Tangli Newcomer

The newly arrived dancers and musicians arrived at the Tangli Garden in the palace at dusk.

Among them, A-Qiu, who played the jade flute, was the most outstanding in appearance. Her eyebrows and eyes were exquisite, and her lips always seemed to hold a gentle smile.

But upon closer inspection, one will find that regardless of whether her expression is joyful or angry, her bright, clear eyes never smile.

Unlike the other girls on the palace carriage who held their musical instruments and remained silent, A-Qiu kept glancing out the window, memorizing the path from the palace gate to the Pear Garden.

Tangli Garden was originally a place where nearly a thousand musicians and entertainers of the previous dynasty were housed. It was named after the dozens of wild ancient trees in the garden, whose pear blossoms bloomed in spring, creating a scene as beautiful as snow.

Since entering the palace, the carriage has traveled a long and winding road, and even at dusk, we have not seen many palace servants along the way, which shows that the Pear Blossom Garden is remote and secluded.

Through the branches of the towering ancient tree, A Qiu seemed to be able to see the scene from the previous dynasty, where many dancers and singers danced and sang under the tree amidst the snow-like falling flowers, their voices echoing through the corridors and reverberating throughout the palace all night long.

On the green, rust-covered crane-shaped lamp stand, the bright candles once burned all night, illuminating the prosperous era.

Tangli Garden has been abandoned for many years. Although it has been simply repaired by the new dynasty, it still has withered trees and grass, and a hazy, misty atmosphere, always exuding a sense of desolation.

Ah Qiu, who always prided herself on her strong will, suddenly felt a pang of fear in the vast desolation of Tangli Garden.

It's easy to imagine that whoever comes here will likely never be able to leave again until the end of their lives.

When the previous dynasty fell, those skilled dancers and musicians in their prime, some of whom survived, are probably now elderly women with white hair sweeping the floors in the deep palace.

She unconsciously gripped the jade flute inside the yellow brocade pouch.

From then on, it became her only means of rising through the ranks in the palace and escaping the confines of the palace.

Among the young female dancers in this group, who wore light makeup and had long, slender shoulders and sideburns, A-Qiu was undoubtedly the most beautiful.

She was also the one whose purpose for this trip was most different from others.

A Qiu's registered identity is that of the daughter of a musician from the previous dynasty, but in reality, she was adopted by the owner of Lanling Hall when she was six years old and taught the art of "stabbing".

In the master's words, in this chaotic and turbulent world where everyone is fighting against each other, whether it is the "art of assassination" or the "way of music and art," they are essentially tools that serve power.

Since the founding of the new dynasty, the disciples of Lanling have scattered in all directions, hiding among the various schools of thought and professions, all in order to one day seize the highest power of the dynasty.

The beautiful and intelligent A Qiu was the most incisive stab that Lanling Hall had meticulously planned, aimed directly at the heart of the new dynasty.

Under the swaying shadows of the palace lanterns in the corridor, A-Qiu and the newly arrived dancers and musicians lined up in turn, waiting to be selected by the head of the palace music bureau.

Although there were quite a few people, the only sound was the rustling of clothes dragging on the ground as they lined up; no one dared to breathe loudly.

This selection will determine their future.

These can be described as life-or-death situations, as different as heaven and earth.

These were all dancers and musicians selected from court entertainers and troupes in the capital and other parts of the country, and they were all around fourteen or fifteen years old. But even the youngest of them had been learning their craft for at least ten years.

Being selected for the Music Bureau meant having the opportunity to perform in the palace and potentially escape its confines to rise to prominence. Even if one did not become a phoenix, if one's skills were superb enough, one could remain in the palace as a court entertainer and teach students, even if one grew old and faded.

Even if all else fails, as long as one follows the rules, one can still become an old palace maid who sweeps the floor.

A young and beautiful woman imprisoned in the deep palace, destined for a lonely life as an old palace maid, is certainly not a good deal for a palace maid from a respectable family or a concubine in the harem.

However, this was already the best possible future for these girls who were born into the entertainment industry or were forced into prostitution due to their families' crimes.

