Sun Chen cackled inside his mind, reveling in the silence around the pavilion after the first piece they performed. For a while, the only sound that could be heard was the disjointed tuning of zither strings between Ji LanBai and Bai YuLan, in preparation for their next intended score.

In fact, he completely understood the guests' mood. After all, it was the same for him when he first heard YuLan's piercing flute-like voice for that song she had named "Painted Heart."

 

*** *** ***

The first time for Sun Chen to listen to the musical piece, was when he accompanied his friend, He Shan, to their employers' house. As a calligraphy teacher, he was already well acquainted with Ji's family daughter, Ji LanBai. On the other hand, he had only constantly heard from He Shan's whining that Ji LanBai was a dull stone in music. Then gradually, Sun Chen was not sure exactly when, He Shan started to hum unfamiliar tunes whenever they were together. He Shan also sighed with unconcealed pride in his eyes when he talked about his students' talents in music.

What had changed He Shan's mind so, that the dull stone Ji LanBai had suddenly become talented? And who was his other student?

Then Sun Chen finally got to listen to Ji LanBai and Bai YuLan's zither performance. Combined with He Shan's dizi melody, the songs the trio performed caused him to be awestruck. Sun Chen could finally understand what He Shan had been constantly chortling about for months.

"This score... ," Sun Chen had asked YuLan after he finished listening to it, "Does it have a verse? The qin you and Young Miss Ji LanBai had just played, seem to be telling a story."

This "Painted Heart" repertoire of two qins and a dizi had an unusual melody. Normally, music scores in the Zhang Empire symbolized the earth and the sky's forces, blowing wind, running river, thundering sounds. They were forces of nature, told through music. Qin and erhu would usually represent the flow of water, or playful bright colors of flowers. A dizi would tell the story of the wind.

Then scholars like Sun Chen and He Shan, would be inspired from these natural voices and give voice and melody to them, making poems to complement the music, or the music to complement the poems. These lyrical poetry would usually be performed at the end of the score to give the listeners an insight of the inspiration derived for the music.

But the score the trio just performed; it was definitely not the sound of the waves, or water, or wind. They sounded like unspoken hearts of actual living people, moving souls. From the flow of the qin and dizi, Sun Chen could sense this. Thus, he asked his question to YuLan after knowing she was the brain behind the melody.

YuLan smiled at him back then, with a faint hint of appraisal in her eyes.

"Sun-laoshi is truly a man worthy being called one of Da Lang's finest." She nodded softly, "That is correct. There is a verse for this score."

Afterwards, the four of them enthusiastically refined the lyrical verses YuLan recited. He Shan and Sun Chen were initially perplexed when they heard the lyrics.

What [Wanting to forget your expression, but can't.]? What [Loving you like a heartbeat.]?

Sun Chen found it hard to believe, these verses of love came from a young girl in her early teens.

He Shan could not help to tease YuLan, "Where did you get your inspiration from?" Then he jokingly widened his eyes and hide his lips behind his sleeves, showing a faked horrified expression, "Don't tell me... have you fallen in love with me? Aiyo~ I'm your teacher. It's impossible between us!"

YuLan merely stared at him, her lips drawn in a flat line, her eyebrows raised slightly in silent mockery. Feeling as though he had thrown stone into a pile of thick cotton, He Shan finally kept his mouth shut. Sun Chen could not help to feel embarrassed on his behalf.

After testing their vocals to determine the utmost suitability to the song's mood, Sun Chen was the chosen vocalist. He also contributed to some changes to the original verses YuLan told them. 

Bai YuLan and Ji LanBai were not averse to He Shan's wish to start publicizing the new pieces, as well as his intention to start introducing both girls as part of the performers. He Shan himself was really riled up and inspired to start performing what he was best at - music - after being an idle teacher for years.

The two Madames were initially wary of his request, but they finally conceded. For Wu JianRui, it was a good opportunity to start showing society her daughter's talent, especially if backed by two of the most accomplished scholars in Zhang Empire. Although Ji LanBai's future was set for her to enter the Third Prince's estate as his future wang-fei, society would always judge more favorably towards ladies with well-known achievements. In Da Lang, it was not a shame for a noble lady to be well-known as possessing talent in one of the four arts.

As for Hai FenChu, she was more enthusiastic to show YuLan's talent to the mass. As she had met dead-end from Ji SongLi in terms of trying to formally adopt YuLan, this was her chance to reach out to as many noble personages as possible. The more YuLan appealed to the upper circle of the society, the better her future marriage prospects would be.

Hai FenChu's thinking was extremely simple, if not extremely well-intended. Of course, the alternative could still be for YuLan to follow Ji LanBai to Zhang GuoFu's fief when the latter got married, as initially intended when she first came to Ji estate as a maid. But then that way, her status would be just a maid and there was little chance Hai FenChu would be able to see her again.

YuLan initially refused to sing as she did not really want to be in the limelight. So she played the notes repeatedly with the guqin and erhu, trying to find a suitable range for He Shan, Sun Chen, and Lan Bai for that high note whistle-like vocal part. She deemed He Shan and Sun Chen's voice too low for it, thus she finally asked Ji LanBai to try.

When Ji LanBai opened her mouth and her voice came out, He Shan almost poked his left ear with his dizi, forgetting that he was still holding it.
Sun Chen was horrified and straight away protected his eardrums behind his palms.

Bai YuLan's mouth twitched.

Ji LanBai was so gifted in qin, her individual skills was definitely above YuLan's by miles.

But her singing, was like the sound of a strangled chicken; or a pig about to be butchered.

To put it simply, it was beyond horrible.

