Chapter 192: Anji’s First Music Lesson
Whatever her shifu had in mind for the next step of her cultivation training, Anji was not expecting a music lesson. They were clearly at a library, but numerous instruments were scattered throughout the reading hall. Tables had been pushed aside to create space, and Yan Ping told Anji to try them out.
"Shifu..." Anji hesitated. "Won’t I be disturbing the others by playing an instrument in the library?"
It wasn’t an ordinary library. This was a library exclusively for senior researchers and elders, as it contained many rare records with unverified information that had not yet been confirmed. The presence of taboo books and controversial topics might create misunderstandings with other sects if they are found in commonly accessible areas.
Chuckling at Anji’s obvious confusion, Yan Ping hid her smirk. With her, the sect master, around, who would dare berate her for making noise in a library? Anji was certainly humble. However, it was about time to show her what becoming a successor of the Mystical Qilin Sect truly meant.
"Look around," she told her disciple. "Do you see anyone?"
Now that Yan Ping mentioned it, Anji blinked. She scanned the library and realised, indeed, that there was nobody. It was too quiet. Although this library had restricted access, Anji knew there would always be at least one or two senior researchers working in it. Not to mention, there was always one librarian on access duty to check for visitor entry tokens at the entrance. When she followed her shifu in earlier, she saw none of the usual people.
Even if Yan Ping was blind, she could imagine Anji’s reaction as understanding clicked in her brain.
"Did you reserve the entire library today?" the child gasped, staring at the instruments in front of her. "Why didn’t we use the music room?"
That was a valid question. Yan Ping initially thought of using the music room. They had shifted all these instruments out of the music room after all. However, the music room lacked the security talismans that the restricted library had. Moreover, the restricted library was located deep underground in a cave. Unlike the music room constructed above ground, the natural qi gathered here was stronger. Anji would need that to understand the Seven Sound Mantra she would be teaching today.
"When you own a restaurant, would you rather dine in a private room or eat with others in the common area when hosting an important guest?"
The question was a no-brainer. Her second brother would always reserve the best establishment for family and friends in the businesses he owned without question.
Even without needing a reply, Yan Ping had a feeling Anji now understood her reason without any explanation. You do not need a valid reason for treating important people right. You do it because it is the correct thing to do.
Feeling more comfortable about breaking sacred library rules, Anji looked at the instrument buffet. Truthfully, she had never truly been curious about instruments. Her second brother would occasionally play one. Mingshen was a jack of all trades and played just about every instrument, from zither to flutes. He did not often play complicated tunes. If anything, he preferred to play children’s songs to entertain Anji in his free time when she was younger, back when they were still in the Celestial Dragon Sect. It had been years since Mingshen played any instruments, but Anji vaguely recalled how some of them were played.
"Shifu, Anji has never learned how to play an instrument. Is it possible to get a demonstration? They look difficult to play..."
Humming, Yan Ping agreed. It had never really occurred to her that music education was not part of Anji’s upbringing. It was common for young ladies raised in wealthy families, martial sects, or otherwise, to learn the basic womanly arts, such as embroidery, poetry, and music. Even Liu Yanxia was able to do the basics even if most people would relate womanly arts with Hong Nian Niang instead.
Not wanting to overwhelm Anji with information about the different types of instruments, Yan Ping categorised them into four major groups according to their playing styles. Anji listened carefully as her teacher demonstrated the four ways to play any instrument.
"The first type are strings," Yan Ping pointed. "However, there are two major ways to work with them. You either use a bow or pluck them."
Picking up an erhu, Yan Ping played a simple warm-up exercise to demonstrate how the sound can bend flexibly according to sliding finger positions. The level of difficulty in pitch accuracy with such instruments would naturally be higher. However, in contrast to bow movements, plucked strings have more pitch control. Anji clapped after Yan Ping picked up a pipa and played a popular melody in jianghu taverns. It was a song written about Anji’s father in his heroic moment slaying the demonic lord.
"Next, there are wind instruments that produce sounds when air is blown into them. They require good stamina, and the sound can be awful if you’re not good at controlling your breathing. Singers tend to do better with them because they have good breath control. The last kind is something you hit to produce a sound. They are the easiest type of instrument for beginners. Drums are often used, and rhythm is key to playing percussion-type instruments. However, we’re not here for an actual musical performance. Rhythm is not as important as tune today."
Anji recognised the flute. However, it was larger than she had imagined. The bamboo might look light in her brother’s hands. However, her fingers were too small to cover the holes perfectly, so she had to give it up. On the other hand, the drums and brass pans were very cumbersome to carry around. If Anji was going to learn an instrument, she wanted to be able to carry it around easily.
Looking for a little longer, Anji quickly dismissed the bigger instruments that required frames and proper positioning.
Eventually, her eyes landed on something round and small. Initially, she thought it was part of the library decoration. The little vase had holes, making it a rather inefficient plant holder. However, when Yan Ping told her that it was a Xun flute, Anji became excited.
"Normally, a xun is sculpted out of clay and has about five holes. However, this xun is crafted by one of the previous sect masters. It could be considered a useless treasure of our sect, but this xun is made from porcelain bone and imbued with many preservation spells."
Unlike normal Xun flutes, this treasure had ten holes. Covering a different combination will produce a different sound. Unlike the bamboo flute, Anji found it easier to create a stable sound just by blowing into it. Although the sound range was more limited, it resembled a whistle and was only the size of a goose egg.
"Shifu, I’d like to choose this instrument!" Anji declared. "I’ll take very good care of it!"
Although it was an unusual choice for beginners, Yan Ping approved. Anji did not need to become a master musician. All she needed to learn was seven notes, and the Xun flute might be perfect for that cause.
"Very well," she smiled. "Let’s start with the basics."