Chapter 669 [Emperor Wen's] Sword Technique! [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]
"Ouyang Lianghan, why does Chief Secretary Yuan look so sullen?"
"He probably needed to pee and couldn't hold it in any longer."
No wonder you walked so fast.
On the banks of the Xunyang River, outside the main gate of Xunyang Tower, Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen met and exchanged a few pleasantries.
He glanced at Rong Zhen, who was nodding, then looked at the retreating figures of Yuan Huaimin and Yi Qianqiu who had just disappeared inside the door, and asked:
"Why is Commander Yi here?"
"When I went out this afternoon, I ran into her at the entrance of the grotto. I mentioned the banquet tonight, and she said she would also like to have a drink and enjoy the pipa music with the senior."
Ouyang Rong thought for a moment, then asked again:
"Didn't you say that this dinner party was organized with the help of Brother Huaimin?"
"Hmm." Rong Zhen nodded and asked, "Is there something wrong?"
"nothing."
Ouyang Rong shook his head.
As soon as he and Yuan Huaimin got out of the car, they saw Yi Qianqiu. Yuan Huaimin was about to slip away and get back into the car, but Yi Qianqiu stared intently at Yuan Huaimin without blinking.
Knowing he couldn't escape, Yuan Huaimin pretended not to see anything and hurriedly walked inside. Yi Qianqiu chased after him and went straight in.
Rong Zhen suddenly frowned:
"Why do you still smell so good? Look at your hair, did you just shower and change? Why are you dressed so meticulously, like a butterfly..."
Ouyang Rong solemnly clarified: "Bathing and incense, appreciating music, these are rituals."
Rongzhen looked at him suspiciously.
Ouyang Rong countered:
"And you, Lady Rong, are you right? I must say that your attire today is quite elaborate. It's rare to see you dressed so formally."
Rongzhen's face was stern:
"Don't overthink it. I came with Princess Anhui."
"In the past, among the ladies and noblewomen of Luoyang, it was considered an honor to be able to enter the palace and hear Mr. Yu in person. Most of them would dress up carefully and enter the palace in their finest attire to attend the emperor's banquet."
“Princess Anhui respects Elder Mr. Yu, and today she specially dressed up for the occasion and even took me with her.”
Ouyang Rong asked calmly, "Princess Anhui has come too?"
"Um."
After a moment, Rongzhen explained again:
"If it weren't for Mr. Yu's musical talent, I wouldn't have been interested in being so bored."
"oh oh."
Ouyang Rong seemed to be deep in thought.
Rong Zhen turned her gaze away and let out a cold laugh to herself.
After a while, she glanced behind Ouyang Rong again and asked:
"Where is Military Advisor Yan? Didn't you say yesterday that you were going to bring him along?"
Ouyang Rong immediately replied, "Uh, he has something to do, he'll be back later... Let's go, the banquet is about to begin."
"Um."
The two entered Xunyang Tower. Before entering, Ouyang Rong glanced back in the direction of the Xunyang Prince's Mansion.
After bathing and changing his clothes in the evening, before setting off, he specially asked Yan Liulang to take a handwritten letter to the Prince's Mansion for his junior sister.
Ouyang Rong looked up at the rooftop terrace.
I silently gave Brother Huaimin a thumbs up...
Yuan Huaimin was unaware of the man's treacherous behavior and was still shameless enough to thank him.
His delightful trip to appreciate the pipa was completely ruined after meeting his cousin, Yi Qianqiu.
When Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen entered and arrived at the lobby on the first floor, Yuan Huaimin and Yi Qianqiu had already disappeared.
Only after asking did I learn that Yuan Huaimin had stayed in the outhouse for a while, and after coming out, he made up an excuse about having a stomachache and went back. As for Yi Qianqiu, he must have gone with him.
"Ignore them."
Ouyang Rong waved his hand, signaling Rong Zhen, who was frowning, to continue forward.
The two arrived at the spacious hall and greeted Mr. Yu at a table in the center.
Soon, the pipa banquet officially began.
Qin Qingguan, whom we haven't seen for many days, entered the stage in the center of the hall with a group of pipa-playing musicians, and they began to play their instruments.
Today is a little different. In addition to pipa masters like Qin Qingguan, Ouyang Rong and Yuan Huaimin specially sought out women skilled in pipa playing within the Xunyang City area to gather together, so that they could exchange pipa music together. More people means more fun.
"Don't worry, Madam. This time, all the pipa players have been thoroughly searched by Liu Lang's men. They won't harm the old gentleman."
"Um."
Seeing the old musician grinning from ear to ear at the next table, Rong Zhen silently withdrew her gaze and looked at Ouyang Rong with a complicated expression.
Last time, in the peach blossom forest of Kuanglu Mountain, I encountered that group of unfamiliar scholars drinking and making merry. It was a coincidence. Rongzhen has been very sensitive to danger these days and does not want to take any risks. So, she subconsciously had someone drive them away and sealed off the peach blossom forest.
However, in the past few days, Rongzhen thought back on it and felt more and more that the old musician must have been angry at the time.
