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墨書 Inktalez
After the war ended, Hanno did not remain in the military but returned to the Ancient Culture History Institute to continue his research on restoring Ancient Earth culture. Many people lamented his choice, but even more supported it wholeheartedly. As for the reasons behind his decision, Hanno knew but did not wish to clarify. Life is often best lived in a state of blissful ignorance.
"Pipa!" Chen Mu Yu exclaimed excitedly as she opened the box and took out its contents. The material was not wood but a type of interstellar substance that resembled wood yet was far more durable. It was shaped like a half-pear and had four strings made from the silk of an Alien Spider, strong and flexible. Although Chen Mu Yu could not name all the components—such as the string grooves, tuning pegs, sound hole, and frets—she was familiar with them. She had once played a supporting role of a pipa player and had specifically learned how to play it, giving her a deeper understanding of this instrument compared to others. Hanno had crafted this pipa as a wedding gift for Chen Mu Yu, knowing her passion for it.
As Chen Mu Yu plucked the strings of the pipa, an exhilarating melody filled the air. Though it was only a brief piece, it was profoundly moving.
Hanno applauded, "What a performance of 'Ambush on All Sides.'"
Chen Mu Yu put away the pipa, surprised. "You actually know 'Ambush on All Sides'?"
Hanno smiled. "Don't forget my expertise. After restoring the pipa, I researched extensively about this instrument. 'Ambush on All Sides' is one of Ancient Huaxia's most famous pipa pieces; it is documented in historical records. I found the score and tried playing it. The sound of this pipa truly embodies the lines: 'The big strings clamor like urgent rain; the thin strings whisper softly. The clamor and whispers intertwine, like pearls falling onto a jade plate.'"
"That's Bai Juyi's 'Pipa Song'! Major Han truly lives up to being an expert in Ancient Huaxia history; you even know such ancient poetry," Chen Mu Yu said warmly. She decided she wanted to interact more with Hanno; they shared many common interests, which was far better than having to explain everything to others.
"Don't you know it too? Sometimes I think you know even more than we historians do," Hanno said with a half-squinting smile that seemed casual yet meaningful.
"Because I also have a great love for Ancient Huaxia history and culture!" Chen Mu Yu chuckled, trying to change the subject, but Sun Yuqin brought it up again.
"Mu Yu, the piece you played earlier seemed to be about a battlefield?" Sun Yuqin asked.
Chen Mu Yu glanced at Hanno and replied, "Yes, 'Ambush on All Sides' depicts a famous battle in Ancient Huaxia history—the Battle of Gaixia—showing Western Chu Hegemon Xiang Yu trapped by enemy forces with no way out. That's all I know; for specifics, you should ask Major Han."
Sun Yuqin turned her gaze to Hanno. He smiled and explained, "The Battle of Gaixia is one of Ancient Huaxia's most renowned battles. Han Gaozu Liu Bang forced Western Chu Hegemon Xiang Yu into an ambush situation, leading him to ultimately take his own life at Wu River. 'Ambush on All Sides' is an ode to this battle."
Hanno referenced a scene from Wang Youding's 'Tang Pipa Chuan' from the Ming Dynasty that described Tang Ying playing during the battle: "When the two armies clashed, sounds erupted as if tiles were falling from rooftops. Upon closer inspection, there were sounds of metal clashing, drums beating, swords and crossbows firing, and horses galloping; then silence fell. After a while came mournful songs from Chu; heart-wrenching yet grand were Xiang Wang's lamentations and farewells to his concubine. The sounds of pursuit echoed across marshes until they reached Wu River where Xiang Wang took his own life amidst cries from his remaining troops."
He sighed deeply: "Victory or defeat in war cannot be predicted; enduring shame is what makes a man. The young men of Jiangdong are talented; who knows when they might return?"
Sun Yuqin listened intently, captivated. "It's a pity I never witnessed that battle firsthand."
"But you can hear 'Ambush on All Sides' performed live," Hanno replied.
Sun Yuqin followed his gaze toward Chen Mu Yu and took her hand. "Mu Yu, please!"
At the wedding, Chen Mu Yu played a piece called "Ambush on All Sides," captivating all the guests and gaining quite a few admirers from the military elite. The activity of tossing the bouquet was suggested by Chen Mu Yu, and many young people eagerly rushed forward to try to catch it. Hanno and Elder Brother Li did not participate, believing that since they were already registered as married, there was no need to compete for the bride's bouquet. As a result, Chen Mu Yu aimed in their direction and tossed the bouquet directly to them. The bouquet landed in Elder Brother Li's arms, and after a moment of surprise, he knelt down and presented the flowers to Hanno, earning a chorus of whistles from the crowd.
In this world, both Hanno and Elder Brother Li had lived for thousands of years, but Hanno could not stay here for long. She shared with Elder Brother Li the matters concerning the modern world and the Great Zhou World. After contemplating for three nights, Elder Brother Li decided to cultivate another master of the Fifteen Levels for the Li Family in this world before he and Hanno piloted their Starship away from the planet, disappearing into the vast universe.
