Chapter Nineteenth: The Lute and Xiao Harmonize

  "Zhi Bo brother, Zhi Bo brother." Zhang Rui was sleeping drowsily and heard someone knocking on the door. He opened the door to find that Xun You had returned.

  "Zhi Bo brother, Gong Da has come specifically to confess his guilt. Tonight, Henan governor He Jin and He Guan have invited us uncle and nephew to a banquet. I suppose he was defeated again in today's fight with the Ten Eunuchs and wants us to help him devise a plan. As soon as Zhi Bo brother arrived in Luoyang, Wen Ru and I split up and went our separate ways. Gong Da returned first to confess his guilt and then went to He's mansion for the banquet. Please don't blame Zhi Bo brother."

  After the failure of the eunuchs, the loyalists had no choice but to rely on the power of He Jin's relatives and oppose the ten attendants led by Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong. He Jin was a butcher before he became an official, relying on his sister being appointed as a palace attendant and the governor of Henan. This rough man with little culture liked to associate with scholars and righteous men, and it just so happened that these two groups came together.

  Xun Yu changed his clothes and bid farewell to Zhang Rui, setting off towards the He manor. Zhang Rui, feeling bored alone, decided to take a stroll around Luoyang's night scene.

  A crescent moon, sprinkling down starry dots. On one side, people's heads are crowded and bustling, on the other, wine shops are filled with laughter and chatter. Zhang Rui walks in this Luoyang night, gazing at the brightly lit lanterns, the wine shops where songs fill every night, and also at the beggars shivering by the wall, and suddenly feels a sense of powerlessness.

  For four hundred years, the rulers of the great Han dynasty have only known how to indulge in nightly revelry, and have not cared about the people living in the dark corners. The great house is about to collapse, but we are unable to use our abilities, and even a great talent like Xun Xu's uncle and nephew can only surrender to He Jin, that butcher of pigs and dogs. What can I do after arriving in Luoyang? Perhaps I can only follow the same path as Xun Xu's uncle and nephew.

  The two of them are now working hard to save the Great Han, but what about themselves? Knowing that the Great Han is already beyond salvation, he certainly cannot stop the wheels of history, and Zhang Rui does not want to do something as futile as trying to hold back a chariot with his bare arms.

  Seeing those refugees hiding in the corners, those helpless, hopeless, and dim eyes. Zhang Rui suddenly realized that since he couldn't change history, he would try his best to reduce the destructive power of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, protect his family and friends, and avoid the threat of war.

  Sometimes when his mind was clear, his mood also cleared up. Zhang Rui, who had figured out these things, began to feel happy too. With a happy mood, Zhang Rui's footsteps became much lighter, and he started strolling along the prosperous Luoyang.

  As he walked, he came to a music store. In his previous life, Zhang Rui was forced by his mother to learn the dizi for a period of time. Although he was reluctant at the time, he still learned it quite well. Children who are forced by their parents are really multi-talented. Like Zhang Rui, he had learned dizi, street dance, Olympic math, English and many other extracurricular classes.

  This small shop is not big, but it has a wide variety of musical instruments and is divided into several areas. Zhang Rui was led to the Xiao area and began to observe carefully. At this time, the Xiao was also called the Qiangdi, mostly made from nine-section purple bamboo, and sometimes white bamboo.

  Zhang Rui was savoring the fragrance when a burst of guqin sound came from the ancient zither area next to him. The sound was sometimes crisp and clear, like pearls falling on a jade plate, and sometimes it was like a gentle whisper. Zhang Rui quickly recognized that this was a piece of "Feng Qiu Huang".

  Zhang Rui in his previous life had also performed this piece. In order to perform smoothly in class, Zhang Rui had also practiced hard for a period of time.

  As he listened, Zhang Rui unconsciously picked up the flute by his mouth and followed along. At this moment, time seemed to have stopped. The customers in the store and the pedestrians on the road were all drawn in by the beautiful sound of the piano and flute.

