Dao Lang and Fei Xiong returned to the dungeon after Thirteen Niang's suggestion. The place was desolate, as if no one had ever lived there.
Dao Lang inspected them one by one, finding nothing out of the ordinary. Fei Xiong winked at Dao Lang, who understood. He suddenly shouted,
"Greetings, Town Lord!"
Hearing the words "Town Lord," everyone looked up, believing the Town Lord had returned to rescue them.
Dao Lang's sharp eyes scanned them. All were pressed against the iron bars, except for a messy-looking soldier in the southeast corner, who seemed exceptionally out of place.
After watching for a long time without seeing the Town Lord, they all began to curse.
"You scoundrel, you've played us for fools!"
"When I get out, I'll take your dog life."
Fei Xiong laughed dismissively, pointing at them and saying,
"I saw you all looking dispirited and gloomy, so I wanted to lift your spirits."
"Bah, go to hell. You'd better kill us than subject us to that unlucky sound."
Dao Lang signaled for Fei Xiong to come over. Fei Xiong approached and suddenly opened a cell. Dao Lang entered, and Fei Xiong blocked the entrance, preventing anyone from leaving.
Those who had been clamoring to beat them up timidly moved aside. Dao Lang walked directly to the corner and pulled out the soldier who had remained silent.
He yanked off the helmet, and a face with a small mustache and a look of terror was instantly exposed to them.
Dao Lang chuckled and said, "Are you Qu Tongzi?"
He immediately turned his face away and retorted, "I've never heard of this person."
"It doesn't matter if you don't know. Come with us."
Dao Lang took him, along with Fei Xiong, out of the dungeon, through the military camp, and to the Dongming Royal Palace.
Thirteen Niang had been waiting for a long time. Seeing them arrive, she warmly greeted them, "Are you Qu Tongzi?"
Qu Tongzi remained haughty and silent. Thirteen Niang then spoke of her admiration for him.
"I've heard you are a master musician, especially renowned for your piece 'Wang Nan Zhi'."
As she spoke, Thirteen Niang recited a couple of lines.
"Eastward the moon embraces the branches, birds fly with wings outstretched, supporting each other."
Hearing her speak of his famous work, Qu Tongzi gradually let down his guard and told her about the origin of the piece.
"This 'Wang Nan Zhi' was originally composed by my late master, Li Ben. He was a man of deep emotions, and as his old friends one by one departed the world, he lost all interest in playing music. He entrusted the score and his old zither to me before taking his own life on the White Egret Plains."
As he spoke of his deep sorrow, tears fell.
Thirteen Niang had not expected such a heartbreaking story behind the music.
She patted Qu Tongzi's shoulder to comfort him.
"I never imagined this piece had such a sad story behind it. Now that you have made 'Wang Nan Zhi' a famous tune, with everyone humming it, it serves as a comfort to your master's soul."
Listening to her comfort, Qu Tongzi gradually calmed down. He sighed and said, "Alas! Life is unpredictable. Let the past be the past. If you like it, I can teach you to play."
"Your musical skills are extraordinary, and I would love to learn. But there's no rush. I have already arranged accommodation for you. Please rest assured and settle in."
Dao Lang volunteered, "I apologize for any offense caused in the dungeon. Please forgive us. Allow me to escort you to your residence."
Qu Tongzi, though unable to fathom their intentions, could tell they had a purpose. However, with Dongyue Town destroyed and himself a prisoner, he could only remain silent. If they wished to discuss music and poetry, he would gladly oblige.
After Dao Lang left with Qu Tongzi, Fei Xiong approached Thirteen Niang and asked, "Can you handle this Qu Tongzi?"
Thirteen Niang confidently replied, "Don't worry."
"Then, we two will be responsible for persuading the people in the dungeon."
"Alright. Let me know if you need any help."
"Good. Then I'll be going down as well."
"Go ahead."
That night, a cold wind swept through, and the moon was sparse. A mournful and clear melody, 'Bie Yue Qu', echoed in the empty courtyard. Qu Tongzi, listening to the sorrowful tune from outside his window, felt an immense melancholy.
He pushed open the window and saw a blurry yet ethereal figure playing passionately under a tree. Unable to resist his curiosity, he opened his door and walked out, approaching the woman. She was of ordinary appearance, not exceptionally beautiful. However, her slender fingers, as they moved across the strings, produced a melody of gentle longing that blended with the moonlight.
Qu Tongzi did not disturb her, but quietly sat to the side and listened. When the piece ended, she finally noticed his presence.
