met free Chapter 182 Before the Upgrade: It seems the alliance with the light seagulls is not over, year afte
Chapter 182 Before the Upgrade: It seems the alliance with the light seagulls is not over, year afte
As the years go by, the atmosphere of the New Year grows stronger.
A cold wind blew and snow fell, and the streets and alleys were filled with the atmosphere of the New Year.
The old city wall looked even more ancient in the lamplight.
Snowflakes gradually covered the eaves and ancient trees, but the atmosphere inside Xiao Si's guild hall was lively.
Xiao Sizi and a dozen or so elegant young men were sitting around a round table, preparing to begin a poetry gathering.
Their inherent enthusiasm seemed to dispel the chill, and everyone discussed things with great passion.
"Ladies and gentlemen, today is different from the past. We are not limited by any theme. Let's try to compose a 'Lang Tao Sha Ling'. This is a great opportunity to show off our talents!"
A young scholar dressed in purple, holding a feather fan, said: "'Lang Tao Sha Ling' is actually a ci poem title with many other names. Does anyone know them?"
Everyone responded enthusiastically:
"Passing the Dragon Gate", "Refining the Elixir", "The Flower Seller's Cry", "The Melody Enters the Darkness"...
Zi'an sat at the desk, flipping through Xiao Si's notes, and excitedly told Xiao Si about the origins of these time travelers.
His tone was somewhat smug, because he himself had participated in this historical journey.
Zi An: This ci title originally came from the imperial music academy of the Qing Dynasty, belonging to the Xiezhi tune. It includes both vocal poems and lines of varying lengths. You see, even Liu Yuxi couldn't resist showcasing his talent within it, creating nine vocal poems. Can you guess what one of them is about?
Little Si curiously leaned closer, squinting its eyes: "Hmm, could it be 'The Yellow River winds nine times, its sands stretching ten thousand miles, waves tossed and winds battering the white horizon'?"
Zi'an admired Xiao Sizi: "That's right! This poem is the very origin of 'Lang Tao Sha'. The tune name even follows this poem, isn't that amazing?"
Little Si listened intently, a look of sudden realization appearing on its face:
"Oh, so that's how it is! Then Li Yu's 'Lang Tao Sha Ling' from the later dynasty was also related to this ci poem title, right?"
Zi'an nodded like a schoolteacher:
"That's right, Li Yu did write two particularly famous 'Lang Tao Sha Ling' poems, but don't underestimate them. In that era, this ci (lyric poetry) form was incredibly popular, especially the short ci poems, which were practically the Song people's favorite."
Xiao Si: "What a troublemaker! Drinking useless wine and indulging in useless emotions... I wonder if our conversation today can influence its 'useless soul'?"
Zi'an couldn't help but laugh out loud, and pursed her lips:
"You little rascal, you really know how to dream. But speaking of 'Lang Tao Sha,' do you know He Zhu? His 'Qu Ru Ming' is so eerie and mysterious, it's even more so than Pluto itself..."
Little Si laughed: "What language is that? But back then, everyone was so eloquent and talented, their writing was so 'ethereal'! It's just that if I studied it, I'd only end up being a useless person..."
Zi'an laughed, thinking to herself that her writing style was corrupted by Xiao Si.
Qu Youjiu, standing to the side, looked at Xiao Si's earnest and disappointed expression and teased:
"Little Si is not a useless person."
Xiao Si couldn't help but laugh: "Well, thank you for your useless encouragement, Grand Chancellor Qu..."
Qu Youjiu gave her a look, as if to say, "I'm already the prime minister, how could I possibly leave you behind?!"
The young prime minister, Qu Youjiu, was in high spirits.
"The New Year is just around the corner, and we are gathered here today. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. How can we, such talented and spirited young people, miss this moment of triumph!"
Xiao Si glanced at Qu Youjiu, her eyes showing a hint of disdain:
"Oh dear, Ninth Brother, don't get carried away! You're now a young prime minister, busy with countless affairs of state, where would you find the time to compose poetry?!"
Then, Xiao Si turned her gaze to another boy and introduced him with an approving tone:
"This is Qu Youjiu's close friend, a man of exceptional talent. Uh, just a side note..."
Since Qu Youjiu entered officialdom, and if you will forgive my bluntness, his romantic spirit seems to have waned considerably, and his talent has diminished by more than half. I suppose he's been tormented by meetings and management...
