Starting in Exile: Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Lucky Little Wife

Chapter 90 Foreigners Use Piano to Make Things Difficult for Gu Liuli

Just as the envoy was once again rendered speechless by Gu Liuli's question, Gu Liuli changed the subject and said in the northern dialect, "With your meager abilities, you dare to cause trouble in my Nanzhao Kingdom?"

The perfect pronunciation startled the Northern Envoy, who stared wide-eyed, his already pale face turning even more ashen.

He never imagined that the Crown Princess, who lived in the Nanzhao Kingdom, could speak fluent northern dialect.

The officials in the hall were also surprised; they hadn't expected Gu Liuli to have this trick up her sleeve.

After a brief silence, whispers arose in the court, and the people's admiration for the Crown Princess grew even stronger. Meanwhile, the foreign envoys who had been watching the spectacle from the sidelines now had their smiles fade, their eyes filled with apprehension towards Gu Liuli.

The Northern envoy snapped out of his daze and stammered in his dialect, "You... how do you know our Northern dialect?"

Gu Liuli smiled confidently, “Your Excellency, please do not be surprised. Although Nanzhao is located in the south, it has always valued exchanges with other countries. As the Crown Princess, I will naturally take the time to learn about the cultures of other countries, including the dialects of your northern border.”

The envoy was extremely annoyed. He had thought he could humiliate the Nanzhao Kingdom in the court, but he never expected to be defeated by a woman.

Although he was filled with resentment, he knew that he had no chance of winning and that if he continued, he would probably lose even more miserably.

Just as the envoy from the Northern Border felt he was at a disadvantage and was filled with resentment, the envoy from the Southern Kingdom suddenly stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, the ruler of our country, please allow me to present a gift that the Nanzhao Kingdom does not possess."

The envoy from the Southern Kingdom wore a smug smile, his voice filled with confidence and arrogance.

After he finished speaking, he clapped his hands, and several attendants carried a huge object covered by a thick black cloth slowly up into the main hall.

Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to the scene, and the atmosphere in the hall became increasingly tense. The air, which had eased slightly due to the defeat of the Northern Envoy, seemed to freeze again.

Gu Liuli was startled when she saw the familiar outline; she recognized it as a piano at a glance.

As a time traveler, she was very familiar with this musical instrument from the modern era. However, in this era, the piano was undoubtedly a rare item. The envoy from the Nanjiang Kingdom brought it here, presumably to humiliate the Nanzhao Kingdom and let everyone see their "rare treasures".

Emperor Xiao Han sat upright on the dragon throne, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes filled with doubt and curiosity: "What is this? It's so mysterious, I must take a good look." With a command from the envoy of the Southern Jing Kingdom, the black cloth was suddenly pulled back, and a beautifully designed piano appeared before everyone's eyes.

The ministers were immediately in an uproar, their expressions filled with astonishment as they whispered among themselves. "What is this? It's so strange, we've never seen anything like it before."

"Yes, look at it, I wonder what use it is." The crowd's eyes were filled with confusion and curiosity.

The Northern Envoy's previously dim eyes instantly lit up. He stepped aside, a look of anticipation returning to his face, as if he were waiting for the Nanzhao Kingdom to fall into an embarrassing situation once again.

The envoy from the Southern Kingdom proudly introduced, "This is a divine object that my Southern Kingdom obtained by chance, named the 'Celestial Music Treasure Box'."

With just a light touch of its black and white buttons, it can produce the most beautiful sounds in the world, exquisite and intoxicating.

"Although the Nanzhao Kingdom is vast and rich in resources, has it ever seen such a wondrous thing?" His words were full of provocation, as if he were declaring to everyone the backwardness and ignorance of the Nanzhao Kingdom.

However, the envoy from the Southern Kingdom was clearly not willing to give up so easily. His eyes darted around as if he had suddenly come up with a brilliant idea, and he suddenly spoke up loudly, "Please don't be impatient, everyone. Look over here. This maid beside me is also skilled in music and can play this zither as well." As soon as he finished speaking, he gently waved to the maid behind him, signaling her to come forward.

The maid looked quite young, with a pretty and delicate appearance, but at this moment she seemed timid, as if her heart was filled with tension and unease.

She walked slowly with delicate steps to the magnificent piano, and then sat down cautiously. She stretched out her slender, white fingers and gently placed them on the black and white keys. After a slight hesitation, she began to move her fingers somewhat awkwardly.

As her fingers danced across the keys, a series of notes flowed from the piano, coalescing into a unique melody. This piece originated from a traditional tune of the Southern Jing Kingdom, and the ministers present had never heard such a melody before. They were all astonished, their faces showing surprise, and they couldn't help but whisper among themselves. Some marveled at the novel melody, praising the maid's skill; others stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with disbelief, muttering to themselves, "Such a wondrous thing, truly unheard of!"

However, to Gu Liuli's ears, this so-called beautiful playing was entirely different. The rhythm of the music was chaotic, the notes were full of errors, and there was absolutely no beauty in the music. She frowned slightly, and a fleeting, almost imperceptible, look of disdain flashed in her beautiful eyes.

For Gu Liuli, who had received rigorous musical training since childhood and possessed extremely high artistic attainments, such a rough performance was simply torture.

Xiao Jingchuan, who had been keeping an eye on Gu Liuli, noticed her unusual behavior. He subtly approached her and asked in a low voice, "Do you recognize this object? Judging from your expression, it seems that the music doesn't suit your ears."

