Free Web NovelChapter 1129: Chapter 348: Soothing the Proper Tones
With Yue Leng and Li Youjue accompanying him, Jiang Wang’s journey back to Qi Country was smooth and uneventful.
Crossing the sky indeed made things much easier, taking only one day to return, compared to three days when they had departed.
Of course, for the countries "crossed" during the journey, it probably wasn’t the best experience.
As they neared Green Sheep Town, Jiang Wang called out from the sky, "Lords, I truly appreciate your protection and support. Not far ahead is my domain. Recently, a Zheng Sheng Hall which originates from overseas has been established. It offers a unique spectacle and captures the essence of music beautifully. Would you be interested in experiencing it?"
Both Yue Leng and Li Youjue accommodated Jiang Wang’s pace, and to foster closeness, Yue Leng had even discussed the use of the Body-Binding Chains with Jiang Wang along the way, which proved to be quite beneficial for him and led to a harmonious interaction.
Jiang Wang’s invitation was also an expression of closeness.
He wasn’t known for his social grace, but when his seniors showed goodwill, he knew better than to feign indifference or show arrogance. freewebnσvel.cøm
Yue Leng smiled and responded to Li Youjue, "I am a retired official with no official duties these days. Having a place to sit and pass the time would be a blessing indeed. I just wonder if Lord Li has any spare time?"
This was his way of helping Jiang Wang "keep the guests."
Li Youjue then laughed and said, "Why not enjoy a leisurely half-day?"
At this moment, Jiang Wang, who had been slightly behind, stepped on the Qingyun Mark and sped up to lead the way.
"Lords, please follow me."
Given his position in the Green Plate System, it was fitting for him to consider himself a subordinate, which also showed a sense of closeness.
For Jiang Wang, it was just a spur of the moment thought to forge good relations with two prominent figures of the Green Plate System.
However, for the officials of Green Sheep Town, this was indeed a puzzling and daunting task.
Green Sheep Town was but a small jurisdiction and the highest official they had ever seen was their lord, Jiang who held a Fourth Grade Green Badge.
But accompanying their lord on this visit were two notable figures... freēwebnovel.com
On the belt of Li Youjue hung a Third Grade Green Badge.
Yue Leng was even more extraordinary; due to his numerous solved cases during his tenure, he was promoted upon his retirement to a position that was, hierarchically speaking, equivalent to Second Grade.
These positions were comparable to those of Imperial Court Advisers in the Political Affairs Hall and Commanders in the Military Affairs Hall!
Although Yue Leng’s Second Grade title was not on par with those true Second Grade officials, it was still a distinction too subtle for the majority in Green Sheep Town to comprehend.
In short, both were figures of daunting prominence.
Dugu Xiao, after much training, was capable of handling responsibilities on his own but was inevitably flustered due to his limited background and experience.
Fan Qingqing had weathered many storms overseas and was worldly, but even she did not expect that the reluctant hero she sought refuge with in Qi Country would be so young and yet already possess such influence!
The welcoming process itself is not worth detailing; the town hall’s reaction inevitably carried a hint of pettiness.
But throughout, Jiang Wang remained composed, showing no intention of covering up any faults. His grace always stemmed from his own strength and demeanor and was not dimmed by the modest background of his domain.
Once settled in the newly constructed Zheng Sheng Hall, Jiang Wang smiled and said, "I apologize for the sparse upkeep of my territory which might have caused some amusement. This is also my first time sitting in this hall, and there may be inadequacies. Please bear with me."
When he had first come to see it, he knew that the Zheng Sheng Hall would only be completed in the next few days, so it was a spur-of-the-moment decision to invite these two distinguished figures from the Green Plate System to "listen." Fan Qingqing did not disappoint him, completing it just in time.
However, the true sound of the Zheng Sheng Hall could only be judged upon hearing it.
Yue Leng and Li Youjue, having seen numerous influential domains, were neither too critical nor discontented even though they had witnessed places far less prosperous than Green Sheep Town.
Instead, Yue Leng was quite complimentary: "Your domain shows vibrant civic spirit, indicative of effective governance and public loyalty. This is indeed the foundation for millennia."
This implied a hopeful expectation for Jiang Wang’s potential future achievement as a True Man of the Age, naturally being a fortuitous remark.
Jiang Wang also responded with a smile, "If I truly wish Taiwan to last thousands of years, I would need much guidance from Lord Yue."