But don't worry, luckily, Nan San is here.
Without his leadership, we wouldn't have this poetry gathering today.
He was the initiator and the selector of our poetry gathering today…
Everyone clasped their hands in gratitude, to which Nan San humbly responded:
"It's a pleasure to meet you all! You flatter me. My meager skills are nothing more than a source of amusement for you."
They looked at each other and smiled, each encouraging themselves inwardly, but none of them wanted to be the first to show off their talents.
Xiao Si turned to Brother Pu and encouraged him, "Brother Pu, why don't you demonstrate first?"
One of the boys, whose eyes revealed a hint of insecurity, poked his brow with the tip of his pen, hesitated for a moment, then suddenly looked at Nan San beside him, blushing slightly.
"Then, shall I start with a song? If there's anything inappropriate, please feel free to offer your guidance."
Having said that, he flicked his finger, focused his mind, and began to write:
Having paid the tavern bill, I could finally sleep peacefully. Diao Chan was presented at the Great Locust Palace. Reaching Jiangnan, I realized it was all a dream; snow weighed down the fishing boats.
Lingering by the ancient plum blossoms, a past bond continues. The pale yellow snow has cleared, and everything is serene again. Remember this most wondrous thing: the New Year is just around the corner.
Everyone cheered encouragingly, eager to try it themselves...
In this chaotic time and space, the "Great Battle of Ci Poetry" in the villa of Qu Youjiu, Zi'an, and Xiao Sizi has become the most popular and avant-garde entertainment activity of this era.
Look, these time travelers don't play by the rules; they've even ruined ancient classics.
Xiao Si took a sip of tea, squinted his eyes, and pondered carefully:
"Look, Ouyang Xiu wrote 'Lang Tao Sha' when he saw off a friend in Luoyang! I remember he said in the poem, 'Let's raise our cups to the east wind and enjoy this moment together!'"
Zi An smiled slightly and patted Xiao Si's shoulder:
"Yes, that's right. Xin Qiji's 'Yu Meiren Cao' can also be used to create a new style."
He coughed softly, as if entering an "artist's" state:
“‘Refusing to cross the Yangtze River, the jade tent hastily departed. Now even the grass and trees remember the hero, singing the song of Yu Xi on that day, and dancing in the spring breeze’—how about that, so heroic and tragic yet full of passion!”
Nan San stood to the side, holding a rolled-up paper fan in his hands:
"Don't rush, watch me unleash an 'emotional storm'!"
He cleared his throat and began to recite:
"Lights on a boat in the rain, thoughts of the traveler linger. Spring grass and autumn mist at the farewell pavilion, as if the vow with the light gulls is not yet fulfilled, year after year."
Memories flood back, nothing surpasses the West Garden, where the fragrant water lilies have faded, their green moss now mere coins. The swallows, unaware of spring's passing, now perch on the swings.
Little Si was stunned, then suddenly a thought struck him, and he remembered a poem by an anonymous author. His eyes lit up:
"Hehe, inspiration strikes! I'll sing one too! Ahem—"
She quickly looked down and wrote a line, then looked up and proudly raised her chin:
"The wind outside the curtain at dawn blows away my dreams. I ascend the painted pavilion again, but with whom will I share this moment? I remember the jade hairpin carelessly poking at the flame, the precious inscription now just an empty shell."
Looking back at Zijin Peak, the rain moistens the thick mist. A river of spring waves, in a state of blissful intoxication. Tears from yesterday remain on my silken lapel, to be flicked onto the migrating wild geese.
"So, aren't you quite the emotional person?"
Everyone who looked at her "work" couldn't help but praise it.
Qu Youjiu also revealed a helpless smile:
"You time travelers have not only ruined history, but you've even ruined poetry! It's enough to make anyone weep with envy..."
Xiao Si waved his hand and said with a smile, "We're not 'playing around' at all, this is learning, learning that transcends time!"
So, amidst the lively chatter, the group continued to talk about words, poetry, and history, completely disregarding what others thought.
Xiao Si knew that she had seen this new trend of "mutual exchange between the Tang and Song dynasties" in the future world!
In fact, a few days later, she would experience the same poetry gathering, the same gathering, but upgraded, one that would overturn her imagination of millions of years!
But she could never return to the future world, and now that time travel was becoming increasingly unstable, she couldn't help but worry...