“This is Taihu Lake…”
The black boat was drifting aimlessly in the lake. Zhao Changhe lay on the bow, basking in the sun, not feeling the heat.
The breeze from the lake was quite cool.
Or maybe it's because I'm really calm now
Looking at the endless lake, the clear surface allows you to clearly see the fishes underneath. There are other boats in the distance, and the melodious fishermen's songs carried in the wind are very comfortable to listen to.
For a northern man who has never seen the sea, this feels like the sea, but it should be quieter than the sea. It is not as vast and turbulent as the sea in his imagination, nor as majestic and surging as the river he has seen, but it is more graceful, calm and gentle.
Just like Tang Wanzhuang.
It seems as if all the beauty in the world is gathered in one place, and you can see Jiangnan at a glance.
People say that the West Lake can be compared to Xi Shi, and it seems to be true when applied to Tang Wanzhuang. Light or heavy makeup always suits her.
She sat in the cabin, leisurely playing the piano, playing a tune that Zhao Changhe had never heard of.
That is something that would seem very slow, boring and impossible to appreciate in the present world, but at this moment, in this situation, it is like ripples in the heart, like the breeze on the lake brushing across the cheek, softly, making people not want to think about anything else and just get drunk in the clear breeze and bright lake.
The flashing of swords and the shadows of lives and deaths, the world and the chaotic times are all in a different world.
Zhao Changhe took out an old wine gourd, tilted his head back and took a big gulp of wine.
Yue Hongling is the world of martial arts in dreams, isn’t it
What does it mean to carry a sword and drink wine while walking in the world, with the slender waist in the palm of your hand... Actually, this is it.
It’s just that the thin waist doesn’t belong to me, so I’ll just round it off for now.
Tang Wanzhuang's beautiful eyes fell on the bow outside the cabin. Looking at Zhao Changhe lying leisurely drinking, there was some anger in her eyes.
I thought you were playing the piano for me, but after all this time it turned out that I was playing it for you, right? You were drinking leisurely there, just like the girl from the bamboo house in the backyard of Wanhua Tower in Jianhu City who you invited to accompany you on a tour.
Tang Wanzhuang thought it was a little funny, and felt that Zhao Changhe's attitude was really a bit like... so casual.
He used to say that he would think about every word he said, but it became like this once he got familiar with the subject. He really doesn't have any taboos.
"Hey!" She finally couldn't help but yelled, "Are you asking me to take a rest, or are you asking me to be your pianist and accompany you in the scenery?"
Zhao Changhe's words could be heard from outside the cabin, but they were a little unclear in the lake breeze: "Didn't you say you would live for me? Then aren't you going to serve me today?"
Tang Wanzhuang was both angry and amused: "You are quite good at taking advantage of others' misfortunes. Now that Sisi is gone, there is no maid, right?"
"No, no, you are my master." Zhao Changhe asked with a smile: "I am just free and easy, why bother about who plays for whom? Are you happy now?"
Tang Wanzhuang actually wanted to say "hmm", but she frowned and said, "You play the piano, I will be happy lying there drinking."
"How stingy." Zhao Changhe stood up slowly and got into the cabin: "I haven't learned it well yet, Master, can you continue to teach me?"
In order to create a leisurely and comfortable mood, the two of them deliberately did not use the Tang family's large pleasure boat, but used a small black-covered boat. When Zhao Changhe, who was so big, got into the cabin, he immediately felt that half of the cabin was almost occupied.
Tang Wanzhuang reluctantly moved aside and motioned Zhao Changhe to sit in front of the piano.
As a result, when this guy sat down, it felt extremely crowded and their arms were stuck together.
Tang Wanzhuang glanced at him expressionlessly, while Zhao Changhe looked at the piano with a stiff neck.
"Forget it." Tang Wanzhuang didn't hesitate and began to teach: "The zither has fingering methods. It's not just a matter of plucking with one finger to make a sound. Look at this..."
Fingers as white as jade danced on the strings, plucking, twisting, and picking gracefully. It was clearly an indication of the fingering, but as Zhao Changhe watched, he basically forgot about it and only focused on looking at his hands.
It looks really good.
"Okay, why don't you try this finger-picking method?" Tang Wanzhuang nudged him with her shoulder with a little anticipation.
Zhao Changhe held it in for a long time, then lowered his head and said, "I haven't learned it yet. Show me again."
Tang Wanzhuang was surprised: "You learned such a complicated skill this morning, which contained so much sword power and infinite changes, and you learned it clearly after just a few rehearsals. This finger technique should be very simple for you, not to mention that you also have the experience of hidden weapon techniques learned from Yue Hongling. Why did you become stupid?"
