Starting from Tianlong, Wudu Tianxia

Chapter 118 This Journey to Taihu Lake

Over the next few days, Gao Yuan transformed into an ascetic.

In the morning, he practiced martial arts; in the afternoon, he instructed Tao Qingxuan and others in martial arts; and in the evening, he would take some time to continue memorizing acupoint charts and various classic texts.

Gao Yuan is a young man with broad knowledge, high martial arts skills, and a gentle temperament. He doesn't act like an elder.

In a short time, the three younger generation members had become very familiar with him.

As a disciple of Xiaoyao, one must be accustomed to playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Gao Yuan had little interest in playing the zither, but he was fond of playing the xiao (vertical bamboo flute).

Kang Guangling had a wide range of interests, and he produced quite a few musical scores.

Although the qin and xiao have different ranges, they interpret the essence of the music in the same way and have a strong complementary relationship.

A jade pendant in the distance calms the mind, even for a beginner.

But the sheer talent she displayed in music dealt another heavy blow to Old Kang and the three younger generation.

It's just that the Junior Grandmaster truly lives up to his name!

In his spare time, Gao Yuan enjoys discussing music with a few younger people.

He was enjoying a comfortable and pleasant life at the Kang residence, and if it weren't for the many chores that kept him occupied, he probably would have stayed there for a while longer.

During this time, Gao Yuan learned several pieces of information.

For example, the Beggars' Sect's Hundred Flowers Conference is about to be held, and Luoyang has been very lively lately, with many martial arts practitioners gathering in Luoyang.

In addition, Zoroastrianism and Penglai clashed several more times in Shandong.

However, neither was large in scale, and neither had any figures of the level of a wheelchair owner.

The last message came from Abi.

The matriarch of the Murong family passed away due to illness some time ago, and now the young master Murong is in charge.

During the mourning period, Murong Fu rarely left Canhe Manor, and his daily affairs were handled by his subordinates.

After being brainwashed by Gao Yuan for a few days, Xiao Abi's thinking has changed a lot.

The common phrases are no longer things like "Young Master" or "My Young Master".

Abi knew that too.

Grandmaster's trip to Mantuo Manor is not only for important matters, but also to clarify her own affairs with the Murong family. She will definitely return to her sect.

Therefore.

When the topic of the Murong family came up, Abi gradually became able to address him as Young Master Murong.

Five days later, on the morning.

"Grandmaster, do you really not want your disciple to go with you?"

Standing at the entrance of the Kang residence, Kang Guangling said with a conflicted tone, "After all, the Murong family took care of Abi for two years, so they have some consideration for me."

""

"Don't worry, Canhe Manor and Mantuo Manor are not dangerous places. You can leave them as easily as you go."

"It's not like we're going to have a brawl; having too many people would be counterproductive."

"No matter the outcome, for Abi's sake, we won't be unreasonable!"

Standing behind Gao Yuan, Abi felt a little happy to hear that her master was mindful of her.

Seeing how thoughtful his master was, Kang Guangling smiled and said, "In that case, this disciple will await your arrival in Hangzhou!"

Gao Yuan nodded in response.

In the past, when Abi returned, Tao Qingxuan would escort her to Taihu Lake to write a farewell speech.

The two sisters shared a deep bond. As Tao Qingxuan watched Abi board the carriage, she was filled with reluctance. She clung to the carriage window and whispered to her junior sister for a while.

It's less than 300 li from Hangzhou to Taihu Lake.

At the hour of Shen (3-5 PM), the sky began to darken.

The sky was bleak and devoid of any rosy hues; dark clouds churned across the heavens like a half-ink painting.

It looks like it's going to rain.

Beyond the wilderness, scattered rocks and collapsed pillars.

Horses neighed in the mountain stream, and Gao Yuan rode Big Yellow alongside the carriage.

They continued onward, and after another half hour, rain began to fall from the sky.

Fortunately, there is an octagonal pavilion with a stone table and benches inside. The eaves of the pavilion are old and mottled, but it is still relatively intact.

The coachman parked the carriage, and the group prepared to rest for a while at the octagonal pavilion before continuing their journey once the rain subsided.

To plot against the time.

Before dusk, we should be able to find a place to stay for the night.

An ancient pavilion in the mountains and forests, amidst sudden rain and howling winds, with leaves rustling in the air—what a beautiful scene of ancient charm and elegance.

Abi tidied up the stone benches and was about to invite her master to sit down.

As she raised her head, she brushed aside her dark hair.

The master stood quietly at the corner of the pavilion, his long, slender fingers already resting on the flute.

