Chapter 658: Teaching Like This

Miaoyin's expression was radiant: "That's right, I'm in charge of everything here. You're new, what's your name?"

After Xi merely glanced at the fair-skinned, bright and beautiful Miaoyin, he immediately lowered his head, not daring to look again. Yet, he was muttering to himself: why would the daughter of a tribe's Tribal Chief be so thin? Even though she was young, she should be much chubbier than this; it was impossible that she wasn't getting enough to eat.

He answered truthfully: "My name is Xi."

Miaoyin smiled without any concealment: "Xi? Your name is as strange as theirs. Did my brother or my father send you here? What musical instruments can you play?"

Xi ignored Miaoyin's mockery of his name and could only continue to lower his head to answer: "I only met the person called Crown Prince. It was he who let me come. I can play the bow-flute."

"Oh, so did you bring your instrument? Come, play it and let me hear."

Xi nodded slightly, then opened his brand-new, clean leather bag and took out his bow-flute. Having to demonstrate it almost everywhere he went, Xi's heart was already completely unmoved.

After a simple sound check, he played that tune he was more than familiar with. At this moment, the apprentices of the music Regiment also began to look at Xi seriously, one after another sitting cross-legged on the ground to appreciate it. Xi's ability was far beyond theirs; it seemed he really couldn't be treated as a simple savage.

Changle and Miaoyin were also listening, mesmerized. Zhishou, who had originally been in the room, heard the tune that suddenly started—a tune he had never heard before—and also closed his eyes, carefully feeling it.

When Xi finished playing the piece, everyone applauded one after another. Zhishou also opened his eyes in the room and slowly began to clap. "Wonderful."

Xi already knew what clapping meant in Huaxia; it represented affirmation of him. He also lowered his head somewhat shyly and did not express thanks to the crowd in a grand manner. Everyone did not blame him; by now, they had completely accepted him as a musician who had just arrived in Huaxia, not some savage who understood nothing.

The applause ended, and Zhishou also pushed the door open and came out. The moment Xi saw this dignified person, he felt that this person's status was likely very unusual. Could it be the King they spoke of?

So he hurriedly knelt down to Zhishou and kowtowed, but ended up making a joke of it. Zhishou hurriedly said: "Hey, get up quickly. I am not a Prince or Princess of Huaxia, I am just an ordinary old man; I cannot accept this ritual from you."

Changle and Miaoyin also said nothing. Although this ritual was supposed to be used only to pay respects to the Royal Family, Xi clearly did not understand, and Zhishou was also the top Sage of this era, so there was no need to mind.

After hearing this, Xi could only stand up from the ground awkwardly. If he met such a person again in the future, should he bow or not?

Miaoyin stood up and said to Zhishou: "Grandpa Zhishou, let this Xi also teach them musical instruments together, and let him learn music theory as well, and record this piece he just played."

Zhishou said kindly to Miaoyin: "You are the highest authority here, just give the order."

Miaoyin then turned back to come before Xi: "Did my brother, the Crown Prince, arrange any other tasks for you?"

Xi recalled carefully: "He seemed to ask me if I could make this bow-flute. I said I could, and then he told me to make some more bow-flutes, and then to teach others this instrument."

Miaoyin nodded: "Good, then let's arrange it like that. How about this: today you just watch how we work and learn a bit, then you will know what you should do. In the afternoon, you learn the scores with my brother and the others, and record your piece. By the way, besides this one, do you know any others?"

Xi nodded repeatedly: "I do, I know others too. I will demonstrate for you."

Miaoyin waved her hand: "No need for now, we'll talk about it later."

Xi could only put down the bow-flute in his hand again. To tell the truth, he didn't understand many of the things Princess Miaoyin had just said. Even after arriving in Huaxia, there were too many things he didn't understand; it completely didn't match the things he had known in his twenty-some winters. He had even considered himself to have learned a lot in the Jiangshui Tribe, and if he learned for another dozen winters or so, he might have been able to reach the position of Great Shaman and become a Sage.

Just at this moment of his distraction, everyone began to move their positions and then sat down neatly. Under their bottoms was a strange round mat, and that old man—Xi only now remembered he should be the Zhishou the Slave spoke of—sat opposite those people, also taking out a musical instrument in his hand.

But his current position was very awkward; he had no idea what he was supposed to do or where he should sit, and he felt somewhat uneasy.

Fortunately, Zhishou said to him: "Come, sit here. Although I don't know if you can play my instrument, for now, you just watch. Once you are familiar with what we do, you will still have to teach them just like us."

Xi felt relieved, hurriedly moved his position, and ran to sit where Zhishou pointed. He had no mat to use, so he imitated the posture of those people and tried to sit cross-legged. Fortunately, everyone was checking the instruments in their hands and did not notice him.

But Zhishou took one look and still arranged for a Slave who had not yet left: "Go, find a cattail mat in the room for him."

That Slave nodded obediently, then entered the room, brought out a round mat, and placed it in front of Xi. Xi also hurriedly took it and, imitating the others, placed it under his bottom. Only when he was the same as everyone else did Xi feel his nervousness ease slightly.

Zhishou scanned the apprentices: "Good, now let's start the lesson. Let's start by practicing the scales again, everyone together..."

Afterwards, Xi saw everyone pick up their instruments, put them to their mouths, and start to blow *woo-woo-woo*. It didn't sound like a tune, but purely a certain note. However, it was fortunately quite uniform, and then the notes began to change, rising and falling.

Watching everyone blowing *zhi-zhi-ya-ya*, Xi also felt a bit anxious and wanted to pick his up and blow too. After all, he was like an outsider again, sitting here doing nothing.

After practicing like this for a while, Zhishou singled out a few people, let them play once, and carefully commented on the details, also saying how to exhale and how to improve. Only then did Xi slightly understand what so-called teaching was. It seemed that when he taught, he would have to do it like this too.

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