After the Autumn Equinox, the Moon Festival made Grain City particularly lively.
Lu Qian and Liu Muqing arrived by boat, planning to attend tonight's banquet at the Moon Viewing Tower.
"You really have too much free time, calling me to Grain City every few days. Today, your wish is finally fulfilled, yet you still seem a bit unhappy?" Liu Muqing looked at Lu Qian.
Lu Qian naturally refused to reveal the true reason, merely brushing it off, "Well, Jiang Jiuxian also chased after us."
Liu Muqing said, "Jiang Jiuxian is quite outstanding in the Music Hall, with a good family background and taste. Many women admire him, so why don't you like him?"
Lu Qian retorted, "Zong Shichang's family background isn't bad either, yet I don't see you liking him."
Liu Muqing was left speechless.
Lu Qian murmured, "Like is like, dislike is dislike. There’s no need for so many reasons. Besides, I don't like the way Jiang Jiuxian looks at me; he’s no different from other men."
Liu Muqing shook her head, "I won't argue with you. Since we’re here, let’s not think about those things and just relax."
The Moon Viewing Tower was a property of the Zong family, and the first five floors were packed with people, while the upper three floors were reserved by the young master of the Zong family.
As the host, Zong Shichang had arrived long ago, and Zhao Xing, with a mountain cat in hand, naturally followed along.
"Brother Zhao, how do I look right now?" Zong Shichang asked.
Zhao Xing glanced at Zong Shichang fussing in front of the mirror, "If you put on a bit more powder, you could compete with the girls downstairs in singing."
"What do you mean?"
"You're being overly flamboyant."
"......"
Zong Shichang, feeling a bit irritated, ruffled his hair and paced back and forth in front of a pile of extravagant clothes.
Zhao Xing couldn't watch any longer, "Why are you so anxious? Just be yourself today as you usually are. If you try too hard, how can you win over Miss Liu?"
"Be natural, don’t force it. Treat her like you treat other women, let it flow naturally. That alone will defeat ninety percent of your competitors."
Zong Shichang turned his head and asked, "Will that work?"
Zhao Xing replied, "Think about it, has it worked in the past? If so, why do the same thing as before? Change it up a bit; maybe it will suit Miss Liu's taste."
Zong Shichang hesitated for a moment but ultimately took Zhao Xing's advice and changed into a simpler outfit.
He had a good quality: he was open to suggestions.
As long as he recognized someone and trusted them, he was very receptive to their opinions.
Before long, a servant announced that guests had begun to arrive.
Zong Shichang stopped hesitating and went to greet the guests.
Zong Shichang's small private banquet for the Moon Festival had nearly a hundred attendees.
However, there were distinctions in closeness; those with lesser status and family backgrounds were on the lower floor.
Zong Shichang raised his wine cup and made a round on the lower floor, toasting each table, and by the time he returned upstairs, his complexion was rosy, and veins were bulging.
After closing the concealed door between the upper and lower floors and lowering the curtains, the small private room on the top floor became quiet, isolated from the lively singing and dancing below, with only a bright moon hanging high in the sky for people to admire.
Seeing the reluctant gazes of the crowd, Zong Shichang immediately raised his wine cup and laughed, "The vulgarities and frivolities outside cannot enter the grand hall of elegance. Today, I have invited friends from the county's Music Hall to entertain you all, so please enjoy!"
Zhao Xing sat in the third position on the left side of the table, where there was a small stage below.
The stage was covered with silk curtains, and when they were drawn back, the first thing visible was the bright moon in the night sky.
Then, two men and one woman, wearing veils, appeared on either side, playing musical instruments. The two men used horizontal zithers, while the woman played a lute.
Amidst swirling smoke, the three musicians faded away, leaving only the sound of singing and the instruments.
"With the emperor reigning over the Four Seas, auspicious clouds appear. Virtue like clouds, blessings for all people..."
As the music began, Lu Qian, who had been prepared, led three dancers onto the stage, dancing under the moonlight amidst the swirling smoke.
"I didn't expect the dance performed by the musicians invited by Zong Shichang would be a proper sacrificial dance," Zhao Xing focused on the stage.