  The sound of the qin is like a young girl, the sound of the sheng is like a young boy. The girl dances in the midst of flowers, and the boy stands beside her, gazing at her with tender affection. It's as if his eyes only see her, and the girl also gazes at that boy, until their hands are tightly clasped together, disappearing amidst the fluttering petals.

  The music ended, and the store was filled with thunderous applause. Everyone was applauding for the moving piano and flute duet. At this moment, a sudden voice emerged.

  "Who disturbed my junior sister's zither music, so unreasonable? Come out and apologize to my junior sister at once!" A handsome young man shouted. Behind him stood a stunningly beautiful girl, elegant and refined, calm and composed, holding a guqin in her arms, obviously a noble lady. Presumably the previous "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix" was played by her.

  Zhang Rui walked forward, bowed his hands to the girl and said: "I am Zhang Rui from Yingchuan College. I just heard your piano sound, it was so enchanting that I couldn't help but join in. I hope you won't blame me." Zhang Rui looked at the girl, her small eyes didn't show any sign of blaming him.

  The girl seemed to be embarrassed by the gaze, and she lowered her head in embarrassment. "Young Master Zhang is a great talent, and his flute playing is truly heartfelt. Listening to Young Master Zhang's flute playing, it's clear that he is a person with no impurities in his heart. It would be my honor to play together with Young Master Zhang. If Young Master Zhang doesn't mind, I'd like to make friends with him."

  Zhang Rui and his own junior sister were exchanging flirtatious glances, their faces flushed with excitement. The young master was furious, his eyes blazing with anger. He had discovered a fine qin in this shop some time ago and had been wanting to give it to his junior sister. Today, he had finally managed to persuade her to come out and take a look at the qin, but unexpectedly, a foolish young man appeared out of nowhere and started playing together with his junior sister, ruining his plans.

  Looking at Shifu's younger sister's behavior just now, it was clear that she wanted to treat this little guy as a kindred spirit, how could he not be angry.

  "Sister, look at this little scoundrel with his thieving eyes and pointed chin, he's definitely not a good person. You're actually going to be friends with someone like him? I'm sure Master won't agree."

  "This gentleman, I don't know where I have offended you, why do you speak ill of me, Zhang Rui." Zhang Rui said in confusion. This guy, looking at your handsome appearance and extraordinary demeanor, I thought we could be friends, but it turns out you're a narrow-minded person, not even as good as a woman.

  "In the Donghe East Wei's Weizhongdao, you haven't offended me, but you're thinking of making a move on my junior sister. This is absolutely impermissible! You're not worthy of my junior sister. Kid, if you know what's good for you, leave quickly!"

  So this guy is actually Wei Zhongdao, that sick ghost. Then the one behind him must be Cai Yan, Cai Wenji. No wonder he's so tense, I just exchanged a few words with Cai Wenji (Damn it, doesn't count as flirting, does it? Your little eyes made her blush.). He actually dares to use his family background to suppress me.

  Cai Wenji felt indignant upon hearing this, thinking that her senior brother was being too much. He had been following her around all day, which was annoying to death. She had finally met someone who understood her, yet her senior brother said something like that, embarrassing her to death.

  "Brother Wei, your words are quite off the mark. I was just chatting with this young lady for a bit, what's all this talk about pursuing her? Moreover, even if I were to pursue her, what business is it of yours? On the other hand, as the heir of the Wei family, you have such a narrow mind and no dignity whatsoever, aren't you afraid of disgracing the Wei family?" Zhang Rui retorted, seeing Cai Wenji's embarrassed and angry expression.

  This Wei Zhongdao really doesn't understand the thoughts of girls, and yet he still wants to flirt with them? He even dares to use his family background to pressure me. Although the Zhang family may not be as powerful as the Wei family, I, Zhang Rui, am not afraid. Today, let me teach you a lesson.