Deliberately showing off
Yanxiu was both amused and exasperated, saying, "Although my friend is knowledgeable and exceptionally talented, she is also the daughter of a wealthy family. Yuqi, although you are young, you are extremely old-fashioned. It's a real pity that the Shangguan family didn't invite you to be their tomb keeper."
Shangguan Yuqi knew that Yanxiu was well-versed in music when she was at home, and had often played the qin and xiao (vertical flutes) with her uncle, exchanging poems and lyrics for enjoyment. Now that she was away from home and in the deep palace, the warmth and joy of family was no longer available. It was rare for her to have friends to make her happy. Her heart softened, and she said, "Aunt, you must take care of yourself. I've heard that composing music is very mentally taxing. Don't put too much effort into it. Just listen to the musicians play. You don't need to do anything yourself. Besides..."
At this moment, the music bureau in the palace is thriving, with nearly ten thousand musicians and dancers from various departments. Although the emperor is fond of music, dance, and beautiful women, he has no shortage of singers and dancers. Although Yanxiu used to enjoy music at home, he only played the zither for his own amusement and had never tried to personally choreograph a musical performance with dozens or even hundreds of singers.
Shangguan Yuqi could guess that this was most likely an idea suggested by her friend to attract the emperor's attention.
Everyone knows that the current emperor, Sima Yan, is of mediocre talent, dislikes reading, and despises the teachings of sages and poets. His greatest pleasures are sensual pleasures, revelry, and exquisite dances. Since his ascension to the throne, the palace music troupe has increased from ten to thirteen, with music from various foreign lands and beauties from Goryeo and Kucha flocking to the palace. Yan Xiu herself is oblivious to the competition for favor and spends most of her time secluded in the palace, writing and painting. However, with people scheming for her by her side, Shangguan Yuqi is somewhat relieved.
Yanxiu smiled and said coquettishly, "I know! These distressing matters are none of my concern; the musicians of the Music Bureau will take care of them. I am just very surprised. I used to only know that there was a world of its own in poetry, but now I know that there is also a feeling of lingering and contemplation in music and dance."
Young Yuqi simply sat there, racking her brains for a long time, before finally saying, "Whatever makes you happy."
Upon hearing this, A Qiu laughed and said, "People say that the Shangguan family has two generations of talented women, both of whom are stunningly beautiful and famous throughout the country. But in my opinion, you and your aunt are quite different."
Shangguan Yuqi's usually serene face broke into a bitter smile as she said, "I certainly don't possess my aunt's refined and poetic nature. Strictly speaking, my aunt is the most beautiful and emotionally richest woman I have ever met. Even someone as indifferent as me would be moved by her every smile and frown. You can imagine her charm."
Her smile vanished in an instant, and she said solemnly, "Therefore, I really don't understand how Sima Yan could remain unmoved by a woman like her, letting her suffer and be lonely for the rest of her life."
This time it was A-Qiu's turn to rack her brains. After a long while, she said dryly, "Perhaps they all tried, but it seems that the result was not successful."
Shangguan Yuqi recalled the situation at the time, saying, "When we were halfway through our conversation, a palace maid came in and said that the white silk dance portrait painted by the musician Shi Changqing for the Empress had been completed and asked Her Majesty to take a look. Then," her voice suddenly stopped.
Because she suddenly remembered, she then saw in Yanxiu's eyes a beautiful light that she had never seen before in her life.
Shangguan Yuqi never imagined that the eyes of Yanxiu, a well-educated and cultured young lady from a family of scholars and the most talented woman in the current empress's household, could be so dazzling, yet filled with such heartbreakingly intense emotions.
She glanced casually at the door with her bright, almost tearful eyes, and asked with slightly parted lips, "Has he arrived?"
In the eyes of Shangguan Yuqi, who knew her extremely well, even that simple "he" conveyed something different from usual. To be precise, it was a kind of infectious vitality, a light and passion that Shangguan Yuqi had never seen in all the years she had spent with Yanxiu, even at home.
With just these few words, Shangguan Yuqi could sense the suppressed yet overflowing hope and joy within them.
This is by no means unusual.
The palace maid replied, "Master Shi is currently rehearsing a new piece with the musicians and has not come yet. The painting was sent by a servant from the Music Bureau."
Then, Shangguan Yuqi saw Yanxiu's face turn pale instantly, and she leaned back in her chair as if she were about to fall down.
"My heart is already saddened before the zither and lute are even tuned, and I try my best to hold back my tears even when I am wearing fine silk. I want to dance and look at my beloved, but I am always in doubt as I am about to turn away."
Years later, when Shangguan Yuqi saw A Qiu's white silk dance again at the Jixian Hall of the Dayan Dynasty and heard Zhongli Wuyan's singing, he finally understood Yanxiu's state of mind at that moment.
Back then, it wasn't just the palace dancers who "endured to dance and gaze upon their beloved"!
At that time, Shangguan Yuqi did not understand emotions. Hearing only this name, she instinctively felt disgusted by this musician who could disappoint Yanxiu so much.
Or perhaps it is that even at a young age, one still possesses the potential to become a sword immortal, having a clear and insightful mind, and being able to sense the general idea of many things even if one does not understand them.
To distract Yanxiu and to prevent others from noticing her unusual behavior, Shangguan Yuqi immediately said, "Then bring up the portrait so that Your Highness can take a look."
