Chapter Twenty-Seven: Thunder Awakens at My Fingertips

The zither, flourishing in the land of Qin during the Warring States period, is mentioned in Li Si's "Letter of Remonstrance Against Expelling Guests," which describes Qin's music and dance: "Beating jars, knocking tubs, plucking the zither, slapping thighs, and singing joyously—these are truly the sounds of Qin." Thus, the zither is also called the Qin zither.

Who was the creator of the Qin zither? This question has always been debated. It is generally believed to have been invented by Meng Tian of the Qin dynasty, but Du You of the Tang dynasty raised doubts in his "Comprehensive Canon." Tanabe Takao of Japan theorized in his "History of Eastern Music" that the zither was introduced from the West to Qin at the end of the Warring States period. However, another Japanese scholar, Hayashi Kensan, found Tanabe's arguments insufficient. Therefore, the title of "Father of the Qin Zither" may someday fall to another scholarly nation, perhaps Korea.

There are many techniques for playing the zither, but all invariably rely on the fingernails. In ancient times, unlike later generations, musicians used their bare fingers rather than false nails or similar implements. The earliest record of false nails appears in Song dynasty Chen Ting's "Book of Music," under "Deer Claw Zither": "Liang musician Yang Lu, skilled in music, composed the Lotus Picking Song, which was quite innovative. He indulged in extravagance, attended by courtesans. Among them, zither player Lu Dai Xi wore deer bone claws seven inches long; ancient zither masters were not limited to this."

Perhaps the deer bone claws had not yet appeared in Chu, or perhaps they had, but Lady Song was not accustomed to using them, so her fingertips became damaged while playing. Xu You, formerly a warrior, knew nothing of music and had no relevant memories in this regard.

Yet He Ru, upon observing the cracked fingers, deduced Lady Song's true identity—a small display of skill, but like glimpsing a leopard through a tube, it revealed his talent. Such wisdom was indeed worthy of the reputation of the Four Symbols of the Yin Talisman.

Today, Qianqin was at odds with He Ru. Little girls are known to hold grudges, and she could not stand his self-satisfaction. She muttered quietly, "Perhaps he has seen Lady Song in private and is pretending not to recognize her. Some people love to play tricks to elevate themselves, making others sick..."

Her voice was just loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, but this time, it was as if a collective deafness had struck; no one responded or paid her any mind. All fell silent, and the atmosphere grew awkward.

He Ru never cared about the mood of the room, his head bowed serenely, inscrutable. Lady Song, once adept at easing tensions, now followed Guo Mian and no longer needed to charm others; she acted according to her own preferences. Her gaze lingered on He Ru’s face, as if deeply interested in him, with no thought for anyone else.

Xu You glanced around and smiled, "Since everything has been spoken, let us not let this sour our relations. After all, we've come to help, not to cause trouble. If you trust us, would you let Lady Zhan come out to meet us?"

Lady Song withdrew her gaze from He Ru and said, "What a pity—Fourth Lady left early yesterday to tend to some matters elsewhere. Whether she returns today is uncertain. As for why I assumed her identity, first, I heard a beggar was coming to repay a favor and found it amusing. Second, I wanted to hear what this beggar considered a matter of great importance. It seems my mischief was well-placed; otherwise, I would have missed you gentlemen and risked Fourth Lady's business."

Xu You saw that He Ru still did not speak, likely unwilling to discuss anything until meeting the person in question, and probably had many questions to discuss privately. Thus, he lost interest in further conversation with Lady Song, stood up, and said, "In that case, we shall take our leave. When Lady Zhan returns, if you have a solution, so be it. If not, and wish to hear our humble opinions, you may send word to the Guest Pavilion."

He bowed to Lady Song, turned to leave, with He Ru following close behind, dispensing with any formalities. Zuo Min walked last; born a slave, he was accustomed to humility. He said, "We have just arrived in Qiantang and are overwhelmed with matters, so the two gentlemen may seem impatient. There was no offense intended; I apologize on their behalf."

