Chapter 38

In the Tang Dynasty, singing was mostly done in the form of recitation, where the content of the poetry was recited with musical accompaniment, expressing emotion. This was far less ornate and emotionally intense compared to later generations, and it was simple and easy to understand.

Princess Pingyang and Pei Qingyi both had some musical training. The former, born into a noble family, had some knowledge of various arts, while the latter, due to her master Hongfu, had learned a set of songs and dances. Both could feel the depth of Luo Shixin's "Hidden Dragon, Lying Tiger."

However, the former focused on the meaning, while the latter focused on the technique.

Princess Pingyang thought to herself, "What a profound interpretation of a thousand years of history... What a great mission, with a heart full of hardship and a body of toil... What a noble cause, writing articles and displaying ambition... Luo Shixin has great ambition, is brave and wise, and is also unyielding and bold, truly a different person from before."

Pei Qingyi was also thinking, "This song is full of grandeur, similar to the sword dance, I wonder if it can be integrated." She then said, "Princess, I once told you that our sword dance lacks a force that can震撼 the heart. Now I know what it is. The song, a song like General Luo's that can be integrated into the dance."

It was not long before Li Yuan's birthday, and Princess Pingyang had prepared a sword dance to celebrate. Princess Pingyang was no ordinary woman, and the dance and music she prepared were unique, using war drums as music, military formations as the shape, and a fierce and sharp sword dance, forming a large-scale martial dance to highlight the martial spirit of the Li Tang dynasty.

Pei Qingyi was the sword dance instructor invited by Princess Pingyang, responsible for all matters related to the sword dance. Upon hearing Luo Shixin's song, she immediately felt inspired.

Princess Pingyang was somewhat hesitant. In this era, singing was not on par with the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, which were considered refined. Singing, on the other hand, was always associated with performers, who had a low social status. After some hesitation, she said, "Let's see about this!"

Pei Qingyi also understood the key issue, sighed, and said no more.

Luo Shixin was completely unaware of the two women's dilemma next door. He knew that in ancient times, singing was looked down upon, but he did not care. Singing was one of his hobbies, and he sang whenever he wanted, regardless of what others said. If they were不服气, they could just fight it out and see who was stronger.

Seeing Zheng Liwan's eyes sparkling, Luo Shixin felt a great sense of satisfaction and allowed the girl to watch. He calmed himself and continued to ponder the principles of martial arts.

Why would a song trigger a resonance in martial arts and evoke the warrior's spirit? It couldn't be that one had to sing every time they fought, that would be ridiculous.

What evokes the warrior's spirit is not the song itself, but the feeling the song brings, that overwhelming sense of grandeur, a mental state.

Martial arts are techniques and skills, while the warrior's spirit is a spiritual elevation. When the two are combined, it becomes a unity of heart and skill, where the mind is not fixed on one point but encompasses all subtle changes, achieving a state of seeing without seeing, perceiving the whole picture.

Understanding this, Luo Shixin was greatly excited. He took a deep breath, and his entire mind became clear and transparent, free of any distractions.

Seeing without seeing, perceiving the whole picture.

In the training ground, every color and every detail were vivid and layered, as if he had a God's-eye view. The trajectory of every leaf swaying in the wind was clearly visible to him. "Clang" the silver spear thrust diagonally, forming a graceful arc and stopping after seven feet, with a leaf steadily resting on the spear tip.

He retracted the spear and examined the leaf on the tip. The thin leaf had no hole, but a small hole existed on the central vein of the leaf.

That lightning-fast thrust had accurately pierced the central vein of the leaf.

"Got time, I'll go practice with Brother Qin again!" Luo Shixin looked at the leaf, and this thought came to mind. He believed that the next time he faced Qin Qiong, he would no longer feel the frustration of having strength but no place to use it.

With this new understanding, Luo Shixin swung the spear again. The moves were the same, the strength was the same, but this time the momentum was completely different.

"How is it?" Luo Shixin felt excellent and couldn't help but ask Zheng Liwan, who was watching.

Zheng Liwan tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said, "The spear is like it's alive, I can't even follow it with my eyes!"

Even Zheng Liwan, an outsider, could see the change in Luo Shixin. She expressed it in the simplest way: because the moves and the spear were now guided by the mind, they seemed alive, unpredictable, and elusive.

Luo Shixin said, "The little girl has good eyes. My original spear technique was lifeless, lacking a soul. Now my spear is alive."

"That's right!" Zheng Liwan proudly raised her head, "Don't you know who I am, Zheng Liwan! How could I be wrong... Wait, what little girl, I'm not a little girl." She suddenly realized and angrily pounced forward like a little lioness.

"Ha! Let's eat!" Luo Shixin easily dodged and laughed as he walked into the shower room.

Zheng Liwan grumbled, "What's little about me, I'm old enough to get married."

Luo Shixin had breakfast under the glare of the little lioness.

After breakfast, Luo Shixin went to his post in the Right骁Wei, temporarily handling some trivial matters for the Right骁Wei General, then went to the training ground to train the soldiers.

As the sun approached noon, a guard outside the training ground suddenly reported: The Crown Prince requests an audience.

Luo Shixin wiped the sweat from his brow, had Mo Hu'er continue leading the training, and walked out of the camp.

The refined and elegant Li Jiancheng stood calmly outside the camp, with some officials of the Right骁Wei, who had heard the news, anxiously waiting nearby.

Seeing Luo Shixin come out, the chief secretary Hu Yong said, "The Crown Prince has come, and the general does not show any courtesy, making the Crown Prince wait in the scorching sun. What kind of decorum is this?"

Luo Shixin glanced at him, ignoring him completely. This unknown scholar had somehow become a chief secretary, with no real skills but adept at flattery. In the military camp, the Crown Prince was just the Crown Prince; without permission, he could not enter.

He directly saluted, "I greet the Crown Prince. Military orders are as heavy as mountains, please forgive me... Please come in!"

Li Jiancheng smiled and said as he walked, "No problem, I understand military matters and know this principle. Secretary Hu is well-intentioned, and the general should not take it to heart. I have no urgent business today, just finished some official duties and was taking a walk. I happened to pass by the Right骁Wei and thought of the general, so I came to see. When the positions of Right骁Wei General and Commander were vacant, the Right骁Wei was not functioning smoothly. I thought General Luo, with his battle experience, could handle the responsibility, so I recommended to the Emperor to transfer the general to the Right骁Wei. I came to check on the situation. I have already inquired, and the results make me proud; I did not misjudge the general."

Luo Shixin inwardly sighed: Li Jiancheng's words were extremely well-crafted, both praising him and letting him know that his entry into the Twelve Wei was entirely due to his recommendation.

"The Crown Prince flatters me, I merely chose a path of non-action."

Li Jiancheng laughed, "Then are they also non-action?" He pointed to the soldiers on the training ground, his eyes shining with approval and enthusiasm.

An expert sees the technique, an outsider sees the excitement.

Luo Shixin had been in charge of the Right骁Wei for less than ten days, and the overall quality of the soldiers had not improved much, but the atmosphere was completely different.

An army with fiery passion could never be a weak force.