Di Ming

Chapter 117 Orchid Melody

It wasn't until 7:45 PM that Tian Yi ended the secret meeting of the Directorate of Ceremonial and issued a series of orders overnight.

After his subordinates left, Tian Yi washed his hands, burned incense, ordered the guqin to be placed on the table, and played a tune.

The music carried a hidden air of violence and anxieties about the imperial court.

After the melody ended, Tian Yi's heart was as still as water, undisturbed.

Tian Yishan was skilled at playing the zither. He would play a tune whenever there was an important matter.

The sound of the zither drifted to the backyard, where Zhu Yin listened intently, a slight change in his expression on his small face. He held his teacup, lost in thought, as focused as a little adult.

Upon hearing Tian Yi's zither music, Zhu Yin vaguely sensed that he was about to do something against his conscience.

It seems my guess was right.

Seeing Zhu Yin's expression, Tian Zheng thought to himself: This child is at most ten years old, and he understands the sound of the zither? I don't understand it at all.

When Tian Yi returned to the backyard, everyone had finished their tea.

Seeing that Tian Yi's expression was normal, Ning was truly relieved. She did not ask her husband about the secret decree.

She had already figured it out when she heard her husband playing the piano.

Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei certainly couldn't ask about the contents of the secret decree; wouldn't that be foolish? Having learned that nothing was amiss, they tactfully took their leave.

"My son, it's late, why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Ning said. "What's the harm in staying in the manor for one night? You can sleep with me tonight."

Ning Caiwei said obediently, "My lord, please forgive me. I have a one-year-old sister at home who cannot be separated from us even for a night. If we do not return tonight, she will cause a lot of trouble. I must take my leave."

Ning exclaimed happily, "There's another little one? Why didn't you say so earlier! She's my niece too!"

After saying that, he said to his personal maid, "Yu Ling, bring me the pair of necklaces that the Empress Dowager bestowed upon me."

"Yes!" Yu Ling accepted the order and left.

Xie Langhuan covered her mouth with her fan and laughed, "Mother is so biased. Those necklaces were tributes from the palace, bestowed upon us by the Empress Dowager. I haven't even had a chance to touch them."

"You're so glib." Madam Ning wasn't annoyed. "It's just a pair of jeweled necklaces, what's the value of them? Aren't we already receiving enough rewards from the palace? If you want some, go pick them yourself."

Before long, Yu Ling brought out a pair of sandalwood boxes.

Just by looking at that small sandalwood box with its gold and colorful decorations, you can tell that the item is very valuable.

Ning said, "You and your sister each have one of these necklaces; they were both blessed at a grand temple."

Ning Caiwei didn't stand on ceremony; she thanked them and accepted the gift.

Zhu Yin said meaningfully, "My uncle is known for his refined character, lofty ideals, and loyalty to the country. Who doesn't understand his true feelings?"

Tian Yi was somewhat surprised: "You understand music?"

He knew perfectly well that Zhu Yin could discern a trace of his own feelings from the music.
This guy...

Zhu Yin said, "I am ashamed to say that I only enjoy listening to music. Uncle's skill in playing the zither is truly awe-inspiring."

This wasn't entirely flattery, because he could tell that Tian Yiqin was highly accomplished, at the level of an artist.

Seeing that his cousin had given Ning Caiwei a gift but not Zhu Yin, Tian Yi suddenly said to Zhu Yin, "Can Zhihu play the zither?"

Zhu Yin honestly replied, "I know a little bit, only the basics. I have a rudimentary understanding of musical scores, but it's just scratching the surface."

Tian Yi said to Tian Zheng, "Go and fetch my Qin Song Qin."

"Huh?" Tian Zheng was somewhat surprised. "Qin Songqin?"

My father had the demeanor of a noble scholar. He loved collecting guqin (a seven-stringed zither), was well-versed in the art of playing the guqin, and was skilled at playing the seven strings.

Among the dozen or so guqins in my father's collection, Qin Songqin is not the most valuable, but it is the most special.

It was made by Lei, a guqin maker from the Tang Dynasty. Although pine wood is not as good as paulownia wood for guqin, it was made from an ancient pine tree from the Qin Dynasty.

It has been a thousand-year-old pine tree since the Qin and Tang dynasties.

The zither was made more than 800 years ago. The name of this Qin pine zither is "Tiger's Roar".

My father said that this zither was made from a thousand-year-old pine tree. Its sound is clear, deep, ancient, vigorous, and pure, with a unique timbre that has the subtle sound of a tiger's roar. Hence, it is named Tiger's Roar.

Although Tian Zheng was somewhat surprised, he still brought out a guqin.

