Chapter 26

The film officially starts playing.

The main and subtitles quickly turned into ink smudges that filled the entire screen. The next moment, the ink dispersed and the camera became bright again.

As the morning sun shone, the wooden city gate was pushed open by the city guards, marking the beginning of the day.

A long queue had formed outside the city to enter. In addition to the villagers who were shopping, there were also several young people carrying cloth to cover their belongings.

Neither the people queuing nor the city guards were surprised by this.

"We are the Land of Music, where two music saints live in seclusion, and there are also the two young masters of Qin and Se. There are countless young people who come here to become disciples or to compete with them, hoping to achieve fame overnight."

The old man was carrying a shoulder pole loaded with vegetables and chatting with the man in front of him who was also dressed like a farmer.

The middle-aged man wiped his face with his sleeve and smiled innocently, "I have to thank the two music masters and the young master. Without them, there wouldn't be all these musicians coming and going and all this excitement. I hear things are really chaotic out there right now. If it were somewhere else, life wouldn't be this easy for ordinary people like us."

The old farmer sighed, "Ever since the previous king of Shangjing passed away and the new king ascended the throne, all the orders from Shangjing have become meaningless. The local princes, both large and small, have split up and fought against each other. Alas, the world has changed so much."

"Thankfully, the two music masters are honored guests of the great kings, allowing our small Yuecheng to enjoy such a good life. Alas, I heard there's another war brewing outside. May God bless King Rui with a great victory."

[The key point is that the background setting is a real chaotic world with wars everywhere.]

Director Huan really nailed the title, calling it Yue (Le) City simply and crudely, as if he was afraid we wouldn't know, right?

When the musicians entered Yuecheng, they saw shops selling various musical instruments on the streets, and when they passed by inns and teahouses, they could also hear the sounds of various string and wind instruments.

In addition to the two instruments that represent the city, the qin and se, other musical instruments also have a place to thrive in Yuecheng. Instead of suppressing them, the two music masters encouraged them to flourish.

After settling down, the musicians visited the residences of the two music masters every day. However, the two music masters were already old and had not appeared in public for a long time. They had also accepted their most satisfactory disciples and naturally would not continue to accept disciples.

The two music saints, one is the Saint of Qin and the other is the Saint of Se, became famous at the same time and compared with each other all their lives. Even in old age, even their disciples did not give up the competition. The second young master of Qin and Se, whose fame spread together, is their successor. It is said that King Rui himself evaluated him as being better than his master!

The musicians who come to Yuecheng now just want to give it a try. It would be best if they could become his disciples, but it doesn’t matter if they can’t. Their real purpose is to admire the elegance of the second young master Qin Se.

In the middle of every month, arenas would be set up in the north and south of Yuecheng, where two young masters would compete openly.

Young Master Yin Huanian of Qin and Young Master Zhuang Wei of Se continued the tradition of fighting passed down by their masters. There is no first in literature and no second in martial arts. What they want is not to be equal in fame, but to be superior to others!

After each performance, the musicians and people in the city would vote.

Musicians vote for the refined, while common people vote for the vulgar. The two schools of music are not only competing for the best of the best, but also for the music that appeals to both the elite and the masses.

[An interesting and tolerant soul, this is the character of the music master, I love it.]

[Wait, weren't they talking about a touching brotherhood? How did they become sworn enemies?]

As the middle of the month approached, the inns in the city were crowded. On the middle of the month, before dawn, a long winding line formed outside the city gate. Among them were some exquisite ox carts and horse carriages, which were loaded with nobles who had rushed over from nearby towns to join in the fun.

Yuecheng's influence in the surrounding area is evident.

As the time approached, the discussion among the people in the city became more heated: "It seems that Master Zhuang won last time. If Master Zhuang wins another round, the gap will be widened."

"What nonsense! The last time, Master Yin won. I've been running this shop for twenty years and I remember it clearly. From the first time the two masters competed at the age of sixteen, it's been exactly fifteen years now. They've had four competitions a year. Before this match, there were exactly sixty matches, and both masters had thirty wins, thirty losses, and one draw!"

