Chapter 20: A Hundred Birds Paying Homage To The Phoenix!
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Under everyone's gaze, Li Hongzheng moved to the side with a solemn expression!
He believed that the dead was all that mattered. No one would dare to joke around in front of the spirits.
He was even more willing to believe that the young man in front of him, who had an even more unique aura than himself, could play the long-lost song!
Li Hongzheng spoke in a low voice, "Regardless of your identity, since you want to play the song of a Phoenix, I yield the floor to you!"
Su Chen nodded slightly, and then walked straight towards the direction of the mourning hall!
With one step forward, it represented Li Hongzheng's approval!
With two steps forward, all the members of the Li Family in front of the mourning hall stood up!
Everyone stared at what was happening in front of them with their mouths agape, unable to react in time.
Three steps forward... finally, the elders in the mourning hall were the first to react. They knew what this meant!
The elder from the Bai clan hurriedly dragged his trembling body into the mourning hall. With a flushed face, he shouted towards the outside of the mourning hall,
"Filial son, filial daughter!
Carry out the ceremony to receive the master!"
His hoarse voice was mixed with an uncontrollable excitement!
His hoarse voice was accompanied by a solemn sense of ceremony!
Everyone's expressions changed!
Li Hongzheng also clenched his fists and stared at Su Chen, who was walking towards the mourning hall step by step!
The last time he witnessed such a scene was decades ago!
This song, which had been lost for a long time, had always been a regret in his heart!
Eight Suona opened the way and played a song, which was the highest welcoming ceremony!
Four Suona bowed to salute,
Eight Suona bowed to their relatives,
A hundred birds bowed to the Phoenix, and all the guests kowtowed three times!
When they heard the greeting, everyone present finally realized something!
This young man was going to play the song, which had been lost for a long time!
Many old men stood in excitement, their eyes fixed on Su Chen, afraid that they would miss out any moment!
This song had been lost for too long. The only people who had witnessed such a performance with their own eyes were the white-haired elders of the Bai family.
The young men were even more excited and expectant. They quickly widened their eyes, afraid that they would miss the song that this elder had been talking about all his life!
Today, they were finally going to see it!
...
In the mourning hall, a few villagers had brought over an armchair from somewhere.
This armchair had a large body. Its simple back and two armrests formed a screen around it!
It could be considered an antique. It had been placed in the school back then and had never been moved away.
Now... it was placed beside the coffin, waiting for Su Chen to take a seat!
Su Chen slowly walked forward, took a few sticks of incense, and bowed deeply towards Tang Ying's portrait!
Then, he lit the incense!
Under everyone's watchful eyes, he sat firmly on the armchair!
This was the only piece of furniture that had an official title attached to it. It had an extraordinary meaning and a domineering aura about it.
However, after Su Chen sat on it, he did not stand out at all. Instead, he gave off the feeling that the armchair was where he was supposed to sit!
His aura spread out, and when paired with the armchair, he gave off the image of a grandmaster!
At this moment... standing in the mourning hall, the face of the elder from the Bai family turned even redder. He mustered up all his strength and shouted towards the outside of the mourning hall,
"Bow!"
Plop!
Juan 'er, who had been in a daze at the entrance of the mourning hall, heard this imposing shout and immediately felt her legs go weak. She knelt down!
For some reason, tears started to well up in her eyes.
A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix!
The guests who had come to welcome them all knelt down!
Everyone finally reacted!
Outside the mourning hall, on a hillside not too far away, nearly a thousand of Principal Tang's former students seemed to have realized something. One by one, they knelt down in the direction of the mourning hall!
White figures began to quickly kneel down, row after row. The vast white crowd that had appeared a moment ago was actually kneeling down like a wave at this moment!
Some young people and children who did not know what was going on were left standing in the crowd. Soon, they were pulled down by the adults who were also wearing mourning clothes.
Nearly a thousand people in white mourning clothes and mourning hats knelt down one after another, covering half of the mountain!
The grand scene on the mountain caused the elders in the mourning hall to be excited and shed tears!
Muddy tears began to flow along the wrinkles!
It had been decades!
The scene of filial sons and grandsons kneeling all over the mountain was replayed!
The scene from that year seemed to be in perfect harmony with the current scene.
The rough old hands wiped away their tears and their vision became clear.
Everything was the same...
Except, they were already different musicians!
But... no matter what, it was the same tune, the same craftsmanship.
The same birds paying homage to the Phoenix!
...
The scene in front of him had a deep impact on Su Chen.
The Suona in his hand seemed to become heavier at this moment.