With a relaxed and elegant demeanor, Tian Yi pointed to the guqin and said to Zhu Yin:
"The zither is an instrument of the gentleman, therefore it possesses nine virtues. What are these nine virtues?"

Zhu Yin solemnly replied: "Strange, ancient, penetrating, smooth, tranquil, round, clear, fragrant, and even. When one's posture is upright, the sound of the zither is clear, and the zither is like the balance of a gentleman."

Tian Yi nodded and said, “Good, this child is teachable. As the ancients said, the music of the zither can reveal joy and anger, observe social customs, calm the mind, strengthen courage, transcend worldly concerns, and even communicate with spirits.”

"This Tang dynasty zither is named Tiger's Roar, and it was made by Lei Wei, a master zither maker of the Tang dynasty. The Langhuan Ji records that Lei Wei did not need to use paulownia wood to make zithers. He would often go alone to Mount Emei in heavy snow and wind to select the best pine trees, fell them and make zithers that were better than those made of paulownia wood."

Zhu Yin said, "Although the paulownia wood zither has the most beautiful tone, it is prone to warping over time, is easily infested with insects, and becomes dull and hollow with age. Pine wood zithers are much better, as they become stronger over time."

Tian Yi was very satisfied and smiled, "Don't underestimate this ancient zither just because it's not made of paulownia wood. It's still a first-class masterpiece among the ancient zithers passed down through generations. I'm giving you Tiger's Roar, which suits your name, Young Tiger, perfectly. Isn't that wonderful?"

Zhu Yin quickly declined, saying, "This zither is far too valuable; I dare not accept it..."

This Tang dynasty zither is worth several thousand taels of silver; how could he dare to accept it so easily?

Tian Yi waved his hand, "I gave you this zither for several reasons, and you don't need to refuse. First, it's my personal reward for your merit in exposing the traitor."

"Secondly, you are Caiwei's fiancé, and this is a gift from this old man to his junior. Your name is Zhihu, and the Tiger's Roar is destined to be with you."

"Thirdly, I hope you will cultivate yourself through the art of the zither, becoming a gentleman of impeccable character, awaiting the arrival of your youthful talents, living up to your potential, studying diligently, and becoming a pillar of the court. This is my expectation, and also a personal wish of mine. Do you understand?"

If Zhu Yin still doesn't understand the deeper meaning after all this has been said, then he is a mediocre person.

Indeed, Tian Yi truly lived up to his reputation as a virtuous official in history.

"I dare not refuse such a gift from an elder!" Zhu Yin was somewhat moved. He accepted the tiger-shaped ornament and solemnly said:

“Nephew, you must cultivate yourself through the art of the zither, never forgetting the nine virtues of the zither, and never forgetting your great teachings, Uncle. If you are fortunate enough to achieve success in the future, you should always keep the nation and its people in mind. A true gentleman is like Heng!”

"Alright." Tian Yi nodded. "Don't waste your innate intelligence and talent. Do it well, do it well!"

Zhu Yin knew that by gaining Tian Yi's approval and acceptance, he would have a real backer, and a very powerful one at that.

Historically, Tian Yi would serve as the eunuch in charge of Nanjing for another two or three years. Afterward, he would return to the capital and rise to the position of Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, officially becoming the Inner Chancellor, a position equivalent to the Grand Secretary.

When Ning Caiwei saw her powerful uncle-in-law give the little tiger a guqin and give him such earnest advice and expectations, she couldn't help but feel happy.

She knew that although Tian Yi also had his own selfish motives in investing in Zhu Yin, as the head of Nanzhi, it was already a favor that he would condescend to invest in her.

But then Tian Yi pointed at Huyin and asked Zhu Yin with a smile, "Could you play a tune?"

Ning Caiwei couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

She knew Zhu Yin had seen the sheet music, but could he actually play the zither? He'd just be playing randomly.

Zhu Yin was a little nervous, but he forced himself to say, "I'm willing to make a fool of myself and give it a try, but I'm afraid the noise will annoy me."

Tian Yi chuckled dismissively, "Try it, I can give you some pointers."

This shows they've truly taken a liking to talent.

Zhu Yin made a firm decision, put down the Tiger Roar zither, sat up straight, and stroked the zither while recalling his memories of learning the zither on his own.

In high school, the school required each student to take at least one art course. Many people chose Western musical instruments such as the piano and violin, but he chose the zither and calligraphy.

Unfortunately, there were no teachers at the school who could play the piano. Without anyone to teach, the elective became self-study.

He studied in his spare time for a few years. Because of his interest, he also read some theory and sheet music. He has some basic skills and can play a few pieces, but he hasn't touched it for so many years.

Zhu Yin slowly recalled his memories of learning the piano many years ago, which became clearer and clearer.

