Chapter 933: 祖 An's Gift to Dao Yun

He was utterly astonished that Xie Daoyun in this world had composed the exact same poem as the historical talented woman of the same name from his previous life. For a moment, he felt as if he were dreaming, like Zhuang Zhou waking from a dream.

What was the connection between this world and his previous life? And what was the relationship between this Xie Daoyun and the one from his own world? He pondered for a long time, racking his brain, but couldn't comprehend what was happening. Eventually, he simply gave up trying to understand. As the saying goes, "Today's wine, today's drunk." At least the people before him were real; there was no need to worry about things that might never happen.

"Brother Zu, is my line not very good?" Xie Daoyun asked cautiously, seeing that he had been silent for a while.

Xie Xiu was annoyed. His sister was usually so confident in her literary skills, but now, facing Zu An, she was questioning herself. So he interjected, "Sister, your line is infinitely better than mine."

Xie Daoyun scoffed lightly, "Who's comparing with you?"

Xie Xiu was speechless. He felt a critical hit; indeed, she was his own sister.

Zu An snapped back to reality. "Daoyun, you're too modest. This line is excellent. Coincidentally, I have a poem here I'd like to dedicate to you."

"For me?" Xie Daoyun's cheeks flushed slightly, and her heart pounded with anticipation. "I'm all ears."

Zu An gazed at her serene face and slowly recited: "In days of old, a drifting catkin, a graceful bloom reflected, first struck with awe; where can a pure heart be found, as mountain moon lights up the snowy ground."

Xie Daoyun's face immediately turned crimson. They were sitting by the lake, whose surface reflected their faces. Was he complimenting her, saying she was stunning? And what did the second line mean? Was he asking where her heart lay?

"Thank you, Brother Zu, I'll go find some paper to write it down." Unsure how to react, she simply rose and hurried away. By the time she reached her room, her heart was pounding.

She took out her brush and ink. She was usually skilled in calligraphy, and now, practicing runes under her master's tutelage, her writing had improved even further. She could swiftly transcribe not just a poem, but an entire essay. Yet, at this moment, her hand hovered in mid-air, unable to put the brush to paper.

"How could he do this? He already has a wife!" Xie Daoyun bit her lip, her chest rising and falling rapidly, betraying her unsettled emotions. Wait, Miss Chu had apparently divorced him. In a way, he was still single. But the Chu family still seemed very close to him...

Just then, the ink on her brush tip finally gave way, dripping onto the paper. "Ugh, this is so annoying!"

Outside, Xie Xiu stared at Zu An in disbelief. If it weren't his own sister involved, he would have truly given a thumbs-up and applauded Zu An's skill. As a seasoned philanderer, how could he not discern the poem's potent effect? His sister's hurried departure moments ago clearly indicated her heart was in a flurry.

He said, slightly annoyed, "Brother Zu, do you genuinely not have any sisters?"

Zu An shook his head. "No, I'm an orphan."

Xie Xiu inwardly cursed his bad luck, feeling he had lost out significantly this time. "Hold on, wait a minute. He doesn't have a sister, but his wife does! The Eldest Miss of the Chu family has a younger sister." But the thought of Chu Hanzhao wielding her Wailing Whip sent a shiver down his spine, and he immediately dismissed that idea.

"What are you two talking about?" Just then, Xie Daoyun returned, her complexion back to normal, save for a faint, almost imperceptible blush.

"Nothing," Zu An said with a smile, then noticed the scroll in her hand. "Have you finished writing it? Let me see." With familiar ease, he took the scroll of white paper from her hand, unfolded it, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Daoyun, your calligraphy is truly exquisite!" Her handwriting was so graceful and delicate that one could tell at a glance it belonged to a gentle and serene beauty. Gao Ying's previous calligraphy was decent, but it paled in comparison to hers.

"Of course! My sister's 'Hairpin Flower Small Script' calligraphy is renowned in Moonbright City. Many would pay a fortune for a single piece of her work," Xie Xiu boasted proudly. But as soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted it. Why was he showing off? The more he praised his sister, the more it would attract unwanted attention.

"It's not that exaggerated. Many are simply trying to curry favor with our father," Xie Daoyun said, a little shyly.

"Daoyun, you're too modest. Your talent is evident to all of us." Zu An smiled. "Oh, that reminds me, didn't I owe you a musical piece? I've just thought of a suitable one."

"Really?" Xie Daoyun was both surprised and delighted. She already loved music, and after hearing Zu An's uniquely styled piece last time, her curiosity had only grown.

