A servant ca in from outside and reported to Li Jain: "Master Li Jain, a gentleman is at the gate. He says he is the music tutor you invited."
Li Jain nodded: "Let him in." That’s the person he was waiting for.
A short while later, the servant led a young man into the courtyard. The young man looked like soone from a noble family. He was dressed in a skyblue robe embroidered with silver cloud patterns, and his long hair was tied with a jade crown. His posture was elegant, and there was a scholarly air around him.
He bowed lightly when he saw Li Jain: "Master Li, my na is Qin Suyue. Clerk ng Qilan from Jade Sound Pavilion ca to last night with your tutoring request. He said your sons needed to learn the flute and pipa within a few days."
Li Jain nodded: "That is correct. I am Li Jain, I’ll have to trouble Tutor Qin."
Qin Suyue smiled gently: "Mr Li is too polite, since ng Qilan spoke highly of this request, I naturally had to co to take a look."
"Xinyue, I will be away for a while." Li Jain said to Li Xinyue who was instructing a worker.
Li Xinyue waves her hand without looking back: "Go, go. I’m here, nothing will go wrong."
Li Jain smiling helplessly before turning back to Qin Suyue: "Tutor Qin, this way."
He led Qin Suyue through the side corridor to the music room he had prepared the night before. The room was an empty room but Li Jain had arranged it well. There were several low tables placed by the wall, and cushions for sitting. A small tea table was placed near the window, and a few sound-dampening talismans pasted discreetly in the corners so the children’s practice would not disturb the rest of the household.
Qin Suyue looked around and nodded with satisfaction.
"This room is suitable. The air flow is stable, and the surrounding noise is not too heavy. I will need a little ti to set up. The young masters can co in five minutes."
Li Jain nodded: "No problem, take your ti."
When Li Jain stepped out, Li Yujian and Li Yuhan were already waiting nearby. Although both of them acted calm, they were clearly anticipating the lesson.
Li Jain smiled: "You heard him. Go in after five minutes."
Li Yuhan lowered his voice and asked: "Father, can one tutor really teach both the pipa and flute?"
Li Yujian also looked a little skeptical: "They are different instrunts, after all. We’re just afraid he might not have enough ti to teach both of us."
Li Jain said: "He was recomnded by the instrunt store. Since he accepted the request after hearing the details, he should know what he’s getting into."
Li Yuhan smiled. "Then we will see."
When Li Jain left, Qin Suyue removed the wooden case from his space storage. He opened it carefully and took out several small instrunts. Then arrange them neatly around the room. He hung a screen on the front wall, where all the seating was facing.
After all were set up, he sat and waited.
Five minutes later, the two brothers entered the room.
"Young Master Yujian, Young Master Yuhan, please sit."
The two sat opposite him, and took out their instrunts.
Qin Suyue looked at the instrunts in their hands and said: "Since this is your first lesson, I will not start with difficult songs. I will first teach you posture, breathing and hand placent. A spiritual instrunt is different from an ordinary one. You don’t just play with your hands but also your spirit."
Li Yuhan held the pipa case and said honestly: "Teacher Qin, we need to perform in a week, is that enough ti? Also, I have never played pipa before."
Qin Suyue nodded. "That is fine. A beginner who knows he is a beginner is much easier to teach than a beginner who thinks he already knows everything."
Li Yuhan was speechless:... Ok, that sounds personal, but whatever.
"Also, regarding your first question, it depends on what kind of performance you want. If you want to truly master the instrunts, one week is naturally impossible. But I can guarantee that you will know enough to play short pieces that are not complicated."
Qin Suyue did not waste ti. He first asked Li Yuhan to sit and hold the Pipa properly. Then he adjusted the angle of his wrist and showed him how to place his fingers without straining them.
"Do not pull the string too roughly. A pipa string is your friend not an enemy. If your force is too hard, the sound will beco harsh and stiff."
He adjusted Li Yuhan’s posture, then gently corrected his finger placent. Li Yuhan plucked one string as instructed, and a light sound rang out.
Qin Suyue shook his head gently: "Again, but this ti do not use your fingers alone. Relax your shoulders, and use less force."
Li Yuhan tried again. This ti, the sound beca longer and better. Even he felt the improvent.
Qin Suyue nodded: "That’s good, keep it up."
After that, he turned to Li Yujian and picked up a plain practice Flute from his side.
"For the flute, the first mistake most beginners make is blowing with too much force. Sound must have direction, one’s breath must be steady like a thin line."
Li Yuhan who was practicing his one note was puzzled: What kind of description is that? He doesn’t understand how a person’s breath can beco a thin line. Luckily, and fortunately he didn’t choose the flute. Just listening to them is already giving him a headache.
Qin Suyue demonstrated for Yujian to better understand what he ant. The note that ca out was long and clear. It was not loud, but it seed to travel straight through the room.
Li Yujian watched carefully, then lifted his own flute and tried to imitate him. The sound that ca out was faint and broken.
Qin Suyue gave him a few more pointers and told him to try again.
Li Yujian accepted it and adjusted his breath. His sound was slightly rough, but not broken much better than the previous sound.
Qin Suyue looked a little surprised: "Your breath is steady. Do you practice breathing technique?"
Li Yujian nodded.
"No wonder, I can tell it’s a good technique. But the breathing that is used when playing the flute is slightly different. Cultivation breathing gathers power inward, while flute breathing sends breath outward and controls where the sound lands. You have a good foundation, so you only need to adjust."
For the next twenty minutes, Qin Suyue moved between them effortlessly. When Li Yuhan practiced the basic plucking pattern, he corrected the rhythm. When Li Yujian practiced holding a single note, he corrected the flow of breath. He even played both instrunts briefly to demonstrate how the pipa could support the rhythm while the flute carried the lody.
In only twenty minutes, both of them had made visible progress. Li Yuhan could already play a short repeating pattern without breaking the rhythm, and Li Yujian could hold a clean note long enough to match the opening phrase of the song Qin Suyue demonstrated.
During a short break, Li Yuhan looked at the sound stones in the room and suddenly asked: "Tutor Qin, is spiritual music mostly used for calming the mind and supporting others?"
Qin Suyue smiled: "That is only one side of it. Why did you ask?"
Li Yujian looked at him: "Music is mostly used for calming the mind and straightening the soul, we can’t imagine it being used in actual battle."
Qin Suyue lifted his hand, with a flick of his finger, the bell rang. In the next instant, one of the desks dissolved into dust.
Li Yuhan’s eyes widened: "Whoa, that’s amazing. But you just ruined my father’s table. Don’t let my fifth brother know about this, otherwise, he’s going to make you replace it."
Qin Suyue clears his throat awkwardly: "I am a spiritual music cultivator. I fight using spiritual instrunts, and all of my attacks are carried through music notes. It all depends on the music and intent."
Li Yuhan looked at the pipa in his hands with new understanding. "I thought music cultivators were mostly passive. Thank you teacher Qin for opening my eyes."
Qin Suyue nodded: "Many people think so. Spiritual music can calm the mind, heal spiritual pressure, strengthen allies, and disturb enemies, so it often gives people the impression that it is only support. But sound can do many things. A spiritual note can deal as much physical damage as it can deal with the mind."
When the class ended, Li Jain ca to the music room and listened to Qin Suyue’s brief report. The tutor did not exaggerate, but he admitted that both children had good perception and discipline. If they practiced daily, they should be able to perform a simple accompanint within a week.
Li Jain was satisfied with the evaluation. He only needed them to know their way around with the instrunts. As for the song, he will teach it to them himself.
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