The most familiar piece, "Orchid in the Valley," came alive in my mind once again, like a long-sealed painting being gently brushed clean of dust.

Zhu Yin's face suddenly gained a sliver of radiance under the light, his eyes sparkling.

Even those two adorable horn-shaped buns seem to carry a touch of elegance.

He adjusted the strings with his left hand, and with a gentle pluck, a "ding-dong" sound was heard.

Then, with a gentle caressing motion of the right hand, followed by a lift, a "crane dance in the empty courtyard" style is performed, producing intermittent zither music, sometimes clear and melodious, sometimes muted, sometimes desolate.

This is debugging.

"Hmm?" Ning Caiwei's eyes lit up. She really knows how?

Tian Yi nodded slightly. Regardless of whether the child could play the piano or not, at least his posture was correct. Before playing the piano, it was necessary to adjust and test the sound on an unfamiliar instrument.

Zhu Yin fiddled with it for a while and finally got it working.

He placed three fingers on each string of his two small hands and played the same note together, creating a "wind-sent light cloud" style.

Then, with hooks, flicks, and wisps... the flying dragon grabbing the clouds and the swimming fish wagging its tail form in succession, the pine breeze and orchid sounds emerge clear and melodious.

"The Orchid".

This is the ancient piece that he is most familiar with in terms of both score and technique.

It's full of familiar melodies.

Zhu Yin felt as if he had returned to his middle school days, back to that simple dormitory, where he played the borrowed piano in solitude.

As expected of the Tiger's Roar, the sound of the zither was different from the zither music that Zhu Yin had played before. The tone was deep and ancient, like a tiger roaring softly under an ancient pine tree.

The serene and ethereal sound of the zither resounded, like weeping and lamenting, like chanting and reciting, its notes lingering and melodious.

Yes.

It was that familiar voice again.

Perhaps it's because Tiger's Roar's zither music is more unique, but it sounds even better than it did back then.

"A gentle valley breeze blows, bringing shade and rain. My beloved is going home; I see her off to the distant fields..."

Zhu Yin seemed to see a weary old man returning to Lu from Wei, looking sad as he saw orchids and wild grass growing in the empty valley.

Ning Caiwei, Tian Zheng, Xie Langhuan, and others who didn't understand the zither nodded frequently upon hearing this.

They didn't understand; they just thought it sounded nice and that the music touched their hearts.

Ning Caiwei looked at the little tiger, who was engrossed in the play, and her eyes couldn't help but well up with tears.

She clearly didn't understand the zither, yet she somehow grasped a sense of loneliness in her music.

Tian Yi and Ning Shi, however, remained calm.

However, there was no sign of disappointment.

When Zhu Yin finished playing the piece, he himself felt as if he had woken up from a dream.

Did I play this? That's an exceptional performance! After years of not playing, this is my first time playing, and it's so smooth.

Suddenly, Zhu Yin felt a slight coolness on his face. He reached up and touched it, only to find that tears had quietly slid down his cheeks.

Tears fell without her noticing, she was completely unaware.

Zhu Yin was stunned and lost in thought; he rarely shed tears.

What's going on here?
Ning Caiwei's eyes were also filled with tears.

However, while the echoes of his words were still lingering, Tian Yi shook his head slightly and said:
"It's better than I expected, but still not satisfactory. It's just the beginning. I can only say that you didn't go off track, but it's a rough start."

"Your piano skills are so mediocre, yet you played with such sorrow that you shed tears. This shows that you are ultimately a person of deep feeling, and I was right about you."

Zhu Yin felt extremely ashamed, and the confidence that had just risen in his heart vanished instantly.

"I've made a fool of myself, I'm so ashamed," Zhu Yin said pitifully, his hair styled in two horn-like buns. "Please give me some pointers, Uncle."

Ning was a little dissatisfied and said to Tian Yi, "Alright, don't be so demanding. He's only ten years old, isn't he? That's already quite an achievement. Ultimately, studying is the most important thing."

Tian Yi pointed out, "The most difficult aspect of playing the zither lies in the concept of 'emptiness.' From stillness comes emptiness, from emptiness comes mystery, from mystery comes wonder, and from mystery comes antiquity… Your technique is too commonplace. Although you have the basics, it's too worldly and overly crafted…"

"This means that your hands still don't understand the strings, don't touch the strings, and aren't close to the strings... In short, they're still too inexperienced. However, at your age, you've indeed entered the field."

"Practice more often, especially when you are feeling agitated. This will allow you to connect your emotions with the music, and over time, your heart and the instrument will become one, truly achieving..."

