If Heaven Has Feelings
The girl smiled and said, "So you don't understand its meaning. But what I want to say is that not understanding its meaning is also a kind of luck."
A-Qiu could only see her back, not her face. If A-Qiu wanted to see her face, he would have to go around to her side, which would be too impolite.
But for some reason, A Qiu had a strong feeling that the girl's voice, appearance, and smile were extremely familiar and dear to her.
She suddenly remembered something and abruptly asked, "You...can you dance?"
The girl smiled and said, "That depends on what kind of dance it is. Dance is one of the Six Arts, and every boy and girl in our family knows a little bit of ordinary dances."
A Qiu recalled that Gu Yi had said something similar, but at that time he was talking about martial arts. The sons of noble families in the Southern Dynasty all learned the Six Arts, and music and dance were among them. Presumably, this young lady was also a daughter of a royal or high-ranking official family, which is why she confidently said something like, "Every boy and girl in our family knows a little bit about these arts."
Without thinking, A-Qiu blurted out, "White Silk".
"The White Silk?" The girl seemed to be lost in thought, and after a moment she recited: "Life in this world is like a flash of lightning, joyful days are few and bitter days are many. The crane lingers and turns, its beauty and elegance are captivating, and you sing to welcome me with unwavering heart."
A-Qiu was unaware that she was reciting the popular "White Silk Dance Song" of the time.
She waited expectantly for the girl before her to answer. If she said yes, then it was highly likely that she was the woman in the portrait of her dancing figure behind the white veil.
Although he appears much younger than in the dance portrait.
The young girl said wistfully, "I once heard a friend say that 'White Silk' is a dance from the Wu region, elegant and beautiful, but I have never left Jianzhang City in my life, and I think I never will. I suppose I will never see this 'White Silk' dance again."
Suddenly, the sound of gurgling water arose, seemingly near yet far.
It seems near, as if the sound is right outside the window, separated by only a wall. The flowing water, falling flowers, and the moon in the sky are like a clear stream winding and flowers falling into a deep pool. The gentle sound of the waves breaking is like ice crystals shattering, which is extremely soothing to the heart.
It seems to come from a distant and ethereal time and space, like a gentle call, or like raindrops falling from the azure sky, striking a dream that is both real and illusory.
The girl by the window stood up gracefully, her figure tall and elegant. As if in an instant, the sky darkened.
A hint of loneliness lingered in the girl's retreating figure. She softly asked, "Is there anything else you want to ask me?"
Ah Qiu suddenly had a flash of inspiration and said, "I want to ask you, how can one love someone without getting hurt?"
The girl stood with her hands behind her back, silent for a moment. Dusk cast deep shadows into the room. Finally, she smiled bitterly and said, "I'm sorry, I don't know how to answer that question right now."
Her faint voice came through: "Or, maybe next time."
When A Qiu opened her eyes, she found herself in the brightly lit Jinlingtai.
About three zhang away from her, Gu Yi sat upright, staring at her without moving. On a long table beside him was an elegant zither, carved with astronomical symbols all over its body.
The silk strings on it were still vibrating slightly, and the faint sound of the zither drifted into the air.
For A Qiu, all she remembers is stepping into the main hall of Qiwu, seeing the portrait of a dancer behind a white veil, and then losing consciousness.
It was like having a long dream. In the dream, there were ever-changing white silk dances, and in the void, there was a painting of a goddess, like the goddess of the Luo River, gracefully gliding across the water.
Finally, she dreamt of a study in a grand mansion of a noble family, where a young girl stood with her back to her, her demeanor serene and ethereal.
The emotions in the dream were deeply saddening, filled with profound loss and regret.
Even so, there was always someone somewhere, near or far, guarding her spirit. It was a ray of light, bright and profound, like sunshine. Though not dazzling, it was always there.
She simply couldn't understand why she was at Jinlingtai.
But this did not stop her from relying on her vague instincts and looking at Gu Yi with a bewildered gaze, extending her arms.
She made a gesture as if she wanted him to "hug" her.
Gu Yi's pupils, which had been staring intently at her, suddenly trembled slightly, and then he lowered his head in a state of near embarrassment.
He certainly understood what she meant. He had held her countless times when she was a child.
But... things are different now.
A Qiu spread her arms and waited for a while, but found that Gu Yi did not react.
She couldn't help but feel disappointed, so she turned over, wrapped the blanket tighter around herself, and went back to sleep.
Gu Yi didn't hear A Qiu's voice for a while, so he looked up in surprise, only to find that she had turned her back to him and fallen asleep again.
Even someone as self-possessed as him couldn't help but be taken aback.
How can she sleep so much? Does she use his bed as a cradle?
He didn't know what was wrong with A Qiu, so he got up and went to the bedside to check on her.
In Qiwu Palace, he protected her sliver of consciousness with the "Chang'an Wind" and coaxed her to sleep. After arriving at Jinling Terrace, he played water music on the Ling Shu Qin, using the tranquility and clarity of water to cleanse her spirit and alleviate the various emotions of joy, anger, and sorrow she had experienced.
But all the suffering in this world, all the myriad situations, must ultimately be faced by oneself; he could not experience them for her.
No sooner had he sat down on the edge of the bed than, before he could even examine her pulse, A Qiu immediately rolled over and wrapped her arms around his waist.
Caught off guard, Gu Yi's hand, which had reached out to check her pulse, froze in mid-air. He stood frozen by the bed, completely stiff.
Behind him, A Qiu not only hugged him, but also rubbed her head against him again, as if she needed to confirm before she could feel at ease.
