from Yunniang's zither music and singing.

The lyrics and music depict the "devotion" of a person, the kind of persistence and steadfastness in their feelings.

Surprisingly, it subtly aligned with what he was thinking.

His reason for descending the mountain was to find a miraculous medicine for his Daoist companion, who was suffering from a serious illness.

That affection, that longing, weighed more heavily on him than a thousand pounds.

The song "Phoenix Seeking Its Mate" stirred ripples in his long-dormant heart.

Li Xuanping couldn't help but glance at Pei Yun and Yunniang a few more times, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.

Everyone present knew this.

After this incident, Yunniang's name will probably spread throughout the entire capital city in an instant.

She rose from a courtesan at Baidi Tower to become the "Fairy of the Qin," a highly sought-after figure in the capital's aristocratic circles.

In the future, it is likely that no one will dare to underestimate this extraordinary woman who came from a humble background.

Pei Yun, the instigator of all this, remained completely calm and collected.

It was as if all of this was within his expectations.

He simply squeezed Yunniang's hand gently and whispered, "Well done."

These three simple words warmed Yunniang's heart more than a thousand praises.

To have received even a word from you, sir, is enough.