Amidst the long calls of the people in the audience, the two young masters finally appeared.

The people spontaneously made way, the gate of the Sage of Qin's residence opened, and several maids in white with veils on their faces and holding flower baskets led the way.

Behind the maid, Master Yin, wearing a jade crown and white clothes, holding a long zither and with elegant manners, stepped out.

The common people once again acted as commentators from the sidelines: "The entire lineage of the Qin Saint is comprised of fairies. I mean, except for Young Master Yin, they're all women. It's said that the Qin Saint saw Young Master Yin's extraordinary talent and made an exception to accept him as his disciple."

[Hahahaha, this is so inexplicably second-year yet so captivating. What's going on?]

Under the escort of the maids, Master Yin maintained the aloofness of a flower on the mountain top, not giving the onlookers any extra glances, and walked step by step towards the five-story pavilion at the end.

In the private room of the pavilion, the distinguished guests have already taken their seats. Master Yin climbed up to the top hollow floor and carefully placed the guqin inherited from his master on the table.

Through the hollow guardrails, even the people outside the building can see the whole process of Master Yin playing the piano.

Yin Huanian nodded slightly, which meant that he was ready. Then he slowly closed his eyes and waited for his opponent.

The other young master Se had not yet appeared, but judging by the expressions of the common people and the nobles in the private rooms, they seemed to have gotten used to it.

A young man who was watching for the first time grumbled in confusion: "Why hasn't anyone come yet? No one wants to go and see it?"

"Be patient, Mr. Zhuang never shows up until the competition begins."

"Then uncle, are we just going to wait like this now?"

"Of course I have to wait."

The young master was obviously not very satisfied. He was always the only one who had to wait for him, so why would he wait for others? "Uncle, isn't Master Zhuang afraid of offending others? Master Yin came here early."

The uncle stroked his beard and asked, "Who did you offend, you or me?"

Facing the young master's bewildered gaze, his uncle shook his head and said, "Masters Yin and Zhuang have been praised by great kings like Prince Duan and Prince Ping. Their status speaks for itself. Even without these external reputations, there are still many people willing to wait for the privilege of hearing their music, not to mention an hour, but even a day, a month, or a year. Talented people can be willful."

"You won't understand what I'm saying now, but wait until you hear the song yourself and you'll know why I praise it so highly."

Finally, the gate of Se Sheng's mansion was pushed open. Unlike the maids pouring out of Qin Sheng's mansion, there was only a white-haired old servant smiling and leading the way at Se Sheng's door.

"Hmm." The man in black stretched lazily and walked out of the mansion alone.

Compared with Yin Huanian, who was neatly dressed and looked like a young man from a noble family, Zhuang Wei's appearance of having just woken up, no, not yet woken up made the young master open his mouth wide.

"Uncle, this, this..." This is too indecent. Don't tell him that this person is Master Zhuang, who is famous and on par with Yin Huanian!

The uncle couldn't wait to get up and walk to the window. "Hahaha, you're worthy of being Master Zhuangse, still so free and unrestrained. Yao'er, don't just stand there like an idiot. Come over here and watch with your uncle."

The young master stepped forward hesitantly, not understanding what was going on. He had just left the house, so why was his uncle so anxious?

Before the young master could finish his thoughts, he saw the man in black simply open his clothes and sit on the dusty ground where several people had stepped before!

[Young man, you seem to have a lot to say? ]

[Hahaha, young master, it seems like there are a lot of question marks above your head.]

However, soon the young master and the audience had no time to think so much.

The moment Zhuang Wei sat down, Yin Huanian, who had his eyes closed on the opposite balcony, suddenly opened his eyes. The gazes of the two seemed to pass through the crowd and collided in mid-air in an instant.

Although Zhuang Wei still had a cynical smile on his face, his eyes suddenly became sharp.

With a "hum", the bamboo in Zhuang Wei's hand vibrated and the string pillars swayed. Even though it was just a sound, the young master's mind was shocked, as if he heard the sound of iron horses and golden swords.

No, not as if.

