Chapter 511

383. 【Wen Emperor】 Sword Art!

"Ouyang Lianghan, why does Senior Official Yuan look so unhappy?"

"Maybe he needs to go to the bathroom and can't hold it in."

"No wonder he walked so fast."

By the Xunyang Ward riverbank, outside the main gate of Xunyang Tower, Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen met up and exchanged a few pleasantries.

Looking at Rong Zhen, who was nodding, he glanced at the backs of Watching Yuan Huaimin and Commandant Yi Qianqiu, who had just disappeared inside the gate, and asked:

"Why did Commander Yi come?"

"I went out this afternoon and ran into her at the entrance of the grottoes. I mentioned the banquet tonight, and she said she would come for a drink to accompany the old senior and enjoy the pipa music together."

Ouyang Rong thought for a moment and asked again:

"Did you mention that this banquet was organized with the help of Brother Huaimin and me?"

"Yes." Rong Zhen nodded and asked: "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing."

Ouyang Rong shook his head.

Just now, when he and Watching Yuan Huaimin got out of the carriage, they saw Commandant Yi Qianqiu. Watching Yuan Huaimin prepared to slip away and get back in the carriage, but Commandant Yi Qianqiu's eyes were fixed on him without blinking.

Perhaps knowing he couldn't run, Watching Yuan Huaimin pretended not to see her and hurried inside, and Commandant Yi Qianqiu followed him directly.

Rong Zhen suddenly frowned:

"Why do you still have a fragrance on you? Looking at your hair, did you come after bathing and changing? Why are you dressed so meticulously, like a butterfly..."

Ouyang Rong clarified seriously: "Bathing and perfuming to appreciate music—this is a sense of ritual."

Rong Zhen looked at him suspiciously.

Ouyang Rong asked back:

"What about you, Xie Xiao Niangzi Rong? You're talking about me, but your outfit today is also quite meticulous. It's rare to see you so heavily made up."

Rong Zhen stiffened her face:

"Don't think nonsense. I came with Princess Anhui.

"In the circle of noblewomen in Luoyang before, being able to enter the palace and hear Old Master Yu in person was considered an honor. Most would dress meticulously and enter the palace in full regalia to attend the Sage's banquet.

"Princess Anhui respects Old Master Yu, so she traveled in full regalia today and dragged me along."

Ouyang Rong asked calmly: "Princess Anhui came too?"

"Yes."

After a moment, Rong Zhen explained again:

"If Old Master Yu weren't playing music, I actually wouldn't have any interest in something so boring."

"Oh, oh."

Ouyang Rong looked thoughtful.

Rong Zhen looked away and sneered to herself.

After a while, she glanced behind Ouyang Rong and asked:

"Where is Army Advisor Yan? Didn't you say yesterday you were going to bring him along?"

Ouyang Rong immediately replied: "Uh, he has something to do, he'll be back in a while... Let's go, the banquet is about to start."

"Mm."

The two entered Xunyang Tower. Before entering, Ouyang Rong looked back toward the Xunyang Prince's Mansion.

In the evening, after bathing and changing, before leaving, he had specially asked Yan Liulang to take a handwritten letter to the mansion for his junior sister.

Ouyang Rong looked up toward the rooftop terrace.

Silently gave Brother Huaimin a thumbs up...

Watching Yuan Huaimin didn't know about someone's act of forgetting righteousness for beauty, and he could still shamelessly thank him.

After meeting his cousin Commandant Yi Qianqiu, his happy pipa-viewing trip was completely ruined.

By the time Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen entered the door and arrived at the first-floor hall, Watching Yuan Huaimin and Commandant Yi Qianqiu had already disappeared.

Only after asking did they learn that Watching Yuan Huaimin had stayed in the restroom for a while, then came out and used a stomachache as an excuse to go back. As for Commandant Yi Qianqiu, she must have followed him.

"Don't worry about them."

Ouyang Rong waved his hand and greeted Rong Zhen, who was frowning, to continue forward.

The two arrived at the spacious hall, greeted Old Master Yu at a table in the center.

Hua Xuanji, the Pipa Banquet officially began.

The famous Qin, whom he hadn't seen for many days, brought a group of pipa-playing musicians into the center stage of the hall and began to play.

Today was a bit different. Besides the famous Qin and other pipa masters, Ouyang Rong and Watching Yuan Huaimin had specially sought out women in Xunyang City who were skilled at the pipa to gather, making it easier to exchange pipa music—the more people, the livelier it would be.

"Don't worry, Xie Xiao Niangzi Rong. This time, these pipa-playing women have been carefully searched and checked by Liulang's men; they won't hurt the old master."

"Mm."

Seeing the old musician's beaming expression at the table next to them, Rong Zhen silently withdrew her gaze, looking at Ouyang Rong with complex eyes.

Last time in the peach blossom forest of Mount Kuanglu, meeting that group of strange scholars drinking and having fun was a coincidence. Rong Zhen had been very sensitive to danger these days and didn't want to take any risks, so she subconsciously had people drive them away and blockaded the peach blossom forest.

But these past few days, Rong Zhen recalled it, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt the old musician must have been angry at the time.

