The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 437 The Sound of the Flute, Boarding the Ship (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Upon arriving at the state school and entering the study hall, before even reaching his seat, he saw Mo Xun glaring at him with a dark expression.

"Brother Mo, why do you have such an expression?"

"Brother Zhao, you're asking a question you already know the answer to. Don't you want to explain what happened yesterday?"

"Explain which one?" Zhao Ti blinked and shook his head, saying, "Brother Mo misunderstands. It's not what you think at all. Right and wrong are not fixed. I only ask that my conscience be at peace, as bright as the moon."

"Hmph, Brother Zhao, you seem so nonchalant. You actually chatted with my sister until evening yesterday before parting ways. You must have talked a lot, right?"

"Miss Mochou is exceptionally talented and knowledgeable. I have benefited greatly from your words, which came late."

"Between my elder sister and Miss Luofu, who is more learned and who is less so?"

"Compared to Miss Luofu?"

“That’s right.” Mo Xun took a deep breath and said, “This is not what I asked Brother Zhao. Yesterday, after I left the Tea Fragrance Pavilion, I went to see Miss Luofu and told her about Brother Zhao’s actions. It was Miss Luofu who asked me to ask Brother Zhao.”

Zhao Ti smiled wryly upon hearing this. He hadn't expected Luo Fu to ask such a question. What did she mean? Why did it sound so tense?

"Both ladies are highly knowledgeable and have their own strengths; neither is superior to the other."

"Very well, Brother Zhao, you really know how to talk. What a wonderful saying, 'Each has its own merits, and neither is superior.'" Mo Xun said, his face twitching.

"That's just how it is. Spring flowers and autumn moon, they're evenly matched, how can one say which is better?" Zhao Ti sat down behind the desk and took out his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, placing them on the table.

"Brother Zhao, aren't you afraid that Miss Luofu will be unhappy to hear this?" Mo Xun asked.

“Is Miss Luofu the kind of unreasonable person?” Zhao Ti asked, puzzled. “Besides, if I were to say that Miss Luofu is better, wouldn’t Brother Mo, as Miss Mochou’s brother, be the one who wouldn’t be happy?”

“You…” Mo Xun said angrily, “Brother Zhao is eloquent and persuasive… No, would I be unhappy? Is Brother Zhao saying that I am unreasonable?”

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "Brother Mo, you're too kind. There's no need to nitpick over words. I was just saying it casually."

"Hmph, since Brother Zhao isn't afraid of Miss Luofu finding out, then I'll tell Miss Luofu the truth." Mo Xun said, "Brother Zhao, don't regret it."

Zhao Ti waved his hand: "What is there to regret? I have nothing to hide. Now that I have spoken out, why should I be afraid of people finding out?"

"Very well, Brother Zhao is indeed very upright!" Mo Xun said angrily, then fell silent, looking at the books on the table, focusing his gaze and circulating his inner energy.

A moment later, the bell rang, and the teacher entered the classroom, marking the start of the day's lessons...

Time flew by, and when the school bell rang, Mo Xun hurriedly packed his things, snorted heavily, slung his schoolbag over his shoulder, and walked out on his own.

Zhao Ti shook his head, truly baffled as to what the other party was so angry about. Not only did they misunderstand him and Luo Fu, but they even stood up for the other party, which was completely fabricated. It was utterly absurd.

He left the state school and walked along the road until he reached the Yujiang River, but still couldn't find Mo Xun. So he had no choice but to go home alone.

As we passed Yuzhou Bridge, we saw a small painted boat moored on the riverbank, from which the faint sound of a flute could be heard.

He listened to the melodious and pleasant sound and paused for a while. After a while, the sound of the flute stopped and he was about to leave to go home when he saw a figure float out of the painted boat.

The figure was a slender young woman, dressed in a pale yellow dress, with exquisite features and lively eyes. She held a jade-green flute in her hand and looked at him curiously.

Zhao Ti felt embarrassed. He hadn't expected that the person playing the flute was actually a young girl. He should have known better than to listen. It was somewhat presumptuous and impolite of her to notice him like this.

He gave an awkward smile, then felt it was inappropriate to cup his hands in greeting, and turned to leave.

"You, you stop right there," the girl suddenly said.

Zhao Ti paused, turned around and asked in confusion, "Young lady, what can I do for you?"

"What do you want to teach me?" The girl in the yellow dress looked him up and down. "You've been standing on the shore listening to me play the flute for so long. Shouldn't I be the one asking you what you want to teach me?"

"I don't know much about xiao music, but I stopped to appreciate it because it sounded melodious and pleasant. I really have no intention of giving any advice or commentary. Please forgive my abruptness, young lady. I'll be leaving now." Zhao Ti said, and was about to continue walking.

