Chapter 45: Guangling Melody

  Liu Bian seemed to have an epiphany. The Six Classics of Confucianism, namely the Book of Poetry, the Book of History, the Book of Rites, the Book of Changes, the Book of Music, and the Spring and Autumn Annals, are also known as the Six Arts of a Gentleman. Among them, the Book of Music was lost early on, and by the Han Dynasty, no one was studying it anymore. Could it be that this lost Book of Music is another way to stimulate one's destiny?

  Liu Bian immediately thought of the "Taiping Jing" which mentioned incantations, and wondered if these incantations were another way to understand one's fate like music. They share a commonality in that they both work through sound, similar to later music-induced sleep or music therapy.

  Music hypnosis or music therapy, both have a very important feature, which is to use rhythmically soothing classical music, said to stimulate certain frequencies of brain waves and develop potential. Cai Yong said that he was inspired by the customs of the Xianbei people and the Huns, this custom may refer to the primitive religion of the grassland nation. Most primitive religions in the world have a common point, which is sorcery, including witch music and witch dance.

  Wu were the intellectuals of humanity's early ignorance, and the word "wu" itself represents their function of communicating with heaven and earth. As civilization progressed, witchcraft was gradually replaced by academia, and witches were also replaced by scholars, leaving only those areas or ethnic groups that were not yet civilized to retain witches and witchcraft.

  The Han Dynasty was not far from the ancient times, and there were also witchcraft, but it was no longer mainstream. Only uncultured lower-class citizens attached importance to witchcraft. Zhang Jiao's talisman healing was witchcraft, and those who were deceived by him were all illiterate common people or ambitious men who wanted to change the dynasty. Few real intellectuals participated in it.

  However, shamanism as the source of academia has retained more of its original appearance. When academic studies were interrupted for some reason, tracing back to the shamanism of surrounding ethnic groups was also an option. Confucius said, "When ritual is lost, seek it in the countryside," roughly this meaning.

  So, Yue Jing was lost, but Cai Yong got inspiration from the primitive witchcraft of Xiongnu and Xianbei people, and came to a conclusion that is very close to the theory of later generations.

  Liu Bian understood the truth, but it had no practical significance. The "Yue Jing" was lost, and Cai Yong's efforts over the years were in vain. Liu Bian looked at Cai Yong with white hair and beard, feeling very sympathetic.

  "Sir, you've done your best." Liu Bian sighed and said: "You can rest well in Luoyang from now on. You've worked hard all these years."

  "No, Your Majesty, although I have not found the lost Book of Music, it is not entirely without gain."

  "Oh, what did you gain?"

  "I have obtained a fine qin and an ancient melody. Cai Yong's face lit up with childlike joy: 'Perhaps, Your Majesty can use this qin and this melody to enlighten your own destiny and hatch the dragon egg.'"

  "Dragon egg?" Liu Bian was taken aback, his eyebrows immediately rising. After all the commotion, he had finally found a useful lead. "You mean, something that looks like a stone?"

  "That's right, that's right." Cai Yong nodded repeatedly: "The Han family has a dragon egg, which is said to be the offspring of a giant dragon in the time of King Wu of Zhou. If we can hatch the dragon egg and raise another giant dragon, then the Han dynasty will prosper and its fortunes will flourish."

  Liu Bian was just a little happy, and then Cai Yong's words poured a basin of cold water on his head. "Born in the time of King Wu of Zhou? Then this dragon egg is about to become a fossil."

  "Hua... stone?" Cai Yong was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood Liu Bian's meaning. He scratched his somewhat sparse white hair: "This... I also dare not say, however, the dragon's longevity is ten thousand years, perhaps after the dragon egg sleeps for a thousand years, it can still be hatched, who knows."

  "Dragon lives for ten thousand years, isn't it said that the giant dragon of Zhou Wu Wang's time could live until now?"

