Chapter 39: One Night of Fish and Dragon Dance (IV)

Lantern Festival night, at the Old Rain Pavilion.

Five months ago, on Mid-Autumn Festival night, the ci poem "Shuidiao Getou" made its debut, stunning Jiangning. Some even claimed that with its appearance, it would be difficult for anyone to compose a better Mid-Autumn ci for the Jiangning poetry gatherings in the years to come. To this day, "Shuidiao Getou" is still frequently sung at various feasts and gatherings. Five months were not enough to diminish the poem's impact; in fact, as time passed, its fame only grew, spreading widely to places like Tokyo and Yangzhou, where it was often performed, further enhancing its reputation. However, as time went on, the initial discussions about the author within Jiangning gradually faded. Too long without any new information, even conjectures or negative comments, such as accusations of plagiarism, eventually lost their intensity and were no longer a topic of passionate debate.

Even on this Lantern Festival night, when Puyang Yi and Su Chonghua mentioned Ning Yi, it was only a small-scale discussion. Bringing it up as a general topic would be pointless; whether one called him a recluse or an eccentric scholar, he spent his days teaching and ignored public opinion. Consequently, when these few people went to the window to look outside, most attendees still didn't understand what was happening. On the other side of the room, the renowned performer Qi Lan, who had just finished a song and dance, was sitting, resting, and chatting cheerfully with several talented scholars. Noticing the commotion by the window, she quietly asked those beside her what was going on.

This was the general scene throughout the gathering. After a moment of whispered curiosity, someone went over and announced, "It seems Ning Yi, Ning Liheng, is downstairs."

"Ning Liheng, the one who wrote 'Shuidiao Getou'?"

"Did the Puyang family even invite him?"

"The Su family only runs a cloth business, but the Puyang family is the wealthiest in Jiangning; how could he refuse them? Still… I heard he’s just a charlatan seeking fame…"

"It's true he never attends such gatherings, but they say he speaks very grandly…"

As everyone whispered, Qi Lan merely listened with a smile. She had sung "Shuidiao Getou" many times herself, but at such a gathering, it would be inappropriate for her to openly show her curiosity. She simply interjected a few words to follow the conversation and occasionally glanced towards Puyang Yi.

By the window, Su Chonghua and others had already recognized Ning Yi below. Xue Jin chuckled, "Isn't that Xiao Chan? And in front of her is Liheng." Puyang Yi glanced at Su Chonghua, who then smiled and confirmed, "It is indeed Liheng and that girl Xiao Chan."

Xue Jin leaned out, looking. "I wonder what they're doing. Why not call him up?" Wu Qihao commented, "It looks like they're busy." As they spoke, Puyang Yi pondered for a moment. After a brief pause, Su Chonghua laughed, "Since he's here by coincidence, there's no harm in inviting him up. On Lantern Festival night, what else would he be doing but strolling around?"

As Su Chonghua was Ning Yi's direct superior, his words helped Puyang Yi make up his mind. Seeing that Xue Jin seemed about to call out directly, Puyang Yi quickly interjected, "How could we do that? How could we do that? Given Brother Ning's talent, I must personally invite him. Please wait a moment." Wu Qihao, standing nearby, added, "I'll go with you."

With that, the two excused themselves to those around them, pushed open the door, and went downstairs. The hall was immediately filled with whispers about Ning Yi's impending arrival and renewed speculation about his talent. Xue Jin sneered, exchanged a few words with acquaintances, then looked at Su Chonghua with mild suspicion: *What's that old fox up to?* Su Chonghua, who held no fondness for Xue Jin, cupped his hands, returned to his seat, and began conversing with Li Pin, who was observing with a smile.

"Young Master lost him! Young Master didn't find him!"

In the courtyard downstairs, Xiao Chan spoke with a singsong cadence, almost like she was humming. There was a hint of schadenfreude in her tone, but more so, relief that Ning Yi hadn't found the female thief. On their way there, her bun had come undone, so she had simply pulled off the silk ribbon from the other side, letting her hair fall into two neat, braided pigtails. As she walked, her braids swayed, maintaining the image of a well-behaved and sensible maid.

Ning Yi, understanding her thoughts, smiled. When he turned his head, Xiao Chan, thinking her young master was about to mess up her hair again, quickly pulled her two braids and retreated a few steps, her lips pressed together in a happy smile. "Who said you lost him?"

"Young Master did lose him."

Xiao Chan retorted and laughed again. Ning Yi rolled his eyes. "We'll see about that." He then looked in a certain direction.