Rongzhen pursed her lips. These past few days, she had been listening very attentively to the old musician.
Ouyang Rong, on the other hand, has always been very serious.
Both of them were sitting upright and formally.
The pipa banquet was in full swing, and the two noticed that Mr. Yu's smile never stopped; he seemed to really enjoy chatting with his musician friends.
As Rong Zhen listened, her expression tightened.
It wasn't that he wasn't serious, but he kept glancing at Ouyang Rong beside him.
Ouyang Rong was preparing to listen attentively to the pipa music, occasionally jotting down notes in his notebook.
This is a good habit he developed when he was preparing for the postgraduate entrance exam—a bad pen is worse than a good memory.
"What are you doing?" Rongzhen suddenly asked in a low voice.
"I'll take notes, even though I don't quite understand it," Ouyang Rong said with a smile.
“Don’t you have a good memory?” Rongzhen asked.
“It’s different; a good memory is no substitute for a notebook,” he said earnestly.
"Hmm." Upon hearing this, Rong Zhen seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Ouyang Rong glanced at her and chuckled.
Why is he so competitive?
Furthermore, the way the lady inquired whether he understood the lesson midway through made her look just like a well-behaved, academically gifted girl asking about the grades of a new rival.
Ouyang Rong was not joking. Neither he nor Rong Zhen knew much about the pipa. Ouyang Rong even suspected that Mr. Yu might not know anything about the pipa either, and was just appreciating it.
Ouyang Rong asked, "Ms. Rong, does the senior have the piece you wish to play?"
Rong Zhen frowned and shook his head, then suddenly said, "Lend it to me too."
"..." Ouyang Rong was speechless as the notebook in his hand was snatched away.
Soon, the banquet passed by as Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen occasionally whispered amongst themselves.
Yan Liulang returned midway and whispered a few words to Ouyang Rong, who suppressed his smile.
In addition, the rooftop terrace that Yuan Huaimin had originally arranged to meet has been cleared out, and the fine wine that Yuan Huaimin had privately stored has also been sent up there.
However, Yuan Huaimin left early, seemingly heartbroken by his friend, aside from encountering the shrewish Yi Qianqiu.
Now that Yuan Huaimin had left, Ouyang Rong had no choice but to see the guests off himself.
The old musician was clearly very happy tonight, and discussing the sound of the pipa with Qin Xiaoniangzi and others seemed to be a novel experience for him.
In the main hall on the first floor of Xunyang Tower, the old musician made an appointment with Qin Xiaoniangzi and a group of women skilled in playing the pipa, then left with his hands behind his back.
Ouyang Rong traveled alone in a carriage, as he would be turning back later.
Rongzhen and the old musician rode together in a carriage.
The two carriages were very close together, traveling along a riverside path, slowly heading towards the west gate. Ouyang Rong planned to take Rongzhen and the old musician to the city gate and then return to Xunyang Tower.
It was getting late, and the road was quite quiet.
Ouyang Rong kept lifting the carriage curtain to check the road conditions, as if he was in a bit of a hurry.
However, the old musician was in poor health, so the convoy could not travel too fast.
In the next carriage, an elderly man closed his eyes and his fingers danced in the air, as if he were playing something.
Just before Rongzhen got into the car, she took Ouyang Rong's zither and notebook.
She sat facing the old musician for a moment, then suddenly asked:
"Senior, when will you deliver the piece of music you promised the Imperial Observatory? There's not much time left."
The old musician, who was smiling and resting with his eyes closed, stopped moving, opened his eyes, and looked at Rongzhen.
He chuckled and countered:
"Rong girl, haven't you already heard the song you wanted?"
"What do you mean?" Rong Zhen was taken aback: "But I have never heard you play military music before."
"Who says it has to be a military march?"
"But wasn't the Emperor Wen's sword technique born from the military...?"
"That was in the past. Strictly speaking, the first sword manual of Emperor Wen originated from a court melody of the Great Sui Dynasty, followed by the military battle song you are familiar with, recorded by the Imperial Observatory, celebrating Emperor Taizong Wen's valiant breakthrough of the enemy formation..."
"When the previous master passed it down to me, it was indeed a military battle song. But I must say something you might not believe: I had long forgotten about this military battle song. Yet, over the years, that melody has always lingered in my ears."
"To paraphrase what a senior once said with a laugh, it's like... forgetting is fine, it's all the same."
"It doesn't matter what kind of music it is, what matters is whether you heard it or not, isn't it?"
"I actually don't like the sound of killing and warfare of the previous master. I prefer the sound of a prosperous era. However, I am ashamed to say that the sound of a prosperous era is too difficult to find. I have not found it in all these years. However, on my way south after leaving Luoyang, I did have some personal insights, which I played for you a few days ago."
Rong Zhen was stunned. "You played it? I...I'm ashamed to say I don't remember. May I ask which piece it was?"
The old musician smiled slightly:
"It's alright, I'll give you one more chance. Let's see how you understand this one last time."
As soon as he finished speaking, the old man took the xylophone next to the girl in palace attire, placed it horizontally on his knees, and began to play.
