Chapter 937: Zuan Presents Daoyun

He had never imagined that Xie Daoyun in this world would compose an identical poem to the talented woman of the same name from his previous life's history. For a moment, he felt as if he were in a Zhuangzi's butterfly dream.

What was the connection between this world and his previous one? And what was the relationship between this Xie Daoyun and the Xie Daoyun from his own world? He pondered for a long time, racking his brain, but still couldn't figure it out. He decided to stop thinking about it, adopting the philosophy of "enjoy today while you can." After all, the person in front of him was real and alive; why worry needlessly?

"Brother Zu, is this line of mine not very good?" Xie Daoyun asked cautiously when she saw he hadn't spoken for a while.

Xie Xiu felt annoyed. His sister was usually so confident in this area, yet now, facing Zu An, she was doubting her own abilities. So he interjected, "Sister, your line is infinitely better than mine."

Xie Daoyun scoffed lightly, "Who's comparing with you?"

Xie Xiu was speechless. He felt as if he'd taken critical damage; truly, she was his own sister.

Zu An snapped back to reality. "Daoyun, you're too humble. This line is excellent. As it happens, I have a poem here I'd like to dedicate to you."

"For me?" Xie Daoyun's cheeks flushed slightly. Despite her racing heart, she was full of anticipation. "I'm all ears."

Zu An gazed at her serene face and slowly recited:"Remembering willows of that year,A gentle flower, reflected in water, first breathtaking to behold.Where does a pure heart truly lie?Like mountain moon, illuminating snow from the sky."

Xie Daoyun's face immediately turned crimson. They were sitting by the lake, and the water reflected their faces. Was he complimenting her beauty? And what did the second couplet mean? Was he asking where her heart belonged?

"Thank you, Brother Zu. I'll go get some paper to write it down." Unsure how to respond, she simply stood up and fled the scene. By the time she returned to her room, her heart was pounding.

She retrieved her brush and ink. She was normally skilled in calligraphy, and now, learning to draw runes under her master, her penmanship had improved even further. She could transcribe not just a poem but an entire essay quickly. Yet, at this moment, her hand hovered in mid-air, unable to put pen to paper.

"How could he do this? He already has a wife!" Xie Daoyun bit her red lip tightly, her chest rising and falling dramatically, betraying her unsettled emotions.

Wait, Miss Chu seemed to have already divorced him. In a way, he was still single. But the Chu family still seemed quite close to him... Just then, the ink on her brush tip finally gave way, dripping onto the paper. Oh, how annoying!

Outside, Xie Xiu watched Zu An, dumbfounded. If it weren't his own sister involved, he would have truly given Zu An a thumbs-up for his skill. As an experienced ladies' man, he could clearly see the devastating effect of Zu An's poem. His sister's hurried footsteps as she left clearly showed her heart was in turmoil.

He said, exasperated, "Brother Zu, do you really not have any older or younger sisters?"

Zu An shook his head. "No, I'm an orphan."

Xie Xiu inwardly cursed his bad luck; this was a major loss. Oh, wait a minute, he thought. Even if Zu An didn't have a sister, his wife did! Miss Chu, the eldest daughter, had a younger sister. But remembering Chu Huanzhao wielding her 'Wailing Whip,' he shivered and immediately dismissed the idea.

"What are you talking about?" Just then, Xie Daoyun returned. Her complexion had returned to normal, though a faint, almost imperceptible blush lingered.

"Nothing much," Zu An smiled, then looked at the scroll in her hand. "Did you finish writing it? Let me see."

He casually took the scroll of white paper from her hands and unrolled it, unable to help but exclaim, "Daoyun, your calligraphy is truly beautiful." Her handwriting was exquisitely delicate, making it clear from just a glance that it was penned by a gentle and serene beauty. Gao Ying's calligraphy was quite good before, but compared to hers, it fell far short.

"Of course," Xie Xiu boasted proudly. "My sister's 'Zanhua Xiao Kai' calligraphy is famous in Brightmoon City; many people would pay a fortune for a single piece." But as soon as he spoke, he regretted it. Why was he showing off? The more he praised his sister's excellence, the more he would invite covetous attention.

"It's not that exaggerated," Xie Daoyun said shyly. "Many are just trying to curry favor with our father."

"Daoyun, you're being modest. Your talent is evident to us all," Zu An smiled. "Oh, by the way, I owed you a piece of music, didn't I? I've just thought of a suitable one."

