roccoschili Chapter 182: The Amazing Banquet (Part )
Chapter 182: The Amazing Banquet (Part )
Last time we talked about Li Yi saying that he wanted to change everyone’s mood, so let’s continue reading and see how Li Lefu performs next.
Li Yi turned to the crowd and saluted and asked, "Do you have any songs you would like to hear?"
Crown Prince Xiao Zongqing looked at a person at the table. He nodded in understanding, then stood up and saluted, saying, "Li Yuefu, my name is Guo Ming, and I am the director of the Daliang Yuefu. I just listened to the Hu music of the Wei Yuefu and was deeply moved. However, it is Hu music after all. I wonder if Li Yuefu has any authentic music of our China? That is, the authentic music of the Yuefu ci tune."
Li Yi knew that this was to pick a fight. Zhang Deyuan was not convinced but still wanted to make trouble for him. So he returned the greeting and said, "Of course, but I don't know which song of the National Music Bureau you want to hear?"
Guo Ming said seriously, "I wonder if Li Yuefu knows the Guangling San?"
Li Yi replied: "Since Ji Kang died, Guangling San has been lost, and I have never heard of anyone finding the score."
Guo Ming casually took out an ancient score from his sleeve, on which were written the four characters "Guangling Zhixi". He then said, "What a coincidence. Not long ago, Guo found an ancient score that is probably the closest to the original score so far. You and I are both masters of music, so why not compare our musical skills with this song?"
Li Yi extended his hand and made a gesture of invitation, saying: "Since it is so rare for the National Music Bureau to find ancient music scores, why don't you come on stage and play them for everyone to appreciate."
Guo Ming stepped onto the stage, exuding his talent, condensing his energy into a zither, setting it up and sitting down before plucking the strings. Guo Ming's zither skills are absolutely impeccable, and the whole piece of music can bring people an unyielding spirit. After playing the piece, the righteous energy gathered into a stream and flowed into the body.
Guo Ming looked at Li Yi and asked, "What does Li Yuefu think of this Guangling San?"
Li Yi nodded and said, "Not bad, but people's hearts are not as good as they used to be. This ancient music can bring less resonance. Perhaps the National Music Bureau has just received this score and has not yet understood its true meaning, so it has not been able to attract more righteousness."
Guo Ming said unhappily, "Why? Does it mean that Li Yuefu can understand the true meaning of the song just by listening to it once? Or will it attract more righteousness if Li Yuefu plays it instead?"
Li Yi replied: "In my opinion, playing with one instrument is a bit thin, and if the orthodox music cannot be accepted by more people, it will definitely be lost in the future, so both the orthodox music and folk music must adapt to the times."
Guo Ming snorted coldly, "Folk music? Humph, that's just a sideshow for people to have fun. Orthodox music can enlighten people and educate people. Isn't it too much of a joke for Li Yuefu to compare folk music with orthodox music? This is not something a national music official should say!"
Li Yi smiled and said, "Whether it is mainstream music or folk music, as long as it can be recognized by people, it is good. Who says that music that can alert people is mainstream music? Who says folk music can't educate people and correct their hearts?"
Guo Ming said coldly: "In that case, could it be that Li Yuefu has a folk music that can correct the mind better than Guangling San?"
Li Yi waved his hand and said, "I dare not say it is better than Guangling San, but it is definitely more infectious and can also educate people to correct their hearts."
Guo Ming chuckled and said, "Infectiousness? How can talent be compared with righteousness? Only those who can attract righteousness can do it! Just comparing talent does not count as ability!"
Li Yi shook his head, took a deep breath and said, "Guoyuefu is to compare the righteousness? OK, Li has a suitable one here."
Guo Ming waved his hand and said, "Li Yuefu, don't force yourself. This famous song recognized by heaven and earth is not a poem handed down from generation to generation. You can't just open your mouth and come up with it easily!"
Li Yi chuckled and gestured to Cui Zhi, Miao Miao and Zhou Mo to get ready. Then the music started. It was the song "Dragon Scales of Heaven and Earth":
I will start to draw this mountain and river (Li Yi condenses his energy and holds a brush, and draws a mountain)
The blood of the nation is tens of thousands of miles long (with the help of special effects, the brush and ink are transformed into an ink painting of the Great Wall)
Over the centuries, the descendants of the dragon have gone through ups and downs.