The sacrificial dance was also a type of battle dance, performed by musicians and dancers together, praising the ancient sages and honoring their spirits.
The "Cloud Gate" sacrifices the creator of the ancient Fortune Dynasty, Emperor Xia, praising him for creating all things, uniting the people, and having virtue like clouds.
The peak version of "Cloud Gate" requires twelve first-grade musicians, thirty-two first-grade dancers, and over five hundred dancers and musicians from second to fourth grade!
The effect could summon the 'true spiritual body' of Emperor Xia.
However, Zhao Xing had never seen it; it was said that this battle dance could summon the spiritual body of Emperor Xia long ago, but even when the numbers were gathered later, it no longer worked.
Nonetheless, the simplified and lower-level versions of "Cloud Gate" had various effects, such as clearing the mind, uplifting morale, and increasing the endurance of warriors.
At a slightly higher level, it could summon some true spirits of the Xia Dynasty's sages to slay demons and eliminate evil.
In summary, this dance had developed to the point where its effects were diverse.
For instance, Zhao Xing felt that his soul had become a bit more solid, but it didn't have much practical use.
As the dance concluded, Lu Qian, along with the three dancers, thanked Liu Muqing and the other two musicians.
The spectators present all took out prepared gifts to reciprocate.
When the dancers and musicians received gifts, it would enhance the battle dance.
No gifts were fine too; a simple thank you would suffice.
Lu Qian walked to Zhao Xing's table and gracefully bowed.
Unexpectedly, he merely clasped his hands in return.
"Hmph, stingy," Lu Qian muttered as she walked away.
The others also looked over.
Everyone had brought jade ornaments as gifts, while Zhao Xing's 'spiritual thanks' seemed quite unique.
Zhao, the Agricultural Affairs Bureau Chief, indicated that her dancing skills were average, and a spiritual thanks was already quite generous; did she expect a reward?
When it was Zong Shichang's turn to reciprocate, he gave jade pendants and other ornaments to Jiang Jiuxian, Lu Qian, and others.
But to Liu Muqing, he presented a piece of paper.
A piece of paper?
Everyone's gaze shifted from Zhao Xing to Zong Shichang.
"Young Master Zong, today Miss Liu and Miss Lu have traveled a long way just for your banquet and dance; you can't be so uneven in your treatment."
"Exactly, why just give Miss Liu a piece of paper?"
"What does it say on the paper?"
Zong Shichang clasped his hands and said, "This is a poem I happened to come across. I thought it could be given to the musicians to set to music, which might enhance Miss Liu's performance. As for the dancers, I couldn't find a suitable one."
"Eh? That sounds biased. There are three musicians; why not give one to Jiang and Fan?"
"Yeah, hahaha, why is Miss Liu so special?"
Laughter erupted around, clearly knowing Zong Shichang's affections for Liu Muqing, intentionally teasing him at this moment.
Zong Shichang smiled, "This poem isn't suitable for men."
"Oh?" Jiang Jiuxian, who had taken a seat, teased, "What kind of miraculous poem is it that distinguishes between men and women? Young Master Zong, why don't you recite it?"
Zong Shichang smiled but remained silent, instead looking at Liu Muqing.
At this moment, Liu Muqing was already stunned, appearing to have achieved the desired effect.
The poem bought from Zhao Xing was worth it!
Lu Qian found it strange; Liu Muqing had seen her fair share of the world, so why was she silent for so long?
Unable to contain her curiosity, she walked over and took the paper from Liu Muqing's hand, "I'll read it."
"There is a beauty, unforgettable upon seeing. One day without seeing, thoughts are like madness."
"The phoenix flies high, seeking a mate across the seas. Alas, the beauty is not on the eastern wall."
"Using the zither to speak, I write my heartfelt feelings. When will I see you, to soothe my wandering heart?"
"Wishing to match virtue, hand in hand, unable to fly, leading to my downfall."
As soon as she read it aloud, laughter erupted continuously.
The attendees all had some appreciation ability; it was obvious this was a love poem.
However, as they listened, they felt something was off.
Why had they never heard it before?
It seemed to be of a higher level?
As for the other two musicians and three dancers, they were also momentarily stunned.