A long vertical scroll slowly unfolds, depicting a figure dancing with raised sleeves. Dressed in plain clothes with wide sleeves, the figure stands gazing into the distance with an ethereal air. Although the features are extremely indistinct, they accurately convey the contemplative mood of someone gazing into the distance.
Even though Shangguan Yuqi didn't have a fondness for calligraphy and painting, she was completely captivated by the artist's skill the moment the scroll was unfurled.
The brushstrokes are so delicate, like silk threads drifting across clouds, blending reality and illusion, as if divinely inspired. The portrait is so lifelike that the woman seems to be stepping out of the painting.
After taking one more look, Shangguan Yuqi couldn't help but close her eyes.
The reason was simple: although the painting was static, she intuitively felt that the information contained in it was not just one action.
If you close your eyes, you can vaguely perceive that the dancers on it seem to be moving.
It was not just a gesture, but a myriad of wondrous appearances coming together.
But looking at the painting like this is extremely taxing on one's energy. Shangguan Yuqi sharply opened her eyes, forcing herself to stop looking at the painting.
She also noticed a subtle detail in the painting: the figures were indistinct, their features unclear, yet she could tell that the artist had used Yanxiu as a model.
This is all because the melancholy, pure, and charming temperament of the person in the painting is exactly the same as that of Yanxiu.
Yanxiu gasped in surprise, the last trace of color draining from her stunning face. Her bright eyes were first filled with shock and joy, then turned into extreme admiration and heartache. In the end, what Shangguan Yuqi did not expect was that the intense admiration and heartache would turn into a deep sadness.
Then, Yanxiu stood there, stunned, tears streaming down her face.
Tears splashed onto the paper, wetting two small puddle spots, but she was completely unaware.
Upon hearing Shangguan Yuqi's description, A Qiu understood that she had seen that painting before.
It was in the rear hall.
In order to restore the Bai Zhu dance of the previous generation, she received instructions from her master, Wan Qiqing, who came from outside the palace.
"If you wish to revive the dance of white silk, you should visit the Palace of Qiwu."
She sneaked into Qiwu Palace under cover of night and was captivated into a meditative state before the portrait of the White Silk Dancer. She not only learned the changing dance moves in the portrait but was also greatly troubled by the intense emotions conveyed in the artist's brushstrokes, almost falling into a state of inner demons. In the end, it was Gu Yi's zither music that brought her back to her senses.
She was also shocked at the time. What kind of master could use spiritual magic to not only create fantastical images of dance and music in the air, but also to infuse captivating emotions into his writing, making viewers' minds and spirits captivated?
Now she knows that the person who painted this picture was her master, Wan Qiqing.
The White Silk Dance of yesteryear was not only accompanied by music played by the master on the xiao (vertical bamboo flute), but the design of the dance movements also came from the master's talent. And the strong emotions condensed in those lines were undoubtedly also given to the master by his brush.
At that time, Shangguan Yuqi had not yet entered the forbidden area for cultivation and was just an ordinary girl. However, she was able to sense the unusual nature of the painting by her talent and immediately closed her eyes to isolate herself from its influence, which also shows that she was exceptionally gifted and extraordinary.
A Qiu heard herself say, "So you hate Shi Changqing because he made Empress Shangguan shed tears? Even though you've never even met him in person."
If that's the case, it's not surprising. Children's temperaments are often extreme; if they love someone, they will instinctively hate the person who hurts them. Shangguan Yuqi was just a child then, and Empress Shangguan was like a mother and sister to her. She had never seen Empress Shangguan so sad, so it was only natural that she resented Shi Changqing so much.
Shangguan Yuqi closed her eyes for a moment, as if recalling her emotions at the time. After a moment, she said with certainty, "The reason I hate Shi Changqing is not just because of my aunt's tears. My aunt is sentimental and her tears could be due to admiration for the superb painting skills or because she was moved by the scene. But from just this one encounter, I intuitively felt that this Shi Changqing is an extremely scheming person."
She said, word by word, "Shouldn't a musician dream of presenting the manuscript and scroll of the White Silk Dance to Empress Da Huan, a renowned and talented woman, and personally present it to her, fearing that someone else might steal the limelight? Why did you, knowing that my aunt was waiting, have time to compose music with the musicians, yet casually have a servant from the Music Bureau present it to her?"
After thinking for a moment, A Qiu said, "It's possible that Shi Changqing is just a talented but arrogant person. He painted the painting and handed it in without caring about it at all."
Shangguan Yuqi's eyes flashed with sharp light as she said, "But if you look at that painting, you'll understand that this person clearly put a lot of thought and effort into it. His intention to show off his skills and claim credit is obvious, as if he's afraid people won't see his talent. Such deliberate showing off could never be the kind of person you described as indifferent and unrestrained."
A Qiu dared not admit to Shangguan Yuqi that she too had seen the painting with her own eyes. She also had to admit that while Shangguan Yuqi's assessment was harsh, it was also true.
The effort the master put into that painting was so evident that even a layman could see it at a glance. If it were merely a sketch designed to depict dance moves, there would have been no need to go to such lengths, transforming a mere sketch of dance moves into a masterpiece that would amaze future generations.
When she first saw the painting, she didn't think much about it, which shows that she was far less perceptive and insightful about romantic relationships than Shangguan Yuqi.
A Qiu humbly inquired, "So, you're saying that Shi Changqing highly values this opportunity to appear before the Empress, yet he deliberately refuses to personally deliver the painting? Why is that?"
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