Nine out of ten gamblers lose; I've run into a jerk!

Chapter 78, A Song That Breaks My Heart: Where Can I Find a Soulmate in This World?

The eighth day of the seventh lunar month is an auspicious day for marriage.

On the fourth day of the Xuan Kingdom delegation's journey north, they still chose to travel by water. The group stayed on the deck with nothing to do, and it is unclear who started it.

"Didn't Prince Liang give Third Brother a beautiful woman? I saw her holding a pipa the other day when we boarded the ship; she must be skilled at it. Why don't we call her out and have her play a little tune for everyone to cheer us up?"

"That's right, that's right, Sanlang, quickly call them out so we can see them."

"That's not appropriate," Shen Qing declined, feeling it was rather impolite. After all, no young lady would want to sell her smiles.

"Don't be so stingy~ We're not going to take it from you, we're just looking~"

"Listening to a song won't make you lose a piece of flesh."

The crowd joined in the commotion and spontaneously started shouting.

"Miss Lu~ Miss Lu~"

With such a commotion, it would be hard for Lu Huanong in the cabin not to hear it. Perhaps not wanting to put Shen Qing in a difficult position, she came out with her pipa after a while.

Amidst the cheers and jeers, someone sat in the center of the deck tuning and testing the strings. With two sharp "zheng" sounds, the cheering crowd quieted down, captivated by the beautiful melody.

In this situation, Shen Qing couldn't help but think of the famous poem "The Song of the Pipa" from her previous life.

After much coaxing, she finally appeared, still holding her pipa, half-concealing her face. She turned the pegs and plucked the strings a few times, the melody not yet formed, but the emotion already present. Each string, each note, conveyed deep longing, as if lamenting a life of unfulfilled ambitions. With lowered brows and nimble fingers, she continued to play, expressing the boundless emotions within her heart. Lightly plucking, slowly strumming, stroking and picking, she began with "The Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Robe," then "The Six Melodies." The bass strings roared like a sudden rainstorm, the treble strings whispered like private words. The sounds mingled, like pearls falling onto a jade plate. The warbling of orioles glided beneath the flowers, the murmuring of a spring struggled beneath the ice. The icy spring became cold and astringent, the strings froze, the sound ceased. A hidden sorrow and resentment arose, at this moment, silence spoke louder than words…

As the song ended, Shen Qing wiped the tears from her face and finally understood why Sima's blue robe was wet with tears.

The large ship moved slowly along the river. The world would continue to turn no matter who was gone. At this moment, the Yu family residence on Dongcheng Street in Yudu was covered with red silk.

The band put in all their effort, showcasing their best skills in playing instruments and singing. The joyful music filled the air, and neighbors came to join in the fun. The matchmaker spoke auspicious words, while the maids on either side carried bamboo baskets and scattered handfuls of coins and candies, which the children rushed forward to grab.

Yu Jue boarded the bridal sedan chair amidst this joyous atmosphere, holding a round fan to cover her face, and stepping on the red silk that stretched out along the way.

"Lift the sedan chair!"

Two maids led the way carrying large red lanterns, while two others followed behind, scattering flower petals.

The sedan chair, carried by eight men, was accompanied by music and fanfare. Many children chased after the sedan chair, singing joyful nursery rhymes. The grand procession attracted the attention of passersby.

The wedding procession did not restrain itself when passing by the Fang residence, and continued to pass by with gongs and drums.

"Too deceiving!"

"Snapped--"

Another cup has fallen at Zheng's hands. It's like killing someone and destroying their spirit!

Madam Zheng clutched her chest, nearly fainting. Granny Liu quickly stepped forward to pat her back and help her catch her breath.

"Thanks to her, my son is still lying in bed with a high fever and unconscious, while she got married so openly. If she wanted to get married, she should have. Before that, she insisted on acting like she had been wronged to make Yu'an feel guilty, and she got beaten up for no reason!"

Granny Liu comforted him, "Second Young Master is also considering the reputation of the Fang family. He intends to settle things once he's been punished. No matter how high a position the descendants of the Yu family may rise to in the future, they will not be able to use this matter to make things difficult for the Fang family again."

