This time, let's see how she plays! She can't even play in front of the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and the Empress—what face does such a woman have left to live in this world? What face does his Marquis's mansion have left to speak of?
"This is the mute zither!" Huangfu Xuan was stunned. He hadn't expected that the mute zither would be in the palace!
A mute zither? Yi Yun Shangcheng frowned. This mute zither could definitely not be played. Wouldn't that make Ji Wushang look bad?
Nan Xuzong clenched his fists. When the zither was brought out, he had a feeling that something was wrong. It turned out that this was the long-lost mute zither! It was probably impossible for anyone to play this zither. If Ji Wushang was asked to play it in front of everyone, but could not play it, what face would Wushang have left? This injury would injure both General Ji's mansion and the Marquis of Jinnan's mansion!
The Empress's move can be described as killing two birds with one stone!
As Ji Wushang's hand touched the strings, he felt a warm current flowing through his heart. He felt a sense of relief and joy. A smile played on Ji Wushang's lips as he gently plucked the strings. A soft "twang" rang out.
Those around who knew its value were astonished!
The Queen, in particular, stared wide-eyed in disbelief. How could this be?!
☆、184 His legs can stand up!
"The Silent Harp, what secrets does it hold?" Nan Xuzong looked at Ji Wushang in his arms and gently stroked her hair. Ji Wushang slowly woke up, looked at Nan Xuzong, and smiled, "How long have I been asleep?"
"It won't be long, you can sleep a little longer. I'll call you when we get to the manor." Nan Xuzong looked at her with doting eyes, his gaze full of love. "Wushang, my wife for life."
Ji Wushang opened her eyes and looked at him. "I don't want to sleep anymore. I want to stay with you." As she spoke, Ji Wushang snuggled into his arms. "Tell me, why is it that only I can play this mute zither? It was the same when we opened the Nine Turns Heavenly Palace. No one else could open it, but only I could."
"That's why you're so different. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, you're reborn. That's probably the idea behind it!"
"So that means there must be some secret in the Nine-Bend Heavenly Palace and the Mute Qin, right?" Ji Wushang turned over and looked at him. "The Nine-Bend Heavenly Palace was originally the national treasure of the Western Regions, but the Mute Qin was brought out by the Empress. Something feels a bit strange about this. Also, I must teach the Empress a lesson!"
"Empress Yao originally intended to make things difficult for you, but she never expected that you would become the new owner of the Silent Zither. Many people around know that it is the Silent Zither. Now that the Silent Zither is with us, Empress Yao will definitely not let it go so easily. If she finds out the secret inside, the Silent Zither will definitely bring us endless trouble."
"Then what do you suggest? Why not bury this mute zither? We don't really know what secret this mute zither holds," Ji Wushang said, looking at him.
“Put it in a secret room so they can’t find it. They won’t act rashly until we uncover the secrets of these matters.” Nan Xuzong looked at her. “However, I’m afraid our Marquis’s mansion won’t be so peaceful anymore.”
"Mm." Ji Wushang nodded, lifted the curtain slightly, and seeing that he was outside, immediately said, "I want to go to the bamboo forest, while there's still plenty of time!"
"Okay." Nan Xuzong looked at her, perhaps he really wanted to bring her to meet his master.
Gong Shu, the driver, and another coachman immediately headed towards the bamboo grove. This was an open space on the outskirts of the imperial city; the bamboo grove was rarely visited and was very quiet.
It was early spring, and the bamboo grove was just beginning to sprout new buds. The tender green bamboo leaves felt warm in the breeze.
Upon arriving at their destination, Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong alighted from the carriage and walked towards the bamboo forest. Inside the bamboo forest, apart from the air and the wind, they did not see a single person.
Ji Wushang looked at Zhou Qi and asked, "Cong, is there really no one here?"
"Yes, Master is missing, and my senior brother should have returned to Mount Wutai."
"Your senior brother? I've never heard you mention him before?" Ji Wushang looked at him, and they walked together on the path that led all the way to the bamboo hut.
“He doesn’t like people talking about him, so I didn’t tell you,” Nan Xuzong said.
Ji Wushang nodded. Since that was the case, he wouldn't ask any more questions.
Entering the bamboo grove, Ji Wushang looked around. The two looked around the hall, and Ji Wushang went inside. "I'll go in and see if anyone's there," he said, nodding as he couldn't move around easily.
Ji Wushang walked in. Inside was a courtyard with several exquisite and elegant rooms.
