One Lifetime Is Never Enough

1.32 Echoing Whispers

The common area of the inn became lively, their group's laughter started to attract more attention from other guests.

"This area is off-limits. Please, do not proceed further," a low voice of one of the Princes' imperial guards was heard from a small distance.

Looking at the source of the voice, YuLan and the others saw one of their guards blocking a path of an elegantly dressed couple - both with glimmering expectation in their eyes.

Initially, they thought the couple had somehow recognized the Royal Princes.

But the man soon spoke, looking at LanBai and YuLan's direction,

"Forgive this humble one for intruding," he said with clear enthuse, "But, are these young ladies perhaps the famed guqin players of the Lian house?"

This attracted a commotion from the other guests, now completely focusing their attentions to their group. The guards - both Imperial and the two Ji guards, had now started to grip their swords, in case the commotion would shift towards the unfavorable.

"It is them! I had the luck to obtain some seats at Lian house a couple of weeks ago," another guest exclaimed excitedly. This particular guest was not wealthy and thus he could only obtain a standard seat at Lian house - which was located quite further away from the central stage. But he would not forget the profiles of the graceful guqin players. He became die hard fan of both ladies. Knowing how he would not be able to get close to either of them - given his lowly status - he could only worship them from afar and imprint their existence into his mind.

The spouse of the first man smiled widely, "Both Young Misses, we are merely commoners and we only had little luck to be able to see one of your performances at Lian house."

In fact, the man and wife were just normal merchants. Although they were not poor, they could only afford to splurge to attend one performance at the famous tea-house previously.

"If it is not too much to ask," she added and bowed towards them humbly, despite being years older than Ji LanBai and Bai YuLan. The guards were still blocking her and her husband's path, "Would you be so kind to grace us with just a small performance tonight?"

The man scolded his wife lightly, "Aiya~, my dear. How could you be so bold. Clearly these Young Misses and their guardians were already exhausted."

But he could not conceal the hope in his eyes, also glancing at LanBai and Yulan wistfully.

"Both Young Misses," another guest chimed in, "We are just normal people. I have been saving for the past few months, hoping to one day be able to listen to your heavenly melodies that have now also been infamous in the capital."

He certainly did not hold back on his boot-licking and added, "I am actually on my way to Ming town to possibly obtain a last minute seat at Lian house. Having met you both here tonight, surely this is fate? This humble one sincerely hopes both Young Misses will grant this one's wish to just have the fortune of a lifetime to listen to your performance once."

A few of other guests also expressed similar sentiments, causing unspeakable sense of gratitude and elation to both Ji LanBai and Bai YuLan. What kind of humans would not be proud when other people appreciate so much what they do?

Ji LanBai walked towards the guard, still standing an arm's length distance behind him. She lowered her head politely towards the couple, who now had a line of other people behind them, all waiting anxiously,

"I am extremely humbled," she bowed her body lightly towards the pair and other guests - much to YuLan's pleasant astonishment. This Young Miss Ji was getting more graceful each passing day, and YuLan could only be happy about this improvement,