After Zhuang Wei first sent out the provocative signal, Yin Huanian's face remained expressionless. However, as his fingers plucked the strings of the zither, soldiers in white armor led their troops out in front of the audience and lined up with the black-armored knights on both sides of the Sishui River.

The river flows and the flags flutter.

This time, the scene of the fight is no longer a bamboo forest, a temple fair with people coming and going, or a banquet filled with guests, but a battlefield where people fight head-on.

As the two armies fought, a line of annotations appeared on the screen.

The music is called "Ambush from Ten Sides", also known as "Huaiyin Pingchu", which is an adaptation of the pipa music of Blue Star's Ten Famous Songs.

The audience and other people in the film were caught up in the sword and shadow, as if they saw enemies surrounded on all sides and fighting for life and death.

[Huh, I was so nervous that I held my breath.]

[Director Huan also thoughtfully added scenes of battlefield confrontation.]

Those who know it are making friends through music, while those who don't think it's a life-or-death struggle.

Who wins?

The common people and musicians were divided into two waves to vote, and people from the Qin and Se Palaces would check and count the numbers together to prevent any fraud.

The result came out quickly, which was unexpected but also reasonable. In the last competition, Zhuang Wei won a game, and this season, Yin Huanian won again without giving up an inch.

Of course, no matter which fight, the outcome of the two was almost the same, with not much difference.

While the people and musicians in Yuecheng were still discussing yesterday's fight, a figure in white climbed up the steps on a dangerous peak behind Yuecheng, carrying a long zither on his back.

Suddenly, the sound of a zither mingled with the clatter of the waterfall against the boulders. It wasn't abrupt, but rather a harmonious blend. The man's voice sounded lazily and teasingly, "I've almost finished my pot of wine. Brother Yin is always so slow."

Yin Huanian raised his eyes and saw Zhuang Wei leaning against the boulder, shaking a pot of turbid wine gently in his hand.

Yin Huanian spoke calmly, his voice as cold as his entire demeanor: "Yin is not late."

"Yes, yes, it's my fault for coming early. I apologize to Brother Yin. This is a hundred-year-old girl's red wine. Brother Yin, come and taste it?" Zhuang Wei didn't care about Yin Huanian's cold face at all. He smiled and moved closer with the wine jug in hand.

Yin Huanian ignored Zhuang Wei, or rather, just as Zhuang Wei was accustomed to his temper, he also knew the other's temperament long ago.

They walked straight to a flat ground. Before Yin Huanian could make a move, Zhuang Wei pulled out a clean cloth from somewhere, spread it on the grass, and imitated the tune of the white-robed musicians from the Qin Mansion, singing in a pinched voice: "Don't let the grass juice stain your clothes. Please take a seat, sir."

Yin Huanian: "..." Although Yin Huanian still had no expression on his face, he sighed in his heart. He did not notice that the coldness in his eyes was instantly replaced by warmth.

[This eye expression is amazing, his acting skills can easily outperform all the actors.]

"Thank you." Yin Huanian sat down, then carefully untied the white cloth from the guqin and placed it on his lap. He said to Zhuang Wei, "Want another match?"

Zhuang Wei nodded: "Come! I'm waiting for you."

A moment later, with the rushing water as the background music, the two played the song "Ten Sides of Ambush" together. When the music of the zither and the harp stopped, Zhuang Wei raised an eyebrow and looked at Yin Huanian: "How is it?"

Yin Huanian nodded and said frankly, "I'm not as good as Brother Zhuang."

Yin Huanian won the duel yesterday, but today, with the natural sound of flowing water and insects chirping in the mountains as the background music, Zhuang Wei's music is more natural and harmonious when playing the same song.

Zhuang Wei wasn't modest. He wore a flamboyant smile. Winning was winning, and he felt pretty good about himself. He laughed heartily and said, "As expected of us, it's a draw again."

After each fight, the two would have another private competition in the back mountain with only the other party listening. Therefore, for them, there was no such thing as winning or losing as the common people talked about, because every time it was a draw.

The outside world does not know that the two people they see as mortal enemies are actually a pair of like-minded friends of many years.