"Don't go," the girl in the yellow dress said. "You think you can just leave after listening for nothing?"

"Ah, does the young lady expect me to pay?" Zhao Ti was taken aback. He had no money on him today, and if the other party wanted money, he had nothing to give. However, he had listened for a long time and could not deny that he hadn't appreciated the music; that would not be the behavior of a gentleman.

"Why are you so dense?" The girl in the yellow dress glanced at him. "What money do you want? Do I look like I'm short of money?"

Zhao Ti's lips twitched as he glanced at the painted boat. Although small, it was extremely exquisite, something that ordinary merchants and officials could not afford. The person who could enjoy the river view on such a boat must be quite wealthy.

"It was my misunderstanding. Since you have plenty of money, I will leave without disturbing you." He turned around and was about to walk away again.

"Don't leave yet. Although I have a lot of money, I lack someone who can sincerely teach me how to play the xiao. No one around me is willing to tell me the truth. I want to know how good my xiao skills are, but I can't hear any genuine comments. Tell me," the girl in the yellow dress said in a voice as sweet as silver bells.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ti glanced at the girl, thinking to himself, "How can you be so unreasonable? I'm just a passerby. I may have heard your story, but what right do I have to judge it? I have no obligation to do so."

"I was just enjoying the music and don't understand the music theory. I'm sorry to disappoint you, young lady. I need to hurry home for dinner, so I won't bother you any longer."

"You say you don't understand music theory, but you've stood there for so long, listening to several of my pieces. How could you not understand anything? I just asked you to point out the flaws in the pieces, why are you making excuses?" The girl in the yellow dress said with dissatisfaction, "Are you in a hurry to go home for dinner? Are you very hungry?"

Zhao Ti thought to himself, "This girl is a bit difficult to deal with. Does she have to understand everything she hears?" But since she wouldn't listen to his explanation, he couldn't just turn around and leave, after all, he had really listened to several songs for nothing.

“I am indeed very hungry. I am dizzy and weak all over. If I don’t go home for dinner soon, I’m afraid I will faint. Please let me leave.” Zhao Ti had no choice but to go along with her, thinking that she should let him go now and not continue to pester him. “You, are you that hungry?” The girl looked surprised, then thought for a moment and said, “I heard from the doctor that hunger is not a big deal, but it’s scary to suddenly feel weak all over and break out in a cold sweat.”

“That’s right.” Zhao Ti nodded vigorously. “That’s why I’m in a hurry to go home for dinner. If I’m hungry any longer, I’m afraid I won’t be able to walk.”

"The doctor said this symptom is quite critical and you need to eat something immediately, otherwise it could be life-threatening. Hurry up and get on the boat. There are some snacks and candied fruit on board. You'll feel better after eating them, and you don't need to rush home for dinner."

"Huh?" Zhao Ti was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, thinking to himself, "Thank you, but you just really want me to get on the ship no matter what."
Seeing him lost in thought, the girl in the yellow dress urged him, "You're such a bookworm. I've already said this symptom is life-threatening. Why don't you hurry up and get on board? Do you expect me to get off the boat and pull you out? It's broad daylight. Although I... am also a chivalrous person who doesn't care about formalities, it's still not very appropriate."

Zhao Ti rubbed his temples. No one had ever called him a bookworm before. You're the bookworm, and you're a real bookworm.

"And you call yourself a江湖儿女 (jianghu children)?" Judging from your tone of voice, your mannerisms, and the extravagance of this pleasure boat, you're hardly a江湖儿女 (jianghu children). You're more like a member of a prestigious family or aristocratic clan.

"Why aren't you here yet, you idiot? You'll faint from hunger if you don't come soon!" The girl said anxiously, making a move to get off the boat. "Do you really want me to pull you up?"

"No need, no need." Zhao Ti hurriedly shook his head, inwardly lamenting his predicament. However, hearing the other party's good intentions, he couldn't refuse. Helplessly, he scratched his head and jumped onto the deck.

"Come with me quickly!" The girl turned around, opened the boat door, and went inside.

Zhao Ti had no choice but to follow him into the boat. Inside, it was quite large, resembling a flower hall, elegant and serene, with all the necessary items.

There, on a low table with rolled edges, lay a lot of snacks and fruits. The girl came closer and turned back to call him, "Come and eat some quickly, fill your stomach first."

Just as Zhao Ti was about to speak, an old man dressed as a servant walked out from behind the boat. The old man was tall and strong, with white hair and beard, but his face was ruddy and his temples were bulging. He moved with the steadiness of a mountain.

"Hmm? Such profound skill," Zhao Ti raised his eyebrows, realizing that the other party was actually a master of internal energy.

“Miss, who is this…” The old man looked at Zhao Ti with a somewhat unfriendly expression.

