The next morning, after returning from his run, the sun was shining brightly from the east. The recent days hadn't been too hot, and the weather felt quite pleasant.
Last night's courtesan competition, which Ning Yi had feared might involve an assassination, had turned out uneventful. The glance he had caught earlier now seemed likely to have been a mere illusion. After wandering between the various stages with Xiao Chan to enjoy the performances, he returned home without incident. This morning, while he was out for his run, he heard Nie Yunzhu talking about last night's events.
"Last night, I saw Li Heng with Jin Er behind the stage. He was standing a bit further forward, eating a big pancake. Jin Er was in stitches, saying he looked so unrefined—how could he be the top scholar, munching on a pancake while she was performing? When she finished, she joked that it would be quite amusing if a scholar was sitting in the audience chewing on a pancake while she danced at Jin Feng Tower…"
Ning Yi suddenly recalled that Jin Er's performance had indeed been scheduled very late, and he had been quite hungry, munching on a pancake throughout the show, laughing as he remembered.
"But Jin Er is such a lively girl. Now that she's met you, if she sees you again tonight, she might come over to mess with you. Li Heng, you'd better be patient…"
After finishing his run and returning home, Su Tan'er was already cleaned up and waiting for him to have breakfast. "Wen Fang went to see you just now. He wanted to thank you for your help yesterday, but he was in a hurry and left early. Honestly, there's no sincerity at all…"
As she spoke, she laughed, while Ning Yi shook his head. "I didn't really help with anything; we just happened to meet."
"Don't be so modest! Just now, Juan and Xing were out, and I heard the servants discussing how you conquered your opponents without a fight. Just by sitting nearby, Chen Jiweng dared not write poetry anymore. His earlier bravado disappeared completely. It's too bad I wasn't there last night to see it…"
"Why did it spread so quickly?"
Su Tan'er giggled. "Wen Fang also said that just one word from you allowed that Tang girl to make it into the top sixteen of the competition…"
This was indeed a rather astonishing piece of news. Ning Yi rubbed his nose, saying, "That has nothing to do with me."
To be honest, it was hard to say it had no relation at all. During the competition, Tang Jing hadn't been a frontrunner; her reputation wasn't great, and she paled in comparison to established favorites like Qi Lan and Lu Caicai. While her dance and looks were decent, she still had a touch of shyness and uncertainty.
Beforehand, few people thought she would make it into the top sixteen. However, when the rankings were announced, she unexpectedly came in last among the top sixteen, which surprised everyone. The story of Ning Yi intimidating Chen Jiweng at Wenmo Tower, and how both he and Li Pin praised her dance as "very beautiful," began circulating widely—though how far it had spread prior to that was unclear, it seemed almost miraculous now.
While other scholars were crafting countless poems, Ning Yi had only used five words: "danced very beautifully." It was said that with his phrase "true heart is precious," it became impossible for others to criticize a mediocre poem. Others also mentioned that upon hearing Ning Yi say "danced very beautifully," the young master Puyang Yi had casually gifted her five hundred flowers, helping her enter the top sixteen.
With only three thousand people in attendance, the number of witnesses was limited, but the story was compelling. Ultimately, the reason for Tang Jing's advancement to the top sixteen became the most talked-about narrative from the first night of the courtesan competition. Ning Yi felt a mix of bemusement and resignation.
During the day, classes continued, and Jiang Ning remained bustling. By evening, he and Xiao Chan made their way to the area near Bailuzhou. The setup for the event had already changed.
Last night, there were a total of five stages, and the audience had entered rather casually. However, tonight everything was more formalized. It became evident how cleverly the venue had been chosen: a large stage was set up near the riverbank, with a gentle slope leading up from the water. Numerous seats had been arranged, and the boats on the river and nearby small buildings had also been prepared for viewing.
Behind the stage, various tents of different sizes had been set up as a backdrop, providing space for the performers and their supporters. Sixteen young women would each perform twice tonight, and the seating area around the venue had been organized into sections. The best viewing spots were reserved for the nobility on a special boat, while each of the sixteen courtesans had allocated some space for their patrons—these spots were generally quite good. On the boat and in the nearby buildings, some spaces were set up for banquets, and even if there were no tables, attendants with delicious snacks would be circulating to serve the guests.
Ning Yi and Xiao Chan had only bought the most ordinary flower, which likely meant they would sit in the middle or back of the venue, but that wasn't a problem; after all, Xiao Chan had brought plenty of snacks. However, when they found a slightly better spot to sit, they quickly realized it wasn't so simple.
First, Su Wending, Su Wenfang, and Tang Jing approached them. Tang Jing thanked Ning Yi, and then the matron from the building started inviting him to sit in a better location. After he declined, a familiar young scholar came by: "Ning, why don't you come sit in the front?" Soon after, Puyang Yi joined them, chatting amiably for a while. This time, he didn't extend an invitation but merely checked if Ning Yi wanted to enjoy the show in peace before departing.
Then Li Pin noticed him and came over for a brief chat.
