Chapter 122: Nongyu Plays the Zither

Everyone looked on in shock.

Lin Shu offered a faint, bitter smile; he regretted bragging too much. He was no great master—not even as skilled as the maid pouring the tea.

*Sigh!* Truly, there is always someone better, and beyond the heavens, there are more heavens. In just a short while, Wei Zhuang had seen two swordsmen no weaker than himself, and three more who were several times stronger.

Han Fei could not grasp the concept of "Will," so he focused instead on the two wine crates being lowered. As soon as Han Fei stood up, Lin Shu introduced them. "The large crate contains ten bottles—thirty catties—of cellar-aged medium-strength spirits, best suited for the refined tastes of scholars and poets."

"Excellent! I am most grateful!"

Han Fei could not refuse such a gift, even if it were high-proof liquor, he would have claimed it regardless.

"Ninth Prince, there is no need for such formality. This smaller crate contains red grape wine, specifically meant for a beauty of refined taste—a gift for Lady Zi Nu."

Lin Shu often drank this sweet, spirit-infused grape wine as a beverage himself.

"A red grape wine for a refined beauty? Lady Zi Nu, do you think I qualify as a refined soul?" Han Fei had never even heard of such wine.

Zi Nu was equally curious, as she also enjoyed fruit wines. "Xiao Hong, bring out some of the red wine; let us taste this wine from the North."

*Could they be from the North?* thought Wei Zhuang. *The surname Lin... are they royalty or nobility?* He began to piece things together.

Since it was not the time of day for heavy drinking, Han Fei was in no hurry to open the large crate. The red wine came in glass bottles—the people were already accustomed to this "Northern glass." The wooden cork was pressed in tightly, but the maid removed it with just the tips of her fingernails, without needing any tools.

*Sigh!* Lin Shu lowered his head with a bitter smile. He couldn't even beat this maid, and there were three of them! His own combat power was low, though his core strength was decent, given that he frequently sparred with grandmasters.

The unique aroma was not overpowering, carrying a sweet, mellow scent. Wei Zhuang disliked the sweetness, though he appreciated the spiritual energy within. Han Fei drank a cup but found it rather unremarkable—the flavor was too mild.

Zi Nu and Nong Yu, however, savored the unique nuances: the sweetness followed by the wine's bite, with an occasional trace of bitterness that felt remarkably like life itself. This red wine was perfectly suited to them. Lin Shu downed his glass in one gulp, as if it were water; he couldn't distinguish the taste, finding it only sweet, smooth, and refreshing.

After the wine, Lin Shu took his wife and child to follow Nong Yu to the music room, not only to listen to the zither but to allow little Yan'er to observe how Nong Yu played.

*Sigh!* Wei Zhuang frowned. Only after the man had departed did he feel a sense of relief. As a swordsman brimming with killing intent, ready to draw his blade at any moment, he had not dared to move for the entire duration of the man's presence. It wasn't just the oppressive fluctuation of spiritual energy; he had felt as if a thousand-pound blade, part sword and part saber, was pressing against his forehead.

Once things settled, Zi Nu looked at Han Fei. "Does the Ninth Prince know his identity?" The man seemed ordinary, yet he was anything but. He was like a riddle, constantly keeping others at a distance.

Han Fei nodded, frowning. There was no need to hide this from his two friends. "He possesses such overwhelming aura because he is indeed the Young Master Lin from the North—the same who recently stormed the Wei palace."

*If the King of Han had not already joined the alliance, these experts would have likely stormed the palace here as well!*

"So it is them! The strength of the North is truly far greater than it appears!" Wei Zhuang was even more stunned. A mere Young Master—or even a Crown Prince—commanded four top-tier experts as guards!

Zi Nu had heard that several experts from the Yin-Yang School had defected to the North. She understood now, but many questions remained. "Han has already joined the alliance; why is Young Master Lin in Xinzheng, and why come to the Zi Lan Xuan?"

Han Fei shook his head. "I cannot fathom it either. Perhaps he truly only came to request music for his daughter."

*Heh,* Wei Zhuang chuckled. "It was likely for Nong Yu as well!"

Zi Nu felt a pang of frustration, realizing Young Master Lin had been so focused on Nong Yu that he barely paid her any attention. *Was her attire too mature?*

"Ninth Prince, Master Wei, will he make things difficult for Nong Yu?" Zi Nu realized her influence was weak; those two Yin-Yang experts alone left her powerless to intervene.

