Chapter 70: The General's Command, the Clash of Swords and the Iron Horses, the Unforgettable Resonance of the Guangling San.

"They say a banquet is incomplete without wine, and no feast is complete without music."

"With such excellent lyrics today, would it not be a pity if there were no elegant music to accompany them?"

"I, Pan, am untalented, but I know a little of the zither. I am willing to play a tune for everyone, to add a touch of color to this world-shocking masterpiece by Chief Steward Liu."

His words were high-sounding; they not only displayed his own demeanor but also naturally steered the topic toward the field in which he excelled.

Upon hearing this, the crowd naturally applauded one after another.

"Imperial Son-in-law Pan is too modest. Who does not know that your zither skills have long been unrivaled in the capital!"

"Indeed, indeed! To be able to appreciate such peerless lyrics and wonderful zither music today, we have truly not made this trip in vain!"

Eldest Princess Zhao Linger also nodded.

"Imperial Son-in-law Pan is very thoughtful."

Consort Pan Shimei sneered inwardly; this was the exact effect he wanted.

He immediately ordered someone to bring over the famous zither he had treasured for many years—the "Jiaowei."

This zither was a handed-down treasure from the previous dynasty; it was pitch-black throughout, with ancient and simple wood grain, and its sound was clear, resonant, and possessed great penetrating power.

Consort Pan Shimei sat down before the zither table, adjusted the strings, and his entire demeanor changed instantly.

He put away all his arrogance and jealousy, his expression becoming focused and solemn, as if he had merged into one with the ancient zither in his hands.

He tested a few notes, and then, his slender fingers gently plucked the strings.

"Zheng—" A clear zither note, like a spring in a mountain stream, instantly cleansed the ears of everyone present.

Just a starting gesture already revealed an extremely high level of skill.

Immediately after, the melodious zither music poured out from his fingertips like flowing water.

What he was playing was the famous ancient zither piece—《High Mountains and Flowing Water》.

The music was sometimes gentle, like a babbling brook winding around stones.

Sometimes it was impassioned, like a waterfall plunging straight down, rushing into the sea.

Sometimes it was towering, like high mountains standing tall, wreathed in clouds and mist.

Sometimes it was ethereal, like the harmonious singing of a hundred birds, resounding through the valley.

Everyone listened, intoxicated, as if they truly saw those towering mountains and heard the ceaseless flowing rivers.

Consort Pan Shimei's zither skills had indeed reached a level of perfection.

He expressed the artistic conception of this 《High Mountains and Flowing Water》 thoroughly, astonishing everyone present.

The song ended, with the lingering notes echoing in the rafters.

The entire Jingxin Studio was silent for a moment, and then, thunderous applause erupted once again.

"Wonderful! Simply wonderful!"

"Imperial Son-in-law Pan's zither music is truly the sound of heaven; listening to it, we felt as if we were there!"

"Such a song should only exist in heaven; how many times can one hear it in the mortal world!"

This time, the applause was much more sincere than when they had praised his poetry earlier.

Consort Pan Shimei stood up, his face regaining its confident smile.

He enjoyed the praise of the crowd, and the sense of humiliation in his heart was diluted quite a bit.

He had successfully regained face using the zither skills he excelled at most.

Then, he cast that provocative gaze toward Emperor Liu Sheng again.

"I have embarrassed myself," he said, feigning modesty.

"I wonder if Chief Steward Liu has any knowledge of musical temperament?"

He sneered inwardly.

Writing poetry and lyrics relies on talent and inspiration.

You have high talent; I admit that.

But these zither skills are a matter of grinding effort; without more than ten years of hard work, one simply cannot ascend to the hall of elegance.

You, a eunuch in the deep palace, busy every day serving your masters and engaging in schemes—where would you find the time to practice this?

He wanted to use Chief Steward Liu's weakness to attack Chief Steward Liu.

He wanted everyone to know that this eunuch just happened to have a bit of talent in poetry.

In the true field of art, he is still a layman!

Everyone's gaze focused on Chief Steward Liu once again.