Gu Liuli shook her head slightly and replied in a low voice, "This maid's playing is really terrible. Her rhythm and fingering are a mess. In her hands, the piano can only produce some chaotic sounds."

As for whether she recognized the piano, I doubt it; it was merely a desperate attempt by the Nan Jing Kingdom's envoy to save face.

"I wonder if Your Majesty, you have any opinion on whether that can be played?"

Xiao Jingchuan nodded slightly, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. He said softly, "Let's see what tricks the Southern Jing Kingdom can pull next. With you here, I'm not worried."

Gu Liuli's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile. She thought to herself that no matter what problems the Nan Jing Kingdom might encounter, she was confident that she could resolve them one by one and would never let the Nan Zhao Kingdom lose out in this confrontation.

The maidservant gently plucked and strummed the strings, and as the song ended, the lingering melody echoed in the air. However, at this moment, a hint of embarrassment flashed across the face of the envoy from Nan Jing Kingdom, but it was only for a moment before he quickly returned to his arrogant and rude demeanor.

He swept his sharp, hawk-like gaze across the crowd in the hall, then raised his voice and shouted, "It's not just Your Majesty the Emperor! Are there really no high-ranking officials in your Nanzhao Kingdom who can play this 'Celestial Music Box'? Is it really that no one can master this miraculous treasure?" As soon as he finished speaking, his words, full of sarcasm and provocation, echoed throughout the vast palace, as if trying to fill every corner. It was clear that he wanted to use this opportunity to make Nanzhao Kingdom lose face once again and fall into an unbearable predicament.

The envoy's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the once quiet and peaceful hall suddenly became tense and solemn, and for a moment it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Those officials, who were usually pampered and high-ranking, looked at each other in astonishment and confusion. After all, they had never even heard of such a strange and unusual object before, let alone tried to play it themselves.

Especially some inexperienced and impetuous young officials, upon hearing such arrogant and domineering words, became so angry that their faces turned red, veins bulged on their foreheads, and their fists clenched tightly involuntarily, their knuckles turning white from the force.

Despite their extreme anger, they were helpless in the face of this completely unfamiliar situation and could only grit their teeth in frustration.

Gu Liuli, who had been observing this farce with a cold eye, secretly sneered to herself. She thought to herself that the envoy from Nan Jing Kingdom was truly still up to his old tricks, actually trying to make things difficult for Nan Zhao Kingdom with such a nonsensical thing.

However, she already had a plan to deal with all of this, and she was very confident.

So she subtly glanced at Xiao Jingchuan standing beside her, who immediately understood and nodded slightly, giving her an encouraging and trusting look, indicating his full support for her.

Before Gu Liuli could respond, Yan Dongdong, dressed in a smart outfit, stepped forward with agile movements. Her eyes revealed an unyielding stubbornness, and her high-spirited aura seemed to declare to everyone that she was determined to win back the honor of the Nanzhao Kingdom.

When Yan Xiaohan saw her daughter step forward, her heart skipped a beat. She was proud of her daughter's courage, but also worried that she might make a mistake on such an important occasion, as it concerned the face of the country.

"You barbarians, all you've got is playing the piano!" Yan Dongdong's voice was clear and loud, carrying a hint of youthful arrogance and fearlessness. She strode to the piano, tilted her head slightly, and her eyes were full of confidence. Before anyone could react, her hands were already on the keys.

At first, her playing was a little rusty; her fingers moved somewhat erratically across the keys, and the sounds she produced were somewhat chaotic. Many ministers frowned slightly, secretly worried. But Yan Dongdong did not panic; she took a deep breath.

Gradually, she found her rhythm, and her playing became smoother. Although her playing sounded somewhat harsh, it still carried a few notes, creating a unique melody in the hall.

Compared to the flawed playing of the maidservant brought by the envoy from the Southern Kingdom, Yan Dongdong's performance was clearly much better.

The ministers' furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and relieved smiles appeared on their faces. Some of the younger officials couldn't help but cheer quietly, encouraging Yan Dongdong.

The envoy from Nanjing Kingdom turned pale and then red, filled with resentment. He glared fiercely at Yan Dongdong, then shouted at the top of his lungs, "Hmph, so what if you can play a tune? This is just the most basic piece. Do you dare to play something more difficult? I've heard that this 'Heavenly Music Box' can play a thousand different melodies. Does anyone in your Nanzhao Kingdom have a sad tune that can bring tears to people's eyes? If not, then don't try to show off!" With that, he stood with his arms crossed, a smug sneer on his face, as if he was certain that no one in Nanzhao Kingdom could do it.

Just as everyone was looking at each other in bewilderment, Gu Liuli, as the Crown Princess of Nanzhao, could no longer tolerate it.

With a determined look in her eyes and a confident air, she stood up with great presence. Her posture was upright and her steps were steady, each step exuding an undeniable aura. Upon seeing this, the ministers quickly made way for her.

Gu Liuli walked to the piano and slowly sat down. She gently raised her hand, straightened her sleeves, and her gaze swept across the room, finally landing on the provocative face of the Nan Jing Kingdom envoy. She said, neither humble nor arrogant, "Since Your Excellency is so persistent, then I will show you the true strength of the Nan Zhao Kingdom." After speaking, she closed her eyes slightly, took a deep breath, as if gathering her strength.

A moment later, her fingers gently fell, touching the piano keys, and a series of deep and melodious notes flowed out slowly.

At first, the voice was plaintive, as if whispering a sad, untold story. As the melody progressed, the notes grew heavier, like sorrowful raindrops pounding heavily on everyone's hearts.