Li Pin had gone over to cheer for Lu Caicai, but knowing Ning Yi's character, he didn't urge him to move to the front, understanding that doing so would lead to numerous social encounters.
In any case, most of the front-row seats were occupied by people of some renown. Occasionally, Ning Yi caught sight of someone pointing towards their direction—likely discussing Tang Jing's performance from the previous night. Meanwhile, Xiao Chan sat quietly beside him, munching on snacks like a greedy little mouse. Eventually, she asked, "Why doesn't my lord go to the front?"
"Do you want to go to the front?"
"Not really." She smiled sweetly. "I think this spot is just fine."
Xiao Chan seemed to understand the competition better than Ning Yi did. During their downtime, she recounted stories from previous competitions she had attended with the other ladies, sharing amusing anecdotes. At that moment, he spotted Yuan Jin'er; she seemed to be out thanking her supporters before her performance, lingering in the front and glancing their way. Although technically, she and Ning Yi hadn't been introduced in a formal setting, so they weren't "acquainted," Yuan Jin'er eventually returned and pulled Nie Yunzhu back into the shadows.
"Mr. Ning." Just before the competition was set to begin, a familiar face approached—Lu Agu, who was associated with Kang Xian. After greeting him, Lu Agu pointed toward a boat nearby. "The master is over there. It seems he noticed you and Miss Xiao Chan sitting here and thought you looked a bit overwhelmed. If there are no necessary social obligations, why not watch from that boat? It's a property of the princess's household, and the second floor is mostly for idle folks, so it's quite relaxed, with good views."
Ning Yi glanced over; the boat's location was indeed favorable, and there were not many people on the second floor. After looking at Xiao Chan, he nodded with a smile. The two followed Lu Agu up to the second floor of the boat. Sure enough, there were few people there, and the crowd gathered consisted mainly of young individuals, with some maids bustling about.
Lu Agu settled Ning Yi and Xiao Chan at a window, where a tea table was set with various fruits and snacks. Compared to the bustling crowd below, this space felt relatively spacious and tranquil. Lu Agu smiled, "If you have any friends, feel free to invite them to join you; there's plenty of room. If you need anything, just let the attendants know. By the way, the master is over there."
Kang Xian was also occupied with social engagements, situated on the main boat where the nobility had gathered. He glanced over when Lu Agu was speaking, smiling and nodding in acknowledgment.
Nearby Ning Yi and Xiao Chan, two unknown young men were seated at the side window. When they noticed Ning Yi and Xiao Chan settling in, they clasped their fists in salute and smiled at Ning Yi, then exchanged a few words with Lu Agu, likely inquiring about Ning Yi's identity. Xiao Chan occasionally glanced at them, but after a moment, she shifted her chair closer to Ning Yi, feeling secure and ready to enjoy the performances.
On Ning Yi's side sat a pair of siblings. The older sister appeared to be younger than Xiao Chan, probably around thirteen or fourteen, but she bore an unusually serious expression for her age, resembling a little adult. She initially turned her head to observe Ning Yi, but when he looked back, she naturally diverted her gaze to the stage. However, as soon as he averted his eyes, she glanced back at him, as if her curiosity compelled her to steal a quick look, but she quickly turned away when caught, only to sneak in an extra second of observation.
The younger brother, around eleven or twelve, sat nearby, curiously scanning the surroundings. When the performances began, he scooted his chair closer, as if he wanted to share a secret with Ning Yi.
"Hey, are you that Ning Yi, Ning Li Heng? The one who wrote 'Shui Diao Ge Tou' and 'Qing Yu An'? I have a few questions to quiz you on, and if you get them right…"
"No, I'm not."
"Eh?" The boy looked slightly stunned.
Ning Yi leaned down conspiratorially, his hand covering his mouth, and whispered, "I'm not Ning Li Heng."
"...Oh."
The boy stared blankly for a moment, then reluctantly dragged his chair back to his sister, likely reporting his findings. The sister looked down and whispered something that sounded like, "He's lying to you…" but the rest was lost to Ning Yi.
As Lu Agu had mentioned, there were no interruptions on the upper deck, allowing them to enjoy the lively performances below. The crowd cheered thunderously at various intervals, and Ning Yi and Xiao Chan savored snacks while watching. During breaks between performances, announcements were made about how many flowers certain patrons had given to particular performers, and some scholars' poems were read aloud after being praised by notable figures, adding to the spectacle. Among the dignitaries on the boat were the main officials from Jiangning, including Chen Yong and Song Xian, but Ning Yi found himself more relaxed than he had been the previous night, simply enjoying the show.
After a few performances, Xiao Chan fetched a Go set from the side and set it up on the small table where the fruit was displayed. They played five-in-a-row amidst the colorful lights below, creating a tranquil and leisurely atmosphere. After a while, the young boy returned, dragging his chair over again and resting his chin on the table to watch.
"Hey, that's not how you play Go…"
At that moment, a woman moved through the crowd beneath the boat, glancing up toward the main deck for a moment before disappearing back into the throng.
As the night deepened along the riverside, the festive and harmonious atmosphere continued to rise with the music and dance, escalating in joy as the evening unfolded.