In truth, he hadn't lost the trail. He simply understood Xiao Chan's concern, and since she was happy believing he had lost her, it was best to let her think so. The inn was currently filled with a lively atmosphere, with people seemingly celebrating in joyful harmony, but many details didn't escape Ning Yi's observation.

As some of the Wulie Army soldiers pursued, judging by the female thief's likely escape route and the soldiers' deployment, he and Xiao Chan must have been close behind, not far off. A layer of snow on the back wall of the old building had abnormally collapsed. In front of the main entrance, two Wulie Army soldiers were negotiating with the inn's guards and had just been allowed inside. Just now, Ning Yi and Xiao Chan had circled halfway around, noticing that a room, possibly a storage or resting room, seemed to have been forcibly opened. Ning Yi had deliberately spoken to a young servant, asking him to note the situation there. At this moment, that same servant seemed to be speaking to a manager in a somewhat flustered manner, holding something red in his hand.

That could be blood-stained cloth or an entire bloody garment that had been changed. However, when such incidents occurred, an inn would be reluctant to report to officials or take other actions before fully understanding the situation, primarily fearing that an alarm would disrupt their evening business. Not to mention that the people here were unaware of the happenings on Zhuque Street or at Feiyan Pavilion, even if they knew it was an assassin, as long as it didn't concern them, they would rather let her leave on her own. If constables or the army were called in, not only would the night's business be ruined, but they might also become entangled and be extorted. Therefore, for the time being, the inn could only investigate internally and heighten its vigilance.

After the two Wulie Army members, another two entered through the door. They were observing for suspicious activity. The inn's manager also called several people over, gave them instructions, and these servants then dispersed, discreetly investigating anything out of the ordinary inside. Like a mantis stalking a cicada, with an oriole behind, Ning Yi only needed to follow these people and watch the situation, quietly playing the role of a good oriole.

Ever since he heard about the wonders of qigong and inner cultivation, Ning Yi had always wanted to witness it. Now, after more than half a year, he had finally seen someone who seemed to possess genuine skill, and he was absolutely unwilling to let the opportunity pass. What would happen next was hard to say, but as long as there was a chance, he could always devise a plan and adapt on the fly. What he hadn't anticipated, however, was that on his way from the first floor to the second, he, who considered himself the oriole, would be intercepted by two unexpected hunters.

"Brother Ning, Xiao Chan, what a coincidence!" Descending the stairs, the first to greet them at the landing was Wu Qihao, whom Ning Yi had met once before. Soon after, another young man bowed and greeted, "Brother Liheng, I've long admired you. My name is Puyang Yi." Ning Yi had never met him but had heard the name – the successor to the Puyang family.

Wu Qihao then made introductions and exchanged pleasantries, and only then did Ning Yi learn that another poetry gathering was taking place upstairs at Puyang Garden. Naturally, he had no intention of going. "My apologies, I have urgent matters to attend to, so it would be inconvenient for me to attend the poetry gathering, gentlemen, your kind..." Before he could finish his polite refusal, Wu Qihao had already warmly taken his arm, displaying an enthusiastic and generous demeanor. "Since you're here, how can you not come up and sit for a while? I see you're already heading upstairs, perhaps you have an invitation up there too? Haha, that's no problem at all. Just a slight delay, and Brother Puyang can send someone up to inform them. Besides, Principal Su, Li Pin Li Dexin, and others are all at the poetry gathering now. Everyone admires your talent, Brother, and if you pass by without entering, it's not the way of friendship... Just show your face for a bit, Brother, and if you truly have an urgent matter that requires you to leave early, everyone will understand. Haha, speaking of which, Brother Puyang has been mentioning this for quite some time now..."

Wu Qihao warmly pulled Ning Yi upstairs, while Puyang Yi remained gentle and courteous, speaking appropriately. The poetry gathering was on one side of the second floor. Since Ning Yi had already come upstairs, he couldn't really refuse at that moment. He looked back to see Xiao Chan happily bouncing along. Catching his eye, she immediately pursed her lips, making her expression a little more reserved, her eyes blinking innocently.

*This girl...*

Xiao Chan's thoughts were easy to read. Ning Yi turned his head to glance into the hall, where Xue Jin's smiling face was prominently visible. Over the past half year, he had interacted with Elder Qin and others, and he had also observed many things himself; if it were a minor social event, it wouldn't matter. But now was truly not the time. He looked back at the positions of the several blue-robed Wulie Army soldiers, then surveyed the situation with the servants in the building, frowning slightly.

