Although no one present said it out loud, they instantly made an evaluation in their hearts.
Suo Lun had achieved a complete victory over Zhi You.
They even regretted that their ears had not been empty and had listened to Zhi You’s piece first, so that their minds were no longer pure.
At this moment, the one who regretted it the most was Gui Xing Fu. He regretted his earlier words: this piece should only exist in heaven, how many times can it be heard in the mortal world.
If there had been no Suo Lun’s piece, then his overpraise of Zhi You would have been fine.
But after Suo Lun’s true heavenly sound rang out, his previous evaluation of Zhi You appeared so vulgar and so opportunistic.
The incomparably beautiful notes continued to drift in the air.
Everyone present had completely emptied their hearts and minds, fully allowing the wonderful notes to guide them, dragging their souls to float in the air, swaying back and forth.
This included Gui Qin Shao. She closed her beautiful eyes once again, cast aside all prejudice and hostility, and enjoyed Suo Lun’s performance.
Her entire mind and heart seemed to be drawn by the notes out of the window, floating into the air to feel the moonlight filling the sky, then drifting hundreds of miles away to the Nu River to feel the surging tides there, and finally flowing with the Nu River tides into the vast sea.
It was truly too, too wonderful.
Among everyone present, only Heir Zhi You’s face changed colour completely!
Although there was no judge, after hearing fewer than ten notes he deeply knew that he had been instantly killed. He had lost completely.
Moreover, Suo Lun had labelled him with the titles of showmanship and gaudiness. For an artist this was almost a fatal blow, even though Suo Lun had spoken the truth.
At this moment Zhi You finally understood why Great Monk Byron had always been lukewarm towards him. Although he had often performed better than Zhi Ning, he had rarely received praise from Teacher Byron.
Moreover, when Great Monk Byron had been sent to Zhi Capital, Zhi You had travelled thousands of miles to pay his respects at the first opportunity, yet the other party’s attitude had been very cold. In less than a quarter of an hour he had already been sent out.
Furthermore, in the past one or two years he had written many letters to Great Monk Byron, mostly about artistic insights and asking for guidance on his new works.
However, these letters had all sunk like stones into the sea, with no response at all.
What Great Monk Byron disliked the most was this kind of showy and gaudy style. He felt that using such methods to attract attention and gain notice was too eager for quick success and instant benefit. One might become a skilled pianist but would never become an art master.
Yet a piece like Suo Lun’s could instantly pluck the string in people’s hearts the moment it was played, making people tremble and resonate with it.
This was exactly what Great Monk Byron most appreciated and most revered: letting music sound in your heart rather than just in your ears.
…
Time seemed both very long and very short.
A few minutes later, Suo Lun’s performance ended. Just like the classic famous pieces before, although the playing had finished, it seemed as if countless notes still floated in the air like spirits, unable to fall to the ground for a long time.
Everyone’s spirit also remained suspended in mid air, unable to descend for a long time.
Only after the notes in their hearts had completely fallen silent did the venue remain in silence. People looked at each other.
Because they did not know whether they should applaud.
Earlier when Zhi You had finished playing, they had given thunderous applause.
But now Suo Lun’s performance was not on the same level at all. The two pieces were completely worlds apart.
Therefore, applauding Suo Lun’s performance at this time seemed like a desecration, as if the applause had become incredibly cheap.
The few noble girls who had earlier supported Heir Zhi You and personally attacked Suo Lun had now completely changed sides.
Although they could not say exactly what was so good about Suo Lun’s performance, their inner intuition clearly told them that Suo Lun was on a completely different level.
This was Suo Lun’s tactic: attack the opponent’s weakness with one’s own strength.
If you compete with me in sentiment, I will compete with you in technique. If you compete with me in technique, I will compete with you in class. One thousand year famous piece completely obliterated your self composed gaudy piece, sending it to who knows where.
“Earl Suo Lun, did you compose this piece yourself?” Zhi You asked.
Suo Lun asked: “Have you heard it before?”
Zhi You shook his head. Of course he had not.
Suo Lun did not answer. Since you had not heard it and no one had heard it, then it was composed by me.
In the end it was still Gui Xing Fu who broke the silence and said: “I now finally understand how worthy nephew astonished everyone at the royal city academy.”
Then a noble girl said: “Young Master Suo Lun, what piece did you play back then at the royal city?”
“Destiny.” Suo Lun said.
“Then can you play it again now?” The noble girl said: “We really… really want to hear it.”
Suo Lun of course would not agree. With a faint weariness in his smile he said: “Sorry, all my spirit and mental energy were exhausted in the previous piece.”
“Oh, that is too regrettable.” The noble girl said: “You… you are the most outstanding musician I have ever seen.”
Please, you were still Heir Zhi You’s fan earlier and described Suo Lun as worthless. Changing sides so quickly is not good, is it?
