Entering the Palace (1)
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“Awooo–” While Du Xiao Li showed everyone around the estate, Silver and them had already ran through orchard and into the mountain, howling at the top of the mountains.
“I’ve seen many estates before, but Xiao Li’s estate looks the best, and also the most unique.” Han Ming Xiang said.
“Right, other estates all plant grains, and most were all just for avoiding the heat during the summer and what not, appearing to only have decorative value. Yours has looks and was also farmland!” Meng Jiang Zhuo said with a sigh.
“Hehe, others, I don’t know. I just know that in the next few days, we can eat our fill of grapes!” Ji Liu Xia wasn’t that interested in these. The only thing she paid attention to was food!
“Hehe, let’s go back then. Right now, the sun is getting hotter, careful not to get burnt into black charcoal!” Du Xiao Li said, leading everyone from the foot of the mountain back to the courtyard.
“Miss.” Aunt Xie stood at the entrance, welcoming Du Xiao Li and them, while carrying her grandson.
“Aunt Xie, why are you waiting here again?” Du Xiao Li asked.
“Thanks to Miss, I can look after the children in the estate, so it’s nothing for me to wait here for miss.” Aunt Xie said with a smile. “My husband has already instructed them to have the rooms all sorted out. Please come in.”
“Thank you.” Du Xiao Li said, “Let’s go in.”
Aunt Xie brought Du Xiao Li and them to the rear courtyard. Because Xia Yuan and them had already explained, their rooms were all arranged together in one little courtyard.
“This is large courtyard encasing little courtyard, and your little courtyard also has a courtyard!” Fu Ya Lan said with a smile.
“Xiao Li, you really know how to live!” Meng Jiang Zhuo exclaimed in admiration. Together with her, she would always be pleasantly surprised.
“Hehe, you all go choose your rooms first. Later on, when we don’t go out, we’ll just rehearse in this courtyard. The largest room over there, I’ll have them clean out later. When the sun is too big, we can practice inside.” Du Xiao Li said.
“Alright.”
Everyone went and picked out their own rooms. Afterwards, they went to Du Xiao Li’s room. Du Xiao Li then explained her thoughts to everyone.
She wanted to perform a complete story, reflecting a mystical woman’s legend. Sigh, after pondering, she felt Hua Mulan’s story fit best.
She had Hua Mulan’s story explained and then said, “The front portion will be danced by big sister Jiang Zhuo. This part, you can just show off the feeling of a noble daughter. Afterwards, the second portion, Hua Mulan goes to war, this part, will be danced by big sister Liu Xia. The third portion, removing the armor and returning to the farm, will also be danced by big sister Jiang Zhuo.”
“Then I’ll only be dancing that middle part? That little?” Ji Liu Xia said.
“If you can dance the kind of dance big sister Jiang Zhuo can, you can also have more parts.” Du Xiao Li amusingly looked to Ji Liu Xia. Previously, she was still scared to death, but now she was instead surging with passion.
“Then I’ll just dance my part.” Ji Liu Xia pouted, “What about princess and Ya Lan?”
“Sister Ya Lan and princess, you two will be the accompaniment. Using music to embellish the atmosphere, conveying the story’s emotions.” Du Xiao Li said, “In the beginning, the tempo is rather light and cheerful. Big sister Ya Lan can just perform solo with the zither. Afterwards, in the second portion, need a relatively intense tune. At this time, just use the pipa to perform. Then, in the third portion, a duet with the zither and xiao flute. Just, this way, princess’s parts will be relatively little.”
Han Ming Xiang smiled and said, “It’s fine. I originally don’t need to perform anyways. Just, yesterday, hearing you all talk about it, I thus decided to join in, also helping you all while I’m at it. It doesn’t matter how many parts I have.”
Du Xiao Li pondered for a moment and said, “Since princess knows how to play the xiao, then should also know how to play the bamboo flute too, right?”
(T/N: Xiao is played vertically, while a bamboo flute is played horizontally.)
“Yes, but normally don’t play it very much.” Han Ming Xiang said.
“Ha, then in the first portion, you can start with the flute and perform the first portion together with big sister Ya Lan. Then, use the xiao in the third portion.” Du Xiao Li explained.
“Why can’t the princess use the xiao in the first portion?” Ji Liu Xia asked in confusion.
“Because the mood in the beginning is rather light and cheerful, and the xiao’s sound carries a kind of melancholy, so it doesn’t suit the front part. Right, Xiao Li?” Fu Ya Lan said.
(T/N: If you’re curious what a xiao sounds like—check here; the bamboo flute is generally a higher pitch than the xiao. Also here’s a xiao + zither duet example.)
Du Xiao Li nodded. It was precisely this reasoning.
“But I didn’t bring a bamboo flute this time.” Han Ming Xiang said.
“No worries, I have one here. In the next few days, you’ll just have to make do. When you return, you can then use your own.” Du Xiao Li said.
“Alright.” Han Ming Xiang nodded.
“But, Xiao Li, a relatively intense tune, I can’t come up with one that’s fitting of the battlefield.” Fu Ya Lan said, feeling troubled.
“No matter, I’ll write a music sheet for you in a moment. You can see if it’s fitting or not.” Du Xiao Li recalled the well known piece from her past life, ‘Ambush on Ten Sides’. Using that piece should be fine.
(T/N: This is a solo pipa piece—-old recording but this is like the best version of this piece.)
“Wow, Xiao Li, you also know how to compose music? Heavens, what do you not know!?” Ji Liu Xia looked to Du Xiao Li like she was looking at a strange creature.
“Cough, cough, it’s not composed by me, I just heard it before, that’s all.” Du Xiao Li said.
Soon after, she had someone bring brush, ink, and paper, and wrote out the music score for ‘Ambush on Ten Sides’. Afterwards, she handed it to Fu Ya Lan and asked, “What do you think about this piece?”
(T/N: If you wanna be more amazed at MC’s memory, below is a page of the music sheet for the pipa of this piece; there’s a total of 8 pages of this.)
Fu Ya Lan took the music score. The more she looked the more excited she got, “This piece, this piece……”
“Is it not fitting?” Ji Liu Xia asked.
“No, it’s very fitting. If we use this piece, we’ll definitely shock everyone.” Fu Ya Lan said, “Just use this piece then.”
“Alright, then in the time after, princess and big sister Ya Lan will first practice the tune. Big sister Jiang Zhuo’s dance, we don’t need to worry about either. Then that just leaves big sister Liu Xia’s dance.”
“Haha, with you here, my dancing won’t be a problem either.” Ji Liu Xia very confidently grabbed Du Xiao Li’s shoulder and said with a laugh.
“Don’t be happy too early. From how I see it, Xiao Li’s not going to let you have it easy. You’d best make mental preparations first.” Han Ming Xiang snickered.
