Qinhuai's Pleasures and the Song of Wu's Sorrow, When the Song Ends, Parting Comes, Unaware of the Cold (II)

Not long after Dai met with the Azure Waves Heaven, someone was quietly taken to Zhong Mountain.

Ye Jinyu sat on a jade-carved chair, gazing at the winding stream in the courtyard, and unconsciously tapped the armrest lightly, seemingly lost in thought.

The man brought along was dressed simply, in a long blue cloth robe. He was none other than Yu Liang, the poor, Rogue Cultivator who had been sitting alone in the corner at the banquet.

The moonlight shone on Yu Liang's face, revealing a young face with delicate features, yet bearing a hint of vicissitudes beyond his years.

He bowed respectfully, displaying impeccable manners, yet remaining neither servile nor arrogant.

"Yu Liang and Yu Yuangui, from humble families in Guangling, greet Young Master Ye."

Ye Jinyu chuckled softly, her voice neither joyful nor sorrowful.

"Your previous posture at the banquet, that air of being untainted by the mud and frustrated in your career, was merely a pretense of aloofness to cultivate your reputation and gain fame."

Is there anything else you wish to ask of me, young master, that has piqued my interest? Or are you trying to accuse us of hypocrisy and extravagance, and to mock us?"

"This young master despises those who put on airs and stand on moral high ground to point fingers. There are countless talented people in the world, like fine horses."

But this young master, such discerning patrons are rare. Whether a fine horse or a wild one, this young master only prefers the docile. A clever and insightful mind is the most fitting description.

Upon hearing this, Yu Liang shook his head, burst into laughter, and recited a poem.

"The Qinhuai warms as spring deepens, the youths of Jiangnan are full of youthful vigor, a night of revelry rises on Zhong Mountain, but who hears the wailing of ghosts everywhere?"

Ye Jinyu raised an eyebrow at the pretentious poem, which was full of empty talk about worrying about the country and its people. She felt disgusted.

Anyone can reason, and everyone understands character; he offers advice in ordinary times, yet he is willing to die for his sovereign in times of crisis.

These sycophants act like they own the place, eating, drinking, and using your things, and this young master still expects to put on a show of hospitality! Why should I?

This young master is simply annoyed. Are we begging for this kind of talent? Is the world really that short of people?

As the old saying goes, "If you use it, it becomes a dragon; if you dismiss it, it becomes a worm!"

Thinking of this, he waved behind him.

"Anlan, throw this pedantic, fame-seeking fool out of Zhong Mountain. This young master doesn't keep idle people around."

Ye Anlan accepted the order and was about to step forward.

Upon seeing this, Yu Liang sensed something was amiss.

This is not what I expected. I had heard that Young Master Ye was courteous to scholars and unconventional in his approach to learning!

I deliberately remained calm and composed at the banquet, refusing to indulge in revelry or flattery with those young masters from the Aristocratic Clan.

Remaining untainted by the mud, such is the integrity of a renowned scholar, such is his humility and arrogance!

He should have happily helped me up, shown me concern and care, then bestowed upon me abundant resources, making a gesture to win over the hearts of scholars from humble backgrounds.

The young emperor ascended to power, and at a banquet, he offered sarcastic advice to a scholar from a humble background. Such a meeting and mutual understanding between ruler and subject is truly a beautiful tale!

If you're happy, I'm happy, and we all win together, isn't that great!

But Ye Anlan looked disdainful, twisted his wrist, made a sound, and then picked up the chain in a rough manner.

This brute! I am a renowned scholar! Yu Yuangui, I have a good reputation in Jiangnan!

He immediately stopped laughing, his expression turned solemn, he bowed again, and then said in a steady but slightly hurried tone:

"Young master, please wait! I hope you can see this clearly. We are from humble backgrounds and have no power, but we can stand on our own two feet. Rogue Cultivator and have no support, but we can only show our loyalty."

I am not feigning arrogance, nor am I mocking the young master; I am simply mindful of the dangers of prosperity and worried about distant lands when I hear music and revelry.

A fine horse does not flatter its master, and a good minister does not fawn upon his ruler.

I consider myself a good minister, an upright minister, and a loyal minister.

If the young master only seeks agreeable words, Yu Liang will withdraw today.

If the young lord aspires to rule the world, Yu Liang is willing to serve him without hesitation.

As soon as he finished speaking, he stood quietly with his hands at his sides, then bowed respectfully.

Before Ye Jinyu could speak, Ye Anlan had already swung the chain and put it directly on Yu Liang.

The young master's order is hereby given and should be carried out immediately.

The cold iron chains instantly wrapped around his body.