Qu Tongzi immediately applauded, praising, "Miss, your 'Bie Yue Qu' is so melodious and filled with quiet sorrow. Do you have something on your mind?"
The woman did not hide anything and told him, "I am a wanderer. I thought I would never have a home. Fortunately, a friend helped me and treated me like a sister, giving me a good place to stay. I am grateful, and that's why I played this tune."
"I see. May I know your name, Miss?"
"My name is Hua Yue."
"Hua Yue, what a beautiful name. I am Qu Tongzi."
"Qu Tongzi? Could you be that Qu Tongzi, renowned for his exceptional musical talent and his beautiful compositions?"
Hua Yue was somewhat excited. She had heard of him before but had never had the chance to meet him.
"Alas, that is merely empty fame, just meaningless titles."
As Hua Yue was about to say more, someone called out loudly,
"Mr. Qu, Mr. Qu! Some elders have sent something over for you. Come and take a look!"
Annoyed by the sudden interruption, Qu Tongzi turned back and replied,
"I know, I know." He then turned back to Hua Yue to bid farewell, "Miss, I have something to attend to, so I must leave now."
"Please go quickly, sir."
With some reluctance, he turned and left. At his door, he saw several tactless attendants holding items, waiting for his instructions. Qu Tongzi was about to reprimand them but decided against it, waving his hand instead. "Place them inside the room."
"Yes."
The attendants pushed open the door, placed the items inside, and then quietly withdrew. Afterward, with lingering thoughts, he walked back to the tree, but the woman was long gone. With a sigh of helplessness, he returned to his room, closed the door, and went to sleep.
The next morning, the royal palace was in an uproar. He opened his door and saw a crowd of people running in the same direction. He stopped one of them and asked,
"What's happening?"
"Oh, Dao Lang has set up a challenge arena on the main street. Whoever defeats him will not only receive five thousand gold coins but also a golden waist token bestowed by the Emperor, allowing free passage in Dongyue Town."
"That's too good to be true!"
Qu Tongzi couldn't believe it. He suspected it was a trap. He paced back and forth for a while, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he followed to see.
Arriving at the street, the main intersection was crowded with people, all chattering and exclaiming "Good!" from time to time. Upon closer inspection, he saw a banner on a raised platform that read, "Pass three challenges to win five thousand gold coins and a golden belt." On the side, it stated, "The three challenges are arm wrestling, wrestling, and guessing a character." No one had yet passed the first challenge, arm wrestling.
He looked closely and noticed that the twenty thousand soldiers had all been released to participate in the challenges. Sitting behind the arena were Thirteen Niang, Fei Xiong, and the woman he had met last night, Hua Yue, standing behind Thirteen Niang.
Seeing Hua Yue, he murmured, "So she's from Black Mountain."
Before long, dozens of people had been defeated. At this point, a burly strongman from the crowd volunteered, "I'll do it!"
He leaped onto the stage and, standing in the center, cupped his hands at Dao Lang. "I've come to challenge you."
Dao Lang smiled slightly and gestured with his left hand, "Please."
He stepped forward, assumed a stance, and then extended his right hand, gripping Dao Lang's palm. Instantly, he felt a surge of power. "This kid is already exerting strength before we've even begun. I'll make him look foolish later."
With both parties ready, the referee, a young general, shouted, "Begin!"
They both exerted force, yet neither moved. The people below, seeing hope, began to shout,
"Go! Go!"
Fei Xiong also stood up in surprise, looking at this burly man who was comparable in strength to his second brother.
After a moment, the stable situation suddenly reversed. The strongman continued to exert force, and Dao Lang, struggling, began to lean to the left. At this point, the crowd shouted, "Push him! Push him!"
Dao Lang's face began to contort, and the strongman was also exerting his full strength. Suddenly, with a "thud," Dao Lang's hand slammed heavily onto the table, making a loud noise. The onlookers cheered for him, "He won! He won!"
The young general on stage then announced, "There are two more rounds. Please continue the challenge."
At this point, Fei Xiong walked onto the stage, replacing Dao Lang, and cupped his hands at the strongman. The strongman politely returned the gesture.
The young general then said, "Please move to the center."
Their eyes met, and they glared at each other. Then, rubbing their hands, they slowly moved to the center.
Seeing them ready, the young general shouted, "Begin!"
Like trapped beasts, they pounced at each other, grabbing each other's limbs and trying to throw them down. Fei Xiong roared, "Ah!" and directly lifted him, throwing him out. The strongman, stretched out in mid-air, like a charging tiger, lunged back and landed in front of Fei Xiong, grabbing his hands. Then, with his legs spread, he exerted all his strength, lifting Fei Xiong and throwing him outward. Fei Xiong quickly grabbed the edge of the stage, preventing himself from falling. Seeing this, the strongman lunged forward, kicked him with both feet, and sent him off the stage.