Lady Song watched the trio’s figures disappear along the blue stone path outside, a smile curling at her lips. "Interesting, truly interesting..."

Qianqin bent down, lifted her face, and placed her hands at Lady Song’s hips, gently squeezing. The thin gauze skirt revealed a tempting shape. She laughed softly, "My Lady Song has never suffered at the hands of men, but today, being treated as nothing—how does it feel? Are your teeth nearly grinding to powder?"

Lady Song lowered her delicate head, and the dark strands hanging beside her forehead brushed Qianqin's lips. Like a pampered kitten, Qianqin opened her mouth to bite at the swaying hair but missed, tilting her head back and laughing with a seductive charm. Lady Song raised her jade arm; her wide sleeves slid down, revealing a flawless white wrist. Her gently curved forefinger traced from Qianqin's brow to her nose, then to her thin red lips. At Qianqin's soft moan, the entire finger slipped quietly into her sandalwood mouth.

"If the cats of the world ever lose their taste for fish, it’s not the cat’s fault, understand?" Lady Song slowly withdrew her finger, the moist sheen glimmering at her fingertips. She brought it to her own lips, tongue flicking out as their fluids mingled, but her eyes remained placid, so calm it was chilling. "When will Fourth Lady return?"

"If there are no mishaps on the road, she should arrive in Qiantang tonight at the hour of the pig."

"Yes, Fourth Lady has been running about for the master these days, truly exhausting herself. With household matters, help her where you can. Send our people out now; watch every move in the Guest Pavilion. I want to know everything Zhan Ting and Dou Qi say and do, whom they meet, what they do—miss nothing!"

Qianqin rose gracefully, her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes filled with cold, murderous intent. "Understood!"

Once Qianqin had gone, Lady Song sat alone in the room for an indeterminate time. The old white-haired servant who guarded the door eventually shuffled in, hunched and wheezing. "Greetings, madam."

"Uncle Qi, is Xu You’s martial skill as formidable as rumored?"

"Xu You?" Uncle Qi’s clouded eyes blinked, coughing a few times. "He has injuries yet to heal—not worth worrying about."

Xu You was hailed as the most promising young talent to break through the fifth rank before age twenty, but in Uncle Qi’s eyes, who seemed nearly ready to depart this world with a breath, he was described with just four words:

Not worth worrying about!

Lady Song seemed to trust Uncle Qi's judgment. "And what of He Ru?"

"He knows no martial arts, not even a basic foundation—utterly ordinary!"

Lady Song smiled, her brows arched, eyes like crescent moons, strikingly beautiful. "A person who knows no martial arts may not be ordinary."

Uncle Qi's voice rasped as if clogged with phlegm, unclear, "He cannot carry a hundred pounds of grain, nor bind the sunbird; without martial skill, this man—cough, cough—what use is he?"

In the Jin dynasty, Guo Pu wrote "Records from the Mysterious Realm," saying: "On Peach Capital Mountain in the southeast, there is a great tree, its branches three thousand li apart. Atop it lives the Heavenly Rooster. When the sun rises, its light shines upon the tree; the rooster crows, and all chickens follow." Thus, the chicken is also called the sunbird, symbolizing auspiciousness and dispelling harm, eating scorpions and centipedes. Hence, in the Jin dynasty, household doors shifted from painting tigers to painting chickens.

Hearing Uncle Qi’s crude words, Lady Song was not offended but instead burst into laughter, knowing not to argue with him, or else the conversation would never end. She simply asked the next question. "What of Zuo Min, the gentleman—how is his skill?"

"His steps are steady, breath deep, spirit concentrated and undispersed; he is but a step away from the realm of minor masters. If you are wary of these three, this is the one to watch most closely."

"I understand. Thank you, Uncle Qi! When the master returns safely, I will make sure to credit you in front of him."

Uncle Qi shook his head and turned to leave. "In these times, simply being alive is a blessing. As for credit, you remember, but I do not, and the master will not either... Better not to speak or meddle too much..."