Chapter 12: extra 12

[Zixu] «Pure Serenade» 02 - Every ancient record has standards for exceptional beauties.

Yue Changsheng was known as the number one beauty throughout the ages, he also had the “immortal” Jiuxiao Huanpei qin1 in his hands, and was recognised by his contemporaries as the “true voice of the ages”, so naturally the show of extravagance around him was very impressive.

Yefang had built a water pavilion with a tall stage in the heart of the lake especially for him, which was known as the Langyuan2. It was surrounded by guest seats facing the water to the left and the right, and there were twelve spots altogether known as the Twelve Jade Buildings. Each Jade Building could only accommodate one employer per period, which would be obtained by the highest bidder, so naturally there was carnage as people fell over each other in their eagerness to snatch a spot, and scrambled madly to obtain one of these priceless places

Not all of the youngsters of aristocratic families who coveted Yue Changsheng were of noble character, it wasn’t as if none of them ever had crooked thoughts, and there even were some who tried climbing into Langyuan despite being advised against doing so, but unexpectedly all of the troublemakers were thrown into the lake by a delicate-looking Yue Changsheng.

The rumours among the people said that the number one beauty under heaven also had the number one gongfu under heaven, which gave him a bit more of a mysterious air.


Yue Changsheng had an indifferent temperament, the only passion he had was for music. He normally kept silent, he had no preferences regarding food or clothes, and he didn’t care about anything, even turning a deaf ear to the mad pursuit of the people around him, treating them as though they were nothing.

Whether Yue Changsheng performed or not depended entirely on his mood, and whether one could see him or not was up to fate. Many people who paid a high price for a Jade Building, and anxiously looked forward to the day, would mostly not be able to make it to the performance.

Therefore, every time he stepped onto the stage, not only would the lakeside be filled with lively spectators who couldn’t even see beyond the crowd, even the guests inside the Jade Buildings would cling to the railing as they cheered and looked out, wishing they could slip into the lake.


Yue Changsheng had been at Yefang for half a year when, even though he never paid attention to the happenings outside of his window, he still discovered a strange thing:

The eastern spot of the First Jade Building was always empty.


The Jade Buildings were built overlooking the water, and were covered with heavy cloth curtains which would hang down to the ground when there was no one there. When guests were present, the curtains would be rolled up and tied to open up the view.

Those who were qualified to enter the buildings were all Young Masters from well-known families, who were always accompanied by a grandiose parade of servants and guards when they went outside, so even though they couldn’t all squeeze into one building, it was by no means empty.

But the curtain on the First Jade Building had never been rolled up. The inside was always also completely deserted, without a single person in sight.


When Yue Changsheng was taking a break, he inadvertently asked the manager about this, but the manager said:

“It’s not, the First Jade Building has always had a fixed guest, the Eldest Young Master of the Zhongli family. He comes every time, it’s already been a little under half a year and he’s never been absent.”

Yue Changsheng couldn’t help but be sceptical.

Zhongli Court had been at the peak of it’s power these past few years, and he’d heard a bit about it’s thunderous3 methods. Unexpectedly, the Eldest Young Master of Zhongli Court had been surreptitiously coming here to listen to his songs for half a year, and hadn’t made even a single move to try to get close to him, which was very unlike the legendary ‘submit to me and prosper, oppose me and perish’ style of Zhongli Court.


When he stepped onto the stage again, he inevitably glanced towards the First Jade Building a few times.

The blue muslin curtain hung down quietly as always, and not even the cool breeze could cause it to ripple.

Yue Changsheng rarely lost his concentration during a performance: How could anyone be in there?

After he finished playing “Three Lanes of Plum Blossoms4”, Yue Changsheng withdrew from the stage amidst the thunderous applause, while his accompanying young servant, Yue Chou, hurriedly arrived to receive his qin.

Yue Changsheng asked: “Are there guests in the First Jade Building today?”

Yue Chou received Jiuxiao Huanpei, cautiously covering it in brocade, and answered without thinking: “Hey, isn’t it that Eldest Young Master from Zhongli Court? Who else could it be.”

“Is there really someone?” Yue Changsheng was very sceptical, instructing, “Go take a look.”

Yue Chou agreed in a clear voice, jumping into a small boat and rowing away.

It didn’t take long for him to turn back and return, dumbfounded, he spoke with a complicated expression: “It really is Zhongli’s Eldest Young Master, but he was actually crying?!”

Yue Changsheng was stunned: “Ah?”

Yue Chou: “Wow…… you didn’t see it, he was a crying mess, it was miserable…..”

Yue Changsheng frowned: “Why?”

“How would I know?!” Yue Chou shook his head over and over again, “I saw him crying so sadly I didn’t dare disturb him, I just quickly slipped away.”


Yue Changsheng grew suspicious.

On a day when he had nothing to do, once night fell, he took advantage of the moonlight to sweep away, skimming over the surface of the lake like a dragonfly lightly touching the water, leaving shallow ripples in his wake. Inside the quiet muslin curtain, there actually really was a person.

The person blankly leaned against the carved railing as he sat on the ground, surrounded by a pile of completely empty wine jars, his expression was dispirited, and he was surrounded by a miserable and gloomy atmosphere, truly desolate and bleak.

Yue Changsheng quietly came to a halt, stopping for a long time, memorising that clear, lonesome appearance, then calmly and quietly left.


Yue Changsheng wondered why he was suffering.

He was an unrestrained, romantic Young Master who could enjoy his family’s wealth without having to worry about managing it; he was born of orchids and jade trees5, and there were many soft fragrant jades willing to throw themselves at him, he could simply just spend a large amount of money and not have to suffer the least bit.

