Heaven and Earth Determine the World
If Gongye Fusu found him suspicious, given his status as a guest of the Dayan State, and mentioned it to Xie Lang at this moment, Gongyi Xiu's identity would be immediately exposed.
Besides his master's entry into the palace, this matter became another heavy weight on his heart, making him uneasy.
There was no time to think further. A commotion arose from the audience. It turned out that the performers of the opening dance, the snow-white-clad Shangguan Yuqi and the noble and elegant Crown Prince Xie Tiao, had entered the stage.
The daughter of the Shangguan family, the most prestigious aristocratic clan in the Southern Dynasties for a century, and the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, were of unparalleled status. In addition, both of them had ethereal beauty, and when they walked side by side under the bright light of the candle, with a zither and a sword, they were like a perfect couple, shining together and perfectly matched.
Emperor Xie Lang, who usually appeared solemn and serious on his throne, was now unusually beaming with joy, his happiness evident in his words.
However, based on what Gongyi Xiu saw of the Crown Prince and Shangguan Yuqi in the rear palace, he had a feeling that the two of them probably wouldn't end up together.
Although Shangguan Yuqi was considered the most virtuous lady in the Southern Dynasty, her status as a top swordswoman set her apart from other noble ladies.
That's like the difference between a roc and a small bird. He didn't think the position of Crown Princess was attractive to Shangguan Yuqi.
Gu Yi's seat remained empty. He probably wouldn't show up until the performance of "White Silk," thus saving himself the trouble of exchanging pleasantries with the officials and their families.
Gu Yi was also single, so no one dared to propose marriage for him. It seemed that his position of power was still not high enough.
With a resounding clang, Xie Tiao had already sat down on the ground. As his hands moved like pearls and jade, the melodies of "Wen Wang Cao" rose continuously, lingering and spreading in the air.
Shangguan Yuqi stood silently in the main hall, listening to the music, and slowly drew out the "Ice Bamboo".
This legendary gentleman's sword is simple and heavy, with nine stars inscribed on its blade, and the shadow of bamboo leaves fluttering in the wind.
Shangguan Yuqi flicked her wrist and assumed a stance, a clear and melodious dragon's roar resounding throughout the palace, echoing the palace tone emanating from the prince's zither.
The entire Jixian Hall was silent, with everyone holding their breath and watching intently as the most beautiful woman in the Southern Dynasty performed her exquisite sword dance, a skill passed down through generations of her family for centuries.
Gongyi Xiu thought to himself, "People say that the Crown Prince's zither playing was personally taught by Gu Yi, and it seems that this is not an exaggeration."
These first few clear, resonant sounds already possess the profound and pure meaning of a grand bell.
Before he could even savor the meaning of the music, he saw the clear light flickering and the sword energy crisscrossing in the hall. Shangguan Yuqi, dressed in white robes that fluttered like snowflakes, moved with his sword. He was like a white dragon, his sword like a silver dragon, their divine light flashing as they fiercely battled in the courtyard.
Judging solely from the purity of her sword energy and the profundity of her inner strength, Gongyi Xiu already knew that the martial arts skills of this most beautiful woman from a prominent family in the Southern Dynasty were by no means inferior to his senior brother from Lanling Hall, the Jade-Faced Marquis.
She truly deserves to be called the new generation of "Flying Phoenix Guardian" of the Great Yan Dynasty and a candidate for Crown Princess.
In terms of swordsmanship, there are probably few in the world who can surpass her.
His ears and eyes were extremely sharp, and he had already heard some officials whispering among themselves: "How does Miss Shangguan's sword dance compare to that of her uncle, the former Grand Secretary?"
The one asking this question must be a minister like him, who entered officialdom after the establishment of the new dynasty. Therefore, he had not witnessed the grand ceremony of the founding of the dynasty and the gathering of the "Three Wonders" at Jinshui Tower. He also wondered who was superior, Shangguan Yuqi's great-uncle, the former Grand Secretary and a renowned minister, Shangguan Jin, with his "green robe and sword, peerless elegance" and Shangguan Yuqi's current snow-white robes and ethereal grace.
