Chapter 964: A Song that Wrenches the Heart
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
This was clearly a troublemaker looking to disrupt things on purpose. The compet.i.tor himself had already declared his loss, and the judges had also given their results. Creating trouble like this was simply too much and wanting Jun Mo Xie to perform a song even more sad than this was also exceedingly shameless. Young Master Jun had already said very clearly just now, that while the song itself was perfect, the only problem laid in the state of mind of the performer, which resulted in the entire performance being flawed. But that person actually wanted Jun Mo Xie to perform a song that was superior to that one. It was simply making things difficult for others!
“Victory and defeat is already clear. Are you going to create trouble on purpose?” Miao Xiao Miao furrowed her brows and her eyes gleamed. It was obvious that she was exceedingly infuriated!
“He didn’t even touch a musical instrument. How can you say that victory and defeat are clear?” The voice persisted relentlessly.
Jun Mo Xie had already determined the location of the person speaking long ago. It was a fellow standing far away among the crowd, lowering his head and hiding himself while shouting loudly.
Normally people who shouted like that should be extremely agitated, not like this guilty looking fellow who was afraid of being recognized.
Zhan Qing Feng did not say anything, but there was a look of glee in his eyes. That person was someone they had arranged previously. In case Mo Jun Ye won, no matter with what reason, they would find some ways to oppose it. Even if it was picking a bone from an egg, they would still try to flip his victory into a loss!
Jun Mo Xie swept his spiritual sense out and instantly understood the situation. Scoffing lightly in his heart, he thought to himself. If these people knew that this Young Master was that legendary person who performed that Laughing Proudly in the Pugilistic World back at Chrysanthemum City’s Tanguan Hall… I’m afraid you won’t be so eager to give this Young Master a chance to perform. That Heartbreak Hymn could indeed be considered as perfect. However, there were also rank differentiations between perfection…
“As the saying goes, justice comes from the heart of the people. Fine then, since someone has raised their doubts, I shall perform a song for everyone. In case others want to find faults and act shamelessly! Am I right, First Young Master Zhan?” Jun Mo Xie said with a faint smile as he looked at Zhan Qing Feng.
“That is natural. One needs to win with overwhelming ability in order to convince the crowd!” Zhan Qing Feng returned the smile and said. “Victory and defeat cannot be determined with just a few skillful words.”
“Exactly. Speaking of not determining victory or defeat with just a few words…” Jun Mo Xie chuckled lightly. “One shouldn’t rely on sneaky tricks, using people who don’t even dare to show their faces to create trouble. The brother who spoke up just now, since you had the guts to use your voice, why don’t you step out and speak? I can guarantee you that I will definitely not pursue the matter, whether you’re speaking for yourself, or on behalf of others!”
Miao Xiao Miao burst out in laughter when she heard those words. With her abilities, she’d naturally also found that person. When Jun Mo Xie was exchanging words with Zhan Qing Feng, she’d instantly realized everything.
Ever since they reached here, she’d never seen that person and Zhan Qing Feng say a single word. From the looks of it, that person had clearly been planted by Zhan Qing Feng. To think that this fellow was actually so far-sighted to such a level, already making plans to deal with a defeat in advance.
But because of this, she felt even more wary of Zhan Qing Feng! Wouldn’t this mean that all those actions he’d shown her earlier had all been a part of his plan?
Those great efforts he’d spent to get into her good books… what had all that been for? Or rather… what does the Zhan Family want?
This was the first time that Miao Xiao Miao linked the matter to the Zhan Family, and she could not help but feel a great shock in her heart!
“Brother Lin, I didn’t expect this meeting today and didn’t bring my instrument. Can I borrow Brother Lin’s jade xiao?” Jun Mo Xie asked with a slight smile.
Lin Qing Yin agreed immediately and took out his jade xiao. After was.h.i.+ng it carefully in clear water, he wiped it with his personal handkerchief and pa.s.sed it to Jun Mo Xie.
Such an action was actually the greatest mark of respect from a musician!
