Chapter 29: Writing a Lyric Won't Kill You

"No matter, no matter!" Shang Chaozong said with an awkward laugh.

Seeing that Shang Shuqing had no intention of taking a seat, Niu Youdao also invited her. "Commandery Princess, please sit."

Shang Shuqing declined with a gentle laugh. "This woman's face is ugly. I'm afraid I might spoil the cultivator's appetite. I'll play the qin for you from the side instead."

With that, she went to the qin platform, sat down, and adjusted both herself and the instrument. Niu Youdao had to admit that the woman's appearance really was somewhat frightening. Calling her merely unattractive was already polite. She genuinely could affect a person's appetite. If she sat down to eat, she would naturally have to remove her veiled hat, and that really might make it hard for others to swallow their food. Then again, a woman who could smile and calmly admit that she was ugly possessed an extraordinarily strong heart. Across two lifetimes, he had rarely encountered a woman like this. Shang Shuqing increasingly drew his attention.

Shang Chaozong, however, looked somewhat downcast at her words. If his sister truly had missed her chance to remove the hideous birthmark during her last visit to the Shangqing Sect, it might delay her for the rest of her life. Seeing him lose himself in thought, Lan Ruoting coughed softly to remind him.

Shang Chaozong came back to himself, raised his cup, and said, "Cultivator, we've been traveling hard and never properly entertained you along the way. Let this cup serve as my apology. Please drink it dry!"

"Your Highness's words make Niu ashamed. Allow Niu to toast Your Highness instead!" Niu Youdao lifted his cup and was about to drain it first.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Gang suddenly pressed one hand onto his shoulder and gave a quiet warning.

"Master Dao."

There was no need to say more. Not only Niu Youdao, but Shang Chaozong and Lan Ruoting both understood what he meant. Yuan Gang was warning Niu Youdao to be careful in case there was something wrong with the wine. The two men could not help watching to see how Niu Youdao would respond. Niu Youdao said nothing. He simply tilted his head back and drained the cup, then showed the empty bottom to the two men across from him, demonstrating his openness. Seeing that Niu Youdao had ignored his warning, Yuan Gang removed his hand from Niu Youdao's shoulder and said nothing more. His duty was merely to warn him. Once he had done that, there was no need to nag. He trusted Master Dao to make his own judgment.

Shang Chaozong and Lan Ruoting could understand Yuan Gang's behavior as well. They were hardly familiar with each other, and the invitation to drink had come suddenly. Some suspicion was only natural. What did strike them as strange was that no matter how they looked at Yuan Gang, he resembled Niu Youdao's subordinate or personal guard more than a brother who had grown up in the same village. Judging from appearances, Yuan Gang even seemed a little older than Niu Youdao.

Stranger still, throughout the journey Yuan Gang had consistently addressed Niu Youdao as "Master Dao." Were brothers from the same village really supposed to attach a respectful "Master" to the name? Niu Youdao was so young that the title seemed rather excessive.

Soft notes from the qin began to ring, clear and unhurried. Shang Shuqing plucked the strings and deliberately chose a gentle, soothing melody, neatly covering over the momentary awkwardness in the pavilion. Moonlight slanted in from outside like spilled mercury, bathing Shang Shuqing as she sat at the qin. A faint halo seemed to envelop her. The graceful softness of her profile as she played made Niu Youdao glance over more than once. He sighed inwardly. That face really had ruined her. Her features did not even need to be beautiful. If only her face were normal and not frightening, the refinement within her alone would probably attract no shortage of men. What a pity. Sometimes Heaven truly was unfair.

With the elegant qin music accompanying them, the atmosphere did indeed become much more relaxed. Taking advantage of the improved mood, Lan Ruoting began carefully probing for information again. He asked about the Shangqing Sect, about what had happened between Niu Youdao and Dong Guo Haoran, and about Niu Youdao's cultivation. Niu Youdao fended off every question.