They knew each other when they were young, and the waterfall in the back mountain became their secret base. That year, Zhuang Wei, who often sneaked to the back mountain to sleep, picked up Yin Huanian who had "run away from home".

The two of them never explained it, and Yin Huanian felt that it was unnecessary. When Zhuang Wei was young, he found it interesting out of his youthful nature. Later, when he grew up, he wondered when someone would discover their secret. The expressions of his master and the people in the city would be very funny.

After the duel ended, the two men did not leave. The quiet Yin Huanian spoke first, "I was inspired by watching the moon earlier, and I've revised an earlier paragraph. Please review it, Brother Zhuang."

Yin Huanian's palm fell on the strings, his eyes focused, and he plucked the strings again. Zhuang Wei also restrained his casual temperament, sat up straight, closed his eyes, and only used his ears to capture the sound of the piano and listen carefully.

Zhuang Wei rarely takes anything seriously, the only exception being his music. However, even when he plays in front of the whole city, he still wears that disguised shell, which is the arrogance of his young fame.

However, now, he forgot to pretend and listened attentively, which was enough to show his nervousness. He should be nervous because the modified piece played by Yin Huanian was the score that he and Yin Huanian had spent several years polishing.

Zhuang Wei boasts that their score is as good as any famous piece, but it has not been released yet because both of them strive for perfection and feel that there are still some shortcomings in the score that need to be improved.

Zhuang Wei also has greater ambitions in his heart. He wants to work with his friends to polish the score until there is no flaw, and then perform it together in front of the whole world. With this amazing song, he wants to be on par with the top musicians in the history of music and leave his name through the ages.

Time flies, and before we know it, another year has passed amid the sound of firecrackers.

The lives of the people living near Yuecheng continued as usual. However, judging from the decreasing number of musicians coming to pay homage to the government, it was clear that the outside world was not at peace.

From the very few musicians who were in a dishevel or even injured, the people also heard about the situation in the outside world. The ruling power of Shangjing was becoming increasingly weak, and the princes were divided and attacked each other for territory, and major battles were fought one after another.

What makes the people most anxious is that the originally balanced situation was finally broken three months ago.

King Nanling issued a manifesto to King Xiguang, initiating a national war with the excuse of his half-sister being poisoned while married off. When King Xiguang was unprepared, King Nanling personally led tens of thousands of elite soldiers who had been secretly trained to join the war. After capturing seven cities in half a year, he marched to the capital of King Xiguang, forcing King Xiguang to jump from the city wall and die without dignity.

However, even though King Xiguang chose to commit suicide for the sake of his descendants and the people, he still failed to protect them.

King Nanling was extremely talented in military affairs, but he was brutal, cruel, and shameless. After the death of King Xiguang, he not only broke his promise, but also allowed his elite soldiers to trample on the nobles and common people of Xiguang at will. The elite soldiers under King Nanling followed such a master, and their temperaments were also like those of bandits. The once prosperous Chengdu of Xiguang turned into ruins in an instant, and wailing and crying were everywhere.

Prince Nanling was even more arrogant, even beheading envoys from the capital. He even issued a letter to Prince Liang Rui and Prince Qi Li a few days ago. The content of the letter made people all over the world look at it with absurdity:

Because they all loved listening to music, King Rui of Liang and King Li of Qi had both heard the music played by the Yuecheng Music Master, but King Nanling had never heard it. This made him feel isolated, so he decided to attack King Rui of Liang and King Li of Qi.

Beside the waterfall in the back mountain, Zhuang Wei and Yin Huanian sat together on a huge rock. The bamboo clappers rippled the strings of their harp, and the sound was somewhat chaotic, suggesting that he was also uneasy.

"Does King Nanling think everyone in the world is a fool? Since when did not attending a concert together become an excuse to start a war?!"

Yin Huanian gently stroked the guqin, looked at the birds flying in the sky, and said softly, "If you want to accuse someone of a crime, you can always find a pretext."

After these words fell, the whole world seemed to fall into silence. Even Zhuang Wei was speechless. After a while, Zhuang Wei spoke up to break the silence: "The old man has received an invitation from King Rui. I'm sure your elders have received it as well."

