Chapter 6: Giving Away the Zither

  Bai Zhenxuan then rubbed his hands together and bid farewell to Bai Yunnuo before getting up and walking out of the room.

  In the corridor, Songta was holding a cloak waiting for him. Seeing that he had come out, he quickly put it on him, replaced his wind hat, tied the belt, and led him to the inner temple to see Bai Yushu and Master Huize.

  He Songta passed through several divine caves and followed the tree screen bamboo path to the inner hall.

  A zither by the bed, a golden tripod and copper kettle, with an ancient charm.

  In the middle of the ground, a antique silver lamp with chicken feet was lit, four feet high, on top of which was placed a nine-petaled lotus flower lamp holder, lit with nine tassels, illuminating the whole house brightly.

  In the corner of the wall, there were two small bookshelves, a treasure chest, and on top of it, a small wooden tray with a rice-colored embroidered cushion. On the tray was placed a long rectangular ceramic basin from the Fangding kiln, in which five or six pure-hearted orchids were blooming. On the wall facing it hung six pieces of golden silk with small regular script calligraphy, each one exquisite and elegant.

  Bai Yushu and Master Huize were sitting cross-legged on the couch, Bai Zhenxuan took off his cloak and let Songta take it away, then walked forward and saluted the two.

  Bai Yuzhu smiled and said: "The abbot knows you're well-versed in music, so he's given you a fine qin. Go take a look."

  Bai Zhenxuan looked around the room, but only saw a guqin on a nearby table. He walked over to it. The guqin had a jade bridge and ivory pegs, with plum blossom inlays and a broken snake pattern - an excellent example of a fociled ancient guqin. On the back were two lines of seal script: "The heart of the guqin is deep and profound, its virtue is calm and peaceful; the person who plays it is like jade, sharing in the joy of music."

  Bai Zhenxuan secretly exclaimed in admiration and hastily came over to kneel down and thank Huize.

  Huī zé cí méi shàn mù, xiào dào: "qín kě bú shì bái sòng de, yuán xiāo jiē shí líng yún sì jiàng yǒu guì kè jià lín, jiè shí hái qǐng bái shǎo yé xiàn qū yī shǒu, fù yōng fēng yǎ."

  "My humble self is anxious, not knowing what noble status the esteemed guest holds. My humble musical skills are unrefined, I fear that I will humiliate the guest's sacred hearing and slight the guest, betraying the master's warm hospitality."

  Bai Yuzhu and Master Huize exchanged a smile.

  Bai Yuzhu said: "The abbot has entrusted you with a heavy responsibility, just focus on selecting and practicing the songs for this half month."

  Master Hui Ze also said: "Young Master Bai doesn't need to have too much psychological pressure, just focus on doing well yourself."

  Bai Zhenxuan heard his father and Master Huize say so, then bid farewell and left with the zither.

  Bai Yushu looked at his son's back and turned to ask Huize: "Abbot, do you think it can be done?"

  "Man proposes, God disposes."

  Bai Yushu felt relieved in her heart.

  The Bai family was a family of book collectors, and naturally they had to have a very rich family fortune in order to collect rare books from all over the world. However, over the past few hundred years, the family's fortunes have been declining, and it has not been possible for them to be compared with their ancestors since the time of Bai Yunshan. One important reason is that they lost the foundation of their imperial pension.

  Bai Guangming was appointed as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, and he gained great favor from the Emperor. As a result, the Bai family enjoyed a period of prosperity, with a strong financial foundation that allowed them to collect many rare books. However, the current Bai family is no longer in its heyday. Not only can they not afford to collect rare books, but the "Qiang Jin Ge" pavilion has also become a dilapidated building after a hundred years of wind and rain, requiring a large sum of money for repairs or reconstruction, which the current Bai family cannot afford.

  Bai Yushu thought of this, his heart skipped a beat: the Lantern Festival is a good opportunity, let's make a move! I hope Master Huize will act as a matchmaker and introduce the White family to the current prime minister, so that the White family can turn their luck around.

  Bai Zhenxuan came out of the inner hall and handed the zither to Songta, who held it in his arms. The two masters and servants went back to the east wing to look for Bai Yunnuan again.

  Bai Yun saw her brother leave empty-handed and return with a zither in his arms, so she asked him what had happened.

  Bai Zhenxuan informed Master Hui Ze about the gift of the guqin and their appointment to play a piece on Yuan Xiao, which made Bai Yunnuan's scalp tingle.

