TFOD Chapter 69

Wei Wuxian took out his flute and played a section according to the score. Sure enough, the two pieces of music were disconnected. The half of the score on the previous page and the half of the score on the next page were not from the same melody at all.

There should have been another page in between these two pages, which was carefully and tracelessly torn away.

This person tore it very carefully, without leaving any remnants of the page, making it difficult to detect. Wei Wuxian flipped through the booklet, and saw that the dark blue cover had a three-character title written on it.

Wei Wuxian said, “《Disordered Soul Melody》? What kind of book is this? The tune in it is a bit strange.”

Lan Wangji said, “It’s a collection of secret eastern melodies.”

Wei Wuxian said, “From the east? No wonder the tune is a little different from ours here.”

Lan Xichen’s expression was complex, and he said, “…《Disordered Soul Melody》, it is said that a cultivator from the Gusu Lan Sect drifted overseas by boat, wandered in the eastern lands for several years, and collected a book of evil melodies. If these melodies in this book are played with spiritual power, they can be used to harm people, either causing them to wither away, become irritable, have their blood surge, or their five senses fail… Those with high spiritual power can take lives within seven notes.”

Wei Wuxian slammed the table and said, “That’s it!”

He was happy in his heart, and this slam almost knocked over the paper lamp on the desk. Lan Wangji quickly steadied it. Wei Wuxian said, “Sect Leader Lan, in this 《Disordered Soul Melody》, is there a melody that can disturb the mind, make the soul agitated, make the blood surge, and make someone irritable and angry?”

Lan Xichen said, “… There should be.”

Wei Wuxian asked again, “Jin Guangyao’s spiritual power is not good enough to take lives within seven notes, and it would be too obvious to do it that way, he definitely wouldn’t choose this kind of evil melody with strong lethality. But if he used the excuse of playing the Serene Heart Tune for Chifeng-Zun to help him calm his mind, and played it continuously for three months, is it possible for this melody to catalyze Chifeng-Zun’s outburst, like taking a chronic poison?”

Lan Xichen said, “…Yes.”

Wei Wuxian said, “Then the speculation is very reasonable. That incomplete score that doesn’t belong to 《Cleansing Hua》 is from a lost page of this 《Disordered Soul Melody》. The eastern evil melodies recorded in 《Disordered Soul Melody》 are quite complex and difficult to learn, and he didn’t have time to copy it in the forbidden book room, so he had to tear it away–no, that’s not right, Jin Guangyao has the ability to remember everything he sees, he tore this page away not because he couldn’t remember it, but to eliminate the possibility of proof. In case one day the truth is revealed, or he’s caught on the spot, he would have no way to prove the origin of this melody.

“Everything he did was extremely cautious. In front of you, he played the complete version of 《Cleansing Hua》 calmly. Chifeng-Zun was not someone who was fond of elegance, he had heard you, Sect Leader Lan, play 《Cleansing Hua》 before, so he should have a rough idea of the melody. Therefore, Jin Guangyao didn’t dare to play the evil melody directly for him to hear, but he went to great lengths to blend two completely different styles, and completely opposite effects of music into one, and he could even blend them so seamlessly and naturally. His musical talent is truly remarkable. I guess, he only used a little bit of spiritual power in the 《Cleansing Hua》 passages, and only exerted his force in the 《Disordered Soul Melody》 passages. Chifeng-Zun, after all, was not proficient in this, so he naturally couldn’t tell that one of the passages had been tampered with by Jin Guangyao and made into a life-threatening evil melody!”

After a long silence, Lan Xichen said in a low voice, “…Although he often visited Cloud Recesses, I have never told him about the forbidden book room at the bottom of the library.”

Wei Wuxian said, “Sect Leader Lan, forgive me for speaking bluntly, but during the Sunshot Campaign, Lianfang-Zun was an undercover agent in the Qishan Wen Sect’s Nightless City, and a very successful one. He could even find Wen Ruohan’s secret chamber, and sneak in without being noticed, memorize all the maps and files, and transcribe the information and send it back to Golden Carp Tower. In front of him, the forbidden book room of the Lan family library… really doesn’t count for much.”

Lan Xichen took the paper with the incomplete score in his hand, stared at it for a while, and said, “I’m going to think of a way to try out this incomplete score.”

Lan Wangji said, “Brother?”

Lan Xichen said, “The time for the siege of the Burial Mounds had already passed when Older Brother passed away, and Young Master Wei was already gone from this world. If this score is indeed capable of disturbing people’s minds, and not a fabrication, then I…”

Wei Wuxian said, “Ze Wu-Jun, using a living person to test an evil melody is against the Gusu Lan Sect’s family teachings.”

Lan Xichen said, “I will try it myself.”

As the head of the Gusu Lan Sect, he actually said such a ridiculous thing, which showed that he was in a state of confusion. Lan Wangji raised his voice slightly, “Brother!”