With Lin Qing Yin’s status as a great musician, he naturally had his own standing, and it was normally impossible for him to part with his personal instrument which had never left his side, lending it to another person. But Lin Qing Yin’s action had shocked everyone.
Because to Lin Qing Yin, Mo Jun Ye wanting to borrow his xiao was an honor to him!
As he received the xiao, it was so light that Jun Mo Xie felt as if there was nothing in his hand. In that moment, he could help but to exclaim/ “Good xiao!”
There was practically no weight to this jade xiao at all. From the touch and feel of it, this was most likely only possible with the exceedingly rare Light Spirit Jade!
“A good xiao also needs to be paired with a capable musician. In my hands, this jade xiao is somewhat wasted. Hopefully, it can produce a different sound now that it’s in Brother Mo’s hands.” Lin Qing Yin smiled generously and took a step back.
“Brother Lin is too modest.” Jun Mo Xie smiled lightly and said. Looking at the jade xiao in his hand, he nodded lightly. “The tune I’m about to perform today is composed by a lady and has been circulated for several hundred years now… Perhaps because the heavens were jealous of her beauty, this woman peerless in her looks was frail and sickly, living her life with brows furrowed in pain. Before the age of 20, she’d already left the mortal world. A country toppling beauty like that was thus covered in earth and left to rot, drawing the unceasing sighs of countless people in the world. But due to us being far away and remote, this song had yet to reach this place. If not for a fortuitous encounter back then, I would not have learnt this song. Today, I will perform this song as a tribute to her.”
As he said that, countless people p.r.i.c.ked their ears and sat up attentively. From the looks of it, this was a song that n.o.body had ever heard of before.
And it was even the work of a woman!
“Though this Miss had a beautiful face, she rarely went out due to her frail const.i.tution which consigned her to her bed. Normally, her greatest joy would be to gaze at flowers in front of her window and look at the clouds drifting through the sky… That day, the flowers in the garden had all bloomed, and her heart was filled with joy as she played to her heart’s content. In her happiness, she decided that she would go out again the following morning! But that night, a huge wind swept through, followed by a storm. All the flowers which had bloomed that day were destroyed in a single night…”
As he spoke to here, Miao Xiao Miao could not help but gasp lightly, thinking to herself that if she were that girl, she would definitely feel exceedingly sad. Especially since this girl was weak and sickly, her heart was definitely frail. The sudden storm had surely destroyed much of her hopes and happiness, so wouldn’t she feel even worse?
And indeed, Jun Mo Xie continued. “… When she heard the storm that night, she already felt incomparably anxious. When the sun finally rose the next day, she covered her body and rushed out to the garden to see her favorite flowers. But the sight before her eyes was just a cruel scene of scattered red petals…
“The girl was completely heartbroken. The resplendent flowers of yesterday had become like this in just a single day. Even so, the dejected girl could not bear to see those petals remain desecrated on the ground like that. So,she swept all of them up and collected them in a bag, burying them in the ground… As she was burying the petals, she suddenly thought of herself. Wasn’t she just like those flowers? With her sickness, she likely would not be able to live for long. Today, she was burying the flowers. But who would be burying her in the days to come?
“Perhaps due to her melancholic emotions, or her state of mind, the girl wrote a poem t.i.tled <> 1 . Today, the song I’m going to perform is a xiao rendition composed by her. And in just three days after writing that song, the girl pa.s.sed away…
“This little sister truly can’t wait to listen to this Song of the Burial of Flowers.” Miao Xiao Miao said with rapt attention and interest. “But before Brother Mo starts performing, can you write this poem down for us first?”
“Since Miss Miao has requested it, it is naturally possible!” Jun Mo Xie said with a smile.
With a wave of her hand, a brush and a long scroll of paper were brought out and placed before her. Smiling lightly, she said, “Brother Mo only needs to recite, and this little sister will write it down.”
“That is fine as well.” Jun Mo Xie understood her meaning. In a while, he might need to compete in calligraphy. It was still not time for him to reveal his cards yet.
The two’s words had successfully infected the crowd with antic.i.p.ation for this Song of the Burial of Flowers even before the performance.
