Chapter 2: Gentle As Wisteria Flowers

The pair of wisteria hairpins on her hair would gently move like the real flowers along with the wind in her every movement, giving an illusion of spring. Her grape-colored cloak hid the silver patterned petals on her layered white and purple dress, giving the imagery of blossoming flowers trailing off her every step.

Just as clothes make the person, Li Xue's looks heightened to a pretty young miss. Bo Lan silently served her young miss on the side in the private room on the second level of the teahouse.

"In bitterness, there is a trace of sweetness. Warming the heart but awakening the mind. Caught in between reluctance and longing, until only awareness remains." Her expression filled with melancholy as she stared into the cup.

'How can I live my life from this day onwards, when each thought I have now is shackled by the chain of the life I had in my dream?'

Bo Lan mistakenly assumed her young miss was talking about the tea and made a note to ask for the tea they served so she could serve it for Li Xue's enjoyment. After a second cup, Yi Ting's returned with a slightly red face and carrying the long cloth-covered object inside.

Yi Ting placed the large item on the table and let Li Xue unravel the cloth to reveal a simple but beautiful qin. The common sandalwood retained its natural patterns, curves, and edges with minimal smoothing in crafting. It was not considered the most expensive or prized item in the shop, nor is it worthy to be used in the eyes of talented qin players. But it was still within the standard of an adequate qin for any well-off household for beginners.

Just as Li Xue wanted to touch the qin, a commotion outside halted her movements. Bo Lan's temperament is mild and often reserved. She would not dare to move and investigate the commotion downstairs without Li Xue's orders. However, Yi Ting was different. Her curiosity and stubbornness often meant her doing things without waiting for Li Xue's orders.

"I'll have a look outside what's happening." Yi Ting stated before turning her feet to the door.

"Yi Ting." Li Xue called her maidservant back.

Yi Ting took a look at Li Xue before glancing over to see Bo Lan shake her head. Yi Ting flushed in embarrassment and walked back over to Li Xue.

"Let us wait. If something truly happens, an attendant would come to explain themselves." Li Xue gently lectured before sitting back down and drinking her tea.

After the time an incense's time there was silence, then an attendant's polite voice outside the door.

"This esteemed guest. I apologize on behalf of our manager. This teahouse has been reserved for private use today. As a sign of our sincerity, the bill will be waived. We apologize for our guest's inconvenience." The middle-aged man bowed deeply at the entrance of the door despite facing the closed door.

Today has been a quiet day and save a few guests from the upper floors. Li Xue was the last to be asked to leave as her room was in the furthest end of the staircase. Seeing that this was the result of the commotion outside, Li Xue submitted to the circumstances. She did not insist to pay, especially when she knew the teahouse would have valued their gains against their losses before accepting such a sudden request.

"It can only be this way. We shouldn't inconvenience the people here, let's go." Li Xue sighed, placing the unfinished cup of tea down.

Yi Ting quickly wrapped up the qin and followed her young miss and Bo Lan out the door. A veiled woman in white sat gracefully beautifully with her gu qin, waiting in silence downstairs. Opposite of her, stood a young master with a dignified and haughty air of presence. His layered red robes fashioned to a sense of beauty in eccentricity.

Li Xue paid no attention to the two and simply passed them. However, she was stopped by two pretty maids behind the young master.

"Please take a seat, this young miss of the Song family." The man spoke with an air of lightheartedness as he pointed the seat next to him.

She was curious about this person who knew her identity but quickly recalled her family emblem on the horse carriage over here and still waiting outside when everyone else was wrong, This person was definitely not a common childe and patron of the teahouse. To purposely look for her, Li Xue could only submit and wait for this person's plan to unfold.

Li Xue bowed silently then sat down on the chair next to him. The young man curiously looked at her with a trace of amusement before sitting down as well. It was rare for someone to not address his title. He could only assume that this girl did not know who he was, or her reaction would not be this calm. As a result, he didn't correct her or reveal his identity to her.

"Today is my lucky day. To have the famous qin player Yuan'er from Thousand Fragrance Pavilion and the talented Song family's sister here under the same roof."