Everyone's mood was very complex.

On one hand, they had already been conquered by Chief Steward Liu's talent and did not wish to see him make a fool of himself.

But on the other hand, they also felt that Imperial Son-in-law Pan made sense.

How could one person reach such a high level in both poetry and musical temperament?

This is not realistic.

Chief Steward Liu is likely to be stumped this time.

Eldest Princess Zhao Linger also watched Chief Steward Liu with some worry.

She knew Chief Steward Liu was learned, but she had never heard that he could play the zither.

Amidst everyone's gaze—expectant, worried, or gloating.

Consort Pan Shimei looked at Chief Steward Liu, the smile at the corner of his mouth becoming more and more triumphant.

He believed he had already secured the victory.

He asked provocatively, word by word.

"Chief Steward Liu, it's impossible that you are also proficient in music theory, right?"

Consort Pan Shimei's question was like a sharpened knife, stabbing straight toward Chief Steward Liu.

This time, he asked more directly, without leaving any room for face.

"It's impossible that you are also proficient in music theory, right?"

The subtext of this sentence could not be more obvious.

You, a eunuch, luckily beat me in poetry; could you possibly surpass me, a top scholar from a prestigious family, in zither skills that require childhood training and decades of hard practice?

The atmosphere in the entire hall instantly became tense.

Everyone held their breath, watching Chief Steward Liu.

They saw Chief Steward Liu, his face still maintaining that expression of calm indifference.

He even picked up his teacup and took a gentle sip.

Then, he spoke slowly.

"Imperial Son-in-law Pan's 《High Mountains and Flowing Water》 is indeed played quite well."

He first affirmed the other party with a sentence.

Consort Pan Shimei's face showed a trace of self-satisfaction, thinking that Chief Steward Liu was about to concede.

But Chief Steward Liu's next sentence made the smile on his face instantly freeze.

"Unfortunately, it only has the form, but has not grasped the spirit."

"There is too much craftsmanship, and not enough character."

"It is merely decadent music played for the vulgar masses; it cannot ascend to the hall of elegance."

Chief Steward Liu's voice was not loud, but every word was like a heavy hammer, smashing fiercely into Consort Pan Shimei's heart.

"You!" Consort Pan Shimei was so angry that his whole body trembled, his face turning the color of a pig's liver.

"You... you eunuch, what do you know about musical temperament! How dare you spout nonsense here and criticize my zither skills!"

The zither skills he prided himself on had actually been belittled to be worthless by Chief Steward Liu!

This made him feel even more humiliated than the failure in poetry earlier!

Chief Steward Liu put down his teacup and slowly stood up.

"Understanding or not is not something to be said with the mouth."

He looked around the circle, his gaze finally falling on Eldest Princess Zhao Linger.

"May I borrow Her Highness the Princess's zither for a moment?"

Eldest Princess Zhao Linger was slightly stunned, then a flash of surprise crossed her eyes.

"Of course you can!"

She immediately ordered someone to bring over the ancient zither she treasured most in her daily life.

It was a plain paulownia wood zither, without any gorgeous decorations, yet it possessed an inherent air of refined nobility.

Chief Steward Liu walked to the zither table but did not sit down immediately.

He reached out his hand and gently brushed across the strings.

"Zheng—" A clear zither note, carrying a hint of murderous intent, suddenly rang out.

Just this simple sound test made everyone present feel an unusual aura.

Consort Pan Shimei's zither music earlier was elegant. But Chief Steward Liu's zither note was... murderous!

Consort Pan Shimei's pupils constricted, and an extremely ominous premonition surged in his heart.

Chief Steward Liu sat down.

He did not, like Consort Pan Shimei, burn incense and wash his hands, or strike various complicated poses.

He just sat there casually, his hands pressed onto the strings.

In an instant, his entire aura changed.

That indifference and laziness usually hidden in his bones disappeared without a trace.

Replacing it was a terrifying momentum, as heavy as a mountain and as unfathomable as an abyss.