When Lu Qian read it aloud, they clearly felt some stirring.
There was an impulse to set this poem to music; such inspiration only arose when encountering poems that could significantly enhance one's cultivation or new poetry.
"You..." Lu Qian couldn't help but look at Zong Shichang, "Is this a new poem? Where did you get it?"
She didn't believe Zong Shichang could have composed it, given his level.
"I happened to come across it. I don't know if it's suitable for Miss Liu," Zong Shichang said with a smile, appearing quite modest, a stark contrast to his usual flamboyant demeanor.
He was slightly more normal, and Lu Qian found him somewhat 'abnormal.'
Is this still the Zong Shichang I know?
Liu Muqing was also greatly moved, not only by the cultivation impact but also because it was a love poem with a profound and touching depiction of love.
Even in this open-minded atmosphere, Liu Muqing felt a bit overwhelmed, and when she came to her senses, her face turned red.
"Thank you, Young Master Zong, for the poem," Liu Muqing's voice trembled, losing her usual calm demeanor.
"Wait, what is the name of this poem?" Lu Qian asked.
"Phoenix Seeking Mate," Zong Shichang replied.
"Phoenix Seeking Mate..." Liu Muqing murmured, her fingers plucking the strings of the lute, subconsciously wanting to set this poem to music.
The lute's melody was melodious, and soon she began to sing along.
The first time was a bit stammering, but by the second time, it already had some charm.
By the third repetition, several people closed their eyes, lost in a trance, experiencing the pain of unfulfilled longing.
Even a young master broke down on the spot, shouting a woman's name, tears streaming down his face.
Zong Shichang managed to hold back, as Zhao Xing had repeatedly instructed him to resist and not embarrass himself.
"That's enough, Miss Liu!" Zhao Xing interrupted at this moment.
Liu Muqing suddenly realized she had lost her composure and quickly stopped.
"Young Master Zong, given the current situation, I think everyone should go to the balcony to admire the moon," Zhao Xing said, "I see Miss Liu is quite touched by this poem; you can take her to a private room to discuss it."
"Miss Liu, please."
"Mm." Liu Muqing, fully immersed in composing, was just looking for a quiet place, so she allowed Zong Shichang to lead the way.
Seeing the usually aloof and proud Miss Liu actually agree to spend time alone with him, Zong Shichang couldn't help but cast a grateful glance, truly a good brother! No, a righteous father!
Lu Qian looked at Zong Shichang suspiciously, then at Zhao Xing, her eyes darting.
Seeing Zhao Xing leave his seat to go outside to admire the moon, she followed him.
"That poem was given to Zong Shichang by you, right?" Lu Qian stood beside Zhao Xing and suddenly asked.
"Why do you think that?"
"Intuition. His feelings for Miss Liu align with the meaning of the poem, but to say he wrote it is absolutely impossible," Lu Qian said. "Fortunately, he’s clever enough not to claim he wrote it; otherwise, when Liu asks later, wouldn’t that be a blunder?"
Zhao Xing didn't turn his head or reply, just quietly gazing at the moon.
Lu Qian took another step closer to him, "Was the dance just now beautiful?"
Zhao Xing nodded, "It was okay."
"Just okay?" Lu Qian pouted.
"Okay is a relatively high evaluation from me."
"So you do understand dancers."
"A little."
"Please enlighten me."
Zhao Xing said lightly, "You danced 'Cloud Gate' from 'Six Songs.' Cloud Gate is incredibly profound; it’s not just a battle dance but also has the effect of summoning spirits. You danced the vigorous parts well, but the softer parts still need improvement."
"The sleeves dance towards the heavenly threshold, soaring up to the ninth sky. Your sleeve techniques should come from 'Cloud Gate: Heavenly Threshold' and 'Cloud Gate: Ninth Sky,' but as I said earlier, your softer parts are still lacking."
"You should be more adept at dancing 'Great Shao.' This is a flaw brought by 'Great Shao,' and it's hard to correct, isn't it?"
Lu Qian raised an eyebrow, "You really know? Yes, I am indeed good at 'Great Shao,' and your assessment is exactly what my teacher said, but I don’t know how to correct it."