  "Of course." Cai Yong said matter-of-factly: "However, that giant dragon was the last one, and it died in battle at Muye."

  "Hmph!" Liu Bian was speechless. After talking for half a day, it was still just empty words. In the end, a giant dragon died in the pasture, and now only one fossilized dragon egg remained. The dragon probably went extinct too, no wonder nobody saw dragons in later generations. He waved his hand, uninterested in continuing the conversation: "Alright, sir, have you brought your zither? Can you play a tune for me?"

  "This is natural." Cai Yong took out a zither from the soap pouch that had been placed beside him. The zither was very beautiful, except for its blackened tail, which seemed to have been burned. Liu Bian suddenly remembered something: "Sir, isn't this... the Focused Tail Zither?"

  Cai Yong blinked his eyes, with a curious expression: "Your Majesty... how did you know that this zither is the one I newly made?"

  "Ah...... Ah, I see this zither seems to have been burned by fire, so I asked, haha..."

  "Oh, this qin was made by a good craftsman, indeed it has been burned by fire, but the sound is excellent, so I named this qin as Jiao Tong."

  Cai Yong was clearly the kind of bookworm who gets excited at the mention of academics, holding his guqin with an affectionate expression, just like he would hold his son. He adjusted the instrument and plucked a few strings, and as he said, the sound was indeed pleasant to listen to, clear and crisp, reaching deep into one's heart. Even Liu Bian, who was tone deaf, thought it sounded good.

  Cai Yong played a piece with a clear and crisp tone, Liu Bian listened intently but didn't understand the music, however he felt very comfortable, closing his eyes, listening quietly. For a moment, all the anxiety and unease of the past few days were dissolved by the sound of the zither, and his mind was filled with clarity.

  "Good tune." Liu Bian let out a soft sigh: "It makes one suddenly feel a sense of emptiness and distance, no longer mired in worldly gains and losses."

  "Your Majesty's words are indeed correct." Cai Yong happily said: "This piece is called Guangling San, also known as Guangling Stop and Rest. From the name, it should be to let people's minds calm down and reflect inwardly, just like Laozi's teachings on clarity and inaction."

  "Guangling San?" Liu Bian was shocked, so this is the famous "Guangling San"? It's not quite like the "Guangling San" that has been passed down through the ages. What surprised him even more was that this "Guangling San" also had another name called "Guangling Zhi Xi", the two words "Zhi Xi" made him think of the legendary internal skill, made him think of "Huangdi Twelve Shapes".

  Yes, almost all internal skills require practicing Qi, and the first step in practicing Qi is to adjust breathing. It must be done subtly, as if it's there but not quite there. Although "Huangdi 20 Forms" is a Daoyin technique, it also mentions stopping breath. Only by coordinating movements with breathing can it be considered true Daoyin; otherwise, it's just physical exercise.

  Liu Bian saw hope.

  "Sir, can you play this tune for me every day?"

  Cai Yong furrowed his brow in difficulty: "Your Majesty, I am lazy and old, my energy is exhausted, I fear I won't be able to attend to you at all times. How about... I teach Your Majesty this melody, Your Majesty can play the zither yourself, perhaps it will have a greater effect?"

  Liu Bian's face suddenly looked a bit bitter. My old man is tone deaf, and music theory is even more incomprehensible to me, making me learn the zither isn't like forcing ducks onto a perch? Alas, if the previous emperor were here, there wouldn't be any problem at all. The previous emperor was proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Even my sister Princess Wan is capable, and even my younger brother Liu Xie is far superior to me.

  Damn it's a blow, I'm just an elite agent, not all-around capable.

  Liu Bian had no choice but to say with a forced smile: "Alright, however, I'm quite dull, so please be patient, sir."

  Cai Yong sighed with relief: "Your Majesty has humbled himself."

  Liu Bian's mouth twitched twice. In his heart, he lamented that it wasn't humility, but in this aspect, he was really clumsy.