"Haha, good. Now I wonder who will get the reward from Her Majesty." His Majesty was caressing his grey beard while looking at the two, Weng Xi and Mu Ra Huo.
I smirked, 'It's obvious, if he was being fair, Weng Xi is the one but if he follows the majority voice, Mu Ra Huo will be the winner because she was more beautiful than Weng Xi. Well… most of the guests mostly men, they favour her pretty look and status more…'
"Your Majesty, this subject thinks it easier to choose the winner if there was one more participant.''
His majesty stared silently at my sister but his eyes…somehow sleepy…
'…It's been bothering me…His Majesty…perhaps already tired, seems this really the end, and I finally can go back.'
As I was waiting for him to announce the winner, I flinched - His expression changed a bit. It was if he was waiting for my sister to talk or perhaps…thinking what her attention.
'His expression was hard to guess. Sure enough, if not, he should not sit there, the emperor's seat.' I sighed and looked down at he floor, hoping the time run faster.
Mu Ra Huo opened her mouth, "Ac-actually my sister, Mu Xinyi had better talent than me. I certain she can entertain us more."
Zapp. I felt as if my head cracked. I almost showed it on my face but fortunately, Ruyang moved quickly. She lightly patted my shoulder and told me to be patient and control myself. I took a deep breath.
"Hmm? Your sister, Mu Xinyi? Where is she?" Asked his majesty while looking around. It seems as if he did not really notice his surroundings.
I ignored the king's calling. I looked at my sister with a calm eye…I failed. My anger still resides, my mouth hardly can be open – my teeth clenching each other inside where even I, myself, felt like the teeth will be broken.
I did not understand why she was acting that way. Clearly, everyone could guess she want to embarrass me. Even though we had a bad relationship within the family, I never once care about what she did and never once find trouble with her. My opinion about her before crumbled right away.
'I thought she's smart…but she's not just stupid, but dumber than I think. Embarrassing me in public means embarrassing the Mu Mercenary family.'
I sighed lightly. My head ached, thinking about whether to play the fool or not – Her decision could make my father, the head of the famous merchant lose face and earn bad prestige for the first time in his life as the head.
"…I don't see her, where is Mu Xinyi?" The emperor still looking for me, he has been looking left and side several times.
'...talk as if he knows me…tsk! I want to pretend Mu Xinyi is not here…'
I stood and bowed, "I, Mu Xinyi greet Your Majesty the emperor, and Her Majesty the queen."
"You're Mu Xinyi?" Asked His Majesty monotone. While I, who greet him could hear people gossiping about my ugly face left and right.
"Yes, Your Majesty," I answered in a confused state. I did not understand why His Majesty have such a tone – it telling me he did not favour me.
'Did greeting him late made him this mad…? So what?!' I was annoyed but also curious to see the ruler's anger – Which one is the winner, is it him, or me?
I lifted my head and looked at him, I blink non-stop. Like my eyes playing tricks, I caught a glimpse of his smile, 'He was smiling, right?' I gaped a bit.
"What performance you will show me?"
"Your Majesty, subject—"
"Your Majesty, my sister is actually great at performing—"
"Don't interrupt me!" A loud voice echoed in the hall. His Majesty shouted at Mu Ra Huo who witlessly interrupted the ruler's talk. My eyes also stopped blinking, 'His anger's aura is more than mine can have! Means…the emperor is strong!' I smirked, 'He's the winner…fine, so I'll perform then.'
Mu Ra Huo trembled on her knee, perhaps she had forgotten a fact about the ruler of this Mang Dynasty – His Majesty the Emperor of the Mang Dynasty is someone who treats his subject nicely and fairly but he had a line that his subject should never cross – It was to never disrespect him. As the ruler, he was above everyone else, and those who disrespect him deserve punishment.
I was giggling inside. '…Who told you to cut me off? You reap what you sow, sister'
"I-I'm sorry, Your Majesty! P-Please, forgive this subject!" Mu Ra Hua still bowed her head on the floor."
"Go sit, don't interrupt me anymore." His Majesty said with a serious tone. Then, he looked at me.
"Your Majesty, subject will play the same instrument as my sister. Subject will perform Shù Qiān Fēng Bù (Thousands Wind Steps)." I smiled while stating that and looked at my sister. Just, I want to pay her back.
I noticed my sister snickered at me, maybe she was thinking I only put on a brave face in front of the emperor. I took the seven-string Zither and sit in the middle to perform.
'It's been so long since I play this…' I stretched my finger by moving it close and open several times. Then, Ting! One by one, my fingers moved and connect the sound – It started to flow like a wind.
Shù Qiān Fēng Bù is a piece that tells a story of a runaway warrior who run from his king who wanted him dead by sending him to go to the faraway war that was full of evil spirits alone. However, later on, as the day goes on, he realised, the king never once wants to punish him. Instead, the king believes in him and know he is the only one who has the purest heart among the warrior, the one who never get tempted by evil spirits.
Thus, he ran thousands of miles within a week to meet his king, asked to serve him again and slaughtered the evil spirits for the rest of his life. He, who gave himself to his king and run a thousand miles for his king, is a loyal subject, who never lost his true self to any, either the evil spirits or the fames.
He, Qian Feng Bu is the founder of Thousands Wind Steps martial arts. Named after him, Thousands Wind Steps martial arts was created especially for him to quickly go back to his king. It was also one of the fames of Qīng Yè (Light Night) Dynasty, the ancient dynasty long before the Mang dynasty and, it suits the main character of the banquet – Mang We Jing.
I took a deep breath. The piece reaches its peak, I focused and shifted my finger carefully because it was the most difficult part. A fast, sharp and strong sounds need to be brought out in order to call it Shù Qiān Fēng Bù.
'Two parts more…'
'Last one…'
Huh. I let out a light sigh. The performance ended.