Mournful Song and Snapped String (Part Two)
In the capital’s love scene, Yao Yue was quite well-known.
Not only was it because of her skill with the pipa, but it was also because everyone knew that she was someone protected by Gu JiuGe.
But recently, they had heard that Gu JiuGe had cut ties with her, and she had even shut herself in and fallen ill over that.
Looking at her today, though she was a bit thinner, she did not look like she had been so ill that she could not get up.
The sound of the pipa rose with the sound of a mournful tune, and Yu Guan immediately furrowed his brow.
Yu Fu was walking in front and turned back to say: “What’s wrong?”
“I clearly told Miss Yao Yue to play a joyous song, so why has she played such a sad song?”
Yu Guan did not understand pipa songs and could only hear the sadness. He did not recognize what song this was, but Yu Fu could tell that it was Longing.
She had played it before at West Lake.*
Inside the private room on the third floor, the window that was opened just a crack was pushed open even more.
The elegant and slender hand of a female appeared behind the window, and Yin JiYao poked her head out to look ou at the girl playing the pipa below.
Yao Yue, she had heard this name before. She was Gu JiuGe’s confidante.
She used to be.
Holding the pipa on her lap, she sat on the stage with a large crowd gathered around, completely entranced by the sound of her pipa.
The crowd gathered around and cheered endlessly.
However, there was not the slightest hint of a smile on her face.
Thin, weak, anxious, and pale from sickness…
Yin JiYao looked at Yao Yue and felt as if she was looking at a past version of herself. She had a very good understanding of how Yao Yue felt.
“Second young sir, she came for you.”
Yin JiYao did not close the window. She just turned her head to look at Gu JiuGe, and the latter subconsciously picked up a cup of wine and brought it to his lips before putting it back down.
In the end, he picked up a cup of tea.
“You’re overthinking it. It must be that Yu Guan knew that she has some connection to Marquis Gu’s Manor, thus he invited her to come and perform. Yu Shan Building and Marquis Gu’s Manor are connected in many ways. That’s why Yao Yue was willing to do this for him.”
This was a personal matter between Yu Guan and Yao Yue. It was completely unrelated to him.
Yin JiYao, however, pointed down, “Come here and take a look. You will understand.”
Below, Yu Fu and Yu Guan chose to sit in the front row, casually sitting with the rest of the crowd.
Gu JiuGe walked over and looked in the direction that Yin JiYao was pointing…
Was that Yao Yue?
She was wearing a large spring dress and had bright-red lipstick on. Others might not be able to tell that she had become thinner, Gu JiuGe knew better than anyone else.
He furrowed his brow and did not know what he should say.
“JiYao really admires Miss Yao Yue’s devoted love for second young sir.”
She reflected on herself. She did not share Yao Yue’s deep affection, and she was burdened with a secret that she could not even share…
Gu JiuGe did not pick up on the hidden meaning behind her words, “A devoted love is only good if it’s for the right person. I already explained things to her, but I don’t know why she continues to insist on pursuing such a bitter path.”
In his mind, Yao Yue was not like this.
She had been used by others before, suddenly appearing when everyone from Marquis Gu’s Manor was admiring West Lake. After that event, she quickly came to an understanding.
She had always been understanding and knew that there would be no chance for the two of them to be together. That was why they remained friends and lived in the moment.
Yin JiYao smiled bitterly, “Longing for you, but you remain in Chang’An. Second young sir, don’t believe a woman’s words. You say that you’ve talked it through and that she understands, but that does not mean that she truly could just give up.”
If a scholar falls in love, there may be hope of recovery. If a woman falls in love, they will never be able to escape.
Gu JiuGe seemed to understand, “You mean to say that she was lying?”
Yin JiYao suddenly smiled, “Everyone says that the second young sir of Marquis Gu’s Manor is the best at dealing with women. Who knew… that you really do not understand women.”
Gu JiuGe looked down and absent-mindedly said: “Who did you hear say that?”
Yin JiYao froze and did not know how to respond.
This had been told to her by Yin Shuo, but she could not tell Gu JiuGe.
What excuse should she look for to explain? She was a sheltered girl, and she went out even less than the other girls from noble families. How could she know about this?
Before she could think of anything, Gu JiuGe kindly changed the topic.
“Since young miss Yin understands girls’ feelings so well, why not teach me how I should get Yao Yue to give up and not put herself through such a bitter experience?”
Yin JiYao felt that something was off.
He was being too kind. It seemed as though he had known that she was hiding something from him for quite some time. That was why he did not want to force her to respond.
Could it be that he already knew that she had approached him with some sort of mission?
“We came here to eat and drink. Let’s not have such a grief-filled song. Miss Yao Yue, how about playing a more joyous song?”
“That’s right, how about a more joyous song. The spring atmosphere outside is quite nice, so how about a song about the spring wind!”
The song came to an end, and Yao Yue slightly looked up before starting to play once more.
In an instant, Yu Guan’s expression turned very ugly.
He was extremely familiar with this song. Was this not Peony Pavilion, which he frequently performed?
This was a song of great sorrow. It was even more emotional than Longing, adding in the sorrow of parting and never meeting again!
In an instant, the guests down below started causing a stir.
“What’s going on? Why are you playing a song about someone dying? You aren’t letting us enjoy our meals!”
Hong Zui and Lu Xiu hastily came in from the backyard and did their best to placate the angry guests.
On the stage, Yao Yue’s eyes did not wander. It was as if she was the only person in her world, as her fingers continued to dance, the melancholic sound filling the air.
Twang-
With the mournful sound of a string snapping, the guests suddenly fell quiet and looked up at the stage.
Bright-red drops of blood were dripping from the tips of Yao Yue’s elegant fingers.
