Unintentional Surprise (GL) - Chapter 4

The piece “Ambush from Ten Sides” abandoned the usual graceful elegance of string music. Instead, with crisp plucks and resonant vibrato, it murmured warnings of danger and unrest.

The musician had intent, but the listeners, lulled by comfort, remained oblivious to Wen Dinglan’s hidden message behind the notes.

The newly appointed top scholar, Jiang Shunyao, had his doubts—doubts about why the lead musician at the “String and Sound Pavilion” would choose such an inauspicious tune for a celebration. But those doubts remained fleeting; he didn’t dwell too deeply on them.

As for the fact that a crime was about to take place during the banquet, he was entirely unaware.

While the guests listened to the music, so did he. As the beauties played and danced, he watched politely.

Though he was the star of the day, he spent most of his time politely agreeing, responding when addressed.

And the wine hadn’t even been served yet!

The real challenge for Jiang Shunyao would come when the toasts began and the wine flowed freely.

Before tasting the bitterness of wine, one must eat and drink well—at least make the upcoming ordeal worthwhile.

So to the musicians at the “String and Sound Pavilion”—and to many of the other guests present—Jiang Shunyao appeared to be nothing more than a gluttonous foodie.

Exotic fruits? He ate them. Rare seafood and mountain delicacies? He ate those too.

From the moment the banquet’s performances began, Jiang Shunyao hadn’t stopped eating. But to his credit, he did so with remarkable elegance. Though he consumed a lot, he always ate slowly and with decorum—never once appearing uncouth.

Many whispered and judged him in their hearts, but the host, Chancellor Che Zhenfu, was actually quite pleased by Jiang Shunyao’s healthy appetite. In fact, he had already decided—after the feast, the head chef would receive a generous reward. After all, a banquet where both host and guests were satisfied was no small success.

Now the focus returns to the center of the main hall.

Wen Dinglan was dividing her attention—both performing for her colleagues and monitoring the shifting dynamics among the seats. This mental multitasking drained her energy; though she continued to pluck and match tones with skill, her rhythm had lost its usual smooth flow.

In order to save that poor soul who was about to drink poisoned wine, Wen Dinglan was risking her own reputation.

Was it worth it?

Danger lurked in the hall, the situation on the verge of change.

Wen Dinglan held her breath—finally, the wine was being served.

Jiang Shunyao sighed. So it was time for the wine after all.

Their eyes both scanned the wine vessels carried by the servants—Wen Dinglan searching anxiously for the one marked with charcoal, Jiang Shunyao gazing about aimlessly with resignation.

Suddenly, their eyes met. A moment of surprise passed between them—then they quickly looked away.

Neither of them knew then just how entangled their fates would become.

Wen Dinglan spotted the poisoned wine. Heaven had shown her mercy—the side with the charcoal mark faced her direction.

Her heart raced, and she had to restrain herself carefully to keep her playing from faltering.

Others might not have noticed, but Dongqing, the lead dancer, could hear the unevenness in the music. Her movements never faltered, but deep down, she was worried about Wen Dinglan’s unusual behavior.

The poisoned wine was carried to the very front of the main hall.

It was placed on one of the banquet tables.

Wen Dinglan, anxious to see who the unlucky victim was, completely forgot to watch for the fleeing suspect.

And the poor soul being targeted—how perfectly unfortunate—it was the new top scholar, Jiang Shunyao.

It was Chancellor Che Zhenfu who took the lead. He stood up from his seat, poured a cup of wine, and then raised it high, making a toast to the guests around him. The cup finally stopped in front of Jiang Shunyao as he said, “Though today isn’t a grand festival, we rejoice in celebrating Shunyao’s triumph as top scholar! I’ll drink this cup first—everyone else, feel free to follow.”

With those words, Jiang Shunyao had no choice but to accept.

The poisoned wine vessel was lifted.

The poisoned wine was poured into the cup in front of Jiang Shunyao.

The precious, crystal-clear brew shimmered under the lantern lights, casting a dangerous and ominous glow.