Even if he wasn’t mad with happiness, he also shouldn’t have been reduced to the point of drinking bitter wine alone.

Yue Changsheng reluctantly racked his brain for an entire day, but gave up and asked the young servant by his side: “Have you ever heard of any troubles the Eldest Young Master may have?”

Hearing this, Yue Chou went for a walk around the market, bringing back some news alongside a handful of sweet cakes: “Answering the Young Master, it is said that Zhongli’s Eldest Young Master is desperately in love with Yue Changsheng but is unable to see him, so he has become depressed and sick with longing.”

“……”

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Yue Changsheng was silent.

It turned out he himself was the source?


The days passed smoothly and uneventfully, and it was another year in the blink of an eye. The Eastern First Jade Building always had a guest, but the heavy curtain never rose.

The letters from every young master seeking to meet him were piled up on top of one another on a heap on the table, Yue Changsheng flipped through the letters, but couldn’t find a message from Zhongli Court.

At first, he would wonder when the Eldest Young Master give up with malice in his heart, often taking advantage of the moonlight to go up the building and watch from the sidelines. Young Masters from rich families were generally impatient, and the word ‘love’ was just a joke to them, so how could he really be devoted from beginning to end without seeking something in return?

But every time he went there, that person was always in the Jade Building.

The Eldest Young Master no longer showed his emotions on his face in that youthful way he did a year ago.

Yue Changsheng watched him quietly, feeling the desolation in his eyes that was like dead ashes day after day.

Sometimes, he would deliberately not restrain his breathing and just sit hanging on the eaves of the roof. The Eldest Young Master would perceive his presence, but he had never asked him who he was, and he never opened his mouth to talk to him.

The two people sat facing each other, not speaking, and unexpectedly developed a type of special rapport.

Yue Changsheng had no doubts that he would sit silently at that guest seat for the rest of his life, watching from the sidelines until he grew old.


Finally, one day, Yue Changsheng could not withstand his curiosity, and opened his mouth to ask: “Eldest Young Master, I heard that you were depressed because you couldn’t meet Yue Changsheng, is that true?”

Zhongli Zixu replied: “It’s true.”

Yue Changsheng hoarsely said: “…..You’re really that sad ah.”

The Eldest Young Master poured himself another cup of clear wine, not answering him.

Yue Changsheng asked again: “Since you like him so much, why not go see him?”

The Eldest Young Master: “I am a common man, I’m afraid I’ll offend the beauty.”

If it was actually this kind of insignificant reason, could it be due to the so-called timid love? Yue Changsheng thought about it, and felt a little pity for him, so he said: “I could help you arrange it.”

But the Eldest Young Master decisively refused: “Thank you for your kindness, but you don’t need to trouble yourself.”


Yue Changsheng was despondent.

For the past few years, the people wanting to meet him were as numerous as the stars, but he had never yielded and agreed to a private meeting with a guest. This was the first time ever he had made an exception and broken his own rules, even taking the initiative to invite him, it really was something not even the Emperor could dream of, it was a face bigger than the sky6.

How dare this guy be ungrateful.

Yue Changsheng quickly calmed himself down, after all, he hadn’t revealed his identity yet, so the Eldest Young Master might not believe him, and he who does not know is not afraid. Thinking better of it again, he himself was like an immortal, so how could he lower himself to the same level as this coward who had been secretly in love with him for a year and spent an extremely large amount of money, but still didn’t dare to make a move?

Just as he had calmed down his anger, he heard the Eldest Young Master say:

“I don’t want to talk to you, go away.”

Yue Changsheng, whose character was that of a taciturn7 young man uninterested in self-indulgence, had to suppress the urge to cut a man down for the first time.


When Yue Changsheng returned to Langyuan, he decided that the next day when he got on the stage, he would have some servants take the Eldest Young Master up on the stage halfway through his performance.

Then, when the Eldest Young Master met him and discovered it was him, he would say a few aloof words:

“Last night, I wanted to invite the Young Master inside, but I was rejected. Since Eldest Young Master doesn’t want to see me, I also have no other option but to send the guest out.”

After that, he would order him to be driven away, and he would watch as the Eldest Young Master cried and hugged his thigh and admitted his mistake, saying he should not have scolded him that night.

As for whether he would forgive him or not, that would depend on whether he cried miserably enough. He would let him cry for at least several days, and then pretend to reluctantly forgive him.


Just as Yue Changsheng was very pleased with himself, he suddenly recalled the first time he saw the Eldest Young Master as he silently shed tears behind the shadow of the curtain, and unexpectedly felt a little upset in his heart.

He could only sigh: Forget it, an apology from him is enough, there’s no need to torment him.

 

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1 九霄環佩 a guqin made by legendary Master Lei in the Tang Dynasty, there are only 5 of them in existence nowadays. Top.

2 The Langyuan paradise is the mythological home of the immortals. Top.

3 Metaphor for something that is mighty, swift, and powerful. Top.

4 《梅花三弄》The title translates to something more along the lines of “The plum blossom melody plays three times” but that’s also too long imho. Listen to the song here. Top.

5 An idiom that means a kid with outstanding future prospects. Top.

6 Something extremely daring, bold, or audacious. Top.

7 The text calls him a 三無 lit. three not haves, which is either a buddhist thing or (most likely) refers to a character with the three not haves: 無口、無心、無表情 lit. no mouth, no heart, no expressions, i.e. speaks very little, hides their feelings, and shows few facial expressions. Top.

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