*TN: Chapter 57
Mournful Song and Snapped String (Part Two)
In the capital’s love scene, Yao Yue was quite well-known.
Not only was it because of her skill with the pipa, but it was also because everyone knew that she was someone protected by Gu JiuGe.
But recently, they had heard that Gu JiuGe had cut ties with her, and she had even shut herself in and fallen ill over that.
Looking at her today, though she was a bit thinner, she did not look like she had been so ill that she could not get up.
The sound of the pipa rose with the sound of a mournful tune, and Yu Guan immediately furrowed his brow.
Yu Fu was walking in front and turned back to say: “What’s wrong?”
“I clearly told Miss Yao Yue to play a joyous song, so why has she played such a sad song?”
Yu Guan did not understand pipa songs and could only hear the sadness. He did not recognize what song this was, but Yu Fu could tell that it was Longing.
She had played it before at West Lake.*
Inside the private room on the third floor, the window that was opened just a crack was pushed open even more.
The elegant and slender hand of a female appeared behind the window, and Yin JiYao poked her head out to look ou at the girl playing the pipa below.
Yao Yue, she had heard this name before. She was Gu JiuGe’s confidante.
She used to be.
Holding the pipa on her lap, she sat on the stage with a large crowd gathered around, completely entranced by the sound of her pipa.
The crowd gathered around and cheered endlessly.
However, there was not the slightest hint of a smile on her face.
Thin, weak, anxious, and pale from sickness…
Yin JiYao looked at Yao Yue and felt as if she was looking at a past version of herself. She had a very good understanding of how Yao Yue felt.
“Second young sir, she came for you.”
Yin JiYao did not close the window. She just turned her head to look at Gu JiuGe, and the latter subconsciously picked up a cup of wine and brought it to his lips before putting it back down.
In the end, he picked up a cup of tea.
“You’re overthinking it. It must be that Yu Guan knew that she has some connection to Marquis Gu’s Manor, thus he invited her to come and perform. Yu Shan Building and Marquis Gu’s Manor are connected in many ways. That’s why Yao Yue was willing to do this for him.”
This was a personal matter between Yu Guan and Yao Yue. It was completely unrelated to him.
Yin JiYao, however, pointed down, “Come here and take a look. You will understand.”
Below, Yu Fu and Yu Guan chose to sit in the front row, casually sitting with the rest of the crowd.
Gu JiuGe walked over and looked in the direction that Yin JiYao was pointing…
Was that Yao Yue?
She was wearing a large spring dress and had bright-red lipstick on. Others might not be able to tell that she had become thinner, Gu JiuGe knew better than anyone else.
He furrowed his brow and did not know what he should say.
“JiYao really admires Miss Yao Yue’s devoted love for second young sir.”
She reflected on herself. She did not share Yao Yue’s deep affection, and she was burdened with a secret that she could not even share…
Gu JiuGe did not pick up on the hidden meaning behind her words, “A devoted love is only good if it’s for the right person. I already explained things to her, but I don’t know why she continues to insist on pursuing such a bitter path.”
In his mind, Yao Yue was not like this.
She had been used by others before, suddenly appearing when everyone from Marquis Gu’s Manor was admiring West Lake. After that event, she quickly came to an understanding.
She had always been understanding and knew that there would be no chance for the two of them to be together. That was why they remained friends and lived in the moment.
Yin JiYao smiled bitterly, “Longing for you, but you remain in Chang’An. Second young sir, don’t believe a woman’s words. You say that you’ve talked it through and that she understands, but that does not mean that she truly could just give up.”
If a scholar falls in love, there may be hope of recovery. If a woman falls in love, they will never be able to escape.
Gu JiuGe seemed to understand, “You mean to say that she was lying?”
Yin JiYao suddenly smiled, “Everyone says that the second young sir of Marquis Gu’s Manor is the best at dealing with women. Who knew… that you really do not understand women.”
Gu JiuGe looked down and absent-mindedly said: “Who did you hear say that?”
Yin JiYao froze and did not know how to respond.
This had been told to her by Yin Shuo, but she could not tell Gu JiuGe.
What excuse should she look for to explain? She was a sheltered girl, and she went out even less than the other girls from noble families. How could she know about this?
Before she could think of anything, Gu JiuGe kindly changed the topic.
“Since young miss Yin understands girls’ feelings so well, why not teach me how I should get Yao Yue to give up and not put herself through such a bitter experience?”
Yin JiYao felt that something was off.
He was being too kind. It seemed as though he had known that she was hiding something from him for quite some time. That was why he did not want to force her to respond.
Could it be that he already knew that she had approached him with some sort of mission?
“We came here to eat and drink. Let’s not have such a grief-filled song. Miss Yao Yue, how about playing a more joyous song?”
“That’s right, how about a more joyous song. The spring atmosphere outside is quite nice, so how about a song about the spring wind!”
The song came to an end, and Yao Yue slightly looked up before starting to play once more.
In an instant, Yu Guan’s expression turned very ugly.
He was extremely familiar with this song. Was this not Peony Pavilion, which he frequently performed?
This was a song of great sorrow. It was even more emotional than Longing, adding in the sorrow of parting and never meeting again!
In an instant, the guests down below started causing a stir.
“What’s going on? Why are you playing a song about someone dying? You aren’t letting us enjoy our meals!”
Hong Zui and Lu Xiu hastily came in from the backyard and did their best to placate the angry guests.
On the stage, Yao Yue’s eyes did not wander. It was as if she was the only person in her world, as her fingers continued to dance, the melancholic sound filling the air.
Twang-
With the mournful sound of a string snapping, the guests suddenly fell quiet and looked up at the stage.
Bright-red drops of blood were dripping from the tips of Yao Yue’s elegant fingers.
*TN: Chapter 57