Gui Xing Fu drank a cup of wine and said to everyone: “After listening to tonight’s music, I have not tasted the flavour of meat for three months. Alright, everyone please return to your seats.”
Then Gui Xing Fu personally escorted Heir Zhi You back to his seat.
Zhi You’s expression looked very bad. He had originally wanted to leave directly because it was truly too humiliating. However, leaving directly would probably be even more humiliating.
Next, the guests began drinking and eating again. The slight difference was that many girls’ gazes had begun to linger on Suo Lun’s face.
At this moment they felt that Suo Lun’s face, which was so handsome it was almost demonic, was also extremely captivating.
He looked delicate and mysterious. Combined with his tragic experiences, he really made people feel pity. Moreover, finding a husband who was even more beautiful than oneself would also make others envious when brought out.
…
After three rounds of wine, the impact brought by Suo Lun’s performance gradually faded.
Gui Xing Fu brought up serious matters and asked: “Worthy nephew, now that your Tianshui City has been occupied by rebel thieves, what plans do you have?”
Suo Lun answered very generally: “I will work hard to govern, rise again from the east, and take back the ancestral foundation.”
Gui Xing Fu said: “It is well known that without my elder brother Suo Long speaking out righteously and generously helping back then, I, Gui Xing Fu, would have already wandered the ends of the earth with nothing. A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring, let alone such immense kindness as high as heaven and deep as the earth. Whatever worthy nephew needs uncle to do, just say it. In front of all the distinguished guests present, if I have any hesitation or refusal, may heaven strike me with five thunderbolts.”
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone praised Gui Xing Fu for his righteousness that reached the clouds.
Then Gui Xing Fu waited for Suo Lun to speak. Whether it was borrowing troops or borrowing money, he could accept it.
Suo Lun said: “Thank you, uncle, for your deep righteousness.”
He made no request at all because the timing was not yet right.
Gui Xing Fu poured another full cup of wine, raised it towards everyone present, and said with passionate generosity: “Among those seated are royal nobles as well as kingdom feudal lords and nobles. I earnestly request everyone to join me in submitting a memorial to His Majesty the King, denouncing Nuer Dan and the others as treacherous ministers and rebels whom everyone may punish.”
“With duty that cannot be refused!” The feudal lords and nobles present all shouted loudly.
Back when Gui Xing Fu’s position as city lord had been taken away, the first thing Earl Suo Long had done was to contact the kingdom’s feudal lords to submit a memorial to the king, forcing the royal family not to confer the title on Gui Xing Chou.
Gui Xing Fu was now imitating what Earl Suo Long had done.
However, today was different from the past and could not be mentioned in the same breath.
At that time, Suo Long submitting a memorial to stop the conferral on Gui Xing Chou had been an urgent matter. Once the royal family conferred the title on Gui Xing Chou, the situation would have been completely lost and impossible to recover.
But today, the so called memorial to the king to declare Nuer Dan and the others as treacherous ministers and rebels was completely painless and without substance, all talk with no action.
Then Gui Xing Fu said: “The second thing I want to do next is to send troops to Tianshui City to help my worthy nephew take back his territory.”
As soon as these words were spoken, it was like thunder. Everyone was completely shocked. Even Suo Lun’s heart trembled.
This was true righteousness that reached the clouds. This was true help in the midst of snow.
Even Earl Suo Long back then had not directly sent troops to help Gui Xing Fu take back the city lord position, yet now Gui Xing Fu actually announced publicly that he would send troops to help Suo Lun suppress the rebellion.
Everyone present looked at Gui Xing Fu with eyes full of admiration. This person’s righteousness had no equal in the entire kingdom.
Yet only Suo Lun quickly calmed down and deeply felt how deep Gui Xing Fu’s scheming was and how treacherous his heart was.
This person was formidable, truly formidable.
His words were very similar to Suo Lun’s piano music, instantly piercing everyone’s mental defences.
If Suo Lun’s scheming had not been so deep, he would definitely have been moved to tears at this moment, not knowing east from west.
Directly sending troops to help you take back Tianshui City, what more could you want?
However Suo Lun deeply knew the trap behind these words and how malicious Gui Xing Fu’s intentions were.
First, to go south from Linhai City to Tianshui City one must cross the Nu River, but the nearest suspension bridge had already been destroyed. To send troops one would have to take a detour through Red Leaf City, yet the lord of Red Leaf City was Gui Xing Fu’s mortal enemy. How could he possibly allow passage?
Therefore, to send troops to Tianshui City, the suspension bridge would first need to be repaired.
That suspension bridge had previously consumed countless manpower and had taken nearly a full year to build. This time, even at the fastest, it would take more than half a year.
And if half a year passed without the bridge being repaired, the royal family would have long since sent troops to help the Suo clan suppress the rebellion and would directly station troops there and never leave.