Li Xue looked at Yuan'er as she bowed her head in greeting. Li Xue gave a small smile in return.

"It is Yuan'er's fortune to meet a like-minded friend." Yuan'er smoothly stated.

Yi Ting wanted to criticize her for putting herself in the standard of her young miss. But before she could, she held her anger in with Bo Lan's discreet touch of the arm.

"I have heard your brother's playing a few years ago. With a talented brother like him, the sister should not be any less talented. Why not enlighten us the true beauty of qin." The young master in red commented as he shifted the conversation to the main purpose of his disruption to prevent Li Xue leaving.

"It would be my pleasure to compare notes with you." Yuan'er quickly agreed.

'A qin performance with our Song family's reputation on the line. It seems the other party has come prepared. In the end, the capital treasures talented people. I must also try my best in becoming a stronger person. That way I can protect the people I want to protect.'

"Likewise." Li Xue honestly replied.

The young man in red took a good look at Li Xue before enjoying the playing on the platform. In the end, even he became curious about the mysterious sister of that annoying Song Mu Chen. Regardless of today's performance, his purpose is to raise the reputation of the girl on the stage for his plans. As Yuan'er's fingers danced on the qin, Li Xue immersed herself in the performance.

'How beautiful. Her music carries her feelings. Leaving one turn into a piece of driftwood along the river that is formed from her emotions. There is even a sense of happiness when the song heightens in difficulty, like the enticement of a challenge to a problem no one else can solve.'

As the music ends, Yuan'er gracefully bows to the audience and move down the platform. Outside, crowds cheered and praised the beautiful song played. Li Xue nodded her head at the hesitant looking Yi Ting and made her way to the platform. The moment the cloth unwrapped to reveal an ordinary qin. One that could not even compare to the burnt wood qin previously heard just a moment ago. Yuan'er's eyes carried a flicker of haughtiness before placidly looking at the young man in red with a silent exchange of pity for the sheltered young miss.

Li Xue did heed any mind to the silent judgment below and carefully tuned the qin to what she instinctively felt to be correct.

"Did you know young miss could play the qin?" Yi Tin nervously whispered to Bo Lan when she reached down the platform.

"Trust in our young miss." Bo Lan replied calmly.

After some time, Li Xue finished tuning and ran her fingers across the qin. She closed her eyes and in her mind clear to a song she played for him.

It was the song she played as she waited for his return for the last time. Her feelings laid bare mirrored to the cold courtyard of the inner palace against the moonless night. The honor and duty bounded by the army under the flag of their nation. A life-burdening responsibility of the general to view lives as numbers and points his finger on the map to where the gates of death that open on the battlefield, calling the names of soldiers from both sides. Under the blazing sun, soldiers fight to push themselves to stand longer against their opponents. Illuminated by the fire in the freezing nights with only the thoughts of their family and loved ones in the dark of night as exhaustion, hunger and injuries plague them. Their yearning thoughts of the future turn into strength for the battle the moment the sun rises. There is not a single note played for the man that occupied her heart the qin she plays. Only music reflecting the experience soldiers face on the battlefield, their resolution and will to live one more day in the form of music. A song she played to call upon the return of soldiers back home.

The music ended with silence in the entire teahouse. Even bystanders and the guards outside the block the entrance halted into a state of quietness, their heartbeats still racing from the exciting performance. Only until Li Xue stood up and bowed, did everyone's soul return and voice return with an even louder cheer. In comparison, the teahouse remained relatively quiet from the noise outside until the young master stood up and clapped with a bright smile on his face.

"I have embarrassed myself." She bowed as both Yi Ting and Bo Lan quickly wrapped the qin.

Both their countenance suddenly becoming more subservient after the performance.

"Young miss has enlighted this lowly one." Yuan'er complimented.

"Complexity and understanding beyond the relationships between men and women. To think that one would contemplate the philosophies of war from a young miss raised in the peaceful capital. Nothing less from your sister, is that not right Mu Chen?" The young master in red smiled in his praise before standing up to face the person that stood by the entrance sometime during the performance.

"This subject greets the fifth prince." Song Mu Chen bowed courteously.