Ling Qing and I settled Wen Jiang onto her bed. After a cursory word of thanks, Ling Qing busied herself wiping away Wen Jiang’s tears and sweat. Although the outburst of weeping should have brought some relief, Wen Jiang seemed to grow increasingly distressed, tossing and turning on the bed with low moans. I suggested, "There are physicians on standby in the building. Perhaps you should call one to take a look, sister?"
"I will. I’ll see to it," Ling Qing replied, gesturing for me to leave.
I didn't bother walking back the proper way. Instead, I vanished from sight and followed the example of Duan Qimo and Yan Xiangjun, vaulting down from the second floor to take a shortcut straight to the main hall. Those two had not returned to the banquet; they had likely sought out a quiet private booth to enjoy their wine in peace.
Intermittent music drifted from the hall. No songstresses had been scheduled for tonight; instead, the stage was occupied by young lords and ladies spontaneously displaying their talents. Some, having just met like-minded enthusiasts, were laughing and forming impromptu ensembles for three or four-person performances.
During a lull between acts, a young man dressed as flamboyantly as a rooster swaggered onto the stage. He bowed cheekily to all sides and laughed. "A banquet is no banquet without music! Since our host hasn't prepared a program, it’s only right we chip in ourselves. Those with talent, show it; those with voices, lend your support. Don't go hiding your skills now!"
Scattered shouts of agreement rose from below, signaling the motion had passed. This man was Shen Yinian. His family’s official standing was modest—his father was merely a Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, a rank of the fifth grade—which made him rather ordinary in this grand assembly. However, he was quite famous because his family had maintained a troupe of musicians and actors for generations. Their skill rivaled that of the Imperial Music Bureau, and their Southern Opera was second to none. His suggestion clearly stemmed from his own obsession with music, but it also appealed to those who hadn't had the chance to show off the previous day. Before long, people began taking the stage in response.
Flutes, lutes, zithers, and drums—five or six acts passed, all of them conventional and unremarkable. I was nearly yawning. Then, a fellow stood up on stage with an insufferable air of self-importance, announcing he had a treasure to present. I couldn't help but roll my eyes when I saw him—it was Li Zhuo. He had been suffering from such severe diarrhea since last night that he couldn't even join the morning snow-viewing, yet here he was, revitalized and ready to make a fool of himself.
Shen Yinian, knowing him well, teased him with a grin, "Old brother, you’ve come to show off your art? Just how much 'art' do you have to give?"
"Ah, no, no. I am 'presenting a treasure,' not an art." Li Zhuo looked as if he were missing only a folding fan to waggle. "I recently acquired a wondrous object. It is said it will not sound unless it meets one with whom it shares a destiny. I lack the ability myself, but I wonder if any of the lords and ladies here possess such a destiny?"
Before the audience could react, the music-obsessed Shen Yinian lost his patience and urged him to bring it out. Li Zhuo gave a dignified cough, and a servant carried a zither forward. Zhu Yixin, Qiao Songlin, and I immediately straightened our backs, watching Zhang Zhuyi’s expression.
Miss Zhang’s face remained as still as a deep well, but her eyes flickered slightly. She instinctively reached out to touch the *Jiuxiao Huanpei* resting beside her.
When the thick velvet cloth covering the instrument was pulled away, the breath of everyone in the know hitched. It was indeed an anomaly: a zither crafted entirely from thin bone!
The instrument followed the most orthodox and stately Fuxi style. Yet, from the soundboard and back to the "phoenix forehead," "phoenix wings," "dragon’s gums," and "goose feet," every part was constructed from the stark white, solid bones of a monstrous beast. These bones were as translucent and crystalline as white jade; from a distance, it looked like a craft piece made of precious stone, aged for at least several millennia. Most peculiar of all was the apparent lack of strings. Only upon close inspection could one see that it wasn't stringless; rather, the strings were as fine as gossamer, trembling in the slightest breeze. They were made of some spider-silk-like demonic material, wound around the tuning pegs and stretched over the bridge!
The crowd erupted in a clamor. Shen Yinian rubbed his freshly washed hands, itching to touch the zither. Li Zhuo hurriedly brushed his hand away. "Patience, Brother Shen! These silk strings look fragile, but they are incredibly sharp. Be careful not to cut yourself!"
"Is that so?" Shen Yinian paused, pulling his hand back.
Li Zhuo nodded. To demonstrate, he unfastened a jade pendant from his waist and gently laid it across the near-invisible, smoke-like strings. The high-quality Xiuyan jade sank slowly, as if being eroded and sliced by a sharp blade. Suddenly, with a crisp *crack*, it split cleanly in two and fell to the floor.
