In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

A brief silence fell over the hall, followed by hushed whispers. The Cui family of Qinghe? The reclusive Cui family of Qinghe?

"Please come in quickly," the old lady said.

A tall and imposing figure entered the hall. He wore a sky-blue robe with cloud patterns, his hair was tied up with a jade crown, and his deep, phoenix-shaped eyes were cool and restrained. His face was handsome and noble. It was Cui Yutang.

Without looking to the side, he walked to the head of the table and bowed very respectfully: "Junior Cui Yutang, on behalf of my grandmother, wishes the late Madam a happy birthday. My grandmother has been feeling a bit cold recently and is unable to come in person, so she specially asked me to present her birthday gifts and express her apologies."

His servants presented him with a gift box. The old lady smiled and said, "It's kind of you, Madam Cui, to think of me. Is your grandmother's health alright?"

"I'm much better now. My grandmother said she'll come over and play a couple of games with you in person when I'm fully recovered."

Upon hearing this, the old lady's eyes lit up with a genuine smile: "Very well, the promise I made to her when we were young has been delayed for so many years. Go back and tell her that I'll be waiting."

After exchanging a few more words, Cui Yutang stepped aside. He maintained a low profile, but his innate refined and noble demeanor and stunning appearance still attracted the attention of many people in the hall, especially the young women.

At Li Zhiwei's gentle tug, Xie Yige retreated to the warm pavilion where the women were gathered. She could clearly hear the whispers of the noble ladies beside her, but her gaze involuntarily followed the figure in sky blue.

"That's Prime Minister Cui's eldest son? Truly a man of exceptional talent and bearing..."

"More than that! I've heard that he's the eldest son of the Cui clan of Qinghe in this generation. The Cui clan of Qinghe is the most prestigious family in our Tang Dynasty, a family that even the imperial princess can't reach."

"No wonder he has such an air about him... He rarely attends banquets like this; he's here today on behalf of Madam Cui. Madam Cui and Madam Li were close friends before they were married, and their relationship is extraordinary."

"Such a person, who knows what the future holds..."

The voice was lowered even further, filled with endless imagination.

Xie Yige sat upright at the table, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the jade pendant in her sleeve. So this was how he usually kept to himself; no wonder he was so low-key in the Eastern Capital. With such a distinguished background, the difference between him and her was like heaven and earth.

"Yige?" Li Zhiwei noticed her distracted state, gently touched the back of her hand, lowered her voice, and said with a mischievous smile, "Are you mesmerized? No wonder, this young master Cui is indeed extremely handsome. My elder brother even praised him as a 'celestial being.' It's a pity he's too aloof and doesn't show his face often. Today is quite a rare sight."

Xie Yige snapped out of her daze and shook her head slightly embarrassed: "No, I'm just... a little surprised."

At this moment, several giggles came from the other end of the warm pavilion, with deliberately raised tones.

"Sister Zhiwei," said Liu Ruxuan, the daughter of the Vice Minister of War, dressed in a pale yellow dress, with a smile, "Today is the old lady's birthday. As her own granddaughter, you must have prepared some wonderful performances to celebrate her birthday, right? We younger sisters are all eagerly waiting for you."

Beside her stood a girl in a willow-green dress, whose features bore a resemblance to Li Zhiwei but who appeared more timid. This was Li Zhiyu, the legitimate daughter of the second branch of the General's Mansion. She spoke softly, "Yes, cousin. All the noble ladies of the capital are here. Cousin has lived on the frontier for a long time, so your knowledge must be extraordinary. Let us younger sisters broaden our horizons as well."

These words sounded polite, but every word was sharp and incisive. Everyone knew that Li Zhiwei had grown up with her father on the frontier since childhood, and was skilled in riding, archery, swordsmanship, and spear fighting, but she was not particularly proficient in the traditional arts of women such as music, chess, calligraphy, painting, singing, dancing, and needlework.

The warm pavilion fell silent, and all eyes were focused on Li Zhiwei.

Li Zhiwei's expression changed slightly, and her fingers tightened around the cup. She was indeed not good at singing and dancing, and her musical skills were only enough to play a simple tune. How could she possibly perform in such an occasion?

