As instructed
But that must have been someone she was extremely familiar with, even someone she relied on and was close to.
When she looked at the figure of Lord Liyang again, she would become somewhat dazed and lost in thought.
If Shangguan Yuqi and Xiao Chang'an weren't both present, she couldn't imagine how awkward it would be if only she and he were there.
But Lord Liyang didn't seem embarrassed.
Since ascending Jinling Terrace, he has been at ease, as if he were at home.
Xiao Chang'an's voice interrupted her daze. He said, "I have grasped the general feeling of the music pieces 'Shao' and 'Wu'. The arrangement of the music performance can be determined by my master and me. There will be no problem at all."
Upon hearing this, A Qiu couldn't help but glance back at him, secretly wondering if Xiao Chang'an knew that the "Breaking the Formation Music" of the Northern Qiang was arranged by his master, Wan Qiqing, who was also the previous Xiao King, Shi Changqing. To be fair, Xiao Chang'an's skill in playing the xiao was among the best A Qiu had ever seen, a truly astonishing talent. However, he was still relatively young and his experience was probably not as extensive as that of his predecessors. She didn't have the confidence to completely entrust this matter to Xiao Chang'an.
After all, music is the soul of dance. The rise, development, transition, and breath of music directly influence the dancer's emotions, and can be said to be the upper limit of dance.
Because dance is always limited by the expression of the human body, but the thoughts conveyed by music can be profound and powerful, transcendent, and even instantly transcend historical time and space.
Shangguan Yuqi then spoke to Aqiu in a consultative tone: "I can suggest to Xiao Pei that we borrow sixty-four people from her Divine Hound Camp to choreograph this dance. The dance moves of 'Shao' and 'Wu' don't seem to require high levels of dance skill, but it's best to have martial artists who are proficient in both literature and martial arts to showcase the beauty of 'Shao' and the power of 'Wu.' And only noble warriors from the Divine Hound Camp can do that."
The soldiers of the Divine Hound Battalion were mostly sons of powerful and wealthy families in the capital. It was also a well-known gathering place for cockfighting, horse racing, and brave and fierce people. If it weren't for Pei Yu, the apple of the eye of Pei Yuanli, the top general in the army, known as the "master of both archery and spear," who personally served as the commander-in-chief, ordinary officers would have no way to control him.
Moreover, the dance troupe that A-Qiu once belonged to had a blood feud with the Divine Hound Camp. In the ten years before A-Qiu's arrival, seven dancers of this generation were killed in the banquets and entertainment of the Divine Hound Camp.
Just before A Qiu returned to Jianzhang, the Divine Hound Camp had requested Emperor Xie Lang to bestow upon them two of the most outstanding dancers from the dance troupe, as revenge for the assassination of their commander, Pei Yuanli. This request was only abandoned because Xiao Chang'an proposed rehearsing a musical performance to prepare for the arrival of the Northern Qiang envoys three months later.
During Zhao Lingying's tenure as head of state affairs, she jokingly suggested to Lady Sun, a member of the dance troupe, that they consider requisitioning soldiers from the Divine Hound Battalion to rehearse the operas "Shao" and "Wu." Lady Sun was terrified and immediately refused. Zhao Lingying was a woman of great talent; her casual suggestion was unlikely to be merely to frighten Lady Sun and the dancers. She must have considered the rehearsals of "Shao" and "Wu," believing that using warriors would be more suitable than dancers, though she didn't explicitly state it.
Now, when Ah Qiu recalls Zhao Lingying's every move, he realizes that she was far-sighted and that her words and actions were full of profound meaning. He can't help but feel a lump in his throat.
Seeing that she hesitated and her eyes were red, Lord Liyang reminded her, "Lord Siyue, both the Qingyao Guard and the Baiyu Guard are waiting for your judgment."
A Qiu suddenly realized that since returning to the palace on behalf of Gu Yi, she had been given the position of Grand Master of Music. But when it came to connections and resources, what qualifications did she, a dancer who had only entered the palace half a year ago, have to lead the performance of such magnificent national music pieces as "Shao" and "Wu"? Although she represented Gu Yi, she had no real power and no one was her subordinate. If someone deliberately tried to shirk responsibility, "Shao" and "Wu" could not be staged for ten years.