Zhu Yixin, Qiao Songlin, and I frowned deeply. This thing was clearly an ominous, demonic object. If it were truly played, it might invite a great disaster! The three of us secretly summoned our natal dharma treasures within our sleeves, standing on guard. In my left hand, I clutched a stack of high-grade spirit talismans for suppressing evil and exorcising demons, regretting that I hadn't brought Lu Lingfeng inside with me...
Zhu Yixin whispered a suggestion: "Should we send word to Second Senior Sister?"
"The *Jiuxiao Huanpei* is here," Qiao Songlin said. "Let’s see how Zhang Zhuyi handles it first."
While the three of us were tense, the nobles loved nothing more than the exotic. Those present were all young men and women who had lived their lives in pampered safety; they craved excitement. Seeing such a dangerous object, not one of them was afraid. Instead, they cheered and laughed, eager to try. Immediately, three or four people rushed toward the stage. Shen Yinian scrambled to block them. "Hey, hey! I’m first! No one gets to cut in!" Turning to Li Zhuo, he asked, "Brother Li, how did you come by this zither?"
Li Zhuo, fearing no one would ask, eloquently recounted its history. It turned out the Leitian branch of the Dayou Chamber of Commerce had purchased it. Originally, the zither belonged to a eunuch serving as a Maritime Trade Commissioner, who died suddenly and mysteriously in the middle of the night shortly after acquiring it. The Dayou Chamber of Commerce, having close ties with the Commissioner's office, bought it at a low price. It was eventually sent to the capital as a plaything for the young master of the Li family. Li Zhuo had taken a genuine interest in it and consulted specialists from the Da Xiangguo Temple and the Wujing Sect, but none could identify it. However, a high monk from the Taiping Xingguo Temple verified it as an ancient relic from the War of World-Ending, and one of the ten great demonic artifacts used by Fairy Mingyu against her enemies. Its name was "Yu Gou Xie"—the Jade Hook Incline!
Had one of my goals not been this very demonic zither, I would have rolled my eyes at such a hole-filled story. Even the novellas sold by the Yin family weren't written this poorly; Mu Chanzi had stopped using these tropes ten years ago. A terrifyingly ominous object, the sudden death of its owner, the guidance of a "high monk"—setting aside how much the original owner's death actually had to do with the zither, the true masters of Da Xiangguo Temple and the Wujing Sect were not so easily met. They were likely just charlatans posing as outer disciples. As for that "high monk"... even if he were real, Taiping Xingguo Temple had always been at odds with Da Xiangguo Temple; it wasn't impossible that he had contradicted their conclusion just out of spite.
Regardless, whether or not this was Mingyu’s demonic weapon, it was undeniably bizarre. The more Li Zhuo spoke, the more excited the crowd became. Shen Yinian used the thick velvet cover to pad his hands and gently lifted the instrument, reading the poem inscribed on the back:
*"The palace road is distant, the northern plains slant,*
*Life and death, deep favors, never reaching home.*
*Where do the clouds and rain return this day?*
*An oriole alights upon the wild crabapple flowers."*
"It uses the poem *Gongren Xie* by the Tang poet Dou Gong as its commentary," Shen Yinian noted. "Then the name 'Yu Gou Xie' must be correct!"
The "Jade Hook Incline" was indeed located below the Wu Mansion Terrace, the burial site for palace maids during the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui. This association made it even more macabre; perhaps these white bones weren't from monstrous beasts at all, but were the remains of palace maids who had died tragic deaths...
Some women giggled nervously, covering their mouths as they teased, "Brother Shen, go on and play it! Let’s see if it swallows you whole!"
"How am I supposed to play?" Shen Yinian chuckled. "I must ask Brother Li—did that master explain how to perform? My mortal hands aren't made of refined gold!"
"He said it would sound if there was a destiny," Li Zhuo laughed. "Brother Shen, just play. If you pluck the strings properly, it won't hurt your hands."
"Bah! Then why did you stop me just now?" Shen Yinian glared at him.
"I was afraid you’d... play something improper!" Li Zhuo snickered.
Shen Yinian spat at him in jest but sat down cross-legged, beginning a serious attempt. I hummed the tune in my head; it was *Spring Outing*, one of the five pieces by Cai Yong. This time, he truly didn't injure his hands, but not a single sound was produced. Everyone below the stage stared blankly as if they had lost their hearing. Shen Yinian, however, closed his eyes and swayed his head, his expression rapt. He grew more delighted as he played, his movements becoming wilder. Eventually, he abandoned the rhythm entirely, his hands galloping across the strings like racing horses.
When the piece ended, he stood up excitedly and said to Li Zhuo, "Why do you say it doesn't sound? It sounds perfectly! I am the one with the destiny. Hurry and sell this zither to me!"
