Chapter Seventeen Master and Disciple

  "Long winds break waves, sometimes they will meet, straight hanging cloud sails to cross the blue sea" comes from Li Bai's "The Road is Difficult", which is a high-powered association. Thanks to book friend Ma Jia Zhi Wang for pointing out the error.

  The most astonishing thing was that Ye Mengde was left speechless, staring at the young man who was talking incessantly in front of him. Could it be true that this was really the same person who had seduced someone else's wife and driven them to death, earning the scorn of everyone in the capital? As one of the masterminds behind the Yuan Yu Party case, he should have been well-versed in the intricacies of politics and its unpredictable nature. Gao Fang's arguments were naturally crystal clear to him. However, if such words had come from the mouths of Cai Jing, Cai Yan, or Zhao Tingzi, it would not have been surprising at all. But the person standing before him was supposed to be a spoiled brat who nobody truly looked up to; stripping away his title as a high-ranking official, he was nothing but a good-for-nothing young nobleman. How could he possibly possess such insight?

  Since his resignation, Cai Jing never discussed anything with anyone. He let his eldest son Cai You and a few close confidants like Ye Mengde and the Qiang brothers worry anxiously, while he himself spent his days carefree, whistling in the wind and playing with the moon. But tonight, after hearing Gao's analysis, Ye Mengde suddenly recalled Cai Jing's carefree expression - could it be that this Gao is actually the one who truly understands Cai Jing?

  Ye Mengde came to himself, knowing that tonight's goal had been achieved. Not only had he clarified Gao Qiu's attitude, but he had also discovered a talent. He should hurry back to report to Cai Jing immediately. With a loud laugh, he said: "Talented nephew, Ye will quickly go and report to the Duke of Grace. I'll take my leave now."

  Gao said with a strong heart, "You're leaving at the right time, if you continue to talk nonsense, I'll be speechless. It's not easy to recall these things from memory, do you think knowing history can intimidate others?" Busy laughed and said: "Uncle is overpraising, this younger generation is reckless and ignorant, it's truly shameful. I hope Uncle will often teach and guide me."

  It was unclear whether it was the strong facial features or the lighting, but Ye Mengde only felt that the smile of this young man had increased several degrees of obscenity under the moonlight, and it didn't seem like the calm demeanor he had when speaking earlier. A wave of dizziness washed over him.

  Arriving at the government gate, he watched as Ye Mengde boarded his carriage. Gao Jian let out a silent sigh of relief, finally seeing off this "worldly uncle". He wondered how many points his performance would score in Cai Jing's eyes?

  Wandering back to his own courtyard, he heard the sound of pipa music drifting from afar, like a mountain spring jumping between rocks and flowing clouds swaying in the spring breeze. There was no one in his house who understood music, so it must be the young master who had just arrived today playing the tune.

  Just thinking about this little girl, Gao Qiang got a headache. With the same origin and name, this not-yet-grown-up little girl seemed to be the famous courtesan in history who was favored by the emperor, but now she was inexplicably taken into his private quarters. Wasn't he drinking the emperor's leftover soup? Gao Qiang shook his head, secretly laughing at himself for being so pedantic. It was already strange enough that he had ended up here, what could be even stranger than this?

  She stepped into the small courtyard and saw a group of people sitting under the big tree in the middle of the yard, all of whom were servants from the Gong house. Xiao Huan was also among them, and beside her sat a small figure holding a pipa - it wasn't Xiaoshi who else could it be?

  Everyone saw the official return and hastily got up to pay their respects, then followed by running away.

  Gao Jian stepped forward and helped Xiao Huan up, laughing: "I told you before not to salute every time we meet, how could you forget again?"

  Xiao Huan's face turned red, and she lowered her head, saying: "The official is magnanimous, I dare not be presumptuous. Moreover..." But she stopped herself from speaking further.

  It's quite extraordinary, but the previous sentence is not surprising at all. Xiaohuan has just been taken into the house and hasn't fully adapted mentally yet, often still thinking of herself as a slave girl. But what's the point of saying that again?