Hanno placed the newly acquired gem into a Porcelain Jar, which then emitted a dazzling light. Once the light faded, the shape of the Porcelain Jar changed. It could no longer be called a Porcelain Jar, as it had transformed into a square Bronze Square Zun. The Square Zun resembled the historically famous Four Sheep Square Zun, with each edge measuring one-third of a meter and standing half a meter tall. It featured a long neck and high circular feet, with decorations of banana leaf patterns, triangular Kui patterns, and beast face patterns on its four sides. The center of the vessel was its focal point, with each corner sculpted with one of the four divine beasts: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise.
"It has upgraded!" Hanno said as she touched the Square Zun, addressing Elder Brother Li.
"Do you think the Time-Space Gate has upgraded as well?" Elder Brother Li asked, most concerned about this issue.
"It must have upgraded," Hanno replied as she activated the Time-Space Gate. Indeed, it had changed significantly; it transformed from a single door into double doors, with much more intricate engravings on them. "Go call Zhou Le and the others over; let's see if they can be taken to the modern world."
"Okay!" Elder Brother Li immediately stepped outside and soon returned with Li Zhoule and his wife along with Li Yishu. Wen Zixue had grown a year older and had learned much during his months at school; he was now more sensible and understood how to keep secrets. With school on break, all three returned to the Li Family. As for the two infants, they were too young; Hanno and Elder Brother Li feared they would not withstand time travel, so they left them at home under the care of a Nursemaid.
"Are you ready?" Hanno asked the five of them.
"We're ready!" they replied excitedly. They had long yearned for modern life and were eager to see it; now that the opportunity had arrived, they felt as if they were in a dream.
"Go!" Hanno waved her hand and stepped through the Time-Space Gate first. Li Yishu followed closely behind; indeed, the Time-Space Gate did not obstruct him as he smoothly traveled through time to reach the modern world.
"Is this really modern?" Li Yishu looked around curiously and rushed towards the television hanging on the living room wall. "A television! It's a real television!"
Wen Zixue quickly followed suit: "Let's watch cartoons!"
"Wait! I need to figure out how to use this remote control first!" Li Yishu began examining how to turn on the television and adjust the volume and channels.
They had learned about modern appliances by watching videos that Hanno brought back from Great Zhou but had never operated them themselves; they were somewhat bewildered at first.
Wen Ziyu did not join them in studying the television; instead, she ran into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, took out three ice cream cones, and walked back to where Li Yishu and Wen Zixue were standing. "Do you want some ice cream?"
"Yes!" Li Yishu took an ice cream cone. "How did I not think there would be something delicious in the fridge?"
Wen Zixue was happily devouring ice cream, exclaiming, "Delicious, so delicious!"
Wen Zixia, watching from the side, frowned slightly and advised them, "It's chilly now; you should eat less cold stuff."
"Got it!" the three replied obediently. They had been well brought up, knowing when to stop and never overindulging in tasty treats—though it took some time for them to adapt.
Li Zhoule wandered around the house and noticed it was not very large—definitely a pigeonhole compared to ancient times—but it was exquisitely decorated and luxurious, especially the incredibly comfortable-looking bed that made her want to roll around and sleep on it.
"Zhou Le, Zi Xia, come with me," Hanno said as she led the couple through a door into another suite. Elder Brother Li had purchased an adjacent three-bedroom apartment and a two-bedroom apartment after arriving in modern times, renovating them for his younger siblings. The three apartments were connected by two doors.
Hanno opened one of the doors and said to them, "This is your room; it's the master bedroom of this suite. It has its own bathroom equipped with a bathtub and a water heater. The room has air conditioning and a television, and there are modern clothes in the wardrobe. You can rest for a while; later, when you change clothes, we’ll go out for dinner and shopping to show you around this world."
"Thank you, sister-in-law," Li Zhoule and Wen Zixia quickly expressed their gratitude, filled with anticipation for going out. However, at that moment, they were more eager to try out the faucet that produced running water with just a twist and the magical water heater that could dispense hot water. They had seen it in videos before and found it incredibly fascinating, wanting to experience it firsthand.
Hanno smiled and returned to the living room where the three had already turned on the television. They were engrossed in watching "Qin's Moon: Nine Songs," completely absorbed in the show, even oblivious to their melting ice cream. It was Elder Brother Li who snatched away the ice cream to prevent it from dripping onto the carpet.
"Don't disturb them; let them enjoy their show," Elder Brother Li said as he pulled Hanno aside. "You've worked hard for so long; hurry back to your room and rest."
"I'm not tired!" Hanno protested with a pout.
Elder Brother Li wouldn't hear any objections from her and firmly pulled her back toward their room. "Be good; get some rest. You're pregnant now; you can't wear yourself out."
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