Chapter 48: A Single String of Yin and Yang
In front of the Sihe Inn on Xiangcheng Street, Murong Hanchan declined Yi Mingzhao's invitation, but Yi Mingzhao insisted on inviting her again.
Yi Mingzhao said boldly, "Miss Murong, we are all friends, and I consider you my elder sister. This is not an intrusion. Besides, you are about to leave Longyang City. Young Master Yin and you will not visit me. I'm afraid I will be sad if I find out."
Murong Hanchan smiled and said, "Young Master Yi, we appreciate your sincerity. Please also tell Sister Qingxue that next time, I will bring Xiaoyao Lang to visit her."
Yin Xiaosheng: "Brother Yi, please also tell Qingxue that I will return to see her immediately after I return to the Murong Manor."
Yi Mingzhao was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "Alright! Then we'll part ways here. Please take care of yourselves."
Murong Hanchan said boldly, "Take care, Young Master Yi. We'll meet again."
Xie Yunfeng: "Take care, Second Young Master!"
Chunxiang: "Take care, Second Young Master!"
Yin Xiaosheng: "Take care, Brother Yi!"
Qiuxia: "Take care, Young Master Yi!"
Ma Pingchuan smiled and said, "Take care!"
Yi Mingzhao glanced at the crowd and drove the carriage towards Longyang City.
Ma Pingchuan said, "Now it's my turn to speak. You can't stay at the inn; you have to stay at my house!"
Murong Hanchan smiled and said, "Brother Ma, why is that? Give us a reasonable explanation!"
Ma Pingchuan looked at Qiuxia, who quickly turned her head away. Ma Pingchuan smiled and said, "Xiaoyao is my brother, and Miss Chunxiang is Qiuxia's senior sister. You wouldn't refuse these two reasons, would you?"
Chunxiang smiled and said, "Junior Sister, how about we stop at Young Master Ma's house?"
Xie Yunfeng: "Junior Sister, with this thunder and torrential rain, we can't take the mountain path back to the Murong Manor. We can only go around Baiyun City. Young Master Ma's house is on the way, so let's accept his invitation!"
Murong Hanchan smiled and said, "Since Brother Ma has said so, how could I refuse? Brother Ma, please lead the way."
Ma Pingchuan: "Alright, but your clothes are all wet. I'll take you to the cloth shop first to take your measurements and cut the cloth so that the textile workers can finish making it as soon as possible."
Murong Hanchan asked, "Will it take a few days to finish spinning and making the clothes?"
Ma Pingchuan laughed and said, "Sister Murong, you can rest assured. The cloth shop is my own, and your clothes can be made overnight."
Qiu Xia said with a smile, "That's great, Brother Ma! I must choose some nice and comfortable fabrics and make several more!"
Ma Pingchuan laughed and said, "When we get to the cloth shop, you can choose whatever you want, as much as you need!"
The group then hurried toward the cloth shop.
Under the eaves of the Yi residence, Yi Mingzhao carried the Xi Shi Qin (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument) and strode towards Yi Qingxue's room. He saw Yi Qingxue diligently practicing calligraphy, with countless sheets of scrap paper on the table. On them, the six large characters "Xiaoyao Lang" (逍遥浪) and "Yin Xiaosheng" (尹小生) were clearly visible.
Yi Mingzhao called softly, "Little sister!"
Upon hearing the call, Yi Qingxue and her maid turned around hastily. Seeing that it was Yi Mingzhao, Yi Qingxue stood up and said, "Second Brother, you're back!"
Yi Mingzhao smiled and said, "Yes, little sister, I just got home."
When Yi Qingxue saw Yi Mingzhao's wet hair, she said worriedly, "Second Brother, your clothes are all wet. Go and change them quickly, or you'll catch a cold." At this moment, the maid Ping'er brought over a piece of cotton, and Yi Qingxue hurriedly dried Yi Mingzhao's hair.
Yi Mingzhao laughed and said, "It's alright, little sister! Look what I brought you!"
Yi Qingxue looked at the zither in Yi Mingzhao's hand and asked softly, "Second brother, why did you buy me another zither?"
