The country of West Chu seriously did not have this song? Luo Qing Luan smiled in a slightly strange manner as she replied. "This song is called 'Water Lotus', does Your Highness like it?"

Empress Wang nodded and smiled in reply. "En, I like it very much, did you compose it?"

Everyone's gazes were focused on Luo Qing Luan, each and everyone harboring their own suspicions.

"I didn't compose it."

Luo Qing Luan actually disdained taking credit for someone else's work, but she also had no way of clearly explaining the circumstances. She was suddenly struck by an idea and made up a story. "Maybe it's because this servant likes lotuses. I once had a dream and in that dream, I heard someone play this tune. After I woke up, I remembered it."

"This surprisingly is a dream granted by a celestial being?" Empress Wang was both startled and delighted. "Qing Luan, you're very blessed, such a wonderful piece of music. Sure enough, it can only be something present in heaven. How many mortals can have a chance to taste it. You need to continue practicing diligently, so as not to be out of practice."

Noble Consort Song also laughed. "Elder Sister, I just recalled something. Didn't Chen'er recently take the eldest daughter from the General's Mansion to be his concubine? In regards to personal relationships, the second Miss Luo can also be considered to be someone among my younger generation. To have such an outstanding junior is truly not bad at all."

"Qing Luan, whenever you have free time, you can also visit the Fifth Prince's mansion more and spend time with your elder sister. It's good for two sisters to be close to each other."

"Yes, Noble Consort."

Even though she replied this way, Luo Qing Luan did not feel like going. If she truly met with Luo Qing Shuang, she's afraid the two of them would only loathed each other even more. However, her face wouldn't express this in the slightest, as she replied submissively.

"Humph, what dream granted by a celestial. Imperial Mother is truly giving her face."

A young girl beside Empress Wang spoke up.

"Wan'er, don't be rude."

The young girl glared at Luo Qing Luan with an attitude of disdain beneath contempt, then no longer looked at her anymore.

Wan'er? Could it be that this was West Chu's third princess, Nangong Wan? Luo Qing Luan also didn't care about the girl who was even younger than herself, accustomed to being spoiled since birth. She was disinclined to care.

Since Empress Wang thought up an explanation for the song, a gift from a celestial, then she was also able to avert unnecessary explanations. And those upper-class young ladies standing in the surroundings, each of them felt even more hate, clenching their teeth. They absolutely didn't believe the bit about a celestial, but they truly had never heard this music before, so they also had no alternative, but be quiet.

While everyone's eyes burned with envy, Empress Wang pulled Luo Qing Luan to sit by her side as she asked. "Qing Luan, how old are you this year?"

Was she indeed inquiring about age to help the crown prince understand Luo Qing Luan's circumstances?

Every single young lady who admired Nangong Qing became even more jealous and anxious, wishing they could charge forward and pull Luo Qing Luan away from Empress Wang's side, then take her place.

Once Luo Qing Luan heard this question, her heart immediately jumped, before she was able to react. Today's Flower Bestowment Festival was arranged by Empress Wang to select a consort for the crown prince. Where did this wind blow from all of a sudden? She immediately became vexed.

"Replying to Your Highness, this servant is fifteen years old this year." Her voice became a few notches softer.

"What do you usually like?"

"I like......"

Luo Qing Luan hesitated. Could it be that she's really going to frankly state that she liked to write racy romances to make money? But besides this, she really didn't have any other hobbies? Or should she simply lie, and say that she liked to play the zither, draw, embroider? Oh my god, if she truly were to do these things everyday, she would be better off dead!

"Don't tell me that Elder Sister took a liking to the second Miss Luo? How good that would be." Noble Consort Song covered her mouth and laughed.

During this pause, and eunuch suddenly lengthened his voice and shouted. "The crown prince has arrived, Prince of Chu has arrived."

Everyone turned their heads to look, especially those aristocratic and noble daughters who harbored designs. Sure enough, they caught sight of the charming and heroic, imposing Nangong Qing approached. With merely a glance at the faintly smiling expression on his face, and each of the young girls suddenly became bashful. One after another, they lowered their heads and called out simultaneously. "Greetings Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness the Prince of Chu."

Even though some people also secretly stole a glance at Nalan Ye, compared to Nangong Qing, his place in the young ladies' hearts was really not the same.

That's not to say that no one liked Nalan Ye, rather he was really too cold, too scary!

In the past, Western Chu's third princess, Nangong Wan, Nangong Qing's younger sister, had always secretly held affections of Nalan Ye. Counting on her identity as a princess, she gathered the courage to express her feelings and even meticulously dressed up. The result......

It was unknown whether Nangong Wan'er foolishly became too annoying, but Nalan Ye straightforwardly had people throw her out of his Prince of Chu's mansion, humiliating her on the spot. After this event, Nangong Wan'er was unbearably angry and wept as she looked for her imperial father. The result was that this matter was settled by being unsettled.

Henceforth, there was no other female who dared to openly express their feelings to Nalan Ye. No matter how much they liked him, like today, at most, they would stealthily steal a few glances at him, not daring in the least bit to allow him to find out.

"Greetings Your Highness the Empress." Nalan Ye spoke emotionlessly and bowed before standing to the side. One could not tell what he his frame of mind was.

"Yeqing don't need to be too polite. Do sit down." Empress Wang saw that Nangong Qing had come and also called for him to sit down. She was originally going to properly ask Luo Qing Luan about her circumstances, but it's good this way, too. It's even more fitting for Nangong Qing to do so himself.

"Qing'er, this is the second Miss Luo from the General's Mansion, Luo Qing Luan." Empress Wang smiled as she spoke.

Nangong Qing originally came, because he was tracking down Luo Qing Luan. A moment ago, he heard her breathtaking music and couldn't help but approach. Now that he saw that Empress Wang also took note of her, he was secretly rejoicing even more.

"Turns out it's Miss Luo."

Nangong Qing continued. "Just now, Ziqing and I heard your zither music from a distance. It was so splendid, arousing our curiosity, so we came to take a look. Who would have thought that it's actually Miss Luo's work, truly incredibly like the sounds of nature."

"Your Highness the Crown Prince is praising me too much." Luo Qing Luan replied emotionlessly.

However, she grumbled a bit in her mind. This time, even the man of the hour* had arrived, and he even looked at her with that kind of expression. With one look and she knew. She's afraid that this crown prince had become interested in her, otherwise, why would he specifically talked to her among so many young ladies at the scene?

She really had no intention in becoming his crown prince consort, better be less clever in conversing with him.

Having made her decision, afterwards, no matter what Nangong Qing said, Luo Qing Luan still only responded insipidly, not even speaking one word more than necessary.

"How about Miss Luo play another song?" Just at this time, Nalan Ye, who had not spoken at all, opened his mouth and spoke as if it was nothing. "A moment ago, I did not hear clearly."

These words startled everyone. What? Forget that the crown prince was interested in Luo Qing Luan, when did the Prince of Chu also become interested in her?

(*TN: The author used the words 正主, which literally translates to 'main host'. I felt that 'man of the hour' was more fitting.)