Pleasant as his words were, it was natural for Yue Leng, who was bound to become a True Man, to be able to look after Green Sheep Town for a millennium.
Li Youjue, more practically, remarked, "Although your town is not large, it is full of talented individuals and contented citizens. It certainly won’t decline in the future."
A small town like Green Sheep Town had remarkable Transcendent Power. Not to mention the town head lady and the unkempt cultivator named Zhang Hai, it also had Fan Qingqing, a veteran Inner Mansion Cultivator. It was indeed a place of considerable talent.
Most importantly, both he and Yue Leng, with their backgrounds, were well aware of Jiang Wang’s heritage. They knew he had built everything from nothing.
Unlike those noble sons who, wherever they were appointed, just needed to focus on their Cultivation as their families had everything else arranged, from talent to wealth.
Jiang Wang merely smiled, "Thank you for your auspicious words, sir."
He was not embarrassed earlier by his subordinates’ lack of worldliness, nor was he swollen with pride now by the praise from two prominent figures in the Green Plate System.
Composed as always, he spoke softly to Fan Qingqing, "Please, test the sound."
This Zheng Sheng Hall had been a major project for Fan Qingqing, constructed to standards even superior to the old site of the Five Immortal Sect.
Firstly, it was to make a good impression in front of Jiang Wang. Secondly, she was indeed willing to settle down in the more stable Qi Country, especially after seeing the promising future Jiang Wang had ahead.
The Zheng Sheng Hall was built on a nameless bamboo mountain within Qingyang Town. To listen to the true sound, one naturally had to listen to the sounds of nature.
The mountain was lush with green bamboo, rustling with each passing breeze.
Fan Qingqing had searched all over Qingyang Town to find this perfect location. Incidentally, it was not far from the Hu Clan Mine Site, where many stories had occurred.
This was the first time the hall was going to "open its voice."
Fan Qingqing was very confident.
With her cultivation and vision, overseeing the construction of a Zheng Sheng Hall, she thought nothing could have gone wrong.
She walked to the left side of the hall, formed a Seal Technique, and then gently pushed the window—
Have you ever listened to the wind?
The wind that brushes past willows is gentle.
The wind that destroys rotten wood is fierce.
The wind that gently sweeps across the water creates light ripples.
The wind that knocks outside the window is like a longing.
At that moment, the breeze joyously passed through the bamboo forest. Encircled by bamboo leaves, it produced a beautiful whistling sound.
Squeezing through the dense bamboo leaves, stirring the bamboo branches to sway gently...
Ripples arose in the sea of bamboo at the arrival of the wind.
The sound of the wind, the leaves, the bamboo... all returned to their true nature within the Zheng Sheng Hall.
Inside the Zheng Sheng Hall, nobody spoke for a long time.
"Truly marvelous," Yue Leng sighed, "Long confined within a cage, to return to nature at last!"
It is said, "It is good to cultivate in government service." He had spent half his life buried in documents, undertaking many tasks, burdened by human relationships.
Having retreated from public life a few years ago, he sought a breakthrough in his cultivation, but human ties are not so easily cast off, and he found himself called out from retirement from time to time.
To say that this sound of nature was marvelous was perhaps an understatement, for this true sound of nature precisely hit a part of his innermost feelings.
Li Youjue then said, "With such a hall, this mountain is not nameless!"
Compared to Yue Leng, he still harbored a greater ambition in government. If he could squeeze into the Political Affairs Hall, the possibility of becoming a True Man of the Age would increase slightly. If not, like Yue Leng, advancing a grade before retirement would also provide more resources for cultivation after retiring.
Thus, listening to this true sound of wind and bamboo, his first thought was of its value.
Jiang Wang smiled and said, "A requested meeting is not as delightful as an unexpected one; thus, I invite Lord Li to name this mountain!"
Having already decided to establish good relations, Li Youjue did not demur and immediately said, "With myriad silks and bamboos confusing the ear, this sound soothes the ear. Duties exhaust the body, this hall calms the mind. Let us name this mountain ’Funing.’"
...
...
...
ps:
"Long confined within a cage, to return to nature at last."—Tao Yuanming, "Returning to My Farm"
"Without the chaos of silks and bamboos to the ears, without the fatigue of documents to the body."—Liu Yuxi, "Inscription for a Simple Room"
More tonight.
