HSG Ch 17 Part 2 – A Night on the Boat (II)

Under the incessant urging from Luo Momo, Qingge ceased her recollection, stood up, and went to see Ning Wang.

The pleasure boat was lavishly decorated with carved lacquer and colorful paintings. Luxurious gauze curtains hung from the windows, swaying gently in the breeze. By now, the sky was tinged with the golden hues of dusk, and the radiant sunset spilled over the lake’s surface, casting shimmering reflections. Under the light, the curtains, too, seemed to glow with an ethereal brilliance.

At the front of the boat, bamboo blinds hung low, and a white mat was spread out. Ning Wang sat leisurely by the table, admiring the sunset. He appeared to have just bathed; his dark hair was loosely tied with a simple indigo satin ribbon, cascading over his shoulders and draping against his loose dark-purple robe. The robe’s intricate, flowing patterns exuded a vibrant and noble elegance.

The sunset filtered through the window, casting a warm red glow across his figure, accentuating his sharp, chiseled features with a soft halo of light. It gave him an air of enigmatic beauty, making him seem both distant and mysterious.

Qingge recalled his mention of a gift, and her heart skipped a beat. ‘What kind of gift? ‘ For some reason, an uneasy feeling crept into her.

Noticing her arrival, the man’s eyelashes fluttered, and his gaze lifted to meet hers. Qingge offered him a faint smile and quietly seated herself across from him at the table. His gaze followed her until it settled on her eyes. Meeting his stare directly, Qingge quipped, “Are you staring because you think I’m too beautiful, Your Highness?”

Ning Wang paused for a moment before breaking into a low chuckle. His laugh was soft and clear, very pleasant to the ears, reminiscent of a snowflake melting gently in one’s palm during winter.

“Let’s start with a meal,” he said, smiling.

“All right.”

The dishes served for the meal were quite unpretentious, featuring Yuning’s common local delicacies—such as scallion-scented rabbit, stuffed steamed buns, tongpi noodles, perilla shrimp, and steamed whole goose. Though these were everyday foods often found in the city, the preparation for Ning Wang’s table naturally carried extra refinement.

The ingredients were carefully selected, the presentation exquisite, and the flavors perfectly balanced. Even the plates and bowls were top-quality white porcelain from official kilns, reserved only for the imperial family, their delicate luster adding to the appeal of the dishes.

Qingge sampled a bite and was surprised by the tender meat and aromatic flavor. “What is this? It’s delicious.”

Ning Wang took a bite himself before replying, “This is roasted duck breast, made from wild duck.”

Qingge was puzzled. Wild duck usually had a gamey taste, but this dish was free of any unpleasant flavor, instead offering a unique and refreshing aroma. Still, she refrained from asking further—too many questions might arouse suspicion. The real Xiahou Jianxue was likely very familiar with such delicacies.

After a moment, Ning Wang looked at her and asked, “How does it compare to the porridge you had earlier today?”

Hearing this, Qingge chuckled. It seemed this prince had been quite displeased with her enjoyment of the blessing porridge, enough to still be thinking about it now. To him, that humble porridge must have been a stain on the dignity of Ning Wang Manor.

“Each has its own charm,” she replied with a smile. “One is the flavor of common folk’s life, the other is a golden broth fit for a prince. How can they be compared?”

A flicker of amusement appeared in Ning Wang’s eyes. “Wangfei sure has an appreciation for both the refined and the rustic. Hopefully, you’ll like the gift this prince’s prepared for you.”

Qingge raised an eyebrow. “It sounds like something grand.”

Ning Wang stood up. “Come, follow me.”

Qingge felt an increasing sense of foreboding. Nevertheless, she followed Ning Wang into a cabin with all four windows open, where a magnificent peony, as large as a jade bowl, adorned the veranda outside. A low table sat in the cabin’s center, its incense burner emitting wisps of a fragrant, refined aroma.

Amid the curling incense smoke, Qingge’s gaze landed on a zither placed on the incense table. As was usually the case among the elite, Xiahou Jianxue was a master of music. In particular, her favorite was the zither. It was perfectly fitting for her husband to give her an exquisite instrument and invite her to play a melody on the night lake during the Zhonghe Festival—a truly romantic evening.

But… Qingge couldn’t play the zither. Her situation at this moment was akin to walking toward the edge of the cliff. Yet, despite the danger, she remained remarkably calm. She steadied herself and stepped forward, showing the right amount of excited surprise. “This… is this the Xueyi Zither?!”

The Xueyi Zither was a seven-stringed zither crafted by Huo Zhen, the legendary zither master and founder of the Yushan School, a treasure said to have been housed in the imperial palace of the last emperor of the previous dynasty. A hundred and twenty years ago, during the chaos of the regime’s fall and the rise of the current Great Sheng dynasty, the instrument vanished without a trace.

The reason Qingge immediately identified the zither by this name was because, two months prior, Ning Wang had mentioned obtaining it by chance. Considering how much he cherished this legendary instrument, it made sense he would present it as a gift to his Wangfei.

“You recognized it at a glance?” Ning Wang looked surprised. “You truly have an exceptional eye.”

“…” Qingge paused, suddenly realizing her mistake. Logically, ‘Xiahou Jianxue’ shouldn’t recognize an instrument that had vanished for 120 years so easily. In an attempt to appear knowledgeable about music, she had made a blunder and ended up overplaying her hand.

Quickly regaining her composure, she explained, “In my family’s library, there is a handwritten journal from ancestors that mentions the Xueyi Zither.”

Studying the instrument closely, she recited, “The body is lacquered black with a subtle brown undertone. The lacquer has a luminous depth, its back covered with fine patterns resembling flowing water, and it features several sharp sword marks—just as described in the journal.”

Feigning curiosity, she then turned to Ning Wang. “Your Highness, is this zither modeled after the legendary Xueyi Zither?”

Ning Wang’s lips curled into a faint smile. “What do you think?”

Qingge hesitated, unsure how much she should reveal. Was Xiahou Jianxue expected to possess this level of knowledge? And even if she guessed correctly, what then? Should she express overwhelming delight and play a piece for her husband? That would expose her instantly.

Suppressing her inner conflict, she cautiously replied, “Your Highness mentioned giving me a gift. Could it truly be the Xueyi Zither?”

Ning Wang let out a chuckle, stepped forward, and pulled back a silk cover on the side of the zither, revealing engraved details.

Then Qingge saw the two sound holes of the seven-stringed zither, upon which the name of the instrument was neatly written in seal script—Xueyi. Next to it was the workshop’s square seal and two lines in clerical script.

If this were a replica, no matter how masterfully crafted, no zither master of repute would dare engrave a seal that wasn’t his own. This was the unwritten rules of the craft: one could imitate but not counterfeit, because doing so would bury their artistry in the shadow of someone else’s work.

Moreover, the proud Ning Wang would never stoop to presenting a forgery.

Given the circumstances, the presence of the original workshop’s engraved seal proved the authenticity of this zither.

“It truly is the Xueyi Zither!” Qingge exclaimed in astonishment. An instrument missing for 120 years reappearing in the world was undeniably a momentous event. “Where did Your Highness find it?”

Ning Wang, as though it were nothing extraordinary, replied nonchalantly, “I came across it by chance.” Then he looked at Qingge. “I heard that when you were born, it coincided with the season’s first snowfall, so you were named Jianxue¹. Since you are skilled in music, this Xueyi Zither is the perfect gift for you.”

Qingge could hardly believe her ears. She caressed the instrument, feigning delight, while internally panicking. ‘What do I do? How can I play it? How should I play it?!’

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