Zhao Changhe lowered his head even lower and stammered, "Just look at the hands..."
Tang Wanzhuang: “?” Zhao Changhe: “…”
Tang Wanzhuang expressionlessly placed her hand a few inches in front of his eyes: "Look for a while, if not, look for another hour."
Before Zhao Changhe could say anything, the hand suddenly rose up and covered his face with it: "I can even let you touch it!"
“Fuck…” Zhao Changhe’s face felt burning with pain, not from being beaten, but from being embarrassed.
Tang Wanzhuang glanced at him for a long while, and suddenly said: "In fact, if you learn this, you can evolve it into a set of acupoint pressing and grappling skills. You have only been practicing martial arts for a short time, and your skills are all on the sword. You are lacking in bare-handed martial arts, so this is a good supplement."
Zhao Changhe was instantly excited: "Quick, show me again! I only need to watch it once to learn it!"
Tang Wanzhuang was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
However, this is true. Once Zhao Changhe linked this with his understanding of martial arts, he really learned it after watching it once. Although he was relatively unfamiliar with it, he really understood the movements thoroughly. It was so simple that he didn't even need to watch it a second time.
"Now I will teach you the method of wiping the string..."
The boat drifted leisurely in the center of the lake. The male apprentice and the female master sat side by side in the narrow cabin, the fragrance permeating their noses, their shoulders touching each other inadvertently, and they whispered to each other.
A boatman passing by saw this and couldn't help but smile.
What a great scene.
When I get home, I have to urge that bad boy of mine to get a wife. He's already grown up, but he's still slacking off all day.
As the sun gradually set, the lake was covered with golden light. Occasionally, a fish would flutter up and then dive back into the water, creating waves. In the distance, the boat girl's singing could be heard. Her soft Wu dialect was touching and more beautiful than the fishermen's songs outside Qinghe at that time. The murderous intent was replaced by peace.
Tang Wanzhuang was leaning outside the cabin, holding an exquisite little wine pot in her hand, drinking slowly from the spout.
The poor bear apprentice is still in there familiarizing himself with the finger techniques. It is unknown whether he can really transform them into a set of acupoint-wiping hands. In fact, that is just Tang Wanzhuang's trick.
He should have been the one playing the piano, and I was just listening. Do you really think I'm the girl in the backyard of Wanhua Tower
Tang Wanzhuang was currently making up a set of acupoint-brushing techniques in her mind, modifying her existing techniques and incorporating some musical instrument fingering techniques into them. She would teach them to him when the time came, as a complete set.
Do you really think that the chief master won't lie? Anyway, the fingering skills won't be bad by then, maybe it will be well-known in the martial arts world...
The fishermen's songs on both sides of the river were melodious and mainly love songs. Tang Wanzhuang didn't know what to feel when she heard them.
In the past, she was actually a little afraid of such scenes. Such songs could make people's minds deviate from the important things. The so-called decadent music would make people lose the desire to make progress.
But it seems very appropriate today, except that the content of the love song is inappropriate.
"Hey." Tang Wanzhuang took a sip of wine and asked into the cabin, "You said you had a song in your heart. In this situation, why don't you sing along?"
"These girls' songs are beautiful, and their voices are nice too. I want to give them a tip. Why should I mess with them?"
"Are these soft things suitable for a man like you? Let's play some Jianghu music and let me see what powerful words the bloodthirsty Shura has to say."
"However, this situation and this scene are not suitable for majestic music at all. Are you deliberately trying to remove yourself from this decadent mood?"
Tang Wanzhuang was stunned and drank without saying a word.
He is so sharp.
I understand her too well.
It’s really strange, why can he understand me so well? There is not much in common between us at all.
"Forget about the powerful voice, do you want to listen to the female voice?" Zhao Changhe suddenly asked.
Tang Wanzhuang came back to her senses and asked curiously, "Isn't that the voice they are singing women's voice?"
"There are so many women in the world, how can all of them sing songs about love?" Zhao Changhe plucked the strings a few times, and the original practice tune suddenly changed, becoming a little free and joyful.
Tang Wanzhuang looked back into the cabin and heard a song that he was not familiar with: "No matter how cold the wind is, I don't want to escape. No matter how beautiful the flowers are, I don't want them. Just let me drift..."
Tang Wanzhuang stared at the sunset in the distance. She originally wanted to say, "This is Yue Hongling's song, not my song." However, as she listened, she gradually became absent-minded and no longer wanted to speak.
(End of this chapter)