The appearance of an old friend

Ah Qiu couldn't help but ask, "Was the death of Empress Xining such a blow to Lord Shangguan?"

Seeing Shangguan Yuqi looking at her with surprise, she explained, "From the stories I heard before, I only thought that Lord Shangguan's literary and martial arts skills were all extraordinary, and that he was farsighted and able to turn the tide. He was a hero and a noble and unrestrained scholar, but I never knew that he had such a strong sense of family affection."

Shangguan Yuqi sighed, “Indeed. My thirteenth uncle also came from a lineage of tomb keepers. He was calm, rational, disciplined, and content with solitude, the complete opposite of the typically handsome and passionate men of the Shangguan family. Even after he rose to the highest ranks of officialdom, this remained unchanged. However, my aunt was to him what I am to my aunt—not only a relative, a junior, and a disciple, but also the only person in the family who could understand him. When my aunt passed away, he felt that in this corrupt world, he could no longer see a glimmer of light, and that the Great Huan Dynasty, which he had fought for for half his life, was now nothing but a decaying shell. This feeling of being the only one awake in a world of drunkenness, with no one to confide in, was the real reason that brought him down.”

Lord Liyang continued, "Therefore, the scrolls of 'Shao' and 'Wu' were deliberately left in the Wuyang Mausoleum by him. He had no confidence in the future of the Southern Dynasty. He knew very well that after his retirement, Emperor Wu would be licentious and incompetent, and internal strife would break out. No matter who ultimately gained the throne, whether it was the northern barbarians or the powerful families of the Southern Dynasty, they would all be ambitious wolves who would scheme against the world for their own selfish desires. The reign of Emperor Xihuang would never be regained. Even if rites and music were revived, future generations would only use them as a pretense. Since that was the case, it was better to bury them underground forever. Therefore, commemorating the deceased Empress Xining was also the last glimmer of a glorious reign."

When he said "a wolf in sheep's clothing," Shangguan Yuqi and A Qiu glanced at Xiao Chang'an out of the corner of their eyes, but the latter seemed oblivious, pondering these words.

Shangguan Yuqi said, "But he didn't expect that a Gu Yi would appear in the Southern Dynasty."

When she mentioned "Gu Yi", A Qiu felt that both she and Lord Liyang were subconsciously slightly startled.

Xiao Chang'an immediately retorted, "Gu Yi merely took advantage of the situation and reaped a great benefit. Even without Gu Yi, the chaos that replaced order would inevitably have led to the emergence of a new imperial power among the various powerful clans in the Southern Dynasty. Considering the balance of power at the time, if your Shangguan family had no ambition to become emperor, the Xie family would still have the best chance of winning."

Shangguan Yuqi shrugged casually and said, "For hundreds of years in the Southern Dynasty, the imperial power of each dynasty has come from aristocratic families, and the policies of the previous dynasty have been continued. Have you ever seen a dynasty with the vigorous reform and vitality of today? This is what makes the Grand Tutor different from ordinary powerful ministers. He does not only pursue power, but also practices what he preaches, and puts the public good first."

She looked at the mural again and sighed, "This is also why Uncle Thirteen was able to pass away peacefully after the new dynasty was established, to comfort his old friends. At that time, he said that the affairs of the world had been entrusted to him, and I could finally fulfill my duty as a friend."

Xiao Chang'an was surprised that Shangguan Jin, who was regarded as a legend in the previous generation, would have such an evaluation of Gu Yi, and he fell silent for a moment.

A Qiu followed Shangguan Yuqi's gaze to the mural and felt the same way, saying, "At this time, with Master's achievements in governing the world, Miss Shangguan's concerted efforts to help open the tomb, and the God Lord's willingness to help, all these opportunities come together, it is indeed the time for 'Shao' and 'Wu' to be reborn."

Lord Liyang stood before the mural, remained silent for a moment, and then asked, "Are you all ready?"

A-Qiu asked in surprise, "What preparations?"

Lord Liyang said, “The essence of the music and dance of ‘Shao’ and ‘Wu’ lies first and foremost in rectifying the heart and sincerity, not in demanding identical postures and movements. That would only capture the form, not the spirit. Each generation of ‘Shao’ and ‘Wu’ actually refines and changes the movements and postures to suit the spirit of the time.” He pointed to the long mural scroll, saying, “Back then, Shangguan Jin spent a month copying this painting onto the stone wall. Even if we were faster, we couldn't possibly spend another half a month copying it into a book to take out. Therefore…”

He gazed intently at the mural and said, “I will try to bring out the spirit and artistic conception in the painting, making it flow and change. What you need to grasp is the ‘spirit’ within it. As for the movements and postures, remember as much as you can. It’s not the most important thing anyway.”

Shangguan Yuqi said in a deep voice, "Then what do we need to prepare?"

Xiao Chang'an answered first, "Heart." At the same time, he drew a purple bamboo flute from his waist and placed it to his lips.

For the first time, Lord Liyang gave him an approving look and replied, "That's right, it's the heart. The performance of 'Shao' and 'Wu' requires the heart as a sacrifice."

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of Xiao Chang'an's flute began to rise naturally, swirling in the void of the tomb chamber. Its rise and fall were perfectly timed, as swift as a rabbit leaping and a swan swooping, leaving no trace.

Shangguan Yuqi frowned and asked, "Xiao Xiao, have you ever studied the music of 'Shao' and 'Wu'?"

The pieces "Shao" and "Wu" are still recorded as musical chapters in the Music Records of the Imperial Music Bureau, but they are ancient and belong to old court music. Even musicians would hardly think of practicing these pieces. Moreover, Xiao Chang'an's primary identity was not that of a musician, but rather that of a politician carefully cultivated by the Xiao family of the Northern Dynasties.