Zhuang Wei's eyes shone with sarcasm. "As expected of a great prince, you have the leisure and elegance. Anyway, I'm not going, and Brother Yin, you can also decline. Let's just go to the back mountain and have some peace and quiet."

Yin Huanian neither responded nor refused, but simply said softly, "Compared to the tyranny of Nanling, at least the people live in peace under the rule of Prince Rui and Prince Li."

Zhuang Wei lay on the boulder, looking at the white clouds in the sky. He stretched out his hand and made a grasping motion, muttering to himself:

"Yes, I was angry, but what else can I do? Besides plucking the long string, what else can these hands do for this turbulent world and for the people?"

"It would be better to let this skill go unused and let those great kings concentrate on their battles. When they return victorious, I would be happy to play for them every day."

A few days later, the two caravans drove out of Yuecheng. Zhuang Wei was sleeping under the quilt. The white-haired Saint Se specifically instructed his servants not to disturb him. On the other side, the Saint Qin, who seemed to have anticipated something, also did not plan to bring Yin Huanian with him.

But he never expected that when the zither master boarded the carriage, he found Yin Huanian already dressed and sitting in the carriage. He helped the old zither master, whose lips were trembling, to sit down, and Yin Huanian said in a young voice:

"Someone has to go. You and Elder Se are old, and King Rui and King Li originally favored Zhuang Wei and me. For the sake of Yuecheng, it's better to take the initiative than to disobey them. And compared to Zhuang Wei, I am more suitable."

Ding-ling-ling, amid the sound of the ringing bells, Yin Huanian looked through the curtain of the car at the increasingly smaller Yuecheng. His sight seemed to have penetrated through the barriers and saw his usually unruly friend. On his usually expressionless face, the corners of his lips lifted up for the first time, revealing a light smile that seemed to be a farewell and a relief.

What does Lao Yin mean?

[Looking at Master Qin's expression, I have a bad feeling.]

【Don’t scare me, brother.】

The two groups were quickly welcomed into Prince Rui's residence. Prince Li had already arrived there in advance and was waiting. The music began, but it was different from any other music. The Sage of Qin, the Sage of Se, and Yin Huanian all sat together behind a screen. The two great princes sitting opposite them did not have the slightest bit of their usual leisurely expressions on their faces, but were instead filled with worry.

The two princes exchanged a glance, and King Rui smiled wryly before speaking. He bowed unbecomingly to the three musicians opposite him, ignoring any attempts to stop him, and went straight to the point:

"Please do not refuse. I offer this gift on behalf of the people of both countries and ourselves. I know it is an unreasonable request, but even if I unite with King Li, the combined strength of our two countries is no match for Mannan. I have no choice but to resort to this last resort and take the path of a villain. I sincerely ask for your assistance."

It turned out that this banquet was just a cover-up. The real purpose of the two princes was to invite the two princes of Yuecheng to go to Nanling and assassinate the King of Nanling!

"With the death of King Nanling, the Nanling Barbarian Army is leaderless."

Just as Yin Huanian said before, compared to the two old saints, the candidates in the minds of Prince Li and Prince Rui are the two Young Masters of Le. After all, as assassins, the elderly are slow in movement and not as strong as the young ones, so they are naturally not the best candidates.

Prince Li and Prince Rui thought they would have to spend some time talking to the others, appealing to their emotions and reasoning with them, but they never expected Yin Huanian to agree directly:

"Nanling has disrespected the common ruler of the world and committed numerous crimes. Everyone has the right to punish him. Huanian is fortunate to have this honor and is willing to go there."

Without waiting for the two princes to express their gratitude, Yin Huanian changed the subject, lowered his eyes, and his long eyelashes hid his thoughts. "Huanian alone is enough. Zhuang Wei is a rough and unruly person. If we go together, it will inevitably cause trouble. If the news gets out, all our efforts will be wasted."