Yi Mingzhao placed the zither on the table and said with a smile, "Little sister, this zither is no ordinary zither. Why don't you try playing it and see how it feels and sounds?"
Yi Qingxue turned her head and said, "Second Brother, you can try on the zither anytime. Go change your clothes first, don't make me worry, okay?"
Yi Mingzhao nodded and said, "Okay, little sister, I'll go change my clothes now." Then she left the room.
The maid Ping'er said, "Miss, this is the fourth zither that the Second Young Master has bought for you!"
Yi Qingxue: "That's just how my second brother is. He wants to buy me anything I like."
Ping'er asked doubtfully, "Miss, the Second Young Master said this zither is unusual. Can you tell what's different about it? I don't see anything special about it."
Yi Qingxue carefully examined the zither on the table. It had a paulownia wood soundboard, a toon wood base, and silk strings, nothing particularly special about it. But upon closer inspection of the strings, something seemed off; she then realized it had eight strings! Just as Yi Qingxue understood...
Ping'er exclaimed, "Miss, how come this zither has eight strings?"
Yi Qingxue said softly, "The eight-stringed Xi Shi Qin has one string that produces the sounds of Yin and Yang."
Ping'er pouted and asked in confusion, "The eight-stringed Xi Shi Qin! What does 'one string, yin and yang sounds' mean?"
At this moment, Yi Mingzhao arrived again, looking delighted, and said, "Little sister, what do you think of this zither?"
Yi Qingxue laughed and said, "Second Brother, I thought the Xi Shi Qin was just a legend, I didn't expect that such a qin really exists!"
Yi Mingzhao laughed and said, "As expected of my little sister, you can tell at a glance whether you have played the instrument or not."
Yi Qingxue then sat down and calmed herself down to play the zither. A piece called "Free and Easy Wandering" began to play, but the sound quality was no different. Yi Qingxue still couldn't connect with the strange sound of the eight strings, so she had to stop playing.
Yi Qingxue sighed and said, "Second brother, there are still mysteries in the sound of the eight strings. I'm afraid we still need to comprehend them before we can play the harmonious sound of yin and yang."
Yi Mingzhao nodded and said, "It's alright. We can explore it slowly and perhaps understand its deeper meaning. The existence of this zither proves that the Yin-Yang Eight Sounds are not just a myth."
Yi Qingxue said softly, "I hope so!"
Yi Mingzhao smiled and said, "Little sister, you continue practicing your calligraphy. I have to go see Father and Big Brother."
Yi Qingxue: "Mm!"
In Dongliulin Town, Murong Hanchan, Chunxiang, and Qiuxia had already taken measurements and selected fabrics, and were just waiting for the textile workers to make their clothes.
Seeing that the three of them were ready, Ma Pingchuan left the cloth shop together.
Ma Pingchuan said, "My home is not far ahead. You must be hungry and tired. I have already told my cook to prepare some dishes. You will be able to rest and eat soon after you get home."
Qiu Xia smiled and said, "Brother Ma, you've thought of everything!"
Ma Pingchuan: "No way, let's go quickly!"
Just then, a man rode up at breakneck speed. Upon seeing Ma Pingchuan, the man hurriedly dismounted and rolled on the ground, saying, "Young Master, something terrible has happened! A group of people from the gang have come and are causing trouble, forcing the old gang leader to sell his horse."
Upon hearing this, Ma Pingchuan hurriedly mounted his horse and said to his subordinates, "They are my friends. Take them to my home."
Murong Hanchan hurriedly said, "Brother Ma, you have something to do, how can we sit idly by? Please let us go with you."
Qiuxia quickly added, "Yes, Brother Ma, we want to go with you."
Ma Pingchuan glanced at everyone and said loudly, "Alright, let's go together then." He then spurred his horse and galloped off towards the Ma family gang.
When the group arrived at the Ma family stronghold, they saw over a hundred people standing guard with knives in front of the main gate, and the newcomers also had archers. The four burly men guarding the gate, along with about twenty of their brothers, glared angrily at the newcomers with broadswords, showing no fear whatsoever.
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