Chapter 249 - Unromantic (1/2)

The qin (a seven-stringed plucked instrument in some ways similar to the zither) master’s face was full of embarra.s.sment at Yuwen Tong’s frosty, explicit comment as though it’d never occurred to him that Yuwen Tong, a marshal, would act so ungracefully. Even the King Duan had never expected that Yuwen Tong would make such a tactless remark. He pondered in confusion, ‘Just now Yuwen Tong clearly flicked a second glance at the qin master. Isn’t this the part where he expresses his appreciation of the qin master’s skills? Besides, this performance of Commencement of War was pretty good, if not superb.’

“I find your remark rather unfair, Marshal.” The young qin master straightened his back, an unyielding and somewhat aggrieved expression on his face. “Although I cannot hold a candle to soldiers and officers on the battlefield, comparing my performance of the tune with the sound of a war drum is as unfair as it is to compare me with you. It’s a total disregard for my many years’ hard work.”

“Yeah. You’re being over-demanding, Marshal. Not many qin masters could display a hint of the artistic conception of this tune in their performance,” a guest also said.

After hearing other people’s accusations of his lack of discernment, Yuwen Tong just replied, “I never said he didn’t work hard enough. I’m just stating the facts. You asked me, a boor who serves in the army and is used to the beats on war drums and the sound of bugles, to comment on the performance of this tune, and it’s a fact that to my ears, this performance is inferior to drumbeats. Isn’t it a little inappropriate for you, a group of literary men who greatly outnumber me, to lay criticism on me on this occasion?”

“Uh…”

Yuwen Tong’s words rendered the others speechless.

“Haha… You’ve got a point, Marshal.” The King Duan hurriedly made an attempt to smooth things over. “It turns out that we’re the vulgar ones. How about this – let the qin master drink a toast to you, and then all of us put this matter behind us.”

The qin master rose to his feet and drank a toast to Yuwen Tong.

The King Duan continued, “Decorating this side yard of mine took a lot of doing, and it’s barely worth a walk around. Sitting and drinking is a little boring. I suggest we go outside for a stroll. What do you think?”

Yuwen Tong made no reply.

The King Duan asked him, “What’s your opinion, Marshal?”

“Well, like I said, your banquet, your call.”

The King Duan smiled, “Marshal is as straightforward as always. Then please accompany me for a saunter, Marshal.”

The King Duan invited all guests to a sightseeing tour in the garden. The qin master seemed to be very much in favor with the King Duan and was also invited. The King Duan and Yuwen Tong were walking in front, the qin master following in their wake with the qin in his arms.

When they were crossing a bridge, the qin master tripped over something, let out a sudden yell and toppled towards Yuwen Tong, seeming to be about to fall off the bridge.

Normally, people beside him would reflexively try to help him, but –

There was no telling whether he did it intentionally or it was just a coincidence, but Yuwen Tong sidestepped with a nimble movement of his foot, leaving the qin master nothing to hold on to…

Plop!

The qin master, along with his qin, fell over the bal.u.s.trade down into the lake with a big splash of water and cried in panic, “Help! Hel…Ugh…Help!”

Everybody else was stunned. After a while, someone reacted, hastily instructing servants to get down into the lake to save the man.

“Hurry! Help him!”

The King Duan looked from the qin master struggling in the lake to Yuwen Tong who was standing beside him and had a quite surprised look on his face as everybody else did. His lip twitched. Did Yuwen Tong move aside intentionally or unintentionally just now?

Eyes on the man splas.h.i.+ng in the lake, Yuwen Tong said to the King Duan, “Well, so much for the stroll.”

The King Duan, “…”

…

While Yuwen Tong was at the banquet, Ling Zhang was in the Imperial College.

At noon, when the cla.s.s was over, Miao s.h.i.+ba walked inside. “Shall we go, Young Master?”

Ling Zhang gave a nod, looking at Yuwen Jin and the others.

Yuwen Jin had been scolded by the teacher during the cla.s.s and looked despondent ever since, but the moment the cla.s.s came to an end, he instantly perked up, leapt over and threw his arm around Ling Zhang’s shoulders. “Go, go, go. I’ve been waiting for this meal too long.”

Ji Feng and the others were standing on the side and all of them had bagged their stuff up.

Tao Yi and a couple of cla.s.smates of his were standing them a meal in the Taibai Tavern this day. The last time they’d gone to the Taibai Tavern to have a meal, someone had tried to poison Ling Zhang and they’d had to reschedule it. This time they’d still decided to go to the Taibai Tavern.

Sure enough on this occasion w.a.n.g Deguang was not present.

When they arrived at the Taibai Tavern, Tao Yi and the others whose school was closer to the place had already been waiting. The room they’d booked was on the third floor. Tao Yi craned out of a window and yelled, “Brother Zhang, here!”

Ling Zhang looked up at him, gave a smile and suddenly saw a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head aside and spotted a man standing beside the window of the room next door to the one Tao Yi was in, who seemed to have just walked to the window to look at him after hearing Tao Yi’s voice.

“s.h.i.+t. Why is Jiang Yu also here? This is such bad luck!” Yuwen Jin also noticed him, his delighted face falling.

Ling Zhang hadn’t thought to run into Jiang Yu in this place either. Jiang Yu walked away from the window after seeing them. Ling Zhang also withdrew his gaze.

“Just pretend he’s not. Today we’re here to enjoy a sumptuous meal for which Tao Yi and his cla.s.smates are paying, so cheer up.”

It was only after hearing this that Yuwen Jin’s spirits rose again. Excitedly chirping, he marched Ling Zhang and the others onto the third floor into the private room booked by Tao Yi and his cla.s.smates.

“Eek, why are we missing one?” said Yuwen Jin, glancing around the room.

For an instant Tao Yi and the others appeared awkward. They all looked at Ling Zhang.

Ling Zhang replied calmly, “Maybe he’s otherwise engaged and couldn’t make it.”

Tao Yi immediately agreed, “Yeah, w.a.n.g Deguang has left the capital city to help deal with some family matters.”