Yue Zheng began calling roll according to the register. A soft, cold male voice echoed weakly in the corridor.

"The Su family of Heyang".

Those whose names were called stepped forward, took their seats as instructed, and began to play with skillful fingering.

The ethereal sound of the pipa rose in the still night, like a spring flowing gently over rocks or a waterfall cascading down among pines, the playing technique extremely smooth and free.

However, most of these dancers and musicians had gotten up early and traveled by mule cart from outside the city to the palace gate, enduring a long journey from day to night, and were now standing under the eaves waiting in turn, without having eaten dinner. This woman was the first to perform, so she was inevitably nervous, and A-Qiu could hear it, though subtly, with some hesitation in certain parts.

But such a performance is already quite good.

The music had barely begun when Yue Zheng's soft, cold voice abruptly cut off the playing: "Stay, return to the sitting section."

The girl behind the pipa suddenly twitched her shoulder, staggered to her feet, and walked back to her original position in the group.

It was exhaustion after using all one's strength.

From A-Qiu's perspective, behind the shimmering light and shadow of the pipa beam, one could vaguely see her face covered in tears—tears of joy from receiving more than she had hoped for.

The Music Bureau of this dynasty was newly established and did not have the scale of the previous dynasty. At this time, the Music Bureau was only divided into two parts: sitting and standing. The sitting musicians were the highest-ranking musicians, and only those with superb skills were allowed to enter.

Su's immediate promotion to a high-ranking position was an unexpected and delightful surprise.

The next dozen or so people were assigned to different departments, such as the sitting department, the standing department, or even the lower-ranking propaganda department. Yue Zheng's evaluation of them was flawless.

The good news is that it seems everyone from today will be able to stay.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. In the following performance test, the performers became more skilled and relaxed, which further demonstrated the musical level of the entire group.

As expected of those selected from across the country, even if they occasionally falter or become rusty due to nervousness, their years of hard work and dedication are evident.

Le Zheng was in his thirties, and a slight smile appeared on his fair and beardless face.

Ah Qiu had seen far more than this; she hadn't known how many times before. But now, holding the jade flute, her palms were sweating.

Although she was confident in her intelligence, music was not her forte, and she knew she couldn't compare to these performers who had practiced diligently for over ten years since childhood.

After all, she had only studied music for three months.

"Lanling, the Shi family?" Le Zheng pointed to the name and glanced at the remaining people.

A Qiu, dressed in white and holding a flute, stood there with a smile, her graceful posture like that of a fairy from the cassia palace.

However, upon closer inspection, one can see that there is no smile in her eyes.

"What's your name?" This man's surname was Huang. His soft, feminine voice floated in the air. Out of the corner of her eye, A Qiu noticed a fleeting, unusual glint in Huang Lezheng's eyes as he looked at her, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

Perhaps it was because she was the youngest and most beautiful of all the geisha present.

My master had warned me.

Musicians and dancers are considered lowly, and those in this profession come from all walks of life, both good and bad.

"My name is A Qiu." A Qiu curtsied, her eyes sparkling, meeting Huang Le's gaze without fear.

"Why did you join the Music Bureau?" Huang Lezheng asked, while quickly scanning the small print on the register. Under the names of these dancers and musicians, their origins were usually noted, such as being registered as a musician in a certain prefecture or county, or being convicted of a crime in a certain year and month.

Soon, Huang Lezheng gave the answer: "Shi Wanqiu is the daughter of Shi Changqing, a musician from the Xianshao Garden in the previous dynasty."

He seemed to know A Qiu's background and said confidently, "Therefore, you are a former musician who left the palace during the previous dynasty."

The children of musicians were considered lowly, destined to work as entertainers and forbidden from marrying into respectable families. However, the Xianshao Academy was the highest-ranking music academy of its time, and those who entered were considered national treasures in the arts. Therefore, A-Qiu's father must have been no ordinary man, which explains why this daughter was so different.

In fact, he had already spotted A-Qiu at a glance when all the dancers and musicians filed in.

Not only because she was the tallest and most beautiful, but also because he had extensive experience in judging people.