It was not that he was deliberately being dishonest. The same problems remained. He genuinely knew little about the Shangqing Sect. His affairs with Dong Guo Haoran involved the bronze mirror, which he did not want to mention to outsiders. As for his own cultivation, his progress over only five years had been far too fast. If he answered honestly, it would be alarming. Since he did not want to lie, he could only be evasive. Seeing that the fellow still could not produce a single reliable answer, Shang Chaozong silently gave Niu Youdao another poor mark. Lan Ruoting was older and steadier. He did not take Niu Youdao's evasions personally. Seeing that the man clearly wished to avoid those subjects, he changed to a lighter topic rather than let the conversation go cold.

"I hear from the Commandery Princess that the cultivator is brilliantly talented and can produce poetry at the drop of a hat. Would the cultivator be willing to let us glimpse such elegance?"

Niu Youdao waved a hand as usual. "The Commandery Princess praises me too highly. I was only babbling whatever came to mind."

Lan Ruoting laughed heartily. "Then why not babble something else for us?"

Niu Youdao continued declining. "Poetry and lyrics are minor arts, hardly fit for the great stage. They can't compare with Your Highness commanding iron cavalry across the land. Better not to mention them."

Lan Ruoting disagreed. "That isn't so. How could poetry and literature be minor arts? As the saying goes, martial prowess can pacify all beneath Heaven, while civil talent can bring peace and order to the state. Perhaps that's putting it too grandly. To be more practical, a fine poem might inspire the morale of soldiers. To be even more vulgar about it, in the capital a good poem can be worth a thousand in gold, enough to keep an ordinary person clothed and fed for a lifetime. The vulgar and the elegant are connected. How can poetry be unworthy of the stage?"

Niu Youdao's eyes lit up. He tried asking, "Worth a thousand in gold? It's really that valuable?"

Inside, he had already begun muttering to himself. If that was true, then he and Monkey had found a solution to their financial problems.

Given his "archaeological" background, there might be many things he did not possess, but he had a belly full of ancient material. He had already tested the merchandise on Song Yanqing, and it seemed to work rather well.

"Naturally!" Lan Ruoting smiled and urged him again. "The Commandery Princess is personally playing the qin to entertain the cultivator, and we have such a fine night and scenery besides. Surely the cultivator won't spoil the mood."

"I really can't write poetry." Niu Youdao still wanted to conceal himself, but since the other man had brought out a reasonable argument, he decided to humor them rather than let the matter drag on forever. He had eaten their food, after all, and there were still things he intended to borrow their help for later.

He pointed backward at Yuan Gang. "But this brother of mine knows a little. Let him do it instead."

Yuan Gang, who had been quietly watching the surroundings and listening in every direction, froze. He stared blankly at Niu Youdao, thinking he must have misheard.

You want me to write a poem?

Master Dao, is there something wrong with your head?

Shang Chaozong immediately became interested. His interest in Yuan Gang was clearly greater than his interest in Niu Youdao. His eyes brightened.

Could this man possess both literary and martial ability?

He immediately raised his cup. "We would be delighted to listen."

Yuan Gang blocked him with a single reply.

"Can't."

Shang Chaozong was left awkward again, his cup suspended in his hand, unsure whether to lower it or not. The atmosphere immediately grew uncomfortable.

Niu Youdao turned and rebuked him. "Monkey, are you done messing around? Just make up one at random and be finished with it."

Yuan Gang glared at him. He wanted to curse eighteen generations of Niu Youdao's ancestors. Write what damned poem? I don't know how to do this. Where am I supposed to conjure one from? Is this something you can force out of a person?

"Hurry up. Anything will do. Come on!" Niu Youdao urged, turning his head and giving him a meaningful look at the same time.

The two had worked together for years and understood each other well. Often, one glance was enough. The moment Yuan Gang saw the significance in Niu Youdao's eyes, he understood.

How could Master Dao not know that he could not compose poetry?