His eyes became as sharp as a knife, as if he were no longer a deep-palace eunuch, but an iron-blooded general about to step onto the battlefield.

"Clang! Clang! Clanging!" No prelude, no buildup.

A series of rapid and intense zither notes, like the beating of war drums and the clashing of metal weapons, suddenly exploded in everyone's ears!

This zither music was domineering, fierce, and filled with the murderous aura of iron horses and golden armor!

It formed a heaven-and-earth contrast with Consort Pan Shimei's gentle 《High Mountains and Flowing Water》!

Everyone was startled by this sudden, majestic music.

Consort Pan Shimei's face instantly turned pale.

"This... is this... 《Orders of the General》?"

No! That's not right!

Although the melody was somewhat similar, the momentum of this piece was grander and more tragic than any version of 《Orders of the General》 he had ever heard!

The zither music became increasingly urgent and fast!

Sometimes it was like thousands of troops and horses, charging and killing, with a spirit that could swallow mountains and rivers!

Sometimes it was like flashing blades and sword shadows, blood spattering the battlefield, with corpses strewn across the fields!

Sometimes it was like the blaring of horns, bleak and vigorous, resounding to the clouds!

The entire Jingxin Studio seemed to instantly become an Asura battlefield.

The scholars present were all pale, their breathing rapid.

They seemed to smell the thick, inextricable scent of blood, hear the deafening shouts of killing, and see the hellish scene of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

That was no longer zither music.

That was the roar of war! It was the dirge of death!

Consort Pan Shimei was even more like he had been struck by lightning, his body uncontrollably retreating again and again, and he fell onto the ground.

His "High Mountains and Flowing Water," in front of this piece, was like a small stream meeting the ocean, or a firefly meeting the bright moon.

It was simply not on the same level!

His zither skills were elegant. But Chief Steward Liu's zither skills were the Way!

It was using heaven and earth as the zither, and all living beings as the strings; what was played was life and death, war and fire, and the rise and fall of the entire world!

The zither music gradually reached its climax.

Chief Steward Liu's ten fingers were so fast that they almost left afterimages.

That impassioned melody seemed to want to lift the roof off!

"Zheng—!" With the final note, like a dragon's roar, it stopped abruptly.

The whole world instantly became quiet.

The lingering notes, however, still echoed in everyone's minds, with iron horses and golden armor, rushing ceaselessly.

Quiet. A deathly silence.

Everyone sat there blankly, as if their souls had been extracted, unable to recover from that tragic battlefield illusion for a long time.

I don't know how much time had passed.

"Thud!" An elderly scholar's legs went soft, and he knelt directly from his seat.

With tears streaming down his old face, he said to Chief Steward Liu in a trembling voice.

"After this song... after this song, there is no more zither music in the world!"

"This song... should be named 《Loyalty to the Country》!"

"To hear this peerless sound today, I have no regrets in death! No regrets in death!"

His words were like lighting a fuse.

Everyone reacted.

They looked at the young man sitting upright behind the zither table, whose expression had already returned to calm, and in their eyes, only endless awe and fanaticism remained.

That was a look like mortals looking up at a god.

If the poetry earlier just made them marvel at Chief Steward Liu's talent.

Then this zither piece at this moment completely shattered their cognition and subverted their souls!

This is a eunuch?

No!

This is a peerless human butcher, a peerless hero who holds a million troops in his chest and has the ambition of a thousand autumns!

Consort Pan Shimei slumped on the ground, his face bloodless, his eyes hollow.

He lost.

He lost so thoroughly that he couldn't even summon a trace of unwillingness or jealousy.

Everything he prided himself on—literary talent, zither skills, character...

In front of this eunuch, all became a joke.

He felt his world had completely collapsed.

Eldest Princess Zhao Linger looked at Chief Steward Liu infatuatedly.

Her heart beat faster than ever before.

On that beautiful and refined face, a sickly flush appeared.

She looked at him, as if looking at a flame sufficient to burn the world to ashes.

Dangerous, yet full of fatal attraction.

She knew she had completely fallen.