Outside the mourning hall, Li Hongzheng, who was standing at the side, stared at Su Chen.
He was different from the others who were moved by the meaning of the birds paying homage to the Phoenix!
He was more excited and gratified.
Excited also were the other musicians.
I am glad that there are still people in Huayi Town who are worthy to be worshipped by birds!
The anticipation of the song itself!
One Suona led them all, a total of eight pieces;
A total of eight sections of birds worshipped the Phoenix as it showed its majesty.
Dozens of birds chirped, forming eight hymns for the final piece!
...
Suddenly, the shrill and sorrowful voice came again from the mourning hall:
"All birds paid homage to the Phoenix, to the dead!"
At the sound of his voice, the whole funeral returned to a dead silence!
All those on their knees held their breaths!
Master Li perked up, standing with his hands behind his back.
Looking at Su Chen's eyes, he seemed to recall his blind master.
"When the Suona rings, the birds are kings..."
He muttered softly to himself.
Just as he finished his sentence.., a mournful and deep tone rang from Su Chen's Suona on the grand teacher's chair in the mourning hall!
Unlike the previous Suona that was high and loud, this time, the tone was exceptionally deep and morose!
The subtle voice was as thin as gossamer, but it was precisely the appeal of the Suona!
Everyone calmed their hearts and listened to the voice that was as thin as gossamer.
The entire world seemed to have quietened down.
Outside the mourning hall.
Groups of people kneeling on the ground covered the entire mountain like snow!
That faint sound was like a melody on the hearts of the people, reminding everyone of Principal Tang's past. A mournful voice kept flowing out from their hearts.
The mountain wind blew, fluttering the spirit flags in the school.
Juan 'er, who was kneeling at the entrance of the mourning hall, was crying like rain at that moment.
There was a mournful melody in the bottom of her heart that kept flowing!
It seemed to be the loneliness that her aunt had suffered for eighteen years. It seemed to be a sigh of an unfulfilled wish. It also seemed to be the guilt that she had felt towards her relatives when she was alive...
Principal Tang, whom everyone regarded as a person of high moral standing, was an aunt that she had never met before because they were separated by tens of thousands of miles...
At that moment, as she listened to this song... she felt as if she had known her entire life.
Her tears could not help but fall. Her knees were tightly pressed against the ground. It was as if there was a fishbone stuck in her throat as she suppressed her cries!
Beside her, the two children kneeling beside her looked at their mother's crying face. For a moment, sorrow came to their hearts, and they wept as well
In the distance, all the people kneeling on the ground slowly straightened their backs and looked in the direction of the mourning hall.
At the end of their gazes, it was unknown whether it was the black-gold suona, or the young man with a serious face.
Or perhaps it was Principal Tang, being given the send-off of the ages.
...
After decades, A hundred birds once again paid homage to the Phoenix in Huayi Town!
Li Hongzheng's eyes reddened.
"Whoever who brings forth a hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix at their funeral will bring glory to their ancestors."
A song that could not be bought even with thousands of gold coins!
This song... really could not be bought...
The song seemed soft and gentle, but in fact, it was a torrential storm.
The techniques used were complicated and varied.
The most important thing was... this melody had moved everyone's emotions and made them cry for Principal Tang.
This was where the magic and subtlety lay!
After a moment... the sound of the Suona suddenly changed!
The sound became mournful and high-spirited, and in an instant, its momentum soared to the sky!
It was extremely piercing and seemed to be able to shake one's soul!
In the mournful and high-pitched melody, there was a new force of life.
When the melody gradually calmed down, there was a sound that was similar to the chirping of birds, and the chirping of birds of all sizes was vivid and clear!
Sometimes, there was a mournful and sorrowful sound, and sometimes, there was a sound that was slightly more cheerful.
In just a few melodies, there were already dozens of chirping birds!
This shocked countless elders!
Li Hongzheng subconsciously raised his head, even believing that there were birds flying over!
His blind master had once said:
A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix, in the legends, it is said that blowing the tune to the extreme will attract the birds of the season!
He raised his head and looked.
In the sky, there were no birds
Instantly, he let out a self-mocking sigh.
It was already surprising that this young man could play the song.
How could he expect the best?
The blind master also said that...
It was just a legend...
It couldn't be true!
The melody beside his ear, the sorrowful thoughts...
At that moment, it seemed to become even more solemn.
Suddenly... his gaze inadvertently fell on a branch not far away, and his expression froze.
Then... his entire face changed, and his pupils were dilated!
-- Gift
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