An Unrivaled Masterpiece for the Ages
After a few more words of conversation, Bai Ruoli picked up her wine cup, stood up, and toasted all four gentlemen with composure and grace.
Setting down her wine glass, she spoke softly:
"It's almost my turn to perform, and there's something I'd like to tell you, Young Master Shen, beforehand. I've searched through all the extant ci (lyric poetry) tunes and scores for your poem 'Groping for Fish - Wild Goose Mound Lyric,' but I couldn't find a corresponding melody. I suppose it must be a new tune you created yourself."
The lyrics moved me deeply, so I took the liberty of composing a piece based on their rhythm and melody. I'll be singing this piece on stage later. You were the original composer, so I'm not sure if it matches your original intention. Please feel free to offer your feedback.
Upon hearing this, Shen Jingchuan immediately realized—this was indeed a loophole he hadn't noticed.
He could only recite the lyrics verbatim; he had no idea how to sing the tune of "Groping for Fish ".
Fortunately, Bai Ruoli took the initiative to compose the music, which perfectly filled this gap. How could he dare to say a word of objection? He quickly smiled and replied:
"Master Bai is exceptionally talented; the music you compose is bound to be excellent. I'm all ears. It would be my honor to have Master Bai compose music for my humble work."
Upon Bai Ruoli gracefully curtsied, and before leaving, she gave Shen Jingchuan one last serious look before turning and quietly leaving the private room.
As soon as she left, Zhou Tong slapped his thigh and winked at Shen Jingchuan:
"Brother Shen, I think Master Bai is completely smitten. Didn't you see the look in her eyes? She was glued to you the whole time, that... tsk tsk tsk."
Xu Mo and Su Yan beside him nodded and smiled, their faces full of envy. Zhou Tong even shook his head and sighed:
"This Master Bai truly lives up to her reputation; she's as beautiful as a celestial being. To win the favor of such a beauty, Brother Shen, what great fortune you must have accumulated in your past life? Why don't I have such luck!"
His words made everyone laugh.
The group continued chatting, laughing, eating, and drinking. About fifteen minutes later, a familiar voice came from the direction of the stage downstairs. It was Jin Niang, the host of the poetry gathering and also the head host of West Phoenix Tower.
She cleared her throat and smiled as she addressed the audience:
"Distinguished gentlemen and guests, welcome to West Phoenix Tower. I have some good news to share with you today— Young Master Shen Jingchuan Yuxi Prefecture, who won third place in yesterday's poetry competition, has also graced our tower with his presence today."
As she spoke, she gracefully curtsied towards the private room in the center of the second floor.
The guests sitting in the audience immediately erupted in chatter, whispering among themselves and peering towards the second floor.
"Shen Jingchuan from Yuxi Prefecture? The one who wrote 'The Wild Goose Mound Lyric'?"
"He actually came! We made the right decision to come today."
When Shen Jingchuan heard his name called, he felt it would be impolite to remain in the private room, so he walked to the railing outside the room and bowed slightly to the people below. Now everyone could see his face, and there was a stir in the room, just like fans seeing a pop star in modern society. It took a while for the crowd to quiet down.
There were already small tables and stools placed by the railing, specifically for guests in the private rooms on the second floor to watch the performance.
Shen Jingchuan and his three companions sat down and leaned against the railing, looking towards the stage. Servants immediately brought out some food and wine so that the guests could continue to enjoy the performance while drinking.
Seeing that the situation had stabilized, Jin Niang smiled and spoke again:
"Today's opening piece will be performed by our renowned Bai Ruoli Master Bai. She has specially composed a new melody for Young Master Shen's 'Groping for Fish - Wild Goose Mound Lyric,' and today she will be performing it for the first time. We invite you all to enjoy it together."
As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Ruoli slowly walked onto the stage. She had changed into a moon-white zither dress, and a paulownia wood zither was placed in front of her. After sitting down, she lightly plucked the strings with her fingertips, and a few clear notes filled the air. The entire hall instantly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
She sang the first line, "What is love in this world that makes people willing to die for it?" Her voice was clear and slightly hoarse, like water soaked in autumn frost, flowing into people's ears along with the sound of the zither. Shen Jingchuan had heard many adapted versions of ancient poems in the past, most of which were adapted by modern people.
Listening to this ancient style of singing and playing now feels truly different. The sound of the zither is deep and melodious, the singing is melodious, and every word is pronounced with great charm. The sense of vastness and desolation, like the vastness of the world and the many seasons of old wings, accompanied by the resolute determination of a lone goose flying to the ground, crashes straight into the depths of one's heart.
When singing "Across ten thousand miles of layered clouds, a thousand mountains covered in snow at dusk, where does this lone figure go?", the tune is lowered to an extremely low pitch, and the sound of the zither also sinks down, as if one could truly see a lone goose circling helplessly in the swirling snow.
As the song drew to a close, "For a thousand autumns and ten thousand ages, it awaits poets to come and sing wildly and drink deeply, to visit the place where the Wild Goose Mound fell," the last note trembled slightly. Bai Ruoli lowered her eyes, her eyelashes glistening with moisture, and her throat choked slightly—she was completely immersed in the performance, her whole being enveloped in the poignant yet heroic emotions expressed in the lyrics.
When the music ended, the entire hall was silent for a long while before bursting into cheers.
As the music ended, the notes slowly faded, their lingering echoes still reverberating in the building. A deathly silence fell over the entire hall; no one spoke, no one applauded. Everyone was still immersed in the poignant image of a lone goose facing its death, unable to process what had just happened.
After several seconds of silence, a few scattered claps rang out from the corner, and then, like wildfire, applause and cheers instantly filled the entire West Phoenix Tower, wave after wave.
There was a murmur of discussion from the audience; some people were even slamming their fists on the table and sighing.
"Great lyrics! Great music! A truly rare and perfect combination!"
A middle-aged scholar stood up, holding his wine glass, and swayed his head as he savored the wine:
"I thought Young Master Shen's lyrics were already the pinnacle, but I never expected Master Bai's melody to perfectly capture the emotions within them. The two complement each other beautifully. It's truly a timeless masterpiece, worthy of a toast."
Amidst cheers and applause, another eccentric young man in a blue robe suddenly stood up from the scattered seats, holding a large cup of wine in both hands. He first bowed to Bai Ruoli on the stage, then turned to Shen Jingchuan on the second floor and raised his cup in greeting.
He then tilted his head back and gulped down the entire glass of wine in one go. He turned the glass upside down, leaving not a drop.
He wiped his lips, sat back in his chair, and laughed heartily, "How delightful! To hear such divine music and witness such timeless talent in this life is truly the greatest blessing!"