After changing his clothes inside Tian's guesthouse, the prince got back to the castle immediately when he saw master Qin being already there. This man! How could he come faster than him in this age, the mystery about this man had been expanding.
He went to the jar of water to wash his hands when the old man trudged forward and picked it up.
"Let me help your highness."
He smiled meaningfully.
"Princess Xing Huan was worried about your health."
The Prince's unreadable countenance didn't differ from a moment ago.
"Princess Xing Huan cares about everything she should not."
The old man pouted, he knew that something had changed since this young man had called for his guard and then fiercely sent him to go with the princess.
"You are not in a good mood, I reckon it!"
"Should not you be with Chaoxiang?"
He shook his head, putting down the jar and going back to the balcony to let the smoke of his pipe out.
"She asked me not to company them."
The prince went to the pillow and sat there. "Then how did you realize where I am?"
"I went to wander in the city when I saw your aunt!"
The prince chuckled, his aunt! This was too mean.
"You care about that woman, don't you?"
Master Qin Jinhai asked looking at the raindrops that smoothly made love with the flowers on the balcony.
"She cannot take care of herself, that is why she is here."
"I had no clue that master Qin can use needles masterfully, flawlessly!" The prince added.
The eunuch gave him a wide sneer, picked his Erhu instrument up the wall, and walked to him. The bow of the erhu danced in his hand.
"You are ready to learn the notes. Soon you might need to use magic and get into merchant's shape during the day."
He was certain that the princess would want to see the merchant during the day, so why not master Qin reveal some tricks? Anyway, he didn't need to explain himself to anyone! No one could even imagine that he was a goblin! It was a fairytale or illusion to them.
"What do you mean? Do you know magic?"
'A minstrel goblin is the genuinely born magician, son! It is running in my blood.'
The old man chuckled, taking out a paper from his sleeve, and answered, "I do know the magic of notes, I had inherited this from my parents. But the actual shape that these notes can give you is limited to two hours only once a week."
"What if you play it? Wouldn't the magic work if I don't learn it?"
The man laughed, Is the Prince lazy to learn it or he didn't trust him?
Prince Wu Xiuying became curious, a magic inside the musical notes? He had never heard of this, was it the witch who taught him? Or he was currently talking to a magician? The best way to get to know this man was to follow his will unless it was harmless.
He unfolded the paper and his eyes fell on the strange letters that he had no idea what they were.
The old man learned the reason behind that odd look.
"What is this?"
"The magical spells that you will put into the notes. Let me teach you."
The man began to teach him about the cords of his Erhu. The prince could feel this before, the moment he began to play the note in Tian tavern, something would change within him.
He listened carefully and watched him similarly. As he said, the magic inside this instrument could help him to get back his figure for two hours each week. That could be also a great chance.
Hence, he paid attention to the old man until he grabbed the instrument.
"Practice until you make no mistake on playing each spell. Hold the bow correctly. Use the chance sufficiently."
The prince nodded and the man continued, "the princess had received the list of her suitors."
The prince's eyes didn't move off the cords when the old eunuch added, "your second brother is on the list."
The prince's arm stopped moving the bow and made an annoying sound.
His heart could not take this, why would his father do this? Was he after peace or connections with Mei land? At the time that Prince Wu Xiuying was about to lose his mother, his father had sent his concubine's son here to marry princess Xing Huan!
How could he forgive everything? How could he ignore his Queen's sorrow?
"Why didn't you volunteer to marry her?"
A sharp glare traveled on master Qin!
"I am the crown prince of Di, and she will be the next empress of Mei land, do you you think that is even possible? We are enemies!"
The eunuch dragged in a poke of his pipe and stretched his left leg, "affection can break so many laws but tell me one thing, do you like her or hate her?"
It confused the man, he wasn't certain about this, humans emotions were twisted making things complicated but something wasn't right about this man.
"Should I like or hate her?"
Another suspicious answer! But he was looking at her differently, as Li Shu and the merchant, his feral sight changed to a soft one as if a stormy ocean that comforted with peace and a mild breeze. Was he playing?
"It depends on you, what if the curse is related to your heart? What if Ma'am couldn't break it! Will you love the princess to break it?"
Choosing between his heart and his mother's peace? He scowled, the life of royals was not a bed of roses as people like this man speculated! It was never a fairytale! Love has no place when it comes to ruling a kingdom. There were so many women to warm his bed at the end and serve his lust! He would do everything to gain his mother's satisfaction, alive or dead, she may be.
"Why do master Qin care about it, at all?"
The old man sighed, smoke clouded out of his nostrils.
"Because I discovered something tonight," his eyes rolled on the young man, a blaze flashed out when he rowed the words, "you can't kill someone!"
The prince got back to the bow, striving to hold it correctly, trying to thrive on a talent that was way far from him.
"True, but it doesn't mean that I forgive betrayals. I have yet other ways to kill someone rather than swinging my blade."
"Then let time show us, however, I guess you don't have much." He taunted.
The prince ignored the old man and continued to learn the notes and play them on the strings.
"See, you can't predict!" He looked at his fingers and how he held the bow, what a fast learner-resistant pupil! 'But show me, prince, Wu Xiuying, why do you hold back your feelings for her? I wish I was capable of reading minds.'
'I don't know who you are master Qin but as I know, you and that Ma'am are closer than familiar people! And I will find out!' The prince thought.
***
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