A Maiden's Strange Voyage 20 第20章:Curiosity Can Be Deadly

"Looks like you're up." She gave a nice smile and opened the door, she had done the preparations for her lesson. Dianyu stepped inside without another thought or worry, knowing that it was unlikely to change anytime soon. She took a seat on the stool before looking at the table. One side had papers which hd words written, with them being left out to dry. With paper and ink ready to use, as though she had woke up early for it. She began by taking her brush up.

"Write you name."

"Which one?"

"Your current one."

"I don't know what the characters are."

"Let me show you." Before she began to write it, her name was the most important of them all. If a signature was required, that was her signature. Feiyu had written one word which she did not recognize but knew the meaning because of how easy it was to guess. The other was below her, and the word of feather.

"Is your name like this too?"

"Yes." Before she begin to write it, which was a little tricky. When she was done, she showed Feiyu it. The two words were a little off, but it didn't seem like much of an issue in the first place.

"You should finish the top before moving to the bottom. And then you write what comes next to it." Either way, she complied as she did not have much of an education in the first place. And that there should be reasons as to why it was so. And she did the same for the next, since it was two characters together, she wrote the left before going to the right.

"If that's done, then I have to teach you how to recite a poem. Take this book and copy it." She knew better than to argue, and it was mostly a repertoire of simple words which were useful to have. And the way it had to be written was to be in the precise form, if not she was doing it wrong. She closed the book knowing that this was created to torture her.

"This are some Tang poems which I still remember and kept, and we are going to use them." She didn't need to think of flipping open them, because she did not know any of them at all. That was not even a guess, for a girl like her reading was a luxury that was too expensive. As paper was expensive, much less books. So, she had almost no idea what laid behind these pages.

"Aren't you going to open and choose?" So, she did and opened the book to make her choice. Deciding to choose a poem which seemed to make sense to her, t.i.tled "Lute Song". When she was there, she pa.s.sed it over to Feiyu.

"That's an interesting one." She gave a smile to Dianyu who mostly looked upon it and waited for her to start.

Our host, providing abundant wine to make the night mellow,

Asks his guest from Yangzhou to play for us on the lute.

Toward the moon that whitens the city-wall, black crows are flying,

Frost is on ten thousand trees, and the wind blows through our clothes;

But a copper stove has added its light to that of flowery candles,

And the lute plays The Green Water, and then The Queen of Chu.

Once it has begun to play, there is no other sound:

A spell is on the banquet, while the stars grow thin.

But three hundred miles from here, in Huai, official duties await him,

And so it's farewell, and the road again, under cloudy mountains.

If anything she was rather amazed at how she was able to recite it. Not too fast, not too slow. Breaks in between to allow her to either contemplate the meaning, or for her to catch a breath. If anything, there was emotion behind it even as she did not know what it meant.

"Do you know the meaning?"

"I have almost no idea." She gave a chuckle, since she knew that Dianyu most likely will not have a clue as to what it was about.

"That's to be expected, meanings will come later when you know enough about the language to really guess them. Poetry can be interpreted in many ways after all." And for now, she simply had to look. "But how did I recite it."

"With breaks in between, which can serve as a time for the audience to guess or be able to comprehend what you have said. The words have to have tone, not just be said." She gave an approving nod, which meant that her observations was correct.

"Well, two more things it to a.s.sure that all can hear you if you happen to be in front of an audience. And be careful if they rhyme, you should not do it as though you're singing."

"Like that, although you probably need to know what you're saying first to really bring out the tone." She knew that it was so, if a person did not know then how will they really do this. Although this was merely a beginning to it. Even as it seemed almost at the end, but it was entirely possible that she could continue.

Little chance there was being music since there is no instruments here in the first place. And if it wasn't here, she likely was not going to bring anymore. Apart from her pipa, which was the sole exception to all of this. But still, she did not want to take any chances.

"May I take a break?"

"Yes, you may. Actually, that's all for today." If anything she had never been happier to hear those words. There was a lot of things to learn, but if there was anything else she will have begged Feiyu to let her go. "Be here by evening, as I still need to return."