  Bai Zhenxuan was perplexed: "I don't know which deity is visiting Lingyun Temple on the Lantern Festival, and yet they want me to go offer a song."

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  Bai Yun knew it naturally. In his previous life, he stayed at the White House on New Year's Day, while his brother accompanied his father and stepmother and their children to Lingyun Temple for incense, and after returning, the whole family was unhappy. Soon, the imperial court came with a decree that his father had to go to war. The whole family was gloomy, and his stepmother severely blamed his brother, saying that if he hadn't offended the prime minister at Lingyun Temple, his father wouldn't have suffered this misfortune. His brother took the blame, went to war in place of his father, and eventually died on the battlefield.

  Before his brother went on an expedition, Baiyun Nuan saw him off and asked about how he had offended the Prime Minister at Lingyun Temple. His brother sighed and told her the whole story.

  The father, due to the decline of the White family, asked Master Huize to introduce them to the Prime Minister, hoping that the White family could turn over a new leaf and let his brother get an official position in the court, from which he would rise to prominence. Master Huize, because of the kindness of his ancestors who donated to the Lingyun Temple, and also having old friendships with the current Prime Minister, acted as a matchmaker for both parties, only saying that the Prime Minister loved music, so he let Bai Zhuanxuan play a piece at the banquet to win favor. Unexpectedly, the Prime Minister was a gentleman with a fondness for men. The beautiful piano sound deeply moved him, and seeing Bai Zhuanxuan's elegant appearance, refined and pleasant, he had evil thoughts.

  In his previous life, his brother indignantly said: "I am a dignified and handsome man, how can I do such despicable things for just a few mouthfuls of imperial rations?"

  Bai Yun's impression of her father worsened even more. She never thought that for the sake of profit, he would sacrifice his own son, and his actions were no different from those of a pimp in a brothel.

  Memories of past lives linger in my mind, and I suddenly feel nauseous as I gaze at the white clouds.

  Unexpectedly, her brother still has this calamity, she must call her brother to avoid this calamity. Father entrusted Master Huize to introduce his brother to the prime minister, as long as he didn't let his brother see the prime minister, the prime minister would not be tempted and her brother would no longer have that disaster.

  Bai Yun had made up her mind, and in her heart, she thought that there was still half a month until the Lantern Festival on New Year's Day. She must find a way to make her brother leave Lingyun Temple.

  Before the Lantern Festival arrived, the Bai family stayed overnight at Lingyun Temple.

  Brother chose a song called "Du Xiang Zhu Ren" and practiced it every day.

  Mother accompanied by Zhen Niang goes to the Bodhisattva every day to pray for a good marriage for Bai Yun, and then follows the monks in the temple to do their prayers, praying for blessings for the whole family.

  Father and Master Huize were discussing how to entertain that noble guest on the Lantern Festival, no one had time to bother with Baiyun Nuan.

  Bai Yunnuo was also thinking hard, trying to come up with a plan to get Bai Zhuanxuan to leave Lingyun Temple. She had been racking her brains for several days, but still couldn't think of anything.

  It's Father's order to play a piece for our honored guest, how can Brother go against it?

  One day, she got up late, and her maid, Heart Fragrance, brought in the washing water and said, "Miss, what's been wrong with you these past few days? You don't sleep until very late every night."

  Bai Yun sat on the bed, still half asleep, with a dazed expression and disheveled hair, yet somehow exuding an otherworldly charm.

  Next door, the sound of Bai Zhenxuan's guqin floated over, like a jade pendant ringing, a pearl falling onto a jade plate. The warm white clouds couldn't help but stir up some anxious feelings again. As for brother's matter, there was still no progress, and the Lantern Festival was approaching, what to do?

  Xin Yan was delighted and said: "Young master is much more diligent than Miss, every day at dawn he gets up to play the piano and practice his songs."

  "Disturbing sleep is all." Bai Yun said with a warm and annoyed tone.

  Xin Yan's eyebrows wrinkled slightly, and he smiled: "I saw the young lady sleeping soundly, not even thunder could wake her up!" Xin Yan said with a smile, covering his mouth.

  Bai Yunnuo was busy washing up, when Yu Mo rushed in and saw that Bai Yunnuo's expression wasn't quite right. She couldn't help but shrink back a little, carefully curtsied and reported: "Miss, the mistress has sent word from the front hall, asking you to go watch the excitement after finishing your breakfast."

  White clouds warm eyebrows and eyes without lifting, muttered: "Got it."