The Choosing Pt. 5 (Yuying)

"Your Highness, Second Prince Zhao," Liu Yuqi greets as she bows respectfully. "I, Liu Yuqi, will be performing a cultivation guzheng piece that I have composed."

As confident as she seemed, Yuying couldn't help but wonder how Liu Yuqi was going to outperform Zheng Yimeng and Hua Maque, who both delivered stellar performances in their own unique ways.

/Both Zheng Yimeng and Hua Maque's performances were full of action and vigor./

/Besides, both of them harnessed their cultivation abilities to create the backing track for their respective performances./

/How is Liu Yuqi ever going to top their performances by simply sitting down and playing the guzheng...?/

Liu Yuqi seemed to be well aware of this as she wasn't finished speaking.

"I'd specially written and developed this cultivation guzheng piece such that it can heal those with minor to moderate sicknesses," Yuqi explains as she walks over to her companions who were holding her guzheng.

Liu Yuqi gently brushes her fingers over the strings as she gazes at it as though it was her precious child.

Her fingers trace over the cherry blossom patterns that had been carved into the guzheng, before slowly making their way down the trunk of the carved tree.

Sure enough, Liu Yuqi's revelation incites an 'ooo' from the audience, who hadn't seemed to be as engaged as before, most probably because they had yet to recover from both Zheng Yimeng and Hua Maque's breathtaking performances.

"As such, in order to demonstrate just what my specially crafted piece is capable of," Liu Yuqi continues, "I have prepared something special for tonight."

With that, Liu Yuqi withdraws her fingers from her guzheng and claps her hands together.

Yuying doesn't miss the subtle wink that Lou Yuqi sends him as she does so.

Unlike Hua Maque, Liu Yuqi's wink wasn't cheeky or playful. Instead, it was flirtatious.

Yuying couldn't help but cringe internally. Liu Yuqi seemed like she was trying too hard.

The fact that Liu Yuqi looked like a carbon copy of her older sister didn't help either.

The door to the Main Hall open as soon as Liu Yuqi claps her hands together. Everyone present turns their gazes towards the door in anticipation.

Six of Liu Yuqi's companions trickle in. They worked in pairs, each carrying in a person with what looked like an ancient Chinese version of a present-day stretcher.

Yuying mentally counted the number of people that Liu Yuqi was bringing in as they made their way to the front of the hall.

/One.../

/Two.../

/Three./

/There are three of them.../

Everyone couldn't help but murmur and whisper amongst themselves as soon as Liu Yuqi's companions had set the three people down at the front of the Main Hall and returned to their seats.

"Who are these people?"

"Where did she find them from?"

"They look like pheasants..."

The corner of Liu Yuqi's lips curled up to form a grin. She seemed to be satisfied by the renewed attention towards her, as well as the curiosity and anticipation as to what she was going to do with the three people that she had brought in.

"I know that you all have questions," Liu Yuqi mused, effectively commanding the audience as everyone immediately quietened when she spoke. Liu Yuqi kept a sweet smile on her face as she walked over to the three people.

"Before I begin my performance, I would like to introduce my special guests," Liu Yuqi announced.

Liu Yuqi stood beside the first person. She was an average-looking young woman who looked like she was around her mid to late 20s.

There didn't seem to be anything wrong with her, save for the fact that she was drastically overshadowed in terms of appearance as she was standing in a room full of conventionally beautiful young girls.

"This is Ling," Liu Yuqi introduced, "She sells fruits around Luohua Street, which is the street near the academy that I graduated from and am currently working at."

Liu Yuqi smiles at Ling, to which the latter returns. "I frequent her stall all the time," she muses, "After all, she sells the best fruit in all of the nation."

"Anyway, Ling is here today," Liu Yuqi continues, "Because she has a rather badly sprained ankle."

As soon as Liu Yuqi says this, Ling takes it has her cue to take off her left shoe.

Everyone grimaces as soon as she has taken it off. To say that Ling had a badly sprained ankle was an understatement. It was scarily bruised, completely black and blue, and almost looked as though it was about to fall off at any moment.

"I noticed Ling limping while I was patronising her store one day," Liu Yuqi explains, "When I asked her why she was hobbling, she told me that she tripped and fell while carrying a basket of fruits about a week or two ago."

Everyone grimaced at this new piece of information. That meant that Ling's injury had been left untreated for a quite a long time now.

Still, Liu Yuqi's words didn't explain why Ling was here.

However, instead of elaborating further, Liu Yuqi moved on to the second person. It was an middle-aged lady who, just like Ling, appeared to be perfectly fine.

"This is Madam Xia," Liu Yuqi introduces, "She's a tailoress who owns a shop along Luohua Street. I'm always going to her shop to get my clothes mended."

Just like she did to Ling, Liu Yuqi smiles at Madam Xia, who returns the gesture.

"Madam Xia is here today because she told me that she felt like there was something on the back of her neck about a week ago," Liu Yuqi explains.

Madam Xia takes this as her cue to hold her hair up. Everyone gasps as soon as she does this. There's a big lump at the back of her neck, so big that it's around the size of a small apple.

"Don't worry, everyone, I've checked and found that it's just a benign tumor," Liu Yuqi continues, "Still, Madam Xia's neck would look much better without it, don't you think?"

Finally, Liu Yuqi moves on to the last person. Unlike Ling and Madam Xia, this man, who looked like he was around his mid to late 30s, was visibly ill. There were angry, red rashes all over his face and skin.

Everyone winces when they see the extent of the man's skin condition. His rashes are so bad that they practically coat his skin as though they were a second layer.

"This is Huan," Liu Yuqi introduces, "He's a laborer who works around Luohua Street. I came across him one day while I was out shopping."

Just like she did to Ling and Madam Xia, Lou Yuqi gives Huan a reassuring smile. "Huan has measles-like rashes that flare up every now and then."

Liu Yuqi gives Huan one last glance before turning back to the audience.

"Now, you must all be wondering," Liu Yuqi asks rhetorically, "Why have I brought these special guests with me tonight?"

Yuying couldn't help but get the "show-off" and "extra" vibe from Liu Yuqi. She seemed to have thoroughly planned out her performance such that she would stand out and make an impact on the audience.

/She's just like Yuqing./

Yuying shuddered at the thought of Yuqing, who would write cards and prepare gifts for those who showed up to her guzheng recitals.

While everyone saw Yuqing as a sweet and generous girl, Yuying saw her as nothing but a suck up who seemed to thrive on the validation and approval of others.

Nevertheless, Yuying has to admit that both Yuqing and Liu Yuqi were extremely charismatic people who knew how to use their beauty to full advantage and charm others.

"Well," Liu Yuqi hums, "Remember the self-composed guzheng piece that I mentioned earlier?"

"You'll be able to see it in action firsthand, before your very eyes."

With that, Liu Yuqi's companions set down her guzheng in the middle of the hall. Liu Yuqi elegantly sashays over to it, gently brushing her fingers across the strings before finally taking her seat.

Yuying is so stunned by Liu Yuqi's extensive introduction that she almost forgets to tell her to start.

"Y-You may begin." Yuying states simply.

/I want to see just how good this guzheng piece of hers is./

Liu Yuqi smiles at Yuying. It's a smile different from the ones that she'd given Ling, Madam Xia, Huan, and pretty much everyone in the audience.

Yuying couldn't put her finger on what kind of smile it is. She feels like she's seen it from somewhere before. Sometimes, Tian Gou, one of her good friends who's also a Chinese major, gives her that kind of smile.

Still, that didn't mean that Yuying knew what it was. She didn't know what it meant either.

Just then, Liu Yuqi begins to strum her guzheng.