(The five black snakes on the map rushed in from different directions, which naturally refers to the Five Barbarians' Invasion of China)
This central axis of the capital is like a gentleman with unshakable integrity
(The screen changes to the Imperial Road of the Forbidden City, showing everyone the majestic Forbidden City with its red walls and yellow tiles)
The Nine Dragon Wall with colored glaze on the tiles (The Nine Dragon Wall appears in front of everyone)
History has fallen and risen again (and the sun is rising slowly from the sky behind the Nine Dragon Wall)
This dragon scale once fell to the ground with a clang like broken ice
(The nine-colored coiled dragon on the Nine Dragon Wall flies out of the picture, hovers in the Huaguang Hall, and finally turns into ice crystals)
A piece of scale, an inch of heart, the story is so shaky that I can't bear to listen
(The ice crystal condensed into a dragon scale in Li Yi's hand. He squeezed it casually, and all the people who received the ice crystal had dragon scales condensed from their energy in their hands.)
People observe etiquette and keep their hearts calm. The melodious guqin plays the heart of a gentleman.
(Musical notes fly out from Cui Zhi's fingers, transforming in the air into the words "benevolence", "righteousness", "propriety", "wisdom" and "faithfulness")
I am awake and waiting for the response, hovering over the great Chinese civilization (The five characters of the five constant virtues of a gentleman hover in the hall)
I pay tribute to the vast yellow land of the East as I put pen to paper (As Li Yi puts pen to paper, the Great Wall reappears)
The ink splashed in the mountains and rivers wiped away, leaving only the rugged Chinese spirit
(The camera gradually zooms out, and the picture of the Great Wall changes into a picture of the nine provinces, with the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, mountains and lakes, and great cities and passes all in the picture)
How many vicissitudes of life have forged the Chinese soul at the Shenwu Gate of the Forbidden City (The camera turns to the image of the Shenwu Gate)
I inherit the culture and cultivate it to break through the changes and turn the world around
(The camera turns toward the sky to show the rolling sea of clouds and the rising and setting of the sun and moon)
This dragon scale once fell to the ground with a clang like broken ice
(Li Yi took a casual shot, and the picture spread out like ink and then gathered into a giant golden dragon)
A scale, an inch of heart, I firmly believe that small things can achieve great things
(Golden dragons were coiled around the stage, and Li Yi could touch the dragon's head with his hand)
Lift up the nation's destiny and revive it again
(Li Yi casually raised his hand, and the golden dragon raised its head and flew into the air, circling in the hall)
Traveling around the world in search of dragon scales, the blood of dragons grows into a forest
(Li Yi walks off the stage, stretches out his hands, and the golden dragon transforms into several small dragons that hover above the beams and pillars in the hall)
This dragon scale once fell to the ground with a clang like broken ice
(As Li Yi clapped his hands, all the little dragons turned into ice crystals, and the Huaguang Palace sparkled.)
A piece of scale, an inch of heart, the story is so shaky that I can't bear to listen
(The ice crystals turned into dragon scales, floating in the hall. Someone reached out to grab them, but the words "benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and trustworthiness" appeared in his hand.)
Lift up the nation's destiny and revive it again
Traveling around the world in search of dragon scales, the blood of dragons grows into a forest
(Li Yi holds a brush and writes the four characters "Descendants of the Dragon" out of thin air)
After the song was over, the righteous energy emerged from all directions and sank into Li Yi's body like a river flowing into the sea. Just as Li Yi absorbed the righteous energy, golden light suddenly appeared in the hall. As everyone was surprised, Li Yi knelt down towards the door.
Before everyone could react, they suddenly heard the eunuch outside the palace shouting loudly: "Your Majesty has arrived!" Everyone then realized what was going on and knelt down to welcome him. The door opened, and Xiao Yongming, wearing the imperial robe, walked into the Huaguang Palace, climbed up the high platform, sat on the dragon chair, waved his hand and said: "I am just here to join in the fun, everyone get up, take your seats and continue eating!"
Everyone responded in unison: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Xiao Yongming looked at the four characters still floating in the air and said to Li Yi, "Li Yuefu, what was the name of the piece of music just now?"
Li Yi bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, the Emperor of Liang, this piece of music is called 'Dragon Scales of Heaven and Earth'."
Xiao Yongming nodded and said, "Well, it's good. The music and lyrics are good, and you sing well too! The words 'Descendants of the Dragon' are also good. How about Li Yuefu giving these four words to me? Xu Ming!" Xiao Yongming waved his hand, and the eunuchs beside him immediately understood and asked two young eunuchs to unfold the scroll and present it to Li Yi.