Prince Li and Prince Rui pondered for a moment, and considering Zhuang Wei's usual behavior, they also felt that Yin Huanian's words made sense. Together, they helped Yin Huanian up and said earnestly, "Then... I entrust everything to Huanian."

"In the prime of life, one should not cherish this life."

Qin Lao's eyes showed sorrow, but he knew that the matter was irreversible. Regardless of whether Yin Huanian succeeded or not, he would end up dead for assassinating his lord on King Nanling's territory.

Yin Huanian was adopted by Qin Lao and treated as his own son, so how could she bear to let him go? If she could, she would have wanted to sacrifice herself in his place...

When returning to the city, Yin Huanian did not follow. He wanted to stay in the residences of the two princes to prepare for the assassination, and also to reassure the two princes.

After bidding farewell to Master Qin, Yin Huanian went to find Master Se again and said, "Master Se, Huanian has a favor to ask of you. Please don't tell Brother Zhuang about what happened today. Please also help me pass on this letter after everything is settled."

Old Se sighed deeply, unable to express the vicissitudes of life, and agreed to Yin Huanian's request.

When the two carriages returned to Lecheng, Zhuang Wei heard from his old man that Yin Huanian was kept in the palace and played the piano for King Rui every day to relieve his stress and alleviate the depression caused by the upcoming war.

Zhuang Wei: "..." If the situation did not allow it, he really wanted to pry open King Rui's head to see if it was filled with paste. It would be outrageous.

But things can be concealed for a while, but not forever.

Truth cannot be hidden. When Yin Huanian arrived at the capital of Nanling, Zhuang Wei finally heard the news. Although Zhuang Wei was not as perceptive as Yin Huanian, he was not stupid. Considering his master's attitude before and after and Yin Huanian's implicit hints during their last meeting, he vaguely understood something.

Zhuang Wei was immediately shocked and angry. Without thinking, he was about to leave the house, but was stopped by the servants of Se Mansion.

In the main hall, only Ser Lao and Zhuang Wei were present. Ser Lao spoke tiredly to Zhuang Wei, who was tied up with ropes and had bloodshot eyes:

"Where else can you go? Even if you leave for Nanling now, it's too late."

Before Zhuang Wei could say anything, Old Se spoke again in a hoarse voice, "Wei'er, calm down. Don't let Young Master Yin down for protecting you. You two should have gone together, but it was Hua Nian's petition to the two princes that kept you here. The Sage of Qin and I are old, and Yuecheng still needs support. The musicians and people of Yuecheng are also the responsibility of your successor."

"This also reflects the trust and entrustment that Young Master Yin has placed in you. This is the letter he asked me to leave for you. The rest, how to break up is up to you. Remember, think twice before you act."

Se Lao untied the rope for Zhuang Wei. Zhuang Wei held the letter tightly in his hand and looked at the four big words "From Brother Zhuang" on it, his mind buzzing.

The usual joyful fights in Yuecheng were suspended because one of the young masters was not in the city.

On the day of the duel, Zhuang Wei came to the back mountain alone, carrying a full wine jug. Under the jug was an opened letter containing Yin Huanian's "last words" and expectations for him:

"Go ahead, the first place will belong to Brother Zhuang in the future."

"The song you and I composed has one final section left to revise. I've racked my brains for days, but haven't been able to figure it out. I have no choice but to entrust it to Brother Zhuang. I believe that with your talent, you'll definitely be able to complete it in the end."

"This is Yin's final request. Before the song is performed by the world, Brother Zhuang, could you please play it at Yin's grave? If you can be the first person to hear it, Yin will die without regrets."

The bamboo leaves plucked, but there was no harp accompaniment. The lonely sound of the zither echoed in the mountains: "It's a good dream. He's dead. Such a noble and righteous man has long been arranged to be reborn in a good place. You won't be able to hear it even if I play it."

At the same time, Yin Huanian was finally seen by King Nanling and performed for this brutal prince.

Although Prince Nanling's manifesto was a bit frivolous, it seemed that he was also a music lover. However, while Yin Huanian was playing, he also invited several beautiful dancers in light gauze to dance along with the music, and actually regarded Master Qin's elegant playing as the accompaniment of a vulgar dance.

