Cry of the Midnight Jackdaw

Chapter Thirty-seven,
Yearning for the World

Last night, there was lightning outside the window. A few days ago, the frosty cold weather in late spring made Xiao Zuo still sink into winter of the last year, so when Xiao Zuo sat by the bed at this time, he suddenly realized, it really was spring now. It was the time for everything to revive, with everything full of life.

The spring thunder excited the insects, as though making one doubt themselves with the cold.

Xiao Zuo pushed open the window, the night of spring rain was soaking in, the magnolias growing outside his bedchambers quietly sprouted, and countless tender green little stems climbed all over the tree, anxious to bring in the first image of spring for Shang An’jing.

Xiao Zuo took a deep breath in, the air was suffused with a light fragrance of dirt and the humidity of the early morning after rain, washing the muddled and hazy brain he’s had these days with a complete refresher.

Zi Wan turned around a corridor, passed by the sparse branches of flowers, and saw Xiao Zuo wearing a washed straight robe standing right by the window. The clear winds occasionally blew over the loose hairs on his forehead, and also blew through the haze hidden within his eyes.

“Duke.”

Xiao Zuo shook from Zi Wan’s voice, he turned his head, and slightly curved his eyes, then spoke with a smile, “What is it?”

“A theatre group from Nan Liang has entered the capital a few days ago. His Highness had someone bring the tickets beforehand, since today is the first day of spring, does the duke want to go see?”

Xiao Zuo was accustomed to listening to southern melodies in the palace in the past- unlike Jin’s plays, the southern tunes’ lyrics were added by scholars, old scripts with elegant melodies, detailed and deep, and when mixed with the slight accent of Jiang Nan, it would turn much softer and longing, drawing in others to sing along[1].

In this kind of afternoon in the first day of spring, laying on a reclining chair by the pool in the imperial garden with warm willow winds carrying the air of the just-sprouted saplings, was most suitable for listening to southern melodies. Each time he had his fill, the sun would turn slightly tipsy- the sunlight would warmly and gently hit the face, the best would be when the palace maid added another blanket on the reclining chair, then close one’s eyes to listen to the female role sing about the delicate and clear strings blowing into the leisurely garden[2], and in a blink of an eye, it was another year of being on top of the red stage, in front of the peony pavilion.

“Duke?”

Xiao Zuo came to, then nodded his head at Zi Wan, “Yes, I haven’t heard of southern tunes in a long time, I do miss it very much.”

“Yes, considering it now, the duke liked listening to them in the past.” Zi Wan placed the clothes that were finished drying at the small couch and folded them, then neatly stuffed them into a drawer by the side, “This servant has sorted all the new clothes, whichever one the duke likes, this servant will help dress for you.”

Xiao Zuo swept a glance at them. Since it was spring, those dark and heavy clothes for the winter were not suitable, Xiao Zuo reached out and pointed to a crescent-moon-white long-sleeved robe, and said, “Then that one.”

Zi Wan carefully tidied Xiao Zuo’s hair, then took up a band from the table and seemed to measure it on Xiao Zuo’s head, and said, “This servant saw it is especially popular to wear a headband this year, allow this servant to try it on the duke as well.”

Xiao Zuo sat in front of the mirror absentmindedly, so when he heard Zi Wan say this, he noncommittally let her do as she wanted. Zi Wan tied that starch-red headband in front of Xiao Zuo’s forehead, the top seemed to even be embroidered with some fine patterns, making Xiao Zuo’s features much more pronounced, and transformed him into a beautiful young man of Shang An’jing. If he were to ride a horse on the main vermilion street, he would definitely be able to receive a full building of calls from women.

The scenery in the streets in spring was also filled with vitality, much different from the Shang An’jing in the middle of winter. The trees on the two sides of the street were all dyed with green, with birds carrying bits of earth to build nests from time to time, just as busy as the small peddlers walking around streets alleys and big men making calls at the fried pancake stores on the ground.

The pedestrians on the street also removed their thick and heavy clothing from winter, and changed into colourful light clothes and dresses, practically like how an ink painting of mountains and rivers got dyed in colour once again, no matter if it was the landscape or the people, they all gained life in them in an instant.

Throughout the entire way, Xiao Zuo lifted up the curtain in the carriage and watched with a lot of interest, and not long after, they arrived at the Qing Yinclear sound Hall that sung the south’s music. Outside the Qing Yin Hall hung a tablet, written with the repertoire for today.

Qing Yin Hall was also a famous theatre building in Shang An’jing, Xiao Zuo followed the waiter leading him upstairs, and recalled when he and He Xuan came to watch a Jin play together last time. That time, what play they were singing, Xiao Zuo could not recall at all, he only remembered the teeth marks on He Xuan’s finger he bit, as well as that outer robe draped on his body that day.

“Duke, inside here is the seat that his Highness the Crown Prince has instructed to leave for you, this time, the compartments have all been reserved, I ask that the duke forgive us for this.”

How could he think of him again? Xiao Zuo absentmindedly listened to the waiter introduce the next piece, and arduously pulled He Xuan out from his memories.

Today, they were singing a famous southern tune by the name of Yearning for the World, about the story of a nun, Se Kong, who could not take the solitude of the temple and fled down the mountain. Yearning for the World was one that tested the female role’s ability, this part was all sung by Se Kong alone, and was very demanding of the singer’s physique- there was a saying that men were afraid of Vigil in the Night, while women were afraid of Yearning for the World[3].

In the past, Xiao Zuo listened to Peony Pavilion a bit more- though Yearning for the World was a famous tune too, Mother was afraid he would learn bad things from it, and very rarely let him listen to it, so when Xiao Zuo was able to hear this play in Jin by coincidence, he felt it was rather novel.