Zhao Xing turned his head, "If you don’t mind, you can dance it again for me."
"Okay!" Lu Qian, not shy at all, immediately began to dance.
Although there was no lute accompaniment like Liu Muqing's, dancers don’t necessarily need music to perform, and the melody had long been stored in her heart.
So dancing again only slightly reduced the impact, but the completion was not much different from before.
Zhao Xing observed Lu Qian's movements through the Five Elements perspective.
After letting her dance twice, he called to a stop.
"That's enough."
"What did you see?" Lu Qian asked eagerly.
Zhao Xing spoke, "Your vital Qi tends to surge too strongly at the critical moment of the 'Ninth Sky' section. As I mentioned earlier, this is a habit formed from dancing 'Great Shao.' It’s simple to correct; as long as you can control the surge of vital Qi at the sea of Qi, you can transition smoothly to the next step."
Lu Qian instinctively lowered her head, touching her belly, her expression somewhat silly, "It really is like that. My teacher has said it many times, but I still can’t change it."
"There's no way around it; you can only adjust slowly."
Lu Qian raised her head, "Now I'm even more certain that the poem 'Phoenix Seeking Mate' was given to Zong Shichang by you. Do you know why I wanted to see you?"
"I know," Zhao Xing nodded. Since she brought it up, he couldn't avoid it. Solving problems, after all, he had found a way to make money; if all else failed, he could return the Feathered Cloak.
"I have no other intentions," Lu Qian said, "and I'm not here to ask for the Feathered Cloak back. The matters on the mountain are for the mountain; the Forgetting Worry Monument is meant to help people forget their troubles on the mountain. I’m just a bit curious about what kind of person you are, and I hope this invitation hasn’t troubled you."
Unexpectedly, Lu Qian said this, sounding very sincere and calm.
Seeing Zhao Xing remain silent, Lu Qian found a topic to ease the awkwardness, "Do you have any other poems? Giving that to Zong Shichang is a waste; he doesn’t appreciate it... You could sell it to the people in the Music Hall."
"Mm?" Zhao Xing was taken aback; he actually had something suitable for Lu Qian. Selling it to anyone was still selling. He was currently short on money to buy an Enlightening Painting.
"I do; how high a price can you offer?"
Now it was Lu Qian's turn to be surprised.
She had just asked casually.
She didn't expect Zhao Xing to actually have it.
"That depends on the level. If it’s like the one just now that can evoke a response, exchanging it for a fourth-grade treasure is not a problem."
"Derived from 'Six Songs,' with both lyrics and music," Zhao Xing said, "it’s definitely better than any other, and it can reach up to the fifth grade. How much do you think it’s worth?"
"If that’s the case, it can at least be exchanged for a fifth-grade treasure, or even more."
Zhao Xing thought for a moment and nodded, "I can let you experience the battle lyrics and battle music first."
"Good, follow me," Lu Qian said, somewhat excited.
Zhao Xing planned to sell "Ritual Soul" to Lu Qian. Unlike the cheap piece he gave to Zong Shichang, "Ritual Soul" was one of the "Nine Songs" derived from "Six Songs."
It was a proper mature spell and was the 'Sending the Divine Melody' among the Nine Songs.
As the saying goes, inviting a spirit is easy, but sending one away is difficult.
The power of "Ritual Soul" lies in its ability to disperse evil spirits and send away other spirits summoned by various professions, making it very practical.
Zhao Xing only remembered the battle lyrics and battle music of "Ritual Soul," which could be memorized during his previous life as a player. As for the battle dance involving vital Qi operation, that was impossible; remembering the movements was useless.
When he gave Zong Shichang that cheap piece, he had already tried out the other 'results,' which had been certified by the panel.
It was just that it still fell short of the complete version by several levels, as it lacked the crucial battle dance part, but it was enough for selling and making some money.
As for what kind of battle dance Lu Qian could come up with, that was none of his concern.
Seeing things resolve so smoothly, Zhao Xing was somewhat surprised.
Could it be that the 'bad luck moment' had passed?
"Wait!" At that moment, a voice interrupted the conversation between Zhao Xing and Lu Qian.