"Why would I lie to you?" In his past life, Zu An had read *The Smiling, Proud Wanderer* and was particularly intrigued by the piece "Guangling San" mentioned within. He had specifically searched for it online, but regrettably, he could only listen to it as a passive observer, lacking the ability to play it himself. He hadn't been able to recall the musical score before, but now that his cultivation was advancing and his memory strengthening, he could gradually remember things he had once seen.

He then conveyed the musical score to Xie Daoyun using this world's notation system. Xie Daoyun was eager to try it out and immediately invited them both indoors. After all, playing the zither was a refined art, and doing so while eating and drinking would detract from the ambiance.

Xie Xiu wore a dejected expression, casting a reluctant glance at the copper pot nearby. *I haven't had enough to eat yet,* he thought. But he dared not spoil his sister's enthusiasm, so he sullenly followed them.

Xie Daoyun first washed her hands with clean water, dried them with a white cloth, then lit a stick of sandalwood incense. Next, she carefully retrieved an ancient zither. Her every movement throughout the process exuded classical elegance and serene beauty. Zu An watched in admiration, thinking, *Now this is what you call a true sense of ritual.*

Soon, the clear, tranquil notes of the zither began to sound. Though a bit hesitant at first, Xie Daoyun's masterful skill quickly allowed her to fully immerse herself in the music. Xie Xiu was initially nonchalant, but his expression soon transformed, and his mouth unknowingly dropped open in awe. Xie Daoyun, even more profoundly affected, saw her chest rise and fall dramatically. She was clearly captivated by the emotions within the music, her entire being completely absorbed and still. Zu An, in contrast, was the calmest. After all, he had heard the piece in his previous life, and having little exposure to ancient zither music, he found it difficult to discern its quality. All his attention was on her chest. He wondered if she rested her chest on the table while drawing runes on a daily basis, otherwise, it would be too strenuous for her.

When the piece concluded, the room fell into complete silence. Xie Daoyun remained in a daze, not rising for a long time. Zu An noticed that the faint downy hairs on her neck seemed to stand on end, and her eyes shimmered faintly with tears. He couldn't help but marvel that she was truly a lover of the zither, capable of such profound resonance.

After a long moment, Xie Daoyun finally looked at him. "Brother Zu, does this piece have a name?"

"This piece is called 'Guangling San'," Zu An replied, then felt a pang of regret. *What a missed opportunity! I should have changed the name to something like 'Zu An's Gift to Daoyun' to gain more favor.*

"'Guangling San'..." Xie Daoyun quietly committed the name to memory. "By the way, why did I sense such profound sorrow, indignation, and even a martial intent within this piece?"

Zu An was startled, thinking, *Incredible, she could sense that?* He paused, then explained, "This piece actually narrates a story. In ancient times, there was a highly skilled warrior. He had a friend to whom he owed a great debt. This friend was framed by a political rival and sought out the warrior multiple times. Though his friend never explicitly asked, the warrior understood his intentions. However, the warrior never agreed, choosing instead to diligently care for his elderly mother. It was only three years later, after his mother's passing, that he finally sought out his friend and promised to avenge him. So, alone with his sword, he single-handedly infiltrated the political rival's mansion and assassinated him, despite the heavy guard. Unfortunately, he was then surrounded by the arriving soldiers. Knowing his death was inevitable, the warrior committed suicide with his sword. Fearing that his identity would be discovered after his death, thus implicating his sister, he deliberately disfigured his face with a dagger before taking his own life. But later, his sister voluntarily came to retrieve his body, weeping and lamenting that she understood his selfless sacrifice, but how could she allow his name to remain unknown..."

By the time the story concluded, Xie Daoyun was already in tears, and Xie Xiu's eyes were red. To avoid showing his emotions too openly, he quickly interjected, "Truly a hero! He waited until his mother passed away before seeking revenge, that is filial piety. To risk his life for a friend, that is righteousness."

"I am even more touched by their sibling bond," Xie Daoyun sighed softly. "The warrior disfigured himself before his suicide to avoid implicating his sister, and his sister, in turn, chose to sacrifice her life for his reputation. It's truly admirable to even imagine."

Xie Xiu likewise slammed the table and stood up. "Such heroes truly inspire awe! I wonder when I too can..."

He was interrupted by Xie Daoyun before he could finish. "I'd rather you remain a playboy than become like him."

Xie Xiu gave an awkward smile. "I was just talking, am I really that kind of person? Were Miss Zhang's waist not slender enough, or Miss Wang's charms not appealing anymore? While such heroism was admirable, he wasn't crazy enough to actually pursue it himself.