Ji Wushang walked quietly past the first room and knocked softly on the door. "Excuse me, is anyone home? Is anyone home?"
There was no response, only the sound of the wind in the courtyard and the sound of the bamboo growing.
Ji Wushang thought for a moment, then pushed open the door and went inside.
The place was furnished with simple items, but upon entering, it was very clean and sunny. Ji Wushang concluded that someone must be living there. Could it be that they had gone out?
My hand touched the table; there wasn't a speck of dust.
There is someone!
Ji Wushang stepped back, but at that moment he sensed someone's presence. He turned around abruptly and saw an old man with a white beard, sharp spirit, and white eyebrows. The old man looked Ji Wushang up and down and smiled, "Let this old man guess who you are."
Ji Wushang looked at him. He had an air of otherworldly elegance about him. He must be the old man Pan Yao, Nan Xuzong's master!
"Ji Wushang pays his respects to Elder Panyao! I, Wushang, entered unintentionally; please punish me, Elder." Ji Wushang knelt down and said.
The old man stroked his long white beard and smiled, "It's Wu Shang!" His voice seemed to linger in the air for a long, long time.
"My husband is... is Nan Xuzong." Ji Wushang thought for a moment and said Nan Xuzong's name. Surely the old man of Panyao wouldn't blame him too much? But he was indeed wrong; he shouldn't have come in so rashly.
"Cong'er, it's been so long since I've seen him. I never expected him to marry a child." The old man holding the medicine put down what he was carrying; it turned out he had gone out to collect a lot of medicinal herbs.
“Cong is outside. Wu Shang, go and invite him in immediately,” Ji Wu Shang said, remaining kneeling on the ground.
"No rush, he's talking to Buyan." The old man with the medicine pan looked at her. "Get up! Don't kneel, it'll hurt your health."
Ji Wushang smiled inwardly, "Thank you, Master!"
"Haha, you little rascal, you're quite amusing." The old man Pan Yao didn't mind Ji Wushang calling him "Master," which meant he accepted Ji Wushang as his disciple's wife. He laughed and asked, "What brings you here?"
"Master, who is Buyan?" Ji Wushang had not forgotten any of the information he had mentioned.
“Bu Yan, Bu Yan is his senior brother.” The old man Pan Yao placed the teacup in front of him, and Ji Wushang immediately stepped forward. “Master, let me do it! Wushang can do it.”
As he spoke, he immediately poured the tea from the teapot into the teacup, just the right amount, not a drop more or less.
Ji Wushang put down the teapot only after seeing that he was satisfied, and stood upright to the side, saying, "The reason I came here today is to visit my master. After all, a wife follows her husband, and Cong has been well taken care of by my master. I have come here to thank my master."
"You have another purpose, so feel free to speak it," the old man said, looking at her with amusement.
Ji Wushang was taken aback, his face showing surprise. "Master."
"Speak freely, while it's just the two of us here!" The old man with the medicine pan narrowed his eyes as he looked at Ji Wushang.
Ji Wushang knelt down before him, "Master, you must have a way to cure Cong's legs, right?"
These words startled the old man, Pan Yao. He looked at her without speaking for a long time, his mind racing. After a long while, he finally said, "Get up first!"
"So, Master, your reaction means you have a solution, don't you? Please grant my request, Master, so that Cong can stand up!" Ji Wushang kowtowed to him.
“This is harder than climbing to heaven, how do you plan to do it?” the old man said. “No one has ever tried such a method.”
“I should seize any opportunity, Master, I beg you.” Ji Wushang looked at him with expectant eyes. “I know how strong his desire to stand up is! I must help him fulfill this wish, please grant it, Master!” As Ji Wushang spoke, he kowtowed again.
The old man who was making medicine stood up from his seat, walked over to Ji Wushang, and helped her up. "Do you know his condition? Muscle and bone atrophy, do you know what that means?"
"My master's intention is to replace the bones and tendons? Or some other method?" Ji Wushang was horrified by what he had just said. If that were the case, what kind of pain would Nan Xuzong have to endure to be able to stand up!
The old man shook his head. "It's not that simple. You should give up!"
“I won’t give up,” Ji Wushang said solemnly. “Once I’ve made up my mind, I won’t change it easily. Master, if you can tell me the method, you can save me the time of searching. If you don’t tell me, I will keep searching. You don’t know how strong his desire is, how much he longs to stand up.”
He has lost so much and endured so much because of his legs. He has always been careful to protect himself, but although he is not physically harmed, the emotional wounds he suffers are far more painful than any other injury. As his wife, I want to give him a chance to stand up again; I want to heal his inner wounds. Master, this is my only small wish.”