Lan Xichen supported his forehead with his hand, as if enduring something, and said in a deep voice, “Wangji, the Jin Guangyao I know, the Jin Guangyao you know, and the Jin Guangyao in the eyes of the world, are completely different people! Over the years, in my eyes, he has always been… bearing humiliation, concerned about all living beings, respecting superiors and caring for inferiors. I have always firmly believed that the world’s criticisms of him are all based on misunderstandings, and what I know is the most real. Do you want me to immediately believe that everything in front of me is fake, that he designed the murder of one of his sworn brothers, and that I was also within his plan, that I even helped him… Can you allow me to be a little more cautious before making a judgment?”

Lan Xichen originally thought that Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao had a grudge, and he wanted them to reconcile as before, which was why he taught Jin Guangyao to cultivate the Serene Heart Tune, and entrusted him to calm Nie Mingjue’s mind in his place. Who knew that his good intentions would contribute to Jin Guangyao’s viciousness? How could he face himself after this?

None of the three spoke anymore. It was not until they left the library that Lan Wangji said, “I will go see Uncle.”

Lan Xichen, who had been silent for a long time, also said, “I’ll take Young Master Wei back. Then you can come over again.”

He led Wei Wuxian along the white stone path in Cloud Recesses for a while, and then returned to a secluded small building with gentians in the depths of Cloud Recesses. Standing in front of the door, Wei Wuxian said, “Does Elder Lan know that Hanguang-Jun…”

Lan Xichen said, “Uncle woke up not long ago, and I told everyone not to say too much to him.”

If Lan Qiren knew what Lan Wangji had done with him in Golden Carp Tower, he would definitely be so angry that he would faint again after just waking up. Wei Wuxian said, “Senior Lan has worked hard.”

Lan Xichen said, “Uncle is indeed working hard.”

Suddenly, he said, “Young Master Wei, do you know what this house is?”

Wei Wuxian said, “Why does Ze Wu-Jun think I would know?”

Lan Xichen glanced at him and said, “This was the residence of my mother in Cloud Recesses.”

Lan Xichen’s mother, who was also Lan Wangji’s mother. Wei Wuxian felt quite strange. The residences of the past leaders of the Gusu Lan Sect were called “Cold Rooms”, and it definitely wasn’t this small house hidden in a corner of Cloud Recesses. Could it be that Lan Wangji’s parents were also incompatible like Jiang Fengmian and Madam Yu, forced to marry, and therefore lived in different places?

It was unlikely that there would be a happy reason for the head of the family and his wife to live separately. Moreover, the wife of the previous head of the Gusu Lan Sect, Qingheng-Jun, was said to be weak and frail, and had been ill for many years and should not see people. The outside world knew very little about it, and everyone privately speculated whether this “illness” was a “disease” that was hard to see, such as disfigurement or disability. Therefore, Wei Wuxian did not ask further questions, and remained silent, waiting for Lan Xichen to tell him himself.

Lan Xichen said, “Young Master Wei, you should know that my father has been in seclusion for many years, and does not ask about worldly affairs. For so many years, the Gusu Lan Sect has been almost entirely managed by my uncle.”

Wei Wuxian said, “I know this.”

Lan Xichen lowered his hand, and the hand holding Liebing was hidden in his white sleeve. He said slowly, “My father has been in seclusion for many years because of my mother. This place is said to be a residence… but it is more like a place of house arrest.”

Wei Wuxian was stunned.

Ze Wu-Jun and Hanguang-Jun’s father, Qingheng-Jun, was also a famous person who caused a stir in his day. He became famous when he was young, and in his prime, he suddenly retired and announced his marriage, and no longer interfered with worldly affairs. He was said to be in seclusion, but in reality, it was more like a retreat. Others had speculated many reasons, but none had ever been confirmed.

Lan Xichen leaned down beside the gentian flower bushes, gently stroking the delicate and thin petals. He said, “When my father was young, on his way back from a night hunt, he met my mother outside Gusu city.” He smiled slightly, and said, “It is said that it was love at first sight.”

Wei Wuxian smiled and said, “Passionate youth.”

But Lan Xichen said, “But this woman was not in love with him, and she killed one of my father’s mentors.”

This was really beyond imagination. Wei Wuxian knew that asking further questions was very rude, but when he thought about how this was Lan Wangji’s parents, he felt that he had to ask, “Why?!”

Lan Xichen said, “I don’t know, but I think it’s just these four words: ‘grudges, right, and wrong’.”

Wei Wuxian did not want to delve into it, and forced himself to press it down, saying, “Then… what happened next?”

“Then,” Lan Xichen said, “My father, after learning the truth, was naturally very painful. But after struggling again and again, he still secretly brought this woman back, regardless of the clan’s objections, and silently married her, and told everyone in the clan that this was his wife for life, and that anyone who wanted to move her would have to pass him first.”

Wei Wuxian’s eyes widened.

Lan Xichen continued, “After the ceremony, my father found a house and locked my mother up, and he also found a house and locked himself up. It was called seclusion, but it was actually to reflect on his actions.”

After a pause, he said, “Young Master Wei, can you understand why he did this?”