Moreover, even if the lord of Red Leaf City agreed to lend the way, and Gui Xing Fu personally led ten thousand troops into Tianshui City to suppress the rebellion, so what?
He only needed to put on a show with Nuer Dan, Suo Han Yi and the others, fight for ten days or so, then pretend to suffer a great defeat and retreat.
At that time, the entire world would not be able to find any fault with Gui Xing Fu.
He had already suffered losses of troops and generals for the sake of repaying kindness and had been greatly weakened. What more could you, Suo Lun, want?
Therefore, if Suo Lun had not been so intelligent or if his heart had not been so dark, he would have immediately fallen into Gui Xing Fu’s trap and never been able to climb out again.
So this was a battle of scheming. If one’s wisdom was even a little bit lacking, one would suffer a crushing defeat.
At once Suo Lun left his seat, walked out, and bowed deeply to Gui Xing Fu: “Thank you, uncle, for your immense kindness as high as heaven and deep as the earth.”
Instantly Gui Xing Fu’s eyes narrowed and he thought inwardly: “The matter is settled. After all he is just a yellow mouthed child and will not achieve anything great.”
But immediately afterwards Suo Lun said generously: “Taking back Tianshui City is Suo Lun’s own duty. How could I dare to borrow uncle’s hand? How could I bear to let uncle lose troops and generals for my sake? How could I have the face to meet the ancestors of the Suo clan?”
Suo Lun’s gaze then turned to the peerlessly beautiful Gui Qin Shao. His eyes were fervent as he said: “This time little nephew came only for one matter, that is to fulfil the marriage engagement with elder sister Gui Qin Shao and formally welcome her into the family.”
At this point Suo Lun said with eyes brimming with hot tears: “This was also my late father’s final wish before he passed. What he never forgot was that the Suo clan had no heirs. Therefore, right after inheriting the title, little nephew travelled thousands of miles, surviving nine deaths and one life, to come to Linhai City and fulfil the marriage engagement.”
Then Suo Lun knelt on one knee and said to Gui Xing Fu: “Uncle, here in front of all the guests, I earnestly request that you betroth elder sister Gui Qin Shao to me. I will definitely cherish her for a lifetime and protect her for a lifetime.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Gui Xing Fu’s heart twitched violently and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
“What a poisonous little thief, what a cunning little thief.”
This little thief actually did not borrow troops, did not borrow money, but went straight for the vital point and directly requested to complete the marriage with Gui Qin Shao.
He was so young, yet where did he get such deep scheming? He clearly knew that now whatever Gui Xing Fu promised him was empty. Whether borrowing troops or even sending troops, all of it was empty.
Only marrying his daughter to him was real.
Because once the daughter was married to him, it would be a marriage alliance and could no longer be severed.
What had Gui Xing Fu gone to such lengths for? It was precisely to prevent the marriage engagement between Suo Lun and Gui Qin Shao.
Whose man was Gui Xing Fu? He was Zhi Li’s man. The son in law he had his eyes on was Ling Ao, who would soon become Prince Zhi Li’s attendant and in the future would become the head of the kingdom’s military generals.
Therefore he had tried every possible means to sever the relationship with Suo Lun. Yet at this moment Suo Lun had actually proposed to complete the marriage with Gui Qin Shao. Was this not asking for his old life?
However, in front of countless guests, could Gui Xing Fu refuse?
Of course he could not. If he refused, he would be forgetting kindness and turning his back on righteousness. He would be heartless and ruthless.
Back then Earl Suo Long had shown him immense kindness as high as heaven and deep as the earth. Now Suo Lun did not want him to send troops and only asked to fulfil the marriage engagement. If he still pushed and blocked, then Gui Xing Fu would be a shameless villain.
In an instant Gui Xing Fu had been struck right at his vital point by Suo Lun. He could neither agree nor refuse, nor could he delay.
Because Suo Lun’s gaze full of sincerity was looking at him, and everyone present had eyes full of expectation, even with faint questioning looks, also looking at him.
All were waiting for his answer.
Then Suo Lun took out a heart shaped amber pendant from his bosom and offered it with both hands to Gui Qin Shao: “Sister Qin Shao, this is a gift I made for you with my own hands. It is made according to the proportions of a heart.”
Suo Lun held the amber pendant up to the lamplight.
Inside the amber pendant was an incomparably delicate and wonderful carved figure. It was truly Gui Qin Shao, completely exquisite beyond compare.
Light passed through the amber and instantly Gui Qin Shao’s beautiful figure turned into a ray of light and shadow appearing in the night sky outside, flowing with colourful light, magnificent and dreamlike.
“Sister Qin Shao, marry me.” Suo Lun’s voice trembled slightly as if he were pouring out his heart and lungs.
In an instant all eyes focused on Gui Qin Shao’s face.
And Gui Qin Shao, for a moment, felt completely confused and at a loss, even her hands and feet did not know what to do.