Chapter 73: To Bestow Marriage
“A Dream Remembering the Past…Wonderful! That’s a great name!” Wang Bo exclaimed loudly in admiration, then hurriedly got up. Facing the emperor, he clasped his hands together. “Your Majesty, please excuse this old man, I have need to go ahead. If I do not take note of this tune, I will become restless.”
After speaking, he hurriedly stepped out without waiting for the emperor’s response. This old man’s footsteps indicated him speeding past everything and his attendant became extremely frightened by his actions.
After bidding farewell to Wang Bo, Long Yin turned around and carefully observed Ye Wuchen. He sighed and sadly remarked, “I just realized today, that I’ve been living a meaningless life. Before leaving the palace today, I did not know what a true painting or a true flute song was. Wuchen, you really are… a magnificent talent!”
“Your Majesty, you are overestimating me. All of this was made possible under the guidance of my teacher. Without him, there will be no Wuchen.” Ye Wuchen answered. He carefully placed the jade flute inside his sleeve with absolutely no intention to return it to Hua Shuirou.
Hua Zhentian had witnessed the action and suddenly gave him a bull-like stare. He then spoke to his daughter, “My beloved daughter, do you still want that flute back? The young fellow even dares to take ownership of one of my daughter’s possessions. Let’s see if I don’t…a few moments ago my tears almost fell. That oppressive feeling in my heart makes me want to violently beat this kid up.”
“No, daddy… don’t ask me, don’t talk to me…” Hua Shuirou covered her tear-stained face, shaking her head in dismay. She was feeling…like a complete failure. That’s right, a complete failure. She had done something unforgivable, something she wouldn’t even dare to think of. Moreover, every incident involved that person.
Hua Zhentian scratched his head. “Okay, I won’t say any more.”
“Hoho! If not for your own natural talent... even a teacher with heavenly skills would not be able to produce such an outstanding disciple.” he then turned to face Lin Xiao, “Lin Xiao, your artistic attainment with the flute was really an eye-opener and you did not over exaggerate your skills. But the winner for this stage is still Wuchen, do you not agree?”
In middle of A Dream Remembering the Past Lin Xiao felt like he had been startled into losing his soul. There and then he was certain of yet another defeat. Even the very idea of having the best and most unbeatable flute playing… even that was crushed.
His face paled at remembering what he had said before. Flute was the other half of his life, this was a fact. Now that he lost, does it mean that he must abandon this other half of his life?
“You must have absolute self-confidence else you wouldn’t make light of your life and bet it on this irrelevant competition, more so on a bet that has no payback. Only a fool can do such things…” thinking of what Ye Wuchen had said to him previously, his heart trembled. From the very beginning, the only thing that he had prided himself with—his incomparable skill with a flute—was nothing but a joke. That self-confident statement that he had made was yet another slap to his face.
What kind of person is he….
Those currently looking at him…were few, a small number, most of them had expressions of pity, comfort, and compassion. His own father and grandfather were looking at him full of disbelief, as if they were the same as he, unable to believe with their own eyes that someone like this person existed.
Before, he was an eye-catching star, everywhere he went his light shined radiantly, catching people’s attention. Now, he was still a star, one even brighter than before, but Wuchen was a sun, whose light superseded his own. When standing side by side, his own light shamefully appeared dimmer.
Why was this not a dream?
Since I, Lin Xiao, exists, why should there be a Ye Wuchen?
“I’m convinced! Convinced and ready to concede. I, Lin Xiao, in my twenty years of existence, have been convinced by a person for the first time. From now on, “Tian Long’s Number One Outstanding Talent” and “Tian Long Number One Gifted Scholar” - both these titles no longer belong to me, instead, they now belong to you—Ye Wuchen.”
The moment he turned around to face Ye Wuchen, his facial expression was serene, even showing a faint smile. Ye Wuchen slightly raised his brows, thinking to himself, ‘Self-restraint is not a bad thing to have. But in comparison, what I admire even more is your patience.’
“Haha! Lin Xiao, although you lost, you are still considered a rare and outstanding talent of Tian Long Nation as well as the entire Heavenly Star Continent. And your high degree of forbearance is also rare. You are still the pride of my Tian Long Nation.” Long Yin praised, then his face stopped smiling to look serious before he continued, “But, as I heard a while ago, if you are defeated by Wuchen, you will stop using the flute from then on. I will not allow it! Such extraordinary talent should not be wiped out by a single statement. Not only will I decline it, but everyone from Tian Long will also not approve. So, I command you to continue as usual, keeping the flute by your side and playing everyday. If you do not obey, I will punish you!”
Lin Xiao’s expression went stiff, then his whole body trembled as his emotions stirred. All of a sudden he kneeled and kowtowed at the emperor. “Lin Xiao thanks Your Majesty for your grace! Lin Xiao will certainly bear in mind every word from Your Majesty!”
“Haha, okay, get up. This is not a palace, don’t just kneel everywhere.”
Lin Xiao got up, his face showed nothing but happiness. Ye Wuchen smiled discreetly and thought to himself, ‘If I were the emperor, I would surely do the same. If I weren’t able to make use of such an opportunity, then it would be useless being an emperor.’
Long Yin then turned to face Ye Wuchen again, still smiling. “Wuchen, your performance today really surprised me! At the same time, I’m really glad. If not for the competition today, or the appearance of this person called Leng Ya from the Gale Nation, I might not have known that my Tian Long Nation had someone like you. I won’t let this kind of talent slip by. I bestow you the title of Third Rank Marquis. Tomorrow there will be a morning assembly in Tian Long Ceremonial Court. You must attend!”
These words from Long Yin dropped as heavy thunder…Third Rank Marquis at his young age? Perhaps the emperor has gone insane!
Even Ye Wuchen’s father, Ye Wei, who performed outstanding military service and was well-known by everybody as a powerful general, was simply a fifth rank marquis. Although the order of feudal nobility was just an empty title for people in Tian Long Nation, holding no actual power, it still symbolized honor and the emperor’s special favor. Anywhere they go, they would carry the reputation. This third rank noble position caused princes and dukes to work hard all their lives just to earn it. This marquis position can only be earned by being a close relative of the emperor’s.
“Your Majesty, this might seem a little inappropriate.” A person dared to speak out. Everybody looked at the direction of the voice. It was actually the Minister of Literary Education’s Yu Wenli.
“What is inappropriate?” Long Yin said slightly annoyed.
Yu Wenli answered, “Master Ye has a wonderful talent, and he is also a descendant of the God of Sword. Based on my judgement, he is fit to be bestowed the title of First Rank Minister. But Ye Wuchen he is still very young and has not made any previous accomplishments for our Tian Long Nation. His father, General Ye is already a fifth rank imperial marquis, if this kind of announcement reached the public, it might cause some criticism as well as some unfavorable statements against the royal family.”
People nodded in agreement. Ye Wuchen’s talent had really convinced the people that he was as close to a celestial being as possible. But to appoint a position to him based only on his talents; his lack of experience and contribution would cause some criticism. Long Yin laughed out loud. “If I am to betroth my beloved daughter Princess Fei Huang to Wuchen and let her get married by the age of 16, would anyone have any objections?”
Upon saying these words, the entire crowd went silent. The Lin family turned green, while the Ye family was overjoyed.
Translated by: Fatty_Uncle
Edited by: serioustpotato & patrick_father_of_dragons