"Yu'an is just too kind-hearted! He's worried she'll have a hard time in the future, but she's doing just fine! He's the only one suffering!"

Meanwhile, Fang Fan lay unconscious on the bed, his forehead covered in fine beads of cold sweat. The Yu Jue sisters hadn't held back at all. As the weather got warmer, his wounds became infected and he developed a persistent high fever.

"Ink writing..." Fang Fan asked groggily, "What was that sound?"

"No, it's nothing, my lord, you're still half asleep." Mo Shu secretly wiped the corner of his eye.

Fang Fan indeed fell into a deep sleep again, and Mo Shu, with red eyes, helped him change his handkerchief.

The bridal procession arrived at the Marquis of Weiyun's residence in a lively procession. Ning Cuo, dressed in wedding attire, stood at the entrance to receive congratulations from the guests, his eyes and brows beaming with joy as he greeted his bride.

"The newlyweds are getting off the sedan~"

Yu Jue, supported by the ice master, stepped out of the sedan chair, took one end of the red silk, and entered the main hall with Ning Cuo amidst the attention and congratulations of the crowd.

Regardless of their inner grumbling about this bizarre marriage, the guests still treated the young and successful close advisor of the emperor with utmost courtesy and offered their sincere blessings.

"Bowing to Heaven and Earth!"

"Bowing to the parents twice."

"Husband and wife bow to each other."

"The ceremony is complete!"

"Sending the newlyweds to their bridal chamber~"

Ning Cuo's residence, Qingfeng Garden, was decorated in red. Not only were there large red lanterns hanging under the eaves, but there were also flower balls woven from red silk. Even the osmanthus trees in the courtyard were tied with red ribbons.

Inside the main room, red candles flickered, and Yu Jue sat upright on an exquisitely crafted bed, holding a round fan. Embroidered satin bedding was spread with red dates, peanuts, longans, and lotus seeds.

As the moon rose high in the sky, the noise from the front yard gradually subsided, but Ning Cuo still hadn't returned to his room. Yu Jue's hands were getting a little sore, and she couldn't help but wonder if something had happened.

Just as she was lost in thought, a mournful melody came from the courtyard. Yu Jue frowned slightly and listened intently. It was a xiao (a type of Chinese flute).

Yu Jue put down her round fan, pushed open the door and stepped out of the bridal chamber. Sure enough, she saw Ning Cuo, dressed in wedding attire, standing under the osmanthus tree playing the flute.

Yu Jue stayed silently by his side until the song ended, then stepped forward gracefully and said, "My lord, you are in high spirits."

Ning Cuo put down his flute and smiled slightly at Yu Jue, "Did you like it?"

Yu Jue was somewhat embarrassed and didn't know how to answer. If Shen Qing were here, he would definitely say that if Lu Huanong's pipa was like listening to celestial music and his ears were temporarily enlightened, then Ning Cuo's xiao was harsh and unpleasant to listen to.

Ning Cuo probably knew his own level of skill, and without waiting for Yu Jue to answer, he continued, "It's normal that it sounds bad, because my father's teaching was never very good."

Is it really okay to shift the blame onto our ancestors?

"On this auspicious day of my wedding, I couldn't help but think of my father, so I played a tune he taught me to express my sorrow. I hope my wife won't mind."

Yu Jue shook her head. She could roughly guess that the empty seat during the ceremony today must have stirred up his longing for his father. And she felt the same way.

Ning Cuo stroked the xiao flute, his eyes deep and dark, as if reminiscing. "My father was a military general who knew nothing about music. He learned it specially to please my mother, but in her eyes it was nothing more than pretentious affectation."

Ning Cuo looked up at Yu Jue, who remained silent, and said, "You've probably heard about my parents' situation. As a junior, it's not appropriate for me to comment. Let's leave the past aside, but I hope we can be honest with each other in the future and not follow the same path as them."

"To be frank with each other?" Yu Jue raised an eyebrow.

Ning Cuo nodded, "You can tell me anything, and I will help you. Just don't hurt yourself."

Yu Jue gazed into Ning Cuo's eyes for a long time before finally responding.

"it is good."