As Zhou Ting, Lü Tianze, Yanluo's Eighteen Young Master Xiao Zibai, Lan Xingyu, and even the Feiyu Immortal Noble, along with many other prodigies, all entered the Yunchuan Garden Pavilion, the others, unwilling to be left out, also entered the pavilion in small groups, eager to listen to Young Lady Xiang'er's music.
Today, many Elders from the Four Great Families and Seven Great Sects had also come. Initially worried that their own sect's disciples might cause trouble or be bullied, they were now relieved since the matter had been left unresolved.
However, seeing everyone enter the pavilion, these Elders also felt a certain itch in their hearts.
To be honest,
they had long admired Young Lady Xiang'er's music. Some had even heard it before, and it truly was as stirring as the rumors claimed.
It was just that, normally, they couldn't bring themselves to go listen to music. After all, they were respected seniors from the Four Great Families and Seven Great Sects, having cultivated for many years. Going to a garden pavilion to listen to tunes was really beneath their dignity.
Fortunately, at this moment, Sister Miao saw through their thoughts and extended an invitation.
Thus, these usually dignified seniors half-heartedly entered the garden pavilion. Elder Xu Mu of the Taiji Sect originally didn't want to go, still waiting to see if the Jade Void Sect needed any help to avoid damaging relations.
As relatively prestigious seniors within Yanluo Kingdom, if the two of them didn't go, how could the Elders from other families and sects have the nerve to go? Therefore, the other Elders also chimed in with their words. Elder Li Yan of the Nandou Sect even said things like 'not giving face,' and so on. In the end, under helpless circumstances, Xu Mu had to instruct the other Elders to leave with the Jade Void Sect members, while he stayed behind with several Elders from the Taiji Sect.
The Yunchuan Garden Pavilion had over twenty performance venues of various sizes, but the most magnificent and popular was undoubtedly Yunle Peak.
Yunle Peak was situated within a maple forest.
The scenery within the maple forest was beautiful, featuring cool pavilions, towers, small bridges, and flowing streams, all shrouded in spiritual mist, making it seem like a paradise on earth.
When the musicians performed on Yunle Peak, the audience could quietly appreciate the music from the pavilions within the maple forest.
The entire maple forest was enveloped by multiple layers of formations, creating barriers that completely isolated the noise from outside. Moreover, it was said that every maple tree in the forest was interconnected with the formations of Yunle Peak. The sound of the musicians' performance would magically emanate from each maple tree, creating an absolutely unparalleled effect that made one feel even more immersed, lost in the beautiful melodies.
That night,
the starlight was brilliant, and the moonlight was beautiful.
Everyone had already gathered in twos and threes in the pavilions of the maple forest, sipping wine, listening to the music played by the musicians on Yunle Peak, and waiting for Miss Lin Xiang'er to take the stage.
Tang Manqing and Liu Yue returned to the garden pavilion. Since it was almost Lin Xiang'er's turn to perform, she went ahead to prepare. Upon arriving at the maple forest, the two headed straight for the deeper parts of the garden.
Although the maple forest was vast, it was already packed with people at this moment. Some pavilions were crowded with many people, and even the expensive towers and separate courtyards had been booked early.
Of course,
neither Tang Manqing nor Liu Yue would worry about such trivial matters.
One was a princess-royal, the other was the grand-disciple of the Black Buddha Lord, and both had a good relationship with Sister Miao, who managed the Yunchuan Garden Pavilion. They had already notified her before coming, and Sister Miao had specifically reserved a garden for them.
However, what puzzled them was that when they arrived at the garden's entrance, there seemed to be other people inside, with some maids and attendants from the garden pavilion carrying fine wine and delicacies in.
"Didn't Sister Miao say she reserved a garden for us?"
Tang Manqing looked up at the garden's name and said, "It should be this Qinggui Garden, right?"
"I also remember it being Qinggui Garden. How could..." Liu Yue frowned. "Could it be that there are too many guests today, not enough gardens, and Sister Miao booked out the garden she prepared for us?"
The two thought about it and felt it was unlikely.
If that were really the case, it could only mean Sister Miao had forgotten about it.
At that moment, an old man walked out of the garden. Both of them recognized him—he was the chief steward of the Yunchuan Garden Pavilion, Elder Jin.
Seeing Elder Jin come out of the garden, Tang Manqing and the other immediately approached.
"Huh? Princess-royal, Young Lady, you...
Why are you here?"
Clearly, this Elder Jin also knew Tang Manqing and Liu Yue.
"Elder Jin, we came to support Xiang'er."
"So that's the case. However, why didn't you notify us in advance? This old man could have made arrangements for you."
As he spoke, Elder Jin suddenly remembered something, slapped his forehead, and laughed awkwardly. "This old man is getting confused. Sister Miao has been at the garden pavilion these past two days. She should have arranged things for you, right?"
"This..." For a moment, Tang Manqing and the other really didn't know how to respond.
"What's wrong?
Did you not inform Sister Miao in advance when you came?
Oh dear, if that's really the case, then it's troublesome. Today, for Miss Xiang'er's performance, the entire maple forest—whether pavilions, towers, or garden courtyards—is fully booked."
"Elder Jin, it's like this: we met Sister Miao when we arrived, and she said she would reserve a garden for us."
"In that case, this old man is relieved. Which garden did Sister Miao arrange for you?
This old man will take you there right away."
"Well...
Elder Jin."
Tang Manqing said somewhat awkwardly, "Sister Miao arranged for us to have this Qinggui Garden."
"What?
This Qinggui Garden?"
Hearing this, Elder Jin was taken aback, standing there stunned.
"Elder Jin, didn't Sister Miao tell you?"
"No!"
Elder Jin shook his head. "If Sister Miao had said so in advance, even if you gave this old man ten thousand times the courage, he wouldn't dare let others into this Qinggui Garden."
Now Tang Manqing and Liu Yue were finally certain: Sister Miao must have forgotten about this matter.
Now the entire maple forest was fully booked. What should they do?
Could they just stand in the maple forest to support Xiang'er?
The two women were distressed.
And Elder Jin looked even more distressed. One was the Yanluo princess-royal, the other the grand-disciple of the Black Buddha Lord. As the chief steward of the Yunchuan Garden Pavilion, if he couldn't even properly host these two young ladies, what kind of chief steward was he?
"Princess-royal, Young Lady, how about this: you two wait here for a moment. I'll go into Qinggui Garden and see if I can ask them to squeeze into another garden."
"That doesn't seem very appropriate, does it?"
Although both wanted a quiet place to chat, if they had other guests kicked out because of themselves, they would feel somewhat guilty. After some thought, Tang Manqing said, "Let's go check other gardens to see if there are any friends we know."
After all, the two were the famous Twin Flowers of Yanluo. If they spoke up, someone would immediately offer their garden. However, neither of them could bring themselves to do such a thing. They could only see if there were any acquaintances with whom they could share a space.
"How can we let you two young ladies suffer such an indignity? If it were other guests staying in Qinggui Garden, this old man wouldn't say this. However, the ones in Qinggui Garden are our own people, so it shouldn't be a big deal."
"Our own people?
Elder Jin, who do you mean by 'our own people'?"
"It's no one else; you know him too. It's that lad Fei Kui. When he came this afternoon, he specifically found me, saying he was hosting distinguished guests and asked this old man to make arrangements. If this old man had known Qinggui Garden was the one Sister Miao reserved for you, he would never have arranged it for that lad Fei Kui!"