Embracing a dancer, King Nanling asked perfunctorily, "Master Yin, do you mind performing for me with these concubines to please me?"

After receiving Yin Huanian's knowledgeable denial, Prince Nanling laughed heartily: "As expected of Master Qin, you're different from those vulgar yet self-righteous musicians. What's the point of just listening to music and feeling sleepy? Good music paired with beautiful women is what really lifts the spirits. Hahahaha."

The music continued. King Nanling was worthy of being King Nanling. In high spirits, he actually walked down from the high seat barefoot and embraced beauties on both sides in the audience.

Yin Huanian seemed not to notice the farce in front of him, and concentrated on playing the piano with his eyes half-closed. King Nanling did not care. The armor on his upper body had been removed at this moment, and his inner clothes had been torn open by the dancer.

A fragrant breeze blew in his face, and Prince Nanling came to Yin Huanian with the dancer in his arms. He tore off the pink veil from the dancer and threw it insultingly at Yin Huanian's head:

"Why is Master Yin still so aloof? Why don't you come and have fun with me, wouldn't you..."

Before King Nanling could finish his words, something unexpected happened. The shrill sound of a zither was heard. Taking advantage of the piercing sound, Yin Huanian suddenly jumped up. The seven-stringed zither inherited from his master rolled off the table and fell to the ground. Yin Huanian pulled out a poisoned dagger from the zither and stabbed it fiercely at King Nanling's chest.

There were panicked screams from the dancers and servants in the arena. The blade pierced the skin, and hot blood splattered on Yin Huanian's frosty face.

Prince Nanling's voice, filled with rage and fear, came from above: "How dare you assassinate me?!"

At the critical moment, King Nanling pulled a dancer in front of him and stabbed the dagger into the dancer's chest. Yin Huanian's eyes reflected the dancer's eyes that were still open in death.

Without time to think, Yin Huanian gripped the dagger tightly, however, it was too late. He only had one chance and the assassination failed.

Yin Huanian was escorted by the guards to his knees on the ground. King Nanling, with red eyes, held a long sword and poked several bloody holes in Yin Huanian's body before he calmed down a little. He looked at Yin Huanian, who was lying in a pool of blood, dying and never crying out for mercy.

Prince Nanling stepped on Yin Huanian's right hand and crushed it fiercely, his face grimly saying, "Physician, please treat Master Yin well. If you dare to assassinate me, I will make you know what it means to be unable to live or die!"

Yin Huanian was thrown into prison. While the doctor was using thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum to keep him alive, a cruel official was executing Yin Huanian. At the instruction of King Nanling, the cruel official pulled out Yin Huanian's nails one by one and whipped him with a long whip dipped in salt water.

Yin Huanian was still wearing the white clothes, but now they were stained with black and red, and the young man who was once as bright as the bright moon had lost his elegance.

In the water dungeon, from beginning to end, Yin Huanian did not make a sound, let alone beg for mercy.

After hearing this, Prince Nanling continued to rage. He grabbed the dancer's neck and sternly shouted, "Since you can't speak, what's the point of keeping your mouth shut? If you have a stubborn bone, then break it into pieces for me to break. Do you still need me to teach you?!"

[Ahhh, damn King Nanling, damn it!]

[Master Yin, wuwuwu, my Master Yin...]

[I can endure having my bones and tongues cut off, but how can he destroy the ears of a musician who listens to the sounds of heaven and earth? ! ! ]

It is indeed unbearable.

Yuecheng is no longer as prosperous as it used to be. There are only a few people on the streets. They were born in Yuecheng and will die in Yuecheng. They will not leave. However, outside Yuecheng, there are also people, young and old, fleeing with their families.

The two music masters dismissed their followers in advance, but no one left. The doors of the Qin and Se mansions were closed tightly, and faint mournful music came from inside the doors, gathering in the sky above Yuecheng. It was a farewell song for Master Yin and also a farewell song for this troubled world.

In the mountains behind Yuecheng, Zhuang Wei sat in front of Yin Huanian's empty tomb and slowly poured a cup of sake onto the ground.