As soon as the young woman entered, she glanced around, her expression alert and natural. Standing among a group of well-behaved, obedient dancers and musicians, she stood out like a crane among chickens, her demeanor distinctly different.

Now that we know she is a descendant of the Xianshao Academy, it's not surprising.

During the heyday of the previous dynasty's music bureau, there were over ten thousand music masters, craftsmen, and entertainers. Xianshao Academy was the first-class music bureau, and its members often accompanied the emperor and empress, enjoying great favor and prestige.

However, that's all in the past. Now, the fate of this golden thread flower, left behind from the prosperity of the previous dynasty, is in its own hands.

If you want to climb it, it's just a matter of reaching out your hand.

Huang Lezheng had a good idea of ​​what was going on, and a smile appeared on his fair face: "What skill have you learned? Play it."

A Qiu smiled calmly and slowly pulled the jade flute out of the brocade pouch.

If Huang Le is unmoved by the name "Shi Changqing," he probably doesn't have a very strong foundation in the music bureau.

They're not some important figures you can't afford to offend.

Ah Qiu also had a better understanding of the situation.

When the pure white jade flute was fully revealed to everyone, the corridor fell silent.

The dancers and musicians completely forgot their joy or sorrow at being selected or not, and all stared intently at the strangely shaped jade flute carved from a single piece of Gaochang white jade.

Even Huang Lezheng, who harbored ulterior motives, forgot his original intentions at this moment.

This jade flute is less like a flute and more like a pair of exquisite jade chopsticks. Its shape is a pair of slender tubes side by side, each with several holes. It is carved from a single piece of jade, with a refined inner luster and a thick, warm texture.

The radiance of the sealed jade flute made the entire corridor seem to freeze, and everyone's breath seemed to stop.

The reason is not only because of its obvious exquisiteness and preciousness.

Most importantly, no one recognizes this instrument.

And this is an incredible thing.

Even those present who were still young were among the nation's top musical talents, having immersed themselves in dance and music for over a decade. Through constant exposure, they had become familiar with and played various instruments, even those not their own specialty.

But this instrument, which resembles two chopsticks and could barely be called a "flute," was beyond everyone's knowledge.

Huang Lezheng suddenly realized that A Qiu was staring at him with a half-smile.

As the music master in charge of the six musical scales and five tones, he should be knowledgeable and well-versed in various musical disciplines. Yet, he didn't even recognize the instruments held by the musicians. If this were to get out, he would probably be expelled from the music bureau immediately.

Huang Chao'an broke out in a cold sweat, and although he wanted to speak, he found himself at a loss for words.

Fortunately, A-Qiu didn't make things too difficult for him.

She didn't ask Huang Lezheng for comments; she simply raised the jade flute to her lips, pursed her lips, and produced the first sound, thus easing the awkwardness of the situation.

The moment that first sound rang out, everyone in the room paled.

Like a long wind blowing across the border under the moon, it sweeps across towering mountains and valleys, sweeping in with a desolate and mournful air, lingering endlessly.

Its sound is extremely simple.

It is completely different from the complex fingering and musical variations of the pipa, guzheng, and other instruments that the others played earlier.

It feels like there are no techniques involved, just extremely simple, unadorned, and profound original musical sounds.

One sound fades, another rises. Life goes on endlessly.

Yet it fully expresses the vast desolation of the endless cycle of life and the seamless integration of individual life with nature.

Those musicians skilled in wind instrument techniques were secretly amazed by the deep and long breaths of A-Qiu.

The variations in speed, slowness, strength, and weakness are controlled with exquisite precision, leaving no trace.

Judging solely from her ability to control her aura, no one present could surpass her.

As A Qiu played her flute alone under the corridor, the chilling wind from the border and the desolate moonlight permeated the long-lost Tangli Garden, a music and dance hall of the Southern Dynasties. The dancing girls who were listening intently to her had unconsciously formed a circle around her, their minds sinking into the world described by the sound.

The place may seem vast and desolate, but it is actually full of vitality. What attracts them most is... freedom.

The long wind that sweeps across the palace also sweeps across the grasslands. It is always free.

But in the tranquil realm of music where everyone was silent, A-Qiu, who was playing the flute, heard something else.