"I will give you a few books on the qin and a qin score. When you come again, I will give you further guidance. With your intelligence, you can master the qin in three to five years. Although the qin is a minor art, it has great potential."

Zhu Yin, holding his zither, bowed and said, "Thank you for your great teachings, Uncle! I will remember them."

What a rare find! Tian Yi's few words elevated his understanding of the art of the zither to a new level.

Ning smiled at Ning Caiwei and said, "Caiwei, you can also practice the zither. The way of the zither can help you understand prosperity and decline, express your feelings, cultivate your mind, and uphold your integrity. It is not only a tool for gentlemen, but also for ladies."

Ning Caiwei replied solemnly, "Yes. I will definitely practice when I have time."

Ning said confidently, "Your aunt can teach you in the future. With your intelligence, you can practice for five years in your spare time and achieve some success."

Clearly, she is also skilled in playing the zither, and her level of expertise is certainly not low.

After this incident, the relationship between Zhu Yin and Tian Yi suddenly became much closer, and they were no longer just nominal "relatives," but had a subtle feeling of being teacher and student.

Tian Yi's smile became much more genuine, and the imposing aura he had previously exuded as a superior had unknowingly dissipated.

He seemed pleased that he could cultivate Zhu Yin into a lover of the zither.

Then, Tian Yi presented Zhu Yin with the Qin Classic and Qin score.

Seeing that it was getting late and Ning Caiwei insisted on returning, Tian Yi simply ordered several eunuchs to escort them out of the city with his own token.

Because the city had already been sealed off, they could not leave the city without Tian Yi's orders.

Several eunuchs not only escorted Zhu Yin and his entourage out of the city, but also took them directly to Qingqiao.

At this time, many villagers were still awake, and they were horrified when they saw the young eunuch in his fine clothes and riding a spirited horse.

Soon, people saw the eunuchs escort Zhu Yin to the Zhou family's villa before respectfully taking their leave.

The news spread like wildfire throughout Qingqiao.

Zhu Yin had a relationship with a powerful eunuch in Nanjing!
……

Zhu Yin carried Huyin home. The black tiger had already smelled its master's scent and rushed over, wagging its tail frantically.

Zhu Yin was in a very good mood and laughed:
"Black Tiger, I got a guqin today, named Tiger's Roar. We'll be the Three Tigers now. As for the little falcon, we'll name it Flying Tiger later, then we'll be the Four Tigers."

Black Tiger seemed to understand, and whimpered with a half-smile.

"What the hell is this Four Tigers?" Ning Caiwei couldn't help but exclaim.

The two entered the bedroom and found Ning Qingchen hunched over a chair, writing in her diary.

Sure enough, she wrote: "They went to a banquet in the city, and again they didn't take me. This is the second time..."

There were a few words crossed out at the end. Ning Caiwei took a closer look and it seemed to be the four words "things don't happen more than three times".

Ning Caiwei laughed and said, "I'm really fed up with you, you're getting more and more arrogant. So what if you go? Will you get to eat a big meal? You can only watch us eat, is that interesting?"

After saying that, she placed the two small sandalwood boxes on the coffee table. "See this? This is a necklace given to us by our aunt. It's from the palace. You got a good deal, didn't you?"

"Two boxes, can't you choose first?"

"I'll pick the duck first?" Qingchen, who had been keeping a straight face, finally smiled and said in a childish voice, "Open it, I'll pick first!"

Ning Caiwei opened the two boxes, and a dazzling yet gentle aura of precious energy immediately emanated from them.

Inside the two boxes, two colorful gemstone necklaces lay quietly.

Like two rainbows on the horizon.

Each necklace is adorned with rare gemstones of various colors, and the craftsmanship is exquisite. However, one necklace is predominantly red, while the other is predominantly blue.

"I choose this one!" Ning Qingchen reached out her small hand and picked up the sapphire necklace without hesitation, hanging it around her neck.

She prefers blue, like the magnificent rainforest blue spider that was killed by her sister.

Ning Caiwei couldn't be happier. Because she preferred red tones.

Ning Qingchen was very happy. She tilted her little head and looked at Zhu Yin, asking in a childish voice, "And you? What gift did you get? A blank one?"

Zhu Yin placed the tiger's roar on the table and smiled brightly:

"Is this blank?"

"The guqin of the Tang Dynasty was made from ancient pine wood from the Qin Dynasty. The two great dynasties of Tang and Qin served me alone. Isn't that a great blessing?"

"Giggle!" Ning Qingchen had a low threshold for laughter and was immediately amused by this. "You're such a goofball!"

P.S.: I was going to take the day off today because I really didn't have the energy or the mood to write. But I still managed to write four or five thousand words, so I didn't have to take the day off.

(End of this chapter)