Ji Wushang looked at the old man Pan Yao. The old man Pan Yao lowered his eyes, sighing inwardly. He knew all this, but this was precisely the opportunity that gave him the chance to grow. If it weren't for the disability in his legs back then, he wouldn't be living like this now... The burden he carried was heavier than anyone else's. He was a person outside the world and couldn't concern himself too much with this mortal realm.
Seeing that he didn't want to say anything, Ji Wushang sighed inwardly. After thinking for a while, he finally said, "To be honest, Master, I have died once. If you are worried that I cannot bear the pain or death, then you don't need to worry. I will definitely be able to get through all the storms."
"You're a very persistent child," the old man said helplessly. "Get up!"
“Master.” Ji Wushang looked up at him, a hint of tears in his eyes.
"Yes." The old man who made the medicine nodded.
Ji Wushang was overjoyed and stood up abruptly, wiping away his tears with his sleeve. But then, as if remembering something, he immediately took out a silk handkerchief from his bosom, wiped away his tears again, and then took out some rouge to apply to his face, giving him a light, delicate look.
The old man looked at her, his eyes narrowing slightly. Her actions... well, a lady from a respectable family is a lady from a respectable family; she would always be mindful of her words and deeds!
“Master, please don’t blame Wu Shang for being rude. If Cong sees that I’ve been crying, he will definitely become suspicious and ask about it. I hope you won’t tell him about it; I want to give him a surprise,” Ji Wu Shang said after composing himself.
The old man was startled. So that's what she meant. He had misunderstood her. Oh well!
Ji Wushang said, "Then Master, can you tell Wushang the method?"
...
Finally, Ji Wushang pondered for a long time before suddenly asking, "Master, do you know my physique?"
“I know. From the first moment I saw you, I knew you had a body made of ice that had been frozen for a thousand years.”
"Is there any way to treat it?" Ji Wushang looked up at him.
"none."
“That’s good. If there’s no cure, then there’s no need to think about it anymore. But, but, he really wants a baby…” Ji Wushang said, blushing and lowering his head.
"Although the chances of having a baby are extremely small, it's not impossible; it depends on fate."
"edge?"
Yes. If it cannot be forced, then don't force it.
Ningfeng Palace.
Only two people were present in the vast palace. Empress Yao looked at Huangfu Ting standing before her and said, "What is your plan? Why haven't you made your move yet? Are you waiting for me to do it for you?"
"I would like to ask Mother, why did you bring out the mute zither and have Ji Wushang play it, only to have it ultimately be bestowed upon her by Father?" Huangfu Ting asked, a hint of anger in his voice.
"I originally intended to teach Ji Wushang a lesson to avenge Jin Han! Who would have thought that she would be the destined one for the Dumb Qin!" Empress Yao said, narrowing her eyes. "But don't worry, even if she obtained the Dumb Qin, she wouldn't know the secret within. Even if she did, she wouldn't know how to open it. You can rest assured!"
"Heh! We can use them to uncover the secret of the mute zither, and then reap the benefits!" Huangfu Ting said coldly.
"But Huangfu Xuan has already returned, you must hurry up!" Empress Yao said, squinting her eyes.
"We are determined to depose the Crown Prince!" Huangfu Ting sneered. "He's just a useless man. Once the Crown Prince is deposed, we can force Father to establish a new heir."
"You made Lan'er dance in the palace, was it for the sake of the King of the Western Regions?"
"Indeed, I previously plotted against the King of the Western Regions, hoping to make him take responsibility for his seventh sister, but he actually endured everything and left! And today I learned that Huangfu Xuan is actually friends with the King of the Western Regions! It's highly likely that the two of them will join forces, and I must make them turn against each other!"
"How do I do it?"
"That's none of your concern, Mother!" Huangfu Ting said. "But Mother, you must be careful in the inner palace! If the situation becomes urgent, Consort Yun might resort to desperate measures! And Consort Yuan's days are numbered; be careful she doesn't speak ill of you to Huangfu Xuan!"
"I understand!" Empress Yao nodded. "Go back and do your job!"
Huangfu Ting bowed and walked out.
Watching the person walk away, Empress Yao gently clapped her hands, and immediately a guard knelt on the ground, "Master!"
"Send someone to keep a close eye on Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong. If there is anything about the Silent Zither or the Nine-Bend Heavenly Palace, report back immediately!" Empress Yao narrowed her beautiful eyes.
"yes!"
...