An old minister who had served two dynasties stroked his beard and replied, "The Lord Shangguan of yesteryear possessed a sword style that was unrestrained and vigorous, with each move both powerful and measured, yet also carrying the refined elegance of a scholar. He was truly the foremost man of both literary and martial talents in our Southern Dynasty, and perhaps only the current Junior Tutor Gu Yi can match him. As for the young lady's sword, its form is beautiful, but its power is contained and not released. Therefore... it is rather difficult to judge its superiority."
What he meant was that Shangguan Yuqi's sword was not as powerful and imposing as his great-uncle's.
But this is actually the view of a layman. Gongyi Xiu was a martial arts master, and he could see that Shangguan Yuqi incorporated martial arts into her dance, emphasizing the expression of ideas. All her moves and swordplay did not use her true strength; she merely made gestures and movements to create the proper postures for a dance.
However, the seamless transitions and shifts in the movements, the restrained yet powerful internal energy, and the distinct divisions between each section reveal a superior level of internal skill.
As soon as the man finished speaking, the "Song of Heaven and Earth" was nearing its end. The music of the Eastern Palace's zither still displayed a magnanimous and unyielding style, but Shangguan Yuqi's swordplay suddenly changed three times in succession.
She flicked her wrist, twirled the flower, and brandished her sword. The clear whistling sound echoed throughout the hall, completely suppressing the lingering echoes of the Eastern Palace's closing ceremony.
At the same time, the person does three somersaults, using only the strength of their waist to bounce up, and with a "whoosh," they shoot straight out.
Wherever the sword wind swept, everyone present felt as if they could not open their eyes. Then, a streak of snow light, as fast as lightning, shot straight out from in front of the hall and out the door.
It only happened in an instant.
When everyone came to their senses, they saw Shangguan Yuqi sheath her sword, turn around, and bow to the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and everyone else. Her expression was calm and serene, as if nothing had ever happened.
The only change in the scene was that the dozen or so candles near the palace entrance had all gone out, plunging the palace into darkness.
Gongyi Xiu believed he could extinguish a candle flame several feet away using only his sword energy and internal force.
But for the civil and military officials who rarely saw martial arts masters, this was an unprecedented spectacle. Even when martial arts masters dueled, it was mostly a matter of swords and spears, with only a direct, visceral blow from fist to fist.
The guests applauded and cheered. Among them were officials from the civil service.
Since ancient times, there has been no first place in literature, but there is no second place in martial arts. Shangguan Yuqi is the daughter of the most important family in the civil official group, the Shangguan family, and she is able to excel in swordsmanship, which naturally makes her the pride of the entire civil official group.
Gongyi Xiu also clapped a few times.
At that moment, a loud noise suddenly broke out outside the hall.
Outside the palace gate, there once stood an old tree, its trunk so thick it took a person to encircle it, its branches intertwined and reaching towards the sky.
Suddenly, it was cleanly severed in the middle, and the crown, along with the upper part of the trunk, crashed heavily to the ground.
Its cut is flat and smooth, as if it were made by a sharp tool.
The people in the hall were initially shocked by the loud noise and looked at each other in bewilderment. After a moment, once they understood what was happening, an even more enthusiastic cheer and applause erupted from the banquet hall.
Even Zhao Lingying, the "Master of Brilliant Writing," and Consort Chen, the "Golden Goblet and Falling Moon," both former Flying Phoenix masters, showed expressions of shock and couldn't help but applaud.
Meanwhile, Madam Pei, the former Flying Phoenix, who sat diagonally opposite, had a deep gaze, her expression unreadable, and it was unclear what she was thinking.
Gongyi Xiu suddenly realized that of the four people flying phoenixes in front of the palace today, only one of them was missing: the commander of the Imperial Guards, "Silver Saddle and White Horse" Sikong Zhao.
The flying sword sliced through the tree and returned in an instant. This was the true power of Shangguan Yuqi's sword strike.
The old minister who had just commented that Shangguan Yuqi's sword dance was inferior to that of his great-uncle stroked his beard excitedly and said, "The student has surpassed the master! Even the former Grand Secretary did not possess such power!"
