“Bianliang city with a million fireworks, gazing all around at the splendid towers and jade pavilions.” “Bringing forth talented scholars for the Emperor’s examination, Liang Fu Xue rushes for the exam seeking the crimson robes.” “Since passing through the East Capital’s tile market, unexpectedly encountering the rippling river, the troubled carp is about to enter the pot.” “Master …” “It must be Jiexi, I’ll call him over,” Meng Jingyuan turned to Laoyezi but saw him standing still, as if rooted to the ground, his expression frozen on his face. He felt a jolt in his heart, “Grandfather?” If it were some scholarly lines, Meng Laoyezi wouldn’t be adept at it, and he wouldn’t discern the changes in singing style. However, this section of Tai Ping lyrics, no matter how muddled he had become, he would never forget! Because this part was written by his senior brother based on the play “Wang Qing Yu,” originally he was the only one in Huaxia who could sing it. Later, in the new society, the lyrics and style were changed once, and now across Huaxia, everyone sings this section with the new lyrics and new style. Yet that person sang the old lyrics. From text to singing style, nothing was unlike… nothing was unlike his senior brother!! No matter how many years passed, he had never forgotten that his senior brother used to lull him to sleep while writing lyrics by the lamp, teaching him to sing word by word. “Grandfather?” “Old Master?!
Hearing the calls of the younger generation beside him, Meng Laoyezi suddenly realized he had unknowingly shed old tears. As Qi Shejiang sang halfway, he heard the commotion, faintly catching Meng Jingyuan’s voice. He curiously put down the bamboo clapper and pushed through the crowd, only to be left standing in shock.
Amid a crowd of people, there was an old man with tears streaming down his face, looking this way. He was tall and lean, with crescent-shaped smiling eyes that gave a sense of familiarity. Although his face was wrinkled, Qi Shejiang found a trace of old times from those already clouded smiling eyes. He trembled all over, unable to believe, let alone recognize, because that was someone he had long deemed to be no longer in this world; perhaps, people could bear a resemblance…
However, in the next moment, under the concerned gaze of others, the old man looked at him and hoarsely asked, “Young man, who is Qi Mengzhou to you?” In that instant, Qi Shejiang felt as if the world spun around him, a chill spread across his face, and his tears flowed uncontrollably. Qi Mengzhou? Since he joined his master’s sect, his master had given him the stage name Mengzhou, and from then on, he traveled the world under this name.
Chapter Thirty-One The crowd was in utter astonishment, except for Meng Jingyuan and Luo Xia; the rest didn’t understand what was happening. Who was Qi Mengzhou, and what did this name represent?
Outsiders were not very clear, but Meng Jingyuan and Luo Xia had heard of it since childhood. Whenever Meng Laoyezi spoke of the past, it involved his master and senior brother. They had heard more from their parents, and they knew that Meng Laoyezi’s senior brother was named Qi Mengzhou. During the turmoil, Meng Laoyezi and the members of his sect got separated from his senior brother. Only Meng Laoyezi was fortunate enough to be rescued and returned, recognized as an adopted son. His adoptive parents had no children, and he was originally an orphan, so he changed his name to inherit the Meng family’s legacy. Meng Laoyezi established a friendship with Xiao Yinyue after arriving in the capital and learning that Xiao Yinyue came from a province where he asked about things there, leading to the discovery that Xiao Yinyue actually knew his senior brother. However, at that time, Xiao Yinyue confirmed Qi Mengzhou’s death with people from his hometown after failing to contact him multiple times. Although Qi Shejiang shared the surname Qi, he had learned his trade overseas and his father’s family background had long been publicized by the media, so Meng Jingyuan had never doubted any relation to that legendary master who was said to have passed away young. “Jiexi, could it be that you’re a disciple of my Qi master?!
After Meng Laoyezi’s questioning, Meng Jingyuan saw Qi Shejiang’s equally excited reaction, feeling very moved. “Doesn’t your Huayi master have a Western name and surname, and no generational title?”
Qi Shejiang was famously known for his Haiqing leg; he had entered the music association but was rejected by some people in the crosstalk community precisely because he had no master to carry on his mantle. But now, how did a Qi master suddenly appear?
Luo Xia was also in shock, “What on earth is going on? Jiexi really knows Grandfather Meng? What’s your relationship with Qi master? My grandfather clearly said that Qi master regretted not passing down his skills.”
— When Qi Shejiang saw Meng Laoyezi, he was astonished, excited, and tears flowed; everyone witnessed it. To cover up his true inheritance, Qi Shejiang had fabricated a backstory, but now his emotions were on the verge of collapse, hard to believe, and there was no extra thought to continue spinning lies. He almost spoke to himself, “I don’t know… how could it be… He Tian isn’t already… there are others…”
He Tian, upon hearing this name, those in the know became more certain. Very few people knew Meng Laoyezi’s real name now; let alone the volume of information revealed in his words, believing that “He Tian” was already dead.
This perspective was entirely one that could only belong to Qi master. Meng Laoyezi staggered forward, grabbing Qi Shejiang’s hand: “I’m not dead, I was fortunately rescued and survived, changing my name and living! Are you really… are you really my senior brother’s disciple? Did he speak of me to you?” Qi Shejiang stared intently at Meng Laoyezi, finding it hard to express his current feelings.
He wanted joy, how fortunate it was, to meet an old friend across time, yet the old friend was a stranger; he also wanted to grieve, but did not dare to cry out loud, his heart felt as if it were being cut by knives. “…That summer after they got separated, he waited in Juncheng for someone from the master’s sect, saving enough money to go out and inquire about the whereabouts of the army that took them away. Later, he contracted typhoid fever and accidentally ended up in a completely unfamiliar place, with not a single person he knew. He… he recovered from his illness, but he also passed away.” That Qi Shejiang passed away eighty years ago. Old Master Meng was crying inconsolably, “Senior Brother—!!” He pounded his chest and stomped his feet, utterly losing his composure, and the voice that squeezed out from his throat was filled with pain.
He could only bitterly resent why heaven played such tricks on their brotherhood, keeping them from meeting while alive, separated by oceans. By the time they found out, they were already worlds apart. This cry from Old Master Meng made everyone present feel an overwhelming sense of sorrow, nearly bringing them to tears. Meng Jingyuan wiped his eyes and held onto Old Master Meng’s shoulder. Luo Xia also held the old man’s hand and said, “So, you really are Master Qi’s successor? He was just hiding his name overseas? No wonder I heard when I was young that Master Qi’s real name seemed to be Shejiang, so he must have taken you in?”
Who knows how many pairs of eyes were looking at Qi Shejiang, the cameras that had been focused on Old Master Meng now aimed at him. Under such scrutiny, Qi Shejiang was momentarily at a loss and could only say with difficulty, “Yes, he… passed on his skills to me…”