First, the Divine Lord of Liyang readily led her to search for the murals depicting the dance postures of her ancestors. Then, Xiao Chang'an and Shangguan Yuqi, two contemporary young masters who stood shoulder to shoulder during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, both offered her advice and did their utmost. It should be noted that they were not her subordinates as the Grand Master of Music, nor were they members of the Imperial Music Bureau, but rather members of the Flying Phoenix Guard of the palace. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel moved, and thus said:
"Regarding the arrangement of the music troupe, I suggest that you, Xiao Xiao, consult with your senior brother, the Crown Prince, and also listen to Lord An's advice."
Upon hearing her words, Xiao Chang'an raised an eyebrow, intending to refute her. This was because he had been exceptionally talented since childhood, possessing an instant understanding of all kinds of music theory and music theory. In contrast, Crown Prince Xie Tiao had always given people a weak and timid image. To be fair, he felt that Xie Tiao's musical skills were merely following Gu Yi's lead, lacking any individuality, and therefore he did not think much of them.
He claimed that he had personally seen Shangguan's "Shao" and "Wu" music paintings, and had also seen the Liyang God Lord perform a dance demonstration on the spot. Moreover, the musical scores of "Shao" and "Wu" were not lost like the dance moves, but were still recorded in the court music scores. Compiling a music section according to the scores would be a piece of cake for him, so why would he need to insert Xie Tiao in the middle?
The deeper reason, however, was that he found the words "Crown Prince Senior Brother" uttered by A Qiu jarring. But at this point, he himself was already quite old.
Before he could retort, A Qiu said seriously, "If we're talking about intelligence and talent, Xiao Xiao, you naturally don't need to consult anyone. But the Crown Prince is the heir apparent of the country. Having him in charge will only benefit you and not harm you."
Xiao Chang'an immediately realized. With Xie Tiao involved, no matter the outcome of this dance battle, he would not suffer any loss: if he won, the Crown Prince would also save face and would naturally remember the friendship he had built with him; if he lost, Xie Lang would let it slide for the sake of the Crown Prince, and at least he would not blame him and the Crown Prince for their poor arrangement.
He was a man skilled in political maneuvering, but Ah Qiu's earlier address of him as "Senior Brother Crown Prince" had made him forget the bigger picture, and he couldn't help but feel a chill of unease. He nodded and said, "As Lord Si Yue commands."
A Qiu took in the changes in his expression and sighed inwardly. The real reason she wanted Xiao Chang'an and Xie Tiao to work together was that she was well aware of Xie Tiao's musical talent.
When Xie Tiao played "Wen Wang Cao" on the qin, accompanied by Guan Yuqi's sword dance "Qian Kun Ding Shi Ge," she already knew that Xie Tiao's reputation as the foremost qin player in the Southern Dynasties besides Gu Yi was not undeserved. Xie Tiao's qin playing was deeply influenced by Gu Yi's cultivation of character, emphasizing inner cultivation over technique, demonstrating a clear understanding of the mind and nature. From this, it is clear that he was a true master with profound insights into music.
Xie Tiao had not been valued much in the past, which led to his somewhat timid and hesitant personality. In the eyes of Xiao Chang'an, a scholar from the Northern Qiang Kingdom who had already shown his talent at the age of twelve, this was seen as pedantic, cowardly, and lacking in personality. As a result, Xiao Chang'an also looked down on Xie Tiao's musical skills.
Xiao Chang'an's flute playing emphasizes talent and unrestrained style, flowing freely like a vast ocean—in a way, it bears a striking resemblance to his master, Wan Qiqing. However, in terms of character, A Qiu believes that Xie Tiao, who inherited Gu Yi's moderate and elegant style, possesses more of the virtues of a monarch or emperor.
What the "Shao" and "Wu" need is precisely this kind of enlightened virtue that can subtly influence all things.