Gao Yuan recalled the melody of "A Laugh in the Vast Sea," breathed into his xiao (vertical bamboo flute), pointed to the tone holes, and a moving melody slowly spread from the octagonal pavilion!

suddenly.

Even the strongest winds howl, whipping up withered leaves and blowing up the young man's white clothes and black hair.

As the leaves moved and the music played, Abi's eyes were fixed on the boy.

Gao Yuan couldn't help but think of it.

Centuries later, in the same world, under the same sky, Qu and Liu played a duet on the qin and xiao.

Despite his yearning, the spirit of "Laughing at the World" had already resonated in the mountains a hundred years ago.

Abi's beautiful face showed few changes in expression, but her heart was already surging with the melody.

This piece is unrestrained, expansive, and imbued with heroic spirit and chivalry.

She was completely captivated by what she heard.

The sound of the flute stopped.

"Heroes rise and fall with the times, once you enter the world of martial arts, time flies by. Empires and conquests are discussed in jest, nothing beats a life of carefree revelry!"

Gao Yuan laughed heartily, took the gourd from his waist, drank some wine, and felt as if he could go anywhere in the world.

"Grandmaster, what tune are you playing?"

"A Song of Wandering the World".

Abi muttered something to herself, a hint of longing in her eyes.

The tune wasn't difficult to play; Gao Yuan taught her a few times, and Abi learned it immediately.

Gao Yuan only thought of her as a disciple of his master, and since she was young, he didn't think much of it. He just smiled and told Abi to give it a try.

but..

As Abi gently touched the edge of the flute with her cherry lips, the image of her grandmaster kept flashing through her mind, and she remembered that her grandmaster had just played the flute in the same way.

My heart started pounding wildly.

In ancient times, girls married young. Although they were only eight or nine years old, they were not ignorant.

Grandmaster seems to know everything.

At the Murong family, although she showed concern for the young master, she did not have this completely different mindset.

Seeing that her melody was even more accurate than his, Gao Yuan showed his appreciation: "This piece, played on the xiao (vertical bamboo flute), isn't quite perfect. When we have time, let's try a duet of qin (a seven-stringed zither) and xiao; the tone and rhythm will be several times better!"

"real?"

Why would your master lie to you?

Gao Yuan was both annoyed and amused that she didn't believe him.

"You don't want to?"

"Who said Abi doesn't want to!"

Abi was overjoyed, but she didn't want her master to see her little secret.

The octagonal pavilion is drafty on all sides and not suitable for staying for long.

After the rain subsided, the driver led them another twenty li, and they finally arrived at Xiuzhou before dark to spend the night.

A light drizzle fell overnight, and the roads were muddy when I got up in the morning.

After a long and uncertain journey, they finally arrived at their destination on the third day.

As the poem goes: Houses are all built along the river, ancient palaces have little open space, waterways and small bridges abound, and spring boats carry fine silks and brocades.

This brought the name of the water town to life in Gao Yuan's eyes.

Along the way, there was no need for Gao Yuan to ask anyone for directions; Abi found the way automatically, which was incredibly convenient.

In Taihu Lake, the sky, clouds, mountains, and water are all white.

The lake shore meanders like the spine of nine dragons, with seventy-two peaks scattered like stars, and the lake surface is cut like a lake within a lake.

The distant mountains appear and disappear, resembling a delicate ink painting, truly exquisite.

As they walked along the lakeside path, many people turned their attention to them.

A young man in white carrying a sword and a young woman in green holding a zither walked lightly, a warm breeze blowing on them, making them feel intoxicated.

We walked along the lake shore for about three quarters of an hour.

Another step forward appeared before them, and after waiting for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a small boat drifted on the green waves of the lake.

A girl dressed in a light pink gauze dress, with a mischievous and spirited look on her face, was rowing a boat, humming a little tune.

Little Azhu came to pick up Abi just in time for her return home.

Abi's eyes lit up when she saw the small boat: "Azhu! Azhu!"

She raised her arm like a willow branch in spring, calling out to Azhu, her words filled with joy, and as she walked slowly, the zither she was holding swayed.

"Abi! You're finally back!"

Upon seeing her sisters, Azhu smiled with eyes as bright as jade. With a flick of her oar on the green water, the small boat glided to Bujin.

The little girl jumped ashore, swayed back and forth with Abi, and looked up at Gao Yuan to the side, her eyes flashing with curiosity.

In the past, it was always Sister Qingxuan who protected Abi when she came back. Why is it a man?

He looks quite handsome!

...