"Really?" Xie Daoyun was both surprised and delighted. She already loved music, and after experiencing Zu An's uniquely styled piece last time, her curiosity had only grown.

"Would I lie to you?" In his previous life, Zu An had been particularly curious about the *Guangling San* while watching *The Smiling, Proud Wanderer*. He had specifically searched for it online, though unfortunately, he had only been able to listen to it as a 'keyboard warrior'; he couldn't actually play it. He originally couldn't remember the musical score, but as his cultivation grew, his memory became increasingly powerful, and he could gradually recall things he had seen before.

He then conveyed the musical score to Xie Daoyun using this world's notation. Xie Daoyun was itching to play, so she immediately invited them inside. After all, playing the zither was an elegant pursuit, and doing so while eating and drinking would spoil the ambiance.

Xie Xiu looked dejected, casting a longing glance at the copper pot nearby. He thought, "I haven't even had enough to eat yet," but he didn't dare spoil his sister's mood, so he glumly followed them.

Xie Daoyun first washed her hands with clear water, dried them with a white cloth, and then lit a stick of sandalwood incense. Following that, she carefully took out an ancient zither. Her entire process was filled with classical and serene beauty. Zu An watched in admiration, thinking, *This is what true ritual feels like.*

Soon, the ethereal zither music began to play. At first, there was a slight awkwardness, but Xie Daoyun's skill was superb, and she quickly settled into the performance. Xie Xiu was initially somewhat lackadaisical, but his expression soon changed, and his mouth unconsciously hung wide open by the end. Xie Daoyun, even more so, her chest rising and falling dramatically. She was clearly drawn in by the emotions of the music, utterly absorbed. Zu An was, ironically, the calmest of the three. After all, he had heard the piece in his previous life, and since he had little exposure to ancient zither music, he found it difficult to discern its quality.

All his attention was on her chest, wondering if she rested it on the table when drawing runes. Otherwise, it would be too tiring.

When the piece concluded, the room fell into complete silence. Xie Daoyun remained rooted to her spot, not stirring for a long time. Zu An noticed the fine hairs on her neck seemed to stand on end, and her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. He couldn't help but marvel that she was truly a zither enthusiast, capable of such profound resonance.

After a long while, Xie Daoyun finally looked at him. "Brother Zu, does this piece have a name?"

"This piece is called *Guangling San*," Zu An replied, then immediately regretted it. This was a perfect opportunity to rename it, perhaps something like "Zu An's Gift to Daoyun," and boost his favorability again.

"*Guangling San*..." Xie Daoyun silently committed the name to memory. "By the way, why can I sense sorrow, indignation, and even a martial spirit in this piece?"

Zu An was startled. *Amazing, she could feel all that?* He thought for a moment and explained: "This piece actually tells a story. In ancient times, there was a highly skilled warrior who owed a great debt to a friend. This friend was framed by political enemies and sought out the warrior multiple times. Although he never spoke of it, the warrior understood his friend's intentions. Yet, he never agreed, instead devoting himself to serving his elderly mother. Three years later, after his mother passed away, he finally found his friend and promised to avenge him.

"So, with a single sword, he single-handedly infiltrated the political enemy's mansion and assassinated him despite the heavy guard. Unfortunately, he was then surrounded by approaching soldiers. Knowing death was inevitable, the warrior committed suicide with his sword. Fearing his identity would be recognized after death, implicating his older sister, he deliberately disfigured his face with a dagger before dying. However, his sister later came forward to claim his body, weeping and saying she understood his painstaking efforts, but how could she allow his name to remain unknown..."

After hearing the story, Xie Daoyun was already in tears, and Xie Xiu's eyes were red too. To lighten the somber mood, he hastily added, "He truly was a hero! Waiting to serve his mother completely before carrying out the assassination – that is filial piety. Sacrificing his life for a friend – that is righteousness!"

"I'm more moved by their sibling affection," Xie Daoyun sighed softly. "The warrior disfigured himself before dying to avoid implicating his sister, and his sister chose to sacrifice her life for his reputation. It's truly admirable to think about."

Xie Xiu also slapped the table and exclaimed, "Such heroes and valiant figures are truly inspiring! I wonder when I can..."

He was cut off by Xie Daoyun before he could finish: "I'd rather you be a playboy every day than be like him."

Xie Xiu chuckled sheepishly. "I was just talking. Am I really that kind of person?" *Were Miss Zhang's waists no longer slender, or Miss Wang's charms no longer appealing?* "Such heroism might be inspiring, but was he crazy enough to actually do something like that himself?"