Ah Qiu then said to Shangguan Yuqi, "The matter of transferring manpower from the Divine Hound Camp needs further consideration. I have heard that the people in the Divine Hound Camp are cockfighting and dog racing, unruly and difficult to tame, and also lazy, lustful and cruel. Sending them into the palace to learn dance is like raising jackals to cause trouble."
Before Shangguan Yuqi could answer, a clear, melodious laugh rang out from below the steps, saying, "I had no idea that the infamous reputation of our Divine Hound Camp was so great that Lord Sile would have to specifically mention it to Miss Shangguan."
Upon hearing this voice, the three people on Jinling Terrace were filled with a mixture of surprise and joy. A-Qiu, disregarding the embarrassment of betraying the Divine Hound Camp, immediately asked, "Miss Pei! When did you return to Jianzhang?"
The last time A Qiu met Pei Yu was at the Jianzhang City Gate. She escorted Li Chongyu out of the city, while Pei Yu stood at the gate and fired the Pei family's famous "Eclipse Arrow," which she caught with her own strength, suffering serious internal injuries in the process.
Even so, she still felt guilty towards Pei Yu, because Pei Yu's father, Pei Yuanli, could be considered indirectly killed by her. And her father's killer, Li Chongyu, was someone she had escorted away, and she had even taken a fatal arrow from Pei Yu for Li Chongyu.
If it weren't for her martial arts foundation as the world's number one assassin, Li Chongyu's martial arts skills would not have been able to stop her.
But seeing Pei Yu again at this moment meant that the war in Wu had ended, and she was finally able to lead her troops back.
For the country, this is naturally a great joyous occasion, so it is unknown whether Pei Yu thinks the same way, since A Qiu can completely disregard previous personal grudges.
Pei Yu ascended the steps, his fiery red robes covering his golden armor scales. He was as spirited as ever, his beautiful eyes bright and his brows arched.
He appeared more composed and calm than when we first met at the Golden Hall six months ago; that was the result of his experience on the battlefield.
After just one glance at her, A-Qiu felt relieved.
Pei Yu has moved on from the grief of his father's death and is now throwing himself into the great cause of the Southern Dynasty's century-old foundation.
At the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, Pei Yu suffered a mishap on her horse in the Golden Hall and lost her beloved tiger Huan'er. It was the first time in her life that she, who was always willful, had fallen victim to someone else's schemes. Not only did she lose face, but she also almost injured the Crown Prince. Her mother was even forced to remove her hairpins and await punishment in exchange for her innocence.
On the night of her night raid on Luoyufang, when she was chased by Su Rouhua, the leader of the Yinyue Clan, A Qiu was on a small boat when she overheard the usually arrogant Pei Yu bravely testing Xiao Chang'an's feelings for him, only to be met with a lukewarm response.
Even if Xiao Chang'an had feelings for him, it would be difficult for the two to have a happy ending. Pei Yu was not unaware of this.
But she still made that bold attempt, which was probably the last time in her life.
The ending wasn't exactly disastrous, but it wasn't much better either.
That must have been the second time she realized that even as a princess of Jianzhang, not everything in life could go as she wished.
The most devastating blow was the death of her father, Pei Yuanli.
Even though she had never personally witnessed the interaction between the father and daughter, A Qiu could imagine that Pei Yu's current prowess in archery and horsemanship, as well as her skill in battle, must have come from Pei Yuanli's personal instruction.
The arrow she fired at Li Chongyu from the city wall in anger was caught by A Qiu with her bare hands.
That arrow contained a resolute determination to go all the way, a burning hatred to kill the enemy, and endless, silent, and steadfast sorrow.
After firing that arrow, she immediately vanished into the shadows.
That means they no longer care whether they can successfully shoot the enemy.
As an upright soldier and a righteous general, she had done everything she could for her father.
If Li Chongyu does not die, then it is his destiny, and she will not bother him anymore.
The Pei Yu before me has shed the pride and sharpness of our first meeting, yet he is still like a renowned sword drawn from its sheath, unable to conceal the brilliance of a promising young general.
What A Qiu could foresee was that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, in ten years, she would become another Grand Marshal and General, the new generation of Marquis of Dongguang, and the number one person in the Jianzhang Army would emerge from this.
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