Chapter 535 The Prodigal Son Returns South, Buddha's Head Arrives in Xunyang (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
"Your tuberculosis seems to be getting a little better."
"This is not consumption, it's a northern ailment. The further south you go, the better it gets. I'm a perfectly healthy southerner, I shouldn't be staying in the north in the first place."
"It's just that the north is dry and windy, unlike the humid south. The former will worsen your tuberculosis. But you're from the south, aren't you? How come your Jingzhao accent is so good?"
"When I was young, I always thought everything about Chang'an and Luoyang was wonderful, and I wanted to learn everything about them: their refined accents, magnificent music, and elegant clothing..."
"Even the stench of manure from the sewers in Yanzuofang, the poorest neighborhood in Chang'an, is sweet, a million times better than the golden autumn osmanthus blossoms at the entrance of my hometown village."
"Ha, isn't that all there is to it?"
"Perhaps...cough cough cough cough."
The old, weathered voice stopped mid-sentence with a violent cough.
Another sharp voice, belonging to an old woman, paused for a moment, then snorted coldly:
"Get on the boat, don't stand outside. If you get rained on, your tuberculosis will get worse. Do you want to die?"
"It's alright, the rain in the south is soft and gentle, it won't hurt anyone, and it won't hurt those returning home. Haha, this old man likes this southern rain, it's very much like a court music piece, 'Yu Meiren'? This old man has almost forgotten the name..."
The old, weathered man's voice held a hint of reminiscence, followed by the sound of a hand lightly patting his knee, and a low murmur:
"In youth, I listened to the rain in a pavilion, with red candles dimly lighting the silk curtains... In middle age, I listened to the rain in the palace, with high walls, low clouds, and a lone wild goose crying in the west wind... Now, I listen to the rain on a traveler's boat, my temples already gray. Joy and sorrow, parting and reunion, are all indifferent... Let the raindrops fall from the eaves until dawn..."
"How long has it been since you last came to Jiangnan?"
"I've lived most of my life here... I was born in a small village halfway up a mountain in Lingnan Road, with only thirty or forty households. Every April, the peach blossoms at the village entrance don't bloom until late."
"My father was an ordinary carpenter in the village. When I was thirteen, he gave me a small wooden zither, a simple one-stringed instrument. But I still remember the clear sound of the strings when I first heard it, so I could no longer be a carpenter."
"At that time, it was during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the previous dynasty. With two emperors ruling, the soldiers on the borders spread the national prestige far and wide, and the territory was surprisingly vast. All countries came to pay tribute, and Chang'an and Luoyang were filled with the music and sounds of foreign countries."
"I admire it greatly. When I was sixty years younger than I am now, I embarked on this idle profession, traveling north to collect the crude folk songs of the countryside, and finally arrived in Chang'an of my dreams..."
"You should know what happened after that, Miss Song. She just lived on in a daze until now."
"It's rare to be confused."
"Yes, it's rare that I've been able to stay oblivious until now."
"Then why did you come back? Your family should all be dead, right? Is there anyone in the village who recognizes you?"
"I don't know. The whole village might be gone, but the peach blossoms should still be there. If I go back now, I might still see the peach blossoms in April. They bloom late and can wait for me."
"Far away in Lingnan, aren't you afraid of dying on this road with your old bones?"
"I am a southerner, born and raised here. Why not die in this rainy, muddy land of Jiangnan? A caged bird longs for its old forest, and a fish in a pond yearns for its old pool. The ancient scholar Tao Yuanming also deeply understood this sentiment. Miss Song, this is what is meant by dust to dust and ashes to ashes."
“Hey you, if you keep yelling like that, I’ll tear your mouth off.”
"Haha, I'm only a year older than you, so why can't I call you Miss Song? Back when I first entered the palace as a musician, you were a graceful young lady-in-waiting, and I've been calling you that for so many years, why are you still being so stubborn?"
"Shut up."
After a pause, the old woman's voice continued coldly:
"You are not allowed to die now."
"It doesn't matter where you die in the future, just leave the music behind. This is the only requirement the Imperial Observatory has for you, and it is also the bottom line that His Majesty tacitly allowed you to leave the palace. It cannot be violated."
The old, coughing voice that had just been heard fell silent for the time being.
It was raining at night.
On Shuangfengjian, a small boat is swaying along a tributary of the Xun River that has been carved out.
On the rocking, small boat, there were only two figures:
A short, thin old man and an old woman with white hair.
The man, who appeared to be surnamed Yu, stepped out from under the eaves of the boat shed, stood at the bow of the boat, his head soaked by the night rain, and looked out at the distant Xunyang River with his hands behind his back. As he spoke, he also looked at an unfinished Buddha statue on the north bank of Shuangfengjian.
The white-haired old woman, known as "Little Song," sat alone in the boat shed, holding a candle in one hand, her eyes fixed on the former's hunched back.
The short, thin old man wore a washed-out white musician's robe, otherwise he was unremarkable and had no special features.