Seeing the bewildered expressions of the audience, Shen Yinian faltered. One of the women who had egged him on asked in confusion, "There wasn't a single note. Brother, have you gone mad?"
"How was that not music!" Shen Yinian jumped in frustration, tapping his head hard. "It’s all in here!"
Li Zhuo quickly stopped him. "Easy, easy. Don't panic. The player can indeed hear it, but it remains silent to others. The master said that the true destined one is the one who can make others hear it as well."
Next, three or four men and women went up to try. Not one succeeded in making it produce a sound. However, everyone fell into a trance while playing and showed signs of mania upon stopping. Some even displayed looks of greed, wanting to take the zither by force. Zhang Zhuyi remained in her seat, watching silently without a word. In contrast, Wen Gan, Wen Qi, and Yin Shuhong stood up together, smiling as they approached to see the novelty.
Little Yin was busy sketching the zither. Wen Gan gently lifted one end of the instrument to examine the sharp, demonic calligraphy of the inscription. Once Wen Gan set it back down, Wen Qi suddenly spoke. "Young Master Li, I don't know how to play the zither... May I try as well?"
She seemed very shy, her face flushing as she spoke. Li Zhuo, who could never refuse a woman, replied with a charming smile, "It doesn't matter at all! I can even teach you. Just think of it as a game."
"No... no need..." Wen Qi waved her hands hurriedly. "Just... just tell me where to press."
Her innocent and simple demeanor wasn't Li Zhuo’s usual type, but it appealed to a basic sense of kindness. Li Zhuo nodded with a smile and patiently instructed her. "Very well. Look, Miss, each of these dots is a *hui* position. Pressing down will produce a note. Sit between the fourth and fifth *hui*... That’s it. Press with your left hand at the position, and pluck or strum with your right..."
Wen Qi hesitantly and tremulously plucked a string with her right middle finger. Her technique was wrong, and as expected, the incredibly fine and sharp string sliced her finger. Li Zhuo, distressed, immediately reached for a handkerchief to press against the cut. She, however, didn't cry out or act spoiled. She didn't seem to mind much, though she looked even more embarrassed. She withdrew her hand and said, "I won't play anymore."
By then, Wen Gan and Yin Shuhong had returned to their seats. Li Zhuo encouraged her with a smile. "It’s inevitable for a beginner. Even with a normal zither, let alone this strange one, it’s common for the silk strings to break the skin when you first start. Try again!"
With his encouragement, Wen Qi pressed a few notes. Gradually, she began to get the hang of it, though still, no one else could hear anything. Having had enough of her attempt, she smiled and stopped. "How wondrous. I truly did hear the notes in my mind."
The next to try was the Jiangnan scholar, Xie Bin. Just as everyone assumed there would be no further progress, Xie Bin began a rendition of *The Pheasant’s Morning Flight*. Only the first few notes were silent. Gradually, the body of the zither began to emit a faint, eerie glow, like the rising moon. His music rippled outward, growing louder and more ethereal. Everyone in the hall cheered: "I hear it! I hear it!"
Only then did a ripple appear in Zhang Zhuyi’s expression. It was just like the first note produced by the zither—like a small pebble dropping lightly into a deep, still pool.
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
申宜年 | Shen Yinian | A minor official and music enthusiast.
黎子濯 | Li Zhuo | Son of the Dayou Chamber of Commerce president.
玉钩斜 | Yu Gou Xie (Jade Hook Incline) | The name of the bone zither; also a historical burial site for palace maids.
伏羲式 | Fuxi Style | A traditional shape/style of the guqin.
大有商会 | Dayou Chamber of Commerce | A prominent merchant organization.
雷阗 | Leitian | A foreign country or region mentioned in trade.
大相国寺 | Da Xiangguo Temple | A famous Buddhist temple.
无竟宗 | Wujing Sect | A Taoist or spiritual sect.
太平兴国寺 | Taiping Xingguo Temple | A rival Buddhist temple.
明矞仙子 | Fairy Mingyu | A historical or legendary figure associated with demonic artifacts.
十大妖器 | Ten Great Demonic Artifacts | A set of powerful, cursed ancient items.
窦巩 | Dou Gong | A Tang Dynasty poet.
《宫人斜》 | *Gongren Xie* | A poem by Dou Gong about the burial ground of palace maids.
《游春》 | *Spring Outing* (*You Chun*) | A classic guqin composition.
《雉朝飞》 | *The Pheasant’s Morning Flight* (*Zhi Zhao Fei*) | A classic guqin composition.
谢彬 | Xie Bin | A talented scholar from the Jiangnan region.
文绀 | Wen Gan | One of the Wen sisters.
文绮 | Wen Qi | One of the Wen sisters.
徽 | Hui | The mother-of-pearl studs on a guqin indicating finger positions.
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