  "What else? Why don't you say it?" Gao Qiang asked.

  Xiao Huan stole a glance at Xiao Shi and said in a low voice, "In the future, there will be many sisters-in-law and young ladies, don't want to confuse identities and etiquette."

  "Huh?" Gao Jiang was stunned for a moment before he came to his senses, realizing that this little girl had suddenly gained a sister, and with it, countless thoughts, truly a woman's heart is as unpredictable as a needle at the bottom of the ocean.

  Bian Xiaodao said, "You silly girl, what are you thinking? Xiao Shishi lost her parents and was forced to rely on the Qinglou to learn a trade. I saw that her circumstances were pitiful, and she played the pipa well, so I couldn't bear to see her languish there and redeemed her to bring her into the manor. You treating her as a sister is good, but I didn't bring her in for you to have that kind of sister."

  Xiao Huan visibly breathed a sigh of relief, but her face turned even redder: "Xiao Huan was momentarily confused, please don't mind. Actually, Xiao Huan is also puzzled, although she has heard that some men like women of this age, but you have always liked those who are not this type..."

  He was taken aback for a moment and hastily waved his hand to stop her: What's all this, saying such things in front of such a young child, poisoning the next generation.

  Unexpectedly, Xiao Shifu opened her mouth and directly scared Gao Qiang half to death: "Your Honor, before I left the house, my mother had already instructed me to serve you well. Although I am young, I have heard the sisters in the building talk about some masters who like me at this age. Originally, I thought Your Honor was also like that, but now that I've heard your words, I know that Your Honor is purely kind-hearted. I was also wondering, I've heard that those masters are all older men, how could someone as young as you...”

  "Stop! That's enough!" If it goes on, it will become a discussion about age and sexual orientation. Being discussed by two girls like this, Gao Gang really can't take it anymore.

  Xiao Huan pouted and said: "Sir, are you going to rest soon?"

  Gao Liang looked up at the sky and saw a bright full moon hanging in the horizon, suddenly remembering something: "Xiao Huan, what's today's date? The moon is so round!"

  "Your Honor, you've been practicing martial arts diligently for several days and have even forgotten the date. Today is March 3rd, and yesterday was the full moon day. As the saying goes, 'the moon on the fifteenth is round on the sixteenth.'"

  "...... is it?" Unconsciously, I have already become the High Minister for more than half a month. So, this is the first full moon I've seen since arriving here?

  "...... Little ring, help me set up a wine pot and prepare two small dishes. I want to have a drink inside."

  Xiao Huan nodded and agreed, then went to arrange things on her own. Before long, the wine and dishes were laid out, Xiao Huan filled Gao Qiang's cup, then held the wine jug and stood beside him.

  Gao Jian walked over to the stone table and sat down, beckoning Xiaoshi to sit as well. He asked: "Xiaoshi, can you play Su Xueli's 'Water Tune Song Head'?"

  "Ah, this is a tune that every sister in the building must learn," said Shi Shi with a smile, "of course I know it." She then strummed her pipa twice and began to sing.

  "I'd like to ask the blue sky which year is this tonight... The familiar lines echoed in my mind, flowing slowly. I don't know when I arrived at this city, and what year it is now. Although I want to ride the wind back home, how can I bear the cold of high places? Dancing with the clear shadows, is this really the mortal world? Is this place still my mortal world?"

  A few cups of turbid wine, half a verse of song, the moon is cool as water, where is the hometown?

  “…people have joys and sorrows, partings and reunions; the moon has its phases of darkness and light, fullness and emptiness. This is an eternal truth. May we long endure, sharing the beauty of the moon together, though a thousand miles apart.” The pipa music stopped, and all was silent, except for Gao Jian, who still hummed softly: “This is an eternal truth, this is an eternal truth…”

  Suddenly, Xiaoshi's soft voice came: "Sir, would you like to hear another tune?"