Following that came various greetings and pleasantries. There were dozens of talented scholars present, many unfamiliar to him, with only Li Pin, Xue Jin, and Su Chonghua truly known. After Puyang Yi's introductions, the renowned courtesan Qi Lan, whose name Ning Yi had long heard, also rose to greet him, saying things like, "I've long admired your reputation, young master." The woman, eighteen or nineteen, was indeed beautiful. Ning Yi simply cupped his hands and replied, "A pleasure to meet you."

"I truly have urgent matters to attend to and cannot stay long today, gentlemen..."

The opportunity was fleeting... Although it might not truly be called an opportunity, for Ning Yi, chatting about poetry with a group of scholars or even engaging in low-level power struggles was nowhere near as interesting as martial arts. Ning Yi wasn't some romantic idealist eager to break human limits; if he were purely pursuing strength, he had some knowledge of military special forces training methods, and it wouldn't be impossible for him to push himself to master some hard qigong. But he had seen too many things; what existed in this ancient era would still exist a thousand years later, except for one thing he had never encountered: this so-called inner cultivation. Thus, he directly opened his mouth to take his leave, but before he could finish, someone spoke up.

"Young Master Ning possesses immense talent. On that day at Puyang Garden, 'Shuidiao Getou' astonished everyone. Today, on the auspicious Lantern Festival, the Puyang family is also holding a poetry gathering. Why doesn't Young Master Ning grace us with another masterpiece, so that we may speak of it with pride in the future?"

"Precisely, if Young Master Ning leaves another great work, it will surely become a beautiful tale for generations."

This was a blatant challenge. Ning Yi frowned slightly. "Another time. I truly have matters to attend to today."

"What urgent matter could it be? You can tell us; perhaps we can help you, Brother Ning."

"Indeed, a gentleman is open and candid. If Brother Ning truly has an urgent matter, there's no harm in saying so."

Then someone quietly muttered, "Could it be that this person looks down on us...?"

"Too arrogant..."

"Perhaps the rumors are true..."

The voices were not loud, but they were perfectly audible to everyone present. From her seat at the front, Qi Lan watched everything unfold as an observer. She understood the Puyang family's eagerness to attract talent. Ning Yi's reputation had been ambiguous from the start, but Puyang Yi still held hope for him. After all, there were too many charlatans seeking fame among these second-generation scions. If Ning Yi truly possessed talent, bringing him in would be a huge gain. However, judging by the current situation, it seemed such a good outcome was unlikely. Looking at Ning Yi's expression, she too subtly frowned, letting out a slight sigh.

Ning Yi turned his head to look out the window. Two blue-robed men were passing by on the opposite corridor, not yet turning back, when Xue Jin suddenly stepped forward, blocking his view.

"Brother Ning, allow me to speak fairly; this behavior of yours is quite improper." Xue Jin smiled broadly. "That 'Shuidiao Getou' from Mid-Autumn Festival night sufficiently proves your great talent, Brother Ning. At this gathering, we were just speaking of your name, and everyone genuinely admires you, showering you with praise. There are some outside who say you're a charlatan seeking fame, and that 'Shuidiao Getou' was merely plagiarism. I, for one, have never believed them. And today, just as we spoke of you, you arrived! This is a matter destined by Heaven, it's fate! I know that fine poetry isn't something one can compose offhand. You could wait a moment here, Brother Ning, until inspiration strikes, and just write anything; it doesn't have to be a masterpiece like 'Shuidiao Getou.' As long as you compose one poem, next time I encounter anyone on the street slandering you, Brother Ning, I will personally slap them across the face! I'll gather a dozen or twenty servants and beat them! I'll have them arrested and brought to the yamen, accuse them of defamation, and let the Prefect torture them! Haha, wouldn't that be splendid!"

Xue Jin spoke with wild gestures, and Ning Yi, watching his performance, also chuckled.

"In short, we are at an age for enjoying life to the fullest. Today, with esteemed elders and virtuous brothers present, and the celebrated Qi Lan as our company, given such fervent hospitality, what urgent matter could there be? If there genuinely is an urgent matter, I will bear all losses! If an apology is needed, I will accompany you to offer a humble apology, alright?"

After he finished speaking, from the other side of the hall, amidst the murmuring, a voice rang out: "Liheng, since everyone is saying this, don't decline. It's good for young people to know how to conceal their talents, but occasionally, you must also show your edge. Why not relax a little and display your skills today?"

Ning Yi turned his head.

