At last night's courtesan competition, the assassination Ning Yi had anticipated might occur never materialized—that glimpse he'd caught earlier must have been his imagination. He wandered between various stages with Xiao Chan watching songs and dances, then returned home without incident. The next morning during his run, he heard Nie Yunzhu mention the previous night's events.

"Last night I saw Liheng from backstage with Jin'er. You were standing near the front eating a flatbread. Jin'er died laughing, saying how unbecoming of your image—where was the number one talent in that? When she went out to dance, you were still munching on the bread. She came back laughing, saying if a talent sat in Golden Wind Tower eating pancakes during her dance, it would definitely be amusing..."

Only then did Ning Yi remember that Yuan Jin'er's performance had been scheduled too late last night. He'd been hungry and had indeed watched the entire show while gnawing on a pancake. He laughed as he explained.

"But that girl Jin'er is mischievous. Since she met you yesterday, if she sees you again tonight, she might come out to cause trouble. You'll have to be patient, Liheng..."

After finishing his run and returning home, Su Tan'er had also finished washing up and was waiting for him to eat breakfast: "Wenfang and Wending came by earlier to thank you for helping yesterday, but they had appointments and ran off early—really no sincerity at all..."

Su Tan'er spoke while laughing. Ning Yi shook his head: "We just happened to meet, I didn't help much."

"My husband is being modest again. When Juan'er and Xing'er went out earlier, they heard the servants discussing how you subdued the enemy without fighting last night—just by sitting down, that Chen Jiwen didn't dare write poetry. He was so high-profile before but ended up completely deflated. Hee, what a pity I wasn't there to see it..."

"How did word spread so fast..."

Su Tan'er laughed: "Also, Wenfang and Wending said that with just one sentence from you, Lady Tang made it into the top sixteen of the courtesan competition..."

This latter point was indeed rather remarkable. Ning Yi rubbed his nose: "That has nothing to do with me."

Honestly, whether it truly had nothing to do with him was hard to say. In last night's courtesan competition, Tang Jing wasn't a favorite—her current fame wasn't great and couldn't compare to the long-sleeved dancing skills of Qilan, Lu Caicai, and others. Though her dancing and appearance were decent, she still carried some nervous inexperience.

Previously, no one expected her to make the top sixteen, but when the rankings were announced later, she'd surprisingly squeezed into the top sixteen by the skin of her teeth, causing widespread surprise. Only then did stories about Ning Yi intimidating Chen Jiwen at Literary Ink Building and both Ning Yi and Li Pin praising her dancing as "very beautiful" begin circulating among some people—who knew how widely it had already spread before this, becoming even more miraculous now.

They said other talents wrote dozens of poems, but Ning Yi used just five words: "danced very beautifully." They also spread how his single phrase "what's valuable is the sincere heart" made it impossible for anyone to criticize a poor poem. Some also mentioned that supposedly after hearing Ning Yi's "danced very beautifully," young Master Puyang Yu of the Puyang family had casually added five hundred flowers for Tang Jing, thus sending her into the top sixteen.

Though three thousand people wasn't many and only some promoted it afterward, Lady Tang Jing's reason for entering the top sixteen became the most story-worthy event of the courtesan competition's first night, complete with beginning, development, climax, and resolution. Ning Yi felt somewhat helpless about it.

During the day he taught as usual while Jiangning remained bustling. By evening when he went with Xiao Chan to the White Egret Isle area again, the venue's setup had already changed.

Last night there were five stages total, and people watching performances had actually moved about loosely, but tonight things had become more formal. Only now could one see the cleverness of this location choice—a large stage was set up near the riverbank with gently sloping hills in front where numerous seats had been arranged. A pleasure boat on the river to one side and small buildings not far away had also been set up as viewing points. Behind the stage, various sized tents served as background scattered across the open ground—these were preparation areas for each building and individual.

With sixteen ladies total, each would perform twice tonight. In the surrounding viewing areas, the front sections had actually been divided into different zones. A pleasure boat with the best viewing position was designated for high officials and nobles, while the sixteen brothels had also reserved sections for their supporters—these positions were generally quite good. The pleasure boat, the small building on the other side, and the open ground slightly closer to the stage front—some would prepare banquets, and even without tables, they'd arrange for girls carrying delicious snacks to walk around serving guests.

Ning Yi and Xiao Chan had bought just the most ordinary single flower, probably only good for middle or back row seats, but that wasn't a problem since Xiao Chan had stuffed plenty of snacks in her bosom anyway. However, after the two found scattered seats with a slightly better view and sat down, they discovered the issue wasn't so simple.

First Su Wending, Su Wenfang, and Tang Jing's group came over. Tang Jing thanked Ning Yi, then the brothel's mama began inviting Ning Yi to sit up front. After declining, a previously acquainted talent also passed by: "Why doesn't Brother Ning sit in the front row?" Not long after, Puyang Yu also came over, sitting beside him and chatting with a smile for a while. This time he didn't mention any invitation, just leaving after confirming Ning Yi wanted to watch the show in peace.

Then Li Pin also discovered him and came to chat.

Li Pin was sitting over there to cheer for Lu Caicai, but he knew Ning Yi's personality—once he sat there, there would be numerous social obligations, so he didn't try to persuade him.