Lin Shu, who was eavesdropping, felt annoyed. *Damn you, Zi Nu! What do you take me for?*

[Hehe, Commander, are you really not going to make things difficult for Nong Yu?]

Lin Shu shook his head. His visit was not solely to listen to music.

Han Fei's expression turned serious. "Rest assured, Zi Nu, this Young Master Lin is not a man without integrity. If he were, I would not remain silent."

Wei Zhuang nodded. "Judging by his intent, though calm, he is not a villain. If he were, my Shark Tooth would not be a mere decoration."

*Hmph, Wei Zhuang was so well-behaved just now!* Lin Shu had not expected Wei Zhuang to be such a ruthless character behind the scenes, yet he hadn't even uttered a few words earlier. Lin Shu had been keeping a close eye on him; he knew the man was no saint and could have lashed out at a single wrong word.

"Well, he shouldn't be too excessive. But for two female grandmasters to willingly submit to him..." Zi Nu felt a secret resentment. It was hard enough for a woman to become a grandmaster in the martial world, only to become a man's subordinate.

Wei Zhuang felt bitter at the mention of the two female experts; he knew he was no match for them. Han Fei was also troubled. How many secrets did the North hold to attract so many experts? Their own royal family had only a few innate masters left.

"I have heard that a significant portion of the experts from the Quicksand and the Yin-Yang School have defected to the Northern King, with Black and White Xuan Jian being the strongest, while Jing Ni and Dong Jun are also renowned masters."

Black and White Xuan Jian was the most powerful swordsman in the open martial world, and the one Wei Zhuang most wanted to defeat. The Ghost Valley had its sources, and Zi Nu knew much of this as well.

"Xuan Jian is not just a veteran master swordsman; he is a famous general of this era. He also accompanied Young Master Lin when he stormed the Wei palace."

Hearing this, Han Fei grew even more surprised and troubled. He realized he knew far too little about the martial world.

Afterward, Wei Zhuang and Zi Nu briefed Han Fei on the various major schools of the Hundred Schools of Thought. Lin Shu, however, grew bored of eavesdropping.

The birds had already eaten their fill that morning, and hearing the music, many more flocked toward the room. A gentle breeze brought the fragrance of flowers. Listening to the birds and smelling the flowers, Lin Shu and little Yan'er closed their eyes to listen in silence.

With the nobleman's gaze turned away, Nong Yu became even more absorbed, closing her eyes and playing by instinct. Listening to the music, Lin Shu felt the anxieties of his past life slowly fading, and the vague, sharp shadows in his mind began to solidify and take shape.

As the piece reached its end, Nong Yu forgot the score but did not stop. Smelling the breeze, hearing the birds' joyful chatter, and sensing the expectations of those around her, her fingers drifted naturally. The melody reached deeper into the soul; even the chatting Han Fei and Wei Zhuang fell silent on their own. Zi Nu’s own musical skill was decent, but the atmosphere now made her drift into a state of meditation.

Birds took flight with the morning sun, wind brushed the grass, and the quiet flowers bloomed slowly. The cold and darkness faded, replaced by warmth drifting on the wind, and the world grew brighter.

This was the beauty of the morning, yet the young girl on the hillside looked into the distance with vacant eyes.

*Zheng!* A sudden, jarring sound pierced the air. Several strings of the precious zither snapped.

"Ah! Sister Xinying, Teacher Nong Yu is bleeding! Come quickly!" Little Yan'er was the first to see Nong Yu's bloodied fingers.

Tears welled in Nong Yu's eyes. She hadn't even felt the sharp pain until Yan'er’s cry brought her back to reality. "My apologies! Young Master Lin, it was my error!"

Nong Yu's fingers were bleeding, but that was not what she was concerned about.

Lin Shu shook his head. "Lady Nong Yu, what fault is there? To hear your music was worth the trip." Lin Shu was also deeply moved. *Indeed, the zither can lead to the Dao!*

"Yan'er, Si Niang will stop the bleeding, no need to trouble Xinying." The finger of the girl beside him moved, and several rays of green light enveloped Nong Yu's fingers.

The nobleman was not only understanding, but he was also expending his own power to heal her! A bewildered Nong Yu did not know how to express her gratitude. She was merely a lonely girl in the world of dust, never having experienced such respect and care from a noble.

"Si Niang is the best." Watching the red lines on her teacher's fingers slowly vanish, little Yan'er looked on with admiration.