The slow, deliberate words came from Su Chonghua, who now wore a gentle smile, appearing pleased that such a junior had emerged from Yushan Academy. Ning Yi's gaze swept over him, his expression suddenly growing cold. Then, a smile curved his lips—a smile that, to Su Chonghua, seemed to hold a touch of the same stern authority as when Grandfather Su was angry, along with a hint of something eerie. Su Chonghua couldn't fully decipher the meaning of this expression.

Su Chonghua struggled to maintain his smile, relieved that Xue Jin continued speaking on the other side.

"Brother Ning, what exactly does this reaction of yours mean? To be honest, I recently heard a rumor circulating widely, claiming you personally told an elder of the Su family that your 'Shuidiao Getou' was something you heard a wandering Daoist chant in your childhood. I, for one, never believed it. How could Brother Ning, with such noble character, do such a thing! But the multitude of voices is hard to resist. Brother Ning, if this is truly the case, then I have misjudged you. If you genuinely intend to leave today, then pass by me! I will absolutely not stop you! I will simply admit that I mistook you for someone else!"

There was nothing logically sound about his words, but they were delivered with a self-righteous air. If Ning Yi were to leave now, the accusation of plagiarism would be cemented the very next day. As his voice faded, the hall grew somewhat quiet, everyone awaiting Ning Yi's response. Puyang Yi wanted to intervene but found himself at a loss for words for a moment. Then, Ning Yi simply turned and walked past Xue Jin, saying blandly, "Very well."

Xue Jin turned to speak, but saw Ning Yi walk directly to a low table nearby and pick up a brush. This gathering was, after all, a poetry meeting, so writing implements were readily available everywhere. The person previously seated at that table, wearing a gleefully smug smile, froze slightly. Ning Yi dipped the brush tip into the ink, pausing for a second.

His gaze swept past the crowd towards Su Chonghua. Near Su Chonghua's side, at a table, a maid in green was refilling an empty wine cup. The weather was cold, so such maids wore relatively thick clothing, but Ning Yi vaguely recognized the silhouette of her figure.

*I can't believe it... I really didn't lose the trail...*

Xiao Chan had initially been somewhat annoyed by Xue Jin and the others' words, but now she was pleasantly surprised and followed Ning Yi. Li Pin and others also came closer. After dipping the brush in ink for two seconds, Ning Yi let it fall onto the Xuan paper, declaring, "Very well. Since you are all so kind on this Lantern Festival day, I dare not hide my inadequacy. I shall make a humble display!"

His gaze followed the maid's back as the brush scribbled on the paper. However, it wasn't like writing with a fountain pen; even with flamboyant cursive, Ning Yi didn't write particularly fast. Li Pin watched beside him, and after a moment, helped read out the written words.

"'Qing Yu An'... 'Yuan Xi'..."

His voice was clear and resonant, perfectly audible throughout the hall. A moment later, the expressions and postures of those watching became more formal. He repeated, "The east wind releases in the night... a thousand trees of blossoms—"

The first line of "Qing Yu An" unfolded grandly!

Xue Jin and Su Chonghua's faces instantly changed...

***

On a different note, the sequel to "Hidden Killing," totaling eighty-five thousand characters, was released in Taiwan a few days ago and will be published on Qidian next month. This afternoon, I reviewed the eighty-five thousand character manuscript and added the final plot fragment, approximately three thousand characters. Honestly, when I finished the main story two years ago, I promised a sequel because I still had many ideas. This sequel wasn't completed until March of this year. Whether it was finishing the main story two years ago or the sequel this March, I never truly felt the book was over in my heart. The characters continued to linger and live in my mind until today, with the completion of these three thousand characters. Suddenly, I felt... like a child I can finally let go of. They will continue to live in their own world, no longer needing me to carry them further. There's some melancholy and sadness, but also a sense of ease now that the story is complete. In short, next month, the entire "Hidden Killing" series will be complete. The sequel includes the eighty-five thousand characters plus a three-thousand-character fragment, and there's also an additional twenty-thousand-plus character side story detailing events from the previous world: the conflicts between Gu Jiaming, codenamed White Night, Minamoto no Yoritomo, and the Gods' Thoughtlessness, and Li Mingdaoxu. This side story was previously included at the end of the traditional Chinese version of "Hidden Killing, Volume One," and all of it will be released.

Most of Banana's old readers have probably already read this book. For new readers, it might be worth checking out; some of you might enjoy it.

Please vote for me (Sanjiang votes, recommendation votes).

Also recommending a friend's book: "Lao Tian" (烙天), ID: 1974713.

Synopsis: Branded the Heavens, no tribulation needed for ascension!