But inside the boat, the orange glow of the candlelight illuminated the white-haired old woman's face, which had a pointed chin, revealing a pair of deep-set eyes with whites showing.
The old woman was dressed in a dark purple palace dress with gold embroidery, the lapel embroidered with intricate and simple cloud and crane patterns, revealing a solemnity and majesty that had been honed over the years.
Her hair was styled in a high bun, secured only by a simple jade hairpin, similar to the hairstyles of female officials such as Rongzhen and Miaozhen. However, a few strands of white hair slipped unintentionally from her temples, adding a touch of vicissitude.
With her weathered hands, she held a lamp in one hand and gently held a string of sandalwood prayer beads in the other. As she spoke with the old musician, she would occasionally turn the prayer beads.
At this moment, the old woman holding the lamp stared at people with her white eyes, which seemed a bit eerie in the middle of the night.
The old musician, unfazed, pointed to the opposite bank and asked, "Who built this giant open-air Buddha statue?"
“The former Chief Secretary of Jiangzhou, Ouyang Lianghan, that damned brat who dared to defy the imperial edict and defy His Majesty.”
"Why did the work stop? Wasn't it being done quite well? The feng shui here is also good. He must have dug the Xun River himself."
The old musician looked curious.
The old woman with the rolled-up eyes didn't answer. She turned her head and glanced at the half-moon reflected on the river.
Despite the continuous rain, a half-moon still peeked out from behind the clouds, as if curiously observing the world below.
The old musician, who had been traveling south, sighed:
"Miss Song, now that you've come to me, do you still stand by your word? Once this trip is over, let me go and never pursue you again."
A ruler's word is his bond.
"I'm afraid that your understanding is not so simple."
The old woman with the rolled-up eyes said indifferently, "How dare you."
The old musician sighed, "That old Taoist priest surnamed Wu was very clever back then. When Emperor Gaozong died, he immediately left the palace and stayed away from the strife. Looking at it now, he was really smart. He must have been terrified of the current emperor from the very beginning."
"He's so audacious as to call himself a painting sage. Why don't you try calling yourself a music sage?"
"That's true, but ultimately I don't have his abilities."
"It's not about whether you're capable or not, it's about your cowardice. Heh, that's how you managed to save your life. But I just don't understand, what's the point of leaving? When the two emperors were in power, you all rushed to come, hoping to bask in the vibrant and prosperous spirit of that era. Although there was a period of turmoil afterward, isn't there still an emperor in power now? The Great Zhou Dynasty is still at its peak, thriving and prosperous, still a golden age!"
"The dynasty was changed from Gan to Zhou, the capital was moved to Luoyang, the succession to the throne was uncertain, there was a struggle over the succession, there was a rebellion in the southwest, there were enemy disturbances in the north, and a giant Buddha was built... In the end, things were not the same as before."
The old musician sighed, and the next second he felt the surrounding rain and air gradually solidify. Before the white eyes of the old woman behind him could turn completely purple, he quickly added:
"Haha, that's just a joke. I think the past ten years have been the same... Well, anyway, the emperors all love to listen to my music. I'm doing just fine, thanks to the emperor's boundless grace."
"Good to know. The Emperor is so kind. How will you repay this favor, you surnamed Yu? You still want to sneak away? Humph."
The old musician smiled but said nothing.
At this moment.
The small boat the two were in docked.
Let's go.
The old woman with the white eyes, holding a lantern in one hand, was the first to disembark and board the dock.
The old musician silently rose, straightened his clothes, and followed behind her.
In the dead of night, the two elderly people showed no fear of the dangers of traveling in the dark.
What's even stranger is that the old woman with the white eyes walking at the front had a palace lantern in her hand that didn't go out at all in the rain.
Even... this single candle flame was like a phantom; raindrops passed through it without it moving an inch.
As soon as the two stepped ashore, a group of people wearing straw hats and raincoats, who had been waiting for a long time, quickly came forward to greet them at the south bank pier of Shuangfengjian.
At the very front of the crowd stood a slightly chubby young man, neither wearing a straw hat nor a raincoat, and completely unconcerned about being soaked by the drizzle, who was the first to step forward to greet them.
"teacher!"
His tone was both respectful and excited.
It's Lin Cheng.
He was bowing and clasping his hands respectfully to the old woman with the disdainful eyes.
Behind Lin Cheng, Wei Shaoqi, Wang Lengran, and others wearing straw hats and raincoats also saluted.
"It's been a long time since I've seen Granny Song."
"Your humble servant respectfully welcomes Vice Supervisor Song."
The old woman with the white eyes nodded slightly, ignoring her disciple for the moment. She looked around and her gaze fell on the lone figure of a girl in palace attire at the back of the crowd.
Rongzhen, who had been standing still, had no choice but to step forward and greet him with clasped hands.
"Senior Song, you must have had a long journey."
