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

Chapter 439 Trouble Arises Suddenly (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

The music was sometimes clear and melodious, sometimes stirring and soaring, sometimes like whispers in the forest, sometimes like the rising sun, full of splendor and glory. It was like heavenly music, making people involuntarily fall into it, their hearts rising and falling with the music, and they could not extricate themselves for a long time.

Zhao Ti played a piece called "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix." He had too many musical pieces in his mind, but only a few were the most familiar and skillful to him.

Besides "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix," there is also "General's Command" and "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," both of which occupy an important place in my memory of the zither music.

The following two pieces have accompanying music and lyrics, but it's not appropriate to play and sing them at the same time, so this piece was chosen to be performed.

After about a quarter of an hour, with a clear and melodious string note, the music slowly faded away. Zhao Ti raised his hands, his expression serene and peaceful.

Inside the painted boat, one could hear a pin drop. Yang Yao'er's bright eyes shone like stars, and even though the music had ended, her face was still filled with a look of rapture.

The old man's expression was ferocious, but he couldn't hide his shock and horror. His shoulders trembled uncontrollably, and even his eyelids seemed to be shaking.

Zhao Ti glanced at the two of them. He must have been a great master of the zither in his past life, no, he should be called a grandmaster of the zither!
Although he remained outwardly calm, he was inwardly astonished and surprised. The skill was even more superb than he had imagined. To be able to play such a piece of music, he could indeed be called a master of the qin. But a master should also be able to establish his own school and create his own methods and skills. He wondered if he had ever created any music in his previous life.

"Miss Yang, how is it?" he asked slowly.

"Brother Zhao, this is wonderful." Yang Yao'er nodded vigorously. "In all my life, apart from one close friend who can barely compare to you, I have never heard anyone else play such beautiful music. Of course, my close friend is far inferior to you."

"Miss Yang is too kind," Zhao Ti said. "It was just something I did casually, nothing special."

“Brother Zhao, there’s no need for such modesty.” Yang Yao’er’s cheeks were rosy as she looked directly at Zhao Ti. “I have heard many great masters of the zither play in this era, but none of them can compare to you, Brother Zhao. They are all far inferior to me.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ti asked curiously, "So, does that mean Miss Yang's best friend's musical skills surpass those of these masters?"

“He certainly surpasses them, but without his own compositions and lyrics, he cannot be called a master of the qin. Unlike Brother Zhao, who has already created his own qin pieces and can be called a master of the qin!” Yang Yao’er said.

"Original music and lyrics?" Zhao Ti's expression shifted slightly. Could it be that the piece he had just played was not known to the world?

But that doesn't make sense. If it's a memory left over from a past life, how could it not have spread throughout the world?
In my memory, this is an ancient famous song. I have no recollection of the origins of "General's Command" and "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer". It is possible that I composed it myself, but the other party should know this song.

I am currently focused on my studies and know little about the music in the world, perhaps even only superficially. But Yang Yao'er seems to be deeply immersed in music and should know it very well. She shouldn't not recognize this piece, "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix."
“It’s a piece of music and lyrics that you composed yourself.” Yang Yao’er said, “The piece of music that Brother Zhao played is not recorded in any musical scores or melodies. I have not seen it in any other music books, nor have I heard anyone mention playing it. Isn’t it something that Brother Zhao composed himself?”

Zhao Ti was increasingly puzzled. How could this be? No matter the other party's background, knowledge, or interests, they must have heard of such a famous piece. How could they be so certain that there was no such piece in the world?
"Couldn't it be an ancient piece of music?" Zhao Ti thought for a moment and said.

“Brother Zhao, please don’t be modest. There is no ancient melody in the world that you played that you played. Moreover, since ancient times, even thousands of years have passed, almost no ancient melody has been lost. Every dynasty has preserved it in the royal family, and the next dynasty has inherited it completely. They only continue to add to it, and there is absolutely no loss or dissipation.” Yang Yao’er said, “The royal family is the largest music library in the world. I have seen hundreds of volumes of ancient music scores in the royal family, and there is absolutely no melody that you played that you played.”

"I see." Zhao Ti nodded, but he was even more puzzled. What was the meaning of the memory in his mind that this melody was passed down from ancient times and was widely circulated? Was there a mistake? Or was there an error in his memory from his previous life? But that seemed unlikely.

“That’s right. Doesn’t Brother Zhao know? Brother Zhao’s zither skills are divine, how could he not know about this? He must be testing me.” Yang Yao’er said in a clear voice, revealing a mischievous expression.

"This..." Zhao Ti didn't know how to explain it. He pondered for a few moments. He couldn't say that he remembered this was an ancient famous piece of music from his previous life. It was widely circulated in the world and everyone who could play the zither knew it. Even those who couldn't play the zither had heard of it to some extent.