Firstly, the storytelling created a scene in the hearts of the crowd. Then, with the lyrics written down and placed before the crowd before completing it with a xiao rendition, it would undoubtedly maximise the resonance of the music in the hearts of the crowd!
Without further delay, Miao Xiao Miao dipped her brush in ink and as Jun Mo Xie recited, the Song of the Burial of Flowers which had shocked the Earth and was recited by everyone in his previous life was finally introduced for the first time in this other world, revealing its dazzling radiance!
“Flowers fade and fly,
and flying fill the sky;
Their bloom departs, their perfume gone,
yet who stands pitying by?
And wandering threads of gossamer
on the summer-house are seen,
And falling catkins lightly dew-steeped
strike the embroidered screen.
A girl within the inner rooms,
I mourn that spring is done.
A veil of sorrow binds my heart,
and solace there is none.
I pa.s.s into the garden,
and I turn to use my hoe.
Treading over fallen glories
as I lightly come and go.
There are willow-sprays and flowers of elm,
and these have scent enough.
I care not if the peach and plum,
are stripped from every bough.
The peach-tree and the plum-tree too
next year may bloom again.
But next year, in the inner rooms,
tell me, shall I remain?
By the third moon new fragrant nests
shall see the light of day.
New swallows fly among the beams,
each on its thoughtless way.
Next year once more they’ll seek their food
among the painted flowers.
But I may go, and beams may go,
and with them swallow bowers.
Three hundred days and sixty make
a year, and therein lurk
Daggers of wind and swords of frost
to do their cruel work.
How long will last the fair fresh flower
which bright and brighter glows?
One morning its petals float away,
but to where no one knows.
Gay bloooming buds attract the eye,
faded they’re lost to sight;
Oh, let me sadly bury them
beside these steps tonight.
Alone, unseen, I seize my hoe,
with many a bitter tear;
They fall upon the naked stem
and stains of blood appear.
The night-jar now has ceased to mourn,
the dawn comes on apace;
I seize my hoe and close the gates,
leaving the burying-place;
But not until sunbeams dot the wall
does slumber soothe my care.
The cold rain pattering on the pane
as I lie s.h.i.+vering there.
You wonder that with flowing tears
my youthful cheek is wet;
They partly rise from angry thoughts,
and partly from regret.
Regret that spring comes suddenly;
and anger that it cannot last.
No sound to announce its approach,
or warn us when it’s pa.s.sed.
Last night within the garden
sad songs were faintly heard;
Sung, as I knew, by spirits,
spirits of flower and bird.
We cannot keep them here with us,
these much-loved birds and flowers,
They sing but for a season’s s.p.a.ce,
and bloom a few short hours.
If only I on a feathered wing
might soar aloft and fly;
With flower spirits I would seek
the rooms within the sky.
But high in the air
What grave is there?
No, give me an embroidered bag
within to lay their charms.
And Mother Earth, pure Mother Earth,
shall hide them in her arms.
Thus those sweet forms which spotless came
shall spotless go again.
Nor pa.s.s dirty with mud and filth
along some filthy drain.
Farewell, dear flowers, forever now,
thus buried as was best.
I have not yet divined when I
with you shall sink to rest.
I who can bury flowers like this
a laughing-stock shall be;
I cannot say in days to come
what hands shall bury me.
See how when spring begins to fail
each opening flower fades;
So too there is a time of age
and death for beautiful maids;
And when the fleeting spring is gone,
and days of beauty over;
Flowers fall, and lovely maidens die,
and both are known no more!”
As Jun Mo Xie recited and Miao Xiao Miao wrote, the entire crowd was engrossed in the sorrowful yet beautiful and graceful poem. Even the two Zhan brothers who were determined to cause trouble for Jun Mo Xie did not say a single word.
To think that there was such beautiful poetry in this world! Every word and every phrase was extremely relatable… that helplessness, that free and easy att.i.tude towards life and death… using flowers as a metaphor for her own aloof pride…
To think that such a pure hearted and free spirited girl had actually existed in this world before…