She went back to her room and placed it on the table, along with a set of ink pot and a brush. She could ask for more once she was done.

She went out of the inn, and into the streets. Taking a chance to look at the place for once, when she was not starving or tired. And her third impression was still rather good even if it was still as fervent as before. Something which was filled with festivities as well as offerings made to the various G.o.ds. She only looked around in politeness and in hopes that she wasn't disrespectful. Even when she did not agree.

Taking a small stick of a dessert, to munch on as she walked the streets. Before she looked around her, taking the chance to look around at her own leisure. And today she was wearing her normal dress, rather than anything else. So, no one saw her as the girl before, since she was not covered in dirt and grime, nor was she dressed in a dress so outstanding that many wondered where was her sense of decency.

But today, she dressed like she will have done back at home.

"Miss, will you like a charm?" An old woman with graying hair showed her it. The charm before her was like others, small trinkets which could be carried around. Some were jade pendants, others were a little more fascinating. "In such a town, they should do well."

"Is there anything wrong with this town?"

"People disappear for no reason." She gave a small grimace. If anything, she was a little convinced that asking further was a bad idea. Even when she really wanted to, her social graces told her so. And yet, she wondered how they disappeared.

"How often?"

"Once a month, sometimes two if we're lucky. They like children who do not know better, young maidens who venture out and men who are often too drunk. And of course, those who will not be missed by many." It was creepy, even if it felt that it was too random. Someone who chooses to abduct them always had an order, the same way thieves only chose to target certain targets more so than others. Only the desperate robbed anyone who was careless enough to try.

And for this, it just felt strange. A charm for luck could not hurt that much. She paid her for one before leaving. Even as she knew deep down they could do nothing, and if there was it was still flimsy for her to believe it.

But still, heading to the town square and taking the chance to look at the town board. She looked at it, where there were many portraits painted and even an entire corner dedicated with it. She was even more worried as to the place. But still she knew better and inside it could not be real. Before thinking about her next move, possibly heading back to the inn.

Merely trying to look for somewhere where she could think of this in a calm manner. She went back in, without another thought. "Do you need a table?"

Remembering that she was a little hungry, she decided to eat something here. It was for the better as well, since there was a long time before she will go with Feiyu. Which could be used to complete the work she was given, as there was not guarantee that she will have enough time if she came back too late. And she doubted it was going to be a short day ahead of her.

Once she was done, she went to look at the book which contained all the words. Even as all she could not get out of her mind was whether they were true. They were indeed creepy, but deep down she wanted to know who and what was behind it. There was this sense of curiosity to guess what had gone on behind it.

She fiddled with the charm, wondering whether she should figure this out. Even as the more sensible part of herself knew that it was better not to pursue this, it was slightly foolish and not the wisest action. But still, she wanted to know.

"You're back?" Feiyu opened the door where she turned it to see the woman. "That's fast, I do think that you probably will have done more sightseeing."

"There just wasn't too much things to be seen." Feiyu gave a raised eyebrow, since she knew that Dianyu was very curious. Although she simply lost interest in it. "Most of it was temples and charms anyway, so I didn't really want to continue."

That should be enough to keep her from guessing. Dianyu knew that she was overreacting, and this wasn't something that spooked her completely. Sure, it did make her a little more cautious and paranoid. But nothing much really, it still wasn't anything particularly mad or different.

"Okay, so you're getting started." She nodded, it wasn't as though she could even do anything in the room apart from it. Even if she was curious, she will have went down to ask them for more leads not go up. Feiyu closed the door, and her apprentice picked up the brush. Trying to get herself to focus on the task on hand.

Once she was done with a word, all she could think of was the town and all its mysteries. How was it different from hers, theirs was not as rural as this but never this unsettling. Their town had no such incidents, while here it had. There were a lot less travelers here than her town but at the same time it was less secure.

Maybe she should ask something should she go out later. It will be a good time to really ask and question about the disappearing people and how did they go.