Dong Gong Mei

Chapter 887 Baitou Yin

As the questions and answers went on, the sky gradually darkened.

The female official glanced out the window, wondering whether she should prepare hot water - everyone knew that the new emperor had not been close to women for a long time, and there was only this one woman in the backyard, so it was only a matter of time for her to visit him.

However, the new emperor, who was not interested in women, suddenly said, "Go get the pipa."

The female official was stunned for a moment, but then she understood: the current emperor is a man of knowledge and taste, and he loves talent and learning more than women.

He quickly took the pipa, and when he presented it to He Manzhi with both hands, he couldn't help but take another look at it.

He secretly sighed in his heart, thinking that tomorrow, He Liangdi would have to make an exception and be canonized as a concubine.

He Manzhi's heartstrings were also tense. She hugged the pipa and looked up at the throne in the hall. Her voice was a little dry in panic: "...I wonder what Your Majesty wants to hear?"

"What can you do?" The emperor asked in a faint tone.

She stroked the pipa with her fingers, sensing his indifference, but unable to guess his emotions. Her heart was in turmoil, and she whispered, "...As long as Your Majesty wants to hear it, I can give it a try..."

The emperor did not say what he wanted to listen to, but only said, "Just pick a song you are good at."

He Manzhi felt a little disappointed.

  The purpose of folk art is to please people. If the listeners don’t like it, what’s the use of it no matter how exquisite the skills are?

But she couldn't say such words. She was just a concubine who was lowly to the dust. Her future and the future of her family depended on him.

She couldn't be as stubborn and free-spirited as Zhao Xiwei, nor could she be as unscrupulous as Gu Yuci.

She could only keep her secret deep in her heart and look up at him like this forever. That was enough.

But I still feel unwilling.

Once a girl is moved, she will be full of courage.

As if possessed by some mysterious force, she suddenly blurted out, "I... am willing to play a piece of music for your majesty... The Phoenix Seeks the Phoenix."

Li Xuanye's eyes turned cold, and there was some deep meaning in his look at her.

He Manzhi was so frightened that her back went cold. She knelt down and apologized: "I have no other intention. It's just that this song is very popular among the people, so I wanted to make Your Majesty laugh..."

Li Xuanye said nothing, just stared at her with deep eyes.

He Manzhi felt as if she had fallen into an endless abyss. The unspeakable love and the uncontrollable fear made her suffer doubly.

She could hardly breathe.

Just when her ears were buzzing and she was about to faint, he said calmly: "Get up."

He Manzhi felt as if she was saved. She let out a breath and slowly stood up: "Thank you, Your Majesty. I was rude just now..."

Li Xuanye did not comment, his emotions were hard to understand, he just picked up the tea and asked, "Are you good at playing the Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix?"

He Manzhi hugged the pipa tightly and looked down at the ground. A feeling of heartache or sadness welled up in her heart. She didn't know whether this feeling was for Zhao Xiwei, for the young new emperor, or for herself.

But after all the thoughts, they turned into endless bitterness.

For herself and for the man in front of her.

She bit her lip and replied in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, there are two pieces of music that I am good at playing, one is "The Phoenix Seeks the Phoenix", and the other is "The Song of White Hair"..."

The emperor paused while drinking tea, and looked at her again, his eyes suddenly becoming grim: "Hmm?"

He Manzhi broke out in a cold sweat.

She gritted her teeth and forced herself to explain: "My master is good at these two poems, so I have learned them a little better." She paused slightly, trying to figure out his thoughts, "If Your Majesty doesn't like them, I can pick other ones."

Li Xuanye put down the teacup and looked at her coldly without saying a word.

"Your Majesty..." He Manzhi's defense collapsed and he was in a state of confusion.

"Do you know where these two songs come from?"

He Manzhi bit her lip to hide the emotion in her eyes: "My concubine... I heard that this is the favorite song of men and women in Beijing. It's... it's about two people who love each other and grow old together..."

Li Xuanye laughed.

He Manzhi didn't dare to say anything more. "That's all." Li Xuanye closed his eyes and leaned back on the throne.

He leaned back in the emperor's throne that was carved with dragons and phoenixes and inlaid with pearls and jade, with his eyes closed, as if he was extremely tired.

He Manzhi hugged the pipa tightly, even holding her breath: "I once heard from my master that Sima Xiangru fell in love with Zhuo Wenjun at first sight, so he played the song "The Phoenix Seeks the Phoenix" to express his love, and the two of them got married... Later..."

"Later, Sima Xiangru fell in love with someone else, and Zhuo Wenjun was heartbroken and wrote a poem." Li Xuanye did not open his eyes, but interrupted her with a cold voice, "I heard that you have two minds, so I came to break up with you... This is the White-haired Song."

Hearing him speak so bluntly, He Manzhi was shocked and frightened. She held the pipa, her face pale, and dared not listen any more: "Your Majesty, there is another line in it, I wish to find someone who is as devoted as I am—"

Li Xuanye sat up straight, looked up at her, and a hint of sarcasm flashed across his face: "I am the Son of Heaven."

He Manzhi trembled.

"I am the Son of Heaven"

She didn't know whether he was saying this to her or to Zhao Xiwei who was leaving, but no matter who he was saying it to, he was expressing one meaning: he was the emperor, and he couldn't be loyal to one person.

When such a cruel answer was thrown in front of her, her newly awakened heart felt as if it were pierced by thousands of arrows and a stream of blood flowed.

She had never expected his love, but she also didn't want to hear such heartbreaking words from him.

A tear finally couldn't bear it anymore and fell.

It's fear and sadness.

Li Xuanye looked at her quietly for a moment, and suddenly said calmly: "Let's sing a song of Whiteheaded Song."

He Manzhi responded with a "yes", then took a deep breath, and played slowly while holding back her tears.

Li Xuanye closed his eyes and listened attentively.

"It's as white as snow on the mountain, as bright as the moon in the clouds. I heard that you have two opinions, so I came to resolve..."

"Sad, sad again, no need to cry at a wedding. I wish to find a like-minded person, and we will be together till we grow old..."

He Manzhi played the piano and sang at the same time, her tearful and sad tone was very pitiful.

Li Xuanye remembered many things in a trance.

I remembered the times he had been soft-hearted and gave up, over and over again, and finally lost me.

Then he's fine.

He is the emperor of all people, not just anyone’s.

"Your Majesty..." He Manzhi's faint voice came, she held the pipa and knelt down, "I have finished playing, what else do you want to hear, Your Majesty?"

Li Xuanye withdrew from his thoughts.

"Hmm..." He responded and didn't say anything else. No one knew what he was thinking.

He Manzhi didn't know what to do. He didn't say anything, and she didn't dare to ask, so she just knelt on the ground and didn't get up.

Until the female official came with a pen in hand, stood under the palace lantern, and said, "Your Majesty, is He Liangdi your attendant tonight?"

He Manzhi's face suddenly turned purple.

Upon hearing this, Li Xuanye stood up.

He stepped down from the throne and slowly walked to her side.

He Manzhi hugged Pipa tightly, her eyes wide open, staring at the man in front of her.

When the emperor visited his concubines, a female official would take notes and record them in the files.

But at this moment she felt no joy at all, only sadness.

He clearly had someone else in his heart, but he wanted to be with her...

He stood beside her, looked at her quietly for a moment, then suddenly turned around and said, "Send He Liangdi back."