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Army Outside the City Gates (1)

T/N: Chapter sponsored by Anon and ShiroiYukie! Thank you for sponsoring! ML doesn't appear until the very end, so don't get too excited lmaoo.

Something different about the table?

Everyone's gaze all shifted to the table, finally noticing that this table was much bigger than normal tables, and there was also a layer on top.

"This table is actually double layered!?" Someone said in surprise.

"Yes. Not only that, this table's top layer can even move." Du Ke Xin said and reached out to turn it. The layer on top began spinning. "I've asked the waiter, they said, this table is for when there's a lot of people, everyone can conveniently reach the dishes. Placing them on top of this, everyone can eat spinning this. Right now, I've placed a tea cup on this, and then spin this table. Whoever the teacup stops in front of, is who will have to perform a show for everyone. The tools for the four arts just happens to all be in this room too."

"Ha, this method isn't bad." Someone seconded the motion. 

"Can be fun." Han Ming Xiang said.

"Then let's begin." Du Ke Xin placed an empty cup on the round table, and began spinning the table. After the table spun around twice, she then let go, allowing the table to slowly stop. 

The first to get hit was Chen Yue. She didn't refuse either and recited a verse for everyone using tea as the main subject, winning an unanimous praise from everyone present.

The second was Du Ke Xin herself. She borrowed the zither in the private room to a tune perform for everyone. The elegant and soothing tune made everyone's emotions all began stirring.

"To have an abundance of skill, but not enough emotion." Du Xiao Li muttered to herself as she drank the tea. She thought that everyone were all drawn in by the zither sound, and no one would hear her, but unexpectedly, Fu Ya Lan who was next to her glanced to her, somewhat surprised. However, that glance was quick and didn't attract the others' attention.

In between, Du Xiu Heng also got picked once. He similarly used tea as an introduction and composed a poem.

Because there was Du Ke Xin's seven-stringed zither performance in front, everyone behind all avoided this subject. Most completed their performance by composing a verse.

Du Xiao Li sat in her own seat and watched those young masters and misses perform, sighing at the culture's diversity and openness. Poetry, verse, tune, all was there.  

"Oh, this time it's your younger sister's turn." The tea cup stopped in front of Du Xiao Li, and someone said to Du Ke Xin with a laugh.

"Younger sister, you can just randomly perform something for everyone." Du Ke Xin looked to Du Xiao Li and said.

"What talent would she have, don't tell me she's going to explain to everyone how to plant in the fields?" A boy next to Chen Yue said. Du Xiao Li glanced over. That was Chen Yue's younger brother Chen Ming.

The atmosphere in the room instantly turned somewhat awkward, especially Du Ke Xin and Du Ke Hui's looks were somewhat not good, but didn't say anything. However, although they wanted to look natural at all cost, Du Xiao Li still discovered a trace of smugness in Du Ke Xin's eyes. 

"Then I'll just sing a song then." Du Xiao Li said.

"What instrument does third sister want to use?" Du Ke Xin asked.

Du Xiao Li shook her head, she was too lazy to move her hands. "I'll just sing directly, is that okay?" 

"I was just saying, what talent would she have." Chen Yue said.

Normally, when everyone performed, no one would choose to sing, unless they didn't know anything else. So as soon as Du Xiao Li said she was going to sing, everyone all subconsciously believed she didn't have any talents. After all, she grew up in a farming village, not knowing any talents was very normal.

"Alright, then just sing a song for everyone." Han Ming Xiang spoke.

Since Princess Changle has spoken, everyone all quieted down. Du Xiao Li responded, and then began singing.

(T/N: The song she sings is called 'Wind Blows the Wheat Waves' by Li Jian---here a link.)

Under the distant azure sky,

the moving golden wheat waves. 

There was once where you and I were in love.

Once the breeze brings the smell of harvest,

blowing towards my face,

recalling your gentle voice,

once bringing tears to my eyes.

En la,

We once sang songs in the fields.

Hoping in the winter, 

yet wasn't able to wait until

this autumn scenery under the sunlight.

