"Yes, it's Qiao Er! Qiao Er got the bouquet, perform! Perform! Perform!" Xiangbei came to the rescue like a godsend, loudly urging the performance while clapping rhythmically on the table. Under the table, she discreetly held onto Cheng Mo's fingers tightly with her sleeve, tilting her head to signal Cheng Mo with various eye expressions, pleading for forgiveness.
Cheng Mo was being a bit petulant privately, but he still had a sense of propriety in public. He didn't expect his voice to suddenly rise so abruptly, startling even himself. He didn't remember feeling jealous, but thanks to Xiangbei's timely intervention, all he felt was relief. However, he did enjoy Xiangbei's attempts to please him.
"Yes, Brother Ziqiu, today is your chance to shine." Cheng Mo raised his voice and then lowered it to tease Xiangbei again.
"In that case, Brother Ziqiu, tonight, under the full moon, you should play a tune on the qin. Tonight, with both people and the moon rejoicing, I can only play the familiar 'Yangguan Sandie' melody. The mood may not match, but I hope it won't dampen the spirits." Qiao Ziqiu instructed Little Xi, who was accompanying him, to fetch his qin from his guest room.
"The old man heard about the Qiao family's two sons in the capital, who were adept at playing the Tang dynasty zither from a young age. The ancient melody of 'Guangling San' has been echoing in my ears for three days without end. Today, being able to hear the young master play the zither is indeed a great joy for me. Although meeting my Decoction today is also a great pleasure, after drifting for half a lifetime, longing for decades, I understand the nostalgia for old times, the desolation of having no old friends present." Old Li YiZheng lived through the late Tang dynasty, experiencing the vicissitudes of dynastic changes and the dispersion of relatives. When Qiao Ziqiu's zither sounded, he couldn't help but softly sing along with him, memories vividly appearing before his eyes.
"In Wei City, morning rain falls lightly, lifting the faint dust. It sprinkles over the greenery of the guesthouse, softening the surroundings, with the new shades of willow leaves spreading everywhere. Let go of worries, persuade you to have another drink, life will be less, for since ancient times, wealth and fame have their limits. Don't let appearances diminish. Let go of worries, persuade you to have another drink, fearing only that after passing through the Yangguan Pass, old memories will seem like dreams, with no old friends present."
In modern times, Xiangbei was fascinated by the ancient zither. He had listened to over thirty versions of 'Yangguan Sandie' adapted from the Yuan to Qing dynasties to the present day. Today, hearing the ancient recitation and zither music that had long been lost, combined with Li Lao's profound insights, imbued the melody with a lofty and broad-minded atmosphere.
Li was immersed in the meaning of the music for a long time, unable to calm down. Old master Tong helped his teacher, who had spent half his life with him and been separated for the other half, back to his seat. Sitting on the veranda, their hands tightly clasped, they looked on with satisfaction at the laughter of the young people in the courtyard.
The drummer was replaced by the young children of the family, and now the young people were completely freed from the constraints of etiquette. With various hints, suggestions, and even explicit instructions, if the flower didn't land in a guest's hand, the family guards would be on the sidelines, anxiously complaining. So, until a guest from the hunting family performed local mountain customs such as walking on hot coals, burning paper talismans, and swallowing flames, even Dongbin King Chengmo and Vanguard General Huo Qixiang were not spared. They each took a jade flute and a bamboo flute to play a duet.
Xiangbei knew that there was no escaping this time, although she had once arrogantly claimed to be the long-term king of the Chinese music library during her university days. But when did she stop singing? Was it when her parents passed away, or was it when she had to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the family and pretend to be mature?
Xiangbei changed into a set of light blue silk exercise clothes specially tailored for practicing Tai Chi, with a wide goose-yellow silk belt tied around her waist. Sure enough, as soon as she returned to her seat, everyone eagerly wanted the flower bouquet to land in her hand. She didn't refuse, having already decided to perform a set of Tai Chi fan routines for them.
However, as she stepped into the center of the courtyard and looked around, she saw faces full of anticipation, encouragement, admiration, and infatuation. Whether they were southerners or northerners, hunters or military guards, their spirits were high and vibrant.
Despite the changes in time, space, and geography, this place remained rooted in her blood, the land of her eternal affection and love, her homeland of Huaxia.