Chapter 1325: What Song Would a Longyan Sing?

Grand Duke Theresa had thrown away all of her usual composure.

Thinking of monogamy, and seeing that Longyan face of Liu Zheng, all the things that had been putting her in a bad mood recently surged into her heart.

The fire in her heart rose up, and she pointed at Liu Zheng and scolded him.

"This is Austria, not your Longyan!"

Liu Zheng: "..."

Xie Chan: "..."

Everyone in the castle was stunned; they had never seen Grand Duke Theresa so angry before.

Xie Chan looked at Liu Zheng in confusion, and Liu Zheng was also completely bewildered.

He shouldn't have been exposed, so how did he provoke this Grand Duke Theresa?

"Ms. Yue, don't be afraid of him. To my ears, your performance level is absolutely first-class." Theresa grabbed Xie Chan's hand affectionately.

She blocked her behind herself as if to protect her, leaving Liu Zheng looking helpless.

Xie Chan was stunned: "Uh, Miss Theresa, my husband was just speaking the truth."

Theresa: "???"

What did that mean? She looked at Yue Chan's earnest face and couldn't read a hint of lying in it.

Yue Chan knew that Theresa meant well, but she still said: "You might not understand our Longyan music."

"This piece was composed by my husband, and he told me there is a story behind it."

"That is why he said there was a note I didn't play well."

"Moreover, my guzheng level is indeed average; my husband was telling the truth."

Hearing Xie Chan's reply, Theresa was slightly stunned, feeling somewhat incredulous.

"How can that be?"

Xie Chan, who had played such heavenly sounds, had an average level? Could the level of Longyan artists really be this high?

Theresa saw Liu Zheng reveal a smile, which in her eyes was full of mockery.

"I don't believe it!"

Xie Chan sighed and looked helplessly at Liu Zheng, and Liu Zheng shrugged to indicate that he had no Method.

Theresa turned around and pointed at Liu Zheng's nose: "She said this piece has a story, so you tell it to me."

"I want to hear what kind of story would make Ms. Yue Chan think one of the notes in her performance was problematic."

"Then shall I tell it?"

Xie Chan nodded at Liu Zheng to indicate it was fine; she had heard this story from Liu Zheng many times and felt very moved by it.

"This piece tells a story of Longyan. In the past, the world in Longyan was divided into the Demon Sect and the Orthodox Sect, just like your Catholicism and Protestantism in Europe."

"They fought endlessly with never-ending grievances, but two great figures from the Demon Sect and the Orthodox Sect grew tired of the fighting in the Jianghu."

"It would be equivalent to your Holy See's Bishops—if a Catholic Bishop and a Protestant Bishop grew tired of the fighting and planned to find a place to hide away and never concern themselves with the Holy See's affairs again."

"Do you understand if I put it that way?"

Theresa nodded, neither happy nor angry. The Longyan people truly had no faith; Catholicism and Protestantism were irreconcilable, so how could two Bishops ever come together?

However, this story was quite interesting.

"This piece was written when they were distancing themselves from the turbulent Jianghu, and it even has lyrics."

"Why did I say one of her notes was wrong? Because for these two great figures to distance themselves from the strife together, it would inevitably invite pursuit from the fire-and-water forces of both sects."

"Therefore, this note cannot be played with too bright a tone; it should use a somber tone, for the future is uncertain and life or death is unknown."

Hearing this, Xie Chan suddenly had an epiphany.

"So that's it."

Theresa also understood, but she remained unconvinced: "Even if you say that, I still don't think Ms. Yue Chan's performance has any problems."

Liu Zheng smiled faintly: "That is why I said, 'Smiling Proudly in the Jianghu' has lyrics."

Liu Zheng was a loyal fan of "Smiling Proudly in the Jianghu" in his past life.

He had heard this song written by the master countless times.

He knew the lyrics by heart and had even secretly learned to sing it.

Theresa suddenly became interested; songs with lyrics were not yet very popular in Europe at this time.

However, there were some plays that used music accompanied by lines.

As a seasoned music lover, Theresa had seen no small number of such plays.

Now that she heard this piece actually had lyrics, she was naturally a bit excited and thrilled; she hadn't expected this Liu Sheng before her to be so capable.

"Then sing it for me to hear."

Liu Zheng stared at her: "Grand Duke Theresa, if you want me to sing, according to the rules of Longyan, you have to give me something in return."

When the Nobles heard this, their expressions were not very pleasant.

Our Archduchess of Austria letting a small Longyan merchant sing lyrics was already giving him face.

"This gentleman, this is an invitation from our Grand Duke; I hope you will not refuse."

"Longyan people, do you really not understand etiquette?"

"A barbaric land of the East, knowing nothing of art, only knowing how to brag."

Theresa's expression darkened slightly, and Count Austin did not dare to say another word; he did not even dare to firmly refuse Theresa's request.

Yousefu had long been trembling, not daring to face Theresa, but whether it was out of an artist's pride, Liu Sheng's kindness to him, or both, he spoke up.

"Gr... Grand Duke Theresa, artists all have pride; no one can order them to do things they do not want to do."

Theresa was stunned to see this Austrian artist being so firm.

Yousefu trembled under her gaze, which was naturally imposing even without anger, but his tone still showed no sign of backing down.

"The reason Vienna can give birth to so many artists is precisely because no one here is allowed to point fingers at artists."

Liu Zheng looked at Yousefu, feeling a warmth in his heart; he had not expected this artist, who worshipped Grand Duke Theresa so much,

to speak up for him; it was quite interesting.

As soon as these words were spoken, the gazes of everyone present toward the three people including Liu Zheng became somewhat unkind; they were not even top-tier artists, yet they dared to speak to Grand Duke Theresa like that.

Even those top-tier artists had no right to mock their Grand Duke Theresa.

Theresa's eyes flickered as she carefully sized up this merchant from Longyan, who was neither humble nor pushy.

"Fine, if you sing well, I will confer upon you the title of Honorary Baron of Austria."

The bunch of Nobles in Europe were instantly stunned; a Baron, although the lowest rank of nobility, with no fief and no power in Austria, was truly a symbol of status.

A symbol of the Noble.

Their symbol of the Noble was actually to be bestowed upon a Longyan person like this; it was truly unbearable.

"Grand Duke, this will not do."

"What is a Longyan person, to be able to enjoy this noble title of Baron!"

Theresa swept a cold glance over them, and the European Nobles immediately shut their mouths, though they remained displeased in their hearts.

She stared at Liu Zheng and said indifferently, "But if you do not sing well, even if you are a Longyan person, I can still have you arrested."

The European Nobles sneered coldly; whether the singing was good or not was for them to decide, and they immediately clamored:

"Don't hesitate, what kind of song could a Longyan person possibly sing?"

"Let him go to Hell!"

Liu Zheng looked around and chuckled, his eyes extremely cold; whether one sang well or not was always decided by others.

This was very unfair.

Just at this moment, a voice suddenly rang out.

"This is unfair!"