Rong Zhen pursed her lips. She had been listening extra carefully while following the old musician these past few days.

And Ouyang Rong had always been very serious.

Both were sitting upright.

The Pipa Banquet was in full swing, and the two noticed that the old musician's smile never faded; he seemed to quite enjoy exchanging music with his musician friends.

Rong Zhen's face tightened as she listened.

It wasn't that she wasn't serious, but she would occasionally glance at Ouyang Rong beside her.

Ouyang Rong was preparing to listen to the pipa music seriously and would occasionally jot down a note or two in a small notebook.

This was a good habit he had developed back when he was preparing for his postgraduate entrance exam—a bad memory is better than a good pen.

"What are you doing?" Rong Zhen suddenly asked in a low voice.

"Jotting down notes, although I don't quite understand it." Ouyang Rong said with a smile.

"Isn't your memory very good?" Rong Zhen asked.

"It's different. A good memory is not as good as a small notebook." He said seriously.

"Mm." Hearing this, Rong Zhen seemed relieved. Ouyang Rong looked at her and laughed.

Why is she so competitive about this too?

Besides, the way Xie Xiao Niangzi Rong was asking if he understood halfway through made her look like a top student asking about a new rival's grades.

Ouyang Rong wasn't joking. He and Rong Zhen didn't understand pipa music, and Ouyang Rong even suspected that Old Master Yu didn't understand pipa music either, just appreciated it?

Ouyang Rong asked: "Xie Xiao Niangzi Rong, has the old senior played the piece you wanted yet?"

Rong Zhen frowned and shook her head, suddenly saying: "Lend it to me too."

"..." The small notebook in his hand was snatched away, and Ouyang Rong was speechless.

Hua Xuanji, the banquet passed with Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen whispering and slacking off from time to time.

Yan Liulang returned halfway and whispered a few words to Ouyang Rong, who suppressed a smile.

In addition, the rooftop terrace Watching Yuan Huaimin had originally reserved had been cleared, and the fine wine Watching Yuan Huaimin had hidden had already been sent up.

However, Watching Yuan Huaimin had left early, besides meeting the tigress Commandant Yi Qianqiu, he seemed to have been heartbroken by his friend.

Since Watching Yuan Huaimin had left, Ouyang Rong had to send the guests off himself.

The old musician was clearly very happy tonight; discussing the pipa sound with the famous Qin and others seemed to be a novel experience for him.

In the first-floor hall of Xunyang Tower, the old musician agreed on a time for the next meeting with the famous Qin and the group of women skilled at the pipa, then walked out with his hands behind his back.

Ouyang Rong took a separate carriage because he had to return later.

Rong Zhen and the old musician shared a carriage.

The two carriages were very close, driving along a small path by the river, slowly heading toward the West Chengmenkou. Ouyang Rong prepared to send Rong Zhen and the old musician to the city gate, then return to Xunyang Tower.

It was late, and the road was quite quiet.

Ouyang Rong lifted the carriage curtain from time to time to check the road conditions, as if he were in a bit of a hurry.

However, the old musician was in poor health, so the carriage procession couldn't move very fast.

In the carriage next door, the old man closed his eyes, his fingers dancing in the air, as if playing something.

Before getting into the carriage just now, Rong Zhen had taken Ouyang Rong's zither and small notebook.

She sat face-to-face with the old musician for a moment, then suddenly asked:

"Old Senior, when will you finally give the piece you promised the Directorate of Astronomy to the junior? There isn't much time left."

The old musician, who had been smiling with his eyes closed, paused and opened his eyes to look at Rong Zhen.

He laughed and asked back:

"Rong girl, haven't you already heard the piece you wanted?"

"What do you mean?" Rong Zhen was stunned: "But the junior hasn't heard the old senior play any military formation music."

"Who said it must be military formation music?"

"But isn't the 【Wen Emperor】 Sword Art born from the military..."

"That was in the past. Strictly speaking, the first chapter of the 【Wen Emperor】 Sword Art was born from a court piece of the Great Sui Dynasty, and only later did it become the military formation music you know, recorded by the Directorate of Astronomy, celebrating the martial prowess of the Taizong Wen Emperor...

"When the previous senior passed it to me, it was indeed a military formation piece, but to tell you something you might not believe, I have long forgotten this military formation piece. Yet, for all these years, that zither sound has been lingering in my ears.

"To use the words of the previous senior's loud laughter: it doesn't matter if you forget it; it's all the same.

"What piece it actually is doesn't matter; what matters is whether you have heard it, isn't that so?

"I actually don't like the killing sounds of the previous senior; I prefer the sounds of a prosperous age. But I am ashamed; the sounds of a prosperous age are too difficult, too difficult. I haven't found them for so many years, but on the road south after leaving Luoyang, I had a little personal realization. This realization was also played for you to hear a few days ago."

Rong Zhen was stunned, "Played? The, the junior is ashamed, I have no impression. May I ask which one it was?"

The old musician smiled slightly:

"It's fine, I'll give you one more chance, let's see your comprehension one last time."