Just let the scattered promise dance in the breeze,

and float away with the west wind.

Just like your soft long hair, 

once perfuming my dreamland. 

En la.

Du Xiao Li only sang through once. After finishing, no one responded, so she said, "I'm done singing."

"What song is this? How come I never heard it before?" Ji Liu Xia asked.

The others also looked to Du Xiao Li, all feeling the song she sang was weird. The lyrics were neither like verse, nor like a tune, more like how everyone spoke. So even if her voice was very pleasant, and the meaning she sang was also very good, everyone still couldn't accept it momentarily.

"This is a song I heard when I was in the countryside, can probably be considered country music." Du Xiao Li faintly replied, and then no longer spoke.

"So it's a tune from the countryside, no wonder we never heard it before." Chen Ming said.

"Actually, it's not bad either. It has another kind of feeling to it." Han Ming Xiang felt it was rather good. Having gotten used to hearing those poetic tunes, this kind of straightforward music, she could also accept.

"Then let's continue." Fu Ya Lan said.

Thus the table began spinning again. However, it didn't stop in front of Du Xiao Li again. Some things, performed once was embarrassing her, to come again would be embarrassing the Prime Minister Manor!

The table continued spinning, and just when it reached the next person, the door was pushed open. Two men walked in.

"Sorry, we've come late." A magnetic yet also indifferent voice came through.

Du Xiao Li lifted her head, only seeing a man wearing an ink color garment with a tall stature, and a man in an aqua long gown with a slightly plump stature entering. The two were both seventeen eighteen years old, and as soon as they entered, they began sizing up the people that have gathered today. 

(T/N: They are literally dressed as their names----Mo means ink, and Shui means water.)

"Gentleman Mo, Gentleman Shui, you've come! Quickly have a seat."

So they were the last two rare guest.

Mo Yang and Shui Ye Fan bowed towards Han Ming Xiang, before sitting down at the seats left for them.

"Mo Yang, you all actually came to participate in today's gathering, really a rare guest!" Chen Ming said.

Shui Ye Fan glanced at Mo Yang, and then said, "Originally, today, Mo Yang and I needed to go to teacher's place first, but teacher had a guest, so we thus returned. When we were passing by below, we recalled today's gathering, and thus came late, asking everyone to please forgive us." 

"Want us to forgive, then later, drink three cups of wine first." Chen Ming said with a smile, completely different from his appearance when he was coldly mocking Du Xiao Li just now. 

"That won't do. The grape wine that's coming up later only has one jar, if we let them drink it all, it won't be worthwhile." Du Ke Hui said with a laugh.

"There's actually grape wine today?"

"This year's grape wine came out?"

"No, it's one that shopkeeper Fu left over from last year. Right now there's only just this one jar." Du Ke Xin said, "Just, didn't expect that shopkeeper Fu actually agreed to give us to drink for today's gathering."

"That's cause sister Ke Xin has face. Last year, when we came here to eat, shopkeeper Fu didn't even sell to us." A girl admiringly looked to Du Ke Xin and said.  

"It's probably because shopkeeper knows that this year's grape wine is about to come out." Du Ke Xin said. "Speaking of which, this Li family winery's fruit wines were all not bad, but only this grape wine sells the best."

"That's right, every year when this grape wine comes out, it'll sell out very soon. Last year, it was gone after a few sips. Hope this year they came produce a little more."

"Since everyone is all here, let's let the kitchen set the dishes." Du Ke Xin looked to everyone and said. Seeing everyone all agree, she thus let her personal servant girl Lue'er go inform the kitchen to bring up the dishes.

"Just now, when we were coming up, heard someone singing upstairs, don't know which miss it was?" Just then, Mo Yang, who'd only spoken once since entering, opened his mouth.

T/N: Either this boy has hella good hearing or she was singing hella loud---- I just want the author to stop making her sing, I really hate translating lyrics aksjldalkf; make her perform zither like normal trangsmig MCs!!! Tbh I'm actually a fan of Li Jian but this is his one song I don't like.

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