Unbeknownst to him, Shangguan Yuqi's skill in swordsmanship had been described in the following way by the tomb keepers of the Shangguan family:
In the hundreds of years of martial arts history, only one person has ever aspired to become a sword immortal.
Amidst the throngs of onlookers, their voices trembling with awe and wonder, a clear, melodious sound arose, as if returning from the distant past.
Although it expresses a woman's tender longing, it is leisurely and exquisite, with a unique transcendent feeling.
Gu Yi, his eyes blindfolded with white silk, had already helped "Ling Shu" into the arena. The next performance was the "White Silk" dance from the Music Bureau.
The seat where the Crown Prince had just been is now occupied by Gu Yi.
Before him lay the Ling Shu Qin, a zither capable of harmonizing the eight winds of heaven and earth and the yin and yang laws of the four seasons.
When the young master played the zither, the hearts of the people turned to him.
Gu Yi's calm sitting down quickly quieted the crowd that had been stirred up by Shangguan's sword.
Gu Yi usually wore a black cloak with gold feathers, exuding an imposing aura. But today, perhaps not wanting to overshadow the white-robed dancer or emphasize his own power, he changed into a simple black outfit, his black hair with silver strands tied back simply with a ribbon.
He was no different from an ordinary musician.
After removing all superfluous clothing, Gu Yi also lost some of the majesty and sharpness of a high-ranking official.
Gongyi Xiu, known as the Jade-Faced Marquis of Liu, was already the most handsome man in Lanling. However, when he looked at Gu Yi at this moment, he couldn't help but think, "Who is more handsome, me or Xu Gong of the North City?"
If Gu Yi had never stepped forward to take control of life and death, would he have been a carefree and elegant scholar, reveling in the moonlight amidst the forests and springs?
He should have been accompanied by a heartless partner, like a wife who loves plum blossoms and a crane.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but recall his quirky and resourceful junior sister, A Qiu.
Gongyi Xiu weighed the options in his mind several times before finally concluding that his junior sister was absolutely unworthy of the man before her. He should quickly advise her to give up her hopes and turn back before it's too late.
If Gu Yiruo had the idea of settling down, the women who would pursue him would probably have lined up from the palace to Xueyang Pass long ago.
He was ruthless and devoid of passion, which enabled him to single-handedly rule the world and create a prosperous dynasty.
The music of the zither echoed repeatedly, its clear notes like a lament.
A white-robed dancer, her robes fluttering like snowflakes, appeared on stage, looking like a celestial being.
The first person in the lead was A Qiu.
A commotion erupted in the rear hall.
Yu Lezheng asked, "Have all the dancers arrived?"
Sun Neiren and Xue Hongbi answered in unison, "Everyone is here! Not a single person is absent!"
Then Yue Zheng asked, "Have all the musicians arrived?"
Then someone responded, "The qin, xiao, konghou, and pipa have all arrived." Then, glancing at the front desk, they said, "Master Gu's qin has also arrived and is waiting at the front desk."
This is utter nonsense. Because once Gu Yiqin's music began, everyone in the back hall could hear it.
Le Zheng shouted, "All hands, get ready, go on stage!"
The dancers naturally appeared first, followed by the musicians.
Among the musicians, Xiao Chang'an lagged behind for a moment in the darkness.
For no other reason than a hand had already landed on his shoulder from behind.
The hand exerted a very steady and firm force, but once it pressed down on Xiao Chang'an, alarm bells rang in his mind, and he obediently stopped in his tracks. He didn't dare to make even the slightest unnecessary movement.
Although Xiao Chang'an was young, he was quick-witted and shrewd. This light touch on the shoulder made him feel as if he had been doused with cold water, and he dared not move at all, which showed how much fear the other party made him.
A calm and refined voice seemed to ring in his ear, extremely polite and humble: "Young brother, may I borrow your flute for a moment?"
This person could silently sneak up behind him without him noticing. The force in his palm was deep and still, but Xiao Chang'an knew that if he uttered a single word, it would instantly kill him.
A master's reaction is very direct. Xiao Chang'an intuitively felt that the person behind this was the most terrifying and powerful enemy he had ever encountered in his life.
Even my master probably wouldn't be a match for this person.
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