A slight smile appeared on the perpetually expressionless face of the old woman with the white eyes. She glanced at Lin Cheng again and asked:
"You've worked hard this time, Rong'er. How is Cheng'er? Has he cooperated well with you in Xunyang City?"
Rong Zhen didn't answer, nor did she look at Lin Cheng; she turned to greet the old musician.
"It's been a long time since I've seen you, sir. I thought I would never see you again after you left the palace."
"Hey, didn't we still get caught by Miss Song?"
The old musician chuckled and waved his hand.
Despite his disheveled appearance, he remained optimistic, showing no signs of being supervised and escorted all the way to Jiangnan by the scornful old woman.
Seeing Rong Zhen's reaction, the old woman with the rolled eyes glanced at her disciple, then replied irritably:
"It's your own fault for being a coward."
"You've already managed to escape the palace, yet you insist on staying in the streets of Luoyang. Are you so afraid of His Majesty? Are you afraid that if you go too far, you won't be able to explain yourself when you get caught?"
"Ha, isn't this just waiting for me to come knocking on your door? You're not ashamed at all."
Under the strange gazes of the younger generation, the old musician remained calm, as if he wasn't talking about his cowardly deeds.
“Didn’t we leave a student in the palace? He’s talented, and his skill with the zither has a chance to surpass mine,” he sighed.
"Dead."
The old woman with the rolled-up eyes replied indifferently, "His Majesty doesn't like people as sensible as you."
She paused, then said meaningfully, "If His Majesty doesn't like it, no matter how talented you are, it's useless."
The old musician sighed again, and after a moment, said something rather cryptic:
"Very well, then I hope His Majesty will like this Lady Rong."
The old woman rolled her eyes and said sternly, "Of course His Majesty likes Rong'er. Besides, little Rong'er is sensible. You don't need to interfere."
"good."
The old musician smiled.
A short while later, while Granny Song was catching up with the others, the old musician left the group and went to the side to gaze at the lights of Xunyang City in the hazy mist in the distance.
He suddenly turned around and asked the aloof, palace-dressed girl beside him a strange question:
"I've heard that there's a pipa master in the most famous Xunyang Tower in Xunyang City. I wonder if Lady Rong has ever heard her play the pipa?"
Rong Zhen was slightly taken aback, then shook her head.
"without."
Wei Shaoqi and Wang Lengran, who were listening nearby, couldn't help but frown, somewhat puzzled as to why this old musician, who held a seemingly extraordinary position, would ask about such a trivial matter.
Song Mama, Rong Zhen, Lin Cheng, and the others remained expressionless, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.
Rong Zhen hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "However, I know a colleague with whom I have a very good relationship. He should have heard of me; he's recently become obsessed with poetry and music and has done some research on it..."
"Anyone who can understand and appreciate the pipa must be an extraordinary person. Alright, please introduce me to someone later... This time I'm in Xunyang, I must see the pipa played on the banks of the Xunyang River."
The old musician smiled and said, and Rongzhen nodded earnestly.
"You surnamed Yu, don't forget the mission of this trip. You are the one in the palace who understands the Dao lineage of the Sword Master the most. This time, you must find all the worms in Xunyang City."
Granny Song snorted coldly.
The old musician, whether he heard it or not, craned his neck to gaze at the distant, misty lights of Xunyang City.
Granny Song turned to look at her apprentice, then suddenly shouted:
"Cheng'er, along the way I've heard many people criticize you and praise Ouyang Lianghan, but I think you are the one who is truly good, Cheng'er. You are genuinely sharing His Majesty's burdens."
Granny Song tossed the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand forward, and they landed in Lin Cheng's arms.
The latter was taken aback and looked down at the prayer beads.
Granny Song's voice was a little shrill: "Take it, it's a gift from His Majesty, it can be exchanged for death."
Lin Cheng desperately suppressed his ecstatic expression, facing north in a pilgrimage, kowtowing repeatedly and heavily:
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty. I have no way to repay you..."
Everyone turned to look.
Wang Lengran rubbed his hands together and stepped forward, asking in a trembling voice:
"Vice Supervisor Song, the Buddha statue is nearing completion. Where is His Majesty's head?"
Granny Song casually pointed to the foggy river behind her:
"They're following behind; we'll have to take a detour across the river before entering the city. Go pick them up."
Everyone immediately turned their heads and looked closely. They saw that before the old musician and Granny Song arrived at the south bank of the river in a small boat, on the north bank, in the hazy morning mist, a huge Buddha head was being transported by several large carriages, and the carriages were surrounded by densely packed black-armored soldiers...
The soldiers and laborers who secretly escorted the Buddha's head were of extremely high quality. Their horses' hooves were wrapped in cloth, and their wheels were coated with tung oil. As they approached, they made almost no sound.
Lin Cheng and his group were stunned.
From their perspective across the river, against the backdrop of a towering, headless Buddha statue on the north bank whose construction had ceased, the newly arrived head of the Buddha appears as if it had rolled off the former's head and landed on the bank.
(End of this chapter)
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