He was not asking Yuan Gang to write anything. He wanted him to steal one. Yuan Gang cursed inwardly, Fine, you're ruthless. He looked left and right. His gaze paused on the river outside, then returned. Expressionless, he raised an eyebrow at Niu Youdao, his eyes carrying considerable meaning of their own. Niu Youdao's heart suddenly began beating a little faster. He knew Yuan Gang far too well. Monkey was no kind soul either. He was absolutely the sort who could kill without blinking. Judging by that look, Monkey was preparing something unpleasant. Niu Youdao suddenly regretted forcing him. Feeling a little guilty, he turned away and quietly sipped his wine. Then Yuan Gang abruptly recited in his usual hard, flat tone:

The rolling Yangtze sweeps eastward,
Its waves washing all heroes away...

At the very first line, Niu Youdao gave a muffled cough and nearly choked. He had not expected Monkey to drag out this lyric.

Right and wrong, success and defeat—
All turn empty in the blink of an eye.
The green mountains remain unchanged;
How many times has the sunset reddened?
White-haired fishers and woodcutters on the river isles
Have long watched autumn moons and spring winds.
Gladly meeting over a jug of cloudy wine,
How many affairs of ancient and present
Are all consigned to laughter and talk!

Yuan Gang finished the entire lyric in the same stiff, uninflected voice, stripping it of almost every trace of cadence and beauty. Even so, Shang Chaozong and Lan Ruoting were stunned. The words fit the present scene far too well. A little thought was enough to stir a multitude of emotions in both men. The qin had already fallen silent. Halfway through the lyric, Shang Shuqing had unconsciously stopped playing and begun listening. Now she turned her veiled face toward the expressionless Yuan Gang. Her bright eyes beneath the gauze were momentarily dazed. Then astonishment flared in them as she looked him up and down. She truly had not expected this.

"A fine lyric! Worth drinking a great cup to!" Shang Chaozong shouted in delight, rising excitedly with his cup raised.

Lan Ruoting stood and raised his own cup. Shaking his head in amazement, he said, "I never imagined Brother Yuan had such learning concealed inside him!"

"Heh heh! Fine lyric, fine lyric!" Niu Youdao rose as well, holding his wine cup and wearing a slightly shameless grin.

Yuan Gang said flatly, "I can't compose poetry or lyrics. Master Dao wrote this one before. I only recited it."

Shang Chaozong, Lan Ruoting, and Shang Shuqing all turned and stared blankly at Niu Youdao.

"Stop fooling around. If you wrote it, then you wrote it. Writing a lyric won't kill you." Niu Youdao turned and slapped Yuan Gang's arm, even glaring at him.

So this fellow had planted an ambush here.

Then Niu Youdao turned back to the other three and smiled. "It really is a fine lyric, worth a great cup. Drink, drink!"

He lowered his head and concentrated on his wine.

Yuan Gang, however, coldly added another blow. "Not only did Master Dao write this lyric, he also set it to music. It sounds very good when sung. I'm a simple-minded person who doesn't understand social niceties. I never lie."

Pfft!

Niu Youdao failed to hold the wine in his mouth and sprayed it all over the table. He pounded his chest repeatedly and coughed, nearly choking to death. He had thought Monkey's mischief was finished. He had not expected the nastier blow to still be waiting. Regret came too late. The three people opposite stared dumbly at the wine and saliva sprayed across the table. None of this food was likely edible anymore. Relatively speaking, all three found Yuan Gang's words much more believable. Niu Youdao's speech had never struck them as particularly trustworthy.

Lan Ruoting wiped some splashed wine from his face and tentatively asked, "Set it to music? The cultivator also knows musical instruments?"

Yuan Gang continued applying the knife without expression. "Knows them? There isn't a classical instrument he can't play. He's especially good at the erhu."

"Cough, cough..."

Niu Youdao, who had not yet recovered, began coughing even harder. He waved frantically at Yuan Gang, signaling him to shut up.

"What is this 'la-erhu'?" Shang Shuqing asked curiously.

There was no instrument called an erhu in this world. She had mistaken the phrase "play the erhu" for the name of an instrument itself, not realizing that "play" was a verb.

It was like adding yet another stab. Niu Youdao coughed without end, almost losing his breath. He hurriedly steadied his emotions and circulated his qi to suppress the choking.

[End of Chapter 29]