"I finished the piece last night, but I don't want to play it for you now."

"You lose, and you lose your life."

"But it doesn't matter, I'm still here."

"I dare to bet my life on this. I will win the final round."

"In this life, I will always be better than you and be the best person in the world at enjoying the Tao."

Two empty wine glasses were left in front of the empty tomb, and a line of words was engraved on the tombstone: Tomb of close friend Yin Huanian.

Zhuang Wei did not play the zither for Yin Huanian in front of his grave as he wished. Instead, he carried the zither up the mountain, offered him a glass of wine, and then carried the zither back down the mountain the same way he had come.

Zhuang Wei is missing.

A few days later, in the capital of Nanling, a musician with long standing hair and dressed in white knocked on the gate of the royal capital and handed over a visiting card: Zhuang Wei from Yuecheng is here to seek refuge.

This scene, with the exact same attire, seemed to coincide with a scene a month ago.

I cried my heart out. I actually saw the shadow of Xiao Yin in Lao Zhuang.

The brocade zither has fifty strings, each one evokes a thought of the glorious past, woo woo woo.

If this isn't love, then what else is there to look forward to?

Prince Nanling examined Zhuang Wei, who knelt on his knees in the hall, and asked coldly, "That fellow from Yuecheng just tried to assassinate me, and now you claim you're here to be my court musician?"

"What? Have all of you musicians changed your profession to become assassins?"

Zhuang Wei slammed his head down to show his humility. "Zhuang Wei of the Sin City greets His Majesty. Please calm your anger. That Yin Huanian, bewildered, colluded with the thieves Rui and Li to assassinate Your Majesty, bringing disaster to Yuecheng."

"Everyone in the world knows that Zhuang Wei and that criminal have always been at odds. Zhuang Wei had long heard of the king's reputation and longed for it. He longed for the king to quickly crush all the princes and become the true ruler of the world. He never imagined that before that, the Yin thief would be so audacious as to attempt to assassinate the king. Fortunately, the king was blessed by heaven and earth, and escaped unharmed."

"Zhuang Wei has long since grown tired of the ambitious people of Yuecheng. Now, I have come to submit to the king. I do not seek your favor, but only the opportunity to become a small musician under your command. I hope to survive and watch you conquer the world in the future."

King Nanling looked at his subordinates, who nodded, indicating that they had checked and found that there was not even a single piece of sharp metal on Zhuang Wei's body.

After Yin Huanian's assassination attempt, the Nanling Palace became an ironclad entity, and no one coming in or out, even the guards, were allowed to carry weapons.

Prince Nanling relaxed slightly and leaned back on the couch. "Oh, I think I understand. Young Master Zhuang is afraid of death and has come to me to surrender. Is that true or not?"

Zhuang Wei seemed oblivious to the contempt in King Nanling's words. "Even ants struggle to survive. Zhuang Wei sees nothing wrong in doing so. Furthermore, being able to follow His Majesty is a blessing earned through three lifetimes of cultivation."

Compared to Yin Huanian, the gourd-like figure, Zhuang Wei's flattery made King Nanling feel comfortable. He laughed heartily, "Since Master Zhuang has truly surrendered to me, I should honor him with respect. So, Master Zhuang will accompany my concubines every day. What do you think?"

"Zhuang Weiding must do his utmost to seek beauties worthy of the king."

Prince Nanling clapped his hands and said, "That's very good! He who knows the current situation is a hero!"

Then King Nanling changed the subject: "However, the performance is not urgent for now. Master Zhuang, why don't you come with me to the water prison to meet an old friend?"

Zhuang Wei suddenly looked up, his hands clenching beneath his robe sleeves. He could hear his own heart beating violently. News of Yin Huanian's failed assassination attempt had spread, and everyone thought Yin Huanian was dead, including Zhuang Wei. Could it be...

His nails piercing his flesh, Zhuang Wei forced himself to calm down and asked with a smile, "Who is the old friend the king is talking about?"

Prince Nanling laughed and said, "Of course it's the villain who intended to assassinate me. Let's go."

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