A hint of smugness flashed in Liu Ruxuan's eyes as she exchanged a glance with Li Zhiyu.

"Sister Zhiwei's talents are naturally different from those of ordinary young ladies."

A clear, crisp voice rang out, not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears.

Xie Yige rose and bowed respectfully to the matriarch in the main seat, then turned to the assembled women, her expression calm and her gaze clear: "In the past, the matriarch wielded her sword with unparalleled skill on the battlefield, protecting her country and home, truly a heroine. On her birthday today, why not emulate the ancient heroines and celebrate with a sword dance? Only by combining strength and gentleness can the elegance of the women of our Great Tang be truly displayed."

She paused, looked at Li Zhiwei whose expression had shifted from embarrassment to astonishment, and smiled slightly: "I am not very talented, but I would like to play my seven-stringed zither to entertain you, elder sister. Is that alright?"

A hush fell over the room, followed by hushed whispers. A sword dance? At a birthday banquet? That's certainly unique, but…

Sitting at the head of the table, the old matriarch's gaze swept over the composed Xie Yige, then looked at her granddaughter whose eyes had regained their sparkle, and a slight smile appeared on her lips: "Good. I haven't seen a proper sword dance in many years. Zhiwei, go and fetch your sword. Yige, if you need any zither, just let me know."

"A seven-stringed zither will suffice, thank you, Madam."

Soon, a zither table was set up in the courtyard. Li Zhiwei had changed into a neat, moon-white Hu-style robe, and stood in the center of the courtyard, holding an unsharpened decorative longsword. She took a deep breath and looked at Xie Yige, who was already seated behind the zither table.

Xie Yige gave her a reassuring smile, lifted her fingertips slightly, tested the sound, then struck the note heavily with her nail, solemnly playing a single note.

"Zheng—"

The clear, ethereal sound of the zither, like a drop of cold spring water falling into a deep pool, suddenly spread out in ripples. At first, it was gentle, like the murmuring of a spring stream and the swaying of new willows in the wind. Li Zhiwei followed the music, her sword tip lightly touching the ground, her posture graceful, like a white crane spreading its wings.

The zither music gradually became clear and melodious, like morning mist in the mountains and the wind rustling through the treetops. Li Zhiwei's swordplay flowed accordingly, slashing, parrying, and sweeping. Although the blade was not yet sharpened, it carried the sound of wind being cut, combining softness with strength.

Xie Yige lowered her eyes and stroked the zither, her slender fingers flying across the strings. The music changed again, gradually becoming faster and more urgent, like a torrential downpour, or a horse's hooves shattering mountains and rivers. Li Zhiwei's eyes sharpened, his sword moved with him, his pace quickened, and he spun, leaped, and thrust, each move clean and swift, his robes fluttering, truly displaying a fierce aura of the battlefield.

Just then, Xie Yige opened her lips, her voice like clear, melodious pearls, blending seamlessly into the stirring melody of the zither:

"Graceful as a startled swan, lithe as a swimming dragon. Radiant as autumn chrysanthemums, flourishing as spring pines..."

Her voice was clear and bright, yet powerful. Every word was precisely placed in the rhythmic gaps between the zither music and the swordplay, not at all abrupt, but rather enhancing the lofty and profound artistic conception of the sword dance. In the melodious parts of her singing, it seemed like praise, like admiration.

"Like light clouds veiling the moon, like swirling snowflakes in a flowing wind..."

The music reached its climax, stirring and passionate, with hints of clashing swords. Li Zhiwei's sword dance also reached its peak, the sword light dazzling, the dancer moving with the sword as if one with it. The heroic spirit he had cultivated since childhood on the frontier battlefield burst forth with a breathtaking beauty.

Xie Yige raised her eyes, her gaze piercing through the flashing swords in the courtyard, meeting Li Zhiwei's resolute and bright eyes. A slight smile played on her lips, and her voice suddenly soared, clear and melodious, filled with unreserved admiration:

"I am captivated by her beauty and grace, yet my heart is trembling with unease. Lacking a suitable matchmaker to convey my affections, I entrust this message to the gentle breeze—"

The last word "辞" (cí, meaning "to resign") had a lingering resonance. As her fingertips heavily traced the strings, the music stopped abruptly, its melody echoing around the zither.