A melody from a zither began to echo softly inside and outside the carriage.
Rong Zhen initially looked puzzled as she listened, but then, as if remembering something, her eyes widened, and she immediately went to retrieve Ouyang Rong's notebook to take notes by lamplight...
The two carriages had already arrived at the tightly closed west gate.
No one got off the carriage that the old musician and Rong Zhen were riding in. Ouyang Rong took the initiative to get off the carriage and showed the city guards the document authorizing the governor of Jiangzhou to travel at night.
The west gate opened, and the carriage carrying Rongzhen and the old musician started moving, passing directly through the gate.
Seeing this, Ouyang Rong didn't go to greet him.
Once inside the carriage, he rubbed his temples and gave instructions to Ali outside:
"Return to Xunyang Tower."
"Yes, young master."
The two carriages, which were originally traveling together, were heading towards each other at the city gate when a mysterious melody drifted from somewhere. Sometimes it sounded like a distant bridge, sometimes like a pine-lined stream, and sometimes like a verdant mountain, floating in the dark night inside and outside the west city gate.
Not only were the soldiers on the city wall drawn to his attention, but Ouyang Rong was also captivated.
Inside the carriage, he slowly came to a stop.
"Huh?"
I couldn't resist lifting the curtain and glancing behind me.
The music was coming from the carriage carrying the old musician and Lady Rong.
Ouyang Rong suddenly realized that the piece he was listening to seemed to incorporate many other pieces he had heard before. He remembered that the old musician had played it when he stopped to admire the scenic spots such as Songxi, Liting, and Shenggu during his last visit to Mount Lu.
As he listened, Ouyang Rong noticed that the person playing the zither had cleverly strung together the six pieces, creating an exceptionally harmonious whole.
If I remember correctly, the order of the connections is: Yuanqiao, Daiyan, Songxi, Cuishan, Liting, Shenggu...
As Ouyang Rong listened and pondered, he suddenly felt a strange movement of spiritual energy within his body.
First, I was startled.
Then he opened his eyes wide.
The spiritual energy within his body was gathering like a tide, as if brewing something.
His cultivation, which had been stagnant at the Great Perfection of the Eighth Grade, was suddenly ignited by a fire. The spiritual energy surging from his limbs caused the Seventh Grade bottleneck, which had been as high as a mountain, to teeter on the brink of collapse...
This is... a sword technique.
An unknown sword technique!
Ouyang Rong suddenly realized what was happening, and immediately turned his head sharply to look at the old musician's carriage.
"Mr. Yu, you also... wield a sword?" His gaze gradually hardened.
On the other side, Rongzhen was still puzzled, frantically trying to remember the melody.
It's a pity the old musician played too fast.
As his last note faded away.
Rongzhen leaned back in her chair, somewhat dejected, her face still flushed, but her expression was one of loss.
Ouyang Rong suddenly opened his eyes in the carriage next door.
Breaking through the eighth rank, advancing to the seventh rank!
The blue spiritual energy within his body seemed to be stained red with blood, turning into red spiritual energy.
The sword technique and the breakthrough came too suddenly.
Ouyang Rong was momentarily stunned, his brows furrowed as he looked inward, lost in a profound and mysterious state.
In the other carriage, after the old musician stopped playing, he spoke slowly:
"A lotus boat floats on the shallow bridge in the distance, and the mountain cliffs cannot stop the pine trees from flowing. From afar, the pear pavilion stands amidst the verdant mountains, and the valley still echoes with the sound of the wind."
"Recently, while visiting Mount Lu, I came up with a seven-character quatrain by chance."
"I composed seven songs based on the order of the poems. You should have heard them before, Rong girl."
Rong Zhen realized, "I...I forgot most of it. Wait, seven songs? Weren't there only six?"
“Oh, I miscounted. It’s seven, that’s right. There’s one more song I haven’t decided on yet, we’re missing one, ‘Lotus Boat’… But it’s alright, six songs are enough for you. You just need that spot. What difference does it make whether it’s six or seven songs? Everything you want is in these six songs. Some things are not meant to be, so why force them?”
After saying this, the old musician sighed and closed his eyes.
Rong Zhen hesitated, looking down at her notebook. She had only memorized half of it and didn't have enough time. Fine beads of sweat still clung to her forehead.
It would be great if Ouyang Lianghan were here.
The girl in palace attire suddenly had an idea.
In the carriage next door, Ouyang Rong looked down at his palm in a daze.
His talent for music theory meant he could usually remember something after listening to it twice. He had studied it carefully back in Mount Lu, which was his first time, and this was his second time. So he actually reacted faster than Rong Zhen and connected the six pieces of music in his mind in an instant.
Feeling the surging seventh-grade spiritual energy within his body.
Ouyang Rong took a deep breath.
Despite being pleasantly surprised by the breakthrough, he still frowned and remained expressionless.
This is not a complete sword manual!
Something's missing, something's missing... What's missing?
...
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(PS: Waaaa, guys, please vote for me with monthly tickets~ or 2)
(End of this chapter)
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