Yu Liang's heart sank suddenly, and a surge of regret welled up inside him.

The Sima Clan's Azure Waves Heaven had long been dominated by the Aristocratic Clan. Even with the bestowal of official titles and promises, it was already overflowing with people. People from humble backgrounds like him had no hope of rising to prominence.

Today, I finally managed to see Young Master Ye, but at a great cost. If I am taken away now, I will never have a chance to turn my life around.

Just as Ye Anlan was about to forcibly drag him out, Ye Jinyu lightly tapped his fingers on the jade chair, slowly stopping, a playful amusement flashing in his eyes.

"I hate these pretentious people the most..."

He raised his eyes, his tone casual yet carrying an undeniable authority:

"Wait!"

As soon as Ye Jinyu finished speaking, Ye Anlan stopped abruptly, Yu Liang suddenly felt a surge of hope.

"This young master understands right and wrong, knows the situation, and is naturally aware of the unpleasantness of honest advice."

You have some guts to speak so frankly to me about this worry. I admire that, but I don't like that kind of attitude.

There are many intelligent people in the world; don't mistake them for fools. Those who feign superiority are as numerous as dogs, and so are the truly talented.

"When I employ people, firstly, they must be absolutely loyal, understand my intentions, and obey me without question. Otherwise, no matter how much they care about the world or how talented they are, they are not worthy to stand by my side."

"You have integrity and vision. Looking back, you still know how to advance and retreat according to the times. Keep this as a reference for future documents and to organize your correspondence."

Upon hearing this, Yu Liang was greatly surprised and overjoyed.

Ye Anlan bowed to the young master, smiled, removed the chains, and stepped aside.

Yu Liang reacted quickly, immediately bowing and kowtowing, his voice filled with the respect of someone who had just survived a calamity:

"Thank you for your kindness, young master! Yu Liang will certainly fulfill his duties faithfully and serve you with utmost loyalty, and will never utter a single falsehood!"

When he stood up, all his aloofness and arrogance had vanished, leaving only composure and respect.

"From now on, I will obey your orders, young master. I will speak frankly and without reservation, reporting the true situation in Jianghuai and handling worldly affairs. I will know when to advance and when to retreat, be mindful of my boundaries, and stay true to my principles, so as not to fail the young master's kindness in taking me in, nurturing me, and guiding me today."

Ye Jinyu merely glanced at him indifferently, her fingertips lightly tapping the armrest again, her tone calm and unwavering:

"Get up. I have many opportunities, but I only give one at a time. You'd better watch yourself."

"Yes."

Yu Liang stood with his head bowed, his heart no longer filled with resentment or arrogance.

As the moonlight shone down, he knew that from this moment on, his fate had changed.

Looking out from Zhong Mountain, the moonlight shines down, and the water glistens.

The banquet may end, but the music lingers; let's call our friends and family!

Yangzhou is a place where a riot of colors dazzles the eye, where the Qinhuai flows with romance, where tigers crouch and dragons coil, a place of strategic importance, where lights twinkle and music plays all night long.

Vast and ethereal music filled the air, with songs and dances echoing in the air. The sounds of silk and bamboo instruments drifted on the wind, a scene of peace and prosperity, a once-glorious and prosperous land.

The wind and moon over the Qinhuai know no cold; a Wu sorrowful tune is seen in drunken revelry.

People say the land of immortals is beautiful, but who has seen the frost and snow covering the Northern Frontier?

On the Qinhuai, the music and dancing continued as before.

Youzhou, the northern capital of the Great Jin, Jidu.

The biting north wind howled like a knife, sweeping across the city walls. The heavy, menacing aura of the army, thick with Qi and Blood clouds, pressed down like a collapsing sky, covering the earth. A large banner bearing the character "Jin" was torn and fluttered wildly.

A million Hu cavalrymen lined up below the city, their warhorses exhaling white steam. The Hu people were expressionless, their bodies covered in frost and black magic, motionless, as if in the silence before a great battle, like statues.

On the city wall, Sima Chengzhao stood with his hands behind his back, looking somewhat haggard.

He wore a black brocade robe with a silver-white cloak over it, and a jade zither hung at his waist. The zither was long and slender, with a flowing light all over it, and was named "Flowing Frost".

He was also the son of Sima Honglin, but born out of wedlock.

He neither cultivates the water element nor the spring element, but he is highly talented, has a particular fondness for music, and cultivates the Cold Qi. Thus, he came to guard the ancient, bitterly cold Youyan.

At the Purple Mansion Middle Stage, [Heavenly Cold Qi], [Calm and Clear the Spirit], and [Zither Sword Heart] are all top-tier supernatural Divine Ability, making him exceptionally powerful and gifted.