Li Yi pushed the four characters directly towards the scroll. When the four characters were integrated into it, the two eunuchs collected the scroll and handed it to Xu Ming. Xiao Yongming smiled and said, "Li Yuefu is indeed the most talented scholar in Wei! Alas, in comparison, the younger generation of Confucianism and Taoism in Daliang are really inferior." Xiao Yongming looked at the prince who was doing it. The latter knew that he was blaming himself for not controlling Zhang Deyuan and causing a farce of the Six Arts of a Gentleman, which brought shame to Daliang.
Xiao Zonggang bowed and said, "Father, your Majesty is right. I will definitely learn more from Li Yuefu."
Xiao Yongming waved his hands and said, "It's useless to learn. This is not something you can learn! National Music Bureau?"
Guo Ming saluted and said, "I am here!"
Xiao Yongming said, "You are the one who should ask Li Yuefu for advice! We in Daliang have always prided ourselves on being the orthodox Confucianists, but whether it is the official music or the classical music, or the fragments of ancient music, we are all defeated. In my opinion, you, the Ministry of Rites and Yuefu, should make some changes!"
As he spoke, Xiao Yongming looked at Li Yi and asked with a smile, "Li Yuefu, how did you, the Wei Yuefu, compose music and set dances?"
Li Yi bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that a great country should be open to all, so our Wei Kingdom Music Bureau has been actively absorbing various musical styles from all regions and ethnic groups, and incorporating widely circulated folk music into the music bureau ci. As for dance, the dance style of the Western Regions is unrestrained, passionate, and more expressive, so there are corresponding dances at the Queen Mother's birthday banquet, and Your Highness the Third Prince knows this."
Xiao Yongming looked at Xiao Zonggang, who immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, what Li Yuefu said is true. There was indeed a Western woman dancing at my aunt's birthday banquet. One of her dances was like a fairy walking in the clouds, which was truly beautiful. Another dance, 'Thousand-Handed Guanzizai', was also unique and extremely mysterious."
Xiao Yongming nodded, thought for a moment, and then said, "A great country should embrace all things. Good! Draft an imperial decree, and ask Zhang Deyuan to hurry up and reform the Yuefu, and to accept folk music and dance. Although Zhengyue has the power to reach the heavens and educate people, what is the use of it if no one believes in it and no one appreciates it? Ask him to hurry up and reform, and if he encounters something he doesn't understand, ask Li Yuefu for advice."
The chief eunuch Xu Ming bowed and said yes. Xiao Yongming hummed and looked at Li Yi and said with a smile: "Okay, Li Yuefu, continue singing! Let me listen and learn from you."
Li Yi saluted and said, "Since Your Majesty is here, I, as a foreign minister, must perform well. Next, Your Majesty, please enjoy this song "Pipa Xing." Li Yi turned around, patted Miaomiao and Cui Zhi on the shoulders and said, "It's up to you two!"
Miaomiao nodded and smiled, and then the pipa solo began:
Li Yi: Sending Guests Away at Night at Xunyang River Maple Leaves and Reeds in the Autumn
The host dismounts, the guest is on the boat, he raises his glass to drink, but there is no music
I can't get drunk and I'm sad to say goodbye. When we say goodbye, the vast river is immersed in the moonlight.
Suddenly I heard the sound of a pipa on the water. The host forgot to go home and the guest did not leave.
Cui Zhi: I followed the sound and asked who was playing the pipa. The sound of the pipa stopped and I was hesitant to speak.
Move the boat closer to invite you to meet, add wine, turn on the lights and start the feast again
After much anticipation, she finally appeared, still holding the pipa and half covering her face
Li Yi: Turn the axis and pluck the strings a few times, the emotion is there before the melody is formed
The strings are suppressed, the sounds are full of thoughts, as if telling of a life of frustration
I lower my eyebrows and continue to play the piano, expressing all the infinite things in my heart
Gently pluck, twist, wipe and pick, first for Nichang and then for Liuyao
Cui Zhi: The big strings are as noisy as the torrential rain, and the small strings are as soft as whispers
The sounds of the strings are mixed and chaotic, and the big and small pearls fall on the jade plate
Li Yi: The oriole's song is slippery under the flowers, and the gurgling spring is difficult to flow under the ice
The ice spring is cold and the strings are frozen. The sound stops temporarily.
Cui Zhi: There is a hidden sorrow and hatred, silence is better than words at this moment
The silver bottle suddenly broke and water splashed out, the iron cavalry rushed out with swords and guns rang out
The song ends and the strings are plucked carefully. The sound of the four strings is like a tearing silk.
The boats on the east and west are silent, only the autumn moon in the middle of the river is white
Miao Miao: Pondering over the strings, putting down the plectrum, straightening the clothes and calming down