Madam Yan's Matchmaking Pavilion for Men

24 Decent Skills, A Soul-Stirring Tune

Seeing Zhang Shi Lan's flushed cheeks, Yu Huang Rong was sure that he had made the right bet when he proposed this. He smiled and stood up again, grabbing onto the hilt of the sword at his side. "How about giving it a try? Since Madam Yan said that we would have until after midday, we should have enough time to try a few times. If it works, then we'll do this. Otherwise, we'll still have enough time to come up with something different."

Zhang Shi Lan nodded and also stood up. "In that case, I will ask Xiao Xi and Xiao Jia for the instrument."

Yu Huang Rong merely smiled and watched the scholar go to the door. He had been lost at first but now that he had had the idea he felt that it wasn't too bad. The skills that a young master from a good family normally learned ... he wasn't too well-versed in them.

Sure, he had attained a decent skill back when he was still living in the capital but his father had never paid too much attention to that, considering that they had been a military family for several generations. Now, after ten years on the battlefield where he hadn't trained even a single one of those skills, things were looking even bleaker. That was nothing he could impress Zhang Shi Lan with. Even trying hard wouldn't garner him any points. Instead, he might make the scholar look down on him. He couldn't risk that! No, in this case, it was still best to display something he might do good in.

Yu Huang Rong looked at the sword at his side and couldn't help but smile. This weapon had accompanied him through many battles. It wasn't one of these shiny swords normally used in dances that were merely done for entertainment purposes. Instead, this was a real weapon that had been bathed in blood. It might not be too suitable to use this in front of these well-bred young ladies but he didn't care for that. To him, this whole event was only about Zhang Shi Lan and him. And right now, he felt that he had found exactly the right thing to do.

Wasn't this what the captain of the secret guards hat said? Talking about war ... He hadn't wanted to do so because he wanted to honor his fallen comrades. But a sword dance was different. He would be able to put his emotions into it and Zhang Shi Lan, this kind of naturally perceptive person, would surely be able to see. He would know his heart. He would understand. If that didn't move him at all, then he might really be fighting a game that he had already lost.

Zhang Shi Lan came back to the table and sat down once again. "Xiao Jia said she would bring the guqin over in a moment." He didn't dare to say anything else and just waited for Yu Huang Rong to take the lead.

The General happily nodded. Compared to the other day, they had already exchanged quite a lot of words today. If things continued like this, then they might really get familiar with each other soon.

He cleared his throat and also sat down at the table again, picking up the cup with the tea that had already grown cold. He didn't mind. He was used to a life of hardship. One cup of cold tea was nothing to him. "Scholar Zhang, how would you suggest we go about this dance? Even though I think that I'll be able to pull it off, it is not something that I've trained."

Zhang Shi Lan nodded. This man was a warrior. He was able to use his weapon in battle and when he trained but he had certainly never done so with the intention to please any audience. To be honest, even though he was looking forward to this, he also wasn't too sure if it was alright to let the General perform something like this. "I hope General You doesn't find it off-putting to perform like this in front of other people."

Yu Huang Rong smiled. "What is Scholar Zhang saying? I was the one who brought it up. If anything, it is my fault for not having enough talents."

Zhang Shi Lan blushed in embarrassment. "No, nothing like that. I think that General Yu is a very talented man."