"Uncle Zhu, this is a friend I just met. I want to discuss the art of music with him." The girl in the yellow dress said, picking up a plate of pastries and walking towards Zhao Ti.

“Miss, the world is a dangerous place, full of treacherous tricks. Where do you get so many friends? Especially since you’ve only just met them.” The old man stared intently at Zhao Ti. “I think it’s best to let this person disembark first. It’s not advisable to let him stay on the ship.”

"No!" the girl said firmly. "He's starving. Asking him to get off the ship now would only hurt him. Besides, I need to discuss music with him."

“But, Miss…” The old man looked at Zhao Ti, his eyes gleaming.

"Uncle Zhu, don't worry about it. By the way, take out those smoked chicken and goose breasts and give them to my friend to eat." The girl in the yellow dress came to Zhao Ti and handed him the plate of snacks: "Hurry up and eat some."

Zhao Ti had no choice but to accept the pastry. He picked up a piece and saw that it was exquisitely made and had a wonderful aroma. However, he was not hungry and wanted to eat two quickly so he could get off the boat and go home.

The old man saw Zhao Ti actually start eating, and a hint of anger appeared on his face, but he still turned around to get other food as the girl wished.

"Silly boy... oh, it's not very nice to keep calling you that." The girl said, "My name is Yang Yao'er, what's yours?"

"So you are Miss Yang." Zhao Ti nodded. "My name is Zhao Ti."

“Zhao Ti?” Yang Yao’er smiled beautifully: “Hurry up and eat. After you finish, tell me how good my flute skills are. None of the people around me tell the truth. They always flatter me when they ask me questions. I still don’t know how good my skills are. Brother Zhao, please sit down and eat. I’ll pour you a cup of tea.”

Zhao Ti sat behind the table to the side, picked up another pastry, and thought to himself that he wouldn't need to eat at home, he could eat his fill here.

“You are my first friend in Yuzhou, but I don’t have many friends in Huazhou. I only have family members visiting me. My family is very strict, so it’s hard to make friends outside.”

"You are... from Huazhou?" Zhao Ti was taken aback. The other person was actually from Huazhou, and his surname was Yang?

“Yes, my family came to Yuzhou on business this time, so I came along. I can have some fun and not be so restricted,” Yang Yao’er said with a smile.

Zhao Ti thought to himself, "Could it be my mother's Yang family? But if the daughter of such a family has arrived, why hasn't my uncle Yang Jian come yet?"
At this moment, the tall old man, Zhu Bo, came out from the back of the boat carrying two plates, one containing chicken and the other containing goose. He placed them on the table in front of Zhao Ti and said in a gloomy tone, "Boy, finish eating and get off the boat quickly. This boat is not a place for you to stay."

"Oh?" Zhao Ti glanced at him, smiled slightly, and ignored him. He had to leave on his own, not because he was being chased away. After all, his master had invited him up, so how could he let his servants drive him away?
"Uncle Zhu, what are you saying?" Yang Yao'er frowned and said, "Didn't I say I was going to discuss music with my friends? Go to the back first, I'll call you if I need anything."

"Yes, Miss." The old man showed no displeasure upon hearing this and turned to leave the back of the boat.

"Brother Zhao, hurry up and eat! Have a chicken leg and a goose wing." Yang Yao'er looked at Zhao Ti, her eyes shining with excitement.

"I..." Zhao Ti sighed softly, thinking to himself, "Then I'll just keep eating, since I won't be eating dinner when I get home anyway."

After a short while, he felt he couldn't eat anymore, so he pushed the plate away and said, "Miss Yang, I'm full. I'm no longer dizzy, so I'll... disembark and leave now."

"Brother Zhao, don't go yet! You haven't told me how good my flute skills are!" Yang Yao'er hurriedly asked.

Zhao Ti knew that he wouldn't be able to disembark without saying something, so even though he didn't know much about the instrument, he had to make something up. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Miss Yang's flute playing is melodious and pleasant to the ear, truly excellent, but..."

"But what?" Yang Yao'er asked.

"However, it seems a little weak. The sound of the xiao is always deep and powerful, unlike the sharp and bright sound of flutes and yu, which can be strong or weak, delicate or gentle. The xiao is generally meant to be majestic and tragic, with a deep and mournful tone, or like a horn, high-pitched and heavy. This is why it is not used in many joyful occasions."

“Brother Zhao is right.” Yang Yao’er’s eyes lit up. “Does that have anything to do with the piece? Shall I try playing a more resonant piece?”

Zhao Ti pondered, "There should be some connection, or a more heroic piece would change the delicate tone. If Miss Yang gets used to playing this kind of piece, she might be able to gradually overcome the shortcomings in her technique."

Yang Yao'er nodded: "Then I will play the most magnificent flute piece I know now, and I would appreciate it again, Brother Zhao."

(End of this chapter)