After a moment of silence, Wei Wuxian said, “He had no way to forgive the murderer who killed his mentor, and he had no way to watch the woman he loved die, so he had to marry her to protect her life, and then force himself not to see her.”

Lan Xichen said, “Do you think this is the right thing to do?”

Wei Wuxian said, “I don’t know.”

Lan Xichen’s expression was slightly dazed, and he said, “Then, what do you think is the right thing to do?”

Wei Wuxian said, “I don’t know.”

After a long time, Lan Xichen said in a low voice, “My father did this without regard for anything else. The elders in the clan were very angry, but they had watched him grow up, so they were helpless. They had to keep the secret and suggest to the outside world that the Gusu Lan Sect’s wife had a hidden illness and should not be seen. When Wangji and I were born, we were immediately taken out and cared for by others, and when we were a little older, we were handed over to my uncle for teaching.

“My uncle… was originally very upright, and because of my mother’s matter, which caused my father to ruin his life, he especially hated those with immoral conduct. Therefore, he was particularly diligent and strict in teaching Wangji and me. Every month, we could only see our mother once, in this small building.”

The two young children, every day, only faced the strict uncle, strict teachings, and mountains of books. No matter how tired they were, they had to keep their tender backs straight, and become the most outstanding disciples of the clan, the role models in the eyes of others. They could not see their closest relatives for many years, they could not roll around in their father’s arms and act spoiled, nor could they hug their mother and be cuddled.

But they had clearly done nothing wrong.

Lan Xichen said, “Every time Wangji and I went to see her, she never complained about how depressed she was being locked up here, nor did she ask about our studies. She especially liked to tease Wangji, but Wangji was someone who, the more you teased him, the less he would speak, and the less kind he would be. He was like this since he was a child. But,” he smiled, “Although Wangji never said it, I knew that he was waiting for the day he could meet his mother every month. He was like this, and so was I.”

Wei Wuxian imagined the scene of the young Lan Wangji being held in his mother’s arms, his pale face flushed pink, and he also smiled. But before the smile could disappear, Lan Xichen said again, “But one day, my uncle suddenly told us that we didn’t need to go there anymore.

“Mother was gone.”

Wei Wuxian whispered, “How old was Lan Zhan then?”

Lan Xichen said, “Six years old.”

He said, “At that time, he was too young and didn’t understand what ‘gone’ meant. No matter how others comforted him, or how his uncle scolded him, every month, he would still come here, sitting on the porch, waiting for someone to open the door for him. When he got older and understood that his mother would not come back, and that no one would open the door again, he would still come.”

Lan Xichen stood up, his dark eyes meeting Wei Wuxian’s. He said, “Wangji has been very stubborn since he was a child.”

The leaves rustled, the clusters of gentian flowers in front of the house swayed in the wind, tender and enchanting. Wei Wuxian’s gaze fell on the wooden corridor of the small building, as if he saw a small child, with a forehead ribbon, sitting properly in front of the house, silently waiting for the door to open.

He said, “Madam Lan must have been a very gentle woman.”

Lan Xichen said, “The mother in my memory, was indeed like that. I don’t know why she did that kind of thing back then, and in fact, I also…”

He took a deep breath, and admitted, “I don’t want to know.”

After a moment of silence, Lan Xichen lowered his eyes, took out Liebing, and a gust of night wind suddenly brought a strand of melancholy flute sound, the sound of the flute was low and deep, like a sigh.

Wei Wuxian had heard Lan Xichen play Liebing before. The sound of the flute was just like Ze Wu-Jun himself, like a spring breeze, warm and gentle. But at this moment, the sound of the flute was still exquisite, but it did not taste good.

The night wind gently blew, Lan Xichen’s black hair and forehead ribbon were slightly disheveled, but the head of the Gusu Lan Sect, who had always valued his appearance, ignored it completely. It was not until the end of the melody that he put down Liebing, and said, “It is not allowed to play music late at night in Cloud Recesses. Today I have repeatedly acted out of line, making Young Master Wei laugh.”

Wei Wuxian said, “What is there to laugh about? Perhaps Ze Wu-Jun has forgotten that the person standing in front of you is the person who has broken the most rules…”

Lan Xichen smiled, and said, “The life stories of Wangji and I, the Gusu Lan Sect has never revealed to the outside world, and I should not have told you this. Tonight I suddenly wanted to confide in someone, it was a moment of impulse.”

Wei Wuxian said, “Wei is not a talkative person, Ze Wu-Jun can rest assured.”

Lan Xichen said, “But I think Wangji wouldn’t hide anything from you.”

Wei Wuxian said, “If he doesn’t want to talk, I won’t ask.”

Lan Xichen said, “But according to Wangji’s personality, if you don’t ask, how will he say it? There are some things that, even if you ask, he won’t say.”

Wei Wuxian was about to reply when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned his head and saw Lan Wangji walking towards him, bathed in the moonlight. In his right hand, he was carrying two round jars of wine, sealed with bright red tops. Wei Wuxian’s eyes lit up, and he said, “Hanguang-Jun, you are really considerate!”