A song from Chengdu revived a closed-down pub.

In the lull of the news, Ma Yuesong had just finished a coordination meeting at the association regarding bringing traditional opera into schools.

He returned to his office and casually picked up his phone, intending to check if Ma Xiaoya had arrived at Hantang.

But as soon as the screen lit up, he saw the latest update from Han Tang Entertainment.

He stared at the official announcement and the comments section below for a long time without blinking.

A moment later, he finally stood up and muttered to himself, "So fast? Could he have been preparing all along?"

Actually, Ma Yuesong had half a sentence left unsaid. What he wanted to say was, "If I had known they were releasing songs this fast, I would have gone too!"

Next, Ma Yuesong, like other netizens, clicked on the song.

After the intro, we hear Ma Xiaoya singing.

Plum blossoms and snow vie for spring's favor, neither willing to yield.

Snow, however, loses a touch of fragrance to plum blossoms.

A hero in the wind sighs in bewilderment.

A tasseled spear stood upright beside him.

……

Ma Xiaoya's voice is crisp and clear, and the introduction, which uses imagery from ancient poems to set the tone, is refreshing.

The song makes its stance clear from the very first two lines.

It's not about winning or losing, but about pointing out a fact: no matter how heavy the snow is, it can't suppress the fragrance of plum blossoms.

So we're not here to argue, we're here to show that we won't be crushed.

The following line, "A hero in the wind sighs in despair, a spear standing beside him," narrows the focus of the scene.

The poem transitions from a grand natural image to a close-up of a person.

The hero stood firm in the wind, his spear poised at his side, not making a move, but the spear was already gleaming.

This is like the first thing he said to those who were besieging the Han and Tang dynasties: "You haven't made your move yet, but I'm already prepared."

One netizen even joked, "The advantage is mine!"

The song continues.

"A beautiful woman in the attic ponders quietly"

A smile exchanged between them, a dream come true

I'll call you a general with deep affection for you.

"Golden spears and iron horses on the battlefield"

……

The song then shifts the perspective back from the outside to the inside.

The tone also began to rise.

At this point, the protagonist in the song has changed from an observer to a participant.

Since we're participants, let's draw our swords, not our guns.

Now that we've taken up arms, we're not going to be passively attacked; we're going to take the initiative.

The chorus also begins to get sharper.

I am willing to guard the frontier for you for the rest of my life.

I learned that technique of counterattacking.

Drive away tigers, leopards, jackals and wolves

So that you will never get hurt again

I will stand on the highest hill

My dashing return with a spear thrust

Even if I lose the rest of my life, what does it matter?

……

What do Chinese people value? They believe in courtesy before resorting to force.

That's why the first line of the chorus goes: "I am willing to guard the frontier for you for the rest of my life."

This sentence describes protection, not attack.

To clarify my motives, I'm not doing this out of competitiveness, but to protect what I should protect.

Then, "I learned that skill of launching a counterattack."

"Turning the gun" is a tactic in itself, which means to pretend to retreat and then turn around and strike when the opponent catches up.

When used in a song, it's like saying, "You thought I was retreating, but actually I was waiting for you to catch up so I could shoot you all dead."

Next, they sang, "Drive away the tigers, leopards, and wolves, so you will never get hurt again."

This line clearly states the stance; listeners know who the tigers, leopards, and wolves are.

The last three sentences, however, represent a gesture.

No explanation, no rebuttal, no attempt to reconcile; simply establish the stance.

The meaning is also very clear: the path has been drawn, so if you're not convinced, then fight.

Just as everyone was enjoying the music, the accompaniment suddenly slowed down, followed by Ma Xiaoya's standard Peking Opera-style recitation.

"A dashing figure with a five-foot spear"

Dominating the winds and clouds, treading on the blue wolf

As dawn breaks over the training ground

The woman swiftly turned and fired a counterattack.

……

From plum blossoms and snow to swords and horses, and then to five-foot spears, the entire arc of discussion, stance, and action was completed.

The entire poem contains no superfluous words or phrases, and not a single sentence is superfluous.

Every word seemed to be a response, a response to the doubts, attacks, and blockades.

However, just when everyone thought it was over, a rap came out.

"Holding a twelve-foot spear, I fought in the north beyond the Great Wall and crossed the river to the south."

You can fight a fierce tiger on the mountain, or capture a dragon king in the sea.

This gun technique has eighty-four methods, each one stronger than the last.

Holding a pipa, he greets the door with a thorn; Erlang carries a mountain on his shoulder.

Birds have finished eating and enter the forest; a jade maiden shuttles about, occupying all directions.

They parted the grass and found the snake emerging from its hole, but the monstrous python turned and hid behind their back.

Fallen petals cover the ground, stained with dust; with the wind at our backs, we raise our flags, full of spirit.

Watch my counterattack, hehe~

……

This rap is the most direct one.

A series of densely packed move phrases are laid out in a coherent rhythm.

It's not about showcasing technical prowess, but about revealing the character's inner strength through the singing.

The entire song contains not a single superfluous word, nor a single genuine explanation.

It uses a continuous, layered approach to imagery to ultimately depict the image of someone who is unwilling to be passively attacked.

While others thought he had already given up, he had already turned around.

There were no unnecessary actions, no waiting, and no discussion.

All that remained was the sound of the gun tip hitting the ground.

Once that action is completed, it's up to the other side to figure out what to do next.

Who was this shot aimed at?

After listening to the song, Ma Yuesong was first shocked, then surprised, and finally excited.

"As expected, that kid is no pushover. That strength was incredible!"

Qu Feiming also listened to the song, and he was speechless for a long time.

"As expected, Junior Uncle's cursing is so refined!"

After expressing his feelings, he opened Weibo and began editing a message.

As if afraid that others wouldn't understand, Qu Feiming broke down and analyzed the lyrics of "The Return of the Warrior" one by one, making sure that everyone could understand them.

Originally, after listening to the song, everyone just thought it was a very nice song.

But after reading Qu Feiming's interpretation, I suddenly understood.

"When I first heard the phrase 'drive away the tigers, leopards, and wolves,' I thought it was a general reference. But after reading Mr. Qu's interpretation, I suddenly felt a chill. I wonder if those who besieged the Han and Tang dynasties would feel uneasy upon hearing this!"

"I originally thought 'heroic figure with a five-foot spear' was just a phrase praising a female general, but now I realize that it's the focal point. The preceding imagery of plum blossoms, snow, tasseled spears, and golden armor and iron horses were all preparations for this phrase. All the scattered imagery from before is brought together and put into place by this phrase!"

"The first time I listened to this song was by listening to the melody, the second time was by reading the lyrics, and the third time was after reading the interpretation and listening to the lyrics again. On the third listen, I felt like the gun seemed to sway in my direction!"

"If it weren't for Elder Qu's analysis, I wouldn't have known that Su Fan's spear was so well hidden!"

……

Someone posted a long image combining Qu Feiming's Weibo post interpreting the song "Returning Gun".

The caption reads only one line: "Gun isn't for scaring people, it's for self-defense. But if someone insists on charging at it, the gun tip will find its own place."

The number of reposts quadrupled within an hour.

More and more people are rediscovering this song, not to listen to the melody, but to hear the lines that have been overshadowed by the melody.