The Female Soldier

Chapter 27 - A Meaningful Piece

The qinren sat on the stage, shrouded behind cloaks of white that cascaded from the ceiling all the way down to the floor. When the wind blows by and the fabric floats in the air, a low, mysterious song ripples from the stage begin to stir the imagination of the listeners.

The crowd was drawn in by her looks, though the lower part of her face was covered by a white veil, the qinren was like a celestial being sitting beneath a soft glow of serene luminosity. Entranced by the music, her small fingers began to dance across the qin, creating a gentle yet emotional melody from the heart.

It was a song that pictured the happiness of nature, the disaster of men, and finally the yearning of a lonely soul. It was clear what message the qinren was trying to convey, that though war were glorified victories, but to the citizens, it only brought grief and sadness to everyone. Inevitable deaths of soldiers and widowed women. The darkest nights where soldiers wondered if it was their last, and their wives that prayed for their husbands to return tomorrow.

The feelings portrayed were so real and touching, as though the qinren had gone through those suffering herself and is waiting for someone to return.

"Such a sad song shouldn't be played on lonely nights like this," Shou said, standing up.

Tonight, as he planned his vengeance, he recalled that dreadful raining night when his soldier delivered an urgent message to report the ambush of his regiment near the Lingyun valley. Their crossing through that mountain was top secret but yet their enemies were waiting for them. Without hesitation, he set out on his fastest warhorse towards them. But when he had arrived with the reinforcement, all that were left were dead bodies of soldiers with hundreds of arrows embedded in them. It was a bloody massacre. Above them, the Blood Lotus Sect flags were hoisted proudly behind as a warning to him of their doing. He searched every lying body, every tag was found except ten missing soldiers.

They had captured his most trusted aides for interrogation.

That incident was brought up very quickly to the Emperor's ears. Nobody would spare a golden opportunity to dethrone the crown prince for his failure. But the Emperor was not easily swayed by the rumours, but he was concerned of Prince Shou's falling favourability among the court officials because of his increasing military strength. Therefore, the prince was quickly summoned back. Though Shou had wanted to pursue after the sect, but to disobey the Emperor was the same as betraying the country.

Now, with the sect so close to his hands, the untamed rage of that night had begun to resurface. The urge to hunt and kill his enemies boiled in his blood tonight.

Shou knew Moren was waiting for him outside, his swords and armour were calling for him, but something about the fierce melody had stringed his heart to remain still.

The sound of the qin had managed to calm the turmoil in him. The song understood his ache, his loss, and even his deepest regret, and that was, if he could reverse time, he would walk that valley himself and not send his men to die.

As the qin ended the arc of regret, it went on to play an unexpected fourth arc. It was the part that was unknown to him, a future he had yet to experience, a future after a disaster. Shou found himself listening to what the qinren had to tell him.

It was the arc of new meaning. As easily as life could be lost, it also brought a deeper meaning of how precious every life was. No man is higher than the other, and no man deserved unresolved sorrow. The dead has gone to a better place, the living must make living more bearable.

With suffering comes compassion, with loss comes value.

"A meaningful piece indeed," Shou said before he disappeared into the night.