In short, those front seats were mostly occupied by people with some fame. Occasionally when talking, one could see people pointing this way—not many, probably discussing last night's Tang Jing incident again. When people occasionally came over, Xiao Chan sat beside him silently watching and eating snacks vigorously like a gluttonous mouse. Later she asked: "Why doesn't Young Master go to the front?"

"Do you want to go to the front?"

"No." She smiled sweetly. "Xiao Chan thinks here is just fine."

Xiao Chan understood this competition better than Ning Yi. During idle moments, she told him about the competition's grand occasions when she'd come with her mistress before, various interesting events. During this time Ning Yi saw Yuan Jin'er again—she should have come out before her performance to thank supporters, lingering in front then also gazing this way... Theoretically, she and Ning Yi hadn't been formally introduced in an official setting, so they didn't "know" each other and naturally she wouldn't come over. Not long after Yuan Jin'er returned, Ning Yi also glimpsed Nie Yunzhu's figure poking her head out from the shadows over there. Yuan Jin'er smiled and pointed this way, then laughingly pulled Nie Yunzhu back.

"Young Master Ning." At the last moment before the competition officially began, the visitor was also an acquaintance—Lu Agui who followed Kang Xian. After greeting them, he pointed toward a painted boat in a certain direction: "Master is over there and saw Young Master Ning and Miss Xiao Chan seem somewhat overwhelmed here. If you have no necessary social obligations, you might watch from that boat. It belongs to the Princess's estate—above the second floor are all idle people, most casual, and the position is quite good."

Ning Yi looked over—the painted boat's position was indeed good, and there really weren't many people on the second floor. Looking at Xiao Chan, he then smiled and nodded. The two followed Lu Agui up to the painted boat's second floor. There indeed weren't many people—those gathered here were all young people with some maids and servants bustling about. Lu Agui arranged him and Xiao Chan at a window with a tea table beside it laden with various fruits and foods. Compared to the crowding below, it seemed somewhat spacious and deserted up here. Lu Agui smiled: "If you have good friends, you can also invite them up to sit—there's plenty of space. If you need anything, just instruct the servants. Oh right, Master is over there."

Kang Xian also had social obligations and was currently on the main boat where high officials and nobles gathered, separated by one painted boat. When Lu Agui spoke, he was also looking over, smiling and nodding in acknowledgment.

Neighboring Ning Yi and Xiao Chan, two men of unknown identity sat at windows on one side. Seeing Ning Yi and Xiao Chan come up and sit down, they cupped their hands and smiled at Ning Yi, then also said something to Lu Agui, probably inquiring about Ning Yi's identity. Xiao Chan occasionally looked at them, and after a moment dragged her chair with pattering sounds to Ning Yi's side before settling down contentedly to watch the performances.

On Ning Yi's other side, the neighbors were a sister and brother pair. The sister looked even younger than Xiao Chan, probably thirteen or fourteen, but wore the quite serious expression of a little adult. She had originally been turning to observe Ning Yi's side, but when Ning Yi looked over, she naturally turned her gaze to watch the stage. However, when Ning Yi turned away, that gaze偏 back over, as if she had originally planned to curiously watch for five seconds, only managed four seconds before being discovered by Ning Yi and turning back, but now had to openly make up that one second. The brother was probably eleven or twelve, sitting there curiously looking left and right. When the singing and dancing began, he dragged his chair over as if to tell Ning Yi a secret.

"Hey, are you that Ning Yi, Ning Liheng? The Ning Liheng who wrote Water Melody Prelude and Green Jadeite Bowl? I have some questions to test you. If you answer them..."

"No."

"Huh?" The little boy was slightly stunned.

Ning Yi mysteriously lowered his head, covering his mouth with the back of his hand and telling him quietly: "I'm not Ning Liheng."

"...Oh."

The little boy was dazed for quite a while before dejectedly dragging his chair back to his sister's side, then probably reporting the result. The sister lowered her head to speak, vaguely saying: "He's lying to you..." The rest couldn't be heard.

Just as Lu Agui had said, no one came to disturb them up here. The performances below were enthusiastic with occasional thunderous applause. Ning Yi and Xiao Chan ate while watching. During breaks between performances, announcements would burst out about how many flowers someone had offered for which lady. When talents composed excellent works, after being reviewed by famous people, they would also be read aloud to build momentum. The high officials and nobles on the pleasure boats actually also had ladies they supported—occasionally one could see ladies going up to give thanks after performing. Jiangning's main officials, including Chen Yong and Song Xian, were all up there, but Ning Yi no longer had last night's mindset and simply enjoyed the show peacefully.

After several performances, Xiao Chan went to the side and brought back a Go set, spreading it out with Ning Yi on the small table that held fruits. Below, lights shifted and changed as she played Five-in-a-Row¹with Ning Yi at the window—the atmosphere leisurely, relaxed, and interesting. After a while, the little boy nearby dragged his chair over with pattering sounds again, propping his chin on the table edge quietly watching the game. After quite a while he finally said: "That's not how you play Go..."

It was during this time that a woman walked through the crowd below the painted boat, looked up at the main painted boat for a moment, then disappeared into the crowd again.

By the riverside under the night sky, the festive and peaceful atmosphere continued climbing higher as the night deepened and the singing and dancing progressed...