"She is truly Ji ChanFang's daughter," YuLan thought bitterly, "The General's booming laughter could cause earthquake. His daughter's singing can probably send fish belly-up."

"If Ji LanBai were a siren in old folktales, sailors at sea would probably gladly drown themselves to keep their eardrums intact."

There was a trace of conflicted pity in her eyes when she looked at the oblivious Ji LanBai, "How can someone who look so perfect be so tone-deaf?"

YuLan decided she was not going to murder anyone with this young femme fatale's voice.

"You... ," YuLan sighed at the young girl she already thought as a sister, her expression incredulous, "...need to just play the qin. You are the best amongst all of us."

"Well, actually He Shan will be the best qin player, but no one else can play the dizi as well as he does."

He Shan and Sun Chen enthusiastically nodded like two woodpeckers, fully supporting YuLan's suggestion. Although the both of them tried to keep their expression flat, their eyes could not betray their horrified wits.

If Ji LanBai were to sing in public... . No, they really did not want to think about that possibility. Ever.

"I'll just sing that part, then," YuLan softly muttered to herself. She then strummed her guqin to give her the right octave to match, then started to sing,

It was just barely ten seconds of a long 'aaahhh'¹(The part that YuLan sang could be found in notes at the end of the chapter), but that was enough for He Shan and Sun Chen to collectively forget to pick up their hanging jaws off the floor.

Ji LanBai just stared at YuLan with more admiration than ever.

After a brief period of the hanging silence in the living room, they finally noticed Second Madame Hai FenChu standing at the door, astonished expression on her face.  When Hai FenChu finally realized everyone were looking at her, she coughed softly,

"I'm sorry, that was absolutely beautiful. For a while, I forgot what I came for." Then she looked warily around the room, "I heard a shrieking scream before, so I hurried over to this room... . Did anyone get hurt?"

*** *** ***

 

Ji LanBai stood; carrying her guqin with her, she moved slightly towards the front of the pavilion. Although her face was still concealed behind the veil, her figure was now in full view for the guests. YuLan shifted her own position to take place slightly to the side, but still behind Ji LanBai. This time Sun Chen withdrew to behind the white curtains, while He Shan stayed at his initial position.

Then without warning again, YuLan strummed her guqin. After her brief melodious start, Ji LanBai immediately started too, her clear stronger zither's sound was definitely meant to be the core of their second performance. YuLan did some resonating timbre through her qin, and He Shan's dizi's sound fluttered at some interlude; both sounds served as a beautiful landscape as Ji LanBai constantly painted the air with her qin's melody. The three sounds of their instruments were entangled in a harmonious dance with each other, a medley of spirited notes.

 

SONG LINK (YOUTUBE) || TITLE: 浮夢逍遙 (FLOATING DREAM OF WANDERLUST)

(Vocalized version at the bottom of this chapter)

 

In contrast to their almost grim but heart-stirringly harrowing first performance, this second piece was the sound of spring, the joy of youth, the happy flutter of bird wings.

 

The hearts of the spectators were mended by the sweetness they could clearly feel coming from the suspended pavilion; they swayed their heads and bodies slightly to be a part of the melody. Not to mention, for those who had uninterrupted view of the front of the suspended pavilion, sometimes the summer breeze swayed the hanging white fabrics, creating an almost ethereal atmosphere that could only belong to the immortals. The playful breeze would also occasionally lifted the veils of the qin players slightly, giving glimpses of charming pale cheeks and red lips. Youthful features, but endearing nonetheless.

 

 

Once again, Crown Prince Zhang KongJing swayed his fan gently. Closing his eyes and moving his head to sway along, he heard his third brother remarked,

"The young lady in light violet dress should be Young Miss Ji LanBai," Zhang GuoFu said.

"Oh, how could third brother tell?" Second Prince Zhang JunLi shifted his gaze towards the pavilion. Although they could see all performers clearly; apart from He Shan, the two qin players were hidden behind their veils. He could not tell who was who.

"The guqin." Zhang GuoFu smiled, "She is using the guqin I have sent to the Ji's estate for her birthday two years ago."

Zhang GuoFu had never failed to send his fiancee some gifts to show his goodwill. One of the rarest presents he had given was a guqin with strings made of horsehair. He had acquired a wild prairie horse from his latest expedition to the Northern Plains a couple of years ago. The animal itself was presented to his Imperial Father to be taken care of at the palace, but Zhang GuoFu had cut some hair from it for his own use. Northern Plain's wild horses' hair were being known for their durability but thin silk-like softness. He had the guqin custom made, then added a white jade tassel in a shape of orchid, to give identity to her name. 

He initially wasn't sure if Ji LanBai would be using the guqin at all; after all, when he first came to the Ji estate years ago for her sixth birthday, he had never seen her touched a guqin despite already having one.

When he saw the orchid jade tassel on the guqin used by the violet-dressed qin performer, he immediately knew the person was Ji LanBai. To see his gift being taken care of and used splendidly to produce such a beautiful musical piece, it gave his heart a sense of pride and satisfaction.

"Such discernment that could only belong to the rightful husband." Zhang KongJing laughed, clearly in a good mood from the joyful music he was still listening to.

"Then, the young lady behind her must be... ," Zhang JunLi probed.

"Bai YuLan," Zhen BuFeng intervened while squinting his eyes slightly towards the pavilion, "Though the guqin she is using... is definitely SongLi's guqin."

"You're joking." Zhang KongJing followed suit in squinting his eyes to observe more, ".... . You are right. That is indeed Ji SongLi's guqin! I can never forget the unusual color of that zither."

Zhang JunLi mused, "But SongLi has always treated his guqin like someone would to a wife. Why would YuLan now have possession of it?"