A-Qiu had already answered for him: "What he played was not the original 'Shao' and 'Wu', but rather the rhythm he naturally felt upon seeing the image in the mural, which moved him at will and was inspired by the music. But its spirit must be the world of civil and military achievements praised in 'Shao' and 'Wu'."

Lord Liyang sighed, “What the ‘Shao’ and ‘Wu’ music originally depicted was the ideal political world that people longed for. This vision, repeatedly depicted by generations of musicians and dancers, has become the mural we see today. It has also incorporated the political ideals and expectations that your uncle, Shangguan Jin, once held deep in his heart, which is why it is so deeply moving. Dancers can dance when they hear it, and flute players can play music when they see it. The ancient legend says that ‘when sacred music is played, all beasts dance,’ all because the human heart naturally has the way of music.”

As he spoke, his body moved. His posture was one of graceful flight, like a large bird soaring into the air, twirling and turning within the small space, his movements subtly harmonizing with Xiao Chang'an's flute music. Every gesture was elegant and graceful, like a refined gentleman in a turbid world, or a celestial being descending on the wind, truly as bright as the moon and as ethereal as a solitary pine.

Before the seemingly endless murals of "Shao" and "Wu," Xiao Chang'an and the Divine Lord of Liyang played the flute and danced together, instantly bringing a strange rhythm to this world. It seemed to be a folk song from the depths of the earth, mixed with the sounds of axes chopping wood and chiseling stone, or like King Wu conquering King Zhou, leading his army to battle at Muye, the sounds of battle stirring up the air, possessing the power to subdue the enemy without fighting.

A Qiu had a strange feeling that the figure of Lord Liyang in front of him was both real and illusory, as if he were a person who had traveled through the rise and fall of dynasties and the ever-changing world, yet he also seemed to be carrying the heavy burden and mission of pacifying the suffering of countless people and the chaos of war.

And this figure eventually overlapped with a figure from her memory that was already very distant.

She whispered, "Gu Yi?"

Her voice wasn't loud; only Shangguan Yuqi beside her could hear it. But Shangguan Yuqi didn't pay much attention, because she was currently focused on imprinting the essence of "Shao" and "Wu" into her mind and spirit.

This is not only a political ideal passed down from her ancestors, but also a dream that her closest relative, her thirteenth uncle Shangguan Jin, had buried deep in his heart and for which he had fought tirelessly.

What was the purpose of the Shangguan family ancestors' efforts in each generation—whether it was to navigate difficult situations, to protect themselves wisely, to remain calm in the face of great storms, or to risk their lives on the front lines? Was it merely for the rise and fall of their family and clan? Of course not. Rather, each generation hoped that their efforts in this life would bring a more progressive and enlightened living environment to the next generation.

Just like her aunt Yanxiu who entered the palace to become empress, she longed for the day when she would no longer be a caged bird in the palace, a golden sparrow in a high-class household;

Just like her thirteenth uncle who dedicated his life to the country and ultimately died for righteousness, she defied the opinions of the clan and allowed her to be free from the constraints of previous generations' rules and not necessarily enter the palace. Instead, she was allowed to practice martial arts in the cemetery, making her the only patriarch in the history of the Shangguan family to be both a tomb keeper and a family head.

The vast and boundless path that people today have taken is the result of the struggles and hard work of generations of predecessors.

In the well-governed world of the "Shao" and "Wu" traditions, there should be a place for everyone, regardless of status, wisdom, or foolishness. There should be order between elders and juniors, each person should be content with their place, everyone should love their relatives and children, the world should be one family, and everyone should share in the great harmony.

A Qiu heard his own clear voice ask, "May I ask, Divine Lord, what is the Dao, and what is the Art?"

On the Jinling Terrace, the Milky Way stands lonely as ever, its brilliant light about to sink into the western sky, foreshadowing the coming of a new dawn.

The elegant figure of Lord Liyang seemed to blend into the starry night sky, yet it was incredibly clear and close.

He said in a low voice, "The Way resides in the hearts of the people; it is the world that everyone desires to achieve, and rulers must strive to fulfill it throughout their lives. As for techniques, they are the methods and means to achieve it, but at some point, the means became the end."

A Qiu said, "Governing the world is not the goal; bringing order to the world is the goal."

Lord Liyang said with emotion, "That's right. If the world is well governed, then what does it matter if I am not the one who governs the world? This is the meaning of Yao's decision to cede the world to Xu You."

After leaving Wuyang Mausoleum, Xiao Chang'an remained silent, no longer the talkative and unrestrained person he once was. Of course, perhaps this was his true nature.

As the most outstanding strategist of the Xiao family, the most powerful family in the Northern Dynasty, perhaps the witty and charming eunuch Xiao Chang'an, who made the courtesans and singers laugh, never really existed.

What A Qiu didn't expect was that the reclusive Lord Liyang would actually keep sending the three of them back to Jinlingtai.

Before the mural, she saw the God of Liyang rise and perform the dances of "Shao" and "Wu," demonstrating the subtle and exquisite changes in the flowing dance postures. After that, she had an indescribable feeling.

Who once told her, "I only know how to do the sixth generation of dance"?

The Six Dynasties Dances include "Shao" and "Wu", namely "Yunmen" from the time of the Yellow Emperor, "Daxian" from the time of Emperor Yao, "Dashao" from the time of Emperor Shun, "Daxia" from the time of Emperor Yu, "Dahuo" from the time of Emperor Tang of Shang, and "Dawu" from the time of King Wu of Zhou.

Memories that were already blurred have now become clear.

Therefore, Zhao Lingying, the Divine Lord, and even An Daoling's understanding are all wrong. It's not that there are no people in this world who can play "Shao" and "Wu," it's just that their appearance and voice are no longer remembered.