"Let the youth show their spirit! The finest performance shall receive a reward from the Imperial Treasury!"
Instantly, the hall erupted into a flurry of frantic, competitive activity.
This was the ultimate chance for the noble youth to secure political favor, catch the eye of a prince, or perhaps even win the affection of the devastatingly handsome Vanguard Commander himself.
For the next hour, Ji'an endured a procession of incredibly talented, yet profoundly hollow performances.
Noble daughters played the guqin with technical perfection but no soul. Young lords recited booming, aggressive poetry about slaughtering barbarians, clearly having never seen a drop of real blood in their lives.
It felt fake. It felt performative.
"They sing of war as if it were a game," Ji'an muttered under her breath, her chest tightening with an inexplicable, rising wave of grief.