Because the other party said that there was no such piece of music at all, that it was not in the royal repertoire, and that no one in the world knew about it, this was too contradictory and inexplicable. Thinking of this, he could only shrug and then give an awkward smile.

“Brother Zhao, you admit it now. With your superb and extraordinary musical skills, creating such a wonderful piece is truly an easy task for you. The two complement each other perfectly, so what’s there to be ashamed of?” Yang Yao’er asked excitedly, “By the way, Brother Zhao, what is the name of this piece?”

Zhao Ti said helplessly, "This piece is called... Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix."

"A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix?!" Upon hearing this, Yang Yao'er stood up from behind the desk, clapping her hands with delight. "What a wonderful name! Brother Zhao has chosen such a wonderful name. It perfectly matches the rhythm and melody of this piece. I had a similar thought just now, but I couldn't come up with a suitable name. It is Brother Zhao's literary talent that has given such a grand and majestic name that is so fitting to the meaning of the piece."

Zhao Ti waved his hand and said, "It's just a name, it's really nothing."

“Brother Zhao’s talent is truly rare in this world. Not only is he a master of the zither, but his literary talent is also so outstanding. He must not be an unknown figure in Yuzhou.” Yang Yao’er’s eyelashes fluttered and she suddenly said, “I must go and inquire about him. Brother Zhao must be a talented man from Jiangbei, known to all.”

Zhao Ti glanced at her and thought to himself, "You're not only dull, but you also have a lot of questions. Why are you asking me about me?"
At this moment, he turned his gaze to the old man beside him and said indifferently, "What else do you have to say, you old servant?"

The old man's face had been filled with shock, astonishment, and bewilderment. Upon hearing this, his lips twitched, and he slowly lowered his head, remaining silent.

Zhao Ti said, "Did you think you could get away with just keeping quiet? All those unscrupulous words and malicious speculations you just made were for nothing. If everyone in the world were like you, the good would be bullied and the kind would be slandered. If this continued, the peaceful world would be gone, and there would be deception and framing everywhere. The world would inevitably descend into chaos, and the country would cease to exist!"

A chilling glint flashed in the old man's eyes, but he lowered his head even further, adopting a posture of reverence and acceptance of apology.

"Furthermore, you have acted disrespectfully. Your master is here, yet you have repeatedly interrupted him. What about your master's dignity? Does the Yang family of Huazhou have no rules? Is it a case of the weak master and the strong servant, with the servant usurping the master's authority?"

The old man trembled upon hearing this, glanced up at Zhao Ti, and a vicious look flashed across his face before disappearing.

"Do you think Miss Yang is easy to bully? You don't dare to act like this in front of other members of the Yang family, but you alone disobey Miss Yang and resist in every way. Are you doing this on purpose and taking pleasure in bullying your master?"

"This old servant dares not..." The old man knelt down with a thud, bowing his head to Yang Yao'er and saying, "This old servant has made a mistake, please punish me, Miss."

Yang Yao'er glanced at Zhao Ti with a strange look in her eyes, then looked at the old man on the ground: "Uncle Zhu, you weren't originally one of my people, but from my uncle's side, so there are some things I can't say. But you've really gone too far today. You didn't listen to me, and you made wild guesses and accusations about the guests I invited, all of which were baseless. It has now been proven that you were talking nonsense, which is a serious offense within the clan."

"Yes, this old servant knows his mistake, please punish me, Miss." The old man said in a low voice. "You should apologize to Brother Zhao first, and then receive a punishment from the family rules yourself." Yang Yao'er nodded.

"Yes, Young Master Zhao, this old servant was wrong. This old servant was blind and did not recognize your talent. I made wild guesses about your abilities and spoke recklessly, which is a serious crime. I beg you, Young Master, to forgive this old servant and not hold it against me. I will accept the punishment of my family to avenge you."

As he spoke, he suddenly raised his hand and began slapping himself repeatedly, more than twenty times, until both sides of his face swelled up and blood trickled from the corners of his mouth. Only then did he stop.

Yang Yao'er looked at Zhao Ti: "What do you think, Brother Zhao?"

Zhao Ti didn't even glance at the old man, knowing that although the man was now submissive, he must still be resentful and even angry. But he couldn't let that stop him from being punished.

Petty people fear power but not virtue. They cannot be reformed with virtue, but can only be intimidated. Even if the other party still resents them, they still have to do it. Doing it may not be useful, but at least they can vent their anger. If they don't do it, the other party will still do as they please, and take revenge as they please.

Therefore, one should not be kind to petty people; if one cannot kill them, one should intimidate them, and if one can kill them, one should show no mercy.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Yang Yao'er and said, "Miss Yang, since it's getting late, I'll take my leave now."