Just after speaking, the old man took the wooden zither from beside the young girl in palace attire, placed it horizontally on his knees, and let his fingertips fall.

A zither sound began to echo leisurely inside and outside the carriage.

When Rong Zhen first heard it, her face was still a bit confused, but soon, as if remembering something, her eyes widened, and she immediately took Ouyang Rong's small notebook to light a lamp and record it...

The two carriages had long since arrived at the closed West Chengmenkou.

No one stepped out of the carriage carrying the old musician and Rong Zhen. Ouyang Rong took the initiative to get out of the carriage and showed the night passage document of the Jiangzhou Inspector to the city gate general.

The West Chengmenkou opened, and the carriage carrying Rong Zhen and the old musician started and drove directly through the city gate.

Seeing this, Ouyang Rong didn't go to say goodbye.

After getting into the carriage, he rubbed his eyebrows while instructing A Li outside:

"Return to Xunyang Tower."

"Yes, Young Master."

The two carriages that had been traveling together were now moving in opposite directions at the city gate. At this moment, an inexplicable zither sound came from nowhere, sometimes like a distant bridge, sometimes like a pine creek, sometimes like a verdant mountain, drifting in the pitch-black night inside and outside the West Chengmenkou.

Not only were the soldiers on the city wall attracted, but Ouyang Rong was also attracted.

Inside the carriage, he slowly stopped his movements.

"Eh."

He couldn't help but lift the carriage curtain and glance behind him.

The zither sound was coming from the carriage carrying the old musician and Xie Xiao Niangzi Rong.

Ouyang Rong suddenly reacted; the piece in his ears seemed to merge many pieces he had heard before. He remembered that last time while traveling on Mount Kuanglu, when the old musician was appreciating scenic spots like Pine Creek, Pear Pavilion, and Sound Valley, he had stopped to play them separately.

Listening, Ouyang Rong found that the person playing the zither had cleverly connected these six pieces together, making them exceptionally harmonious.

If he remembered correctly, the order of connection was: Distant Bridge, Daiyan, Pine Creek, Verdant Mountain, Pear Pavilion, Sound Valley...

As Ouyang Rong listened and pondered, he suddenly felt an unusual movement of spiritual energy in his body.

First, he was startled.

Then, he widened his eyes.

The spiritual energy in his body was gathering like a tide, as if brewing something.

His cultivation base, which had been stuck at the Great Perfection of the 8th Grade, was like being ignited by a fire. The spiritual energy from his limbs surged and impacted, and the 7th Grade bottleneck, which had originally been like a high mountain, was now tottering...

This is... Sword Art.

An unknown Sword Art!

Ouyang Rong suddenly realized, then turned his head sharply to look at the old musician's carriage.

"Old Master Yu, you also... wield a sword?" His eyes gradually narrowed.

On the other side, Rong Zhen still couldn't figure it out and was frantically trying to memorize the zither piece.

Unfortunately, the old musician played too fast.

Accompanied by the fall of his last note.

Rong Zhen leaned back against the chair in frustration, her small face still flushed, but her expression was one of loss.

In the carriage next door, Ouyang Rong suddenly opened his eyes.

Breaking through the 8th Grade, promoted to the 7th Grade!

The blue spiritual energy in his body seemed to be stained red by blood, turning into red spiritual energy.

The Sword Art and the breakthrough came too suddenly.

Ouyang Rong didn't recover for a while, frowning and looking inward, falling into a mysterious state.

In the other carriage, after the old musician stopped playing, he spoke leisurely:

"Distant bridge is shallow and clear, lotus boats float; Daiyan cannot block the pine creek's flow. Verdant mountain seen from afar, Pear Pavilion stands; there is still Sound Valley, empty and leisurely.

"Recently, while wandering Mount Kuanglu, I accidentally obtained a seven-character quatrain.

"Based on the order in the poem, I composed seven pieces. Rong girl, you should have heard them last time."

Rong Zhen reacted: "I... I forgot most of them. Wait, seven? Isn't there only six?"

"Oh, I counted wrong. There are indeed seven, because there is still one piece I haven't thought of, missing the 'Yu Yu Lianzhou' one... But it's fine, six are enough for you to use. You only need that quota; what's the difference between six or seven? Everything you want to get is in these six pieces. Some things have no fate; why force it?"

After speaking, the old musician sighed and closed his eyes.

Rong Zhen wanted to say something but stopped, looking down at her notebook, having only recorded half; it was simply too late, and fine beads of sweat still hung on her forehead.

If only Ouyang Lianghan were by her side.

The young girl in palace attire suddenly thought.

In the carriage next door, Ouyang Rong looked down at his palms in a daze.

His musical talent was average; he could usually remember things after listening twice. Back on Mount Kuanglu, he had studied carefully, which counted as the first time, and just now was the second time, so he actually reacted faster than Rong Zhen, connecting the six zither pieces in his heart all at once.

Feeling the surging 7th Grade spiritual energy fluctuations in his body.

Ouyang Rong took a deep breath.

Although he was pleasantly surprised by the breakthrough, he still locked his brows.

This is not a complete Sword Art!

It's still missing a little, missing a little... missing what?

……

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