Gu Yi heard his own strained, dry voice say, "A Qiu, when you encounter unhappy things in your sect, is this how it is?"
She was like this when she was a child, but it's impossible for her to still be like this now that she's grown up.
What do you mean by "this and that"? Although A Qiu was confused, she still answered honestly, "No, Master is a germaphobe and would never let us touch the hem of his clothes. As for my fellow disciples, they have always kept their distance from me since they grew up, for fear that they would be ambushed by me if they touched me."
"Then you..." For some reason, Gu Yi immediately felt much more relaxed, and his whole body felt lighter. He swallowed back the question that was about to come out.
He wanted to ask her why she always wanted to hug him. But then he thought better of it.
Even without asking, he already knew the answer. And he probably knew it better than she did.
He was the first person she knew in the world, and she was already very familiar with his embrace.
"Gu Yi." A Qiu's voice sounded softly on his back.
"Um."
"Have I caused you trouble again?"
"fine."
Upon hearing this, Gu Yi immediately regained his composure, practically pulling A Qiu off him. Looking into her eyes, he solemnly said, "You must never go to see that painting in Qiwu Palace alone again. You were affected by the forbidden magic in the painting and almost went berserk."
Ah Qiu recalled the scene before she was affected by the spell and said blankly, "Why would there be forbidden magic in the dance portrait?"
Gu Yi glanced at her, hesitated, and finally said, "Because the writer has feelings in his heart."
Even Heaven, if it had feelings, would grow old. Human emotions, in their most intense form, are the most powerful spiritual art. Love makes one wish for life, hate makes one wish for death. Even those who view this painting years later cannot escape the shackles of these powerful emotions.
Ah Qiu seemed to understand but not quite, and said, "So love is like a curse. Those who are afflicted by it will either die or be injured."
Gu Yi thought to himself that she was still young and naive, and he couldn't lead her astray, so he corrected her, "That's not true for everyone's feelings."
He pointed to the "Ling Shu" and made a clear sound, then said calmly, "The seven emotions of the human heart are like this zither. Some people are stubborn and narrow-minded, and they will play harsh, noisy and jarring sounds. But those who are good at music can play sad or exciting tunes, but they always maintain a balanced and upright attitude and do not harm the harmony of nature."
Ah Qiu immediately understood and said, "It means 'joy without excess, sorrow without despair'."
Gu Yi was surprised by her intelligence and nodded, saying, "That's right. 'Before joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness are expressed, it is called equilibrium; when they are expressed and all are in proper measure, it is called harmony.' This is what it means."
He added with a hint of worry, "You have now mastered the White Silk Dance, but the true meaning of the White Silk Dance is probably not as passionate and resolute as you have learned. If you allow this emotion to invade your heart, it may be harmful to your body and mind."
A Qiu's beautiful eyes darted around and landed on "Ling Shu," and she said, "I always feel that the texture and rhythm of a dance come from the dancer's feeling for the music. If you, Young Master, were willing to play the zither for me, and I danced to your music, it probably wouldn't be like this."
Gu Yi was choked by her.
Legend has it that there were three unparalleled treasures in the Southern Dynasty: the Shaoshi Qin (a type of zither), the Junzi Jian (a type of sword), and the Qianjin Xiang (a type of incense). The Junzi Jian was the Binghuang sword passed down through generations of the Shangguan family, a prominent family in Jiangzuo. The Qianjin Xiang was a fragrance created by Gongye Fusu, the ruler of Wanxiang Kingdom. The Shaoshi Qin was ranked first among the three treasures, namely Gu Yi's Lingshu Qin.
The reason why Shaoshi Qin is unparalleled in the world is that it can harmonize the yin and yang of heaven and earth, and the eight winds of the four seasons. It is not only a sound, but also has the power to purify people's hearts and dispel their turbidity. However, very few people in the world have the opportunity to hear this qin, and the reason is very simple: who can persuade Shaoshi Gu Yi, who is busy with countless affairs of state and harmonizing yin and yang, to serve as a musician and play the qin and se for him?
Back then, Gu Yi used the "Carved Moon" sword to quell the palace rebellion, killing tens of thousands of people implicated and causing rivers of blood to flow among powerful clans. The landmark event that marked the transition from chaos to order was the gathering of the "Three Masters" in the Golden Water Tower of the palace.
At that time, the Gongye family burned nearly a thousand catties of incense in three large cauldrons in the square. The fragrance of sandalwood and agarwood filled the palace all day long, praying for peace and prosperity for the new dynasty, and also to purify it of blood evil. The Shangguan family, representing the Jiangzuo civil official group, also brought out the "Binghuang" sword, which had symbolized their clan's assistance to wise rulers for hundreds of years, and presented the sword dance "Qiankun Dingshi Ge" on the city tower in front of the emperor, his ministers and the people.
The music accompanying the sword dance was "Wen Wang Cao" played by Junior Master Gu Yi on the Ling Shu Qin.
When Gu Yi plucked the seven strings of the Spirit Pivot with his inner strength, the first powerful and resonant note slowly spread across the square, and everyone below the city wall immediately understood that the era of civil governance had arrived.
Therefore, Gu Yi's "Shaoshi Qin" is also a symbol of an era.
Gu Yi decided to refuse tactfully.
"I am only familiar with the elegant music of the past, such as 'Jiu Shao' and 'Da Lü', and at most border ballads like 'Chang'an Feng'. I have absolutely no knowledge of female musicians for banquets, such as the White Silk Dance and the Midnight Song."
Even national champions have their dignity. The *Ling Shu* (a sacred text) should not be spoken lightly.
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