Tom and Jerry puffed out their little chests proudly—the reigning champions of the music world were here.
Xue Qinghe sighed helplessly, "Shen An, stop joking. Tom and Jerry are clever, sure, but there's no way they can play music, let alone surpass Aunt Yuehua."
Shen An grinned. "Brother Xue, you've been to Suotuo City—how have you not heard the legends about Tom?"
"Oh? Really? Then let Tom and Jerry show us what they've got. I'd love to see it." Xue Qinghe said, half-doubting, half-curious.
Tom stuffed his teeth back into his mouth, and with a spin, he and Jerry were suddenly dressed in tailcoats.
The two of them exuded an effortless elegance in their every movement, even overshadowing Tang Yuehua, who stood nearby.
Tang Yuehua stared blankly. Hmm… they actually looked somewhat convincing.
Could they really know a thing or two about music? Both Xue Qinghe and Tang Yuehua had the same question pop into their minds.
Tom walked over to Tang Yuehua, picked up her harp, and plucked the strings a couple of times, letting the notes ripple through the air. Just as everyone thought Tom was about to showcase his skills—
Tom put the harp down, pointed confidently at himself with his thumb, then wagged his index finger.
"Ahem, well… Tom says it doesn't know how to play the harp," Shen An explained, inwardly amused. Tom's confidence was truly innate—even when it couldn't do something, it still acted this self-assured.
Tang Yuehua couldn't help but feel disappointed. As expected… it was just a farce. Since when could a cat play the harp?
Then, Tom stepped in front of Tang Yuehua again and pointed at itself while looking at the harp.
"You… want me to teach you?" Tang Yuehua asked, puzzled.
Jerry hopped onto Tom's shoulder and also eagerly pointed at itself—it wanted to learn too.
Tang Yuehua shook her head. What was this, cramming at the last minute? She was a busy woman—she didn't have time to teach two pets.
Still, out of respect for the Crown Prince's friend, Tang Yuehua pulled out a sheet of music and said, "Fine. If you can play the most basic piece from this, I'll teach you music in the future."
Tom snatched the sheet and quickly flipped through it—if you could even call it flipping. It took less than ten seconds, just a swish from the first page to the last.
Yet, the two of them nodded solemnly, as if they were genuinely contemplating something.
Xue Qinghe also lost interest. It seemed Tom and Jerry were just fooling around.
Better to get back to the main topic—using Tang Yuehua's influence at the aristocratic banquet to boost Shen An's reputation. That was the real matter at hand.
"Ahem, Aunt Yuehua, actually, the reason I brought Shen An here—"
Before Xue Qinghe could finish, a series of ding-ding-dong-dong notes suddenly rang out—the sound of a harp being played.
Everyone turned to look. It was Tom and Jerry, playing the harp while reading the sheet music, resulting in a fragmented but rhythmic melody.
After playing through a few pages like this, Tom excitedly tossed the sheet music over its shoulder and exchanged a glance with Jerry.
Let's do this for real!
A pure, crystalline melody flowed forth, as elegant and pristine as pearls, as if transporting everyone into a scene of surreal beauty. The enchanting notes even reverberated beyond the room, echoing throughout the entire Moon Pavilion.
Outside, countless birds perched as if drawn by the music.
The Moon Pavilion had five floors, each with excellent soundproofing—yet Tom and Jerry's duet penetrated every level.
Everyone in the pavilion closed their eyes, utterly immersed in the flawless harmony.
Tang Yuehua was no exception. The moment the music began, she felt as though she had been transported into a moonlit forest, listening to the breath of all living things, basking in serene tranquility.
The piece ended, yet no one wanted to open their eyes, still savoring the lingering beauty.
Shen An was the same. This was what real music sounded like.
"Impossible!" Tang Yuehua exclaimed, her voice trembling. At this moment, she felt dizzy, as if the world itself had become unreal. They just glanced at the sheet music and played like this? Who would believe that? Even geniuses had their limits!
Her emotions flickered rapidly—shock, envy, insecurity, even a hint of jealousy.
A cat and a mouse had glanced at a sheet of music and instantly performed at a level she could only dream of reaching in her lifetime.
How was this fair? Were they mocking her?
"Wait… they actually know how to play?" Xue Qinghe said hoarsely.
Shen An smirked. I told you they were music masters. Seeing his cat and mouse shine so brilliantly filled him with pride.
Still, he humbly said, "Ah, just the basics."
Just then, knocking came from outside the door.
"Teacher Tang, was that music just now yours? It was absolutely breathtaking!"
"Yes, Teacher Tang! Your musical skill is truly peerless. No one in the continent could compare!"
Everyone in the room turned to Tang Yuehua. The visitors had mistaken the performance as hers.
Tang Yuehua's face flushed red with embarrassment. This was a misunderstanding—she could never play like that.
"None of your concern. Do not come up here without my orders," Tang Yuehua said, her usual grace and composure nowhere to be found, replaced by flustered shyness.
"Shen An… Shen An, Tom and Jerry never fail to amaze me. Even a god might not possess such musical talent," Xue Qinghe exhaled deeply, speaking slowly.
As someone who appreciated music, she understood exactly how skilled Tom and Jerry were—especially since they had gone from zero to mastery in an instant.
This was like a spirit master being born with full innate spirit power at level 90, and on top of that, being able to self-generate spirit rings. Who wouldn't be stunned by that?
Shen An chuckled. "It's just music—no need to make a big deal out of it."
Xue Qinghe laughed. "Look at you, acting all smug. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were the one who played."
"But since Tom and Jerry are so incredibly talented, how about having them assist Aunt Yuehua at the aristocratic banquet? With her putting in a good word for you then… tsk tsk, you'd definitely gain even more fame."
Shen An's interest was piqued, and warmth spread through his chest. Xue Qinghe really had his back—she knew he loved fame and went out of her way to help him shine.
"Would that work? Having Tom and Jerry perform with you?" Shen An asked Tang Yuehua.
He calculated that if Tom and Jerry stunned the audience, he'd bask in the glory too. Not a bad deal.
Tang Yuehua's heart skipped a beat. Have them assist me? How could she possibly accept that? She wasn't so shameless.
With a bitter smile, she said, "I was actually struggling with how to arrange this year's banquet performance. If these two are willing to participate, then this will undoubtedly be the most spectacular aristocratic feast in history."
"Hah! Then it's settled. But Aunt Yuehua, my friend here loves fame, so when the time comes, don't hold back on the praise. Shower him with compliments," Xue Qinghe said with a hearty laugh.
Tang Yuehua was stunned. She glanced at Shen An's refined, otherworldly demeanor—who would've thought someone like him craved reputation so much?
"Of course. But… may I make an impertinent request? Could these two masters teach me music in the future?" Tang Yuehua agreed before voicing her hopeful plea.