He held considerable power, was a rare talent among the imperial clan, and was personally praised by the Sima Clan patriarch. He was a promising young man who had the potential to create his own path and achieve the Golden Core Heavenly Rank Realm.

He stood in the northern capital, gazing at the dark mass of the Hu tribes' allied forces, his eyes burning with suppressed rage.

Although since the first year of Yongning, the Northern Frontier barbarian tribes have invaded the south every year, under the instigation and encouragement of the sorcerers and demons.

This year was even worse. Seven hundred thousand barbarians, claiming to be a million, marched into Youzhou in a mighty force, encountering virtually no resistance and advancing as if into an empty land.

The northern lands are not indefensible. Among the officials who inspect and urge the borders, there are incompetent and meddlesome talkers, but there are also sincere and loyal ones.

But those who were reported were dead! They were replaced, and those who remained were nothing but wolves and tigers.

The border officials in various regions knew that protecting themselves was merely a ploy by [Spring Rain Hong Dharma Heaven].

They treated the lives of ordinary people like dirt, slaughtering them at will. Even the barbarian cavalry cooperated perfectly, circling around mountains and avoiding rivers, never daring to invade the Aristocratic Clan of the immortal clans.

The imperial court's reports always described a great victory over the barbarians, the pacification of the Northern Frontier, and the prohibition of even a single northern refugee from entering the Central Plains!

Where did this million-strong barbarian cavalry come from? But it was just routine.

However, it seems somewhat unexpected and unforeseen.

That means the barbarian cavalry has reached the northern capital! This is a slap in the face to the Jin Imperial House!

Sima Chengzhao knew that his father had made a deal with them, but those people were pushing their luck.

This time, is it about alchemy, spiritual energy, or mutual achievement?!

Laughable, pathetic, and lamentable.

"Your Majesty."

Behind him, the lieutenant whispered, "The Hu tribe is about to begin playing their Demonic Hu Jia Sound."

"Whether to withdraw from Jidu depends on the changing circumstances. After all, the True Lord only instructed us to cover the Northern Frontier and not cause too much trouble. Once these barbarian cavalry have gathered enough men for the Blood Devil Dao and the Blood Shaman Dao, they will retreat..."

"This is a method of Shaman Dao that uses sound to disturb the mind and destroy a city. It is said to have been created by an High Antiquity Ancient Shaman Dao True Lord of the Xiongnu during the Flame Han Dynasty!"

With the playing of demonic music, no city in the land can be defended and will surely fall.

No city could withstand ten days of the demonic sound; even if it did, the entire city would perish.

Upon hearing this, Sima Chengzhao turned his head, his face contorted with rage, his gaze turning cold, which startled the deputy general into immediately stopping his words.

At that moment, the low, mournful sound of a huqin (a type of ancient Chinese wind instrument) rose from outside the city, wailing and howling like ghosts or wolves. The sound carried a strange rhythm, and listening to it for a long time made one feel numb and shaken.

It is the Hu Jia Gu Sound).

The secret arts of the Hu tribe: to confuse the mind with sound and to seize the soul with voice.

On the city wall, the soldiers began to stir restlessly. Some covered their ears, some squatted on the ground, and some muttered to themselves with unfocused eyes.

"Hold on!" the lieutenant shouted upon seeing this.

But the sound of the huqin grew louder and more urgent, as if countless vengeful ghosts were howling in one's ears.

Sima Chengzhao closed his eyes, his heart filled with mixed emotions, hesitant and undecided.

But then, a glimmer of spring arrived, and the Sha Qi aura of the dark clouds seemed to freeze.

This is...? The order to retaliate!

Sima Chengzhao was overjoyed.

He immediately took off the "Flowing Frost" zither from his waist and sat down cross-legged.

The name of this zither was given to him when he was young, after being appreciated by his ancestor, who granted him access to the treasured forbidden area inherited by the Sima Clan.

It is pure white, slightly cool to the touch, and produces a clear, melodious sound when stroked, like a mountain spring flowing or the first snow falling, hence its name.

The zither rests across my lap, my fingertips lightly touching the strings.

The first note rang out, clear and serene, like a mountain stream or the moon shining on a cold river. It was not a sound of killing, but rather carried a power that stabilized people's hearts like a stabilizing force.

"It is the King's zither!"

"It's the Prince playing the zither!"

The sound of the zither pierced through the north wind, through the reed pipes, and through the hearts of everyone.

The restless soldiers gradually quieted down, and their unfocused eyes slowly regained their clarity.

The sound of the hujia (a type of reed pipe instrument) was suppressed by a single note.

Sima Chengzhao continued playing the zither.