At this, the crowd erupted in thunderous applause, and someone said, "This strongman is truly capable, having defeated both Dao Lang and Fei Xiong, these two great generals, in one go. I wonder what his name is."
"His name is Chi Li. He was originally a city guard in Dongyue Town."
"It's truly a waste of such talent."
"Indeed. If not for this competition today, who would have known his capabilities?"
"Yes."
"The strongman wins the second round."
Hearing the words "strongman," he became displeased and retorted, "My name is Chi Li, not Strongman."
"You should have said so earlier. Next, Thirteen Niang will present the third challenge, guessing a character."
Thirteen Niang whispered a few words into Hua Yue's ear. Hua Yue nodded and walked onto the stage to announce,
"This question is not difficult. Please listen carefully: Who goes on a journey for business, the river flows without a trace. A thousand pieces of wood are burned, a hundred boats compete, and the ships sink. Guess one character."
Chi Li was a simple man. He could understand simple poems, but this one sounded complex. He tilted his head and muttered,
"Who goes on a journey for business, the river flows without a trace. A thousand pieces of wood are burned, a hundred boats compete, and the ships sink."
After thinking for a long time, he couldn't figure it out and voluntarily conceded,
"I lose. I can't guess it."
"The answer to this question is actually very simple."
Suddenly, a shout came from the audience. Someone spoke first, "The answer to this question is 'ke' (可)."
Everyone looked towards the voice and saw Qu Tongzi, with a smile, speaking eloquently. He explained,
"The first character of each line already provides the answer. 'He ren jing shang chu yuan men' (何人经商出远门), 'He' (何) is 'he' (何) and 'ke' (可). After the person leaves, only 'ke' (可) remains. 'He shui ben liu bu jian ying' (河水奔流不见影), the character 'he' (河) without the water radical becomes 'ke' (可). The latter two lines are the same. Therefore, the answer to this poem is the character 'ke'."
Hua Yue clapped and praised, "Excellent, well said. As expected of you, sir. Do you still remember me?"
"I do. Miss Hua Yue, who played the zither alone under the moonlit tree."
As Chi Li was about to step down, Fei Xiong called him back.
"Wait. Although you conceded, you passed the first two rounds fair and square. So, please accept this five thousand gold coins."
As he spoke, someone brought a tray covered with red cloth, filled with gold coins, and presented it to Chi Li. Chi Li, however, waved his hand.
"I did not come for money. I was merely a guard under the north gate. I had strength but no place to display it. Today, I saw the lord holding a challenge, so I came to try."
"Hmm, well said. I admire you. You don't have to guard the gate anymore. Come join the army."
He shook his head and said, "Now I am a defeated soldier. If I join Black Mountain, I fear I will be ridiculed."
Fei Xiong laughed heartily upon hearing this.
"Hahaha, you have little ability but many ideas. Whether it was the former Dongyue Town or the current Dongyue Town, each of you has the right to make your own choices. I also want to tell everyone here that if you wish to leave Dongyue Town, you may do so. If you wish to stay, then stay and we will drink and eat together."
At this, the crowd began to murmur, half in disbelief. Qu Tongzi was disdainful, finding their methods impressive. He flicked his long robe and left haughtily. Hua Yue looked at his retreating back with a sense of inexplicable loss.
At night, a strong east wind arose, rustling the leaves. He sat by the window, reading to pass the time, when he suddenly heard the mournful zither music again. He slowly put down his book, walked to the door, and opened it to step outside. He guessed it would be Hua Yue, but the thought that she was from Black Mountain made him resistant. After some thought, he returned to his room, closed the door, and did not go to find her. The music continued until late at night, and he listened for half the night before finally falling asleep.
The next morning, as the sun began to rise, a maidservant knocked on his door early. He opened the door to find Hua Yue. He then turned his face away irritably, ignoring her. Hua Yue, sensing his thoughts, did not get angry but placed the food on his table and said softly, "I can see that you don't particularly like people from Black Mountain."
His thoughts exposed, he no longer concealed his feelings and said resentfully,
"The Ten Thousand Monster King raised a rebellion, causing people to become displaced, starving, and innocent lives lost in vain. Do you think she is not guilty?"
"She is indeed guilty."
Qu Tongzi expected her to refute him, but to his surprise, she agreed with his words. His resistance towards her began to fade.