  He suddenly raised his head, a bewildered look in his eyes: "Shifu, you said that all things in this world are difficult to complete?"

  The young nun bit her lower lip, tilted her head and thought for a moment, saying: "Your Honor, I'm still young and only know how to sing according to the lyrics, but I don't understand the underlying emotions. However, I've seen the sisters in the building sing this song, often repeating these few sentences until they're speechless and tearful, their emotions extremely sorrowful. It seems that these lines must have been inspired by personal experience, not just idle words."

  "Is it?" Gao Qiang muttered.

  "Then the young teacher continued, 'When I was learning the tune, I also asked the virtuoso who taught me, what does it mean that this matter is difficult to understand from ancient times? But that sister just sighed and patted my head, saying that when I grew up, I would naturally know. Now you're already so big, but still don't know? It seems that this thing is really hard to comprehend.'"

  Gao Geng couldn't help but smile wryly at the words, truly childish talk. But can adults necessarily understand the deeper meaning behind it? In the grand scheme of things, there is a heavenly will that manipulates all living beings in the world. Can it be understood by simply wasting a few years? Even Confucius, with his great wisdom, only knew his heavenly mandate at the age of 50. What virtue does this humble one possess, wandering through time and space, encountering the end of an era, throwing himself into serving the people's thieves, kneeling to assist the country's pests, all for the sake of personal survival, while abandoning the common people to be ravaged by water and fire without a care?

  Is this the purpose of heaven for me to come to this end of the world?

  Gao Feng was perplexed, when he suddenly heard the soft sound of a pipa, and the clear and melodious voice of Xiao Shi rose again: "Don't you see, the Yellow River's water comes from heaven, flowing to the sea never to return; don't you see, in the bright hall, the mirror reflects white hair, in the morning like black silk, by evening it becomes snow..."

  Gao Jian was shocked by the sound, and suddenly thought of the poem "Willow Wine" by the Poet Immortal. Although it was a gentle pipa melody with soft singing, the heroic spirit in the poem was like a white rainbow piercing through the sun, every word shaking the eardrums and stunning the senses, fully expressing the passion of youth. It seemed as if there was a white-clad knight standing before him, sword in hand, singing loudly: "Heaven has given me talent, it must be useful, a thousand pieces of gold spent will return again!"

  He burst out laughing loudly, threw the wine cup in his hand, took the small ring's wine jug, opened the lid and poured it into his mouth, spilling the wine all over his collar, and finished it in an instant.

  Xiao Huan and Shi Shi were both stunned, could it be that High Official was not a match for the wine's potency and had started to get drunk? But then they saw High Official take the wine jug in his hand and throw it down with force, embracing Xiao Shi Shi's slender waist, lifting her delicate body high into the air, laughing loudly: "Good! You sang well! Indeed, when the long wind breaks the waves, there will be times when you can hang your cloud sail and cross the Cang Hai!"

  Who cares about the merits and demerits of thousands of autumns, who cares what later generations say! My life has its bounds, if I don't take advantage of these few decades to live a carefree life, galloping through the world, would I rather be like that family's tame bird, perched on the edge of a bamboo fence and a mud wall, watching that great roc soar straight up to 90,000 miles? Can everything go as I wish? I only hope to have no regrets in my heart. Heaven has given me this opportunity to experience another kind of life, if I let it slip away lightly, what's the point of living a life of mediocrity and cowardice? To be a hero among men, how ashamed I would be to be ranked with you!

  He was overjoyed, and he lifted Shifu up to his face, giving her a big kiss on the cheek, laughing loudly: "Wonderful, wonderful! Good Shifu!" He put her down on the ground, then picked up Xiaohuan in a bear hug and headed back to their room.

  Under the soft moonlight, in a deep courtyard, there was only a small figure gently stroking its cheeks, staring blankly as the lanterns went out one by one. The large eyes sparkled with light, surpassing the twinkling of the stars in the sky...