The music grew stronger, like a surging river, like the sound of pines echoing through the valleys. The sound carried an indescribable power—not of killing, not of intimidation, but of stillness.

Calm your mind, calm your spirit, calm your soul.

This is [Calm and Clear the Spirit].

Outside the city, the sound of the huqin (a type of reed pipe) began to become disordered.

The Hu tribe shaman, who was playing the Hujia (a type of reed pipe instrument), felt a violent tremor in his heart. The Hujia in his hands seemed to have turned into a burning coal, and he could no longer play it.

The music changed again.

This time, it's the sword, it's [the Zither Sword Heart].

An invisible blade of sound flew from the strings, striking directly at the central army of the Hu tribe's allied forces.

There was no blood, no wounds, but wherever the sonic blade struck, the Hu soldiers screamed in agony, their ranks thrown into chaos.

Chief Hu's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly urged the Huqin to be played again, unleashing a demonic melody. But the shamans and sorcerers were already bleeding from all seven orifices and collapsed to the ground.

The music grew increasingly urgent and intense, like a surging river or a collapsing mountain, carrying an irresistible majesty as it swept towards the supposedly million-strong barbarian cavalry.

At the same time, Hu Qiu of the central army felt a sweet taste in his throat, and even his huqin (a type of reed pipe) fell from his hand. He staggered backward and spat out blood.

"Chief!"

Everyone was shocked.

Hu Qiu raised his head and looked towards Jidu, his eyes filled with fear.

"Retreat quickly..." he shouted hoarsely with his last bit of strength.

The Hu-led coalition retreated like a receding tide, leaving behind corpses and flags scattered across the ground.

The music stopped abruptly.

Sima Chengzhao stood up and put his zither away at his waist.

He stared expressionlessly at the fleeing barbarian cavalry beyond the pass.

"Your Majesty is mighty!" The lieutenant knelt on the ground, trembling with excitement.

On the city walls and below the towers, 100,000 soldiers knelt down simultaneously.

"Your Highness is truly awe-inspiring!"

Sima Chengzhao put away the jade zither, his expression not very good. Playing the zither had seemingly effortlessly defeated a million soldiers, but in reality, it had taken a tremendous toll on his health.

"Get up, all of you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!!"

Sima Chengzhao turned around and slowly walked down from the city wall.

After taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped.

Standing there, gazing at the vast grasslands outside the city.

The wind blew, stirring up a flurry of snow.

Snowflakes fell on his shoulders, his hair, and on the jade zither.

He didn't move.

It simply stood there quietly, like a sculpture.

The wind and Cold Qi, bidding farewell to the traveler. Do not be delusional. Further north, what was attracting Sima Chengzhao, yet also filled him with dread?

"A single song can scatter a million soldiers, the Demonic Hu Jia Sound is fierce. When the world's prosperity fades, Cold Qi and clear snow remain."

These words penetrated Sima Chengzhao's heart, their echo lingering, as if engraved into his Dao.

High in the clouds, a pair of eyes slowly opened, as if they had caught sight of someone, enveloped in a radiant black mist, with eerie sounds emanating from them.

Beneath the black mist lurked greed and desire, akin to being intoxicated by the sight of precious jewels and beautiful women, driven by a desire to possess and seize.

"Indeed, it is the authentic sound of the Qing Shang, the path of refined music? Exquisitely beautiful, it stirs the heart. The music of the Hu Jia is intense, yet it is still barbarian. The way of Heavenly Dao and the hearts of men still lie in the Great Jin."

"A true friend is hard to find, so hard to find... Sima Honglin, are you willing to give that up? If so, this deal will have to be upgraded!"

Sima Chengzhao's mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts, chaotic and disorganized, causing him great distress.

Suddenly, a familiar voice came through, enlightening him and calming him down.

"Zhao'er"

"Flowing Frost is the Cold Qi of heaven and earth."

It was Sima Honglin.

Sima Chengzhao gave a wry smile, but continued speaking in accordance with his father's wishes.

"Where the Cold Qi reaches, all things wither and die. But without this Cold Qi, how would those plants and trees know the beauty of spring?"

"Your subject understands. I am willing to be this Flowing Frost. A little cold, a little bitterness, it doesn't matter."

Upon hearing this, Sima Honglin lit up with joy.

"Good. From this day forward, my son will be famous throughout the world, a pillar of the Great Jin Dynasty, a pillar of white jade, until his name is Earth Rankings."

Cultivate yourself diligently, follow the path of Cold Qi Music, and the future is yours.

Assist your elder brother, and later your nephew. The Prince of Wei (Sima Linxun) is the only hope for my lineage! The future destiny!