"Brother Zhao, are you leaving already?" Yang Yao'er asked. "I wonder where you study and where you live? If I want to see you again, where should I look for you?"

Zhao Ti remained silent upon hearing this, thinking to himself, "Are you still looking for me? I've eaten so much food here that I can't eat dinner when I get home, and I don't even know how to explain it to you. Why are you still looking for me? I don't really want to see you."

Yang Yao'er said, "The close friend I just mentioned to Brother Zhao will also be coming to Yuzhou in a few days. She is obsessed with the zither and will definitely pay a visit to learn from Brother Zhao, a master in Yuzhou."

Zhao Ti's lips twitched. If you hadn't mentioned what happened today, how would she have known I existed? Do you think I don't have enough trouble on weekdays?
“This…” Zhao Ti said mysteriously, “Miss Yang doesn’t need to know these things. As the saying goes, those who are destined to meet will meet even if they are a thousand miles apart, while those who are not destined to meet will not meet even if they are face to face. If you are destined to meet, Miss Yang will surely see me again. I will take my leave now.”

As she spoke, she turned and walked out of the painted boat. Yang Yao'er murmured, "Those who are destined to meet will meet even if they are a thousand miles apart, while those who are not destined to meet will not meet even if they are face to face..." Her face turned red.

She looked at Zhao Ti's retreating figure and hurriedly said, "Brother Zhao, wait a moment, let me see you off!"

After leaving the painted boat, Zhao Ti turned back to Yang Yao'er, who had caught up with him, and said, "The evening breeze is quite cool, Miss Yang, there's no need to see me off."

“Brother Zhao…” Yang Yao’er said hesitantly, “Did you write the line ‘Those destined to meet will meet even if they are thousands of miles apart’? I have never heard this line before. Such a famous line could not possibly have not been circulated. It must have been written by Brother Zhao. I never thought that Brother Zhao had such poetic talent.”

Zhao Ti paused, then rubbed her forehead. "I didn't write it. This isn't me. I can't do anything, let alone write poetry. You noble ladies, please don't make me write poetry anymore..."

"Why isn't Brother Zhao saying anything?" Yang Yao'er's eyes seemed to sparkle.

"Um... I'm leaving now." Zhao Ti really didn't want to explain, nor could he explain, just like the zither music, which couldn't be explained. He jumped onto the shore and headed straight west.

It was already getting dark. Yang Yao'er stood in the boat for a few moments, watching the direction Zhao Ti had left in. Then, with a shy expression and a slightly excited demeanor, she returned to the boat.

Just then, the old man stood up and whispered to her as she entered, "Miss, I used too much force in my self-punishment just now, and my face is in unbearable pain. I'll go out and buy some medicine to apply to it."

Yang Yao'er nodded: "Uncle Zhu, please don't do this again. Although you are not one of my people, wouldn't this make us a laughing stock for our guests? It makes my Yang family seem very unruly."

"Yes, Miss. This old servant knows his mistake and will go right away." The old man, with his back hunched, responded and walked outside.

As Yang Yao'er watched him leave, she sat behind the guqin, plucked the strings, and began to play the melody of "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" that Zhao Ti had played.

The old man stepped off the boat and suddenly straightened up, his hunched and frail figure disappearing in an instant, becoming incredibly robust.

He glanced westward, then leaped to the shore and strode off, his speed increasing until he seemed to be gliding across the land...

Zhao Ti could already see a vertical road outside Sihai Street. Just turn into it and continue forward to reach Chunyu Street.

But his steps suddenly faltered slightly, then he slowed down, a look of doubt appearing in his eyes.

There were few pedestrians outside at this time; most had returned home for dinner, while those who wanted to stroll around after dinner had not yet come out.

Zhao Ti turned his head, but there was nothing behind him. The night was dark, and he saw no one following him, not even stray cats or dogs.

He turned around, a cold look on his face. With his profound internal strength, he could not possibly be mistaken. Someone had been following him all along, and judging from the subtle movements, it was not a normal walk, but rather a stealthy act of tracking him.

After a moment's thought, Zhao Ti continued walking, but instead of turning into Sihai Street, he went straight ahead, returning to the banks of the Yujiang River and heading towards the riverside woods he had visited with Zhuge Qingqing last time.

Since the other party is secretly following me, they must have ill intentions. I can't bring them home and cause trouble for my family. If I can resolve this outside, then I'll resolve it outside.

Now that the martial arts skills have been mastered and the difference in skill level has been verified, no matter what the opponent's intentions or schemes are, they can simply be crushed.

A moment later he arrived at the grove of trees, and without looking behind him, he walked straight in along the gravel path.

(End of this chapter)