24 Chapter 23

"Is it time?" Xiuying asked Xue upon returning to the third floor.

"Yes young miss..." Xue's pitch was two notes higher than usual and her eyes are brightly shining worshipping her young miss.

"Xue don't expect too much from your young miss, you're making me nervous..." Xiuying playfully reprimand her maidservant.

"Young miss you are so good I bet after this every person here will know that they are wrong!" Xiao Hua exclaimed.

"That's true young miss!" Xue seconded both earning a flick on their forehead.

"Fine, Xue is it ready?" Seeing Xue nodded she gets up from her seat and push the side of the book shelves causing it to rotate by ninety degrees and revealing the secret passage connected to all floors of Ying Yue Huayuan. "I'll be back soon." Xiuying said to her two maidservants before going down. Xue hurriedly put the book shelves to its original position and open the window facing the stage in the first floor.

The noise in the first floor lessened as few people noticed a silhouette suddenly appeared on the stage out of no where. They can see that the owner of it is a young lady who gracefully sits on a high chair in front of an instrument they can't identify and without the announcement from the manager, she started playing.

The music started slowly sounding similarly to rain then it became a little faster, the customers in the first floor stops talking with their companions. The manager even had to glare at their waiters for them to resume their work but from to time he, himself from time to time immersed in listening.

Noticing the noise from outside the private rooms, the customers in second floor opened their windows facing the stage and try to see who was playing instrument. Unfortunately, even the top of the stage have a curtain spread out blocking their view.

After the first song the people were still in daze only after they hear few giggles from the stage that the listeners started to gain awareness and a thunderous clapping were even heard outside of the tea house causing the people passing become curious of what's happening inside. Unfortunately the tea house don't have vacant seats anymore. After a while the musician starts fiddling on the strings causing for the people to stop clapping and take their seats, most ordered another set of tea and desserts. They saw two employees went up the stage bring tea to the musician and retreated after few minutes.

The lady started playing again but this time the song isn't like the first one that calms their heart, hearing the sad tunes caused the ladies to tear up and men to feel heavy at heart.

The whole time the song is playing the customers are silent while the employees make sure they don't make any noise that will distract the listeners. Most were reminded of sad events in their lives and few were curious as to how a young lady can evoke such feelings to her listeners.

Xue hearing Xiuying playing such song can't help but cry for her young miss, she remembers how her young miss looks like when they found her and how the days passed by when she was in a coma.

Though Xiao Hua only heard what happened to Xiuying after a month of staying with the family she still cry with Xue.

Qi Ming and Xianyao both have grave expression, both want go to Xiuying's side, hug and make her smile.

Thinking of what he heard from Qi Ming and remembering the reports from his shadows, Xianyao just want to drag everyone involved in Xiuying's assassination attempt and torture them till Xiuying forgets about it.

He didn't noticed that his palms are bleeding as his nails dugs deeply as he clenched his hands with more force.

The song has already ended but the listeners just sit still and still immersed in their own thoughts until they saw the musician stands up and disappeared from the stage.

The commotion started again, some even went up to the stage to see only a weird instrument that is almost as tall as the young lady and with multiple strings, it also have few carvings.

They can't see any trace of the young lady, it was like she appeared and disappeared out of thin air. Some started to approach the manager and waiters asking for the name of the young lady, few brave ones asked if they can meet her or invite her.

All heard the same answer, that the young lady will play every after three days in random hours in Ying Yue Huayuan. The manager also announced if there's someone interested to show off their skills either dancing, singing and playing instruments they are welcome. The ladies who belong to prominent families can also patricipate and to follow etiquette they can also hide their faces and/or identity.